You know what ? It’s time to thin the edge of Gambit. Pictures are better than thousand words.
The gaffer is here to protect the blade against my clumsiness.
The Double Stuff 2 is the main tool. But it is old now. It has lost some of its teeth in many many edges reprofiling…
But eventually it is a cheap Sharpy bought on Amazon which seems to be 15V best friend. It is 800 grit. And it bites into 15V like no tomorrow. So I was able to round the edge’s shoulder. Let’s test it.
It goes deep and steady. There is real improvement. But gosh, 15V do not like to lose its particules. Compared to Magnacut or SPY27, CPM-15V is hellish. Now I perhaps don’t have the best diamond tools for that. But really, it is not a piece of cake in my book.
Now could it be a answer: The Military 2 reaching the 67 HRC ? But that was exactly my impression after watching the YouTuber’s video — until Jake, a metallurgist for 14 years, left an exceptionally detailed, well-sourced comment under this review. To quote his conclusion:
“… Spyderco did an amazing job getting a near custom level heat treatment on an amazing steel at an affordable price to many people who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to spend large sums of money on customs. But expecting 67Rc is a bit too much. Shawn has said it repeatedly that it isn’t realistic for a production knife company to hit hardness levels that high and also be able to work the material.“
Many thanks to Jake for his eye-opening comment — truly appreciated!
My goal here isn’t to touch the edge itself, but to smooth the border between the flat of the blade and the edge angle. This allows me to maintain the edge primarily on leather while reducing drag when cutting hard materials like plastic or wood.
The equipment I used was again the Spyderco Double Stuff 2, focusing mainly on the diamond side. I experimented with gentle, round strokes on the flat diamond stone instead of always moving in the same direction — it seems to remove metal much faster.
For aesthetics, I plan to follow up with white ceramic or jade stones to approach a mirror finish, similar to the Sage 5. Magnacut responds beautifully to polishing, whereas CPM-15V doesn’t particularly care.
The use of gaffer helps preventing any deep scratches on the blade finish. It works great. The black dust is metal removed by the diamonds. I do that outside in the wind. I don’t want to breath that dust.
Eventually this second round has gone so smoothly (compared to the first one linked at the start of this review) that i was on the verge to work on the Military 2.
Remember Sal saying: “The Edge is a Ghost. Always changing. Dying (dulling) being reborn (sharpened) split personality (angles and geometry changing). Think of the edge as gas in a vehicle. It runs out of gas and you put in more gas. We provide the format, materials, design for use, variety to avoid boredom and create interest, but the edge is your creation. The result of your understanding, education, experience and practice.“
The comparison between the Sage 5 Salt and the Para 3 continues. In short: the Sage 5 has superior geometry thanks to its high 3 mm FFG blade, while the Para 3 features a sturdier blade, a thinner point, and is overall lighter (no steel liners).
It’s really your choice — both are highly capable and complement each other, coming from the same design mind. Shawn Houston even notes that the Para 3 carries “that Delica vibe.”
I’m impressed by the Sage 5’s exceptionally smooth action — one of the best among Spyderco’s compression lock knives. I love both knives. These days, the Sage Salt rides with me, but while both won’t let you down, the smooth Sage is more fidget-friendly. Both are great, but the Sage 5 is simply less popular… 😉
Let’s go back to the same process but adding 15 minutes more can be a game changer in term of geometry. But let’s be clear this is typically the Pareto law which says: “The Pareto principle states that for many outcomes, roughly 80% of consequences come from 20% of causes.” It means that in 15minutes + this new 15 minutes it is not the most efficient as 80% of the job was done during the 6 first minutes last time. But those added fistful of minutes are a little bonus to even the bevels.
As you can notice I have concentrated my thinning process mainly on widing the bevel.
10 minutes later, I got a more even larger bevel which should go shining after some leather stropping.
On another fistful of minutes, I will work on the tip but I like to keep some material here. Now I’m basically dealing with a flat grind with a convex edge at the end. In Japanese a convex grind is also called a hamaguri grind. Literally this means: clam. This name comes from the convex way the side of the shell moves to the end. Exactly like the full convex edge. A full convex grind is sometimes also called an appleseed grind. Again because of the pointy tip of the seed of an apple.( I’m a fan of アップルシードa Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow.) But for now it is much than satisfying in terms of whittling and dealing with hard maetrail to cut. The edge goes deep in every push cuts and the high FFG blade five a lot of control for powerful results.
(Badge designed by Guillaume Xais)
So far my initial impression are confirmed: the Sage 5 Salt is a keeper and another 3 inches blade length Spyderco to rule them all like the Delica 4, the Native 5 or the Para 3 or even the UKPK ! All are Sal Glesser’s children (The Para 3 paternity is shared with Eric !)
It is perfect in all aspects – sharp thin blade, centered, strong detent compared to the Military 2, no blade play, suuuper smooth. The Sage5 is the best implementation of a compression lock I have ever had… Perfect tolerances and no lock stick.
