Spyderco's Hidden & Forgotten models

[JD Spydo]

JD, did you manage to pick up the brown Calypso sprint? I was on the fence on this one as I do love a good back lock, but ultimately decided against it due to size.

No I didn't and I would love to have one too>> I've seen a few of them around but the ones I seen were way over priced. I know what you mean because I've had others tell me the same thing you just said about the size of the blade being dis-proportionate to the handle. I never felt that way about it at all because when I owned and used a pair of the original models ( PE & SE) a few years back I particularly liked the Spyderedged version of that model>> it was one of the most aggressive Spyderedged blades I ever owned. It was one of the first full flat grind models I ever fell in love with.

What I find interesting about it is that all the other Calypso models were modeled after the C-54 but yet you hear less about that model than you do any of the Calypso models for some odd reason. The Caly Junior seemed to bel the rock star of all of them it seems :confused:

[tvenuto]

No I didn't and I would love to have one too>> I've seen a few of them around but the ones I seen were way over priced. I know what you mean because I've had others tell me the same thing you just said about the size of the blade being dis-proportionate to the handle. I never felt that way about it at all because when I owned and used a pair of the original models ( PE & SE) a few years back I particularly liked the Spyderedged version of that model>> it was one of the most aggressive Spyderedged blades I ever owned. It was one of the first full flat grind models I ever fell in love with.

What I find interesting about it is that all the other Calypso models were modeled after the C-54 but yet you hear less about that model than you do any of the Calypso models for some odd reason. The Caly Junior seemed to bel the rock star of all of them it seems :confused:

By size I really just meant it's a bigger knife in general, and I always have my Manix XLs when I'm in the mood for a larger folder. Thus, I didn't think it'd get much pocket time, and I'm probably right about that, at least for me. I think that's also why the Caly Junior is the "rock star" of this family, like you mention. It's much more pocketable for most people, and you do have to remember that the larger the blade, the more places that might have laws against it. It's a sad state of affairs, really, and probably causes the popularity of some really great designs to be artificially low.

[JD Spydo]

No I didn't and I would love to have one too>> I've seen a few of them around but the ones I seen were way over priced.

By size I really just meant it's a bigger knife in general, and I always have my Manix XLs when I'm in the mood for a larger folder. Thus, I didn't think it'd get much pocket time, and I'm probably right about that, at least for me. I think that's also why the Caly Junior is the "rock star" of this family, like you mention. It's much more pocketable for most people, and you do have to remember that the larger the blade, the more places that might have laws against it. It's a sad state of affairs, really, and probably causes the popularity of some really great designs to be artificially low.

OK I got what you mean and YES I do agree that many places would truly outlaw the knife because of it's size>> but what I was mainly getting at as far as this knife being a Hidden & Forgotten model is based on a couple of items>> one is that I'm almost sure that it was the lowest selling out of all the Calypso models ever and it had a very short tenure on the main line up>> I still meet up with a lot of people here and at BF both who have never even heard of the model :confused:

Because after all it was the very first folder they ever did with VG-10 from what I was told and it was certainly the very first out of the Calypso line up. You would think those two aspects alone would at least give it a lot of collector appeal>> but I rarely hear it mentioned outside of this forum>> I hardly ever hear it mentioned over at BladeForums or any of the other knife forums I visit. I do believe it was overshadowed in the late 90s by many of the iconic models that hit market at that time and oddly enough the Caly Jr being one of them>> and I've only ever seen one dealer who had one in stock ever. It only ever appeared in one of Spyderco's catalogs and that was one of those little green insert catalogs that came in a box with a new Spyderco knife>> I never saw it in any dealer catalog and I have almost all of them from that era. And I do believe it might have been the first folder they did with a Micarta handle but I'm not 100% certain on that one.

Now I heard that the brown handled Sprint did sell well but oddly enough I've seen several people put them up for sale :confused: >> but at really inflateded prices I might add otherwise I would have had one by now>>It and the C-60 Ayoob model are probably the two most difficult Spyders to find in Spyderedge which I find interesting. It's a great folder and if you get the chance to nail one at a reasonable price I don't think you'll regret it. But yes it's a very forgotten and hidden model like my title suggests>> but one of the more quality pieces that fit that description.

[drmorris88]

I've recently acquired what I believe to be a first run Szabofly #089. Would anyone know the approximate value of it? Thanks in advance.

[farnorthdan]

I've recently acquired what I believe to be a first run Szabofly #089. Would anyone know the approximate value of it? Thanks in advance.

Your best bet would be to check the bay for similar already sold. Also the #089 is a collector club reference number not the 89th one made, if you didnt know that already, if you did then never mind... :)

Also welcome to the forum.

[JD Spydo]

I've recently acquired what I believe to be a first run Szabofly #089. Would anyone know the approximate value of it? Thanks in advance.

I must admit that I"ve just never been much of a fan of butterfly or balisong type knives. I did however have one of Cold Steel's titanium handled units about 10 years ago and I actually got pretty good at deploying it>>albeit I was getting myself cut, wacked and sliced a lot :eek: it actually got so embarrassing that I finally traded it. It seemed like it was called the ANGEL and had a Carbon V blade. Now if I remember correctly there was a very small Spyderco Szabo butterfly model back around 07 or thereabout. I would have to dig out one of my older catalogs to get the name of it>> because again I wasn't all that hyped about Butterfly knives although I did always like the looks of Laci Szabo's designs I always thought that micro-sized version of the SzaboFly would become highly collectible at some point. I don't even hear of it even mentioned in threads about Butterfly knives :confused:
But if anyone can remember the name and model number of that super small Szabo butterfly knife I wish you all would tell me. Oh Speaking of obscure blades did anyone mention the three variants of the Impala because some of those variants are really getting tough to find.

[MarcusH]

I would love to see a sprint of the Rookie (mini Police) and the Dyad Jnr.

Yes, the Rookie is somewhat underappreciated.

[SpeedHoles]

I love this thread.

Never knew about that Pirka. I have several pieces of Montbell outdoor gear, too.

Have to agree with several already mentioned.

Anything Spyderco + Micarta seem to be heavily forgotten.

I liked the idea of a Scorpius with a G10 handle. I almost never carry mine because of the stainless handle...

The JD Smith and Chokwe super slicers.

I'd also have to say the Ocelot (aside from the opinions in the scales), moreso referring to the shape and ergos.

Khukuri and Lava, two of my all time favorites, but rarely see them discussed.

The Navaja.

Breeden Rescue.

Dialex Junior.




No experience with the Rookie, but I would like to try one out...
Same with the GB Air (if it had amenities for a clip).
Also the R.



...somewhat disagree with the Jester - that one to me seems to be in super overboard inflated ideals type of demand right now.

[BadFish]

Here's a knife I actually use a lot. It was my Grail knife and is a favorite user.

[JD Spydo]

Here's a knife I actually use a lot. It was my Grail knife and is a favorite user.

I'm sort of surprised that the IMPALA model hasn't been done in a SPRINT run because it does have a significant cult following in the past few years. It's truly one of the best hunter/folders I've seen anyone come up with in quite a while. The ones with a guthook which you've been kind enough to show us is getting very tough to find. The Impala truly does fit the definition of a "HIDDEN & FORGOTTEN" model. I have a special love for it because it was one of the class of 04 models which is the same year the TEMPERANCE 1 fixed blade model came from.

I"ve wondered why Spyderco hasn't done another Hunter/folder >> I guess the Tatanka would probably fall under that category but I would much rather see the Impala make a comeback. I've heard that the designer of the IMPALA i.e. Ed Scott has quite a few excellent designs to his credit. Thanks for sharing that with us