Are Spyderco knives "heirloom quality?" Your thoughts...

[sharkattack]

I was just wondering how many of you guys consider your various Spydercos to be considered heirloom quality. I’m not talking about monetary value, but rather quality that you honestly believe will hold up year after year after year, allowing you to pass them along. I bring this up because there was a post I read that suggested that, while the FRN models are decent quality, they might not stand up to the test of time. I actually beg to differ with that. I have an old Endura model that has been on countless sailing trips to the Caribbean, camping, fishing, hiking and hunting trips and it still functions like new and is as sharp as ever (thanks to the folks at Golden). It has a few nicks and scratches on the FRN handle, but it’s still rock solid. And this model doesn’t have the skeletonized liners that are used in today’s Enduras. I firmly believe that my FRN handled Delica 4 and Native will also provide me with years upon years of service. The same goes for my SS Dragonfly.

The best part of all of those products is that none of them were over $75. There’s something about the Mini Manix that is drawing me to it, and I’ll most likely end up with one of those in the near future as well. From everything that I’ve heard about the Mini Manix, it’s built like a tank and will probably outlast me. With proper care and use, I don’t see why the FRN models I mentioned above will not do the same.

Do you guys agree or disagree? Keep in mind, I’m not talking about heirloom quality from a valuable/monetary standpoint, only from a quality of construction and the ability to stand up to years and years of service point of view.

Thanks for all of your thoughts and comments.

S.

[Chucula]

By the dictionary, anything special that is passed down is an heirloom. In that sense, any spyderco can be an heirloom. My idea of an heirloom puts a lot of emphasis on "special." I don't think an old user delica is an heirloom unless it got someone through war or was used in very special way. It doesn't necessarily have to be in working condition to be an heirloom.

To your "real" question, the answer is an obvious yes. If you take care of the knife (almost any object, for that matter) it will make it to your heirs.


it’s built like a tank and will probably outlast me.
It may be well built, but it outlasting you just depends on how you use it. Any knife, no matter how poorly constructed, can outlast you if you take care of it. I think I can easily outlast any folding spyderco my using it as a brick cutter, or a hammer, or something other than a knife.

My Busse battle mistress, on the other hand....I am not sure I can outlast it without special machinery or really big rocks.

[Joshua J.]

I agree with Chucula that how you take care of an item determines it's longevity. I'm sure there are hundreds of knives sitting in display cases that will last just about forever (at this point the limiting factor is the half life of the material).

I don't quite think the pure FRN handled knives would last a lifetime of use, the ones with liners should.

The first limiting factor in my opinion is the lock, once the lock wears out the knife no longer functions as intended and should be retired (going by the "functions as intended" definition makes the UKPK your best bet).

In my opinion, without abuse, most Spyderco lockbacks and Compression locks (maybe the BB Lock, we'll see how the spring lasts) will last as long as there is steel left sticking out of the handle. SS handles are particularly tough and should take the test of time best (barring corrosion). Adjustable Pivots make maintenance easier.

I expect most of my Spyderco's to be properly functioning for a good century or two.

[The Deacon]

As of present, the only ones that would meet my personal definition of "heirloom quality" would be:

C27 Jess Horn
C75 Kiwi (bolster & scales versions)
C76 25th Anniversary Delica
C83 Schempp Persian
C92 Kopa
C104 Schempp Kris
C105 Schempp 75mm Persian

As with most things in life, YMMV.

[boxer93]

C92 Kopa

+1
Chris

[A.P.F.]

Three that I would pass on, would be my Para-Military, my Ocelot and my Native. All three are special to me.

[ozspyder]

As of present, the only ones that would meet my personal definition of "heirloom quality" would be:

C27 Jess Horn
C75 Kiwi (bolster & scales versions)
C76 25th Anniversary Delica
C83 Schempp Persian
C92 Kopa
C104 Schempp Kris
C105 Schempp 75mm Persian

As with most things in life, YMMV.

+1 on all that the sagely Deacon has proposed.
+2 on the Kopa in all their various incarnations.

I believe that an heirloom, as Chucula rightly points out, has to be 'special'. Either special in a personal sense, or special in a material/ design/ construction sense. There are probably other 'categories' that I haven't even considered, but I am sure others will contribute.

For example:-
1) Personal : Your EDC Native - may have been through the Gulf War, and then passed on from generation to generation.
2) Material : Dinosaur Bone Executive - with really exotic materials, this specimen being limited in production and using materials very rare makes it unique.
3) Design : Persians - Nothing special about it's materials, but the design is different and being acollaborative effort with a top notch designer/ user/ tester etc... makes it a great one to pass along.
4) Embellished : I have aded another one here because it sorta falls in between a few categories. Top of my mind is some of Deacon's collections have been espcially embellished (see The Deacon's post/ collection for the Montejano engraved Kiwi etc.. and Linda Karst-Stone's Evrina). Alone these blades are, comparatively speaking, nothing special. However, with the attention of a master craftsman they beome unique.

Paul, if you wouldn't mind posting the pics of what I am speaking about then we can illustrate my point (AND we can all droool over your fine collection again :p)

Cheers
Dan

[bh49]

+1 on all that the sagely Deacon has proposed.
+2 on the Kopa in all their various incarnations.



+2
+3
Roman

[Will V.]

My idea of an heirloom puts a lot of emphasis on "special." I don't think an old user delica is an heirloom unless it got someone through war or was used in very special way.

My idea of heirloom is a gift, given by a relative or close friend, on which the recipient places sentimental value.

For example, let's say you have an old Delica user. You give it to your son one day, because you think he's old enough to handle it (and maybe you just picked up a ZDP Caly3 :) ). In time, your son may begin to place sentimental value on that, because it used to belong to you, and you gave it to him. Then it becomes an heirloom.

Just a thought.