ATS-55: A Brief but Interesting Era in Spyder History

[Donut]

Joe, if someone wanted you to rewrite the Spyderco Story, how would you feel about that?

It seems like with all your threads, you've written half of it already.

[JD Spydo]

Joe, if someone wanted you to rewrite the Spyderco Story, how would you feel about that?

It seems like with all your threads, you've written half of it already.

Well Donut I wish I did know enough to take up where Kenneth Delavigne left off with the original "Spyderco STory" book published by Palladin Press.

I've said for a long time that we are way overdue for a sequel to not only that book but a series of new chapters and new subjects as well.

But I really feel that during the ATS-55 era there was just a huge turnaround in Spyderco's product line. To me it looked like a complete business evolution of sorts.

Just the advent of the H-1 Salt series is pretty much a book all of it's own. But the ATS-55 era truly was a complete turnaround in their marketing stategy from what I can tell.

I think the H-1 Series is truly about the only era that has had more impact than the ATS-55 era.

[Sithus1966]

I truly believe that the STainless Rescue may indeed be the most ridgid built Spyder ever. I think you could drop one them out of an airplane on hard pavement and the knife would be mostly unharmed

Yes the stainless one is like a tank.

Thank you so much for bringing those to the table Sithus

You're welcome.

Thought I would take a better picture of both of them. The stainless is a bit shiny. When I bought the thing off ebay it had some pitting so it had to go to the buffer for a cleanup.

[RICHAR]

Several years ago I stumbled on some new in box Delicas , Enduras , and Rescues in ATS-55 . I bought a serrated Delica And a combo edge Delica . I handled a Combo edge Endura. I wish I had bought it. THey are all gone now . I really like ATS-55. It feels much sharper than VG-10. I understand there was some rust issues with ATS-55. My combo edge Delica is showing some signs of rusting although it is seldom used .

[JD Spydo]

Several years ago I stumbled on some new in box Delicas , Enduras , and Rescues in ATS-55 . I bought a serrated Delica And a combo edge Delica . I handled a Combo edge Endura. I wish I had bought it. THey are all gone now . I really like ATS-55. It feels much sharper than VG-10. I understand there was some rust issues with ATS-55. My combo edge Delica is showing some signs of rusting although it is seldom used .

Personally I prefer the VG-10 over ATS-55>> but I do like ATS-55 and if there is a model I want and it's only available in ATS-55 I'll take it in a heartbeat. The PE blade on my big Dyad gets super-sharp when I use the Spyderco Ultra-fine 302 Benchstone on it. My G-10 Harpy that had ATS-55 kept it's edge very well over the years.

But I do like the VG-10 edge better especially on fixed blades>> and I couldn't imagine my precious C-111 Captain model being made with anything but VG-10. But I do think that ATS-55 is one of the best steels ever for Spyderedged blades.

[Chris_H]

Another model that came in ATS-55 was the C16, Wayne Goddard (Full size). In my own collection, I also have a Peter Herbst and a Cricket sporting ATS-55.

I think the quick turnover of ATS-55 use was due to how close Spyderco got VG-10 for evaluation and made that switch.

[JD Spydo]

Another model that came in ATS-55 was the C16, Wayne Goddard (Full size). In my own collection, I also have a Peter Herbst and a Cricket sporting ATS-55.

I think the quick turnover of ATS-55 use was due to how close Spyderco got VG-10 for evaluation and made that switch.

thanks for bringing those 2 models up "Chris"... I've had both those models. I think that Goddard model had many variants and offshoots>> I even had one of those Goddard models that was gray in color but I'm not sure if that one had VG-10 or ATS-55.

You're right about the aluminum handled Peter Herbst model having ATS-55 although I've got a catalog that claims they had at least one run of those in VG-10. Whereas the titanium Herbst was made with 440C and was made in Germany.

And let's don't forget the MERLIN model of which most of them were ATS-55 as well.

[Chris_H]

The gray sprint run Goddard had VG-10 and a plain edge which was actually the "variant" configuration. The later burgundy FRN model showed up with the standard CE.

Yep, I have a Herbst in ATS-55 & VG-10 so there was at least one run for the later steel. I wish I could have at least held a Ti Herbst to evaulate the diffference(s) if any.