The open-backed construction allows easy cleaning. This Sage 5 is really asking to be used and, thanks to its yellow handle, retrieved even on the forest or ocean floor. Really a must have 3 inches knife for all occasions. And I’m a huge fan of the Native 5 and the Para3. But this Sage 5 seems to lead the pack.
First of all, thank you to Guillaume Xais who has convinced me to try the Sage 5 Salt. I have found a deal under 200 euros. In the past, I have owned some Sage(s) from the Sage 2 to the Sage 4 actually. You still can find the reviewss by clicking the links. The Sage 2 was a Sebenza killer when all the crave was about Christopher Reeves Integral Lock and titanium slabs. The Sage 3 was the Blue Brother. The Sage 4 was a masterpiece with its Front Lock and titanium Bolster never reviewed because too much a jewel of a knife.
(Picture by Guillaume Xais – instagram Spydigex_knives)
I wasn’t particularly interested in the Sage 5 Compression Lock, and even less in the Sage 5 Lightweight. Yet both the Sage 5 G10 and Lightweight versions proved so popular and well-regarded that Spyderco expanded the lineup into Maxamet, SPY27, REX 121, Magnacut, and CPM-M4 (thanks to Guillaume for the editing).
With the vanilla S30V, the Sage 5 was offered in six different alloys — some of the most impressive in terms of performance — demonstrating just how versatile and capable this design can be. “The Sage 5 Lightweight has also proven itself to be a perfect platform for showcasing the elite properties of high-performance blade steels.”
(Picture by Guillaume Xais – instagram Spydigex_knives)
For the record the Sage Series has traditionally expressed the same iconic design with different lock mechanisms, paying homage to the innovative designers who created them. Also Spyderco donates approximately 5% of sales of the Sage line to the National Alzheimer’s Association Denver, Colorado Chapter. (A Sage 6 is soon coming with a button/compression lock as found on the Smock.) So I have asked to Guillaume in the Spyderco Fan Club France, why should I invest in a Sage 5 Salt Lightweight in the first place ?
(Picture by Guillaume Xais – instagram Spydigex_knives)
“Its action, like any self-respecting Sage LW, is dazzling! This yellow contrasts with the hardware, the clip, and the deep black of the liners, like a Black Mamba face… I love it! My first Magnacut, by the way… I fish and am quite often at the seaside, it will complement my Ukpk salt (which is also very good). My favorites, however, remain the 2 and 4, true works of art!
For me, it does everything better than a Para3: handling, fluidity, less fragile tip, less tactical image, more rewarding feel of the FRN… there’s no comparison (from my point of view, of course). Add to that the Taichung Quality and Magna’versatility… they’re worth it, right?“
I was convinced !
First impressions: there’s some real heft to this lightweight — thanks to the full liners. I love it. The blade is perfectly centered, and the lock doesn’t stick.
The detent is impressively strong, almost magnetic — stronger than the detents on my recent Para 3 and Military 2. Go figure! And the action is smooth as oily butter. Classic, perfect Taichung craftsmanship.
The FRN pattern is hard, grippy and catchy I even got some issue to put in my pocket. It the same issue I had with my Chaparral Lightweight.
A passage under the sandpaper would be perhaps mandatory ? Let’s see what Papa Sal would advice in my case of protecting my pockets: “You can lessen the tension on the clip as an easy solution. Some sand the scales bit.”Sal in the Forums.
Some gaffer to protect the black screws when using sandpaper. Then cleaned under the tap and it’s good to go.
Well… it is so compact it can eventually be carried inside the pocket watch. But Sal was right like always, bending the clip a little has completely changed the way it clipped and for the better.
The metal hardware is all black certainly PVD coated. “Like all Salt Series folders, the clip, liners, and all handle hardware are also crafted from marine-grade materials.” said Spyderco. And Guillaume is right, the contrast between the black and yellow is an eye candy.
I have found a little hot spot on the choil which I felt under my index finger. Nothing a little diamond file won’t eliminate in a matter of minutes.
The Para3 is a really light package because there is almost no liner.
64 grams.
78 grams for the Sage 5 with its nested steel liners
The FRN is smoother on the Para3 as it is not the same pattern. Being a Salt the Sage 5 is destined to be used with wet hands.
The Sage 5 has a thinner 3 mm blade, and the chamfered edges on its spine are just stunning — smooth under the thumb and a true Taichung signature. Even the Spyderhole is gently finished.
A major plus for whittling is how easily my left-hand thumb finds a comfortable spot on the blade spine. With the Para 3, the thumb doesn’t have a proper ramp parallel to the cut. On the Sage 5, the parabolic spine of the leaf-shaped bladelets the thumb push comfortably in the middle of the spine, which makes a real difference during whittling.
Same blade length, but a different spine shape. The Para 3’s Spyderhole is especially suited for use with gloves.
Is the Sage more of a civilian EDC and the Para 3 more tactical? Not entirely certain. The Sage feels more solid in the hand and has more heft, while the Para 3 feels like a light, quick-reaction tool, and the Sage 5 is an all-terrain EDC.
