The street beat is an underrated work knife. I read about the designers philosophy on it and it works. He put that big choil on there to make it so you can hold it with one finger and still have the use of the rest of your hand. Ive found that to be surprisingly handy when your working and in the outdoors.
Yes I just bought a para 3 I have a persistence which was my first AMAZING KNIVES my fullsized griptilian felt like a toy so does my para lightweight but in a different way
I bought a Benchmade because of the reputation. I now have three models of Spyderco and one spare for the one I carry every day. I’m not sure why I keep the Benchmade. I don’t use it.
Too bad nobody ever uses any spyderco knives. Just collect them and talk about how much better they are than benchmades when all they do is sit in safe queens boxes
@@Cyanobladesbenchmades inflation on knives over the past 5 years has only been 20% as opposed to spyderco, who’s increased prices 50-70% over the same amount of time .
The Shaman, Bodacious and Enuff are gorgeous imo but yes a lot of their lineup looks super weird and aren't really my cup of tea, it's good to have something for everyone though.
It's all about the steels, heat treat quality and geometry! In those three categories spyderco owns the production knife world! No one else is even doing close to what spyderco does in those categories.
Picking 5 is easy for me, ive done this in my head multiple times. I just can't restrict myself to their current catalog: Small Folder - Caly 3 in Super Blue, Large folder - Endura in zdp-189, Large fixed - Bradley Bowie, Small fixed - Puukko, fancy pants knife - titanium Chaparral.
Restricting to their current catalog doesn’t seem fair to such an iconic brand. But it’s a knife store creating this good, fun content, so be it. All time? Caly 3.5, Stretch 2, Goddard OD, Superleaf, Bradley Bowie.
I'm surprised you didn't consider the Waterway as your smaller belt knife. The toughness of LC200N allows for a very thin blade geometry, making for an exceptionally slicey knife.
Ahhhh I see one of if not my favorite knifes from Spyderco on the table. I carry the carribean exclusively in the winter as the entire knife is basically corrosion proof. And I work around salt and ice melt a lot. Plus it’s just a great knife in general. I prefer it to the paramilitary 2. However I have my eyes on the military 2 in magnacut for this purpose as well.
Spyderco Swick 5, best knife they make that you've never heard of. I was about to contact Fred Perrin to have a custom Operators Griffe made when I found it. Perfect self defense fixed blade. My first and only Spyderco, but my most carried knife by far.
Some of the first knives that started accumulating were CRKT. If you haven't already I'd like to see a 5 pick of those. Followed by one of these more budget friendly brands like Kizer and QSP.
100%. The greatest value is listening to the commentary. I've been using/collecting knives for about 30 years now and still learn stuff or get ideas from DCA. Have a great day.
Those a great choices, but I can't do the lightweight models, FRN and I don't vibe well :/ I do love my stainless steel Dragonfly II though and 20CV Para 3, hardly ever need more than that when EDCing out the house.
I am also a fan of Spiderco knives . I own quite a few. Para 3, Enuff, Manic and others. Would love to see the best 5 Kershaws if you can only have 5 knives. Thanks for the good series.
Disappointing that neither the Delica or Chaparral are made in the USA. For similar size and price (and even a little lower) I'll take the Kershaw "Reverse Tanto" Leek or Launch 11. My fav Spyderco is the Shaman with after-market scales... I hate the slipperiness of the G10 scales. The Para 3 is a close 2nd, just because it's the perfect size EDC.
Great selection DCA but the group here Down Under yelled out NO.....!! when you took the Para 3 off the table. It's true though when it comes to limitation, the ergonomics would have to be up there & less the high end material. Size matters. Big is good.! Next "one brand" challenge Buck Knives. Cheers from Australia.
Oh no, you forgot the Spyderco Siren Sprint Run in Carbon Fiber with CPM S90V (Lance Clinton design). It is a great EDC knife, light and slim, strong and great steel, best quality. If you don't know it, definitely give it a try. I have had a few Spyderco knives in my hands, but this one is really a great all-rounder next to the Chaparral, which is much smaller.
