Purchased this knife after purchasing 2 all black and 4 standard finished Tenacious knives ( 5 of the 7 are now owned by friends, as they were in need of good quality knives for EDC ) and was impressed with the fit, finish and sharpness of this Chinese made item. The blade, made of 8Cr13Mov, though not of Spyderco's premier VG-10, is nonetheless razor sharp and retains this edge through constant use and sharpens ( with a ceramic sharpener ) easily enough back to factory sharpness, or even better with the proper tools and experience. Being fully flat ground, the blade's profile helps make quick work of most materials it comes into contact with, cutting with a virtually amazing degree of authority, ease, and speed. The pocket clip attachs right, left, tip up or tip down, and opens with either left or right hand, but be aware a left-handed user needs the assistance of the right hand or runs the risk of slicing the heck out of a finger if trying to close left-handed, as the linerlock is very right-handed. A small detail, but it does need to be mentioned if one is a complete " southpaw ". The opening and closing of the blade is as smooth as slik on silk - typical Spyderco - and the lockup is both positive and tight, culminating with an audible ' click '. The G-10 handle scales are a medium blue ( a slightly darker royal blue , very pleasing to the eye ), rough textured enough to allow a positive grip but not too rough to impede quickly replacing into a front or rear pants pocket. Note that it blends in well with the colour of slightly faded denim blue jeans, all but disappearing save for the pocket clip. A rear lined lanyard hole is standard and can accomodate a 550 paracord lanyard, if one desires, to dispense with the pocket clip for an even more discrete carry. The patented Spyderco hole in the blade is slightly enlarged, to accomodate bare and gloved hands. Furthermore, there is jimping at the rear of the blade's spine to secure the thumb for a tighter grip in an intricate and/or hard cutting situation. The final touch is the Spyderco trademarked bug on both the blade, just forward of the thumphole, and also on the upper half of the pocketclip, all discretely done but reassuringly visible.
With all the preceeding, the biggest news, however, is the overall quality. For a knife at this price point, the sheer quality is impressive, and actually borders on the unbelievable. The predecessor of this second generation of Chinese Spyderco knives was the byrd line, made under contract by Spyderco - wearing neither their name nor logo - and having neither the fit, finish, nor the sharpness of this generation. With this generation, the price/quality barrier has been broken, but more importantly, China is showing the world what she is now capable of, and it looks impressive, to say the least. ( Remember the first automobiles Japan introduced to America in the late 1960's? Most of America laughed at them, but look at them now - they are amoung the best made, finished, and most reliable in the world. Decades later, China is poised to take over a leading position in the world's economy, as witnessed by both her great internal strides and the items she is producing for export, as the hardest things are in the details. She is taking great pains to finish those details completely, and seems to be doing a spectacular job. Those of you who are unwilling to accept progress and technology, be prepared to be run over by it, as stagnation leads to decay and failure ) However, as not to digress too far and lose the point, this new generation of Chinese manufacturerd Spydercos are showing spectactuar quality, and may soon compete with or even replace Japan's present line of knives with the same renowned name and reputation. Those of you who think this is premature or impossible, simply study history- learn from the past or be compelled to repeat it.
Presently, enjoy the value this knife and the second generation of Chinese made Spydercos in general represent, as their price/quality index may be short lived and a thing of the past - a historic relic, only to be remembered by people of a bygone age and era. This knife easily rates and deserves a ' 10 ', or 5 solid stars, IMHO.
| Recommended Uses For Product | Carving |
|---|---|
| Brand | Spyderco |
| Special Feature | Pocket Clip |
| Age Range (Description) | Adult |
| Included Components | Blade |
| Handle Material | Fiberglass |
| Color | Blue,Steel |
| Blade Material | Stainless Steel |
| Style | Modern |
| Product Care Instructions | Hand Wash Only |
| Blade Shape | Leaf |
| Blade Edge | Flat |
| Item Length | 7.76 Inches |
| Manufacturer | Spyderco Knives |
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 6.6 x 2.5 x 0.9 inches |
| Package Weight | 2.4 ounces |
| Brand Name | Spyderco |
| Part Number | C122GPBL |