The Sage handle is more compact and can be carried in the watch pocket, thanks to its grippy FRN and strong clip.
Grip is essential when working around water or with wet hands. The Para 3 is gentler on pocket edges, while the Sage out of the box can be a pocket shredder. Following Sal Glesser’s advice, I flexed the clip slightly for lighter retention — now it’s perfect.
Next, let’s take a look at the Sage’s geometry straight out of the box.
I was able to cut through the plastic without having de-shouldered the edge yet. It will be done in the next chapters. For the record, I was not able to get a clean cut with the factory geometry of my new Para3 and Military2 in CPM 15V.
So this blade has excellent geometry right out of the box: this is really impressive ! Without any touchup of the factory edge it goes deep in any material, soft or hard.
The Sage 5 Salt is a pure Sal Glesser design with its iconic leaf-shaped blade. Fun fact: the letters S‑A‑G‑E appear in order in his name!
This great folder is made in Taichung, Taiwan, renowned for its exquisite manufacturing and quality control. The blade is chamfered, and the jimping is soft under the thumb, making it a joy to handle.
Ultimately, this is a Highlander knife: “In the end, there can be only one.” The Sage 5 Salt feels like a Spyderco to rule them all — the only one I’d ever need in terms of portability, reliability, and performance.
Purely stainless from blade to screws, it is a true all terrain tool. I mean, you won’t need another knife as this one is totally impervious to salt water and boast that CPM Magnacut blade known for its great performance: “a revolutionary particle metallurgy steel that offers an exceptional balance of edge retention, toughness, and the extreme corrosion resistance.” It is true when properly heat treated and with the best geometry. (Again all those green marks are links to previous review or sources of this review.)
Polishing the Sage’s edge on a leather strap — aka stropping — removes the final imperfections, leaving an even razor-sharp edge. Magnacut, in particular, responds beautifully to leather stropping.
With the Vigtig and the Nano. I managed to get these three knives for under €200: the Sage 5 at €194, the Vigtig at €130, and the Nano at €192.
This means that, as of March 2025, CPM Magnacut knives can be found for as low as €130 — a good deal, though it may not last. The UKPK in CPM Magnacut should be in a similar price range, which I’m looking forward to.
So far, first impressions are excellent! The yellow handle makes it feel less threatening — more like an everyday tool than a “ninja mall weapon,” which is a definite plus these days.
It’s also ready for kitchen use, thanks to a strong edge that isn’t afraid of ceramic plates. Magnacut takes a razor-sharp edge easily with just a bit of ceramic and leather work. No need for diamond paste like on the mighty CPM 15V.
The amphibious Sage 5 is a perfect traveling companion — from mountain rivers to the ocean. It delivers impressive cutting power for its size, biting into hard wood effortlessly. The blade spine is very comfortable for push cuts, making it a reliable all-terrain tool.
It’s a dream knife for fishermen and woodcrafters, capable of accompanying you in virtually any environment. So far the Spyderco Salt serie is enlarged to very nice plateforms with Military flavours and civilian purposes.
First impressions of the Sage 5 are excellent — in terms of action, geometry, and ergonomics. This is a great EDC that’s fearlessly corrosion-resistant.
Thanks to Guillaume for the tip! Now time to convex it !
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.
Six years ago, I reviewed the Working Poney, also known as the Roadie. Mine had been reprofiled by Jan Dirk, and even on its tiny scale, it proved to be an outstanding performer. For six years, it quietly stowed away, accompanying me across the UK, Vietnam, and countless places where knives were frowned upon.
Then, in 2024, I noticed the announcement of an XL version — the C267BK — featuring a better steel and a clip. Right away, I saw the new pointed blade, replacing the classic sheepfoot-style blade, now ground from Böhler-Uddeholm N690Co. Even more exciting, the XL uses M398, an exotic steel reserved for flashbatches — a serious step up in terms of performance and collector appeal.
And so, here it is: Ladies and gentlemen, the Roadie XL !
They say an image is worth a thousand words, so here you have 4,000 words with no syntax or spelling errors.
Back to the Roadie XL: it is made in Maniago, Italy, just like my Nano and many other excellent knives these days. The Maniago plant remains one of the best worldwide in terms of quality and precision.
Specifications:
Overall Length: 6.51″ (165mm)
Blade Length: 2.74″ (70mm)
Steel: M398
Closed Length: 3.76″ (95mm)
Edge Length: 2.31″ (59mm)
Weight: 1.5oz (43g)
Blade Thickness: 0.108″ (2.8mm)
Its shape and size make it extremely pocket-friendly, easily fitting into the watch pocket of a pair of denim jeans thanks to its deep-carry wire clip. You could remove the clip, but why? It keeps the knife perfectly on the pocket’s lip. The clip is also reversible, though that’s not mandatory for a two-handed opening folder.
With its thin profile and light weight, combined with the clip, the Roadie XL can even be carried in a shirt pocket like a pen. In short, it’s a knife meant to stay on your person almost unnoticed.
