Disclaimer: before going further I need to precise that this knife has been sent to me for free by Golden as part of their brand ambassador program. I thank Spyderco for choosing this little blog and for their trust in my reviews.

“The Lil’ Temperance has been a 20 year personal project. We planned an FRN version 10 years ago, but because it is a smaller market to serve, and I wanted to epitomize the concept, the progress was slow. We changed the design, locks, clips, patterns, etc. Made many prototypes over the years.

The “Spirit” of the design has remained the same. Essentially, a tough, legal 3″ blade MBC folder. Along with my own experience, I had input from James Keating (the Riddle of Steel), Bob Taylor (Warrior designer), Mike Janich (whom we all trust and revere), Bram Frank, Craig Douglas and Laci Szabo. 

The first runs made for an interesting design, that was effective for two grips. Then I altered the design to also serve Pikal concepts (forward edge up and reverse edge in.), which was not incorporated in the original design.
I’m looking forward to the FRN version.
sal“

My first Lil’ Temperance was a “Rhino” — the nickname for the C69 full-flat-ground trailing point blade. That model was released 25 years ago. At the time, I also gave it another nickname: the Lil’ Chinook, after James Keating’s Chinook — a stout folder with a thick trailing-point blade made from CPM440V.

I even found a picture from Knives Plus to document it:

That folder was also available in Leaf Shape Blade like this new K390 just received from Golden today.

Twenty-five years ago, Sal Glesser was deeply influenced by the Martial Blade Craft approach. During that period, he designed the FB05 Temperance, a fixed blade in VG10 made in Japan with combat applications in mind. A trainer version was also available, featuring a red handle and a dull, skeletonized blade.

Sal also created a folding companion: the very stout Lil’ Temp C69, made in S60V (440V) in Golden. It was marketed as “a compact yet heavy-duty folding knife suitable for defensive use.”

Both the FB05 and the Lil’ Temp C69 featured round marks in their handles to facilitate quick grip changes — for example, transitioning from an icepick grip to a hammer grip — a key element in knife fighting. The C69 even had a special clip designed to match its three craters, showcasing the new in-house Compression Lock. The first iteration was extremely strong, often painfully pinching the skin between thumb and index, but in every other way, it was a true “folder on steroids.”

I don’t advocate using knives for defense; they should be a last-ditch option — the very last weapon you’d want to rely on. Historically, knives have always been tools of attack, from backstabbing to throat cutting, not instruments for self-preservation.That’s why I was glad to see that the Temperance II shifted toward a more “camp utility–oriented” design. The current Sprint Run of the Lil’ Temp I features a CPM Cruwear blade, which emphasizes tooling performance over combat potential. Unlike a VG10 blade, which could be used as a weapon, Cruwear is designed to stay sharp reliably over time — a knife for work, not just to be sharp once and used in aggression.

The K390 version of the Lil’ Temperance 3, following the path of the VG10 model, continues this shift from weapon to tool. Gone are the rotating points on the clip and handle; the focus is now purely on utility. With K390 steel, the knife becomes a genuinely tough, long-lasting edge tool — a folder built for work rather than combat.

That 4 mm-thick blade with its high full-flat grind really begs to be used hard — it inspires confidence in every cut. Its leaf-shaped profile would even make it an excellent Parmigiano knife, allowing you to twist the blade into the cheese to fragment it with ease. 😉 For reference, the Millie and Shaman feature slightly thinner blades at 3.7 mm.

K390 is simply a great steel. Period. I’ve already written extensively about it — for those interested, here’s a link to one of my detailed reviews.

In short, K390 is a high-vanadium tool steel with outstanding wear resistance. It can hold an edge through extended wood carving, feathersticking, or fire prep. Although K390 is non-stainless and will develop a patina, it is forgiving, strong, and maintains a razor-sharp edge for a very long time.

K390 is made for workers who need a reliable tool and know how to care for their blade. It responds exceptionally well to leather stropping, which helps maintain its edge. (For reference, the upcoming CPM Magnamax is expected to be a stainless version of K390, similar to how CPM Magnacut relates to CPM 4V.)

Keep in mind that K390 loves to patina and will rust if left unprotected. A light coating of mineral oil — like the kind sold by Ikea for cutting boards — is an easy and effective way to keep corrosion at bay.

I noticed a small nick on the out-of-box factory edge. No big deal — it happens, especially since the knife had just been “chipped” to France. 😉

To fix it, I reached for my Spyderco Stuff 2 and Fällkniven DC4 diamond stones. I worked the blade carefully, avoiding the edge on leather, until the nick was no longer visible. A few passes on a white ceramic rod brought the edge back to razor sharpness. Ten minutes later… the Lil’ Temp was ready for action.

