The Spyderco Civilian® and the Reverse “S” Family

The Spyderco Civilian is one of the most distinctive and instantly recognizable folding knives ever created. In addition to carving out its own place in history, it also inspired a number of derivative designs, all of which share its defining characteristic: a sinuous Reverse “S” blade shape. The story of this unique family of products represents a fascinating chapter in Spyderco’s history.

In 1981, Spyderco co-founder Sal Glesser single-handedly redefined the form of the modern folding knife. His dynamic combination of top-of-the-pocket clip carry and rapid one-handed opening with the Trademark Round Hole™ set a new standard in folder performance. The addition of a serrated edge a year later raised the bar yet again. Although these features are commonplace today, they set Spyderco knives well apart from the competition in the early 1980s. They also made them the preferred tools of savvy law enforcement personnel who valued them as both dependable working knives and potent backup weapons in officer-survival situations.

As a direct result of that dedicated law-enforcement following, in the late 1980s, Spyderco was approached by agents of a major U.S. federal law-enforcement agency with a request for a special-purpose folding knife. These agents specialized in undercover narcotics operations in which carrying a traditional sidearm—or even a backup pistol—was impossible. To improve their odds if a drug buy turned bad, they wanted a folding knife that was easy to conceal and carry, yet capable of inflicting massive damage with simple gross-motor-skill tactics.

Ever the patriot, Sal also welcomed a challenge, so he immediately went to work on the project. His design goal was simple: create a knife that had the capacity to create devastating damage when wielded by a person with minimal training using instinctive gross motor skills. After giving the problem considerable thought, Sal looked to nature—specifically the claws and talons of animals—for the solution.

Most conventional knife blades perform two distinct functions: cutting with the edge or edges and piercing with the point. Although some advanced knife tactics can combine those functions effectively, they are typically separate actions.

An animal’s claw, however, works very differently. Because of its hooked shape, the point makes contact first—even when driven by a simple gross-motor-skill swing. As the point penetrates, it draws target tissue into the concave curve of the claw. This “gathering” action is also similar to the shearing mechanics of a sickle’s concave edge. Applied to a knife blade, the result is a remarkably destructive dynamic that turns a single instinctive swing into a deeply penetrating thrust and a powerful shearing cut in one motion.

The claw-shaped blade—traditionally known as a hawkbill profile—was not new and had existed in various forms for centuries. It was a logical starting point, but it had one major drawback: when extended to a blade length capable of reaching vital targets in the human body, it also became more prone to snagging, especially when directed at limbs or other targets with underlying bone. If the point penetrates past the bone, the blade can hook on it and the cutting action stops. To free the blade, you must either retract it completely and abandon the cut or radically articulate your wrist to contour around the bone. Neither of these options is acceptable in a life-or-death struggle, so Sal devised a better solution. He combined the advantages of a hawkbill blade with those of a conventional blade shape to create the Reverse “S” blade profile.

Conventional blades cut most efficiently when initial contact is made with the base of the edge—the “heel”—and the full length of the edge is drawn through the target with constant or increasing pressure. This cutting action uses the entire edge and contours around bones more easily. Sal not only combined this cutting dynamic with the advantages of the hawkbill; he amplified it by curving the heel of the edge outward into a convex shape. The resulting blade shape—an outward-curving belly and an inward-curving hook near the tip—resembled a backward letter “S” and became known as the Reverse “S” profile. When expressed with Spyderco’s scientifically optimized SpyderEdge™ serration pattern, it yielded an exceptionally powerful cutting weapon. If the blade makes contact with the point, it pierces and cuts with the aggressiveness of a hawkbill. If it makes contact with the heel of the edge, it shears along its length and finishes the cutting action with the concave profile of the hawkbill section. This brilliant synergy magnifies the blade’s cutting capability while preventing it from snagging on bone.