The action is smooth, with two stops/steps before the blade fully opens. In practice, it feels smoother than my Urban, which only requires a single hand to deploy.
With a slightly longer blade than the Urban, the Roadie XL remains legal to carry in countries such as Denmark, the UK, or Germany. Mine arrived razor sharp straight out of the box, so I’m in no particular hurry to convex the edge.
Mine came razor sharp right out of the box. So I’m not in a special hurry to convex its edge.
You can immediately recognize Sal Glesser’s signature design—a clear mark that it’s his invention. Sal is an inventor, and it’s always impressive to see how he manages to create clever, practical tools. Quoting him directly:
“When the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) briefly considered allowing the carry of knives on airplanes again, Spyderco designed the Roadie™ to fit their guidelines. We created an incredibly popular modern expression of the classic penknife. Since bigger can indeed be better, the Roadie now has a big brother: the Roadie XL. It faithfully offers all the defining features of its smaller counterpart—including a non-locking “notched-joint” mechanism, a textured index-finger choil, and contoured, injection-molded handle scales. Its full-flat-ground sheepfoot-style blade is crafted from M398 stainless steel and features our distinctive “Double Dent™”—a pair of symmetrical dimples in the blade that provide a solid purchase for a fingernail-free two-handed opening. In addition to its larger size, the Roadie XL also adds a deep-pocket wire clip for convenient top-of-the-pocket carry.”
Now, let’s talk about M398, one of Spyderco’s premium powder metallurgy steels, only available in limited flash batches, all made in Maniago, Italy.
From what I understand, M398 is closer to CPM-90V than to M390. Quoting Darrin Thomas’s analysis (which is worth reading in full):
“The original M390 has a reported carbide volume of 20.5%, and the new M398 has about 30%, so there has been an increase in carbide of almost 50%. We would expect this to lead to a significant reduction in toughness along with an increase in wear resistance. The datasheet shows that the toughness of M398 is only about a third of M390, though at somewhat higher hardness. So it is apparent that the design of M398 is all about wear resistance and essentially ignores toughness. M390 has only slightly lower toughness than K390 with similar carbide volume (though K390 was tested at 62 Rc). M398, on the other hand, has significantly less toughness than the similar carbide volume S290. However, M398 does have some positive traits, such as increased hardness and reduced retained austenite relative to M390. I’m personally not all that interested in yet another high edge-retention steel that sacrifices toughness, ease in sharpening, and workability. We had other options and this initial look doesn’t make M398 appear to be an improvement over the other available steels. M398 was a relatively simple modification of M390 and I can’t help but think that a more optimized version could be made. M390 did offer similar toughness to cold-work tool steels like K390 with a similar carbide volume, but M398 has significantly lower toughness than the similar carbide volume S290. So M398 doesn’t appear to be over-performing relative to its composition and carbide content. I wrote about some Bohler-patented high wear resistance steels using niobium instead that look very interesting but haven’t seen a commercial release. Those steels would be breaking new ground and potentially offering new property combinations not previously available. But if Bohler pushes out M398 more broadly it will be interesting to see how knifemakers utilize the steel for applications that benefit from high wear resistance and edge retention.”
When M398 was used in a previous flash batch for the SpyMyto, I wasn’t particularly excited—it felt like overkill for a folder that seemed built for hard use. The Myto is essentially the big brother of my Nano made in CPM Magnacut, and a SpyNano in M398 is also on the bench. In comparison, Magnacut is far tougher than M398, making it more suitable for wide, workhorse blades.
On the Roadie XL, though, this is a different story. Like with my Heinie Urban in S90V, these small blades are not intended for bushcraft—but some highly skilled bushcrafters can make miracles with even a 2-inch slipjoint, as shown in an inspiring video I recently saw.
Slip-joints are gentle companions for both ladies and gentlemen. For those with long nails, the Roadie XL is equipped with its distinctive “Double Dent™”—a pair of symmetrical dimples in the blade that provide a solid purchase for a fingernail-free, two-handed opening.
Its high wear resistance comes in handy, as these small blades often encounter cardboard, which can be surprisingly abrasive. I also recall Roger, my father-in-law, wielding his old Pradel slip-joint like a crowbar or flat screwdriver, without a second thought. Old-timers often treated knives mercilessly, using them until the blade was as thin as a needle.
I’m confident the Roadie XL with its M398 blade would make an excellent hare skinner—the fur is full of sand that can destroy an edge almost instantly. Tuscan hare hunters would likely appreciate its durability. Its high wear-resistant alloy makes perfect sense here. Additionally, the blade is relatively thick at 2.8 mm, which would otherwise be prone to breakage.
Ergonomically, the Roadie works beautifully for a slip-joint because you can hold the blade by its choil—a feature rarely found on traditional slip-joints. Even most Swiss Army Knives lack that level of security, and with M398’s toughness, the blade cannot close on your fingers. As Spyderco notes:
“Unlike traditional penknives, the Roadie also features a subtle index-finger choil that increases control of the knife during use and acts as a safeguard against unintentional closure.”
