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How Spyderco changed your approach to knives
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2020 7:06 am
by ThomC
So, I know many of us here are grateful to the whole Spydie team's efforts in bringing such innovations as we have now to the knife world.
However, I thought it might be a good idea for us forumites to state here how the brand has changed our approach and behaviour towards pocket knives and maybe fixed blades as well, and maybe state what we'd like to see on further offerings of Sal, Eric et al.
For one, I can't really imagine carry a non-locking knife anymore, and one so easy to open. While I may have my eye on many different brands, the Spydiehole is something so evident and so easy it's hard to use something else. The ergonomics are what really got me. The PM2 is one of the most comfortable knives I've held. The Emerson thumb discs would probably be second in terms of easy opening.
That said, as I sharpen free-hand, I find the ricasso point a little too pronounced and wouldn't mind an actual sharpening choil on some models, like many fixed blades have.
Re: How Spyderco changed your approach to knives
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2020 7:27 am
by The Meat man
For me, a couple things I can think of off the bat: one, I no longer think that $50 is a lot of money to spend on a knife, and two, I no longer consider 3" my blade length limit for EDC.
I'm also spoiled by the steel selection, opening hole, and great designs.
Re: How Spyderco changed your approach to knives
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2020 7:33 am
by Jazz
Opening hole, good clips, and ergos - knives that actually fit the hand.
Re: How Spyderco changed your approach to knives
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2020 7:46 am
by bearfacedkiller
Spyderco taught me that too much is never enough.
Re: How Spyderco changed your approach to knives
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2020 7:52 am
by ThomC
The Meat man wrote: ↑Sun Apr 12, 2020 7:27 am
For me, a couple things I can think of off the bat: one, I no longer think that
$50 is a lot of money to spend on a knife, and two, I no longer consider 3" my blade length limit for EDC.
I'm also spoiled by the steel selection, opening hole, and great designs.
Yeah, I used to think expensive pocket knives weren't really worth it. Then I looked into it after purchasing the medium stone for a higher price than my most expensive knife at the time. And I understood why. Same goes for instruments.
Now they're both tools and collectibles :)
Re: How Spyderco changed your approach to knives
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2020 7:53 am
by ThomC
bearfacedkiller wrote: ↑Sun Apr 12, 2020 7:46 am
Spyderco taught me that too much is never enough.
Now if we could somehow convince our S.O.s of that too... :D
Re: How Spyderco changed your approach to knives
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2020 8:14 am
by soc_monki
ThomC wrote: ↑Sun Apr 12, 2020 7:53 am
bearfacedkiller wrote: ↑Sun Apr 12, 2020 7:46 am
Spyderco taught me that too much is never enough.
Now if we could somehow convince our S.O.s of that too... :D
My wife doesn't know how much some of my knives cost, and doesn't really care it seems. She just says to anyone who asks that I have a big case full of knives. Lol as long as bills are paid and money is in the bank, it's all good!
Re: How Spyderco changed your approach to knives
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2020 8:46 am
by cycleguy
Traditional folders no more...
CG
Re: How Spyderco changed your approach to knives
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2020 8:55 am
by Sumdumguy
soc_monki wrote: ↑Sun Apr 12, 2020 8:14 am
ThomC wrote: ↑Sun Apr 12, 2020 7:53 am
bearfacedkiller wrote: ↑Sun Apr 12, 2020 7:46 am
Spyderco taught me that too much is never enough.
Now if we could somehow convince our S.O.s of that too... :D
My wife doesn't know how much some of my knives cost, and doesn't really care it seems. She just says to anyone who asks that I have a big case full of knives. Lol as long as bills are paid and money is in the bank, it's all good!
Heh...
It's hard for mine to complain, when she's holding a $1,200 purse.
That's called strategic planning, sirs.
Re: How Spyderco changed your approach to knives
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2020 9:04 am
by Sequimite
I always carried a slipjoint and had one knife with a locking blade. After I retired I decided to pursue this interest. I started in 2006 by buying a large lot of used pocket knives on ebay. There were several Kershaws, I got into them a bit, and one very odd looking knife, a Delica. Once I used it I got it.
My rule one with Spyderco: the odder it looks, the more some ergonomic or other functional aspect has been improved. Looks weird = superior performance.
I didn't stray over $100 for a while until an abalone and mother of pearl Kiwi intrigued me. It was the first Spyderco that I thought beautiful and, after months of drooling over it I bought it and was amazed at how comfortable the grip was despite the fact that the handle disappeared in the hand. Increasingly I saw beauty when I looked at great engineering. But the Kiwi was beautiful by any standard as proven by my wife taking my first one, my daughter the second and my sister the third.
At some point I was down the rabbit hole and had over a hundred at one time. Mostly I wanted to handle and understand each design. Constantly buying and selling I experienced over 200 models and variations. I learned what the design trade offs were and which ones I valued most. There is no perfect knife but there are knives that come closer to my personal ideal.
I winnowed down to about three dozen Spydercos and customs and was happy. But I continued to follow new models and recently bought my first new Spyderco in over three years. My experience enabled me to understand how the knife would feel in my hand and work for me by looking at photos and reading about it. As it happened I was accurate in my assessment, edging slightly closer to my impossible ideal.
Re: How Spyderco changed your approach to knives
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2020 9:07 am
by ThomC
cycleguy wrote: ↑Sun Apr 12, 2020 8:46 am
Traditional folders no more...
