Awesome new Spydie! What took me so long??

[Surfingringo]

I'm talking about the Swick! I picked one of these up a couple of weeks ago and I have been fishing with it everyday on my kayak! This thing is a really well thought out design and feels great in the hand. I am still waiting on my halpern scales to arrive so I don't want to go too deep into the ergos because I know they are only going to get better when I put a handle on, but the knife is perfectly functional even with just the skeletonized frame. Easy to apply lots of cutting force directly into the small cutting edge. This thing has become my favorite boat knife!

What really sold me on the idea of this model was the finger hole. I have lost a couple of knives from my kayak over the years and it just makes me sick when it happens. I've tried floats and lanyards and just don't like them getting in my way on the small kayak. So I figured the finger hole was the next best thing...and it has been! Obviously I get a much more secure grip and it makes it harder to drop the knife. One of the best things about the hole though is how it gives some freedom and functionality to the hand that is holding the knife. I can grab a lure, move a rod, even tie a knot without having to put the knife down. Those things can be important on a tiny kayak when there's a lot going on and seconds matter. I would think the same ideas could apply to many different hobbies or jobs. I could see it being handy for a mechanic or builder or any number of uses where you need two hands and a knife.

I wasn't really concerned about corrosion as its really easy to keep a fixed blade rust free and after two weeks I haven't had any issues. Sometimes after a really long session there will be a light red film or a couple of tiny spots but all it takes is a quick wipe with a rag or washcloth and a shot of wd40. No problem! Just can't put it away wet or dirty like h1 or lc200n.

So yeah, I'm stoked with it. I don't know what took me so long to try this one. Glad I nabbed one though!

I had just used it to cut the gills on this sea bass. :)

[xceptnl]

Congrats on discovering this jewel of a knife Lance. I use mine for fishing and small camp chores more than any other purpose. As you described, it allows the use of my hands while still grasping the knife. The Hide Away Knife is the only other blade I have ever used that allows more flexibility of digit use aside from retention. They had quite a scandal surrounding their product so I never purchased a nicer version, but it was handy. I have not been able to scrape the funds to pick up a Swich 4 yet, but my Swick 3 and the wharncliffe shape makes for a perfect duty knife. Hopefully a Swick 5 will come with a hawkbill shape. Let us know what you think after the scales come in.

[Surfingringo]

Congrats on discovering this jewel of a knife Lance. I use mine for fishing and small camp chores more than any other purpose. As you described, it allows the use of my hands while still grasping the knife. The Hide Away Knife is the only other blade I have ever used that allows more flexibility of digit use aside from retention. They had quite a scandal surrounding their product so I never purchased a nicer version, but it was handy. I have not been able to scrape the funds to pick up a Swich 4 yet, but my Swick 3 and the wharncliffe shape makes for a perfect duty knife. Hopefully a Swick 5 will come with a hawkbill shape. Let us know what you think after the scales come in.

I will definitely update when they arrive. I was going to wait until they got here to give my thoughts but I've been enjoying this knife too much and wanted to talk about it.

Btw, I called the swick a "neck knife" because that's how I'm carrying mine, but the swick 4 came with a sheath and g-clip so it's set up for belt or IWB or whatever.

[PayneTrain]

Huh. Ya know I was never into this model because I just couldn't see the benefit of its design but I think you've illustrated it pretty well there. A picture is worth a thousand words, and that fish must be worth at least a week's worth of lunch and dinner. I'm gonna have to try one of these out.

[Surfingringo]

Does anyone know the history on the swick? Is this a Sal design? I seem to remember reading something about how it came to be but don't recall the details.

[SolidState]

Hey Gringo,

The Swick is part of my favorite family of knives. It originates with Fred Perrin and his LaGriffe model. Sal saw this, and designed the SPOT (self-protection option tool). The SPOT has a reverse S blade, and is a perfect neck knife IMHO. You can still find them online in nooks and crannies of the internet. I fell in love with the design and have a few. The spot must have come out more than fifteen years ago. The SPOT is great because it prevents being disarmed via common disarms. Further, the finger hole basically makes the knife independent of having to have flexors in your forearm to hold. The SPOT is pure genius.

The Swick models came from that family, and the Spydercrew even made a Salt with the finger hole (Caspian Salt) for a while. While those knives didn't sell well, they're hard as **** to get on the secondary market because mariners and kayakers love them. They even made a blunt tipped one for mariners.

Eric designed an auto-folder SWICK called the Bi-Fold about five or six years ago. He won a Blade award for innovation for that design. Sadly, it was classed as auto, and the opening mechanism was strictly right-handed. They were really hard to get, and I missed out on that one. I think it was one of their first forays into MIM processing, along with the Spyderfly handles. It is really smart, but difficult involving legality.

