There are older American knife manufacturers than Spyderco, but arguably few or better known among true cutlery enthusiasts. Since its inception, Spyderco has remained firmly in the consciousness of knife nuts not only because of its commitment to build quality and smart design, but because its product lineup features has featured every blade steel under the sun, from AEB-L to ZDP-189.
The history of Spyderco stretches back to 1976. Sal and Gail Glesser built the foundation of the company on the tri-angle “Sharpmaker,” a manual sharpener still sold — and in frequent use — today. In 1978, the couple moved to Golden, Colorado, and released their first knife. Dubbed the C01 “Worker,” the design was one of the first to combine some of the features we consider absolutely non-negotiable today: a sturdy locking mechanism, a pocket clip, and the functionality of one-handed opening.
While the company headquarters remain in Golden, where many of Spyderco’s knives are still made today, production has since expanded to China, Japan and Taiwan. Spyderco offers everything from affordable, budget-friendly folders to semi-custom pieces that set the industry standard for quality of fit and finish. And, without exception, their factory edges are screaming sharp.
As an avowed Spyderco fan for decades, here are three models I think are superb representations of what the company is all about.
Spyderco Military 2
The Spyderco Military is a fascinating paradox. On one hand, you could look at it as a nod to the company’s storied past. On the other, it could be viewed as proof of Spyderco’s relentless commitment to innovation and product refinement. Let’s take a look at both sides of this coin, one at a time.
The Military’s history begins back in 1996, when company founder Sal Glesser wanted to create a large, hard-working folder for the kinds of people who show up in uniforms to do tough jobs. By 2004, the company set out to design a slightly smaller knife that would fit in a wider variety of pockets, leading to the company’s famous Paramilitary; the Paramilitary 2 gave the design a little more blade length and the company’s famous “compression lock” mechanism. It was only a matter of time before the PM2 begat the Paramilitary 3, which pared the design down once again to a 3” blade.
As the saying goes, all that’s old becomes new again. While the “OG” Military was something of a niche product for a long time, big EDC folders seem to be coming back in style. In that context, reintroducing the Military model makes perfect sense for users who clamored for an even bigger PM2: why reinvent the wheel if you don’t have to?
Of course, the Military 2 is more than just a warmed-over re-launch. First, the knife has been upgraded with the same compression lock that’s on the PM2 and PM3, giving it additional strength and stability beyond its liner-locking predecessors.
Second, this version has been released in 15V steel, so named because the alloy is 15% vanadium by composition. The Cliff’s Notes here are that the increased vanadium carbides give this blade oodles of edge retention (at the cost of some corrosion resistance), allowing the user to just cut and cut with the Military 2 without worry of the knife going dull. I’ve seen videos of people making hundreds upon hundreds of cuts on sisal rope trying to wear the edge out, only to find the blade is still slicing cleanly through paper.
The takeaway is that Spyderco has crafted a big knife that’s well-suited to serious business and household or outdoor tasks alike. But beyond that, the incorporation of 15V steel and a compression lock into the Military model is proof positive Spyderco is never content to rest on its laurels. The MSRP of this knife is $280.
Spyderco Canis
If you’re familiar with any of the TRP, Emissary or Ronin 1911 pistols available through Springfield Armory, you know that you don’t always need to pick between form and function. Sometimes life is all about owning a supremely excellent tool that can still turn heads.
Enter the Spyderco Canis, the brainchild of counterterrorism and close combat expert Kelly McCann. Specifically, it’s McCann’s thesis of what a folding defensive knife should be. However, its design is heavily influenced by the research and models of fellow knife expert and designer Michael Janich, who now helms Spyderco’s special projects.
In specific, Janich found that the straight, “wharncliffe” style blade shape had tremendous cutting power. To use Janich’s own words, it functions like a “boxcutter on steroids,” slicing more deeply and aggressively than competing blade shapes given the same amount of input force. (Aficionados may remember that Janich’s insights culminated in Spyderco’s “Yojimbo” series.)
McCann took the straight blade and hollow grind that Janich baked into the Yojimbo and added a reinforced tip, giving it greatly amplified strength for penetration. One’s eye is almost instantly drawn to the aggressive swedge in the middle of the knife, which isn’t just for looks. This design element reduces cutting friction and trims weight while keeping rigidity high, not unlike a Japanese katana.
However, there are a great number of gentlemanly touches on this knife as well. The Canis makes use of nested liners, again shaving weight and keeping dimensions thin. Furthermore, grips are formed from a combination of carbon fiber overlaid onto G10 grips, which greatly reduce the abrasion to one’s pocket while remaining adequately grippy.
Fit and finish on the Canis is absolutely exceptional. There’s not a hot spot anywhere on the knife, and the action is absolutely buttery in terms of deployment. With a thumb-flick facilitated by Spyderco’s traditional “round hole” trademark, the blade clicks speedily into position with rock-solid lockup. Additionally, and unlike a number of liner-locking tactical folders with which the Canis contends, the design of Spyderco’s compression lock ensures the knife can be unlocked and folded away without one’s digits ever needing to come into the path of the moving blade.
Composition-wise, the Canis’ blade is made from S30V, which sees frequent use across Spyderco’s models. This is a true stainless steel, known for having an excellent balance between wear-resistance and user-friendliness when it comes to restoring the edge to hair-shaving sharpness.
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All in all, the Canis is more than the sum of its parts, and one of my favorite personal EDC knives. I think it’s an unsung entry in Spyderco’s product lineup, and worth a serious look. The MSRP of this knife is $340.
Spyderco Chaparral
We’ve been talking about a few knives that are designed to put in some serious work. To round out the list, I wanted to include the Chaparral, which is working proof that Spyderco also produces small, gentlemanly knives that are eminently suited to household tasks.
Let’s talk first about what’s going on with that handle. I wanted to include the Raffir Noble version of the Chaparral to showcase Spyderco’s aesthetic sensibilities. The scales, produced by materials manufacturer Raffir USA, suspend bronze and brass mesh in a smoky epoxy, with no two samples ever being identical. If you wanted a piece of functional pocket jewelry, these scales produce some serious wow factor.
Once people start using the Chaparral, however, they really fall in love. Few knives, including the majority of those found in Spyderco’s own product lineup, are as effortless slicers as this. My knife is a scant 0.020” behind the edge, and an impressive 0.076” thin at the widest part of the spine. As a result, the full flat ground blade seems to effortlessly glide through material. I wouldn’t want to use it to break down a cord of wood, but it makes light cutting work a joy.
Additionally, the Chaparral also features Spyderco’s wire clip. It doesn’t look like much, but this humble piece of bent stainless steel is perfectly shaped and tensioned, making for one of the most discrete carries on the market.
Naturally, the knife is of Spyderco’s usual exceptional product quality. The machining and polishing of the knife are superb, and the fit of the handles, scale, and lockbar provide incontrovertible evidence of the company’s attention to detail. The MSRP of the standard Chaparral is $167. The Raffir Noble version has a MSRP of $247.
The Wrap-Up
The three knives featured here aren’t Spyderco’s cheapest — the company does have more affordable options, including its well-regarded “Tenacious” model and anything under its value-priced Byrd line — but I chose to place the spotlight on the models I think most appeal to gearheads. These are three exceptional cutting tools, designed and manufactured by a company that never sleeps.
Regardless of whether one of these knives finds its way into your pocket for reasons of business or pleasure, I think you’ll find yourself very well served by the purchase.
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