Spyderco Shabaria

Reviewed 12/04/2011 by GLASSMAN

-Price Paid: $125.00
-Used for Self Defense
-Owned for Greater than 1 year

Comments:

THE SHABARIA MOVED MY SPYDERCO KRIS KNIVES OUT OF THE TOP FIGHTING KNIFE POSITION. THE DESIGN LOOKS STRANGE BUT, FOR THE KNOWLEDGABLE FIGHTER, IT'S PERFECT. THE HOLE IS PARTIALLY COVERED BY THE KNIFE BODY, THIS TAKES A BIT OF GETTING USED TO. THIS IS A FIGHTING KNIFE, DESIGNED TO BE HELD IN AN OVERHAND/ICE PICK GRIP. THE QUALITY IS SECOND TO NONE AND IS A VERY AGGRESSIVE KNIFE IN A TAME PACKAGE. IF YOU PURCHASE THIS KNIFE FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN "SELF DEFENSE" OR AS A COLLECTOR, YOU MAY BE DISSAPOINTED.

Reviewed 12/12/2010 by Ulli

-Price Paid: N/A
-Used for Light Duty/General
-Owned for 3 months

Comments:

I bought this knife on a whim because I liked the way it looked, and to be honest, I just don't understand it. The Shabaria has nice craftsmanship and is well built, but the layout and ergonomics simply do not work for me.

The are three things that kill this knife for me:

1) When the knife is closed, the already small thumb hole in the blade is half covered by the scale. The knife is extremely difficult to deploy, which makes it lousy for self defense.

2)The blade shape makes the Shabaria a good piercer, but that is all. I don't find the blade shape useful under other circumstances. It's awkward.

3) The handle on the knife is too skinny. I feel like my hand is doing a backbend when I hold the knife in a position that I would cut with.

Overall, the knife seems fantasy inspired appearancewise, but unfortuneatly, it also seems fantasy inspired performancewise. I won't tell you not to get it, because it might work for you, but it's not my style after all.

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