There’s no undue pressure on the pivot, often the most delicate part of many folding knives. If you are careful not to twist the point in wood, the Roadie XL can withstand applied force directly to the blade. This makes it another “Lil Big Blade”—small but versatile.
It can serve as a steak knife, whittler, label remover, balloon popper, nail cleaner, or cardboard cutter. Brown cardboard is notorious for edge damage, but not for an alloy like M398, packed with carbides.
And in today’s world, one more practical advantage: it is extremely sheeple-friendly. The Roadie XL looks like a pocket knife, not a tactical or soldier’s tool, making it socially unobtrusive yet highly capable.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but to me, this blade—shaped almost like a scaled-down cutlass—is pure eye candy.
Interestingly, I’ve discovered that I can open it one-handed in two distinct ways:
A fast wrist flick while holding the blade itself.
By gripping the blade with thumb and index finger and gently pushing the handle away with the middle and ring fingers.
So, even though it wasn’t designed as a one-hand opener, the Roadie XL can function surprisingly well as a one-handed knife in either technique.
Compared to a traditional sheepfoot slipjoint, the Roadie XL is incredibly light yet sports a premium alloy blade (Since August 2025 another slipjoint with M398 is available: The Metropolitan.). And at under 100 euros, the Roadie XL is an exceptional bargain for what it offers.
This is one of Sal Glesser’s finest EDC designs—a true Every Day Carry folder that balances elegance, utility, and performance. And for once, size really matters with a Roadie. No wonder it’s already sold out on the Golden site! There is part II here.
I know Jiminy (Cricket) since 1994. I even have used to have a pink version of this little bugger in the last millenium. Today, while making a little pilgrimage in famous Kindal cutlery shop in Paris,
Mme Kindal has displayed me one of her many treasures displayed, next to a Janisong and a Military titanium… It was love at first sight for that blast from the past little big knife. Because there is a lot of power in that compact package, it was the chance to carry another one of those New Old Stock.
It is true, the Tattoo version of the Cricket is a pure jewel and delight to look at and to use. It has been cleverly designed in House by Sal Glesser (but I won’t be surprise if Ed Schempp would have been also its inspiration). Based on the stainless steel version of the Cricket Tattoo it is really well made piece of cutlery.
Folded the C29T creates a rounded package that carries nearly invisibly in the pocket. The pocket clip carries right-handed tip-down but also attaches to a tie or makes a fashionable money clip. The anodized illustration is really elegant.
The Stainless Steel design using a Chris Reeve Integral Lock makes it really thin and easy to wear even in a shirt pocket.
It is a tip down carry which allow a very fast an elegant Spyderdrop opening. So its reverse “S” shaped blade get in action very very fast.
Its 2mm thick and 48mm long blade is tricky, thanks to its “S” shape: you got a longer edge to use. And like Eric Glesser’s Dodo, Sal Glesser Cricket is a geometrical trickster: the cutting angle is almost never at 90° to the separated material, acting like a sinusoïdal guillotine. It is very powerful. For a knife of its length, the Cricket is packing a lot of cutting power hence the name “Little Big Knife” used for that kind of Spyderco.
The Cricket is a joy to use in the garden on hard material…
… and on soft material.
Beware of that S Shape, beak or claw design, loves to catch anything around, you thumb for example can bleed in a blink of the eye.
The beak penetrates in any plastic sheet very aggressively. It is even surprising how easy it can open packages.
Some people are not fans of S Shape blade or any blade with recurved edge. It is a natural shape found in claws, talons, teeth and beaks. But by using a rounded ceramic (VG10 is not difficult to get back to razor) and the corner of the leather pad, the Cricket keep its razor edge.
Here is with a Jade sharpener. I sharp the belly on the flat and the beak on the corners.
It opened design makes it a breeze to clean under the tap.
I highly recommend the Cricket as an EDC knife. It is a little but powerful “matter separator” destined for Ladies or Gentlemen for daily duties which can be clipped to a purse, a pocket even a bra. I also knew a former French Marines, six-foot-four and full of muscle, who had adopted the Pink Cricket as his main EDC. Go figure how this little knife makes you wish upon a star !
Since the reception of my Chief Native I have found that he was a sole survivor from a Xmas Mystery Box bought in Spyderco’s plant in Golden in December. In that box were different items and a rare Sprint Run Second Factory which was destined to end in my pocket and considered by myself IMHO as the perfect realisation of Sal and Eric ideas about pocket knives. In fact I think it is my favorite Spyderco ever. I have written a first review here. And now it is time for a second approach of Hellboy which has succeeded in kicking other knives from my pocket and quench my thirst for novelty.
So why ?
First the Native family feature an absence of hump on the blade making them very slick and beautiful.
Even the Shaman benefits from that.
The Chief is on the left and the Shaman on the right.
As you can notice the design of the Native Chief is really close to one of my favorite design: the AFCK. Sal Glesser was no stranger in the Benchmade BM800 AFCK back in the 90’s. He helped Les De Asis founder of Benchmade on it. They had both learned how to make Michael Walker’s linerlocks at Bob Terzuola shop. Both company were accelerating on the tactical lane in close formation.