[Paradiggum]

The Delica 3 I carried for over 12 yrs is ATS-55. Always seemed like a good steel to me. Stayed sharp enough and sharpened up easy enough.

[JNewell]

The Delica 3 I carried for over 12 yrs is ATS-55. Always seemed like a good steel to me. Stayed sharp enough and sharpened up easy enough.

There is an ATS-55 D3 clipped into my waistband as I type this now - and it has been there since some time in the 1990s...

[JD Spydo]

The gray sprint run Goddard had VG-10 and a plain edge which was actually the "variant" configuration. The later burgundy FRN model showed up with the standard CE.

Yep, I have a Herbst in ATS-55 & VG-10 so there was at least one run for the later steel. I wish I could have at least held a Ti Herbst to evaulate the diffference(s) if any.

I had 2 of the Titanium Herbst models at one time. They seemed heavier than the Aluminum models. The Herbst was not one of my personal favorites however which is why I sold one and traded the other. I think that there was only one run of the Herbst in VG-10.

Also let's not forget that the rare and elusive and probably the most solid built Spyder of them all was an ATS-55 model>> and that was the Stainless handled RESCUE models ( C-14 & C-45).

[dialex]

Always loved this steel and I wouldn't hesitate a second to get a knife in ATS-55. I still have a few Spydies in ATS-55 which are very close to my heart

[Chris_H]

I had 2 of the Titanium Herbst models at one time. They seemed heavier than the Aluminum models.

Really?!?! Well, the lightweight of the aluminum is one of the things I like about the model. I think it works well for casual dress carry. It's a simpler, classic design in my opinion.

[Paradiggum]

There is an ATS-55 D3 clipped into my waistband as I type this now - and it has been there since some time in the 1990s...

It's a great little knife. I had an Endura with the molded clip before I got this Delica, but I don't remember the steel. As soon as they came out with these ambi clip models in 1998 I got a Delica and never looked back. As soon as I found out they were changing them, I went to the local shop and bought every Delica 3 they had. Some are ATS-55 and some are VG10. Some in boxes and some in clamshell packaging. I think I have 7 or 8 of them. Still carry them in my rotation to this day. It took me forever to finally get a D4. It was 2010 actually, but now a few of them have made it into rotation as well.

[JB3]

I just got last week a Rookie

I love Rookies!
Foliage Green G-10 and SS (shown here)
I seem to be able to get sharp edges on the ATS-55 ... I've never really had problems with any Spyderco Seki steel.

[JD Spydo]

I love Rookies!
Foliage Green G-10 and SS (shown here)
I seem to be able to get sharp edges on the ATS-55 ... I've never really had problems with any Spyderco Seki steel.

Until the recent re-intro of the Rookie I believe they were only made in ATS-55 previous to that. If I'm wrong I sure don't remember any VG-10 Rookies.

[yowzer]

I still do find it strange that Spyderco was the only company to use ATS-55 that I've been able to learn of. I also wonder what the original purpose of ATS-55 was. Being that we know that VG-10 was primarily an agricultural steel and ATS-34 originally had aircraft uses>> it would be interesting to know what they made ATS-55 primarily for.

IIRC from the research I did when I picked up my Dyad, ATS-55 was a limited run just for Spyderco, made as an experiment to produce a cheaper variant of ATS-34 (Because of the decreased moly) without that steel's high-speed/temp. properties, but still good for knife blades.

[JNewell]

It's a great little knife. I had an Endura with the molded clip before I got this Delica, but I don't remember the steel. As soon as they came out with these ambi clip models in 1998 I got a Delica and never looked back. As soon as I found out they were changing them, I went to the local shop and bought every Delica 3 they had. Some are ATS-55 and some are VG10. Some in boxes and some in clamshell packaging. I think I have 7 or 8 of them. Still carry them in my rotation to this day. It took me forever to finally get a D4. It was 2010 actually, but now a few of them have made it into rotation as well.

The D4/E4 is clearly a great design, but it's almost a different knife. For the extremely limited purpose for which I carry this D3, it's probably a better choice - at least for me. I have a couple of spares, but nothing like your back-stock.