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The Caribbean without a doubt is my favorite pickup for 2019. I've got both bladeshapes in the SE, I slightly prefer the leaf shape but I'm planning to shave down the angle on the Sheepsfoot as inspired by Evil D so that may change my preferences.

The one I was anticipating to love but so far hasn't completely wowed me is the Cruwear Shaman. The handle has great ergos but the cutting edge to weight ratio is a bit on the silly side. This is part of the reason the Caribbean wins. The Shaman has also already managed to get a bit of rust... I guess I didn't oil it down frequently enough... and that's just in late Fall.

Cambertree wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 01, 2019 3:45 am

Wartstein wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 01, 2019 2:21 am

I must admit I hadn't looked too closely at the Endela, as I have a couple of modded Enduras and Delicas that suit me fine already, but now your choice of the SE Endela completely makes sense. It hadn't sunk in that the blade, as well as having that bellied edge, is FFG SE! That makes a lot of difference in my books. I do love my Pac Salt and UKPK SE blades, but I'd definitely prefer FFG SE. Wow, that thing must be an absolute slicin' machine!

With regard to the Waterway's tip, yes it is very pointy and acute, and I've ground mine even thinner and pointier.

....

Thanks for your reply and your advice and insight concerning the waterway!

Now to the Endela SE (and further explained, why it is my "knife of 2019")

I´d really recommend you to get one and try it out! I can´t imgagine that anyone, who just appreciates great cutting tools, will not enjoy this knife (which is not too expensive too).
And as I know you like PM 2 and Stretch: The Endela has almost the exact same dimensions in blade, edge and handle lenght as these two (Stretch 2, not Stretch 1).
One bonus of the Endela is the very generous actual handle, which is essentially a just a bit shorter Endura handle, but a tad wider, for the "points" between the finger grooves are mellowed out to some degree.

But the great aspect of the Endela SE is of course the blade/edge: 3mm stock, and rather shallow, not too pointy serrations, that really fell more like a "better cutting" plain edge than an aggressive serrated edge.
David / Evil D started a great thread quite recently, where he explained the many different paramaters that define a certain serration pattern, and the Endela seems too meet all of the criteria that make for a great all around SE knife.
As said already, I never miss my plain edged knives when I carry the Endela, it is just a superior cutter for almost any task (could be partly due to the chisel grind too) -and there are really not too many ffg / 3mm stock SE knives in Spydercos lineup!

Below I pasted and copied some maybe interesting pics from the "Endela thread":

Endela SE compared to Endura/Stretch 1/ Delica
viewtopic.php?p=1339923#p1339923

The a tad wider and "mellowed out" Endela handle compared to the Endura
viewtopic.php?p=1341492#p1341492
viewtopic.php?p=1343675#p1343675
viewtopic.php?p=1355563#p1355563

Endela compared to PM2
viewtopic.php?p=1345317#p1345317
viewtopic.php?p=1354397#p1354397

Endela paired with a fixed blade...
viewtopic.php?p=1351015#p1351015

My knife of the year hands down is the Province and 4V has been the steel of the year.

I didn’t need the knife or any other knives at all for that matter but the knife appealed to me and I’m glad I bought it. There’s nothing I don’t like about the knife and nothing I’d change. The thing that has impressed me most though is 4V. I’ve never owned a “chopper” type knife that doesn’t sustain some damage or wear resulting in loss of sharpness when chopping into our dry hardwood, only the degree varies.

Looking at the Province’s thin grind had me a little apprehensive about how it would perform but I was pleasantly surprised and found it hard to believe that such a thin edge could blow through hardwood and even knots without any damage to the edge or measurable loss of sharpness.

The Province in 4V has definitely been the most impressive knife I’ve bought in quite a while.

