Spyderco Knives

Spyderco Tenacious: A Spyderco that is both affordable and still gets the job done

I have nothing but high praise for Spyderco knives. My first knife was a Spyderco and my collection has only grown since then. The latest addition to my collection is the Spyderco Tenacious. The Tenacious has a similar look and feel compared to the Spyderco Manix 2, which is one of my favorite knives, but there are a few noticeable differences.

First off, here are the specifications straight from Spyderco:

Specifications:

Overall Length: 7.76″
Blade Length: 3.39″
Blade Thickness: 0.12″
Blade Material: 8Cr13MoV
Blade Style: Drop Point Blade
Handle Length: 4.45″
Handle Thickness: 0.47″
Handle Material: G-10
Weight: 4.10 oz.
Grind: Flat
Edge Type: Plain
Handle Length: 4.45″
Handle Thickness: 0.47″
Handle Material: G-10
Frame/Liner: Stainless Steel
Country of Origin: China

About the Spyderco Tenacious

The Tenacious is an 8Cr13Mov stainless steel blade with a steel lined G-10 handle and utilizes the liner lock. 8Cr13Mov may not be a superb steel, but it is inexpensive and does its job; the edge retention may be subpar, but it is easy to sharpen. However, the feature that impresses me most is the steel lined G-10 handle. The steel liners add a little extra weight to the knife, but this handle is built to take some serious abuse. The reality is that the handle is only going to break if you are actually trying to break it.

Like other Spyderco knives, the Tenacious offers a customizable clip. You can wear the blade tip facing up or facing down, left-handed or right-handed. Another feature that is standard for Spyderco knives is the round hole to aid in rapid one-handed deployment. The idea behind the round hole is that it is much larger than something like a stub, so you’re less likely to fumble the knife when you need to rapidly deploy it. Personally, I don’t see an advantage in having the round hole over any other opening mechanism, but it is a familiar Spyderco trademark that fans enjoy having on their blade.

The good

Steel lined G-10 handle
Easy to sharpen
Great value if you can find it below MSRP

The bad

Average steel, poor edge retention
Made in China

The bottom line is that the Spyderco Tenacious is a decent knife. The Tenacious runs for $69.95 off of the official Spyderco product page, but can be found cheaper elsewhere from various online retailers. For its inexpensive price, it is a knife you can use without any remorse. After all, what good is a knife that you are so attached to that you are always wanting to keep in pristine condition. This is definitely a knife you can pick up to put in a go-bag or take outdoors to freely abuse. It held up well during my recent trip and if you happen to be looking for a budget priced knife, the Spyderco Tenacious fits the bill quite well.

What do you think about the Spyderco Tenacious or other Spyderco products? Let us know what you think!

The Spyderco Bradley 2: A superior EDC choice

The Spyderco Bradley 2 and have been going round and round for a few weeks now. When I did my first look I said it was a working man’s knife disguised as a gentleman’s knife. I meant it then, but as I’ve used and abused the knife I’ve learned there is nothing gentle about it. The carbon fiber handle and svelte blade really hide a rock solid knife.

The Spyderco Bradley 2 – Holy Sharp

Speaking of blades, holy crap is this knife sharp. From the factory is like a razor. Using two fingers in a pincer grip I could gently drag the knife across a piece of paper and it would slice right through it. The Spyderco Bradley 2 gives you that incredibly satisfying feeling as it cuts. There is really something wonderful about working with a knife as sharp as this. The smooth nature of the cuts, and the control you have over the knife.

It’s not just sharp from the factory, but it’s easy to bring the blade back to that level of sharp with a few strokes over a simple sharpening stone. When reviewing knives I like to use them for basically every cutting task I have while reviewing the knife. So this blade is used to do mundane tasks like cutting chicken for dinner, cutting through grapefruit, and to do more standard tasks like opening boxes and cutting cord. (Yes Mom I washed the knife when I cooked with it.)

The blade features a very slight curve to it that makes cutting deep easy and controllable. The curvature of the blade means you need less pressure to get deeper cuts. It’s certainly great for cutting through meat, and I can only assume if you are forced to use the knife defensively you are going to glide right through an opponent.

Ergonomics

The Spyderco Bradley 2 features some subtle touches I’ve come to appreciate. On the back of the blade, there are some very slight serrations for control. Although the serrated area is small, it is perfectly placed. The thumb naturally meets it, and the jimping itself is very aggressive. It digs into the thumb and allows superior control over the knife, even when your hands are wet or slimy with chicken guts.

I pointed out that I really loved the carbon fiber handle on the Spyderco Bradley 2 in the first look, but at that time I thought it looked good and was lightweight. What I discovered in using the knife is the fact that carbon fiber is a naturally textured and grippy material. It sticks to the hand well.

The shape of the handle is spot on. It’s nearly straight, with just a slight curve and a what I would call a wave near the blade. The handle feels nice in the hand with a traditional grip. If you swap to an ice pick grip it’s equally as comfortable. In fact, it seems ice pick grip was thought about when designing the grip. In the ice pick grip stance you can position your thumb on the bottom of the grip in an icepick grip. It’s a nice and subtle touch.

The Spyderco Bradley 2 features the famous thumb hole Spyderco is known for. I’m typically a thumbscrew kind of guy, but I found the thumb hole being very useful. The advantages, of course, being the fact it doesn’t rely on a screwed in thumb piece. The thumb hole won’t become loose over time and never pokes and prods. The use of a thumb hole sets Spyderco apart from most of the competition.

The Cutting Edge

The Spyderco Bradley 2 has proven itself in my opinion. It’s a very well thought out design that mixes Spyderco’s tradition with Gayle Bradley’s ingenuity. This is an excellent knife for everyday carry and makes a great addition for those who value both looks and performance.

Spyderco Unveils Six New Folders at SHOT Show 2018

The Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas is the place where knife and gun companies unveil their new products, hoping to leave with more orders this year than they booked last year. In 2018, the biggest change we’ve noticed is the show floor is much busier. That comes as no surprise, given the good health of the industry but it does make navigating the SHOT Show venue, which measures in at an enormous 630,000 square feet (that’s over twelve miles of ground to cover) a greater challenge. Visit our SHOT Show 2018 Knives Newsfeed for up-to-the-minute coverage of all the new knives.

The biggest news to come out of the first day of SHOT Show 2018 came at the Spyderco booth. Those who speculated that their 2018 catalog wasn’t painting the whole picture were right. Spyderco unveiled no less than six never-before-seen folders. First among them is the Smock, a collaboration with knifemaker Kevin Smock, who caught Spyderco’s attention with his button-operated compression lock folder. The Spyderco Smock, based on Kevin Smock’s custom SK23 model, will be entering the company’s production queue. And, like it has for so many others, a collaboration with Spyderco will catapult the Smock name into the knife making mainstream.

The company also revealed the Techno 2, a sheepsfoot blade riff on the original micro-sized Marcin Slysz collaboration; the Mantra 3, a line extension of Spyderco’s signature flipper knives with carbon fiber and a compression lock; and the Brouwer, an elegant, modestly sized titanium framelock. These, along with the rest of their new catalog should give Spyderco fans plenty to chew on in 2018.

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Spyderco Centofante 3: A gentleman's knife

Spyderco Centofante 3: A gentleman’s folder

I have never personally handled many Spyderco knives but have heard of the high-quality products they make. So, I jumped at the chance to get my hands on the Spyderco Centofante 3. The Centofante 3 is a folding knife designed by longtime knife maker Frank Centofante. It features a 3.14 inch plain edge blade made from VG-10 steel, which comes extremely sharp. The knife features a thin-profiled, lightweight FRN handle that is very smooth and goes in and out of a pocket very easily. The handle has a small palladium Spyderco bug in it which is a cool design feature.

To open the blade you utilize an exposed hole in the blade and rotate your thumb to open the knife. At first, I was very apprehensive about this method, but to my surprise, it worked great and have yet to cut myself which I am happy about. The knife has a back-lock that is located midway along the spine and seems to work very well, as I have yet to have any problems with it. There is a black steel pocket clip for right-hand carry that can be changed from tip up to tip down carry.

The blade does have non-sharped spine serrations to help hold your thumb in place while using the knife. While that feature is great while the knife is in use, it’s terrible while the knife is in your pocket. Even though the serrations are non-sharped I can see how it could to damage to clothing if the knife is carried every day. The is also a weird angle on the blade while it is closed that leaves a gap between the blade and the handle that can sometimes get caught up on clothing as you pull the knife from your pocket.

