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Advice, Folders, Review

Spyderco Edgerati part 2 – The KWEMRP That Commands Attention !

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The Edgerati is a knife meant to be seen. Concealed use is not its calling; it is designed to be displayed. This intent is immediately evident in the intricacy of its handle, crafted from aerospace-grade aluminum—a material currently coveted in both automotive and mobile technology. Its aesthetic is at once modern and authoritative, a subtle nod to industrial sophistication.


This folding cutting tool feels as though it stepped straight out of a James Cameron film—somewhere between The Terminator, Aliens, and Avatar. With its feather-light, aerospace-grade construction and unapologetically high-tech design, it belongs as naturally on Pandora—clipped to the gear of a frontier colonist—as it does in the pocket of a discerning collector. Sleek, precise, and unmistakably futuristic, it carries the kind of visual authority that would make it an effortless on-screen presence: a prop that doesn’t just look the part, but performs with the same credibility in the real world as it would under cinematic scrutiny.

The clip positions the knife prominently in the pocket, foregoing deep-carry discretion for confident visibility. For those who prioritize subtlety, this may give pause—but the Edgerati embraces its presence unapologetically. Lightweight yet commanding, it wears its virtues with pride.

What truly surprised me was the Edgerati’s rare equilibrium between strength and comfort—its balance giving the knife an almost living presence in the hand. I had anticipated something more cumbersome, even imagined that maintenance might prove tedious, yet the opposite is true. The Edgerati feels intuitive, effortless. Whether in the kitchen or deep in the wilderness, it performs like a seasoned workhorse. The blade deploys with immediacy and closes with a swift, reassuring snap, reinforcing the impression of a tool engineered with equal measures of precision and confidence. It’s the kind of knife my friend Sancho would appreciate—always eager to move fast and light, even when chasing joggers. (This is indeed a private joke… Sancho doesn’t actually run—he ambushes them.)

The geometry of the blade underscores its reliability: it cuts deep, precise, and confidently. Out of the box, the factory edge is nothing short of perfect—a testament to the meticulous craftsmanship that defines the Edgerati.


There is, admittedly, one small point of contention. While the S30V blade—expertly heat-treated by Spyderco—represents one of the finest expressions of this steel, I couldn’t help wishing for something a touch more adventurous. To be clear, CPM S30V remains a benchmark alloy, purpose-built for cutlery and still remarkably relevant. Yet today, we live in an era blessed with extraordinary newcomers—Magnacut, or even CPM MagnaMax. One can’t help but imagine, just for a moment, what the Edgerati would feel like straight out of the box with a MagnaMax blade: a true thunderclap, a statement heard across the knife world. For now, that dream must wait—but it certainly makes the prospect of future Sprint runs all the more tantalizing.

In the kitchen, hands are often wet—or worse, slick with oil. This is the ultimate test of a knife’s ergonomics: can it be drawn from the pocket and handled with confidence, without any risk of slipping? The Edgerati answers that challenge effortlessly. Its handle offers a subtle, almost rubber-like tactility under the fingers, and once in hand, it seems to lock naturally into the palm, inspiring immediate control even in the most slippery conditions. Just as importantly, its open construction makes the knife remarkably easy to clean under running water, while full access to the mechanical components simplifies maintenance and lubrication—practical virtues that reinforce its status as a true everyday tool.

And so, maintenance remains refreshingly straightforward: a single drop of oil can be applied directly to the detent ball path, ensuring consistently smooth action without the need to disassemble the knife. This is a clear advantage afforded by the knife’s unique design, offering genuine, everyday value to the end hard user.

I brought along my 1990s ATS-34 Sebenza and my Falcon to compare the weight and feel of these classic titanium-frame folders against the lightweight, aluminum-framed Edgerati.

The contrast is immediate: the Edgerati feels astonishingly light and well balanced in the hand, yet without ever compromising solidity or control.
Rest assured, I also appreciate the reassuring heft in the hand when handling “Honor”, and it’s precisely what made the Sebenza so successful: a sharp, reliable tool that is simple to disassemble, clean, and sterilize. (Click the links to explore its full history.)
And for the record, the Massdrop Falcon is the knife that ultimately prompted me to retire both the Techno 1 and Techno 2 from my “compact, robust folder” rotation. And truly—it’s that good.

