D'Holder Toad

[dedguy]

i find myself oddly drawn to this knife. i like it's almost oafish appearance coupled with it's small size. my question is (to those who own it) is it worth the 75-80$ it seems to be going for, not because it's rare, but because it's a good knife for the price? i am very tempted to buy one and if i do it will be insted of a Volpe (which i will get eventually, but not for some time).

[yablanowitz]

I picked up a Toad about a month ago in a local pawnshop, PE NIB w/paperwork. I think he had had it since they were in production, had only minor handling marks from being on display for so long, and priced for $39 plus tax :-)
It is a handy little knife, in spite of a two finger handle. It is certainly sturdy enough to handle any cutting task you are likely to attempt with a knife this size, very sheeple friendly (they probably won't even see it in your hand). I don't think I would have jumped on it at $80 or more, but on the other hand, I am considering a Dodo for a little more than that.

[dedguy]

yeah a black full serrated dodo is the one knife i'm looking into buying next but am tempted to get the Toad just because of it's rarity.

[yablanowitz]

I bought mine from a strictly utility viewpoint, I didn't know they were discontinued collector items until I saw a used one go $85 on the bay. Now I wonder whether to carry this little gem, or put it in the safe
I'll probably end up carrying it, I usually do

[Pete1977]

my girlfriend has two. she says they're cute. she lets me carry one sometimes, in a custom sheath it came with.

i think it's a great little knife

pete

[dedguy]

well i appreciate the comments guys, really i do. but i know it's a great knife, it is a spydie after all my question is it almost 100$ worth of good or would i be better off just buying a ladybug or jester and being done with it?

[The Deacon]

IMHO, the Jester and LadyBug offer more versatility than the Toad. The micarta version of the Jester, which can still be found for under $50, is a classy looking little knife. So is the CF Ladybug, which also normally can be found for less than $70 (but is kind of hard to find). The Baby Goddard is another versatile little knife that can be found fairly easily in the $50-$75 range. The Toad can only be reliably opened right handed, lacks a lanyard hole, which limits carry options, and is almite coated, not the most durable finish. The deep hollow "straight razor" grind makes it a very poor choice for slicing thick material and the shape of the handle does not provide a very secure or comfortable grip.

[dedguy]

well that's that, no lanyard hole is what really gets me. didn't even thing about that. without a lanyard hole such a small knife (imo) is fairly useless. i'll probally get a jester than. i really like the forward index finger jimping on the blade. looks very handy for the sorts of cuts i'm likley to make with that sort of knife (mostly opening things like boxes, bags, ect). thanks everyone (The Deacon in particular)... now i need to decide on a Yojimbo, Volpe, or Dodo.

[DAYWALKER]

Aloha and welcome dedguy,

Hmmmm, I like the Toad! It is a wicked precision cutting tool and I rescued one from the Deacon once! However, the Jester is a great choice...you can never go wrong with that one.

Have you thought about the Kiwi? That has a lanyard hole...

Uh...regarding your "other" selection, I say FWIW:
Dodo
Yoji
Volpe


God bless and take care

[dedguy]

already have a Kiwi on the way to my doorstep. it's one of the knives i drooled over for years when i had no money. and i gotta ask... FWIW? don't get me wrong about the toad, it is a really neat knife best i can tell but currently dosn't seem like it's worth the almost 100$ it seems to go for when there's a bunch of other potentially more useful knives i'd like to get.

[The Deacon]

already have a Kiwi on the way to my doorstep. it's one of the knives i drooled over for years when i had no money. and i gotta ask... FWIW? don't get me wrong about the toad, it is a really neat knife best i can tell but currently dosn't seem like it's worth the almost 100$ it seems to go for when there's a bunch of other potentially more useful knives i'd like to get.

"Worth" is a very subjective concept.

Take the "Q", the original "Bug" version had an MSRP of around $50, and generally sold for $30 or less. Now they command $70 and up. They are not rare by any means, over 60,000 were made. While intriguing, and technically excellent from an engineering standpoint, they look more like something made by Mattel than a "real" knife. Are they "worth" what people pay for them? Are some of the rarer variants of the Q, no higher in quality, just harder to find, worth prices that in some cases have approached $500?

The answer, obviously, is yes, they are worth that to some people, as those kind of prices are routinely paid for them. Whether they are worth that to you is another matter.

Spyderco, sadly, could not sell out the entire run of WTC Knives at $225, yet almost instantly after they were removed from the market, people willing to pay $300 and up started coming out of the woodwork. A mere six months later, have watched one sell for over $400. Go figure.

I would be inclined to say that, in NIB condition, a Toad for almost $100 would not represent a good investment. Be aware however, that my track record on such things is terrible. A year ago I would have said the same about a Massad Ayoob and about a dozen other models, which all now seem to be commanding a fair bit more than that. Bottom line is that future collector interest is virtually impossible to assess.

[dedguy]

being a vetran collecter (mostly of japanese toys to be honest) i know all about implied value in the aftermarket. i guess my question should have been "is it worth 100$ as a knife not as a collectable"

[Harry White]

Given the choice of other s of similar size and utility, I'd pass on the $100 Toad. You could get a Kopa for that price, a "better" knife for the price, IMO. Plus you have a Kiwi coming already. If you really want another small knife, Deacon's suggestion about the Micarta Jester is one to consider.

I would use the Kiwi and get a SE Dodo -- that would be a great and useful combination to carry. Good luck!!

[dedguy]

Harry, you just convinced me a SE Dodo it is next, unless of course this Collector's Ed Volpe i'm watching on ebay goes for a decent price.

[Blades]

I didn't like the Toad when I first saw it, but it grew on me. Closed it reminds me of a raindrop.
My SE Toad is my PJ knife. For it's small size it still cuts great. Get one if you can, but I would shop around alittle before I dropped $80.00 on a Toad.



Blades

[dedguy]

for the time being i just picked up a black SE Dodo and a SE Finch (mostly just because i keep buying a Byrd everytime i buy a new Spyderco)

[zenheretic]

I am kinda late to this party but I'll chime in. To answer the big question of this thread, no I don't think it is worth $80+ from a value standpoint. As others have said the Jester and Ladybug are a much better value (I can order a handful for the same price). The Cricket goes for less, is thinner in a similar sized package. The new Spin looks like a similar blade, and has better ergos. The upcoming Lava also looks to be a better knive, although the handle looks much bigger than the others in this blade size, so may not be what you are looking for. That being said, I have two Toads and will probably add more to the pond when the price is right. No real logical reason for this, just something about them catches my eye. Again for value, the knives still in production offer better value.
Jesters:

Cricket vs. Toad: