Disclaimer: This knife has been provided through Spyderco’s Ambassador Program, upon my own request. Thank you to the Spyderpeople for letting me review it.
This is a first look, first glimpse review — my very first impressions!
Mike Read’s custom Alien (£400,00 Elmax Blade) was presented to the world in November 2023, and it is now produced by Spyderco through Maniago, Italy under the name PITS 2 in 2025 for around €300,00. So this is an English design, produced by a Colorado-based company, and manufactured in Italy — you can’t get more international than that.
To respect the King’s Law in the UK, you need to carry a non-locking knife with a blade under 3 inches, and also have a good reason to carry it on your person. The PITS 2 respects those rules and looks far less threatening than the original PITS 1.
This isn’t my first Mike Read design — I reviewed his PITS 1 back in 2018 and loved it. That knife was his very intention of creating a solid workhorse with no lock. Two years ago, a sprint run in M390 appeared. Now comes the PITS 2, in M398, and to me, this is a much better design. Here’s why.
“Pie In The Sky” (not pig!) was Mike Read’s nom de guerre on the British forums. His specialty as a knifemaker is crafting non-locking knives: state-of-the-art tools with titanium handles and obsessive attention to detail. The PITS 1 was a looker — but the PITS 2? It’s eye candy.
Here’s a video from The Crafter Carry about the Alien:
Compared to the more angular tip of the custom Alien, I find the PITS 2 blade shape more graceful, with a nicer drop to the point.
The custom Alien used a titanium clip, whereas the production PITS 2 wears a steel one — but I actually prefer Spyderco’s version here.
What really makes it stand out is the handle mechanism:
“A truly unique non-locking mechanism that consists of two integral spring arms machined into the handle scales. The forward end of these arms, which supports the blade pivot, flexes as the blade is opened to provide pressure for its notched-joint mechanism to bear against the stop pin.”
That’s clever: just two integral spring arms machined into the handle that hold tension on the blade pivot. The absence of a traditional backspring makes for an open-handle design — easier to rinse under the tap and keep clean. Exactly what you want in a workhorse. (Let’s be clear: If you anticipate heavy-duty work (construction, field outdoors, survival uses) where a strong locking mechanism is required, then this may not be the optimal choice — you’d trade some robustness for style and finesse.)
The blade is made of Böhler-Uddeholm M398 particle metallurgy stainless steel — a steel in the same class as CPM S90V. It holds an edge forever, though it’s not the toughest, and you’ll need diamonds to sharpen it. I once broke the tip of my Roadie XL after a fall on tiles, but when used as intended, M398 is delightful. I’ve worked my Roadie XL and Metropolitan hard, and M398 has never failed me. This steel would be perfect also for hunters which need long edge holding when skinning.
Mechanically, this is the first Spyderco I’ve handled that’s harder to open than to close. The blade retention in the closed position is quite strong, while closing is much softer than most slipjoints. With wet hands, I even find it tricky to open — I have to “Spyder-drop” it by holding it by the hole!
At least, if a Police officer asks to see it, you must open it with two hands — another good point, as it’s clearly a gentleman’s knife, not a weapon. Also, while the PITS 1 looked somewhat like a skinner, the PITS 2’s drop point blade is much less aggressive-looking.
Inside the “cockpit,” there’s now a choil and a gentle hump, allowing a secure grip near the blade — something the PITS 1 lacked with a more aggressive quillon or guard for the index finger. So even with its softer closing action, it’s not a real issue. Still, when whittling hardwood, beware: that tall blade can snap shut faster than a UKPK or an Urban, both of which have stronger backsprings. Always use the choil!
The tall, thin blade arrives razor sharp out of the box. Geometry is spot-on for push cuts, and like the Slipjoint, Manly Wasp, Chaparral, or UKPK, performance is excellent. Let’s call that: “Perf In The Sky.” This will be a great travelling companion and even a hunter best friend.
Totally UK legal and of the highest quality imaginable, the PITS 2 is not a cheap knife — in fact, it’s pricier than the Chaparral Slipjoint — but it has that “Sebenza-like”feel of a high-quality titanium folder. A gem of a knife, and one of the rare non threatening slipjoints truly designed to be a hard worker.
The Spyderco Urban, Squeak, and UKPK family are the most addictive slipjoint lineups in the modern knife world. I have already written about them on this blog. The UKPK Salt is simply one of the best modern folders available nowadays. The Squeak is totally sheeple-friendly, and of course the Urban was made for city carry and can be carried almost everywhere except on airlines.
Spyderco’s description: “This Exclusive version of the Spyderco Urban™ was manufactured specifically for Heinnie Haynes (heinnie.com) and is available only through their sales channels. Originally introduced in 2009 and later discontinued, the Urban remains a cult classic among devoted fans of Spyderco’s non-locking, one-hand-opening, clip-carried SLIPIT™ knives. This distinctive expression of it showcases a leaf-shaped blade crafted from premium CPM® S90V® particle metallurgy stainless steel. The PlainEdge™ blade is full-flat ground for exceptional edge geometry and is proudly laser engraved with the Heinnie Haynes logo.Not to be outdone, the handle of this knife features distinctive red G-10 scales with a non-slip peel-ply texture. They complement the jimping (textured grooves) on the blade’s thumb ramp and index-finger choil to ensure a positive grip and outstanding control during use. A reversible deep-pocket wire clip provides a choice of left or right-side tip-up carry, making every aspect of the design completely ambidextrous.”
