Monthly Archives: January 2025

Review

Spyderco Tenacious C122GBNM4PS – CPM-M4 with Serrations – Pure Workhorse

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I’ve been tenacious — truly tenacious — in resisting the C122 Tenacious, even though I’d had my eye on that folder since 2008. After 17 years of flirtation, I finally ordered one. Why the delay? Its main weakness was always the less-than-stellar steel compared to the high-end knives I already owned.

Now, the CPM-M4 version is here to quench that long-standing thirst.

I don’t have much memory of a CPM-M4 serrated edge, except with another Eric Glesser design: the Dodo Exclusivefrom Blade HQ (C80GM4S). The Dodo was a real wood slasher — its S-shaped blade trimmed vines deeper and faster than almost any other, and the comfortable handle was perfect for power cuts.

Opportunities to play with a serrated CPM-M4 edge have been rare — until now. Here it is.

Back in 2008, when the Tenacious have been released it was a success.

Eric Glesser’s design was appealing to many for a simple reason: it was a well-thought-out, tough workhorse knifeavailable for around €30 (or less). A true blue-collar tool — built to be used and abused, like a modern-day Buck 110 for the pocket.


The best thing about the Tenacious was that it offered a thick, sturdy, well-built liner lock at a time when liner locks were falling out of fashion. Easy to display, easy to use, this no-choil, long-edge, compact working folder from Eric Glesser was a hit — and one of the best ways to catch the Spydervirus.


Now there is a FRN version in CPM S35VN. But it is as heavy as the G10 version and I’m not really a fan of FRN… Even if I absolutely love the FRN scales of my Serrated Chaparral.

I remember Bushcrafters being the first to sing the praises of the Tenacious. An example:

“I’ve thrown it, dropped it, batoned wood as thick as my wrist, chipped the edge multiple times (didn’t think 8cr13mov could chip, thought it was too soft but was wrong), I’ve left in outside ONCE in the rain overnight because I forgot I placed it on my front porch the previous day, I have spine whacked it (just don’t, I most likely have an impulse problem… lol … same problem that causes me to buy a lot of knives) I’ve dug holes, stabbed the ground to cut weed roots out, and much much more...

I think by now you get the point. I treated the tenacious as if I got it for free and had 1000 more to replace it if something happened. I treated this knife as if I hated it.

The result? 4 years later, the Tenacious opens smoother than it ever has, not a speck of rust since I purchased it, I have oiled the blade a couple times but I can guarantee it was less than 20 times total in the last 4 years, lockup is a bit less solid, BARELY any blade play from side to side, even less blade play from front to back, g10 scales look smoothed over and scarred, but to be honest there is still plenty of traction.
All in all, this knife is much more than what most of you need from a folder.”

My Persistence experience was excellent as described in my 2012 review (green words lead to link) but eventually I was disappointed with their steel. 8Cr13MoV can get sharp but lose sharpness much too fast for my uses. It was frustratring. I still got 8Cr13MoV knives like the Clipitool which is a great oyster knife. 8Cr13MoV is tough for a stainless steel, no surprise it was chosen for the Tenacious line.

The Tenacious is a sturdy well made liner lock folder with a super tool steel blade.

“This remarkable expression of the Tenacious® elevates this best-selling design to all-new heights with a blade crafted from American-made CPM M4 tool steel. Produced by the particle metallurgy process, CPM M4’s sophisticated alloy composition, high vanadium content, and extremely fine grain structure give it exceptional wear resistance and toughness-properties that translate to outstanding edge retention and impact resistance in knife blades. This knife’s full-flat-ground blade is available in both PlainEdge™ and CombinationEdge™ formats and is housed in a handle featuring brown peel-ply-textured G-10 scales.“

I have written many reviews about that fabulous alloy CPM-M4 it has never disappointed me and since I have sold my CPM-M4 Military and kept my Yojimbo 2 and Mantra 2 (reviewed and sharpened by JD) and use them hard, I know it is reliable and get a nice patina.

A lil’oil will prevent rust. CPM M4 is not 52100 and the patina will come slowly after cutting some lemons…
“CPM M4 has good edge holding, sharpening ease, toughness, strength, and is not a rust monster…” to quote Rangodash.

