Spyderco Persistence | Knife review

Spyderco is a well-known brand in the knife world, and their knives are used by a lot of different people in a lot of different professions. The Spyderco Persistence is a lower-budget option in the Spyderco line. And can therefore be thrown about and abused without feeling too guilty. In this review, I share my use of the knife and experience.

Knives are needed in a lot of different tasks, my primary use for the Spyderco Persistence is Everyday Carry, and I think it excels in that use case.

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Specifications

For all the specifications of the knife please see the table below:

Weight	103 grams
Blade length	7.4 centimeters
Blade width (thickets part)	3.3 centimeters
Handle length	10.3 centimeters
Total length	17.3 centimeters
Price:	Check on Amazon

Handle material – G10 with 4 positions for the Pocket clip

The handle material is your standard black G10 and is not the nicest material for the handle, it does its job however, and for the price you can’t really complain about it. It holds up fine enough over the years and survived a moped crash with me. That’s why it had a bit of road rash all over the outward-facing side. I am happy to say that even in the crash the knife did not open on my leg, so that is still something I’m thankful for.

Inside the handle, you will find the liners that have been hollowed out to save weight, and bronze bushings to keep the action smooth. Occasionally a drop of olive oil inside the action will make it even smoother.

The 4-point positioning of the pocket clip is a great feature that is often overlooked by other manufacturers and thanks to the trademark Spyderco hole a true fully ambidextrous knife. And can be used by left and right-handers with ease.

New Lightweight handle version

There is also a new version released by Spyderco in the time that I have had this knife, this Spyderco Persistence Lightweight model features a plastic textured handle that is typical on most Spyderco knives. Since this knife series is made in China, you can however notice a slight quality difference with the premium models. Take a look at both and see what strikes your fancy, in the end, it saves a few grams as well. With that version coming in at 95 grams instead of 103 grams.

Blade profile

The blade profile is a leaf-shaped blade, and thanks to its full flat grind it can be easily sharpened and used for a wide range of tasks. Particularly slicing and cutting wood, boxes, duct tape, and what you encounter on a daily basis. It is a bit on the stouter side and therefore can be used on harder tasks as well.

Thanks to the profile it is a perfect allrounder that is good at a lot but does not excel in wood cutting. If you are looking for a pocket bushcraft knife or camping knife I prefer the Opinel knives, since they really bite into wood. For everyday carry the Spyderco persistence is persistent and will get the job done.

There are also the versions available with partial serrations or a full serrated edge, any serrations are a pain in the butt to sharpen however, and not as multifunctional as a straight edge. I always prefer the plain-edged models due to this. To each their own however.

8cr13mov

The steel type is 8cr13mov and knife enthusiasts will be familiar with this steel type, for anybody who is not familiar with it the properties of it are that it’s easy to sharpen, holds its edge okay, and can rust in certain environments. Especially salty ones like on a boat or beach work there will be more maintenance on the knife than for example the more premium Spyderco models.

For its price point, I prefer it however to many other steel types like 420HC or 440. And is a Chinese steel. Since it is a Chinese-made knife.

Comfort in use

Due to the pocket clip, G10 handle, and jimping on the top of the blade, this knife will not slip easily in your hands. However, that does mean that it is less comfortable to use for a longer period of tasks like wood carving. A more comfortable handle is a must, for everyday carry where you use the knife sporadically and not longer than a few minutes at a time this is not an issue.

The locking mechanism is your standard liner lock. And is easy to use and not complicated at all. You should not use this knife or pretty much any folding knife for battoning wood. Since a fixed knife blade is more appropriate for that sort of work.

The little brother of the Spyderco Tenacious

The Spyderco Persistence is the little brother of the bigger Spyderco Tenacious, where the lineup is completed with the Spyderco Resilience and the even smaller Spyderco Ambitious. That is another step up or down in terms of size. I have both the Spyderco Persistence and the Tenacious and prefer the Persistence for EDC or Every Day Carry. Since my job and tasks do not require more than a knife on the smaller side.

If you prefer a bigger knife for your daily tasks you can choose one of the bigger sizes, they are similar in pretty much every other aspect.

Spyderco Ziptie mod

As with pretty much any Spyderco knife, you can mod it easily to become a pocket deployer with a zip tie. Simply choose a smaller zip tie and attach it to the round opening hole, and you got yourself a poor man’s way of a pocket deployer folder.

First, add a small zip tie to the hole, when it’s as tight as it will go (a pair of pliers works best to get more grip), and then cut flush and drag it 2 or three times over some sandpaper to get rid of any sharp edges.

Pocket deploying pocket knives can be even faster than an auto with some practice, and can therefore be an alternative for anybody located in an area, country, or state where this is not allowed. You can use it normally without an issue, and when you want to get rid of it, simply cut it off with another knife.

Give the knife a shot for your first Spyderco knife, or gift it to somebody looking to get into knives. The entire line makes for great gift ideas for anybody, young or old. They are workhorses that can show up and do the job, every scratch is a badge of honor.

Happy Hiking and Hike for Purpose!