Hi DCA. I fish a lot and some spots are hard to access/overgrown. Can you recommend a good tool for the job? I don’t plan on chopping through any thick branches. A belt sheath that can be used one handed would be ideal so I don’t need to drop my rods/net. I’d like something with some good reach that’s got more speed than mass. Price $150 or less. Thanks!
Do a K-Bar one and a Case one then See (I know their folders are limited but the fixed blades would be hard to pick) You should do a three knife combo from each big brand - fixed big n small and one folder with the idea to get the most out of the three knife combo
I have the paramilitary in solid copper scale and it is by far one of the greatest knives i have ever owned as a daily carry. Gonna be hard pressed to get me away from that knife.
Too bad the Darn Dao is not available for comparison and consideration… that’s an awesome large blade from Spyderco. I would use that more than the Respect.
David and Thomas, thanks for the great video. 23:06 says Para 3 and picks up the Para 2, thinking on the fly, oops. Manix 2 (CruWear & Micarta), Manix 2 XL (CruWear & Micarta), Chaparral (Raffir Noble), Enuff 2 (VG-10), and the Respect Bowie. I wish Spyderco would use the Ball Bearing Lock on more models.
Dear Thomas the Naysayer (I mean that as a compliment) and DCA the blade, Please may I enlist your help? I am after a single blade to carry, obviously at home only as I'm UK based. My preferences are: Scandi grind Blade of 3.5 to 4 inch long, ideally closer to 4 Lock favourites are cross bar button or lock back. Handles I'm not that fussed. Now I know it may feel like I am describing the Finn Wolf, ideally a little bigger than that. I have the wolf and it's just not quite enough for all my round the house needs. Suggestions would be welcome, especially with added snark 😀. Thanks S
Spyderco has been resting on their laurels for years and their products are overpriced considering the mediocre fit and finish on the lockwork and blades, which is clear to see on the close-up shots.
My first knifecentre order arrived today to the UK! After a month in customs lmao. Boker Barlow Flipper, Kizer Amicus, black Vic Bantam. Thanks for all the entertaining and informative videos over the past few years, long may they continue. Cheers!
I wanted to get the Boker Barlow too but was afraid it'll get confiscated like one of my Kizer double detent. Why was it stuck in customs for so long? Double detent knives are in a grey area, they sometimes mistake it for assisted flick knife and nothing you say can change their mind so I'm not gonna risk it again. If only overseas orders from KnifeCenter don't need a minimum $200 to order I might risk it.
@icygecko it had border force tape on it so they obviously opened it, inspected it, and let it through. Double detents are definitely legal in the UK, as are flippers. They get erroneously seized sometimes but they're not illegal. Neither are button locks, but that's harder to argue in court as they can be accused of being gravity knives, which they're not. They require some manual human force to open, not just a button push which activates a spring or other automatic mechanism. Double detent knives are widely sold in the UK, as are button locks!
@@icygecko thatgearguy recently did a couple of videos on him getting a knife confiscated by customs and then returned to him, check it out if you're interested
The chappy is a really hard knife to beat! Mega slicey, small and thin, tough enough to handle most any edc tasks... it's a small knife with bigger knife usability. Just like the Lil native is such a compact little knife but is super capable and can handle tasks that you would want a full size knife for but the Lil native will handle it without issue.
I just wish the back lock on it was easier on the fingers (least for me) was fairly tough to open the lock up one handed. No doubt awesome slicer though
Been waiting for this one! Spyderco is my favorite knife company hands down. My 5 would be in no particular order: Manix 2 in 15v, Sage 5 Lighweight in Maxamet, Uk PK in Magnacut, Leafjumper in K390 and Zoomer in 20cv..
One of my permanent 5 from Spyderco is actually a Byrd. The Raven 2 is easy to find in the mid $50 range right now, and mine came in CTS-BD1N. Still listed as BD1, but upgraded to the same steel as the base Para 3. It's a steal for that design and steel at that price. And I love how it fits my hand.