Kudos to all involved in the development and production. :)

QI-ed Ikuchi and QI-ed Kapara are shoulder to shoulder in my case but I have to give the "Spydie Knife of the Year 2019" award to the gorgeous Kapara. For 2020 I hope and pray for a serrated Lil'Matriarch sprint and a high hollow grind Delica.

A few weeks ago, I would have said the Brouwer. It was one of the knives as soon as I saw it I wanted it, It's a simple elegant design that slim and fits well in the pocket with room to still get your hand in. I love this knife.

However, then came along the McBee. The first time I saw it, thought it was ridiculous especially at the price. Then months went by and I kept thinking about it. Something drew me to it and I decided I'd give it a shot with so many positive reviews.

Once I got it, I fell in love. It's such a well executed amazing little knife. If fits perfectly in a watch pocket and gets the job done for the letter and box opening the constitute the bulk of my every day need. It's not my go to for food prep, yard work, box break down or fishing, but for typical day in the office it's perfect. The bonus is that it doesn't scare most people.

The knife of the year for me for 2018 had to be the Spyderco Stuart Ackerman Sustain in 20CV. I do worry that laterally it looks thin, and I have not stuck any hogs with it yet, but every time that I pick it up...whoosh! Everything about it is nice.

The knife of the year for me has to be the Spyderco Province in CPM-4V. The grip is just right for gloves. A wrist loop on the handle is in order. This knife is so much better than a Ka-Bar. It is no joke, out of the 90 knives that I have the Province is one of my top 5!

For 2020, I want to buy backups to these knives. Yes, they are that good.

For the third year in a row my combo of EDC and SE Companion Blade are still the M390 Military model PE and a serrated ATS-55 Stainless handled RESCUE model. I'm giving them knife of the year distinction simply because they continue to get all my cutting jobs done. And both knives have been through a monumental amount of abuse but both of them have held up great.

This is just another case of: "If It Isn't Broke Then Don't Try To Fix It"

Sure I would like to try out some new stuff but while these two bad boys are still performing well I"m just going to continue with the same models for now.

i think i’d have to say it’s the yojimbo 2. i got the yojimbo last year with Christmas money and have carried it a lot this year. it’s hard to rank my favorite spydercos, but i’ve probably carried the yojimbo more often this year than my manix 2 lw, which i typically refer to as my favorite.
anyway, i somehow ignored the yojimbo for a long time until i saw michael janich’s video explaining it. i knew then i had to have one and i don’t regret the decision. it’s a quirky knife, but it’s probably the coolest looking knife ever and it’s fun to fidget with.
honorable mention would be the native salt, which i also got for Christmas last year. what a great knife it has been. i love lc200n.

It's a tough call, but the PM 2 just edged out the Dragonfly for me. I'm just starting out in the wonderful world of Spyderco, but the ones I have are all champs.

The Autonomy 2.

I haven't carried much else in the few months since buying it. Everything about the A2 is well-thought-out and brilliantly executed. I like the full steel liners; they not only add rigidity to the knife but also thicken it slightly which makes for a much more comfortable grip and thumb position. I like that it is an open-back construction; easier to clean and maintain. The LC200N blade is ground thinner than the Police 4, but still robust enough for any task. And while it may not be quite as "rust proof" as a Pacific Salt, it's very very close.

The auto action is quick and snappy yet doesn't try to leap out of the hand; the lockup is solid without any blade play at all. The modular spring mechanism is a cool touch as well.

If I weren't a knife nut, this would be the last knife I'd ever buy.

The Bow River.

I could certainly pick other knives, but I would have to say that I have gotten as much enjoyment out of this one "budget" knife as from any of the fancy ones that came my way this year.

The lesson may well be that the shape and design of the knife can be as important or more so than the materials. And I am not saying that the Bow River is junk materials or badly made -- it is a really fine knife in every way.

I smile every time I get it in my hand. Hats off to Phil Wilson.

The lesson of course is what a knife you would have if this was made with one of the exotic steels we know and love.