Overall though It is an extremely nice knife. While I would not recommend this knife to military personnel or first responders it is a great choice for someone who enjoys a high-quality knife and the reputation of Syderco.

Author – Cameron Paidousis is a former Police Officer and is a current member in the Air National Guard where he serves in Security Forces. For his civilian job he works as security contractor for the U.S. Government. When not working he enjoys spending time with his family along with kayaking, hiking, and traveling.

Spyderco UK Penknife: A lightweight drop point folder for carry abroad

It wouldn’t be the first time that Americans have been imprisoned in the UK, the most famous were the Americans that were imprisoned in Edinburgh Castle from 1776 to 1781 when the two nations were at war during the War of Independence; obviously imprisoned for not following the laws of the crown (Featured picture of carvings from those prisoners). In the UK, carrying a knife for protection is not recommended as you will be tried by a court if found using it for anything other than work, museum exhibition, or for religious reasons (e.g. Sikhs). While there is much to know when traveling abroad in the UK you are not allowed to carry a knife in public without good reason – unless it’s a knife with a folding blade 3 inches long (7.62 cm) or less.

The Spyderco UK Penknife was designed to meet the new requirements of UK knife laws. One of the restrictions was that the knife does not lock, but has a notch that has resistance similar to traditional slip-joint penknives. It also meets the blade length of 2.938” or (74mm), so it can be carried as a legal tool. The knife is made in the USA with CTS BD1 steel which is less prone to rust, keeps a better edge, and sharpens must easier than most entry-level competitors. The UK penknife weighs in at 1.9 ounces, and the grip has a choice of three color FRN handles and three edge choices to make it more personal. If you are going to carry in the UK I would opt for the plain edge just to ensure that it cannot be misconstrued as a knife used for protection.

What I specifically like about the knife is the minimalist weight, especially as I usually remove the attached clip and carry it in my front pocket; it is very comfortable even in dress pants. The ergonomics of the knife is additionally comfortable to hold. Just a quick note regarding the grip and use of this type of knife; be aware that slip joint and non-lockable knifes are not meant for knife fighting, but are useful in self-defense situations. Additionally, your knife techniques are not going to be the same as a locked or fixed blade, it is up to you to learn about the tools you carry and some common sense can be valuable as well.

Finally, there is less of a chance in any country or state with harsh knife laws that a utility non-locking knife can be beneficial. The UK Pen Knife will be part of my every day carry, as the ergonomics, weight, and material used in the grip are some of the best I have evaluated and the price is reasonable for a good pocket knife.

Technical Specifications:

Overall Length – 6.938”
Closed Length – 4.063”
Blade Length – 2.938”
Handle – FRN
Steel – CTS BD1
Weight – 1.9 oz

BREAKING: Spyderco Releases 2018 Product Guide

Spyderco has just released its 2018 Product Guide. The Golden, CO manufacturer delivered a 184 page catalog that contains 11 never before seen knives poised to arrive in 2018.

The new lineup shows more restraint than last year’s major overhaul, but changes and additions are on point. A dozen new Sprint Run models will showcase a rare Japanese steel and revive favorite designs from the Spyderco history books. The company also added to its stable of innovative locking mechanisms, pairing the new Stop Lock with another unconventional Paul Alexander design.

Parata
Designer Paul Alexander sees his third Spyderco collaboration in as many years. 2016 and ’17 witnessed the debut of his Ouroboros and Sliverax designs, and in 2018 the quirky Parata is en route. It also marks the debut of Spyderco’s patented Stop Lock in a production knife. Long-rumored in the forums, the Stop Lock rides on the spine of the knife like a Compression Lock, but works by pushing a spring-loaded toggle forward or back. The ambidextrous Stop Lock mechanism doubles as the stop pin, reducing the stress-bearing parts count of the knife.

Lil’ Native Back Lock
Last month the Compression Lock Lil’ Native became the latest addition to Spyderco’s USA-made lineup. Now we know it will be joined by a traditional back lock variant. In addition to the mechanism switch-up, the Back Lock Lil’ Native swaps the deep carry wire clip for a four-way positionable spoon clip.