I have a large knife collection ( more than 100 )that includes several Spyderco knives ( Dragonfly 2, Delica 4, PM2, Para3 LW, Smock, Amalgam and the Shaman ). My most favorite knife of ALL is the Shaman. I rotate my knives through a week or more of EDC, but I don’t carry my Shaman because I’m afraid of losing or damaging it. It’s perfect and I’d never find another like it. And the biggest irony of all is at first I wouldn’t even consider a Spyderco with the odd hump on the back of their blades and that big round hole. Now I love Spyderco knives - there’s a Para3 LW in my pocket right now! Great video review..!!
If you don't mind the 5.2 ounces of weight then the Shaman might be Spyderco 's best. I have a PM2, Manix2 LW, Kapara, Sage5, Endela and Delica. I really like them all. I own other brands but I think Spyderco is my favorite.
I have both. But the shaman is the strongest one. The tip is must stronger too. I think it looks way more beautiful than the pm2. But is the pm2 bad? Of course not it's great but not as strong as a shaman. If the world's end i would grap the Shaman not the pm2. The only thing I like more on the pm2 is the g10. The g10 on the Shaman looks amazing but is slippery. That's it. Maybe micarta shaman is better for grip.
I have 40 Spyderco's & 20 Benchmade knives as well as a bunch of CRKT & Kershaw blades with a few ZT's thrown in the mix! I have a few MicroTech & CobraTec OTF's too as well as some low end stuff. But my Spyderco's are always my GoTo blades. Especially the PM 2, Manix 2 & now its younger sibling the Shaman.
The stock pocket clip is just fine. It works just fine with no hot spots. No need for a deep carry imo. They just make it more difficult to retrieve with a knife this big. If you need a deep carry clip then you probably need a smaller knife. I don’t even notice the ‘nub’ and 49 out of 50 flips I don’t hit it. My advice, get used to it and quit complaining…
The Spyderco Smock has the worse blade to handle ratio of any Spyderco in my opinion. That huge choil, which is required by the design, takes away too much edge. There are better Spydercos out there.
I have 6 Spydercos with the 7th on the way. The Shaman is on my list to get along with several others. The only brand competing in my collection is Kizer.
I LOVE my Shaman (but you have to do the "nub" removal mod IMO and they need Micarta scales... the answer is _always_ micarta) I also love the PM2 and Manix 2 and especially the XL (the XL is always on me when Im out hunting) but my Shaman gets carried the most. Ive been collecting knives for 40 years and I have 1st gen Spyderco's that are still great knives but the Shaman is my favorite.
The Lil' Native is probably the true heir. Isn't the Native a lockback? The Lil' Native has a compression lock but it's small. Maybe it's the Shaman's baby girl.
i digged my shaman aside from one little but very annoying design flaw, i bet you know what i mean!😂 honestly it's a great knife, robust, good ergonomic, the para2 always felt too fragile for me, especially the tip is easy to kill.
I used the CME to compensate for the nub. I had to take it off for a scale swap and for some reason the CME taught me when to release my finger. I never put it back on and enjoy the knife w/o it. My favorite Spydercos Sage5, Para3, Shaman and Yojimbo2.
The Shaman is a great knife. I don’t own one but I’ve held one and it is very nice. The only problem is that if you live where they restrict the size of the pocket knives that you can carry like me then you will never get to carry it or use it.
Had 3 of the Shaman in the past, but I find it too bulky and the nub bashing my finger led me to sell them quickly every time. MXG has the best Shaman clip; coming from a big LynchNW fan. 👊🍻
ive been looking at the mxg clips for the shaman and so far im leaning that direction, LNW makes some great clips in general though so we will see what wins out
I have ten Spydercos. I've let several others go. Out of ten, six are different sprint runs or exclusive Shamans. They're really the only Spyderco I carry and they're great knives. The only thing that knocked them out of heavy rotation was the Demko 20.5 in 3V and titanium. That got taken down a notch by the AD20s. The Shaman is fantastic though. I still use them.
No, of course not. Pocket folders are cutting tools. "Overbuilt" means built too much. That is literally what it means. Even the PM2 is too thick BTE in stock form. The Shaman is way too thick. It really is that simple.
I don't understand the problem with the nub. I got used to it in 5 minutes. But you can always delete it. I would be disappointed, personally, if they changed the design. The choil is fantastic.
but have you tried a nub-deleted Shaman? makes a great knife even better. i have a BNIB elmax shaman on the way right now! my modded nub deleted s90v is amazing
I love the shaman. To me it would be the top spyderco except for one issue you mentioned. I really hate how the blade choil bump hits your finger when trying to close it. I feel like that’s a design flaw that needs corrected on the next gen.Mine is black dlc coated so I can’t shave it down. I don’t get how they did so good on the paras but screwed it up so bad on the shaman.
Washers are easier to keep clean than bearings in some environments so they're usually considered to be more of a hard-use knife design. Either one can be strong though, just depends on material quality and amount.
