Spyderco?

I've heard people complain about the looks of Spyderco blades but the hole is, in practice, without a doubt the best thumb opening system available anywhere.
 
IMO the Sage 2 is one of the most beautiful knives I've had the pleasure to own. The true leaf blade examples appeal to me the most.
 
I know the first Spyderco was named "Worker". They have stayed true to that concept. What concept you ask? Well they were one of the first to mass produce a quality knife that a worker could open with one hand, and the knife doesn't have studs to poke you in the leg or tearing at your clothes when putting it in your pocket. The equivalent today is probably a slim flipper blade, but the Spyderco design probably beats it in simplicity and reliability. They make knives in various price ranges but have still kept the cost of many to a reasonable amount for a working stiff like me. I currently carry a Gayle Bradley and doubt I will ever find anything better when using a knife in my work.
 
GatorMedic said:
Thought the same thing. Bought a couple Spydercos. Realized I was correct. The hole prevents the knife from being functional for me. My knife spends majority of its time clipped inside my pocket. The hole makes the knife ridiculously wide so it makes it difficult to move anything else in or out of that pocket. Plus I find a thumb stud more comfortable and secure opening with or without gloves than the thumb hole. I still own one--a Salt edition--for carrying at beach and kayaking/boating but it stays inside the waistband which is annoying. However, it's the only completely rustproof knife that I know of so it's a tradeoff I deal with for those environments. I won't ever EDC one though. Despite what the vocal membership on this forum would suggest, plenty of people don't like the thumb hole and that's ok. Different likes and uses for different folks. It just so happens that the Spyderco brand is ideally suited for collectors so that is a major reason why they are so popular on this forum.
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I think far more people use Spydercos than collect them because they're cute. Most people I know like them for all reasons that make Spyderco a Spyderco.
 
Thanks for all the responses. A lot of you guys really went in depth! I have been looking at the Paramilitary 2 recently and I think I might get it soon.
 
Like others I was originally skeptical of the looks, but I've come to believe functionality has a beauty all its own. At this point I seriously I'll ever buy a folder from any other manufacturer.
 
The thumb hole works great for me...highly functional. But the blade width is a problem sometimes. It takes up more room in the pocket than necessary. Although I love using Spydercos, I usually carry a Benchmade model for the narrower profile.
 
Boxer .45 said:
I think far more people use Spydercos than collect them because they're cute. Most people I know like them for all reasons that make Spyderco a Spyderco.
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I never said that people don't use their Spydercos nor did I say they collect because "they're cute". You seem to have taken my statement that "the Spyderco brand is ideally suited for collectors so that is a major reason why they are so popular on this forum" as a slight against Spyderco. It is not. Spyderco produces lots of models but they also produce lots of sprint runs and different versions of each model. So people thus buy up different iterations of the same knife. As many Spyderco loyalists will attest to, most people don't stop at a couple Spydercos. They buy a bunch of them, and they buy a bunch of the same model as well. Any given person might have five different Delicas, three different PM2s, etc. Thus they have collected Spydercos. Now, who are the majority of members that post a bunch on this forum? The people that are constantly buying and trying out new knives. Buy a new knife, on a happiness high, want to go share pictures all over the forum. Makes sense. Get a new knife a month later and do the same thing. Spyderco is constantly putting out new combinations which entice people to buy more even though their current knives are perfectly fine. For example, Jane might have a Delica that has served her well for a year with a ton of life left in the blade, but then a ZDP version comes out with different scale color to boot. Jane sees all these pics of the new knife on the forum, and now Jane can't stop thinking about it. Jane buys it, loves it, posts about it. Then a HAP40 version comes out with another different scale version. Well now Jane needs to try that one out, too, so another one bought. The cycle continues. Spyderco is happy because they are a profitable company, the economy is happy because spending is up, Jane is happy because she has choices galore. Furthermore Jane is also enticed to post a bunch on this forum because she has to show off all these cool knives she keeps buying. There are a million different examples of this in our economy from Spyderco knives to new cars to whatever. There is nothing wrong with this. It makes great business sense to Spyderco and it makes loyal fans happy. Win win. But just because Jane's friend John doesn't post much on the forum, but has been using the heck out of his Kershaw every day for 10 years doesn't mean that his knife isn't any good. Thus that can paint a skewed picture if you take this forum to be the end all, be all of knife purchases and usage. That's why people start thinking something is wrong with them if they don't like Spyderco or don't like the thumb hole. There are tons of people in this world that don't like it. No big deal. Sal isn't going to lose any sleep over it or take offense about someone not liking it, and it's his own livelihood. I imagine if someone walked up to him and stated hey I hate the thumb hole, he'd just advise them that Spyderco does offer a few knives without it. And if those models don't strike that person's fancy either, then that's alright, maybe in the future you'll find one that you will like. He founded and runs a highly profitable company that he should be very proud of. Not every single person in the world needs to love his products to validate that achievement.
 
Who's this Hane? Is she cute?

I don't see people posting mostly Spyderco's, seems like a wide variety to me, if you just like Spyderco there are specific forums for that.

I think the majority of Spyderco fans like other brands just as well. Personally I want a few of the same knife so I'll have a backup because I really like that particular style, it has nothing to do with showing it off, I mean we do bu since this is a knife forum....well. :D That goes for all blades.