There's another folding swick, a lock-back folder called the Introvert. Sadly, I don't expect the model to sell well outside of FMA circles because people have to get them into their mit to understand the design. Once you've safely picked something up with your knife hand without putting your knife down, you understand everything you need to about the genius of the SPOT/SWICK/Caspian family.

[Surfingringo]

Hey Gringo,

The Swick is part of my favorite family of knives. It originates with Fred Perrin and his LaGriffe model. Sal saw this, and designed the SPOT (self-protection option tool). The SPOT has a reverse S blade, and is a perfect neck knife IMHO. You can still find them online in nooks and crannies of the internet. I fell in love with the design and have a few. The spot must have come out something like fifteen years ago. The SPOT is great because it prevents being disarmed via common disarms. Further, the finger hole basically makes the knife independent of having to have flexors in your forearm to hold. The SPOT is pure genius.

The Swick models came from that family, and the Spydercrew even made a Salt with the finger hole (Caspian Salt) for a while. While those knives didn't sell well, they're hard as **** to get on the secondary market because mariners and kayakers love them. They even made a blunt tipped one for mariners.

Eric designed an auto-folder SWICK called the Bi-Fold about five or six years ago. He won a Blade award for innovation for that design. Sadly, it was classed as auto, and the opening mechanism was strictly right-handed. They were really hard to get, and I missed out on that one. I think it was one of their first forays into MIM processing, along with the Spyderfly handles. It is really smart, but difficult involving legality.

My inability to carry my swick at work, and carry a Bi-Fold in all jurisdictions in which I work led me to first design a liner-locked folding swick and submit it to Sal, Eric, and Peter. Four or five years and three or four designs later, we're on a lock-back folder called the Introvert. Sadly, I don't expect the model to sell well outside of FMA circles because people have to get them into their mit to understand the design. Once you've safely picked something up with your knife hand without putting your knife down, you understand everything you need to about the genius of the SPOT/SWICK/Caspian family.

Wow man, great info and history on the design! Much appreciated. So I just looked up the introvert...that is your design? You are Chris? Very cool! And yes, based on my early experience with the Swick, I would whole heartedly agree with your last sentence.

[MattM68]

I knew you'd like it! And you'll love it even more with the scales. :) I believe we talked about the scales a while ago, but it makes the ergos so much better. Glad you're liking the knife!

Matt

[bearfacedkiller]

I don't have much to add after that other than to read up on Fred Perrin. Really cool guy and as you probably know Sal has done a bit of work with him. He makes knives, is a martial blade craft expert, teaches wilderness survival and is ex military. Le Griffe means "the claw" in French and I am sure was a major influence on the swick family of knives. As much as the swick excels as a utility knife I would probably rather have my swick3 in my hand than any of my other knives in a self defence situation. I use my swick as a neck knife while backpacking and as a utility knife when fishing and it excels in both of these roles.

[SolidState]

Yeah, I'm an ubernerd for SWICKs and Spyderco's locks. When they pop, I'm going to be modding a bunch of them for carabiner carry for some of my climbing interests, and for mass. I'm also going to be modding a bunch to FFG wharnies.

[bearfacedkiller]

Lance, you have a concern while fishing of dropping your knife and losing it so the swick makes perfect sense. I have a similar concern in a very different environment. I ice fish like an obsessed deranged lunatic in the winter. It is extremely easy to kick things down the hole on the ice when wearing large boots in the blistering cold with wind and snow blowing everywhere. Also, setting anything down on the ice is an easy way to lose it. You can easily kick snow over it or the wind can blow snow over it or it may just be snowing very hard. On top of that the ground (ice) can just be plain wet, slushy and nasty and setting a knife down isn't always the best option. I usually wear my swick clipped to the shoulder strap on my carhartt coveralls and this has worked well. It is easy to get to, I can use it with gloves on and I don't have to set it down on the ice when doing things. The sheath has been very secure when mounted on my shoulder strap. I used my swick3 in this role all last winter and it was excellent. It's only shortcoming was cutting bait and I am looking forward to using he swick4 in the same role and expect it to work just as well plus be able to cut bait much better.

[bearfacedkiller]

I would love to see a model with a little more belly. Kind of like a manbug blade. I know you want to see a hawkbill version and so would I but I would love to see one similar to this pic of mine. Maybe a little lower point and slightly less belly but very similar to this. For a fishing utility knife that can cut bait well that would also double as a backpacking survival knife it would be great.



Maybe it is just because I got really used to using these two knives in similar roles.

