Where does the Tenacious stand at 15 years old?

[cabfrank]

Yeah, really good.

[aicolainen]

Made a set of scales for myself and a backspacer.

Holy smokes, Robin! Your scale making skills are going through the roof.

I got a SE from the same sale. We European's are so starved for Spyderco bargains, it was impossible not to bite at that price. Need wasn’t even part of the equation.

Mine is pretty much a perfect sample. When Wartstein reported his S35VN Tenacious to be impeccably made I remember him wondering if they put extra effort into the S35VN versions or if there was similar quality and QC across the line. Based on my sample size of 1, it’s very good across the line.

Trying to be more like Wartstein and limit my collection/selection to a reasonable number of users, I had my Tenacious SE lined up for a purge, but seeing yours dressed up like that makes that decision way harder :)

[Ramonade]

Trying to be more like Wartstein and limit my collection/selection to a reasonable number of users, I had my Tenacious SE lined up for a purge, but seeing yours dressed up like that makes that decision way harder :)

Sorry but not sorry ! I managed to finally do it too this summer, I sold a lot of them. The only problem is that I bought a lot in the meantime so my Spyderco knives are still plenty lol.
I used to buy a lot new from Lamnia, K&T and Coutellerie Tourangelle (and some others). But for the past 2 years I've mostly gone towards the secondary, or snipe these kind of sales since I'm monitoring like 10 EU reseller's prices almost daily

Same, I have a basic interest for any Spyderco so... If there's one at a price that is too good to ignore, it usually comes my way right after

I have to admit that the blade is really good, same continus belly as a Mule, very versatile ! And any full liner Spyderco is a possible set of scales for me to make . The Chaparral CF and Manix are next in line, after I finish a burlap smock for someone ^^. And thanks for the compliment, I really love doing that stuff ! I stress until I hear back from the client, which for now on has always been very happy. I want to keep it that way

PS : Thanks Bemo and cabfrank !

[zuludelta]

S35VN and M4 Tenacious are tempting but at regular prices it's starting to compete with K390 or 20CV or other exclusive Delica/Endela/Endura. I kind of keep an eye out for sales. Wartstein's original thread singing the praises of his S35VN almost got me to order one then and even if he's slimmed the collection down I haven't forgotten it. :)

I owned the S35VN Tenacious for a couple of years & found it to be very well executed, a solid, no-nonsense work folder. But yeah, given the other options in Spydercos Golden/Seki City stable at just a slightly higher price point, it felt a bit redundant, unless you're specifically looking for a liner-lock Spyderco in a stainless particle metallurgy steel. I think the S35VN Tenacious makes for a great first "CPM Spyderco" (but even then, I would suggest just saving up a little more money & grabbing a SPY27 Native 5 LW, Manix 2 LW, or Para 3 LW or—if stainlessness isn't a priority—a K390 Delica, Endela, or LeafJumper instead). I already had a Native 5 in S35VN & a PM2 in S45VN when I got mine, so it kind of fell by the wayside after a while & I ended up gifting it to someone who could use a good work knife.

I still have my 8Cr13MoV Tenacious, though. I think it's in the "budget beater" context that the model really shines. It's the knife I take to work when I know it's going to be a rough/hectic day & I need something super-reliable but I won't feel too bad about if it ends up getting lost or damaged.

[kontei]

I absolutely agree to @zuludelta.
Imho, too, saving some more money for a premium spyderco makes more sence.

[Wartstein]

...

I owned the S35VN Tenacious for a couple of years & found it to be very well executed, a solid, no-nonsense work folder. But yeah, given the other options in Spydercos Golden/Seki City stable at just a slightly higher price point, it felt a bit redundant, unless you're specifically looking for a liner-lock Spyderco in a stainless particle metallurgy steel. I think the S35VN Tenacious makes for a great first "CPM Spyderco" (but even then, I would suggest just saving up a little more money & grabbing a SPY27 Native 5 LW, Manix 2 LW, or Para 3 LW or—if stainlessness isn't a priority—a K390 Delica, Endela, or LeafJumper instead). .....

