Spyderco Forums

A quintessential Spydie? I’d say the one with a hole in the blade.

You’re welcome. Now you can’t make the wrong choice. Sal’s designs, Eric’s, MJ’s, Ed’s and other Glesserized collaborators, all of them, are fair game. All you need to do is match a Spydie model to your particular need and price-tolerance.

Were I you, I’d also want that holed blade to have negative blade-angle. Some Spydies don’t.

The Mule Team exemplifies the ideals that make Spyderco a great knife company. They're always striving to make a better cutting tool.

The Gayle Bradley 2 in Cruwear or the Ayoob are examples of Spyderco as an ethical company.

• GB has a video interview where he says he works on a handshake. Years later, he's still collaborating with Spyderco.

• The Ayoob (or Caly line? Can't remember exactly which) is an example where Spyderco continues to stand by their business partners even when they are going through tough times (parents past away, IIRC).

The Paramilitary 2 in SPY27 is an example of Spyderco as an innovative company. Their lock. Their steel. Their lanyard hole placement. (Er, forget I mentioned that last one.)


Any of these knives represent qualities that define Spyderco as a company. Any of them can be the "quintessential" Spyderco.

While I think the Delica is the easy answer, I’d actually say the original drop-point Stretch LW is a better candidate.

The Stretch is still every bit of “reliable high performance,” like a Lotus Elise, but also even more clearly “designed in the dark,” which is a trait Sal is known for. Function over form, and all that.

It’s a knife that’s easy to pass up if you don’t know what you’re looking for, but the more you look the more you start to appreciate the fine details and design decisions.

While the Delica 4, Endura 4 & Native 5 all immediately come to mind, I would have to say that the Paramilitary 2 is the one model that exemplifies Spyderco's innovation and design philosophy the most.

Unlike Porsche, Spyderco literally has dozens of designs that are valid answers to this question...if you are just looking for base quintessential Spyderco, the Delica 4 is probably the answer, but admittedly, I've never owned one.

Any long-standing Glesser design is the right answer here and I tend to lean towards the Glesser collaborative designs. (Sal & Eric)

I would have to say the Military.

Pacific salt goes way back and is unique with H1 SE.

Delica and Endura are the quintessential Spydercos. I think all others flow from that design philosophy in some way or another. They harken back to the original Spyderco design.

kennethsime wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 04, 2024 9:40 pm

While I think the Delica is the easy answer, I’d actually say the original drop-point Stretch LW is a better candidate.

The Stretch is still every bit of “reliable high performance,” like a Lotus Elise, but also even more clearly “designed in the dark,” which is a trait Sal is known for. Function over form, and all that.

It’s a knife that’s easy to pass up if you don’t know what you’re looking for, but the more you look the more you start to appreciate the fine details and design decisions.

This ia actually a great answer.

As some might know I am a big fan of the oiginal blade shape Stretch 1 (more so than of the same blade shape or the straight spine in the Stretch 2, which still is an amazing knife too, don´t get me wrong).

Along the lines of what Kenneth pointed out perfectly:
For folks coming from the "usual" looks of a pocket knife -like in "what people are used to" , the Stretch 1 (and especially its blade(-shape)) at first glance might look a bit "weird", "funky", just NOT "what people are used too".

But when one really uses it, and experiences the sheer performance of its blade and the extremely thought through and refined ergos, the compact package with the relatively to that long blade and that tip that to me is the perfect blend between pointy and robust: All makes sense, and really: To me now the Stretch 1 is actually one of the most beautiful looking folders.

And in a way (also along the lines of Kenneth) this is true for Spyderco as a whole : For people coming from the "usual" looks of other brands, it might take a step to get used to and appreciate what those "Spyderco look" and design actually means and how it transfers in great ergos and performance.

The Stretch 1 highlights this perfectly, and in that sense really might be (one of ) the "quintessential Spydercos".

There’s probably a generational component to consider when answering this question

The models that are the most widespread are probably the Delica, PM2 and Tenacious. So from there it depends on whom you ask.

Anyone who’s either younger or more into flicky locks…THE Spyderco to them will probably be the PM2. If you’ve been around for a while or you’re more into back locks, it’ll be the Delica. If you come from the budget, “knife as a tool and I don’t wanna think much about it” side of things, it might be the Tenacious.

The quintessential Spyderco to me is probably the K390 Stretch 2 or the Endura. But I have my own reasons for those choices that would span several, boring paragraphs worth of yammering.

Great discussion everyone. Very enlightening hearing the range of opinion.

