Bringing back the Co Pilot

[Co Pilot]

Guess it's obvious from my screen name, I really miss the Co Pilot. Thought it felt better than the DF. And if you haven't held one, well it does, lol. It also has a blade I think could VERY easily be made as a wharncliffe, which are really popular these days, especially with me. I think the tip would have to be lowered a few millimeters, if that, and the blade edge made straight. I pretty much joined to post this and see if there's any desire for a CP reboot. So anyone interested?

[VWTattoo]

I would be interested in a revived CoPilot, in any form, though a wharncliffe blade may be sweet. I am not sure if a straight blade is keeping in form to the curves the CoPilot has. It would remind me of the Spin, which is another great small knife.

I would speculate that the CoPilot is a model that a lot of people have never seen or held, let alone used, as it heartens back over 20 years, 15 years if you count the Sprint Run (that I totally missed out on).

Small folders are a tough sell, especially expensive small knives. But for me, they offer more precision and blade discipline and control, as I have to guard against cutting myself more so than others may. My lack of vision makes it tough to, say, carry a Military and use it safely for my own safety, as well as use it around others like my wife and guide dog.

I would be interested in a new CoPilot!

Oh and welcome to the Forum!

Scott

[Co Pilot]

Scott,
Would agree that most have not held or seen the CoPilot. Young people these day, they make me feel old and so do you, lol. Event though I know I'm not!

Don't know if small folders are a tough sell. Many seem to love the Dragon Fly. Many. Enough for there to be many versions. And don't know if it has to be any more expensive than the DF.

Was hoping that a wharncliffe version would help it sell, if the ergos alone didn't. Plus the wharncliffe is a great blade shape to increase cutting performance of a short blade.

Thanks for taking the time to respond, now if a few hundred (thousand?) others do we might be in business. Sorry to hear about your vision issues. And thanks for the welcome.

[araneae]

I'd have some interest in a reworked version.

[Doc Dan]

The copilot is a nice little knife, but I don't seem to remember being able to get all of my fingers on the handle. It has a nice handle shape, though.

[Halfneck]

Always liked the Co-Pilot, but at the time it was out I was into bigger knives.

[TomH]

I own Tufram Co-pilot. Even though I can only get 3 fingers around it, the knife is very secure in my hand..

[kodai78]

I’d love to see a pic! Anyone have one?

[Larry_Mott]

I’d love to see a pic! Anyone have one?

Here you go, an early one with brass liners



Here it is with the CX01, later to become the Pegasus

[bearrowland]

I'm definitely interested! Besides the name, I think it's one cool looking knife!

[SpyderNut]

The Copilot may be an oldie, but it’s definitely a goodie.

[sal]

Hi Co Pilot,

Welcome to our forum.

I should tell you that we do have another visitor with the screen name "CoPilot" that has been collecting them for quite a while.

For the purpose of discussion; How would you refine it? Keeping in mind that handles of future stainless models will be screw construction which affects the clip due to the pivot screw head and the short handle. Would Tip up work? Would a handle forward design work? Would full flat work?

The CoPilot was one of my early designs that was legal for airline travel. We actually had a couple, that were also writers, actually fly to Africa with their CoPilots, hunted and skinned the game with them, flew back with them on the plane and wrote an article about it. (History for Barry).

sal

[Cl1ff]

I like it. After looking up some images, it’s bigger than I initially thought which makes it more appealing in my eyes.

It does remind me of the handle forward design in the Rockjumper which I really appreciate.
Serrations look like they go great with the size/blade shape too.

Totally down for more of these!

[Co Pilot]

Hi Sal,

Thanks fo the welcome and especially the response. I'll take that as a good sign along with your questions that we might see a new one!
As far as redesigning it, you asked. Lol. I would definitely like to see it available with stainless handles for old times sake and because I like some heft in a knife, especially a small knife. It tells me where the knife "is" for lack of a better term. And that it's there, I had the tuffram model and it always felt like it wasn't there! Hard to use a knife you can't feel! Or orient.
I prefer tip down for many reasons beyond nostalgia but would take tip up if I "had" to, just to have it back and because I usually carry a knife this small in my pocket, not clipped to it.
I would like some texture to the stainless(on all the stainless models as well) I know this adds cost but was wondering if you ever considered just bead blasting the stainless handles? I have had it done to some and it adds just the right amount of texture, looks very cool make the knife look more modern. I think a reason why the stainless model don't sell as well as frn even though they're not much more money is those reasons, they're slippery, and have an "old" look to some. Bead blasting helps with both and perhaps won't even add cost because you don't have to brush the handles.
Again could live with frn, but with liners please. G10 would be great.
Full flat would be fine, I'm good with either grind. Just please make a wharncliffe version, if only so it will sell .
I'm not familiar with what handle forward means, so can't address that. I think that covers it?
Thanks again.

[bearrowland]

Love it Sal! I remember the days when no one gave a second glance to a knife like that for carry on airline wise. I'd love to read that article! {quote=sal post_id=1571395 time=1637039611 user_id=21]
Hi Co Pilot,

Welcome to our forum.

I should tell you that we do have another visitor with the screen name "CoPilot" that has been collecting them for quite a while.

For the purpose of discussion; How would you refine it? Keeping in mind that handles of future stainless models will be screw construction which affects the clip due to the pivot screw head and the short handle. Would Tip up work? Would a handle forward design work? Would full flat work?

The CoPilot was one of my early designs that was legal for airline travel. We actually had a couple, that were also writers, actually fly to Africa with their CoPilots, hunted and skinned the game with them, flew back with them on the plane and wrote an article about it. (History for Barry).

sal
[/quote]

[JD Spydo]

I've always had a liking for the Co Pilot model from the Golden Era of Spyders. But I also love the old Spur model from about the same time period.

I've said for many years that there is a valid case to be made that Spyderco in many respects is the "KIng of the Small Bladed folders. There was something about both the SPUR and CO Pilot models that really grew on you.

[Co Pilot]

I liked the Spur as well! But didn't want to push it by asking for more the one model. Perhaps Spyderco would/should consider a Golden Era/ Classic Spyderco's sprint runs? Though I would really like to see the Co PIlot as a standard production model.

[sal]

I know we do older model sprints so newer folks can see the model. We always change something to differentiate it from the original. This permits a reproduction using the same tooling. In this case, if we were to move on the concept, I think I would prefer to make mods to being it up to the current decade.

sal

[Doc Dan]

Where can that article be found? I'd love to read it!

[nerdlock]

I know we do older model sprints so newer folks can see the model. We always change something to differentiate it from the original. This permits a reproduction using the same tooling. In this case, if we were to move on the concept, I think I would prefer to make mods to being it up to the current decade.

sal

Hi Sal,

That is very welcome news indeed. A lot of us latecomers have no access to the older (for me, knives from 2010-below) models that JD and the others keep praising about.


A bit off-topic and I'm not sure if this has been discussed here before, but I'm curious about what happens to your tooling/molds/etc. after a knife has been discontinued? Are they destroyed or kept in storage? If the former, why do so? I've always thought it would be better to keep them for posterity and for future re-releases. But then I'm not a production business owner and I have zero idea about the economics behind toolings and stuff after their production life cycle ends.