Spyderco Tenacious Reviews

As far as knives go this was a definite winner.

The good: Great ergos, smooth operation, Absolute control with the Spydiehole, No rough edges or surfaces(all polished), wide flat blade, easily sharpened, strong construction.

The bad: The blade steel could have been better. Maybe VG-10. After about 2 weeks of regular cardboard cutting it was butterknife dull. Nothing a good sharpening can't fix but it was tedious.

Overall: I am amazed at the quality of this knife for the price.

Price Paid: $38.00

Length of Time Used: Greater than 1 year

Use: Every Day Carry

Spyderco did a nice job with this one. Other than the fact that it was produced in China, I have no real qualms. It feels great, deploys easily, and performs well.

I do have to oil it up every once in a while as the pivot gets stiff. The 8cr13mov isn't the most amazing steel either, but it is still very usable. It is extremely easy to sharpen, but doesn't hold an edge very long.

The knife makes a good beater, but I'd like to see a US made version with a nicer steel.

Price Paid: $28.00

Length of Time Used: 1 year

Use: Every Day Carry

I purchased the tenacious last year when i was a freshman in college as my first "real" knife I used to have gerbers and a cheap buck knife so i decided to give spyderco a shot. As soon as i got it i couldnt stop playing with it and it felt so great in my hand. I spent about $30 on it so it was definitely a very nice knife for $30. The inside is pretty hard to clean up and seems to attract lots of dirt and dust and pocket lint. Aside from the pain to take it apart some times this is definitely a terrific knife and everyone should own one!

Price Paid: N/A

Length of Time Used: Greater than 1 year

Use: Every Day Carry

Resistance to wear is mediocre at best. Being made of 8CR13MO, the steel rolls at magnesium(Flint blocks). The edge holding ability is embarrassing, but it's one of the downsides for buying a cheap folding knife, look into Byrd knives for similar yet less expensive knives made of this steel.

One of the biggest flaws is the design, it's a Liner-lock model and has no under choil. That makes for one dangerous knife, simply try closing it and you will find there is nothing to stop the knife from closing upon your thumb, easy cuts may come while closing your Tenacious.

The G-10 material that this knife uses is notably and outstandingly different from the more prestigious Military, Police models. The G-10 is less grippy(Something that G-10 is supposed to do) and the screws are absurdly easy to destroy.

All in all, I would pick something else to buy for $30. 8CR13MO steel can be found on knives costing $15, part of the reason why this knife is priced out of it's abilities.

I would simply pay more for a knife, nothing wrong with Spdyderco but this knife belongs in the Byrd line. Look into the Native, cheap but with a great steel blade.



Price Paid: N/A

Length of Time Used: 3 months

Use: Every Day Carry

This is a solid, reliable knife that rivals other that cost much more. Its ergonomics are less than excellent because, like most Spydercos, the grip is thin. However, while this makes it less effective for long periods of heavy work, it makes the knife easier to pocket carry. If you carry a knife a lot, but use it only for brief chores, the Tenacious is a great choice.

Price Paid: N/A

Length of Time Used: 6 months

Use: Outdoor/Survival

The tenacious is one of the most raved about knives at the price point ($30), and for good reason. The fit and finish, while shy of Spyderco's $100 folders, will put most other $50 knives to shame.

The liner lock is thick and engages fully. I think it is comparable to the locking strength found on the Spyderco Military. The handle's ergonomics I would best describe as a smaller, less grippy Manix 2.

My biggest gripe with the Tenacious is that the combination of a stiff clip with the G10 makes getting the knife in and out of pockets difficult. This gets better with use.

Price Paid: N/A

Length of Time Used: 3 months

Use: Light Duty/General

For me this has got to be the absolute best knife in the $30-$40 price range.