It’s now impossible to spot the chipping — or maybe it was a slight bend. Either way, it’s fixed. I’ve seen the same issue with my Tenacious in M4 after it hit a stone floor, and once again, diamond stones worked their magic.

K390 behaves similarly to CPM-M4: it’s forgiving and easy to maintain despite being a stellar alloy. While I love CPM-15V for its toughness, it’s a bear to sharpen, whereas K390 is much easier to fix.

That said, K390 is still non-stainless: it will pit and rust if neglected. Take care of it. I know plenty of people who would struggle — they throw their knives in a toolbox and never clean them. K390 is not for them. But for those who maintain their tools, it’s a super duper steel that rewards proper care.

The Lil’ Temp has no choil, which means you rely entirely on the handle for grip and control. I love choils on slipjoints, where there’s no lock and you often grab the folder by the blade. But on a reliable locking folder, a zero choil works perfectly.

The Compression Lock is ultra-reliable, strong, and designed to prevent accidental disengagement. You can depend on it completely — there’s no fumbling, no second-guessing.

That thumb ramp is wide and a perfect comfy spot for your thumb or for that tender web skin between the thumb and the index finger.
The action is smooth but as smooth as the Sage5 or the Millie 2. No vertical play. No pinching. Drop chute after a little wrist flick.
The opening arc is a little wider on this one due to the placement of the hole a little far from the axis but the Spyderflick is easily done. It is fidget pleasant folder ! I don’t think it is good for tip down carry and “spyderdrops” as the guard is a little to wide. But for tip up carry and middle finger’s flips, it is perfect.
The relatively thick handle is really comfy even when squeezed.
So far I have not find any hot spot. I will certainly sand the edge off the FRN but nothing is really needed, it is just my taste in smoothing everything.

Lightweight ? Not really at 108 grams for a 3 each blade. Only 5 grams less than the G10 version. This “Lightweight” version has kept its two recessed skeletonized stainless steel liners (when the Para3 Lightweight, for example, ditched them). Here, only the G-10 scales has been replaced by two beautiful thick blue scales. This color is really sheeple friendly and the wife already likes it. The black clip is also a very nice touch. This folder oozes some very toolish scents: this is a work poney !

The open construction of the Lil’ Temp also makes it very easy to keep clean. You can rinse it and quickly check for any dirt or debris, which is especially useful after outdoor or kitchen use.

The heavy-duty clip is built for work. That FRN handle can be a pocket shredder — no doubt about it. Sanding the FRN scales doesn’t change that in my experience. This is a true blue-collar folder, meant to be clipped in solid pockets and relied upon day after day.

The knife is enough compact to jump into the watch pocket !

« I bend the clip slightly on almost every knife I carry.

I usually take something wedge shaped and slide it under the clip a small amount at a time until I get the bend I like. Not everyone will like the same bend so incremental bending works best. I like very little resistance in retrieving my knife from my Right-Front-Pocket. Just enough to keep it from falling out of my pocket. YMMV.

sal »
That’s a game changer and pocket savior once you have found the sweet spot of clip retention.

Once a samurai, now a wandering ronin. Once a self-defense knife, now a powerful tool. Regardless of its past, the Lil’ Temp is a true gem — thoughtfully designed, finely crafted, and made in Japan.

“The maker said it was a very difficult model to make, and for him to say that, I’m guessing it’s true. They’ve been making our knives since 1980. I worked with the Grand Father and the Father and Eric works with the son. I think we’re fortunate to be able to bring the model to you.

Sal“

Sharing the same FRN pattern as the Golden-made folders, the Lil’ Temperance features a larger pivot screw than the Para 3 and Sage 5 (made in Taichung). Despite its small size, the lack of a choil gives it plenty of usable edge.

Edge-wise, it’s impressive: the Lil’ Temp offers virtually the same cutting edge length as the larger and heavier Manix 2, all within a form factor similar to the Para 3. Its “no choil” design is reminiscent of my Tenacious, maximizing the usable blade while keeping the knife compact.

The blade length is just shorter than 3 inches with 74mm. It is not designed to reach the heart between the ribs. It is designed to work hard on various materials. It is designed as a formidable “hard use” cutting tool.

See how the poor bottle falls apart under the Lil’ Temp’s edge!

I remember seeing the Spyderco Police showcasing K390 — a knife originally oriented toward martial use, gradually drifting into more practical, tool-like applications. I’m glad to see the same evolution with the Lil’ Temperance: “Although rooted in Martial Blade Craft design, it provides reliable, full-service performance for any cutting task.”

And it doesn’t hide its abilities. Compact though it is, it’s unapologetically loud about its cutting power.

I couldn’t agree more — this is shaping up to be a truly tough, little big knife, perfect for Part 3 of my adventures.
But don’t forget the Part 2, first.