I have this knife. With respect, 100% of youtube commentators are missing the point of the pocket clip IMO. The reason the clip seems so incongruous relative to the knife's design and aesthetics is that it exists only to be thrown away. Take it off, deposit it in the nearest garbage can, and you will never look back. I promise you will not miss it. Suddenly the ergonomics work, the aesthetics work, the nostalgia works, the lines become clean and unbroken. The clip is a "spec sheet" compliance part. Yes it technically has one because it would stand out and turn people off if it didn't. But the presence of any clip actually ruins the "simulacra" nature of the knife. Like watching a historical movie, and noticing an extra wearing blue jeans. My guess is a choice was made not to engineer a fancy and aesthetic clip, adding significantly to the BOM cost and MSRP. Because no matter how well done a modern clip is, it would not suit a design from 150 years before the pocket clip. Instead, they tacked on the cheapest parts-bin clip and made it extremely easy and unobtrusive to remove and dispose of. Good design by practical designers IMO. Minus the clip, it's honestly one of the most beautiful knives made. (Not something you ever thought you'd read about a Spyderco, is it!) My 2 cents, utterly subjective.
Really was anticipating this review. I actually got one and have sold it already but anyone who's laid hands on one has to agree that the design and fit and finish are stellar. It's like the designer is smiling
Nick - great review! I agree with your final conclusion 100%, I own a swayback and adore it. When I first opened it I wasn't a fan, it wasn't comfortable in my initial grip and I thought I would return it. I gave it a day, played with it, found a super comfortable grip, put on a new clip, now it competes for my favorite knife I own. The only thing is that I can actually touch the tip, with my large hands. I actually cut myself on it one time when I carried it in my left pocket like an idiot.
The bowie should have never been discontinued, so nice. Swayback is a pass for me, just not feeling it. Looks kinda like a crkt swindle with a spydie hole
Mine is in the mail... My first titanium frame-lock. And first Slysz. Ordered it after your disassembly video, on first impressiions. Let's hope its good!
Thanks again for another great review, Nick! It kinda confirms my thoughts on the swayback! Nevertheless, I love it! Any chance you will be reviewing the Bombshell?
I was really happy to finally have the chance to get a knife from this line. The techno 2 is to small for me and i dont like the spydiechef so the swayback looked good. When i got it i was disappointed. I cant open it without my fingers pushing on the lockbar or "hurting" my thumb in the hole. Its really uncomfortable to open and its nothing that i can do in a way that i would expect from a "one-hand-opening" kife. It went back to the retailer. Its good to hear you kind of confirm my thoughts about it. Thank you for the review.
Great review Nick. I own one and really like it. If you go for smaller knives, it's not for you. If you like "flipper", "fidget" knives, it's not for you. Thank you Spyderco and Marcin Slysz!!! (If the clip bothers you it's an easy fix, the MXG clip for the Benchmade Anthem looks like a good substitute)
Really like mine only thing I don't really care for is the access to the opening Spydiehole. But that is fixable seen it done already and the MXG I put on it is a perfect match and makes it carry so good. The past month or so pretty much all I have carried is the Swayback and the ABW model 1 V6.
I put a Purvis clip on mine and I’m very happy with it now, but another idea someone put forward (on BladeHQ) is to remove the clip altogether and carry the knife like a traditional swayback. I can definitely see carrying it sans clip in a leather pocket slip.
I'm right handed but I carry my knife in my back pocket. All my tip up knives have there clip on the left side so that the blade still opens into the seam so I'm glad to see the extra clip holes drilled the way they are.
I just handled one of these at a shop today. Initially I thought it was way too ugly to consider, it reminds me of a Picasso painting lol. But handling it, I really liked the ti scales, how smoothly it operated. No issues for me with spidey hole. I thought the internal blade stop pins were neat. But for me it was too large for realistic everyday carry, and the weird shape between handle and blade was a red flag. later read that this blade type is often used for pull strokes. I wish this designer would make something in a 3” blade.
