Model Name: Pride Model Reference: C72 Designer: Sal Glesser MSRP: $49.95 Description: The Spyderco Pride is a low-cost SlipJoint folder marketed by Spyderco for not only showing your National Pride (it is available in many flags), but also for marketing your company’s logo. The knife was relatively short-lived. The knife had a very affordable price point given it’s Seki-City manufacturing and Aluminum handle. The knife does use a cheaper AUS-6 steel blade, however.
Years Produced: 2002-2004 Manufacture Location: Seki-City Japan
Variations:
C72PAUS – Australian Flag
C72PCAN – Canadian Flag
C72PCOL – Colorado Flag
C72PDEN – Danish Flag
C72PFRA – French Flag
C72PGER – German Flag
C72PISR -Israeli Flag
C72PJAP – Japanese Flag
C72PMEX – Mexican Flag
C72PUK – British Flag
C72PSPY – Spyderco Bug
C72PSWE – Swedish Flag
C72PZA – South African Flag
Model Name: Salsa Model Reference: C71 Designer: Sal Glesser MSRP: $149.95 (Ti), $89.95 (Al) Description: The Spyderco Salsa is one of Spyderco’s Little Big knives and was initially released in Titanium with ATS-34 Steel, and followed up with Aluminum and AUS-8 steel. This is Spyderco’s first knife made in Taiwan, and because of this has taken some criticism. Taiwan makes pretty good knife, and the Salsa is indicative of that.
Model Name: ATR (At The Ready) Model Reference: C70 Designer: Sal Glesser MSRP: $299.95 (Ti), $169.95 (SS), $189.95 (PVD) Description: The Spyderco ATR, which stands for At-The-Ready, is a Sal Glesser design which combines an MBC rated compression lock with the open frame design and High Quality Titanium handles with an S30V Blade. It was launched as the ultimate pinnacle of Spyderco Achievement, and carried with it a level of fit and finish that rivaled many custom peices. The second generation of the ATR was released with Stainless Steel handles and a VG-10 blade at a much more affordable price point.
Model Name: Lil’ Temperance Model Reference: C69 Designer: Sal Glesser MSRP: $199.95 Description: The Spyderco Lil’ Temperance is a no-nonsense MBC-rated knife that packs a whole lotta power in its stout 3″ blade. The knife comes in two variations, the leaf blade and the trailing point, and completes the package with a solid compression lock. One of my favourite user Spydies of all time, bar none.
Model Name: Bram Frank Gunting Model Reference: C68 Designer: Bram Frank MSRP: $169.95 Description: The Bram Frank Gunting C68 was designed by Grand Master and Martial Arts master Bram Frank. The knife was meant to be used with his own unique form of self-defense and submission, leading to the creation of the rare Blue G-10 handled C68 CRMIPT version of this knife for law enforcement. This rare knife was not available to the general public. The Gunting was first released in CPM-440V, and then transitioned to CPM-S30V. Trainer and CRMIPT versions were both in GIN-1.
Model Name: R Model Reference: C67 Designer: Sal Glesser MSRP: $159.95 (1999), 129.95 (2005), 219.95 (2012) Description: The Spyderco “R” is a rarely seen knife, in the vein of the cultish Spyderco “Q”, albeit with higher end materials and higher price. The Spyderco R2, which was released in 2005 as a sprint run was manufactured in Seki-City Japan as opposed to Golden, like the R, and features a skeletonized handle but a solid full flat ground VG-10 Steel blade instead of the laser-cut ATS-34 blade of the original R.
2012 Saw a sprint run with a Japanese Nishijin Glass Fiber handle.
Model Name: Vesuvius Model Reference: C66 Designer: Frank Centofante MSRP: $89.95 Description: The Frank Centofante designed Spyderco Vesuvius is a beautifully contoured knife that has become a great reliable permanent knife in the Spyderco line-up with four different generations already. The fourth generation Vesuvius has the Wharncliffe blade and is not meant to replace third genertaion models, but offer an alternative blade shape. The first generation of this popular folder was designed with a compression lock, which was functionally problematic due to the design of the FRN handles, prompting a change to a lockback design after two years, making the first generation compression lock Vesuvius a collectible knife. Generation 1 folders were also available with a Shell insert on the handle.
Generation 2 folders were similar to Generation 1 folders with the change of the lock type. Generation 3 folders added an addition groove chanel to the handle, a switch to VG-10 steel and an adjustment to the location of the back lock.
Model Name: Bob Lum Chinese Folder Model Reference: C65 Designer: Bob Lum MSRP: $169.95 Description: The Bob Lum Chinese Folder is one of the all-time favourites of Spyderco Collectors with the rare blue almite limited run being one of the most coveted collector pieces. The Knife was re-released as a sprint run in 2008 with black almite and a ZDP-189 blade, and also will have another sprint run in 2009 featuring foliage green almite coated aluminum and VG-10 steel. 2010 saw the release of a Nishigun Carbon Fiber version.
Model Name: Meerkat Model Reference: C64 Designer: Sal Glesser MSRP: $49.95, $109.95 (2012) Description: The Meerkat is the first and only knife from Spyderco to feature the Phantom Lock, which is a hidden lock that operates by sliding the front scale downwards, allowing the blade to unlock and close. One of the criticisms of this lock is that it is easy to accidently disengage under harder use. This knife was initially made in the USA with 440C steel, and then Japan with AUS-6. The knife was also produced with a reverse “S” blade, similar to the Cricket. The Spyderco Meerkat was re-released in a sprint run for 2009-2010 in Blue/Grey FRN and VG-10 Steel.
Model Name: Chinook Model Reference: C63 Designer: James A. Keating MSRP: Description: This model has 3 generations. There is a Chinook I, Chinook II and Chinook III and are all designed by Master-at-Arms James Keating. The knife is designed that it can also be a survival knife in the field with its large belly and trailing point blade as well as a Self-Defense knife with its Martial Blade Craft rating. The biggest change came with the Generation 3, which changed the handle profile as well as the blade grind, giving the entire knife a convex grind.