As you can notice, my AFCKs (Advanced Folding Combat Knife) which was also designed by Chris Caracci a former Navy SEaL have been used a lot. The first version got a Spydiehole and the second version got an oval hole and an axislock. This design was one of my favorite for a big folding knife as EDC. And back then I was really in love with concept of tool highspeed steel on a modern plateform.
The same happend with that special Native Chief which got a very special alloy for its blade: CPM-4V. With that steel, the edge is strong and the thin blade is very solid. It gives a lot of confidence when cutting on a plate made of ceramic of glass. No chipping can happen. Hellboy has been used a lot for cutting pies and cake on glass plates and the edge behavior was not disappointing. When I have noticed a little shiny spot, some white ceramic was able to put everything back on line but it was really minor.
Now CPM4V is not stainless. It will form a patina or, worst, rust very quick and easily when used in acidic matters like cutting lemons and being used on a salad with vinegar. DLC coating is really welcome for that kind of behavior. Back in the 90’s Benchmade was offering only PVD coating which is really inferior to Diamond Like Coating. So far the blade of my Chief is not marked and scar by it various cutting tasks even when cutting. My previous Chief was a naked Rex45 blade and it was another story told here.
Even strawberries can darken the edge of CPM 4V.
But cheese is a great way to notice how DLC is making the surface of the blade less sticky but more stinky.
The Chief was not always used on gentle medium like wood.
It was also used on plate with vinegar salsa. Here it is basamic vinegar from Modena.
In the kitchen the knife is really behaving like an paring knife. It is really handy on fruits and vegetables. Its very pointy blade is great to carve. .The mechanism has never suffered from being wet and rinsed under water. The knife was smooth through and through its various wet works.
Now I like to have chamfered and smooth handles and blade spine. The Chief is known to be very square everywhere. The G10 has been easy to smooth with sandpaper used wet to avoid toxical dust. Now the blade spine is DLC coated and it was my esthetic choice to remove the coating on all the length of its spine.
I love the result.
It has been done with some diamond rods. Now the spine is much more confortable for my thumb in case of push cuts.
CPM 4V on that Native Chief platform is really the bread and butter for a strong thin folder. I’m not afraid to use hard on wood and plastic. And it is a must in the kitchen various missions. It has been also test on different hard wood and compared (geometry speaking) with many other knives I got. One of my champion is the Swayback in term of smooth pushcuts. But also the Wolfspyder and the Yojimbo.
My Chief needed more convexing and thinning to go to the level I was expecting. Again diamonds has been used handfree to remove the shoulder of the edge. CPM 4V keeps a very very crispy edge and bites in the wood very aggressively.
CPM M4 is a stunning alloy which is prefered on fixed blade but it is a gem on a long and thin folder. It makes it super solid with a very permissive edge.
Some will argue that toughness is not important in folders or fine slicing knives and feel that only edge retention matters in that case because they don’t use their knives in aggressive ways which are likely to lead to chipping. However, broken tips are still common on small knives and kitchen knives. And with higher toughness, the knives are better able to handle thin, low angle edges without chipping. And they can be heat treated to higher hardness to help prevent edge rolling and deformation, while still maintaining good toughness. This means that, indirectly, higher toughness can lead to better cutting performance because of the possibility of thinner edges.
The good news is that CPM Magnacut has been copied on CPM 4V behavior.
Article written by Nemo Sandman – Edited the 5th of November 2025. All rights (pictures and text) reserved.
Have you ever wondered why so many Spyderco Sprint Runs seem to appear out of nowhere, featuring gorgeous carbon fiber handles and impressive CPM S90V blades?
It’s simple — Sal Glesser loves both materials.
For him, carbon fiber reflects his lifelong passion for motorsports, while S90V stands out as a stainless steel in a league of its own, combining high performance and outstanding reliability.
So, long story short: Full Flat Grind + Carbon Fiber + S90V = Sal Glesser’s favorite combo!
And to quote my friend Spydercollector:
“When the Bushcraft fixed blade was first announced, Sal also planned to do a so-called NASA version; a version of the Bushcraft knife with all high-tech materials. I believe NASA is a protected name, but Endeavour still evokes the high-tech approach most people associate with the famous space agency. The Endeavour features a full flat grind S90V blade and full sculpted carbon fiber handles. It was a beautiful knife with a grip that had me looking around for stuff to cut.”
Here is the Proficient: it is designed by wilderness expert Chris Claycomb of Bushcraft UK, the Proficient functions perfectly with traditional bushcraft skills and cutting methods. Carefully contoured and polished to eliminate hot spots and ensure maximum comfort during prolonged use.
Bushcraft knives are defined by specific parameters — typically featuring blades between 4 and 6 inches. Spyderco’s Bushcraft model fits perfectly within that tradition: a 4-inch, full-tang blade with no handguard, purpose-built for control and versatility.