Stretch 2 in K390 would be my pick in the full size "worker" category. Excellent design, in the steel I consider second only to MagnaCut for EDC. Its 3" counterpart would be the Native 5 Salt in MagnaCut. But I like high performance steels leaning towards toughness/chip resistance over wear resistance, thin geometry, and 50/50 choils. The Kapara is another option, but doesn't neatly fit into these categories, as its a full-size gentleman's folder. If Spyderco ever did a Kapara sprint run / exclusive in MagnaCut, it might be the best knife for me in the world.
I have the Enuff 2 in K390, and it rides daily just above my wallet in a scout style carry using a knockoff Tek-Lok. It’s easily one of my favorite knives of all brands. If DCA convinces LT Wright to do a run of Skipjacks in AEB-L, I may consider switching to that for a while, but the Enuff 2 is an incredible knife. I haven’t had a problem with the handles being difficult.
You did pick the small Street Beat to present. Why not the Street Bowie? To me the Caribbean is one of the most underaporeciated models in the Spyderco lineup. Not the best though but brillant for what it is.
For me it would be 4v manix2, 4v pm2, 4v lil native, 4v native 5, 4v military. Would cover 100% of everything I ever need in a knife outside of the kitchen. I could literally keep it all spyderco and all st nicks exclusives in cpm 4v. Only thing I may would do it take out the 4v pm2 and replace it with a Caribbean for the lc200n when I'm out on the boat in the keys fishing.
No love for any of the bigger lockbacks? I was playing with my Stretch 2 LW during the entire video. I'm also surprised the Lil' Native never came up as David always mentions it as his go-to
Syderco, the thing that originally attracted me to the brand was the leaf shaped blades with the exaggerated thumb ramp. Made by elves. You missed the mark.
Be aware that with Spyderco, if you need a 50 cent bushing for your knife pivot, you will have to send your knife back (paying shipping both ways) and pay to have it replaced. They will not simply ship you the part you need. I have a Domino with the paper thin cheap bushing that fails and it will cost me $30 to fix a $1 worth in parts. Their customer service is crap!
First, why didn't you consider the Zoomer for the belt knife role, or maybe the Waterway? Also, what about bending the rules a little and considering one of Spydercos Hawks for the chopper role?
@@Dynotop1a be that as it may, that means they won't be making more, starting in 2024. They are not discontinued YET. You can still buy them. I found 3 different knife sites selling one. So, you're original point is still moot, as there is no reason why DCA couldn't have picked them. I suspect that he simply didn't because Knifecenter doesn't currently have one on the shelves for him to display. That doesn't explain why he didn't mention them though.
Thanks DCA. Great vid. As a longtime Spyderco fanboy I was really interested in your decision making. For me, Spyderco offers the best range of steels and the most consistent high quality heat treat regime. Spyderco really takes the time to get the best out of the steels they use. (I really love their REX45) Sure they're getting $$$ but at least you know what you're getting for the price. Sharp blades all.
Interesting. I have four different Spyderco knives, and the Dragonfly 2 (Wharncliffe K390) is the one I carry every day, no matter what else I might be carrying. My other three are: Lil Native (Wharncliffe), Para 3 lightweight, and Manix 2 lightweight.
Hey DCA, have you ever thought about doing a series showcasing lesser known locking systems? It could be cool so give additional coverage to knives with safety systems which aren't commonly known.
Spyderco does _folders_ well (much better then the overpriced GARBAGE coming out of Benchmade) Their fixed blades range from weird and lackluster to absolute crap. Better to go with Tops, ESEE or even Joker before a Spyderco fixed blade.
I like the compression lock but I’m left handed. I wish it worked better for my hands but it’s annoying to use the compression lock one handed with my left hand… probably why I like the Manix 2 so much
My favorite part of this video was pulling out the Manix 2 XL from behind the table and swapping out the Manix 2. I LOVE my Manix 2 but I can’t wait to get my hand on an XL.
Probably because the Endela isn't nearly as popular as their competing cousins, the Endura and Delica. Should still be able to find some..but maybe just one or two choices, like G10 cheap scales. I wouldn't let that discourage me from getting it though!
Spyderco has so many great knives. It’s difficult to pick just 5 as I find myself wanting to change my mind after picking. Too many options is never a bad thing though.