I had initial concerns about that aluminum coating, but so far it has proven remarkably resilient. It shows no fragility, and the minor signs of wear blend seamlessly into the overall aesthetic. This is a knife that seems destined to age gracefully, acquiring character without compromising its refined appeal.

For those who appreciate a personal touch, customization is not merely possible—it becomes transformative. I chose to slightly round the spine of the blade, softening its edges and taming the aggressive upper jimping, using nothing more than a simple, coarse €5 diamond file. The result is subtle yet meaningful, enhancing comfort without compromising the knife’s character, and reinforcing the idea that the Edgerati welcomes thoughtful, owner-driven refinement.

Using the straight spine of the blade to push or gather ingredients on the cutting board is another advantage the Edgerati offers—something you simply can’t do with the Bodacious or the Shaman.



At 3.7 mm, the blade thickness may sound substantial on paper, yet the reality is far more nuanced. The Edgerati features a tall blade with a full flat grind, resulting in a geometry that is uncompromising straight out of the box. Thanks to its pronounced distal taper, the blade thins rapidly, delivering excellent cutting performance without any sense of excess material behind the edge. In that respect, it recalls me my Lil’ Temperance—4 mm thick, yet tall and very efficient. On a blade of this height, 3.7 mm translates to razor sharpness, with no penalty in use.
By contrast, the Shaman’s high saber grind required significant reprofiling to suit my preferences. Not so with the Edgerati—much to my own surprise. And considering that I routinely pair it with a Chaparral, one can easily gauge just how deeply I appreciate thin, efficient blade geometry.

The result is subtle yet immediately perceptible under the fingers, elevating both comfort and control and transforming the knife into something truly bespoke. The ability to tailor the Edgerati to one’s own preferences is not a mere convenience—it is an integral part of the ownership experience.

The Edgerati has proven itself a consummate workhorse, commanding respect far beyond the display case. It moves effortlessly from the precision of the kitchen—slicing sun-ripened tomatoes or conquering a stubborn squash—with the same grace and efficiency it demonstrates in the field, whether filleting fish, shaping kindling, or executing impromptu repairs.

Through every challenge—pictured here during my now-infamous “butt bottle” test—the blade retains its razor-sharp edge and the handle shows no sign of strain, a quiet testament to the knife’s meticulous engineering. It is a piece that draws admiration, and occasionally amazement, at first glance, yet continues to thrive under the most demanding real-world conditions—a rare and compelling union of refined elegance and enduring, work-ready reliability. This blade feels unmistakably powerful the moment it meets material.
Thanks to its more pronounced point and more efficient overall geometry, the Edgerati delivers deeper, more decisive cuts with noticeably less effort than the Shaman. Again, in my experience, every Shaman I’ve owned required edge refinement to meet my expectations; with the Edgerati, no such intervention has been necessary, to my own surprise.

In short, the Edgerati is not merely another elaborately designed folder, nor simply a lighter reinterpretation of the Spyderco Shaman; it is a statement of modern design—a precise balance of form and function that commands attention while delivering uncompromising performance.
One might even call it a KWEMRP: a Knife Where Elegance Meets Rugged Performance. 😉.

And here’s a video clip featuring Sonoya Mizuno that could have inspired the Edgerati’s design:

Folders, Review

NATIVE CHIEF™ LIGHTWEIGHT SALT® CPM® MAGNACUT® — Teeth For The Deep.

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Serrations aren’t everyone’s favorite, but one thing is undeniable: Spyderco knows how to make them perform. I’ve tested serrated Chaparrals and even the semi-serrated CPM-M4 Tenacious, but the Salt Chief in Magnacut takes this to another level thanks to its relatively long blade.
The “Salt Chief” … does it ring a bell to South Park’s fans ?
(Ah, Isaac Hayes Salty Chocolate Balls...)

For the record, Magnacut behaves similarly to CPM-4V but is far more stainless, which explains why the Salt Series (like this Chief) thrives in humid and coastal conditions.
(The LC200N version of the very same knife (with green FRN handle) would be even better in terms of corrosion resistance but Magnacut’s edge will last longer.)