Now a blade is 1/3 steel, 1/3 Heat Treatment and 1/3 geometry.

The Coke butt bottle pushing cutting test has been done with the factory edge right out of the box. It is thin behind the edge.  It’s a good blade thickness for more nuanced jobs, but there is added strength from the thicker spine. 

The knife sliced right in the middle were the materiel is thicker.
This is just outstanding !

There are a great geometry and a thin edge on that tough CPM-M4 blade. The result is a sturdy matter separator.

It is not an exploit to cut into some tin can but the same “shallow”, “non snaggy” kind of serrations as the Chaparral made it easy.

Again, this is a “performance oriented” knife. The blade is not too thick like some “tactical” toys. It is made to perform not to show off.

“For notching, serrated edges work great. Feathersticking, maybe, maybe not. Serrated edges are ground on the show side, so they actually work better when used left-handed for cuts like that. I carry a serrated K390 Police4 all the time for rough work. It goes through little volunteer elm trees like a chainsaw. A SharpMaker makes it a breeze to maintain the edge.” to quote Yablanowitz.

The liner lock is thick in the same spirit of Gayle Bradley’s folders.
The knife opens with a loud KLAK! — no blade play in any direction. The detent is strong but slightly “elastic,” meaning the blade moves a little before the release/tipping point engages. This makes it very secure, with no risk of accidental opening. I’ve noticed the same elasticity on the titanium version of the Tenacious. It’s important to note: this is not a weak detent — the blade won’t open without a deliberate, serious force.

Using the knife in Spyderdrop mode, a flick of the wrist catches the blade in the Spyderhole with no issue. Closing remains perfectly secure. There’s a tiny squeak out of the box, but a few drops of nano oil should mute it. The action isn’t buttery smooth like a compression lock on ball bearings, but after a bit of breaking-in and running-in, it will be wonderful.

The solid clip is delivered mounted in Tip Down carry, which suits well this knife for the Spyderco Drop featured on the Military 1 which got the same kind of “around the pivot” clip.

I have no intention of using tip-up carry or a deep-carry clip. This knife is a tool, meant for easy access rather than a stealthy edge. The Tenacious is always noticeable in the pocket, but that sturdy clip guarantees quick availability — reminding me of Massad Ayoob’s teachings.

Spyderdropping is an extremely fast way to get the blade into action — faster than many switchblades. Sal Glesser was already demonstrating this skill almost 30 years ago: grab the knife by the Spyderhole and SCHLAK! — it’s open and ready to cut.

The Tenacious features full steel liners, unlike the nested liners on the Military line. There are no backspacers, making it easy to clean under running water. At 120 grams, it’s not a lightweight folder — I appreciate a bit of heft on a working tool. (For reference, the new titanium version is 93 grams.)

Notice how perfectly centered the blade is right out of the box. The quality control on this “made in China” folder is impressively high.

(Sal’s Titanium Catbird (only 200 were made) next to Eric’s Tenacious.)

Eric and Sal have taken their time with the Byrd Line and their budget line to get the best from a family of makers in China. The Glessers have moved slowly but steadily, developing a trustworthy and excellent relationship with the knifemakers there.


To quote JustinRose40 on the forums in 2011:
“Yes, every time I show someone my Tenacious I have to say “well it’s made in China but it’s not a China Knife, it’s still a Spyderco”. To which they usually say something like, “yeah I could tell that as soon as you handed to me”.

Since 2011, China has made huge leaps in knife manufacturing quality, and this steady improvement is clearly noticeable in the “new” rendition of the venerable Tenacious.

On Eric’s designs, there’s sometimes no choil, but you can notice a clever feature: a “proto-flipper” that acts as a quillon or guard to protect your fingers in case the lock ever failed.

Since 2008, I haven’t heard of any critical lock failures on the Tenacious or the larger Resilience. The Tenacious has earned its legendary status for a reason.

Another Eric design with an excellent blade-to-handle ratio is the Mantra 2, which uses a flipper. (I’m not a fan of that little opening hole — dirt always collects there!) Still, it’s a great design. The Mantra 1, with an opening hole, feels like the Taichung-made “uncle” of the M4 Tenacious.

The peel-ply-textured G10 scales don’t need sanding; they’re well balanced and won’t shred pockets. The brown color makes it feel less threatening, in my book.