Great question with endless personal answers.

yablanowitz wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 04, 2024 4:05 pm

To me, it is the C07S stainless Police Model. There's a reason it has been in continuous production for 40 years.

^^^ This. No doubt ...

By design, these knives encapsulate the spyderco design philosophy the most. Not going by my opinion or preference, but by actually observing and taking their in house design history into account.
Also another reason I forgot to add previously, made in Japan, historically I would say spyderco has produced most of their models in Japan. So There’s another reason. First model to use vg10 was the c54 calypso, vg10… probably the most synonymous steel with spyderco. Ig only the real afi’s understand, which are few and far between

Coastal wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 04, 2024 2:28 pm

Probably the Delica or Endura but, to me personally, the quintessential Spyderco is the C36 Military Model.

I agree with this 100% but there are some excellent observations concerning the Police and OG Stretch in this thread.

Danke got that one! A veteran #2 with tape holding up parts of it. Perfect!

Oh, I say Enduras or Delicas. I can carry whatever I want but I feel lost without an Endura in my pocket. I have had one with me almost constantly since 1992.

Tristan_david2001 wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 05, 2024 5:38 am

By design, these knives encapsulate the spyderco design philosophy the most. Not going by my opinion or preference, but by actually observing and taking their in house design history into account.
Also another reason I forgot to add previously, made in Japan, historically I would say spyderco has produced most of their models in Japan. So There’s another reason. First model to use vg10 was the c54 calypso, vg10… probably the most synonymous steel with spyderco. Ig only the real afi’s understand, which are few and far between

What are we looking at here? All Calys of various variants?

It depends on what you define quintessential as. My interpretation is the iconic. The google turns up "representing the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class." Don't get hung up on perfect, I believe perfect in this case doesn't mean the ultimate but is tied to meaning if you say Spyderco what do people think.

While I agree that the Delica/Endura is a likely answer, and probably the right one, I think you have to give strong consideration to the PM2.

It must be the most versioned, modified, and easily one of the most recognizable of the brand. It is iconic for that reason.

The only strike against it for THE quintessential is the price point is a little high for the average consumer, thus driving the nod likely to the Delica/Endura.

RustyIron wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 04, 2024 2:27 pm

Yeah, sort of.
To me, the quintessential Spyderco styling is evident in the lightweight Delica/Endela/Endura/Police knives. They have the handle, blade, lock, and ergonomics, that shout, "Spyderco!" The primarily differences are the size of each knife. But from afar, they look alike.

What's nice is that each of the knives might be available in different blade configurations and steels. No matter the users' preferences, they'll be able to find one of these knives to fit their particular needs. But because of these subtle differences, there can never be "one."

Here are a Delica, two Enduras, and two Police.


IMG_5234.jpeg

Yes, this.

Dragonfly.

It has so many elevated features like a choil, wire clip. Legal most everywhere and the definition of Little Big Knife. I don’t care what brand someone is a Homer for, when you hold and use a Dfly you can see a place in your EDC immediately

benja-man wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 05, 2024 7:17 am

Tristan_david2001 wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 05, 2024 5:38 am

By design, these knives encapsulate the spyderco design philosophy the most. Not going by my opinion or preference, but by actually observing and taking their in house design history into account.
Also another reason I forgot to add previously, made in Japan, historically I would say spyderco has produced most of their models in Japan. So There’s another reason. First model to use vg10 was the c54 calypso, vg10… probably the most synonymous steel with spyderco. Ig only the real afi’s understand, which are few and far between

What are we looking at here? All Calys of various variants?

Top to bottom: C54 Calypso, C144 Caly 3.5, C52 Calypso Jr in Micarta, C114 Caly 3 and C52 Calypso Jr. in FRN

A few others

Manifestgtr wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 05, 2024 3:34 am

There’s probably a generational component to consider when answering this question

The models that are the most widespread are probably the Delica, PM2 and Tenacious. So from there it depends on whom you ask.

Anyone who’s either younger or more into flicky locks…THE Spyderco to them will probably be the PM2. If you’ve been around for a while or you’re more into back locks, it’ll be the Delica. If you come from the budget, “knife as a tool and I don’t wanna think much about it” side of things, it might be the Tenacious.

The quintessential Spyderco to me is probably the K390 Stretch 2 or the Endura. But I have my own reasons for those choices that would span several, boring paragraphs worth of yammering.

I was thinking PM2 also. It's amazing how many different PM2 variants, exclusives, scales, clips, hardware, and mods are out there. So for people who aren't deep into Spyderco knives I'd guess the PM2 would be quintessential to them.

For people who are deep into Spyderco knives, lots of great answers so far