I received my first Spyderco knife as a gift on the evening I graduated from the Police Academy. It was a stainless Police model and it served me well for several decades. It also began my love affair with Spyderco knives. Over the years I have acquired many Spyderco knives and have used them for just about every cutting chore you can think of. It is one of the highlights of the SHOT Show for me when I get to meet with my friend Joyce Laituri of Spyderco, catch up on our lives and then have her show me the latest and greatest offerings coming out of this wonderful American company from Golden, Colorado. Below is some of the new stuff that caught my eye. Some are new models while others are new versions of existing models.
Chaparral
This is one of my favorite Spyderco knives as it is the one in my pocket every day. Named after the resilient chaparral plant, the Chaparral has a full flat-ground, leaf-shaped 2.8” blade made from CTS XHP stainless steel, a back lock mechanism and a reversible deep-pocket wire clip. This knife is fully ambidextrous and comes in numerous different handle materials. I have a couple of different ones, but the carbon fiber model is my EDC favorite. If you want a really cool look, check out the new Raffir Noble handle which features metal mesh in a smoke-colored epoxy.
Spydiechef
Let’s face it, people carry knives for different reasons but most of us use our pocketknife for simple cutting tasks, like chopping up a snack. This is where the Spydiechef shines. Based on Polish knifemaker Marcin Slysz’ design, this is a chef’s knife pared down to a folder. It has a curved full-flat-ground 3.3” blade made from LC200N steel. It has a satin blade, open-backed handles and solid titanium handle scales. It also has a reversible deep-wire pocket clip. This beauty is easy to use, easy to clean and easy to carry.
Bradley Folder 2
The successor to knifemaker Gayle Bradley’s original folder, the Bradley Folder 2 is slimmer and lighter. It has a hollow-ground CPM M4 tool steel 3.6” blade, carbon fiber/G-10 laminate handle scales and a 4-position clip. This knife feels really good in your hand and makes you want to cut stuff!
Ikuchi
Though it is probably not the first knife to be named after a Japanese sea monster, the Ikuchi is a standout none the less. Pronounced ee-koochee, this knife is one of the rare pocketknives where the blade is almost completely contained within the handle when closed. It has a small, knurled section protruding from the end that allows you to flip the 3.2” blade out and open. The blade is crafted from CPMS30V stainless steel and is full-flat-ground. The Ikuchi utilizes a compression lock and features a reversible deep-pocket wire clip. At 4.35” closed, its narrow profile allows this knife to be carried in many places a wider knife wouldn’t fit.
Kapara
The Kapara is based on the Redback design of custom Australian knifemaker Alistair Phillips. The 3.5” full-flat ground blade is made from CPM S30V stainless steel and has a gently upswept tip making for strong and easy cuts. The handle is made of solid carbon fiber scales with skeletonized stainless steel liners. There is a unique red G-10 backspacer giving the knife a unique and cool look while harkening back to its original Redback namesake. The reversible deep-pocket wire clip allows for left- or right-hand tip up carry. I really like this knife and the way it feels in my hand.
This is just a small sampling of Spyderco’s many new offerings. Take some time and peruse their website. You won’t have any trouble finding things you like. The difficulty comes when you have to decide what to buy!