Price point is important to me especially for what you’re getting. I was lucky to grab a techno 2 for 95 bucks when it’s value was 231 from the factory seconds sale and damn it’s good. Almost prefer the action on that than my first Sebenza. But the swaybacks price isn’t that bad in all honesty. I wouldn’t mind forking that much for it
I’m a total traditional guy, so I was very curious to see this. It’s certainly the right shape, but, in the end it doesn’t sway me I’m afraid. I value the fondle factor of my traditionals too much.
So cool that Spyderco is still going for washers instead of ball bearings... IMHO Spyderco is demonstrating that they are able to deliver the tight tolerances you need to get a smooth action without the bearings...
I largely feel the same. I really wish it was anywhere from 3-3.3" blade instead and the hole cut out was more accessible. The clip was meh, but if I had kept mine I would have swapped it anyway so no biggie. I sold it to a buddy who liked it more so ill see it every now and then anyway. They should do a mini with some updates along with a re-release of the Bowie lol
Good, thorough review....and so glad that I passed on this, especially at the $273 for a knife that is difficult to open, not internally milled-out, has a needless pocket clip hole drill-out on the front of the knife for an UGLY standard pocket clip. ...and also so glad that I own a Two Sun TS111 swayback-design knife! It’s more ergonomic, waaaay lighter, has a beautifully milled custom clip, unmarred CF front-scale and a micro-milled titanium lock-side that looks and feels luxurious. And at $63 (shipped) I figure that I saved over $200. That all makes me smile! 😁
I’ve grown to love this knife. Once you are able to open it reliably, it is a joy to carry and very impressive. I simply removed the clip and it feels more like a throwback swayback.
I agree! I got mine as part of a trade with a friend and he sent along a new clip with it. When I went to change it, I held the knife with no clip on and absolutely loved it. I understand why Spyderco felt the need to sell these with a clip but I really think it’s better without. 👍
Nicholas Seliga Great insight. Spyderco really pushes the whole clip thing, but it really isn’t necessary always. After all, “pocket” knives just sat in your pocket in the past and everyone was ok.
Weird they didn't just put the titanium spoon clip from the Caribbean on the Swayback. Would have matched the titanium frame quite well. Still, a nice piece overall.
Hey Nick not sure if you'll see this comment or not. I've recently been able to spend some time with a slsyz bowie and have fallen in love with the action on it. Unfortunately I have to send it back to the owner, how does this compare action wise? Any knife you can think of that feels similar/identical?
a traditional size 2 inch blade feels like the right size for this - the utility of such a specialized blade shape would also be more compelling at a smaller size.
Having the same opening hole design flaw on the Techno 2 and the Swayback is a pretty unfortunate failure to learn from past mistakes. Not a big deal, it's something that you won't even notice anymore once you get used to it, but still something that probably shouldn't have happened twice. Otherwise, I think this knife has suffered greatly from expectations that were too high because of how excellent the Bowie and Chef are. This is at least on par with the Technos, which are pretty great knives.
This one is also discontinued and I just picked one up for 190$. I love the taichung factorys stonewashed finish on my Spyderco Mcbee so I knew this blade would be amazing. Yes the access to the hole could be better and the clip is definitely coming off or getting a different one but for 190$ I felt zero remorse adding this as my 3rd Spyderco in my collection.
I would love to get this knife apart from the fact it is so lefty unfriendly, I never be able to open the damn thing. I really wish that knife makers would implement more left handed variants, otherwise we are really limited in what we can use, including this one.
I’d disagree with it being made for the eye and not the hand. My knife more often than not is used in reverse grip with the edge in. Love the spoon clip and how my fingers roll into it in that grip. Very purpose built tool.
I honestly think this knife would have been perfect if it was smaller overall and really leaned into the classic swayback shape. If the overall knife length was halved it would be really classy.
Overall, I think this is a miss from Spyderco - especially considering the excellence of the Slysz lineup. After spending around $50 on a MXG milled clip, it’s definitely more ergonomic. Buuuut, the Spydie hole access is a definite deal breaker although I appreciate the narrow silhouette in a world of wide leaf shaped spyderco’s.
