Opinions on Spyderco Smock!

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Samuel_Adams

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Aug 19, 2014
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Ok my fellow knife enthusiast what's the verdict on the Spyderco Smock? The HQ has some forsale and I've been thinking about pulling the trigger and getting one. So what's the good, the bad, and the ugly. Should I spend my hard earned money and add one to my collection?
 
I generally hate compression locks but like the Smock, thanks to its button setup.
 
By all the measurables, I should be all over the Smock. I love button locks. I’m generally favorable towards Compression Locks and Wharnie blades...but for some reason the Smock just leaves me cold.

I’m not sure why because I’ve never handled one. It just seems kinda “meh” with that Spyderco peel-ply CF and the well-planned holes in the handle.

I’m a compulsive knife buyer. I just bought a LionSteel Gitano from an email when I didn’t even know they existed. The Smock should check a lot of boxes for me but instead it makes me feel like taking a nap.

Again, that’s just my opinion and your opinion is the only one that matters to you. Best wishes if the Smock works for you!
 
Maybe this will help?
4Dv6wfy.jpg

Love mine. Was never a fan of laminated carbon fiber, so I fixed that with some od micarta. Button lock implementation is spot-on. Aggressive hollow grind cuts well, as does the blade shape.
 
Hackenslash said:
By all the measurables, I should be all over the Smock. I love button locks. I’m generally favorable towards Compression Locks and Wharnie blades...but for some reason the Smock just leaves me cold.
foofie said:
Maybe this will help?
4Dv6wfy.jpg

Love mine. Was never a fan of laminated carbon fiber, so I fixed that with some od micarta. Button lock implementation is spot-on. Aggressive hollow grind cuts well, as does the blade shape.
Click to expand...


I’m not sure why because I’ve never handled one. It just seems kinda “meh” with that Spyderco peel-ply CF and the well-planned holes in the handle.

I’m a compulsive knife buyer. I just bought a LionSteel Gitano from an email when I didn’t even know they existed. The Smock should check a lot of boxes for me but instead it makes me feel like taking a nap.

Again, that’s just my opinion and your opinion is the only one that matters to you. Best wishes if the Smock works for you!
Click to expand...
I kinda felt the same way but that blade about with the button lock is kinda making me like it.
 
foofie said:
Maybe this will help?
4Dv6wfy.jpg

Love mine. Was never a fan of laminated carbon fiber, so I fixed that with some od micarta. Button lock implementation is spot-on. Aggressive hollow grind cuts well, as does the blade shape.
Click to expand...
Great pic love the micarta.
 
Weird choil, I assume that is to make room for the button lock? If it was another steel and a different handle material I might consider it.
 
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Yes the odd cutout is not really a choil (I am not putting my finger there...:eek:) but accommodates the button. On compression locks with a choil ( pm3, para3) there would be no blade change to accommodate a button. Look at the bladeswelove ultra pm2.
 
I have one in my pocket most days, excellent knife. The button lock compression lock set up is my favorite locking system, the blade cuts really well, and the action on it is fantastic.
 
I love Spydercos and 80% of my collection is a Spyderco but I just can't warm up to the Smock. But at the same time, I haven't handled one. I just don't care for the holes in the scale.
 
foofie said:
Maybe this will help?
4Dv6wfy.jpg

Love mine. Was never a fan of laminated carbon fiber, so I fixed that with some od micarta. Button lock implementation is spot-on. Aggressive hollow grind cuts well, as does the blade shape.
Click to expand...
That micarta sexies the Smock up a bunch!

Can you share where you got the aftermarket scales?
 
The Smock is fine. Don't love it or hate it.

It's not my favorite Spyder out of the many that I own (mainly because I prefer larger knives and the Smock is kinda small) but the price of it beats the heck out of buying a "real" Smock SK23 upon which the design is based, even assuming you could order and receive an SK23 w/in your lifetime. LOL!

I do not carry it and have nothing really "bad" to say about it, EXCEPT that I would have preferred it if they had radiused the finger choil in the blade so that it was more rounded, as is the case w/the SK23, but I understand why they shaped the choil the way they did (which was to avoid shortening the blade length any further than necessary while still also accommodating the space needed to clear the compression lock release button).

However, the way it is radiused presents the possibility of cutting your finger on the leading edge but I've never cut myself on it (as I have not cut myself on other apparent design deficiencies in the Ikuchi and Tropen, both of which I also own).
 
Last edited:
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sgt1372 said:
. . . but the price of it beats the heck out of buying a "real" Smock SK23 upon which the design is based, even assuming you could order and receive an SK23 w/in your lifetime. LOL!
Click to expand...

Lol, so true. If you're buying from him a large degree of patience is definitely required. You need to be ready to probably have quite a few birthdays before anything happens.
 
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