The original Spyderco Civilian debuted in 1990 and featured a GIN-1 (Gingami-1) stainless steel blade paired with a handle machined from aircraft-quality aluminum. The satin-finished handle, which housed the knife’s sturdy back lock mechanism, featured textured Kraton® rubber inlays for a secure grip and a Kraton-inlaid pocket clip configured for right-side, tip-down carry. The Civilian’s specialized design and sophisticated blade grind were granted a U.S. design patent and immediately established it as one of the most unusual and distinctive factory knives ever produced. Manufactured by G. Sakai in Japan and only in limited quantities, it became both an immediate success and a status symbol among its intended audience of law enforcement officers.

Later versions of the aluminum-handled Civilian featured a gray Tufram® handle coating and were produced with GIN-1, G-2—literally another designation for the GIN-1 alloy—and ATS-55 blade steels. The formidable Reverse “S” blades of these knives showcased Spyderco’s fully serrated SpyderEdge pattern; however, a special run with plain-edged blades in GIN-1/G-2 steel was also produced.

In 1992, the Civilian’s revolutionary design received official recognition from the knife industry. It won the “Imported Knife Design of the Year” award at Blade Magazine’s prestigious Blade Show and International Cutlery Fair and was immediately elevated to “classic” status.

In 1997, we simplified the Civilian’s construction to make it easier and more economical to produce. We replaced the machined aluminum handle scales with black peel-ply-textured G-10 scales and a single stainless steel liner. The signature blade profile again progressed through several blade steels, including GIN-1/G2, ATS-55, and ultimately VG-10. Like the first-generation version, the G-10-handled Civilian featured a pocket clip configured only for right-side, tip-down carry. Initially, it used Spyderco’s standard three-screw clip—as seen on the classic Police Model™—but was later updated to a “half-moon” clip with a C-shaped base developed specifically for this design.

Although the G-10-handled Civilian remained the standard production version, several upscale variants with carbon fiber scales were also produced. They featured ATS-55 blades, both plain and serrated edges, and both left- and right-handed configurations. Over the years, the G-10 Civilian’s design also continued to evolve. A Boye Dent—a recessed scallop in the lock bar that reduces the possibility of unintentional lock release—was added, as was a second clip-mounting position, offering a choice of right-side tip-up or tip-down carry. Still an active part of the product line more than 35 years after its initial release, the Civilian remains a unique and truly iconic folding knife.

Although designed specifically for law enforcement, sales of the Civilian were never restricted to that community. As a result, it also gained a following among civilian self-defense practitioners. During the 1990s, sexual assault was extremely common in South Africa, and Spyderco’s distributor there began recommending the Civilian as a personal-defense tool for women. Both the knife and the training he provided proved highly effective, but the Civilian’s price and limited production numbers unfortunately kept it out of reach for many who wanted it. To solve that problem, the distributor suggested that Spyderco produce a more economical version using an injection-molded fiberglass-reinforced-nylon (FRN) handle. In 1999, we responded by combining a hollow-ground Reverse “S” blade with the lightweight FRN handle of our best-selling Endura® model to create the Matriarch®—an affordable folder that offered the same voracious cutting performance as the Civilian.

In the early 2000s, the Matriarch was produced with both black and gray handles before it was eventually discontinued. In 2010, we reintroduced it with a full-flat-ground blade available in both plain and fully serrated edges and a brown FRN handle. These brown-handled Matriarchs were produced as a limited-edition Sprint Run® production and sold out quickly, but not before reigniting strong public interest in the design.

In response to that demand, Spyderco reworked the Matriarch concept by pairing a serrated Reverse “S” blade with the highly evolved handle of our fourth-generation Endura 4. Unlike the solid, one-piece FRN handles of earlier generations, the Endura 4’s handle features skeletonized stainless steel liners for increased strength, molded FRN scales with an improved Bi-Directional Texture™ pattern, and a four-position clip that supports left- or right-side tip-up or tip-down carry. Together with the blade’s Trademark Round Hole and sturdy back lock, the Matriarch 2’s four-position clip supports all possible carry positions and makes every aspect of the knife’s carry, deployment, and operation completely ambidextrous.