In true Bushcraft spirit, users generally favor high-carbon tool steels over stainless options, prioritizing edge retention and cutting performance rather than corrosion resistance. The O-1 tool steel used here, with its high carbon content, delivers excellent long-term sharpness while remaining easy to resharpen in the field.
Carried on the belt or strap in a leather sheath, this knife is blueprinted for wilderness chores — slicing, chopping, whittling, and processing game — all in the traditional Bushcraft style.
To quote Spyderco: “The Spyderco Proficient takes the concept of the traditional “do-all” bushcraft knife and elevates it to new levels of performance with state-of-the-art materials and manufacturing methods. Designed by wilderness expert Chris Claycomb of Bushcraft UK, the Proficient functions perfectly with traditional bushcraft skills and cutting methods while offering superior durability, edge retention, cutting performance, and corrosion resistance Instead of traditional carbon steel and an axe-like “Scandi” (Scandinavian) grind, the Proficient’s blade is crafted from vanadium-rich CPM®S90V particle-metallurgy stainless steel and boasts a full-flat grind for low-friction cutting performance.“
This concept of a stainless blade paired with a black polished handle has, ten years later, been fully embraced — a perfect example being the Casström No.10 Swedish Forest Knife in Black Micarta with a 14C28N flat grind.
I first discovered CPM S90V back when it was still known as CPM 420V, thanks to Darrel Ralph (RIP) and his beautiful Apogee folder. The blade was astonishingly wear-resistant — so much so that, without diamond abrasives, only a backstand could bring it from dull to sharp. It was a bear to sharpen then… and still is today.
The difference is, as end-line users, we now have easy access to industrial diamond tools, making steels like S90V finally practical to maintain at their full potential.
I have written a lot about S90V. This alloy has proven it can be tough enough as a stainless steel to be used in any all terrain tools; especially since it is available on Manly folders which got the reputation of using a very fine thin geometry on their blades. Modern Bushcrafters (like the Benchmade Puukko) are focused on toughness with the use of the very tough CPM 3V.
What does CPM S90V bring to the table?
It’s incredibly wear-resistant. This steel is notoriously hard to dull, even when cutting abrasive materials like brown cardboard loaded with silica. It keeps its edge far longer than most steels, making it ideal for demanding, real-world use. Also the full flat grind is a must in a matter separator specialized in wood works. As much as I love Scandi Grind found on Woodlore clones (first designed by Ray Mears). I have found that especially in the wonderful Spyderco Sprig full flat ground knives can be really efficient on hard wood. (BTW when the writing appears in green: it is a link !! and I have tested them here.)
It’s stainless! Even if you (like me) enjoy the patina that forms on a great carbon steel blade, there’s real peace of mind in using a reliable stainless steel — especially when working near water, in the rain, or by the sea.
The Sprig was an impressive tool in terms of pure geometry. Designed as a hunting and fishing knife, it was a real wood eater — a beaver of a blade, cutting deep and effortlessly.
Guess what? The Proficient shares the same profile, especially after a bit of convexing — which I’ll be covering soon in a second article.
So far, that contoured handle is an absolute delight to use, and I’ll be putting it to the test in the upcoming piece. While the old O1 Bushcrafter had enough heft for light chopping, the Proficient excels at powerful push cuts — a completely different experience.
Interestingly, the Proficient isn’t a big knife. Once sheathed, it can disappear into the front pocket of a pair of denim jeans — no need to let it dangle from a belt. So what do we got ? Imagine the plateforme of the Bushcrafter (link) a solid companion, a reliable 4×4 and you just turn it into some Urus from Lamborghini: stellar alloy and lighter tougher handle. The Proficient is Sal Glesser’s gambit — a bold move in a world where the bushcraft community traditionally favors carbon steel and natural wooden handles. This knife dares to break from that norm.
Of course, this jewel comes at a price, and most bushcrafters aren’t Wall Street sharks. They use Opinel, Mora, or at best a €100 fixed blade — unless they’re ready to splurge on an original Woodlore.
So, the “stealth wealth” of this NASA-grade bushcrafter isn’t for everyone. It’s like a Lamborghini — not the most practical, but a statement of refined performance and engineering excellence. Because in the end, real performance comes at a price.
Article written by Nemo Sandman – Edited on November 5th, 2025. All rights (pictures and text) reserved.
