Which Spyder folder is the toughest; will take the most abuse?

[Crux]

The Native 5 G10 with the liners is the toughest thing they make currently.

It's built like a tank.

It's definitely up there, but a Para 3 it isn't. Sorry, no pass Go. :)

[Ankerson]

The Native 5 G10 with the liners is the toughest thing they make currently.

It's built like a tank.

It's definitely up there, but a Para 3 it isn't. Sorry, no pass Go. :)

It wasn't an opinion.

It is the toughest thing they make right now.

You couldn't hurt that knife if you tried, except under the most extreme circumstances as in trying to break it.

[Crux]

Oh come on. Para 3s have survived direct 155mm artillery and 1,000 pound bombs. When they searched the cave after the MOAB was dropped all they found was an intact s110v Para 3.

[Ankerson]

Oh come on. Para 3s have survived direct 155mm artillery and 1,000 pound bombs. When they searched the cave after the MOAB was dropped all they found was an intact s110v Para 3.

Compared to what?

I supposed all the knives too the exact same hit and in the EXACT SAME HIT at the same time?

[SF Native]

The Native 5 G10 with the liners is the toughest thing they make currently.

It's built like a tank.

I doubt you could hurt it except if you really tried to under extreme circumstances.

Yeah, except for the blade. Let my dad borrow mine this summer and he chipped the blade bad by prying staples out of building paper on plywood. Not so good.
Knives are designed to cut, not pry. The best at prying, won’t cut very well.

[tonijedi]

I've found the Salt 2 and the Pacific are tough enough for my EDC as a civil engineer on construction sites. The tip is tough enough for prying small things and the blade withstands the lateral forces of cutting and prying thick pieces of insulation. This is a soft material but when you're digging holes in it there are lateral forces involved, you clearly see and feel the force on the pivot. When this happens I choke up on the blade.

[standy99]

Pacific salts have been used on my boat for years and can not fault them in tropical conditions. Bang for buck a outstanding well built knife that I would recommend to any hardcore fisherman, have filleted many a large Barramundi with them and never a issue.
( we don’t scale these fish before being filleted )

But hands down the GB1 is the tank you want. Closest folder to a fixed blade on the market. Have used it to dress water buffaloes and they don’t come small in the Northern Territory Australia. Being a butcher for 20+ years and have had many knives and the GB1 blows many knives 2-3 times the price away.

A smaller knife that can take some abuse is the Pingo. Used one at work for years

[The Deacon]

No clue which of the current ones would be toughest, but I'd still bet money that the original Chinook was the toughest decent size Spyderco ever built and the original C95 Manix and the Chinook II would be pretty much in a dead heat for second place. Techno might be right up there as well, if only because it would be hard to get enough leverage to damage a 4.5mm thick blade that short.

[BornIn1500]

The Native 5 G10 with the liners is the toughest thing they make currently.

The Lil Temperance 3 is beefier in every dimension, though. And it's still in production. So I assume you're saying a back lock is tougher than a compression lock? That's the only difference that may go in favor of the Native.

[awa54]

As an exercise in extremes I'd love to see a CS Recon Tanto or Recon Scout done in Bainitic L6 and abused to destruction, just to see what the outer limits of edged tool endurance really are.

[Donut]

All knives will break if you pry with them. Don't pry with your knives.

If abuse means something other than prying, then they will probably all stand more abuse than you can throw at them.

I absolutely agree with the first part.

With the second, our opinions differ (notice to all, I am NOT asserting that I am right here, this is only an opinion). There are many knives I've owned that I have never damaged inadvertently. I got into spyderco, and now I sometimes have to be extra careful so that I don't break the tip off or stress the pivot too much and cause blade play. It's JUST something I'VE noticed.

I know everyone will assume either I don't know how to use knives, or that I have bad habits or am flat out abusive in my use. If only you could walk a day in my shoes! You'd see that is certainly not true.

You know, I have a cheap $15 pry bar on my keys and it stops me from messing up my knife, which I think wasn't really designed to pry.

About 15 years ago, I once pryed with another brand of a knife and the lock failed and went about 1/4" deep into the side of my finger. I still have a faint scar to remind me not to pry with knives.