Drifting this thought along, I could say two things:

If society and my lifestyle were different, I would just carry fixed blades and that would be that.

I wish the mule team was done with this blade shape. Not that the mule team shape is bad -- i find that general size of a fixed blade exceedingly useful, but I have grown fond of the drop point and the way the Bow River feels in my hand.

I posted already what´s my personal knife of the year 2019 (Endela SE), but looking at a broader picture, the Straight Spine Stretch could take that price too in a way. Why?:

It seems to get real good resoncance at least in this forum.
And should "simply" straightening the spine finally bring really more people to try this great and very evolved design (concerning ergos, edge profile and more), and give the Stretch at last the popularity it would have always deserved in my view, that would be worthy of the "knife of the year"-title imho.

And that is coming from someone, who though has ordered a straight spine Stretch, still prefers the Stretch 1 over the Stretch 2 and the "old" blade shape over the straight spine.

Prndltech: Interesting choice. The Tasman Salt is a perennial workhorse for me out in the garden. I also often take it hiking to cut weeds and thorny blackberries clear of forested trails. Great as it is, I’m not sure if I could use it as a single knife. I certainly admire your hawkbill only experiment though.

P_atrick: That’s a good, thorough evaluation of the P4 LW, and I felt I could echo your sentiments relating to my G10 P4. Thanks for the detailed rundown.

TKO/Rick: Nice choice. I’ve done a lot of warehouse work in the past too, and I could see how the DLC 4V Shaman would just chew through that kind of work without breaking a sweat. I always like reading about the knife choices of those who use their knives every day for work.

Mushroom: Classy choice all the way, bro.

Igi964: Nice choice. I think Spyderco hit a real home run with the Bow River. Nice to see the Wharncliffe Delica up there as a contender too - it’s a very useful blade shape.

Vivi: I’m always a bit jealous of your ability to wield any size knife in public. You’re getting close to becoming that legendary ‘one knife man’, bro.

Monty: Good to see another Caribbean fan. You didn’t mention whether the PE or SE version and which blade shape gets the nod from you though? Yeah your comments about the Shaman are kinda why I don’t carry my Manixes a lot. I compared one to the Caly 3.5 the other day amd the handle seemed giant for even slightly less blade length.

Wartstein: thanks very much for your further thoughts and taking the time to collate those links. I read ‘em all, and you’ve convinced me of the virtues of the SE Endela. I’m kind of hoping for a K390 version next year.

Your further comments on the straight spined Stretch were very interesting too, as my next thought after thinking that I should get a SE Endela was that the Stretch would be perfect with that blade in FFG SE.

Bloke: Nice one, that Province is a brilliant knife. I always like reading your testing of it.

Elena86: Classy choice. I checked my records and my Kapara arrived late December 2018, otherwise it may well have been up there as Spydie of the Year in 2019 for me too. Great knife, and another one I’d love to see in a different sprint steel.

Atv223: Cool to see the ‘little big knives’ getting a look in. That McBee is another one I’ll be looking out for on close-out.

Naperville: Good to see another Province fan. That’s some high praise, too.

JDSpydo: I always like learning from you brother, especially about the classic models no longer in construction. But do you mean to tell me you haven’t welcomed a single new Spydie into the JD fold for all of 2019?!

Ladybug93: Yeah that Yo2 is just a classic knife. I love mine. You don’t have to look too far to see the influence it’s had on modern SD knives. Do you use it for general EDC chores too?

Bearrowland: Great choices Barry - two rolled gold classics there.

Meat Man: Thanks for that detailed review of a less common knife for many of us. It sounds like a great option for those of us able to acquire it.

Tucson Tom: Thanks for sharing your thoughts, brother. You raise some interesting points. I hope to get some Wilson designs soon - for the moment I’ve somehow ended up around the Bradley campfire (GB1, Bowie, Junction). I’ve had the Bow River in my cart a few times, but I’d need the aftermarket sheath too to make it work for lefty carry.