Let’s put it to use while the satin blade is still silver.

The knife bites into wood like no tomorrow. The serrated CPM-M4 edge is a joy to use — it goes deep and steady, putting a smile on my face every time.

Blast from the past: the last combo-edge/semi-serrated knife I used was over 20 years ago — a Pre-Production D2 AFCK. As you can see, it’s been heavily used, and its geometry, steel, and blade-to-handle ratio aren’t nearly as refined as the Tenacious.

That macro shot shows the very smooth way to go from chisel ground serrations to plain edge.

“Serrated edges aren’t for everyone, and you may not like them, but you’ve got to get at least one just to try! Keep it around for nasty work, wet abrasive rope, zip-ties, yardwork, or playtime like in the pool, or at the lake or beach. Not to mention fishing duties.” to quote Benben.

The difference in cutting efficiency between a saber grind and a full flat grind is obvious. I don’t need to tiptoe around it — the advantage is clear.

Now let’s compare the Tenacious with various folders and fixed blades.

The Tenacious got a better blade/handle ratio than the Paramilitary 2 and a longer blade for a shorter handle. This is one key of the success of that design.

Almost the same length as the Chief.

No choil on the Wolfspyder too.

Since I play with Bushcraft here a nice combo to go in the wood. The Proficient is a masterpiece.

And with the ultra solide Boker in Magnacut. The 8,6 centimeter long blade of the Tenacious is generous edge wise.

Of course, I’ll strop that partially serrated blade on leather — no fear at all. I have my method for serrations, using the corner of the leather pad.

Maintaining the combo edge won’t be an issue; I’ll keep it sharp with cornered ceramic and jade stones.

So what do you get for €139 — the price I paid at the Coutellerie Champenoise? I’m really happy with my purchase. I plan to use the Tenacious a lot and on anything, simply for the pleasure of testing it on various materials. This knife isn’t afraid of plastic, wood, food, bones, cardboard, or aluminum.

This CPM-M4 version is set to show the full potential of one of the beefier EDC knives, especially with its serrated half-edge carved from super tool steel. Over 17 years, the Tenacious has proven it can withstand a lot of abuse.

  The CPM-M4 Tenacious is not only a workhorse but a warhorse, like the pictured Adamas. I can easily imagine any soldier being glad to have such a reliable knife at this budget.

It’s slightly larger than small pocket knives, but smaller than the oversized ones some carry just to show off. The Tenacious would make an excellent day-hiking knife — a folder ready for the great outdoors. I’d take it on a trip to Africa or on a photo safari in the natural parks of Tuscany.

(this will often dull the blade’s edge with a little shining spot. Not here… Thanks to the serrations again ! )

This CPM-M4 Tenacious is sold at roughly double the price of the standard version, but in my opinion, it’s a rare chance to have this alloy on that knife. CPM-M4 pushes the boundaries of reliability and is a real pleasure to keep razor-sharp.

CPM-M4 will not chip and stays sharp for long. It’s a steel that has been used in cutting competitions. While Tuff Glideand various oils can keep it spotless, I prefer the protection of a gentle natural patina.

For twice the price of the vanilla Tenacious, this upgraded version delivers another level of performance in terms of toughness and edge retention.

“Old school cool with the Walker lock and satin finish. Well done Eric Glesser!” to quote Clay H on the Forums.
My brown Tenacious looks gorgeous in its “beautility”, practically begging to be used across all terrains — sand, rain, or more. All in all, this beater is a beefed-up workhorse, built to be used hard and carried proudly.



Review

Spyderco -C94GCBL- UK PENKNIFE™ COBALT BLUE G-10 CPM® SPY27® – The Blue Djinn Who Loved Leather.

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This is not the first UKPK I have reviewed in this blog. I was a very early adopter of this Sal Glesser’s approach of the modern slipjoint all made in Golden Colorado.
Some of my favorite are the Salt Versions in FRN: the Green LC200N and the Yellow CPM Magnacut. I even think, the serrated version of the Magnacut version could be an amazing legal travelling knife.

But they are FRN versions. I like FRN but I do love G10. Better, I’m a sucker for sanded G-10. Hence my love for the Heinnie Urban and its non-slip peel-ply texture.
At first glance the satin-finished CPM SPY27 blade and signature cobalt blue peel-plytextured G-10 handle scales are juste gorgeous. Here are the full specs on Spyderco’s pages.