One disadvantage of a folding knife for personal defense is that it is slower to bring into action than a fixed blade. While Spyderco’s iconic Round Hole certainly speeds that process by providing a purchase for quick one-handed opening, it still takes a practiced hand to execute consistently—especially under stress. To offer an even faster option, in 2013, Spyderco introduced a version of the Matriarch 2 with an Emerson Opening Feature, commonly known as an Emerson “wave.” This feature consists of an integral hook machined into the spine of the blade just above the Round Hole. When the knife is carried tip-up in the pocket, that hook catches the lip of the pocket as the knife is drawn, automatically opening the blade. Because the blade opens as the knife leaves the pocket and requires no secondary action, it is significantly faster than conventional one-hand-opening methods.

For many users, the Emerson Opener version of the Matriarch 2 represented the ultimate personal-defense folder; but for armed professionals operating in environments where light discipline is a concern, its satin-finished blade still left something to be desired. For them—and for anyone drawn to the appeal of basic black—Spyderco added an all-black version in 2015. It cloaks the blade in a titanium carbonitride (TiCN) blade coating and completes the theme with a black-coated lock bar, clip, and handle hardware.

In many jurisdictions, the substantial blade length of the Civilian and Matriarch makes them illegal to carry. To offer a Reverse “S” option small enough for lawful carry in those areas, Spyderco developed the Lil’ Matriarch™. Introduced in 2012, it was a scaled-down version of the Matriarch concept built on the handle of the popular Delica® 4 model. It did not prove to be as popular as its larger siblings and was discontinued in 2015. Despite its brief commercial life, the shorter blade of this compact knife still delivered the cutting power of the Reverse “S” profile and remains both a potent and highly collectible expression of the breed.

One extremely unique “offspring” of the Civilian’s Reverse “S” blade shape is the Spyderco Cricket. Scaled down dramatically and focused on utilitarian applications, this compact tool combines big-knife cutting power with scalpel-like precision and control. Designed by Spyderco co-founder Sal Glesser, its distinctive handle design was inspired by two different concepts. The first was a river rock—a smooth, oval shape polished to perfection by the forces of nature. The other, which is most apparent when the knife is closed, is the Yin-Yang—the classic symbol of the duality of nature that is a core concept of Asian philosophy.

The original version of the Cricket was introduced in 1994 and featured a Gingami-1 stainless steel blade and a black anodized aircraft aluminum handle. In 1997, it was joined by a lightweight version with an injection-molded FRN handle, and two years later, a version with carbon fiber handle scales. All early versions of the Cricket featured a Michael Walker-inspired LinerLock mechanism. In 2003, Spyderco introduced a stainless-steel-handled version that incorporated a Reeve Integral Lock (R.I.L.)—an enhanced version of the LinerLock popularized by renowned custom knifemaker Chris Reeve. Rather than using a separate liner as the basis for the lock bar, the R.I.L. is integral to one of the knife’s scales, simplifying the construction and providing even greater lock strength.

In 2012, Spyderco continued the evolution of the Cricket family by introducing a version featuring a dramatic Nishijin glass fiber handle scale and a stainless “tattoo” version embellished with colorized engraving of a cricket in tall grass. These handsome knives were not only welcomed by established Cricket fans, but also attracted many new converts. The Cricket’s supremely functional, minimalist design and stainless steel pocket clip allow it to be carried conveniently almost anywhere on your body. It is particularly popular among women, as it fits handily into the shallow pockets of ladies’ clothing. Carried inside the pocket, it also functions as an extremely practical money clip. When opened, the Cricket’s distinctive blade shape provides a remarkable balance of full-service cutting power and extreme control. Although all these qualities highlight its utilitarian spirit, its discreet, easily concealed envelope is also reminiscent of WWII-era spy tools like the lapel dagger. As such, it is also a popular “last-ditch” back-up weapon for many armed professionals.