Still, I think the biggest reason people that like Spyderco's gravitate towards Spyderco is simply because they work for them, whether that's because of the materials, the quality, or the function including the spydie hole for opening. I have a bunch of knives but this is the most convenient and secure opening mech I've found.
 
Who listens to Jane and John? We all get hyped up, but there is a thread of truth and I believe most here learn to take most reviews with a grain of salt and look past honeymoon phased emotions of getting new knife. I could be wrong though maybe we are all just sheep and see Jane and John's post and spend our money blindly based on their opinion, reviews, and pics.

Paragraphs also help.
 
I was like the OP at first. I thought "who could want such a weird looking knife"? Then after I joined BladeForums and saw the overwhelming love, I knew I had to just look deeper to see why. I watched dozens of reviews and the Endura became beautiful to me after seeing the examples of Sal's form fits function style. The more I understood the why question, the more confident I was that it was time to try one. Even on my limited funds, I've ended up with 6 Spydercos within a few months. 2 Delicas, an Endura, a Stretch, a Tenacious, and a PM2 coming this week. I literally always carry a Spyderco in addition to another blade, normally a traditional slip joint. I suggest handling one. If you can't find one locally to fondle, pick up a budget version Byrd knife. You won't be disappointed!
 
JupiterPaladin said:
I was like the OP at first. I thought "who could want such a weird looking knife"? Then after I joined BladeForums and saw the overwhelming love, I knew I had to just look deeper to see why. I watched dozens of reviews and the Endura became beautiful to me after seeing the examples of Sal's form fits function style. The more I understood the why question, the more confident I was that it was time to try one. Even on my limited funds, I've ended up with 6 Spydercos within a few months. 2 Delicas, an Endura, a Stretch, a Tenacious, and a PM2 coming this week. I literally always carry a Spyderco in addition to another blade, normally a traditional slip joint. I suggest handling one. If you can't find one locally to fondle, pick up a budget version Byrd knife. You won't be disappointed!
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Or ask a few friends. If you have no friends with Spyderco's, get some new friends. Lol
 
SamuelSchlief said:
Hey guys,

I started collecting knives about 8 months ago and really like some of the designs by alot of the top companies. But I can't seem to get over the thumb hole that Spyderco has on all of their knives. I get that it's for quick opening, but why? It's makes the blade profile so big... Am I the only one like this?

Don't mean to offend anyone, or disrespect Spyderco, just curious.

Thanks,
Samuel
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It's something that makes more sense in use and in hand then trying to ponder.
Just remember, your hands don't have eyes :D

Spyderco is function over form.

Spyderco's tend to be general more geared and focused on cutting performance too
They come with thinner grinds and bold edge geometries that cut better and are sharper at the cost of extreme durability.
 
I always looked at them and was turned off by the hump on the blade bought one here or there but never gave them a chance and sold them off. Recently I tried them agian and decided that's all I'm carrying for a month and going to use it hard. Well it's changed my view on them. To me they are super functional and perform very well I work in the construction industry and everything I threw at my spydercos they tackled. I'm not saying other brands wouldn't have been just as good but bang for your buck hands down spyderco delivers. My collection keeps growing and I use them all depending on what my days work entails. Are they for everyone nope should everyone give them a try at least once I think so.
Then best part of spyderco most of their best selling knives are available in so many different steels. So if you don't want sv30 there is cruware or m4 etc etc. That is a great option to have in a knifestyle you like and for the price points you get a very well made knife. Even their budget blades made in China and Taiwan are made extremely well with great F&F for a outstanding price. With all this said it took awhile for me to want to carry one and I'm extremely happy I did.
 
:D
GatorMedic said:
Jane might have a Delica that has served her well for a year with a ton of life left in the blade, but then a ZDP version comes out with different scale color to boot. Jane sees all these pics of the new knife on the forum, and now Jane can't stop thinking about it. Jane buys it, loves it, posts about it. Then a HAP40 version comes out with another different scale version. Well now Jane needs to try that one out, too, so another one bought. The cycle continues. Spyderco is happy because they are a profitable company, the economy is happy because spending is up, Jane is happy because she has choices galore. Furthermore Jane is also enticed to post a bunch on this forum because she has to show off all these cool knives she keeps buying. There are a million different examples of this in our economy from Spyderco knives to new cars to whatever. There is nothing wrong with this. It makes great business sense to Spyderco and it makes loyal fans happy. Win win. But just because Jane's friend John doesn't post much on the forum, but...
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I think I have the opposite opinion as the OP. Almost every knife I own now has a Spyderco-like hole for opening. I love the Spyderco hole, it just works.
 
I was turned off by the hump on most of their blades due the hole, at first... I broke down and picked up a Cruwear Manix 2. I chose it in part because the leaf blade doesn't have the hump although it still makes for a very wide knife/pocket hog. That aside the knife is fantastic, it led to many more Spydies as you might have guessed from my username. I think my current fav is my Cruwear, ( yes Cruwear is great stuff) PM2. After using a Spyderco you begin to love the spydie-hole, then you begin to actually like the look of the hump in the blade. Kinda weird but it happens!
 
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