Spyderco Forums

I’m confused by the Chinook line, have several questions. If you can answer any, grateful am I.

1) Why did this model have so many iterations - what was being changed or improved over time?
2) C1 seems to be sought after. Just rareity, or steel, or more favored design/blade shape?
3) Why did C2-4 move away from the original blade shape?
4) What was the difference between C2 and C3?
5) Did the PowerLock of the C4 get used elsewhere?
6) Wasn’t the Chinook’s lock already extremely stout—why did C4 need the PowerLock, was the lock in the C1-3 insufficient for some purpose?
7) After so much development, why did the Chinook disappear from the lineup?
8) How to square this circle: That two of Spyderco’s most SD-focused blades (Chinook & Yojimbo) are in some ways opposites of each other?
9) Would anyone other than me be interested in an updated remix on the original Chinook 1?

To add photos...

Watching. Thanks for asking.

That you, SpyderEdgeForever?

Funny had the Chinook 2 in pocket very recently . I first encountered the Chinook 1 at a Knife years ago upon release and fell for it but was righty clip only and passed up . Immediately bought Chinook2 when released . It has a MBC rated lock which is more than enough for my use . Since it is Bowie modified blade it attracted me as an outdoor use knife and filled the niche for me . I don’t know much about the power lock other it was also used on the Tatanka and would like to know how it improved the knife . As far how the knife evolved , I have no educated answer . I do think in some ways the Chinook 4 reached the pinnacle of the design . Sorry not much help . Dan

We're working on a new Chinook.

sal

sal wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 01, 2023 10:56 pm

We're working on a new Chinook.

sal

Right on!

Always liked the looks of the Chinook a lot and the good amount of cutting edge it offers! (Know it just from depictions though).

Excited for a new version! I personally would hope for a bit less weight and I'd sure like to try the power lock and how an upswept tip works for me on a folder.

Sounds interesting Sal ! Thank you for update . MG2

twinboysdad wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 01, 2023 7:38 pm

That you, SpyderEdgeForever?

I think it's a case of Spyderco constantly refining designs, and in this case while the new ones certainly are more refined, they've lost the brute tank nature at the same time. It's like comparing a 2023 Mustang GT to a '69 Boss 429....the '23 is going to be way faster but there's a visceral feeling with the '69 that's lost. I think people like the original just because it looks cooler with the hollow grind, but I bet in almost every situation the 4 is a better performing knife.

David. I am not really convinced with what you say there. Before i was a Manix fan i used my Chinook 2 everyday for about 6 years.
And in my eyes that hollowground blade performce equally to any ffg you can compare it with.
The hollowgrind has bin written off to easily for the FFG in my personal opinion.
( Its like if they changed the ayoob to ffg that would also be sad in my eyes )

I am with you that the chinook lost its genes along the way and i for one miss the Hollow ground and the old guard style handle at the front of the first 3 gen's.

apollo wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 02, 2023 4:11 am

David. I am not really convinced with what you say there. Before i was a Manix fan i used my Chinook 2 everyday for about 6 years.
And in my eyes that hollowground blade performce equally to any ffg you can compare it with.
The hollowgrind has bin written off to easily for the FFG in my personal opinion.
( Its like if they changed the ayoob to ffg that would also be sad in my eyes )

I am with you that the chinook lost its genes along the way and i for one miss the Hollow ground and the old guard style handle at the front of the first 3 gen's.

I think it depends more on what you're cutting and how the hollow grind is done. On such a low hollow grind you have the full thickness of the blade so low that it's far thicker at that point than a FFG, so in thick rigid material you're driving a more broad wedge through than with FFG where the full thickness is only at the spine, and that's only if it also doesn't have any distal taper and then it's only full thickness at the thumb hole. If we're cutting rope or something small in height where the full blade grind doesn't matter then I'd be fine with the hollow grind. We really need more very high or close to full hollow grinds, then we'd really see some slicing performance.

Hey, All:

I've known James Keating since 1994 and respect him as an incredibly insightful and talented martial artist and a true gentleman. When I discussed the Chinook design with him many years ago, he summarized it as "I designed a Ferrari, and what we got was a really great Ford F150." His original design for it, which was expressed in a custom knife made by Ken Onion, was very sleek. Because he wanted to incorporate at least the ripping tactic of Bowie-style back cuts, lock strength was always an issue. Spyderco's expressions of the Chinook always emphasized that quality.

I write all the Product Information Guides (PIGs) that accompany most Spyderco models. Here is an excerpt from the Chinook 4 PIG that recounts its evolution:

The original Chinook was a truly unique folding knife designed by acclaimed personal-defense expert Master at Arms James A. Keating. One of the foremost authorities on the martial use of the Bowie Knife, Keating wanted to distill the quintessential qualities of the classic American Bowie into an all-purpose cutting tool suitable for everyday carry. Released in 2000, the first-generation model of the Chinook featured a thick, hollow-ground blade, an extremely stout back lock mechanism, and a single-position pocket clip configured for right-side tip-down carry. Early production of this distinctive design had blades crafted from CPM® 440V stainless steel, while later knives featured CPM S30V® blades.

The Chinook attracted a devoted following among martial artists, self-defense practitioners, and other knife users who valued extreme strength in their cutting tools. Although impressively strong, the first-generation design was also rather heavy, so in 2003 Spyderco refined it to yield the Chinook II. Its hollow-ground blade had a long, concave clip point and was paired with a longer, narrower handle that accommodated a four-position pocket clip.

In 2006, the Chinook was once again redesigned to yield the Chinook 3. The primary difference between it and the second-generation Chinook was its blade, which had a full-flat grind and a distal taper, reducing its weight and enhancing its deft balance.

Keating designed the Chinook to support the “back cuts”—inverted, clawing cuts with the tip of the blade—he used in his Bowie Knife system. To withstand the rigors of these tactics, the knife needed an exceedingly strong lock. While the stout back lock used in the original versions definitely met this challenge, it also required the knife to be rather heavy. When Spyderco introduced the Power Lock™ in 2014 in the impressive Tatanka™ model, its extreme strength immediately inspired thoughts of other models—including the venerable Chinook. Ultimately, the Power Lock proved to be the key to realizing Keating’s original visions for the Chinook design and inspired the Chinook 4.

For the record, the Tatanka was, to date, the only other Spyderco knife to feature the Power Lock.

I hope this helps.

Stay safe,

Mike

Thank you for the detailed history of Chinook.
Almost bought a C4 last year, just to get acquainted with the power lock.
As tempting as it was, the knife had no obvious use case for me and had sock drawer duty written all over it.

I still find these knives interesting and enjoy the story behind them. Will be interesting to see what the next iteration brings to the table.

Thanks to Bolster for asking, thanks to Michael for answering in detail, and thanks to Sal for the news of a new Chinook!

My C1 and C4 are both excellent in their own ways. F150 & Ferrari, indeed!

sal wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 01, 2023 10:56 pm

We're working on a new Chinook.

sal

Oooh! Nice.

Thank you Michael. I wasn’t sure if I was going out on a limb suggesting that the Chinook 4 and the Tatanka were the only knives to use the power lock . I am definitely interested to see the next variation . MG2

I have one of each design and I'd say each was an improvement over the last model. I am very much looking forward to the Chinook 5. Great to hear Spyderco is working on it.

Being a Washington State native, I gotta say I'm intrigued by the name alone