Another distinctive expression of the Reverse “S” concept was the Dodo. Designed by Eric Glesser, son of Spyderco founders Sal and Gail and second-generation helmsman of the company, the Dodo is one of the most unconventional knives Spyderco ever produced. Originally released in 2003, it combined a compact but extremely capable Reverse "S" blade with a significantly larger handle. Constructed with peel-ply-textured G-10 scales, the handle featured sophisticated ergonomics, Spyderco’s high-strength Ball Bearing Lock™ mechanism, and a reversible wire clip that provided a choice of left- or right-side tip-up carry. The Dodo’s unique design allowed the leverage and control of its full-sized handle to power the cutting dynamics of its compact, Reverse “S” blade. The result was an exceptional synergy of cutting power and control.

Truly ahead of its time, the Dodo was produced with both blue and black G-10 scales and beautifully hollow-ground CPM® S30V® stainless steel blades in both PlainEdge and SpyderEdge formats. Despite its highly functional design, it had a relatively short production life and original examples are now highly prized collector’s items. Fortunately, this remarkable design has been resurrected several times in the form of limited-edition Exclusives featuring distinctive combinations of blade steel and handle color.

First introduced in 2001, the Meerkat is one of the most novel Spyderco designs ever produced. Its defining feature is its unique—and sometimes puzzling—Phantom Lock™ mechanism. Like a traditional back lock, it consists of a lock bar with a protruding lug that engages a notch in the back of the blade tang to create the locking action. However, instead of a conventional "rocker" arm, the Phantom Lock is released by rotating the butt ends of the handle halves in opposite directions. In many ways, it is reminiscent of a “scale release” automatic knife, except that its mechanism does not lock the blade closed.

In its standard configuration, the Meerkat featured a drop-point blade; however, in 2002 it was also produced briefly with a Reverse “S” blade in both PlainEdge and SpyderEdge configurations. This variant is one of the most collectible versions of this unusual knife.

While most expressions of the Reverse “S” blade pattern have taken the form of folding knives, it has also been featured in a fixed-blade format. Designed by Sal Glesser and introduced in 2003, the S.P.O.T. (Self-Protection Options Tool) was a purpose-designed neck knife. It combined a compact, Reverse “S” blade with the signature index-finger hole pioneered by French custom knifemaker and personal-defense expert Fred Perrin. This unique feature provided exceptional grip security—an excellent quality for a self-defense knife.

The S.P.O.T. was produced in three forms: an all-steel, skeletonized AUS-6 stainless steel model with a bead-blasted finish, a skeletonized AUS-6 model with a black ceramic coating, and a VG-10 stainless steel model with a satin finish and minimalist black Micarta® scales. All three versions were made with both PlainEdge and SpyderEdge blades and had deep hollow grinds. They were equipped with custom-molded Boltaron® sheaths designed for neck carry. The foldover sheaths featured a tubular channel at the base pioneered by Michael Janich and custom knifemaker Mike Snody. It contained a breakaway ball chain covered with a partial sleeve made from the exterior portion of parachute cord. This unique combination of features kept the sheathed knife flat against the body in a consistent orientation and silenced the rattle of the ball chain, yet still provided a breakaway feature if the chain was grabbed by an assailant.

The S.P.O.T. was only produced for two years before being discontinued. Examples of this unique design are now highly sought after by collectors.

The Spyderco Civilian and its Reverse “S” progeny are among the most unique and visually striking knives ever produced. They are also exceptionally potent personal-defense weapons that maximize the cutting power of a relatively small blade through the advanced dynamics of their sinuous shapes. While no weapon can ever replace diligent training, these knives have performed as designed on numerous occasions, saving the lives and virtues of their owners when used with simple, instinctive defensive skills. To many other users, they have distinguished themselves as highly functional utilitarian cutting tools. With this rich history behind them, they have unquestionably earned their iconic status.