Yeah Spyderco is definitely on the oldschool side but theyve really taken that experience and put it to good use, theres still at least 5 more models that I want to get
The pm2 does the same thing but just not as noticeable, Sal glesser will not be swayed though, his knives were meant for those with thick index finger callouses😂
The best EDC Spyderco is the manix 2. It has the BEST lock system in production today. Also it has all of the typical Spyderco bells and whistles. It also seems to have most of the ridiculous price increases over the past few years. MANIX 2 IS THE BEST!!!!!
Yea, going to have to agree. I have tons of knives, like 10 spyderco and the manix 2 is an amazing knife. I'd like to see spyderco come out with different bearing lock style knives.
I EDC 2 Spydercos an all black Para3 in S45VN and a PM2 exclusive with CTS-XHP blacked out Wharncliffe with Orange G 10 scales. I have pretty much had my "get another knife" itch completely soothed for a long while.
@@Rollshambo same here. I waited on getting the Para3 until it was available in all black with S45VN. Spyderco has a reputation for excellent heat treatments on the blade steels they use (well earned in my limited experience). And the Wharncliffe PM2 I have from cuttlery shoppe gets no complaints aside from cutting tasks that a Wharncliffe just isn't suitable for and being perhaps large enough to alarm those who don't have the knife bug. I would get another Para 3 if it was made with a Wharncliffe blade shape though. Then carry both everyday.
I'd like to see shaman with different scales and blade types, hell even a LW version. I have the micarta / xhp version. P.S. - LynchNW is the ONLY option when it comes to pocket clips.
When you say different scale options do you mean factory scales or after market..I recently installed a set of American made titanium anodized scales from Barclay CNC that are pretty awesome as well as a ripps garage tech 3d milled titanium pocket clip and I lobe the result. Thanks for watching!
The Shaman is a cool knife. I would like to buy one. I would have to change the scales. I hate all the holes in the knife for the pocket clip. Aftermarket scales only have one set of holes. The Para 3 is my favorite EDC Spyderco knife. The knife is amazing with upgraded scales. I own 10 Para 3’s. The grail knife for me is The Flat Dark Earth Para 3 that is impossible to find. It was a sprint run version. It’s very limited. I never see them for sale.
Mine has bearings. I bought it on the secondary market, and the seller said nothing about that, but I can see light right through them, so I must have bearings! The action on my knife is SUPERB.
I'd say your scoring/rating for the Shaman was pretty spot on. One thing that might influence your opinion of it is the fact that it CAN be front flipped. Not the easiest thing to do but it can be done. As for comfortable Spydercos with contoured scales, get yourself a Kapara. You'll have to look far and wide to find another knife more comfortable in hand.
Ahh I knew I forgot to mention something!! Yes it is almost a hidden feature of sorts but I have successfully front flipped this although apparently some people have difficulty with that
@@RollshamboIt’s really just a matter of using the thumb to kick the blade out past the detent, and then using “body English” to flip the blade out. This is one flip I don’t seem to be able to do without quite a bit of “English.”
Shaman is a great knife,,, I often carry mine with my Para 2,,,,, which I cant seem to leave home without I have too many favorites ,,,too many knives ..... Microtech Stitch" is my main go to
Recently picked up my first native chief, the St Nick's exclusive in m4 and red g10 and I am really liking it alot. I think it may be the most overlooked spyderco
i own the native chief and the kapara. shaman is too heavy for edc and when i'm in hostile territory (lol) i carry the native chief. much rather have a lockback and extra reach on a self-defense knife
Received the Para 2 today (burple) and absolutely love it. Fits my medium+ size hands almost like a glove. Fit and finish is out of this world. I’ve got the Shaman coming tomorrow (base model). Love my purple Delica 4 and standard/base McBee too. Buy them all haha
I have a couple of the shamans… my top spyderco knives are the Shaman and the para 3. I have lynch clips on almost all of my spyderco knives. I’d also suggest Meton boss for your titanium scales!
@@Rollshambo It took a while but I finally ordered Native 5 CPM SPY27 and it should arrive tomorrow. If that Spyderco Bug bites me, I need to get the Stretch 2, Shaman, Para Military 2 & Para 3 as well. :D
Ive got 9 Shaman is my favorite I’m a lefty and the nub does not bother me I will say without the CME the Smock would be my favorite followed by my lefty pm 2 ultra and lefty pm 2.
I just got a CME for my Sage 5, and hope the it solves my lefty problem with the compression lock. Spyderco solved it with a lefty PM2 in S30V. How I wish I could get one in K390 instead of S30V! I’d be happy as a clam. As it is, I’ve also got the Cutlery Shoppe Native Chief in XHP, Stretch in ZDP189, Stretch 2 Straight Spine, Endura, & Police 4 all in K390, and Manix 2 in S110V. Been carrying the K390 Stretch and the l lefty PM2 most lately.
@@Rollshambo no dude.... can't be. Busse makes the toughest blades. They have a ridiculously good reputation. I have been using their blades since 2013
I've always been kinda on the fence about buying a shaman. I think it looks gorgeous(unusual for Spyderco) but when I handled one I was kinda turned off by the feel of it. Maybe I'm a weirdo but I like my knives to have a bit more heft to them. Maybe I'll get one and throw some ti scales on it.
Many people consider it a heavy knife in the 5oz+ range but adding ti scales would definitely do the trick, I'm going to do that as well at some point after I replace the clip and get a cme
