So Benchmade and Kershaw/ZT have always been my favorite knives. I did however gravitate towards the “Spyder hole” Benchmade products.

I decided to give Spyderco a try a couple or so years ago and damn if they are not my favorite knives. They have relegated most all my others to the shelf.

Now I did not/am not doing this specifically because of Benchmades transgressions so this isn’t a simple F’ Benchmade post. I have just found that Spyderco makes knives tailored just to my personal likes.

I like their 3ish inch offerings the best. Blade profiles, jimping, the “Spyderco Hole”, blade shapes, handling and grips etc. just all come together for mr personally. All the steel choices and lock types are a bonus. All have been quality made and Razor sharp.

I do very much like Benchmade’s Axis lock but I have found I like the compression lock as much or more.

At this point my PM3 and Sage 5 are just about as perfect of an EDC knife as I could ask for.

At any rate I just thought I’d share my experience up to this point, since there are always folks looking for different choices.

I had a similar "conversion" to Spyderco. For several years I carried Emersons. I briefly carried a Benchmade, a Mini-Presidio I believe, and a Kershaw Leek. I bought a Spyderco Delica, and that worked so well for me I sold most of my other pocket knives. It was thin, lightweight, I could set up the clip how I wanted, easy to open and close with one hand, it didn't tear up my pants as much when worn clipped to a pocket, I found myself preferring the thumb hole to a thumb stud, and the blade holds an edge well while being easy to maintain.

I now have 3 Delicas, 1 Wharncliffe'd to about 2.5" that is my current EDC knife. I also have a Ladybug. I am thinking about getting an Endura and having it Wharncliffe'd, too.

What's funny is that these aren't my first Spydercos. Several years ago I had a first generation Rescue knife as well as a Goddard Jr. with micarta handles.

Sometimes it takes a while for someone to find a tool that works for them. Of course, that could also change with time.

I've got one SPYDERCO that I bought in HI about 30 years ago. I think it's an early version of the "Police Knife". I'll probably never get rid of it just for sentimental reasons.

I have two ZERO TOLERANCE knives (303 and 350) which are our daily carry knives.

But if I ever have a few hundred dollars burning a hole in my pocket, I'd buy a MEDFORD KNIFE, made in Phoenix. Check out their Praetorian Premium and EDC Folding Knives. Makes the blade on a 303 look puny.

https://www.medfordknife.com/

Add me to the list. I was a benchmade fan for years. I didn't mind my spyderco endura, but the benchmade knives just appealed to me more in style.

When the pm2 came out I gravitated away from benchmades. I still love the axis lock, but I don't really like most of their designs outside of axis.

When it comes to actual usage, the pm2 has been my favorite knife. I carry some others for style, but the pm2 is what I consider my go to tool when work needs doing.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Nickelsig229,

I like Spyderco. I am especially fond of the lightweights like Delicas and other FRN models

I've carried Spyderco knives since the early '90s, my first was a Terzoula model, for the last 10 years a Military. I've owned a few other production folders but the Spyderco works for me, great CS, too.

I tried but the traditional Spyderco shape is too wide for how I keep stuff in my pockets.

I'm a Spyderco fan as well. They open easily, lock up well, and even the cheaper models have decent (to me) steel.

quote:

Originally posted by henryarnaud:
I now have 3 Delicas, 1 Wharncliffe'd to about 2.5" that is my current EDC knife. I also have a Ladybug. I am thinking about getting an Endura and having it Wharncliffe'd, too.

Just FYI, new products this year include a wharncliffe Endura 3.78" and Dragonfly 2.28" in VG10

https://www.knifecenter.com/it...de-black-frn-handles

https://www.knifecenter.com/it...de-black-frn-handles

quote:

Originally posted by Rustpot:

quote:

Originally posted by henryarnaud:
I now have 3 Delicas, 1 Wharncliffe'd to about 2.5" that is my current EDC knife. I also have a Ladybug. I am thinking about getting an Endura and having it Wharncliffe'd, too.

Just FYI, new products this year include a wharncliffe Endura 3.78" and Dragonfly 2.28" in VG10

https://www.knifecenter.com/it...de-black-frn-handles

https://www.knifecenter.com/it...de-black-frn-handles

Thanks for the info. But my wallet hates you now.

Never dug that blade shape.

Spyderco makes a damn good knife for the money. I have a number of them, some I've let walk and some I've kept, but the ones that left were only to try out other Spyderco designs. I REALLY like the Manix 2 XL and Military in S110V. After that, it's a tie between the Manix 2 standard size and the Paramilitary 2 S110V. The fact that I still have the PM2 and not the Manix 2 speaks probably only to the fact that I never picked up a standard Manix 2 in S110V. That blade steel is amazing in terms of sharpness and edge retention. I plan to snag one at some point. I truly do like what Eric Glesser comes up with in terms of knife designs.

At some point, I want a full size Vallotton, and I want to send it to the man to get converted to an auto, just because. I'll need to move to a free state first, however.

And I just saw they discontinued it this year and what I can find is $50 more than what I was seeing a year ago. Damnit!

I am usually a Microtech Guy but the Spydercos have been catching my eye. The owner of the Local Knife Shop showed me her Sprint Run Shaman and it was absolutely incredible. The Carbon Fiber scales were absolutely flawless and beautiful. The Shaman is on the larger side but it just fit so well in my big paws. It also had S90V steel. It was a little on the pricey side (around $300) for a Spyderco but considering the quality- I'd pay it in a hot second.

Considering the features - compression lock, carbon fiber scales with an S90V drop-point leaf blade, I’d say it’s worth the money. It’s more than I can spend on a knife at this juncture, but that would be a nice one to have.

The Stretch and the Caly 3.5 are among my favorite knives. It's still hard to replace the BM 940, though.

Got to agree on PM3. Just got one on a whim. Trying to support a small local gun store. Plain Jane black and love it!

Never had or cared for Spidercos until Benchmade got caught cutting up guns. Think that's been about a year or so ago. I now have 8 or 9 Spidercos and wonder why I didn't try them sooner. Great knives and the company is truly an American success story: look up Spyderco History on YouTube.

(And the Spyderco Kapara easily surpasses my once prized Benchmade 940.)

I have "several" knives & the first modern folder I ever bought was a Mini Grip back in 2004. I still have it & have since added two more BMs and haven't had a QC issue with any of them.

I've definitely found that Spyderco has a much wider choice of blade steels & handle materials in each model, and that the finish & attention to detail is much better than Benchmades.

I'm not getting rid of my Benchmades, but find that they don't get any use anymore, because my 5 USA made Spydercos get all the carry time.

I like Spyderco and have a few of them but despite their Military (ones I have) nomenclature they don't seem to have the ruggedness or strength of my Zero Tolerance or even my Benchmades.
YMMV

Even sturdier and more beefy than the Military, and probably more suited to that name is the Manix 2 XL. The XL part here is key. It’s a damn stout knife. If you’re looking for a Spyderco you’re not afraid to beat on, that’s the one.