I'm a big fan of the broad, drop-point blade. I also love 3" to 3.5" blades. I just find them more useful for EDC... and more satisfying. With the Tenacious the size is ideal, and combined with the shape, gives me great accuracy at the point while still being powerful enough for general utility. Tip strength has been adequate for me; blade still looks like new after many months on the job site. The blade is rather thick at the spine relative to other knives I own, which gives it decent heft and a strong feel. The gentle sweep of the blade gives you good access to the whole edge. The steel may not be the best, but it is a good compromise for this inexpensive knife. I find that this knife holds it's edge moderately well. However, the steel is very easy/quick to sharpen and can take a "shaving sharp" edge if you wish. I'm not very picky about blade steel as knives are simple to maintain in an EDC role. Other applications require higher performance for their specific intents and purposes. That said, I think this steel is adequate for camping and whatnot. I do have a couple complaints though. The finish on my blade was noticeably uneven if you held it just right in the light. also the grind near the tip changed angles slightly which really offended my type A self. It has gone away after a couple of sharpenings since it was really rather small. Still, you should know about these little QC issues.

The handle is mostly subjective, but here goes. The Tenacious is comfortably slim; NEARLY as slim as a Flash 1 or a Mini-Griptilian. The handle isn't overly long either, I think for most people this will fit well in their hand. Again the width is such that it nestles securely and comfortably under your knuckles and against your palm. The G10 scales are textured adequately, If you like aggressive texture on your handles like Kershaws gnarly Trac-tec (or whatever it's called), the Tenacious might not suit you. Personally, I find shape to be a more important to grip than texture. Which reminds me, The thumbramp on this knife is awesome and very secure feeling. The Jimping is almost not necessary for traction, but it is well executed regardless. Your thumb isn't going to slip over the blade, however I find that you can choke up on the blade well with your index finger for more precision if you need it. Steel liners... this is entirely subjective. For EDC they aren't a necessity, but I do feel with this knife that they make it VERY strong. Take it or leave it. If weight is your primary concern in a knife this size than look to the SOG Aegis or Flash 2, those are nice, reasonably priced knives.

The function of this knife is part of what makes it so great. One-handed operation is a cinch. Deployment is super fast. It might be the heft of the blade or the bronze bushings, but personally I think it's the oversized spyderhole. You can get the edge of your thumbnail in there and just fire the blade out. Locks up air tight with a comforting *SNAP*. Thanks to a large relief cut in the scales/liner and more jimping, the liner lock is super easy to get a hold of (not in such a way that you will get to it by accident though). The liner lock is beefy, probably over built, but that's determined by the liner thickness. The clip is very functional. Nice and rigid with good fit and finish (polished and rounded so it wont snag or wear on anything). It rides about as deep as any other knife Barring those lowriding SOG clips.

All in all I am extremely pleased with the package. I have 100% confidence in this knife, which is very important. Also I don't have to worry about abusing this knife for around $35. with some knives you hesitate when confronted with certain tasks, just because you don't want to jack them up... with the Tenacious you don't really have that problem. If a "10" in value you means you get your moneys worth than this knife gets a "12".

Hope I didn't leave anything out.