[3rdGenRigger]

Lance, you have a concern while fishing of dropping your knife and losing it so the swick makes perfect sense. I have a similar concern in a very different environment. I ice fish like an obsessed deranged lunatic in the winter. It is extremely easy to kick things down the hole on the ice when wearing large boots in the blistering cold with wind and snow blowing everywhere. Also, setting anything down on the ice is an easy way to lose it. You can easily kick snow over it or the wind can blow snow over it or it may just be snowing very hard. On top of that the ground (ice) can just be plain wet, slushy and nasty and setting a knife down isn't always the best option. I usually wear my swick clipped to the shoulder strap on my carhartt coveralls and this has worked well. It is easy to get to, I can use it with gloves on and I don't have to set it down on the ice when doing things. The sheath has been very secure when mounted on my shoulder strap. I used my swick3 in this role all last winter and it was excellent. It's only shortcoming was cutting bait and I am looking forward to using he swick4 in the same role and expect it to work just as well plus be able to cut bait much better.

Carhartt carry works great...I use mine when cutting rope because I don't have to set it down, and for other tasks at work where I repetitively use a knife and it makes sense to be able to keep it in hand. I don't carry it like this often (Most times I'm using a knife in a less repetitive role), but I have on a few specific jobs and it has worked splendidly on those occasions.

[Surfingringo]

I would love to see a model with a little more belly. Kind of like a manbug blade. I know you want to see a hawkbill version and so would I but I would love to see one similar to this pic of mine. Maybe a little lower point and slightly less belly but very similar to this. For a fishing utility knife that can cut bait well that would also double as a backpacking survival knife it would be great.



Maybe it is just because I got really used to using these two knives in similar roles.

I like your idea. It would give the user access to more of the edge when cutting on a flat surface. Sal also mentioned recently that they could consider a swick in one of the nitrogen steels. :eek: All interesting ideas but for now Im gonna just enjoy this little beast as it is.

[Surfingringo]

Lance, you have a concern while fishing of dropping your knife and losing it so the swick makes perfect sense. I have a similar concern in a very different environment. I ice fish like an obsessed deranged lunatic in the winter. It is extremely easy to kick things down the hole on the ice when wearing large boots in the blistering cold with wind and snow blowing everywhere. Also, setting anything down on the ice is an easy way to lose it. You can easily kick snow over it or the wind can blow snow over it or it may just be snowing very hard. On top of that the ground (ice) can just be plain wet, slushy and nasty and setting a knife down isn't always the best option. I usually wear my swick clipped to the shoulder strap on my carhartt coveralls and this has worked well. It is easy to get to, I can use it with gloves on and I don't have to set it down on the ice when doing things. The sheath has been very secure when mounted on my shoulder strap. I used my swick3 in this role all last winter and it was excellent. It's only shortcoming was cutting bait and I am looking forward to using he swick4 in the same role and expect it to work just as well plus be able to cut bait much better.

Carhartt carry works great...I use mine when cutting rope because I don't have to set it down, and for other tasks at work where I repetitively use a knife and it makes sense to be able to keep it in hand. I don't carry it like this often (Most times I'm using a knife in a less repetitive role), but I have on a few specific jobs and it has worked splendidly on those occasions.

Hey Branden, when I was trying to name other jobs where the extra security of grip might be important, your job was the exact type of example I was looking for. I would think that would be a nice feature when your hanging off a tower at 250'. :eek: And the people walking around below you might appreciate the feature too!

[bearfacedkiller]

Enjoy it Lance! I know I do. I'll post some icefishing pics soon. The ice is on! :)

[Laethageal]

At 250', a simple plain 5/8" nut dropped would be almost as dangerous as a knife. In fact, any item you drop become deadly. Don't get me wrong, this feature could be useful to avoid accident, but my friend showed me the picture of a spanner which fell from 100' and stuck itself about 8" into the shoulder of the guy beside him. Doesn't need to be a knife to be dangerous when working in a tower. That's why it's slowly becoming a norm to have every tool you carry linked to you with a rope/bungy type to avoid accident.

[quickster47]

I too must admit that I have an addiction for the Swick family of blades. Not only because they are such awesome pieces of steel but also because the name Swick is a combination of Swift and Quick. Quick being my last name. :cool:

Carl

[Surfingringo]

At 250', a simple plain 5/8" nut dropped would be almost as dangerous as a knife. In fact, any item you drop become deadly. Don't get me wrong, this feature could be useful to avoid accident, but my friend showed me the picture of a spanner which fell from 100' and stuck itself about 8" into the shoulder of the guy beside him. Doesn't need to be a knife to be dangerous when working in a tower. That's why it's slowly becoming a norm to have every tool you carry linked to you with a rope/bungy type to avoid accident.

Good point! And notice a nut has a hole in it just like the Swick! They think of everything! :p

[Surfingringo]

Quick update on the corrosion resistance. Today I came in from fishing and the knife was finally showing a fair bit of rust. On the jimping and several spots on the handle and blade. I was able to clean it all off in 5-10 minutes with a rag and some elbow grease but this is why I like the nitrogen steels for this work. You can keep the rust off of something like s30v but it's an ongoing battle. Other than that, still loving the knife and using it every day.