Nothing Like the Old Days

[Accutronman]

[Mr Blonde]

Those are some grail pieces for sure, very nice!

[Infinite Zero]

I remember the “old days” (for me anyway) when the high-end regular production knife steel was ZDP-189, salts were only made in Japan, sprint runs were showing off Carpenter steels and the Native had a big swedge.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

For me the old days are Generation 1 Enduras and Delicas and when all stainless Spyderco knives were the main products.

[vivi]

I remember when there was only one Native, and you could buy them for $40 at walmart.

I remember when Byrd's were introduced, then the Tenacious, and the controversy that followed.

I'll never forget falling in love with the Police 3 the first time I saw the Amsterdam meet prototype photos.

I kind of miss ZDP. I liked how easily it sharpened for the amount of edge holding it offered.

[James Y]

The old days for me were when all of the lightweight back lock models were rivet (instead of screw) construction, linerless, and had the integral Zytel (FRN) pocket clips.

Jim

[SpeedHoles]

IMG_2025-02-12-110348.jpegIMG_2025-02-12-110330.jpegIMG_2025-02-12-110313.jpeg

Wasn't that variant made by Klotzli? Was it the only Spyderco they ever made?
I've got a barebones Almite Walker, but never handled the tricked out Klotzli one...





And speaking of "old days"... Anyone else remember when I think the Salsa was just about the only colorful option in the catalog?
(Kinda miss bolt-on thumb ramps too just for fun)

And for the longest time you really COULD NOT find a red Spyderco. It just wasn't a thing.
It was (smartly) reserved for trainers for years... Until maybe the roadie or something.
Now that seems like a long lost foreign idea with all the St Nicks and other stuff around...

[abbazaba]

The Michael Walker needs a sprint.

[mikey177]

My earlier recollection of the old days is having to re-tighten the barrel screw (?) on my ATS-55 Endura as it worked itself loose every few weeks.

I didn't have a lot of disposable income then as I was just starting a family, so that Endura was my only folder for a long, long time.

[Appler]

Fabulous knives.

Like SpyderEdge, the old days for me were also only Zytel clips and stainless choices. And then the mind was blown when the C15 Bob-T came out, and the knife world (and the Spyderco catalog) was never the same. I still think there is a market for Zytel clips--they don't scratch your paint when you work on cars and bikes.

I am still compiling my list of all the Klotzli's in the wild and their variances. I think the list is up to 98 that I have details on. Accutron's is on it, and one of the prettiest with the plainedge and gloss scales.

And, yes, another Walker run would be awesome.

Titanium handles off the Ti Lum Chinese and Super Blue steel?

Or the cranberry almite off that unicorn Lum Chinese? I loved that cranberry color, but no one really ever got to enjoy it.

Either would be Yummy. Please, please, please...

[Mr Blonde]

For me the old days was when a 440V Military and a VG-10 Moran with a custom kydex sheath was the EDC combo to get!

[elena86]

The stainless steel serrated Worker has “old days” written all over it. Bring it back in SPY27 !

[Coastal]

For me, the 90s are the old days (Spyderco-wise, that is).

I was talked into buying my first Spyderco, circa 1992, by a dealer called Bladerunner at a gun show in Fort Worth. I had hesitated for years because the Worker was not a hunting or fishing knife, and I didn't EDC. The clip and one-hand opening quickly made me an EDC believer and informed my knife purchases right up to the present.

A Police Model was next, after reading a convincing Mas Ayoob testemonial. It didn't get as much carry as the Worker because I wore business attire at work and it was too big for the office environment. In 1993 I began traveling a lot, and in 1994 I bought the first Michael Walker I saw as my travel knife. It spent many thousands of miles in my pocket until airline carry was outlawed. About the same time, I bought my first and, as it turned out, last, Spyderco hunting knife, a Bob Terzuola. In 1998 I purchased a partially serrated Delica with the integral clip to take overseas on vacation. I chose it specifically because it was on closeout for $40, and I knew there was a chance it would be confiscated. Sure enough, within minutes of landing I had to give it up.

I still have the rest, but seldom dig them out of my drawer to look at. When I do, I never fail to marvel at how nice they are, and how revolutionary for their time.

[Larry_Mott]

Wow! This thread is right up my vintage alley!

[JD Spydo]

I've even had some folks literally laugh at me for my love of what I call the "Golden Era" of Spyderco classics. From 1998 to 2004 has so many models that I will always like the best as far as classic designs are concerned.

Among those are the C-60 Massad Ayoob, The JD Smith, The Harpy just to name a few. For me the Golden Era period was literally a launching pad for many of the super designs we have in recent times. Spyderco literally started out great IMO.

[Accutronman]

And then the mind was blown when the C15 Bob-T came out, and the knife world (and the Spyderco catalog) was never the same.

For Appler…the rare C15P left hand version

[Appler]

Left hand, aluminum and plainedge?!?! Very nice. Looks in awesome condition, too. Thanks for sharing!

I have an aluminum C15 that has spent thousands of miles in my pocket on motorcycle trips, and even got the spa treatment from the factory when I yanked it out one time on a trip to show Gail Glesser how much I loved it. That knife is irreplaceable because every scratch and ding I put on it. It is funny to have a lot of knives that I like but am afraid to use hard because I want to keep them nice. But the ones I am really attached to are the ones that have actually been there when I needed them and have the scars to prove it. The irony: to really fall in love and understand the value of something, you have to use it hard and lower the "value."

[Larry_Mott]

I'd rather have my Terzuola collection than every single PM2 variant.. Just sayin'

[Evil D]

I really wish I had been aware of Spyderco at a much earlier age. Even though I had knives and was into knives, we just had no idea what was out there back then, there was no big knife store to shop at or an online website for knives, so the exposure was just so small. You knew about the big name sporting goods store brands like Buck and Gerber and KABAR but that's about it. I don't even remember seeing knife magazines until I was already into Spyderco, and I had even worked in a book store in the '90s.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

I really wish I had been aware of Spyderco at a much earlier age. Even though I had knives and was into knives, we just had no idea what was out there back then, there was no big knife store to shop at or an online website for knives, so the exposure was just so small. You knew about the big name sporting goods store brands like Buck and Gerber and KABAR but that's about it. I don't even remember seeing knife magazines until I was already into Spyderco, and I had even worked in a book store in the '90s.

Let's say you knew of and were allowed to and given an allowance to get Spyderco knives starting at age 14 and that continued when you began getting a paid job and right on to now. Would you likely have a huge collection of Spyderco knives?