CG
I still grab one of my Opinels for kitchen duty almost every day since they
are much easier to sharpen than S30V if dinged on a plate or roughly used. Precision cutting and material processing has me running straight to the PM2.
And I have a Higonokami in my backpack as a backup, but it's going to get switched for the Endura as soon as it gets here :D (though it performs well as a razor in a pinch)
Re: How Spyderco changed your approach to knives
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2020 9:11 am
by curlyhairedboy
I can't go back to two-hand opening. My 'need a knife as I'm doing this task' work flow is completely different when I only need one hand to safely open, use and close a cutting tool.
Re: How Spyderco changed your approach to knives
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2020 10:56 am
by Notsurewhy
Taught me to look at knives differently and modify what I consider attractive in a knife. Instead of judging a knife purely on aesthetics, my taste is now much more informed by ergonomics and performance. I used to find them ugly, but I find Spyderco knives do have a certain beauty of function rather than just being "pretty".
I'd imagine their biggest obstacle is getting potential customers to try the weird lumpy looking knife with the hole in it long enough to realize how much better it works. Once in hand, it all makes sense.
Re: How Spyderco changed your approach to knives
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2020 11:10 am
by RustyIron
1. That funny looking hole really IS useful.
2. Pronounced thumb ramps are a-ok.
3. 50/50 choil is the bomb.
4. Fancy metal spoiled me. Boring steel is just... boring.
Re: How Spyderco changed your approach to knives
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2020 11:14 am
by Wartstein
Massively... when it comes to folders, Spyderco = knife and knife = Spyderco for me. My last non Spyderco folder (BM Minigrip) is for sale, and that leaves me with solely Spydercos in my folder selection...
That does not mean that other brands can´t or don´t make great knives (they absolutely do!), but I just happen to get everything I want from a folder in the Spyderco-lineup and feel no need anymore to look elsewhere.
Re: How Spyderco changed your approach to knives
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2020 12:55 pm
by Snacktime
Never was big on ergonomics, key feature for me was a bottle opener. Carried my leatherman or my Swiss army for 10+ years. Ended up working in Iowa and needed something to cut salt bags. Learned that spyderco hole worked best.
Now I have way to many knives and prefer my stretch 2. I have 4-5 new spyderco in the box knives I still have to try. Just hard not to go for the ugly knife with my favorite finger choil and thumb ramp.
I can say I avoided spyderco for years... now I have more spyderco than socks in my dresser...
Re: How Spyderco changed your approach to knives
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2020 1:24 pm
by kennethsime
RustyIron wrote: ↑Sun Apr 12, 2020 11:10 am
1. That funny looking hole really IS useful.
2. Pronounced thumb ramps are a-ok.
3. 50/50 choil is the bomb.
4. Fancy metal spoiled me. Boring steel is just... boring.
This. Form Follows Function.
Re: How Spyderco changed your approach to knives
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2020 1:32 pm
by ladybug93
spyderco made me realize i can carry multiple knives on me for different purposes. :D
Re: How Spyderco changed your approach to knives
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2020 1:50 pm
by ChrisinHove
Sequimite wrote: ↑Sun Apr 12, 2020 9:04 am
I always carried a slipjoint and had one knife with a locking blade. After I retired I decided to pursue this interest. I started in 2006 by buying a large lot of used pocket knives on ebay. There were several Kershaws, I got into them a bit, and one very odd looking knife, a Delica. Once I used it I got it.
My rule one with Spyderco: the odder it looks, the more some ergonomic or other functional aspect has been improved. Looks weird = superior performance.
I didn't stray over $100 for a while until an abalone and mother of pearl Kiwi intrigued me. It was the first Spyderco that I thought beautiful and, after months of drooling over it I bought it and was amazed at how comfortable the grip was despite the fact that the handle disappeared in the hand. Increasingly I saw beauty when I looked at great engineering. But the Kiwi was beautiful by any standard as proven by my wife taking my first one, my daughter the second and my sister the third.
At some point I was down the rabbit hole and had over a hundred at one time. Mostly I wanted to handle and understand each design. Constantly buying and selling I experienced over 200 models and variations. I learned what the design trade offs were and which ones I valued most. There is no perfect knife but there are knives that come closer to my personal ideal.
I winnowed down to about three dozen Spydercos and customs and was happy. But I continued to follow new models and recently bought my first new Spyderco in over three years. My experience enabled me to understand how the knife would feel in my hand and work for me by looking at photos and reading about it. As it happened I was accurate in my assessment, edging slightly closer to my impossible ideal.
That’s it for me, as well. Learning what works for me, and
why.
Re: How Spyderco changed your approach to knives
Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2020 1:50 pm
by Water Bug
For me...
- A large folder was something that was worn on the belt in a sheath... the Spyderco CLIPIT showed me that a large folder such as the Spyderco Military could be EDCed quite nicely and securely in the pocket while also being readily accessible.
- A folder with a thumb stud was something that was a bit risky to EDC in the pocket since the knife could sometimes open unexpectedly when the stud got caught on the pocket when retrieving the knife... the Spyderco Round Hole provided me with a means to efficiently and effectively open a folder one handed while also providing peace of mind that the knife would not open unless I wanted it opened.
- A large folder was something that was thick and bulky so as to provide better grip when the blade was deployed... Spyderco showed me that large folders could be slimmer and lighter while still providing a very effective and sure grip without sacrifice to capability.
- A Lage folder was something that had to be a lock back to ensure a secure lockup of the deployed blade... Spyderco showed me that a secure lockup can be achieved by a variety of lock styles.