Price Paid: N/A

Length of Time Used: 1 year

Use: Every Day Carry

This is the best bang for my buck that I have found. The Tenacious is what I would consider a budget hard use folding knife. This knife is not light by any means. It's not the heaviest knife I've carried either, but definately not light. I'll start from the tip and work backwards. The tip of the blade is nicely shaped, not too fragile, but still compact enough to make a good pierce. The blade itself has a full flat grind, which makes this knife a surprisingly good slicer. For a full flat grind blade, it is a touch thick though. The steel is 8Cr13MoV, which is a chinese steel. I'm not overly impressed with the steel, a far cry from what I'd call premium steel, but it suffices. It doesn't hold an edge particularly well, but it is very easy to sharpen. The blade has a hole, affectionately known as the spyderhole by Spyderco fans. I personally love it. I don't have to search for it like I would a thumb stud...my thumb finds the hole immediately. My thumb also does not slip out mid flick, unlike a thumb stud. The blade has a nice little thumb ramp, with excellent jimping. The jimping is not too sharp, but is nice and big and provides ample grip. The pivot itself is decent. I've heard but haven't confirmed that the Tenacious has phosphor bronze bushings in it. I do not know this for sure, but they are certainly smooth. The knife scales are made from G10 plastic, very common. It's nicely textured, still easily grippable when wet. Behind the G10 scales, there are steel liners, and of course the knife is a liner lock knife. The liner lock is very stout, and locks up tight. There is a very minor amount of blade play side to side, but this really exists with most, if not all, knives. If you don't want any blade play at all on your knife, spend 300 bucks...and still probably have a little. The liner lock has equally excellent jimping as the thumb ramp. Sitting atop the scales is a very thick pocket clip, which can be positioned in any one of 4 spots for tip up or tip down carry, lefty or righty. Lastly, there is a lanyard hole if you're into that. Overall, this knife is very usable and can do anything from cutting rope to spreading cheese(yep, that's right). I'm very impressed, because a knife of this caliber is rarely found if ever at this price. It fits my hand very well, has no problems with cutting tasks, has superb build quality(blade was dead center and I've heard others who also had perfectly centered blades), and most importantly it is controllable and cuts well. Unlike some other cheapies, I don't expect this knife to break or fail. I don't recall what I paid, but it was something like 30 bucks. This is a great first time folding knife and it's a great EDC for a knife guy who wants something they don't have to worry or care about. I don't think you can really go wrong. Spyderco has really done a great job and I look forward to their future offerings in this class.

Price Paid: N/A

Length of Time Used: 1 year

Use: Every Day Carry

This is a great knife to get if your budget is on the shallow end of the money pool. It really fills out the hand well and feels great for everyday carry. The full flat ground blade is an excellent slicer, and true to all spyderco products it comes shaving sharp right out of the box. Even though it is made in china I really feel this is a great quality knife, something that I have really come to expect from spyderco.

Price Paid: N/A

Length of Time Used: 1 year

Use: Light Duty/General

I have owned this knife for a week, before you dismiss this review understand this about the tenacious. This is the knife that got me back to Spyderco, I owned an endura in the late 80's early 90's, and moved on to other knifes, then I stumbled onto a you tube review of the Tenacious and ordered one, since then I have purchased a Sage, Native, Native III and Native IV, and have ordered another Tenacious, in fact I think I will give my three sons and one son-in-law a Tenacious for Christmas. Lock up is tight, blade opening is smooth, and the blade shape is perfect for all around cutting chores. This is my perfect EDC!

Price Paid: N/A

Length of Time Used: Less than 1 Month

Use: Every Day Carry

The Spyderco Tenacious is a great all around knife. I paid 34 dollars shipped. For the money, it doesn't get better than the Tenacious.

The liner lock is nearly indestructable, phosphor bronze bushings at the pivot, and some very nice G10 knife scales with good texturing. The Tenacious is the beefiest liner lock I've seen by Spyderco.

The blade shape on this knife is great. Full flat grind as well. The cutting edge is roughly 3 3/8". Beware as the cutting edge goes all the way back to the handle. There is no room for the blade to stop against your finger when closing. The opening mechanism is the Spyderhole, and provides enough room to easily open with your thumb. The blade steel is 8cr13MoV, which is adequate, easy to sharpen, and holds an edge ok.

This knife is not the lightest, but it is not a heavy knife by any means. It sits well in the pocket and is still small enough to make a good EDC knife.

The knife is made in China, but fact is you won't find a knife this good at this pricepoint that is made anywhere else.

I highly recommend this knife to anybody looking for an inexpensive knife that is going to perform. I have considered buying a second as a spare. If we could convince Spyderco to make this knife with S30V or VG-10 I'd buy a few more!

Price Paid: N/A

Length of Time Used: 3 months

Use: Every Day Carry