I never buy half-knives, mainly most frame locks if they don't feature scales on both sides. Some frame locks, like the Ken Onion Swindle manage to pull it off by having the back the same as the front. Just me, I guess.
scale it down 30%, wire pocket clip, left hand accessible and you have my sale. It's such a shame, I have been following this knife since the prototype pictures came out years ago.
What I don't get is that Spyderco was telling us for years that the late lockup on the Slysz collaborations (my Spydiechef locks at 95% out of the box), even though it is soft titanium riding against a hardened steel tang, isn't a cause for concern... but NOW they add a steel lockbar insert? Ôo
The Slysz Swayback is nice but fails when you compare it to another Swayback which came out around the same time and that’s the Pena X Series Swayback made expertly by Reate for $274. For $1 more you get M390, a truly slim and light Swayback (blade length of 2.88”, blade thickness of 0.12” and weight of 2.8 ounces), top flipper opening (best Bic opening), no extra ugly clip or lanyard holes and a machined titanium clip. No contest!
Why does no one ever mention that the swayback style was originally designed to use with the cutting edge facing up. My grandfather used one for years when he worked around the farm and in a textile mill. They were super popular for cutting rope and cordage. You would usually just grab a loop of the material and simply pull the knife through. I see a lot of people complain about the comfort when holding the knife with a traditional grip but in reality they are holding it in an unorthodox position for this particular style of blade.
This darn thing is giving me the knife “itch” again. I have always liked wharncliff blades so I find myself thinking of this knife more and more often. I suppose I am going to have to come up with some type of excuse for my weakness when my poor wife sees yet another knife arrive in the mail.
Picked up my Swayback today. Very nice EDC knife, kinda begs to be used. Sure, for what it is.. the design could use a little fine tuning in certain areas.. but nothing major. The only thing that really bugs me is the clip.. just looks like they pulled it from the junk drawer and stuck it on there. Functional.. but not a good blend with the knife. Just my opinion.
The Bowie started at $375 and went down to $335. After the discontinue notice while stores were clearing stock the price actually went up to $400. There was heavy demand at the end before they went out of stock. The knife went out of production due to low sales, it was never a cheap knife.
I bought the spydiechef and it had horrible lock stick. It almost took two hands to budge the lockbar. I even tried a sharpie. I returned it after 2 weeks.
I'd say the opening access is "ugly". I couldn't flip the one I handled at all. I hated it immediately. Thought I was about to buy it when I saw it... Put it right back down and bought a zt0562cf.
I recently saw the Bowie listed for $1275! Spyderco is blatantly failing on ethical grounds for not releasing a new version as long as this secondary madness continues.
They love the secondary market madness and encourage it, that’s pretty much the logic behind their sprint runs too. They want people to think their knives may double in value and never be made again, in order to scare people into buying more knives. The “fear of missing out” that they exploit so well. I agree, ethically pretty lame, but I think they care more about profit than ethics.
Feels bad to watch Nick tie himself in knots trying to be... generous, to this design. I watched the LuvThemKnives video first, and he tends to be fairly generous with praise, and he absolutely reamed this design (with reason, Imho). I understand the positive feelings/ associations towards Spyderco and Slysz, but I think that if this knife came in on a "Terrible knives live" package, Nick would've been much harsher to it. Ah well, I still enjoyed the review, thanks.
I hear what you're saying, but I'm genuinely conflicted here. The action is really amazing, and the blade is great. I think with a few small tweaks it could have been excellent. It's like they ran an amazing time, but did it a day after the race. So I'm torn between "This is really a great knife on the balance, but with some screwups" and "They screwed this up, but damn it has potential". A very tough one as a reviewer.
Spyderco is odd that if you look at their "budget" knives Ladybug, etc. and compare them to the market, Spyderco's pricing is only competitive above the $100 point.🤣