This red one is my third Urban. The first one was in K390, the second one was in AEB-L and was named Cappuccino. All of them were eventually pushed out of my pocket because of the greatness of the UKPK Salt in LC200N. Still, they have all been great companions during my travels in the UK, as they are fully legal: non-locking knives with blades under 3 inches (76 mm)… Eventually, I started looking for a G10 version with a full stainless steel backspacer, and I found the Heinnie Haynes exclusive version available on their site. It is not a cheap knife, be aware of that, but it oozes quality both on paper and in hand.
First things first, this Urban features a CPM S90V blade, the same steel found on the Proficient bushcraft knife. S90V was previously known as CPM420V, and it remains one of Sal Glesser’s favorite steels ever produced by Crucible.
S90V is famous for its incredible edge retention, and after 25 years of using it, I can tell you that it can also be a bear to resharpen. Diamonds are its best friends, and even then it requires a lot of white ceramic work and stropping… Compared to non-stainless super steels like Maxamet, it can be quite tedious to bring back to a truly razor-sharp edge. But once sharp, its working edge seems to last forever. This is exactly the opposite of my previous experience with Cappuccino, my AEB-L Urban. That knife was tough and incredibly easy to keep razor sharp, but it quickly lost its edge when used on abrasive materials like cardboard. S90V eats brown cardboard for breakfast and stays sharp for a very long time, but it takes patience to bring it back to a crisp razor edge. That is excellent when you need a long-lasting working knife on a trip where you did not plan to bring sharpening equipment. Sal Glesser trusts S90V enough to use that alloy on many of his own special Sprint Runs with carbon fiber handles. I have never been disappointed by S90V. Even on fixed blades or on the Manly folders, it has always been a game changer in terms of long-lasting sharpness, and in my experience it even surpasses CPM 10V. S90V is also highly stainless. Unless you plan to use your knife in the ocean, it can handle demanding work in the forest without needing immediate cleaning. It has also been noticed that this S90V Urban features a slightly thinner blade: 0.23 cm instead of 0.29 cm. The blade is also slightly shorter than previous Urbans, although I have not noticed any difference in real-world utility.
This Urban was made in Italy, and in my personal experience, Maniago craftsmanship has never been a disappointment. Your mileage may vary, but this has been mine. I have always been happy with my Spytalians!
G10 is not a common material on Urbans, as FRN dominates the lineup, and the texture of this G10 is even more distinctive. At first, I considered turning this knife into a smooth “pebble,” but… nah! It is great as it is. I only adjusted the feel slightly by sanding it, but overall this is a beautifully made, high-quality handle — once again, kudos to Maniago. All Heinnie Haynes exclusives feature this red treatment on the handle; it is their signature. The G10 version also benefits from a longer steel backspacer that closes the handle construction more completely.
Now about the action: this Urban has the strongest spring of all my slipjoints! That is actually a very positive point. I can still open it with a quick wrist movement, but closing it requires real force, which is rather rare — even in Spyderco production. (The first UKPKs were “chewing gum soft,” to quote Guillaume, moderator of the Spyderco Fan Club.) A strong spring combined with the absence of a lock makes it a great candidate for legal everyday carry nowadays.
Now regarding geometry, Maniago deserves another round of kudos! As you can see in the picture above, I was able to split a bottle bottom in a single pass with the factory edge. That is also rare! Even my beloved Hellboy needed some thinning before reaching that level. This is thin geometry straight out of the box! The short drop-point blade makes it an excellent whittler, and Spyderco truly knows how to make little big knives. The hump and choil transmit your cutting force directly into the blade, sparing the handle, pivot, and mechanism. It is a clever design, inspired by the old San Francisco gambler’s knives. Sal’s first implementation of this “cockpit” concept dates back more than 30 years to the C36 Military. The choil-and-hump combination is brilliant for preventing a non-locking blade from closing onto your fingers. To me, it is an absolute must-have!
So here we have a legal folder with a non-threatening blade, a strong non-locking spring, excellent cutting geometry, and stellar particle metallurgy steel. What is there not to love about this wonderful Urban?
You can cut a pizza on your plate and use it as a steak knife without raising any eyebrows. I use my knives directly on plates, and I know how to avoid dulling them on ceramic. My mother-in-law never places a knife near my plate anymore — that is how I can spot where I am supposed to sit at her table.
The Urban also has the perfect size for carrying in a Levi’s 501 watch pocket, and as you can see, mine has been shredded over time by many aggressive G10 handles before extensive sanding.
So yes, I highly recommend this excellent exclusive little knife. Again, it is not cheap, but the quality is there from tip to clip.
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