Since Spyderco made their first groundbreaking CLIP-IT knife more than 40 years ago, Spyderco's focus has always been to make the absolute best cutting tools possible. They know that serious knife users appreciate quality and performance and are willing to invest in premium products. However, they also understand that becoming a serious knife user is a process. We all have to start somewhere, and until we have enough experience to appreciate quality, that typically means starting with lower-priced knives. For that reason, Spyderco created their Value Folders.
The goal of the Value Folder family was to showcase all the defining characteristics of a Spyderco CLIP-IT in a budget-friendly form. This would allow novice knife users to experience the swift, ambidextrous opening of Spyderco's Trademark Round Hole, the convenient carry and instant access of the pocket clip, and the enhanced cutting performance of a blade with exceptional edge geometry. That firsthand experience would enable them to appreciate those features and guide them toward becoming savvy, well-seasoned knife users.
For folks who already appreciated the advantages of the CLIP-IT platform, Value Folders also represented affordably priced "beater" knives, "loaner" knives for co-workers, and the perfect gifts for aspiring knife enthusiasts.
The original Value Folder—and still the flagship of the family—was the Tenacious. It set the standard for the series, featuring a full-flat-ground 8Cr13MoV blade, full skeletonized stainless steel liners, a sturdy LinerLock mechanism, an easily cleaned, open-backed construction style, peel-ply-textured G10 scales, and a fully configurable four-position pocket clip. Although it was the perfect "starter" knife for a generation of Spyderco fans, for some users' needs, it was just a little too big. To address that concern, the Persistence was created.
The Persistence
About 11% smaller than the Tenacious, the Persistence was designed to provide the same affordable convenience, versatility, and strength, but in a more compact format. Ideal for smaller hands and carry in jurisdictions that limit the legal blade length to less than three inches, it provides an exceptional balance of convenience and full-service cutting performance.
Introduced in 2009, the original version of the Persistence faithfully offers the same key features of the Tenacious, including full, skeletonized stainless steel liners, peel-ply-textured G10 scales, a secure LinerLock mechanism, and a four-position clip that supports left or right-side, tip-up or tip-down carry. Its blade is precision machined from 8Cr13MoV stainless steel—a durable, reliable blade steel that provides an excellent balance of cutting performance, corrosion resistance, and ease of sharpening. Its high, full-flat grind creates impressive edge geometry for low-friction cutting efficiency and, unlike most Spyderco folders, its edge extends all the way to the handle. The minimal ricasso (the unbeveled area of the blade nearest the handle) and lack of an index-finger choil provide a full-length cutting edge, superior control when using the "heel" of the blade, and exceptional cutting power when the full length of the edge is brought into play.
Persistence Lightweight
To make the Persistence even more affordable and versatile—and following in the footsteps of the Tenacious and Resilience models—Spyderco is proud to introduce a lightweight version of the design with injection-molded fiberglass-reinforced-nylon (FRN) scales. Molded with Spyderco's signature Bi-Directional Texture pattern, the lightweight scales provide enhanced grip security and reduce the overall weight of the knife by almost 10%. All other features are faithfully consistent with the original G10-handled version with the exception of the edge options. While the original Persistence is only available with a PlainEdge blade, the Lightweight will offer a choice of PlainEdge, CombinationEdge, and fully serrated SpyderEdge. Astute Spyderco fans may recall that the Persistence Lightweight announcement in Reveal 9 specified only PlainEdge and CombinationEdge; however, Spyderco recently confirmed that their manufacturing partner will also be able to provide a SpyderEdge version as well.
For tactical end users and those who just prefer the look of basic black, the Persistence Lightweight will also be made in an all-black version with a black oxide blade coating and black-coated liners and handle hardware. Like its satin-finished counterpart, the all-black version will be available in all three edge configurations.
The Persistence and Persistence Lightweight offers an exceptional balance of performance and value. Whether you are a neophyte or a seasoned knife user, we are confident they will not only meet your needs but will exceed your expectations.