Like the Heinnie the skip joint got a strong mechanism. It is really a pleasure to feel this resistance which was totally absent from the very first drop point UKPK a decade ago. (Picture from Mr Blonde, Spydercollector site)

So far, I cannot imagine my self opening it with a flick like I was able to do on the LC200N FRN version. The Spring here on this G10 version is much stronger.

Let’s do some size comparaison. The UKPK is one of the long Slipit in Spyderco’s collection. It is almost a slipjoint Caly, even longer than a Chaparral. So you really don’t feel “underknifed” when you carry it in your pocket as your only EDC. It is also really handy and practical as a kitchen knife. The best thing is that this design keeps its blade length legal in most countries.

For cooking I often use a Native Chief.

The long leaf shaped blade is a must in the kitchen almost idea. It is pointy enough and its is enough for vegetables. Most of the works done in the kitchen like peeling potatoes, cutting oinions, you name it, was always done with a short full flat ground knife like a “Nogent Couteau d’Office”.

Something about the G-10 version is the spring/back spacer closing the handle of the knife when the FRN got an open handle easier to rinse.
But it is much more gorgeous and with a stronger spring for sure !

It also gives a little more heft to the knife. 48 grams for the FRN and 63 grams for the G10 version -> 31,25% heavier to be precise, almost a third ! But I do really love my heavy butt knives since my Schrade Sharpfinger.

Now this is my first CPM-SPY27 knife. Spy27 is a alloy recipe created in house with Crucible exclusively for Spyderco. It is a CPM ! So this is a premium super steel compared to VG10 or N690… In short it is a American Powder Metallurgy version of the Japanese VG10.

In Sal Glesser words:
“We offer many steels for several reasons;
1) We are Steel Junky’s (even Edge Junky’s) and we like to experience the different flavors and we try to do that.
2) We believe that many of our customers are also Steel Junky’s (even Edge Junky’s) and they too get to experience and play with and “taste” as you say, the many options.

I wanted a USA made “tweaked” version of Gingami 1 by Hitachi and after some effort with Carpenter, we have a powdered USA made steel called CTS-BD1N Which is a refinement of Gingami 1. I wanted a USA made “tweaked” version of Takefu’s VG-10 and now we have a powdered “tweaked” SPY27.“

Carbone1.25%
Chrome14%
Molybdène2%
Vanadium2%
Niobium1%
Azote0.1%
Cobalt1.5%
Manganèse0.5%
Silicium0.5%



There is a very nice analysis in Knifesteelnerd and discussion here: https://forum.spyderco.com/viewtopic.php?t=94182

“However, it should be noted that the SPY 27 Larrin used for testing was not heat treated by Spyderco. Some minor differences between Larrin’s heat treatment and Spyderco’s heat treatment can probably be expected. That being said, Larrin is the best source of consistent, objective data and metallurgical interpretation for steel comparisons.” To quote Karl_H in
https://forum.spyderco.com/viewtopic.php?t=87383

“SPY-27 will hold the fine edge longer… Its all about the stability of the fine edge, not the total wear resistance until fully dull. In this regard, SPY-27 can do what other stainless steels cant.” to quote Submicron in the same thread.

I am aware that Cobalt’s dust can be an health issue. Of course Rex 45 and Maxamet (10% of cobalt, 1,5% for SPY27) are the heavy weight steel in their tool steel category but the Spy27 (like VG-10), like all cobalt alloys needs to be carefully cleaned after a sharpening process.
(Cobalt may cause an asthma-like allergy. Future exposure can cause asthma attacks with shortness of breath, wheezing, cough, and/or chest tightness. * Cobalt may affect the heart, thyroid, liver and kidneys. * Repeated exposure to Cobalt dust can cause scarring of the lungs (fibrosis) even if no symptoms are noticed. According to https://nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb/documents/fs/0520.pdf)


Let say SPY-27 is in the same club as the S35VN steels in terms of performance and it especially loves fine ceramic and leather stropping. It gets easily a very crispy edge like VG10 or BD1N . ( Steel which are “leather super friendly” are also LC200N, 52100, VG10, AEB-L… )
This is a must and a real pleasure for me as I keep my knives sharp mostly with leather. A touch up and it makes flying hairs from my arm again.
And it seems true so far. I have not deshouldered the edge yet and intend to use it with the factory edge for some times but leather made it hair popping sharp. (Once deshouldered it is a straight razor with excellent edge retention… much better than S30V).
To quote Sal:
“SPY27 for some reason, seems to be punching above its weight.”

