What is your little big knife preference?

[Holland]

Markus, the salsa was the most disappointing knife for myself. I drooled over it for years thinking it would be the perfect knife for me. When I finally got one (Ti version) it didn't fit my hand at all and i found it very tall with a terrible detent. I tried very hard to get used to it, but couldn't imagine it replacing the chaparral or dragonfly

[gdwtvb]

Where my knives are built is not a priority in my buying habits. First thing is quality, second is the type of company I buy them from...hence a primarily Spyderco collection.

I could only pick one so I went with my primary EDC blade which is a techno, but for many years I got more use out of my H1 ladybug on my work keychain. (I worked in a warehouse for over 20 years, the H1 ladybug became my work knife. NO rust from sweat and leaving it on my keychain prevented it from walking off...as things sometimes do in a warehouse environment.)

Even though I have other knives that do a better job at many things, such as food prep, I still come back to the techno. Hefty in the hand; small and unobtrusive in the pocket. I'm also a sucker for Titanium....now if they made a titanium handled ladybug or manbug....

Grizz

[MarcusH]

Markus, the salsa was the most disappointing knife for myself... When I finally got one (Ti version) it didn't fit my hand at all and i found it very tall with a terrible detent.

Seems our hands are somewhat different, Spencer! :)
For me the Salsa is one of my most comfortable Spydies.

Recently I took one of my Lil' Temperances apart, there was no detent at all.
I guess all the first generation compressionlocks are held by pure friction in the closed position.

[Donut]

I like practically all of the LBK's. The Ladybug and Manbug don't really fit my preference for EDC carrying, but I use them around the office and stuff.

[JD Spydo]

for me the Salsa is the ultimate lil' big knife, the compressionlock doesn't get much better than this...

Holy Toledo!!! You got my favorite of all the SALSA models and that be the TITANIUM, ATS-34 unit. I had at one time contemplated carrying one of those as an EDC but the DODO showed me a lot more versatility. Not to mention the original, early 2000s Dodo models were available in Spyderedge as well as Plain Edge.

Marcus you seem to have a FORT KNOX of old Spyderco models on hand. You have great taste SIR. But my vote still goes to the Dodo.

[3rdGenRigger]

I think you have LBK's, like the Dodo and Dragonfly for example, and then you have just plain old little knives like the Ladybug. I think once you can get a full grip or close to all 4 fingers on a knife you're in a place that's unfair to also compare a Ladybug to.

Another way to look at it is, would you carry all of them on your keys?

This is how I see it also. Anything I can't get 4 fingers on is a little knife. The knives that I can only get a 4 finger grip on without any handle sticking out past my pinky are what I consider to be a little-big knife, and they have to perform as well as a larger knife with relation to how much leverage you can put onto the edge while cutting through things etc. If I can choke my hand back towards the base of the handle and have even a fingers width it's not a little big knife, which disqualifies the Delica for example.

I have 5 favourites in this category, though I only own 4 currently. Traded one of my choices, and received another in a separate deal (Thank you Spencer). In order.

1) Techno - Love this thing, so many redeeming qualities I can't mention them in one or even two lines...superb design and my most liked and carried LBK by a notable margin.
2) Worker Sprint - The handle is definitely shorter than my Delica and I can't choke back at all so it qualifies. Really distinctive, and useful blade shape and a true piece of Spyderco heritage.
3) Chaparral - Don't have one anymore but I absolutely love the design. Was my most carried Spydie before I started liking larger knives. If I don't like the upcoming bronze version I'll go stepped-ti to get it back into my rotation.
4) Lava Sprint - Nice sheeple friendly knife, and despite the strange appearance has wonderful ergonomics. The blade shape and angle of this one make cardboard boxes tremble with fear (Though the sheeple won't).
5) Ti-Salsa - This knife feels beefy and actually fits my hand quite well. The cobra hood is nice to get some extra thumb leverage while push cutting the ample belly through things. Very cool design, though I do prefer the nested version of the compression lock to the original.

[bh49]

I made closest choice : Japan: Ladybug, Manbug, Dragonfly. Actually I do not carry any of these knives. My choice Kopa and jester. Still Japan.
Also, I would never thought about Chaparral as a LBK. for me it clear mid size folder.