My first Chief, a special edition in CPM-4V nicknamed Hellboy, was already a beast which I considered replacing my Spyderco C36 Military — and this lightweight Salt Chief has teeth that remind me of a Nine Inch Nails album : pointy, high tech, raw and aggressive.

This relatively long folder is remarkably light: 88 grams for a 102 mm blade — 21% lighter than the G10 version, according to Spyderco.

This is a serious tool for mariners, divers, explorers, military personnel, cooks, gardeners, and anyone who might let their knife get wet. Unlike my Salt Sage 5 (plain edge, monster in the woods), the Serrated Salt Chief is clearly aimed at humid/coastal environments.
(There is also a plain edge Salt Chief C244PYL which could be more versatile.)
The serrations concentrate force on small points along the edge, allowing fibers to be cut more effectively than a plain edge of the same thickness. Each tooth acts like a mini-chisel, making tasks like slicing rope, cord, seatbelts, fibrous fabrics, or vegetation far easier.
But it will be harder to cut straight as the serrations are chisel ground on the left of the blade. So it will naturally be deviate to the right during a push cut.

The multiple points of contact make serrated edges actually longer than straight plain edge. Even if the points dull slightly, the valleys continue to cut, which is why serrated blades are preferred in emergency for cutting seat belts for example.
And serrated edge are not difficult to resharpen. Do it like you would sharpen a chisel with a ceramic able to reach each valleys. Once you get a burr just one or two passes on the other side of the edge and it is back to razor. No big deal really.
Magnacut love leather though; But it won’t be easy to strop it obviously, unless using the rims of a leather belt…

The ergos are just great. Same cockpit as the Native 5.

Out of the box, I noticed a slight tip imperfection — less than a millimeter — which I easily corrected on a diamond rod in under a minute. Even with Magnacut’s hard, corrosion-resistant steel, the tip can be fragile but repairable. This means one thing: use your sh*t !
This light amphibious folder is made to be a workhorse in the sea or earth because it is also easy to keep clean.

Those diamond corners are perfect to put a fresh edge on a serrated blade.

This time again, Spyderco uses a Full-Flat Grind with SpyderEdge. But this is a very very aggressive serrated edge, much more aggressive than the serrated Chaparral for example and, yes, so aggressive and pointy, it can snag and tear but it will do the job. It won’t be a clean cut but the job will be done very very quickly.
(On the Chaparral, the serration are rounded to avoid snagging when cutting. Those same serrations can be found on another serrated folder made in Taichung for Spyderco: the LC200N made Caribbean.)
So the Salt Chief serrated is also a potential emergency tool with a pointy blade!
It will excel in marine scenarios like cutting wet cordage very quick. So this knife feels especially suited for maritime or humid environments. Those serrations also will cut in vegetation with minimal effort. Actually even a gardener or a farmer would appreciate that raw cutting power made to endure mud and rain.
But keep it mind, this is raw cutting, fast and dirty. Perfect in emergency. But the cuts won’t be clean. You won’t slice raw meat into loafs like a chef knife would. Also keep it mind the the chisel edge blade will drift to the right.

As you can notice, the teeth of the Chief are more pointy and deep than, for example, the Tenacious CPM-M4 which is less agressive.

That lightweight Chief strong mid-backlock mechanism is impressive: no liners or spacers and… zero play (unlike my CPM-4V G10 Native Chief, which had slight vertical play.), and perfect action. The blade falls gently when unlocked, The drop-shut action is smooth, supported by a very strong spring, and the knife oozes quality from every angle.
Ah ! Zero play, this what we often got from Golden made backlocks this lightweight long knife is no exception !

This long pointy folder feels lighter than expected for its size, yet solid and trustworthy. It should be perfect for fishermen, mariners, firemen, policemen, divers, gardeners, ranchmen, farmer, construction workers or anyone working in the outside or in corrosive/humid environments from the rainforest to the ocean. The combination of Magnacut steel, Spyderedge, and Yellow FRN handle makes it an emergency tool — especially for those who value edge retention, corrosion resistance, and very aggressive cutting performance in wet environments.