No crossroads, this Blue Djinn loves leather like the Bill Moran FB01 in VG10 loved it.

No need to use diamonds unless you want to reprofile the blade or round the shoulder then don’t forget to rinse the blade and to clean any dust.
But talking about dangerous dust, I have sanded the scales to preserve my pockets. Never breath that dust !!! Do it under water or wear a mask.
I got a neighbor who has been working around that kind of heavy dust and now he is breathing with two tubes in his nostrils. So be careful with your health.
This Blue G10 got a very nice texture under the thumb like some denim, textil like. It is really pleasant, almost like some Micarta found on the QSP Penguin.

So when you sand G10, just go outside in the wind or work under water. You don’t want to breath G10 dust made of fiberglass and epoxy.
Just rinse it under the tap to have it back to normal.
Once tuned at your hand, G10 is a very very nice material.

As you can notice the scales are even thicket than the blade and the blade is perfectly centered.

There is the famous middle/half stop when closing or opening the knife. It works like a safety measure. This knife is harder to close than to open.

The UKPK is a very ergonomic knife. It feels like it melt in the hand. It is so confortable for heavy cuts. Because this blade can work hard with zero play.

The “pistol grip” is common in many Sal Glesser design like the Endura or the Military. It is much more pronounced on the Massad Ayoob.

No hotspots for me a very safe handle, really, this lil slipjoint is screaming to be used hard.

It is even confortable edge up.

With the Roadie XL. Another great Slipit with a very low profile, almost like a pen in your shirt pocket.

And the mighty Chaparral serrated. Two of Sal’s best designs. Two wolves in sheep disguise thanks to their thin solid blades.

I have decided to de-shoulder the edge for a gentle convex result in the middle of the belly.

My old leather with some polish compound is ready again to smooth the edge to razor level.

Because I want a better touch on the leather, I usually keep the normal edge at the point to keep material there and near the ricasso as I use this portion for special shores like removing the aluminium cap on bottles.

The Coke Bottle Butt test is passed with flying colors. As you can notice the plastic is 3mm thick. Not a single scratch on the blade.

So what do we got so far ?
A master piece of knife design by monsieur Sal Glesser with a strong construction and state of the art in-house alloy serving a thin blade and an ergonomic handle.
My advice: try to grab one before they disappear, it seems that G10 version is not here to last and it is really a sapphire: a true blue jewel !

Review

Spyderco Chaparral C152SGY – For the Fierce and the Furious

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Like I had mentioned in the glimpse review of the Serrated Chaparral, this little, thin folder is built to punch above its weight. Thanks to its sturdy construction and relatively strong stainless steel — the same type found on my Cold Steel Recon 1 XL — it can be tested and used like a much larger knife without compromising performance.

Solid steel, sturdy lock? Not much difference from a larger knife, in fact. 😉

So far, I’ve put the knife through its paces, cutting anything I could, and maintaining the edge with some Jade stones (see first picture). The mechanism shows no signs of play in any direction — rock-solid performance.

The plastic is thicker that the blade.

As you can see, the serrated edge is a chisel grind, which means it tends to deviate slightly to the right of the material being cut, much like a fin in water. I started the cuts with a bit of sawing, then transitioned to push cuts, and the knife effortlessly sliced through the thick plastic used to form the bottle.

This little knife is fierce in term of cutting performance. It is a lot of power in your pocket ! It is a pocket chainsaw !

The serrations really shine on the plate. You can push the knife hard against ceramic surfaces, and if the points ever need a touch-up, a few passes on a ceramic corner — or in my case, a jade corner — brings them back like new.

I have been able to reach razor level just by passing gently the Jade on it.

Actually it is fun to enhance the edge.

Actually, this is a bit of a comeback for me with serrations, dating back to my AFCK experience 25 years ago. Back then, I mostly used partly serrated edges, which helped initiate cuts on hard materials.