Prologue: “Seeing what I believe.” On one of the social networks an happy owner of a new Spydiechef in LC200N steel (like the UKPK) was displaying some pictures of his new acquisition. And there go the comments, mostly to congratulate him and share experiences… when I have noticed some young guy’s: “Too bad this knife is provided with a steel softer than the wooden board it is displayed on.” I thought to myself: could LC200N have a reputation of being soft ? Immediately I have checked the Rockwell of Spyderco’s LC200N found on various sites and apart the LC200N Mule being at 56 HRC, it is known to be currently at 58 HRC. So I have asked to young guy (very proud of its REX45 collection) what LC200N knife he has had such a bad experience with, sharing with him my own mostly excelelnt experience with LC200N I own. After a very long passive-aggressive answer from him (we know how people are such a d1ck with a keyboard under their fingers…) about how he was so knowledgable by just watching videos on youtube he then wrote me that he had never owned any knife in LC200N. So eventually this guy was pissing on the parade with zero knowledge of the subject. It is typically the kind of behavior we can notice on the social networks those days. Some so called “experts” don’t believe what they see but only they only see what they believe. The armchairs specialists are long disappeared and here comes the arrogance of the “believers”. This is the plague of our time: not being your own source. Not checking twice. And not experiencing first hand what is put as a statement. This is some kind of Reign of Assumptions with its digital garden where flourish fake informations in all subjects. This is not something to be taken lightly. And the only cure is being your own source then read, check and cross opinions.
Anyway… Is LC200N as soft as wood ? Certainly not. It is even much better than H1 in terms of edge holding. (H1 being the other steel on the Salt Serie). But H1 is excellent on serration blade, as it is getting harder during the serrating process like 67HRC. (H1 being a work hardened steel, the process that grinds the SE blades hardens the edge to 67, while the PE blades are 58.) Also you can’t have flat ground blade with H1 but you can with LC200N. So far, LC200N as 58HRC has amazed me. Of course it is not in the range of Maxamet or 20CV but it is worry free good edge holding and not chipping edge’s steel.
Also I have notice how people believe cutting wood is the ultimate edge holding challenge. Nope. Cutting clean piece of wood is not challenging in my own experience. I have found different grain of steel react on different grain of wood. M2HSS (Speedstar steel) gave me soft surface on chestnut cuts for example. The challenging media to cut through are brown cardboard for example because of sand in it. Cardboard and also great way to refresh an edge by stropping the blade on it. You can have a look at my journey in Tuscany with the Spydiechef.
Back on the UKPK. I have “unshouldered” my edge to get to a gentle convex, keeping the manufactured edge with its microserrations. I always do that when I love a knife as my favorite way to refresh my edge is using an old barber leather bought in Tuscany on a garage sale 15 years ago.
The blade stays “lock” in open position when stropping and this is much better that previous version of the UKPK like I have stated in the first glimpse. The razor’s level of sharpness is easily restored and the thin blade goes steadily into all material it has encountered. One great enemy of a fine edge is the plate under the meal. Many times I have given an angle to my knife to avoid touching the ceramic at a 90° angle. With the UKPK I have not given a shoot. I have use it as my steak knife like they were no tomorrow. Also the the yellow knife has been friendly approved by the rest of the family who has used it also on plates and stuff without any sign of pity. The edge near the point has rolled but nothing I could not fix in less than 5 seconds on a ceramic rod. Eventually the rest of the blade was mostly as razor as before. On short blades mostly the point and the very first part of the blade are used on board/plate cutting. It is also a part I have less convexed to keep some useful thickness there. Of course cutting lemons and any acid food will never bring any sign of patina on LC200N and many times I have fold it dirty when it was not just quickly rinsed under the tap. The UKPK also offers a very pointy blade which proves to be very useful in many task. LC200N being very forgiving it is sturdy enough for not having any concern about it. Of course I won’t use a slipjoint like a bushcrafter or even the great Wolfspyder but still, old timers used to go in the wood only with Swiss Army Knives or Pradel slipjoints folders and were able to use them for many camp tasks. The choil and hump of the UKPK’blade working as quillions you can apply a lot of force directly to the blade as I have also been whittling with it.
The thin spine makes it not really confortable for thumb pushing cuts though. In that game of pushcuts the Yojimbo 2 is king with its 4mm spine. But the UKPK goes deep in its cut without much pressure on the spine. Also when the blade is stuck in the wood it has no tendencies to fold on your finger like previous version of it. This is a great relief. The yellow handle looks like plastic but those FRN slabs are very rigid. There is no play and it gives you a felling of confidence in your tool. Also the “pro-sheeple” general look helps a lot when using the UKPK in public. So far it has developed zero plays which is enjoyable.
Quick draw: a friend has challenged me to open the knife using my major finger. At first I thought it would not be possible unless being Check Norris. Eventually:
But this is in Spyderdrop that the UKPK is steadily open: holding the knife by the hole and with a flick of the wrist. So it is a slipjoint with a very fast draw opening. The previous Spyderco Splijoint as fast as this one is my Pingo which can be open by inertia as the momentum of the thick blade helps a lot.
So far the UKPK has proven to be a fun knife to use. It is easy to deploy and reliable on the tasks. It can be a primary knife in the city and secondary knife in the woods and its lightness makes it easy to keep in the pocket. It will also find a place to be clipped on any swimsuit and that what makes it so unique. Fishermen will be very glad also as it is so easy to clean and to spot. The opening of the 3 screws montage on this UPKP (some other G10 UKPK got a longer spring/backspacer and 4 screws) make it a breeze to rinse. It is a Gentleman/Lady knife with an all terrain attitude and a very reliable positive semi locking system which can sustain a lot of power cuts. Really a unique gem !
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