I absolutely agree to @zuludelta.
Imho, too, saving some more money for a premium spyderco makes more sence.

No disrespect, but I actually don´t fully understand - ?

I can follow when people generally rather don´t want to buy Chinese made knives, but I can´t see what´s technically "more premium" in for example a Seki Endura or Golden Manix (and I DO love both of these models, don´t get me wrong!)

In my experience the S35VN Tenacious is very "premium-ly" executed (even more so than most Seki knives I had) and has a steel every bit as "premium" as Golden S30V or Spy27 and arguably more so than Seki VG10.

So the "more premium" factor of Seki and Golden knives in my experience solely is the higher price, but not function or built quality.

Of course one might prefer the or some Golden or Seki DESIGNS over the Tenacious, but that´s a different story.

What the Tenacious offers is a ton of cutting edge (like an Endura, and closer to a Millie edge than to the much shorter edge of a Manix) in a really short package, but with a very hand filling, tall and ergonomic handle with to me probably the most "natural" in use lock type.

[kontei]

@Wartstein:
To be honest, I cannot explain it. The Tenacious s35vn, for sure, is a good knife. But it does not blast me off my seat like a Delica Wharncliffe K390. "Missing the spirit" may describe my feeling. :)

[Wartstein]

@Wartstein:
To be honest, I cannot explain it. The Tenacious s35vn, for sure, is a good knife. But it does not blast me off my seat like a Delica Wharncliffe K390. "Missing the spirit" may describe my feeling. :)

This I actually can fully understand!

For me too there are those Spydies that really "connect" with me "emotionally" and can "blast me off my seat", and those who are rather "just" good tools.
And yes, the S35VN Tenacious tends to fall in the latter group also for me (but is a VERY good tool imo).

Personally I would not contribute the difference in "blasting off the seat potential" to more or less "premium" necessarily though .

Anyway, I understand you now!

[kontei]

@Wartstein:
To be honest, I cannot explain it. The Tenacious s35vn, for sure, is a good knife. But it does not blast me off my seat like a Delica Wharncliffe K390. "Missing the spirit" may describe my feeling. :)

This I actually can fully understand!

For me too there are those Spydies that really "connect" with me "emotionally" and can "blast me off my seat", and those who are rather "just" good tools.
And yes, the S35VN Tenacious tends to fall in the latter group also for me (but is a VERY good tool imo).

Personally I would not contribute the difference in "blasting off the seat potential" to more or less "premium" necessarily though .

Anyway, I understand you now!

You understand this "blasting off the seat", because you are German, too..? :)

[Wartstein]

...

...

You understand this "blasting off the seat", because you are German, too..? :)

Austrian...

(To those who might be interested: Both in Germany and Austria German is the national language.
Though there are some Austrian dialects (of German) which Germans usually almost can´t understand).

[zuludelta]

No disrespect, but I actually don´t fully understand - ?

I can follow when people generally rather don´t want to buy Chinese made knives, but I can´t see what´s technically "more premium" in for example a Seki Endura or Golden Manix (and I DO love both of these models, don´t get me wrong!)

In my experience the S35VN Tenacious is very "premium-ly" executed (even more so than most Seki knives I had) and has a steel every bit as "premium" as Golden S30V or Spy27 and arguably more so than Seki VG10.

So the "more premium" factor of Seki and Golden knives in my experience solely is the higher price, but not function or built quality.

I guess the "premium" in my case relates to a subjective feeling. I tend to think of certain Seki & Golden models as having more ties to Spyderco's history than other models & that's what I'm paying extra for, I guess, when I pick an evergreen Seki or Golden model over a Chinese-made one. In terms of fit & finish, I actually think Seki may have slipped as far as its reputation in more recent years, but I still think of knives like the Delica, Endura, Police, Stretch, and Dragonfly as the "classics" of the lineup.