I think I’d still probably carry a folder if I could carry any knife, but it would be great to be able to try out some fixed blades for normal EDC tools.

Yeah, I agree, it would make a great Mule shape.

I prefer larger Spydies, and my acquisitions in 2019 (Native Chief and Shaman variants among them) reflect the fact.

But two small Spydies have put the bigger smile on my face this year: the Enuff Salt and the Lil’ Native midlock, the latter my Knife of the Year, because so unexpectedly capable and good in the hand.

It gives me hope for the even more jurisdiction-friendly Lil’ Native slipjoint.

Cambertree wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 02, 2019 5:11 am

....
Wartstein: thanks very much for your further thoughts and taking the time to collate those links. I read ‘em all, and you’ve convinced me of the virtues of the SE Endela. I’m kind of hoping for a K390 version next year.

Your further comments on the straight spined Stretch were very interesting too, as my next thought after thinking that I should get a SE Endela was that the Stretch would be perfect with that blade in FFG SE.

.....

You actually read them all?! That´s an honor, I actually linked them mostly just for the pics
I am afraid that when the Endela comes out in K390, it will only be in PE... And the "magic"of the Endela IS imho its SE version with the particular way the serrations are ground into the ffg 3mm stock blade.
I think it would have a place in your metaphorical, but also physical "toolbox" you mentioned... .. for it is just a great, well, TOOL!

Cambertree wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 02, 2019 5:11 am

Ladybug93: Yeah that Yo2 is just a classic knife. I love mine. You don’t have to look too far to see the influence it’s had on modern SD knives. Do you use it for general EDC chores too?

i do occasionally use it for everyday tasks, but i try to use whatever else i’m carrying more so that the yo2 is ready to go if i ever need it for anything more serious. i often have the native salt on me to accomplish edc tasks, pacific salt in case i need se, and yo2 ready to defend my life (or in case i need a fidget toy, which is way more often). i actually used the yo2 this weekend to cut some line, which is a weird choice, considering the other knives i was carrying, but it was more convenient with my body position at the time and it worked like a dream. i guess i really only need to be carrying the one knife, but where’s the fun in that?

Delica Hap40 Wharncliffe.

This year I bought my first Spyderco- The 52100 Para 3. Then I got the Cruwear Para 3. Absolutely love the platform and thought “this might be the perfect knife”.

I had a bad accident with a backlock knife failing many years ago and swore them off. But I decided to take a chance with the Delica after seeing all the love for it.
I’m a huge fan of straight edge blades, so decided to get the Wharncliffe Delica in Hap40.
This knife instantly became my favorite.

I can’t really describe why I love this knife so much, other than it just has that “it” factor. It’s thin, sturdy, the backlock feels failsafe and the straight edge cuts like a laser beam and is a breeze to sharpen.
The bevel came uneven from the factory(I’ve seen a few people mention this as well), but in real life use it’s not been an issue.

Overall, it just has mojo.
I hope we get more Wharncliffe Delicas in special/sprint run steels in the future.

Para 3 lightweight gets my vote. It’s having a hard time being kicked out of my pocket by anything else.

Cambertree wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 02, 2019 5:11 am

Vivi: I’m always a bit jealous of your ability to wield any size knife in public. You’re getting close to becoming that legendary ‘one knife man’, bro. .

I think I’d still probably carry a folder if I could carry any knife, but it would be great to be able to try out some fixed blades for normal EDC tools.

On my last hike I passed a group of four. One had a good sized axe on their belt, one had a glock on his, one had a machete, and the fourth had a beer. Not exactly the type of people to care about the difference between a Police and a Delica :D

Fixed blades are a lot more convenient for some things. Folders for others. It's good to have options. I carry both every week.

Hmmm. Waterway, M390 Manix 2, Province and 4v Shaman are all finalists.

I think I'd have to go with the Province as my top new knife this year.