Spyderco Forums

The Civilian is one of those Spydercos that I have long been interested in, but was expensive enough that I wouldn't pull the trigger on one without being able to handle it first.

My best friend just made a trip out to Golden on business and stopped by the outlet while he was there. They had a good deal on a Civilian so he picked one up. So... I finally got to handle one yesterday.

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Review
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Points of interest:
-Comes set up for tip down cary.
-Only has a liner on one side.
-It is actually slightly thicker at the tip than the Matriarch which surprised me.
-The handle is very narrow towards the blade so you can really wrap your thumb and index finger around it.
-The handle flares out wide at the bottom which helps prevent the knife from being pulled out of your hand should the blade snag on something.
-It has a very nice negative blade angle in relation to the hand.
-The handle is much shorter than I thought it would be. They cram a whole lot of blade into that handle. Those obsessed with the blade to handle ratio would like this knife.

The Civilian has made my must have list.

It's intriguing, for sure. I'm surprised its tip is thicker than the Matriarch's. Your review has just at least doubled my interest in the Civilian.

The Civilian is awesome, in the worst terrifying sense. Were I unable to avoid sketchy places, mine would go with me (along with small firearm).

As it is, I’m pretty much safe in my daily life, so I just appreciate my Civilian as one well-made manifestation of compelling philosophy of use.

I have a Civilian myself. But I also have 3 Matriarch models ( The little Brother of the Civilian). Personally for me I prefer the Matriarch. I've actually EDCed one of my VG-10 full SE Matriarch models for a while and it is as though it was made for my hand and just feels really comfortable. I just find that the comfort of the handle and the size of the blade in proportion to the size of my hand that I do believe that I have far more control of a Matriarch model.

Not trying to rain on your parade>> no not in the least because the Civilian is a very well made model all the way around. But I thoroughly believe that if I ever had to use my Matriarch in a self defense scenario I do believe I would have far more control of a Matriarch model. However the CIVI is an awesome beast of a blade and I'm glad you got to score one.

Coastal wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 06, 2022 9:33 pm

It's intriguing, for sure. I'm surprised its tip is thicker than the Matriarch's. Your review has just at least doubled my interest in the Civilian.

I'll have to bring my calipers next time I visit my friend and measure it. But looking at them side by side the civilian had a sliver more thickness.

JD Spydo wrote: I have a Civilian myself. But I also have 3 Matriarch models ( The little Brother of the Civilian). Personally for me I prefer the Matriarch. I've actually EDCed one of my VG-10 full SE Matriarch models for a while and it is as though it was made for my hand and just feels really comfortable. I just find that the comfort of the handle and the size of the blade in proportion to the size of my hand that I do believe that I have far more control of a Matriarch model.

Not trying to rain on your parade>> no not in the least because the Civilian is a very well made model all the way around. But I thoroughly believe that if I ever had to use my Matriarch in a self defense scenario I do believe I would have far more control of a Matriarch model. However the CIVI is an awesome beast of a blade and I'm glad you got to score one.

I love my Matriarch. For years when I joined this forum people cautioned me that it wasn't meant to be an edc knife and it was too fragile for that. I haven't found that to be the case at all. I imagine you'd have to be doing something silly to break it.

I have always wanted one, or a Matriarch or even Lil Matriarch. Alas, not yet.

I’ve had mine for years, and love it dearly. It follows me everywhere I can’t have a firearm. It has:

-Been clipped inside my running shorts on all of my runs, I have to occasionally check to make sure it’s still attached because I can hardly tell it’s there

-Been to Iraq as a last line of defense

-Filled in as my primary defensive tool when I don’t have another option.

They’re a niche item, and definitely not for everyone. It’s something you need to train with, too. But I’d never be without mine.

I love this line of knives! Here's my current lineup (Matriarch 2 with Boomer52 scales, Sprint Run Matriarch 1 [FFG], and Lil' Matriarch):



I also have a Gray FRN ATS-55 Blade Forums sprint run Matriarch 1 on its way to me from Japan. Should be here tomorrow.

I would love to get my hands on a plain edge Sprint Run Matriarch 1.

I should break down and just pay the outrageous shipping and tax on one of those lil matriarchs.

Hi Do335,

Welcome to our forum.

sal

There is not a better knife for the specific task for which it was designed, imo. Brilliant and quite brutally effective should you ever need it.

sal wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 07, 2022 12:39 pm

Hi Do335,

Welcome to our forum.

sal

Thanks Sal! Longtime lurker. Really appreciate all that you and the team have done for the community.

I really want a little matriarch, just don't really use my regular matriarch enough to pay that much from a certain store. Absolutely love the design with the hawkbill tip for cutting boxes and rope. Absolutely the best Spyderco for dinner parties for eating fondue, little smokies and cheese cubes.

The mark up on the Lil M has kept me from buying one. I really should though. Im always going on about a lack of PE hawkbills, and there one sits.

I've brought this suggestion up on a few occasions in the past and I think it bears repeating at this time. I even had a thread once on this subject a couple of years back. I've suggested on a few occasions if they would make a Civilian and/or Matriarch model with a "Thicker Tip" along with a somewhat overall thicker blade along with a fortified handle and use the same locking system. If they made a Matriarch with those features there would be quite a few guys use it as their as their primary EDC folder.
If Spyderco were to make a modified Matriarch or Civilian model I do think it would sell much better than the present models of the Matriarch and Civilian ( which most people presently view strictly as a self defense model only). If one of my Matriarch models had a thicker blade tip it would be used much more often for sure.

Not to hijack this Civilian thread with a bunch of Matriarchs, but I can't help but show off this one that just arrived today:



This is the gray FRN ATS-55 Blade Forums sprint run. Only 300 were produced in the year 2000, I believe, so it's a rare one! Came in absolute mint condition from a seller in Japan. I was so excited to get this (and for a great price, too).

I have both a Matriarch I bought new a few years ago and a Civilian I inherited from my dad. The tip on the Civilian is more delicate than my Matriarch and also than the Civilian pictured in this thread. I’m thinking CQI made a less fragile tip on later production Civilians. I don’t know when Dad bought his, but it is VG-10.

I love how the ricasso almost blends into the shape of the handle. I wish more ricassos were shaped like that.

Bill1170 wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 08, 2022 10:43 pm

I have both a Matriarch I bought new a few years ago and a Civilian I inherited from my dad. The tip on the Civilian is more delicate than my Matriarch and also than the Civilian pictured in this thread. I’m thinking CQI made a less fragile tip on later production Civilians. I don’t know when Dad bought his, but it is VG-10.

They changed the tip on the Civilian about 10 years ago if I remember right. It is a little thicker and considerably wider than it used to be, especially at the first serration scallop, which is where they usually broke. It is still possible for the chisel grind of the serrated edge and the angle of the tip to combine for enough lateral load to snap it, but it is less likely now.

brancron wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 08, 2022 8:40 pm

Not to hijack this Civilian thread with a bunch of Matriarchs, but I can't help but show off this one that just arrived today:



This is the gray FRN ATS-55 Blade Forums sprint run. Only 300 were produced in the year 2000, I believe, so it's a rare one! Came in absolute mint condition from a seller in Japan. I was so excited to get this (and for a great price, too).

Looks awesome.

Im excited too, just scored a NIB Carbon Fiber Super Hawk. Should be here in a week.