[RanCoWeAla]

Dragonfly but I didn't vote because I don't think the Dragonfly is in the same category as the other two.

[farnorthdan]

My pick is the SB Manbug, really have a soft spot for this little guy.

[LC Kid]

Hi Folks!


For years it was the D'Fly for me. :)

Till Taiwan came up with the Mighty Techno! :cool:

Nowadays it's a LBKs Combo: Techno & Jester. :D

[Qcrazy]

What? No mention of the Meerkat in this list of LBK's yet. Blasphemy, I say. The only issue I have with the Meerkat is that it singlehandedly started my obsession with Spyderco. It has a great feel in hand, the locking mechanism is trick, and you can pick two countries of origin.

[SpyderNut]

The Techno is hard to beat for a sturdy EDC LBK. Having said that, however, my primary vote is for the Manbug and Ladybug. I carry both daily (one in SE and one in PE) and I've yet to lack for cutting power.

[OldHoosier62]

Dodo, without a doubt.

[JD Spydo]

Dodo, without a doubt.

Well buddy at least you and I got it right :D You're not a kidding that Dodo just fits the hand so perfectly and that blade design in PE or SE is so versatile. My original Blue PE Dodo from the 2003 batch has been in my EDC rotation about as long as any user Spyder I've ever had>> and it isn't going anywhere except in my footlocker.

What has always blown me away about the Dodo is how many cutting jobs it can do that I really didn't originally think it was capable of. And when you get that point really sharp along with the belly you can cut just about anything with it. I sure hope Sal caves in soon and brings back a Sprint Run of Spyderedged Dodo models. Because the original ones are really getting tough to find.

I suggested a bigger scale Dodo about 2 years ago ( longer/wider blade) and that thread got a lot of attention>> maybe I need to run it again???

[timlara]

What? No mention of the Meerkat in this list of LBK's yet. Blasphemy, I say. The only issue I have with the Meerkat is that it singlehandedly started my obsession with Spyderco. It has a great feel in hand, the locking mechanism is trick, and you can pick two countries of origin.

I voted for the Dragonfly, but I have to agree w/ Qcrazy: the MeerKat is my favorite LBK also. I missed the last sprint, so I really hope there's another one soon! ZDP or some other super steel would be awesome, but a new handle color with good old VG-10 would be just fine, too. Pleeeeease Sal?

[Blue Possum]

I am not so concern where it is made. There made to Spyderco specs and standards, and there also checking on quality control.
My vote was for the dragonfly, and I do think a gripper handle is beneficial. Could be FRN, or grippy G-10, even jigged bone.
The Dragon fly I like the FRN for the Salt version, but for my non-salt version I prefer the G-10 to the FRN for some reason, I expect because of the liners. I do not have small knives in the SS or titanium, because i need more grip on the handle.

[Blue Possum]

I am not so concern where it is made. There made to Spyderco specs and standards, and there also checking on quality control.
My vote was for the dragonfly, and I do think a gripper handle is beneficial. Could be FRN, or grippy G-10, even jigged bone.
The Dragon fly I like the FRN for the Salt version, but for my non-salt version I prefer the G-10 to the FRN for some reason, I expect because of the liners. I do not have small knives in the SS or titanium, because i need more grip on the handle.

[Blue Possum]

I am not so concern where it is made. There made to Spyderco specs and standards, and there also checking on quality control.
My vote was for the dragonfly, and I do think a gripper handle is beneficial. Could be FRN, or grippy G-10, even jigged bone.
The Dragon fly I like the FRN for the Salt version, but for my non-salt version I prefer the G-10 to the FRN for some reason, I expect because of the liners. I do not have small knives in the SS or titanium, because i need more grip on the handle.

[bearfacedkiller]

I have a Cricket and love it. Why is there so little mention of the Cricket on this forum? It is a little-small-knife but there is no mention of it ever in any threads. It has been in production forever so it must be selling. The whole little-big-knife thing is lost on me because I always carry a larger knife and just carry a small knife for opening packages and such as well as being discrete when pulling out a larger knife would raise eyebrows.

Am I really the only one on here who carries a Cricket and loves it?

[Brock O Lee]

My little big knife is a Caly 3, so I do not think my opinion counts! :p