For about seven years I carried a relatively inexpensive Boker Kalashnikov 74 “automatic” knife. I only paid about $ 50 for it and after I tired of carrying it in my pocket I asked my buddy Calvin at Timney Triggers if he could put a pocket clip on the knife. He did and I carried that knife almost exclusively – sometimes I carried a Spyderco Stretch or Delica – as my everyday knife up until this January.
It was a great knife and the AUS8 blade was easy to sharpen. It was also convenient due to its “automatic” opening. It has also gotten well worn and the blade was not as thick as it used to be. I decided I needed a new non-auto knife that was just as easy to open and close with one hand.
I think I’ve found it.
Spyderco has recently teamed with Brad Southard of Southard Knives. Southard specializes in high performance knives and this is his first collaboration with Spyderco. The Sypderco Southard is a flipper knife; you put a bit of pressure on the extension on the back side of the hollow ground blade and just flip your wrist. The Hollow ground, 3.5 inch, CTS 204P blade is sandwiched between a G 10 and titanium scale on one side and a solid titanium scale on the other which locks the blade open with a Reeve Integral Lock.
I’ve used this knife a lot and I use it everyday for something. It did not fail me in Africa and I’ve only sharpened it once; today actually. I like the way it feels, the way it cuts and I like the pocket clip which allows tip-up carry.
Spyderco has a suggested retail of $ 399 for this knife but if you shop around you can do much better. I have a bad habit of loosing knives; I might ought to buy another. Its still about half the price of a real Southard.