In short, the Serrated Salt Chief designed by Eric and Sal Glesser is a serious, reliable, and powerful folder — perfect for professionals in demanding conditions who need to cut deep and quickly.

“I just got Eric a Megaladon Shark’s tooth for Christmas. Had serrations on the tooth, 150 million years ago. I don’t think serrations are a “new” thing.“
Sal Glesser

Folders

Cold Steel Recon 1 – Second Batch – Back In Black.

11 Comments

Cold Steel Recon 1 2011 Version
I always loved the way Lynn Thomson goes boldly when no other CEO as gone before. The Cold Steel production gave us carbon steel modern folders (Pocket Bushmane and ven the Archangel balisong series) and great choppers. Even the chance to own, try and understand weapons from many continent and many era.
I always enjoy the Proof videos and this company walks the walk and cuts the meat.

Triadlocks folders are IMHO a great improvement in lockback mechanism. The positive force of impact are no more entierly taken by the lock bar but mainly by a pin, like on frame lock or liner lock. And also, there is no more vertical play when cutting like on previous incarnation of that lock. Spyderco has also refined their new backlock mechanism, making it stronger and preventing that vertical play.

Last year, I wanted to try one of those new Cold Steel Recon 1. As I’m not a huge fan of Tantos blade, it was also the occasion to own again a Cold Steel Tanto as they were the first company back in the 80’s to advert this kind of shape.
First thing first. The knife price is not going to ruin you. So you buy a solid tool destined to be used.
The word Taiwan on it made me smile as all the productions knives I know (from the Spyderco Sage, Gayle Bradley, Bushcrafters to Le Pointu) manufacturated in that country are top notch in quality control. (Also the man who introduced me to Chris Reeve Sebenza is a Taiwanese collector, my friend Huan Shang “Hunter” Hsu !)

Second thing I made is sand the G10 handle. Oh you got plenty of thick G10 with a very ergonomic result. This G10 could ruin a trouser in 10 minutes. Once sanded it was perfect but the very short clip was also very tight. So again this was an adjustement easily done. ( Short high clip means: once it’s clipped it disappears completly !)
The heavy AUS8 blade can be open with flick of the wrist and you need some strenght in your hand to disengage the lock. You need to push the trigger release almost one centimeter to unlock the blade and the spring is very strong too.

Looking at the black blade, you can notice the knife got a little smooth belly on its primary edge. Without any ceramic from my Sharpmaker I was able to keep it razor sharp only using it on wood. AUS8 is easy on leather and bothe edge have been kept razor sharp.
Also when you cut in a plate only the corner between the primary and secondary edge (tanto point) is in contact with the ceramic: you cannot dull the knife just by eating with it.
My Tanto Recon has been used in the wood as a light chopping tool. It works great as you can hold its long handle by the back to have more momentum. It was a plesure to use and a very precise tool for any kind of wood cuts. The handle is very confortable and instinctively you choke it up to add more strenght. I also was able to baton with it (with its lock disengaged). But it was light batonning. I did not want to ruin it cause the more I used it, the more I enjoyed it !

This knife is really made to be a hard used folder. Perfect for a LEO, a soldier or someone who need a strong big knife. This is not a sheeple friendly knife. But its performance goes beyond my expectation, so it always find a place with me as a travelling knife of back up tool in my bag or in my car. Whe you hold the Tanto recon 1, it screams to be used hard. I’m so impressed with it that I will try to review soon one of Cold Steel Über Folding knifes (new Voyagers or Espada).
Huge folders got bad reputation but they are great travelling companions and the big tanto blade of the Recon 1 can be used for a lot of application and easily kept sharp.
Oh and the black Teflon coating is holding well. I got some scratches on the back of the blade after one year of use. Perharps I was not enough hard with that knife.

One last thing, it’s totally ambidextrious and a second clip is provided in its box. Nice touch !

Really the Cold Steel recon 1 in its second incarnation with the Triadlock is really a great big tool, very well thought and enginereed.I love mine. Since the blade is coated I would love to see 1095 blade used instead of AUS8. But so far that classic stainless steel is well heat treated