Difference between Matriarch and Civilian is handle?

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Aug 31, 2017
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Topic, I want a spyderedge knife but as I look the two are very similar with maybe the difference the handle material and washers. Of course some salt knife has the same edge but these two pop out at me.
 
The Matriarch is shorter than the Civilian, meaning it is more likely to fall within legal limits. For many years we had a four inch blade length limit here, so the Civilian was illegal to carry. I believe the tip is also a bit thicker on the Matriarch, making it more suitable for mundane utility tasks.
 
Ahh so a half an inch difference. Now that I look more closely I can see the extra inch is at the tip and of course the grind dimensions are different to compensate for that. I still can't decide, maybe I won't get either.
 
Get the Matriarch Wave. It's lighter and easier to conceal & carry than a Civilian but just as scary, especially with a wave opening :)
 
Ahh so a half an inch difference. Now that I look more closely I can see the extra inch is at the tip and of course the grind dimensions are different to compensate for that. I still can't decide, maybe I won't get either.
My friend, you are in the wrong state of mind. When in doubt and seriously conflicted, do what you can to get both. BladeForums Psychology 101. ;)
 
Get the Matriarch Wave. It's lighter and easier to conceal & carry than a Civilian but just as scary, especially with a wave opening :)

I agree with this. Any serious self defense folder must have a wave opening in my eyes. The Civillian and Matri both are blades designed with self defense in mind. The wave turns it from a weird looking knife into a serious SD option.
 
Yeah I was leaning towards the Matriarch more as I looked at the two but I do not like the 70s FRN patterns from spyderco and typically buy their products that don't have it, with the exception being the vg-10 schempp rock. I'm also held up from getting the salt tasmin 2 because of the pattern on the zytel.
 
Yeah I was leaning towards the Matriarch more as I looked at the two but I do not like the 70s FRN patterns from spyderco and typically buy their products that don't have it, with the exception being the vg-10 schempp rock. I'm also held up from getting the salt tasmin 2 because of the pattern on the zytel.

get the Tasman 1! :thumbsup:

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Yeah I was leaning towards the Matriarch more as I looked at the two but I do not like the 70s FRN patterns from spyderco and typically buy their products that don't have it, with the exception being the vg-10 schempp rock. I'm also held up from getting the salt tasmin 2 because of the pattern on the zytel.

Well the FRN pattern on the Matriarch was adopted post 2000 so it's not 1970s. If you truly expect to use your knife in self-defense then the first time you use it you will have it taken away by the cops or you'll throw it away so it's not evidence. The Matriarch costs about 1/2 what the Civilian does, but maybe money's not a concern. Still the Matriarch is better since you'll carry it more due to its light weight and slimmer profile.

The regular Matriarch opens pretty quick w/o a wave. Easy to flick or drop open...but the wave is better.

The Tasman is the choice if you have legal problems with the Matriarch. It's a purpose built utility knife with a just <3" blade, thus it can't be classified as a weapon or too long. In some US jurisdictions you can't carry a weapon concealed and it's hard to make the case the Matriarch and Civilian are not weapons. But the Tasman is not as threatening or effective for self-defense as the Matriarch. I carry a Harpy instead of a Matriarch when I go where the Matriarch is not legal.
 
Big difference between the two. I have EDC'ed the Civilian for over 2 years. Just picked up the Matriarch 2.

Civilian is thicker, with G10 scales. Feels good in my hand, easy to open, carries well.

Matriarch is much thinner, which in turn makes it difficult for me to open. When I pinch the scales to open it, there isnt a whole lot of surface to pinch. Its waved, but many of the pants I wear are sewn in a manner that do not deploy it very well. If I rip it from the pocket, it will deploy. If I do it gently, it will not, and since it has a bias towards closing, more than a few times it has closed on a fingernail-luckily. With Levi's, there isnt a issue. With the pants I prefer to wear, the wave doesn't always work.

Dont really care about length or weight. Each has plenty of handle to hold on to. Neither are really made for EDC- tips are very thin. The very tip of the Civilian is missing.

I have freaked out a few people with the Civilian. Don't care. Matriarch is just as scary I suppose.

I picked up the Matriarch pictured above, a PM2 (not sure why I never owned one before), and a Yojimbo (be here in a couple days) at my new favorite place earlier this week.
 
What is your new favorite place? I still have no idea which I would like, but decided to at least get the Talisman 2 in H1 because I have no wet knife.
 
Well the FRN pattern on the Matriarch was adopted post 2000 so it's not 1970s. If you truly expect to use your knife in self-defense then the first time you use it you will have it taken away by the cops or you'll throw it away so it's not evidence. The Matriarch costs about 1/2 what the Civilian does, but maybe money's not a concern. Still the Matriarch is better since you'll carry it more due to its light weight and slimmer profile.

The regular Matriarch opens pretty quick w/o a wave. Easy to flick or drop open...but the wave is better.

The Tasman is the choice if you have legal problems with the Matriarch. It's a purpose built utility knife with a just <3" blade, thus it can't be classified as a weapon or too long. In some US jurisdictions you can't carry a weapon concealed and it's hard to make the case the Matriarch and Civilian are not weapons. But the Tasman is not as threatening or effective for self-defense as the Matriarch. I carry a Harpy instead of a Matriarch when I go where the Matriarch is not legal.

This is an excellent point about the knife you defend yourself with likely parting ways with you. Most people defend their lives with knives not often enough to worry about if they will lose their expensive toy.

Still I think if OP is legally allowed to carry the civvie or the matriarch and wants to carry for self defense you pretty much have to get that waved matriarch and practice using the wave. That is, if you want to be able to take yourself seriously.
 
Or you could just wave a Civilian ;)

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~Chip
 
What is your new favorite place? I still have no idea which I would like, but decided to at least get the Talisman 2 in H1 because I have no wet knife.

Knife shop in Columbus, Ohio. I would say the name, but not sure of name dropping.

Best way is to handle them. Ordered many knives only to resell after they fell out of favor due to feel. It was a 4 hour round trip, but worth it.
 
Still I think if OP is legally allowed to carry the civvie or the matriarch and wants to carry for self defense you pretty much have to get that waved matriarch and practice using the wave. That is, if you want to be able to take yourself seriously.
I live in PA so I can carry a knife as long as it can be excused as utility and not for harming someone, also daggers, autos, cane swords, blah blah... So best bet it get a regular knife but but it has a hawkbill and spyderedge.

Knife shop in Columbus, Ohio. I would say the name, but not sure of name dropping.

Best way is to handle them. Ordered many knives only to resell after they fell out of favor due to feel. It was a 4 hour round trip, but worth it.
Yeah that's what I think too. I'll go to the big knife store around here and try them out, but sit on buying perhaps. Maybe I'll fill you guys in for sake of chat not that a result will come out of this. I'm pretty on the fence still but leaning more towards Talisman. Ionno ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
 
I have Spyderco P'Kal as well. It's not as visually threatening as a Matriarch/Civilian, but it waves open like a dream and is a stabber as well as a slasher. It's almost worth buying just because its excellent full flat grind is a great example of a cutler's skill :)
 
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