I do sometimes pry with a knife, but it's usually with the spine when the knife is closed. I feel like the spine is the most stable part.

[Mzen]

I've seen a couple of references to the Gayle Bradley 1... Is it considered superior compared to the Gayle Bradley 2? I never took the time to properly investigate the differences between them, outside of the obvious finger choil area.

[Bill1170]

I've seen a couple of references to the Gayle Bradley 1... Is it considered superior compared to the Gayle Bradley 2? I never took the time to properly investigate the differences between them, outside of the obvious finger choil area.

The GB1 is more heavily built than the GB2. The lock is very stiff.

[Pelagic]

All knives will break if you pry with them. Don't pry with your knives.

If abuse means something other than prying, then they will probably all stand more abuse than you can throw at them.

I absolutely agree with the first part.

With the second, our opinions differ (notice to all, I am NOT asserting that I am right here, this is only an opinion). There are many knives I've owned that I have never damaged inadvertently. I got into spyderco, and now I sometimes have to be extra careful so that I don't break the tip off or stress the pivot too much and cause blade play. It's JUST something I'VE noticed.

I know everyone will assume either I don't know how to use knives, or that I have bad habits or am flat out abusive in my use. If only you could walk a day in my shoes! You'd see that is certainly not true.

You know, I have a cheap $15 pry bar on my keys and it stops me from messing up my knife, which I think wasn't really designed to pry.

About 15 years ago, I once pryed with another brand of a knife and the lock failed and went about 1/4" deep into the side of my finger. I still have a faint scar to remind me not to pry with knives.

I do sometimes pry with a knife, but it's usually with the spine when the knife is closed. I feel like the spine is the most stable part.

I see you're from Va-Ba. No wonder you assume the worst in someone and obviously don't understand what a cape hatteras man was saying. :D

[ferider]

No clue which of the current ones would be toughest, but I'd still bet money that the original Chinook was the toughest decent size Spyderco ever built ....

I concur. I was going to write this before I read your post. My toughest folders are:

1) 3" blade category: SS lined Native-5 (an M4 blade-swap is in my only Native's future :) )
2) 3.5" blade category: Ti scaled Manix-2 in CPM CW or 4V; the S30V 80mm Manix is close, but also a tiny bit shorter.
3) 4" blade category: Chinook 1.

(doesn't make sense to compare toughness across very different knife sizes, IMHO)

Only possible issue with the Chinook 1 is that S60V is supposed to chip easily (not for me yet, as I am babying that knife - certainly don't use it to pry).

Roland.

[Bloke]

I must be missing something. What does it matter if you have a folder made from 1/2” blade stock or 1/16” blade stock when they ride around a 3/16” - 1/4” pivot? :confused:

From where I’m standing there are two possible scenarios. Pry with either and you’ll either snap a blade or you’ll blow out a pivot. :eek:

[vivi]

I must be missing something. What does it matter if you have a folder made from 1/2” blade stock or 1/16” blade stock when they ride around a 3/16” - 1/4” pivot? :confused:

From where I’m standing there are two possible scenarios. Pry with either and you’ll either snap a blade or you’ll blow out a pivot. :eek:

Never understood the appeal of prying with a knife. Pocket prybars and Swiss Army knives with a stout flat head are $10 or less and do much better.

I could do food prep with my axe...but why?

[Pelagic]

Sad that the knife community defaults to prying every time someone mentions toughness. That's just the way it is though, and I'm still here...

[Bloke]

I must be missing something. What does it matter if you have a folder made from 1/2” blade stock or 1/16” blade stock when they ride around a 3/16” - 1/4” pivot? :confused:

From where I’m standing there are two possible scenarios. Pry with either and you’ll either snap a blade or you’ll blow out a pivot. :eek:

Never understood the appeal of prying with a knife. Pocket prybars and Swiss Army knives with a stout flat head are $10 or less and do much better.

I could do food prep with my axe...but why?

Ah, hahaha! :)

You and me both Vivi, you and me both! :cool:

[Bloke]

Sad that the knife community defaults to prying every time someone mentions toughness. That's just the way it is though, and I'm still here...

This and the toughest fixed blade thread are comical! :)

Tarzan couldn’t break a No.5 Opinel dressing out an elephant if he used it as a knife! Ah, hahaha!