With a fully serrated thin blade and no plain edge, I initially wondered how useful it would be in the kitchen — especially since my wife’s favorite knives are Victorinox fruit knives (serrated). But it turns out, neither fruits nor vegetables can withstand the sharp, wavy edge of the Chaparral.

Funny enough I have been able to strop the edge of the Chap by using the side of the leather belt. CTS XHP is a steel which loves leather in my experience.

All in all, so far, so good. The Chaparral delivers impressive cutting power. Its thin, fully serrated edge is unique within the Spyderco line, pushing the design out of its comfort zone — and for a “knifeaholic” like me, that’s pure fun.

The next step is to trust this little knife enough to take it on a road trip in Italy — handling food prep, wood, and low-profile carry as my only pocketed folder. The Chaparral will make its return in May.

Review

Spyderco Chaparral Serrated C152SGY- The Lightweight With Teeth.

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I’ve been an early adopter of the Chaparral. Nearly 13 years ago, I called it the “Extra Flat Companion” in my first review from 2012. Back then, the Chaparral was designed to serve as a platform to test different handle materials, while the Sage (another model “made in Taichung”) showcased various lock designs used in folders.

Twelve years later, Spyderco has introduced a major improvement to the Chap’s blade: their famous serrations. The brand is, of course, known for its Spyderhole, its clips, and… the performance of its serrated edges. Sal Glesser has long advocated the superior cutting performance of Spyderco’s sserrations. Scallops, moon quarters, and thin chisel geometry all work together to create the ultimate “matter separator,” making tough cutting tasks effortless.


Sal has refined his serrations into a recognized patterns and created the Spyderedge: “Spyderco’s two-step serration patterns consist of one large and two small serrations. The pattern increases the cutting edge’s surface area by up to 24%”.
On the Chaparral, the serration are even better as they are rounded to avoid snagging when cutting. Those same enhanced serrations can be found on another serrated folder made in Taichung for Spyderco: the LC200N made Caribbean.

I’am not a serration’s fan. I prefer a short convexed blade like my Roadie XL to EDC but this is the opportunity to pocket a serrated knife designed to be low profile folder easily displayed in the middle of the sheeples.

The Chaparral is another Lil’ Big Knife in disguise. Go figure, his lock is equipped with an hidden pin which gives a lot of strength and stability. This improved backlock is also found on the Sage 4 but do not worry about vertical play.


Also the Chaparral’s blade is only 2 mm thick. A razor blade with serrations ? It should be interesting !

It even has teeth on its handle. The FRN scales feel almost like shark skin, which can be tough on pockets. My first step was to temporarily remove the pocket clip, then sand the scales to smooth them out.

The FRN doesn’t react as quickly as G10 when sanded. I still ended up with a slightly toothy handle, but it’s much more acceptable to me. Of course, this is a matter of personal taste — many users will appreciate the aggressive grip the pattern provides. I, however, prefer not to carry a pocket shredder anymore.

Lately, I’ve discovered that I really enjoy knives I can carry in my denim watch pocket. The Roadie XL, which I can now flick open with a wrist, is the king of that pocket and I use it hard despite its small size.

But this little “Tooth Faerie”, the Serrated Chaparral, also demands heavy use — and beware of its cutting power! Its steel, CTS-XHP, is known for being extremely reliable, even on thin edges. I’ve used it in many knives, including some Cold Steel Voyager XLs, and it never disappoints.

It will be very interesting to see how the Chaparral Light platform, equipped with a top-performance factory edge and an improved backlock, performs as a true workhorse — pushing the envelope of what the Chap’ can do. Spyderco has also just released a Slipit (non-locking) Chaparral, sold at nearly double the price of the FRN serrated version. Clearly, this one isn’t marketed as a “precious” collectible but as a pure performance tool. Spyderco has supercharged the Chaparral to be a user’s knife.

To summarize:

  • 2 mm thick blade — this is thin !
  • Backlock enhanced with a hidden pin — zero vertical play !
  • Rounded, anti-snag SpyderEdge.
  • Sheeple-friendly design.
  • Made in Taiwan with attention to details.

Yes, the Chap is back… with teeth … in its next chapter:
“FOR THE FIERCE AND THE FURIOUS“