Spyderco Tenacious Review
The Spyderco Tenacious is a good option for those seeking a budget-friendly Everyday Carry (EDC) knife that doesn’t compromise quality. Its substantial size and robust construction benefit it. The Tenacious offers a full flat grind blade, G10 handle scales, and reliable pillar construction—all key features that make it a versatile utility knife.
This knife combines excellent design and performance and should be a popular choice among those looking for a workhorse with a good price point. With its commendable ergonomics and solid lock-up, the Tenacious is well-suited for daily tasks and more demanding challenges, providing exceptional value in affordable knives.
The Spyderco Tenacious is a well-sized EDC knife that does not break the bank. If that sounds like a knife you wish to own, the Tenacious is a great option.
It offers a knife with a full flat grind, a substantial plain edge, G10 handle scales, and pillar construction. And the Tenacious offers all of that for a decent price. After trying out this knife for a while, here are my thoughts.
Spyderco Tenacious Review: Blade Details
The Tenacious is manufactured in China and measures 7-3/4″ overall, with a 3 3/8″ blade and a weight of 4.0 oz. It is a large knife measuring nearly 1.5 “from edge to spine. It is manufactured in China. The blade is lengthy and quite wide, measuring nearly 1.5” from edge to spine. This qualifies it as a larger knife for EDC (Everyday Carry), and those considering the Tenacious for that purpose might prefer smaller options, the Persistence, for example.
It’s a sizable knife, not just in length but in width as well. It feels more at home alongside a full-size Benchmade Griptilian and a Spyderco Paramilitary 2.
Because of this, the Tenacious leans more toward being a substantial utility knife rather than a true EDC. While it can undoubtedly be carried daily, it’s a substantial knife.
The Tenacious’s leaf-shaped blade is crafted from 8Cr13Mov Stainless steel, a more budget-friendly steel comparable to Aus 8. However, the heat treatment of this steel is done well, and the 8Cr13Mov sharpens easily and retains a good edge.
However, you will need to sharpen the knife more frequently than harder, more costly steels.
Additionally, the knife has a full flat grind. It’s reminiscent of a small kitchen knife and excels at slicing, particularly through cardboard. The full flat grind effortlessly cuts through cardboard. The shape is relatively generic but has enough belly for EDC tasks.
Spyderco Tenacious Review: Handle Design
The handle features a pillar construction, which I appreciate because it simplifies cleaning the knife. The handle consists of layers of steel with G10 scales. The steel has been milled to reduce weight, which is a fantastic touch on a more affordable knife. The G10 is lightly textured and feels comfortable.
It’s not overly abrasive, so your pockets will be spared, but it provides nice tactile feedback. I haven’t had any issues with the knife slipping out of my hand, its slightly bigger size contributes to this for me.
The G10 is contoured around the liner lock, and there is effective jimping on the thumb ramp and the lock, making the knife very user-friendly and comfortable.
The Tenacious’s ergonomics are commendable. It has a generously sized, well-designed handle. My palm fits nicely, and the corners are slightly rounded for added comfort.
The knife is also designed to give the user good traction, which is crucial for a mid-sized folding knife like this. Since it’s affordable, you can be less worried about hard use, which I suppose is an advantage over more expensive knives. The large thumb ramp and jimping help keep your thumb in place, ensuring control when applying force with the blade.
Pocket clips can be problematic with expensive knives, let alone affordable ones, but not so with the clip on the Tenacious. It’s a signature Spyderco Hourglass-shaped clip that offers good pocket retention without tearing up your pants. Additionally, the clip is mountable on all four corners of the knife, allowing you to carry it in your left or right pocket, tip up or tip down. The knife rides pretty low in your pocket.
Spyderco Tenacious Review: Deployment
The deployment of this knife is quite impressive. The thumb hole (“Spyderhole”) allows easy access to the blade with either bare hands or gloves in any condition. The action is smooth, thanks in part to phosphor bronze bushings. The bushings on this knife are reportedly thin, but after months of flicking this knife open, it still deploys smoothly.
Additionally, the lock on this knife is solid. The Tenacious uses a robust liner lock that engages deeply with the blade. When the knife is locked, I detect no up-and-down movement and only a slight amount of side-to-side movement.
Overall Fit and Finish
When the Tenacious first came out, there were some worries surrounding Chinese manufacturing and knives. Today, with the emergence of high-end Chinese knife manufacturers like Reate, there are fewer, although some of that original concern persists.
But the Tenacious’s build quality is impressive, considering the price. I’m satisfied with the fit and finish, and whoever manufactured this for Spyderco did an excellent job.
Spyderco Tenacious Review: Final Thoughts
Many people consider it a good budget knife. And I think the knife is well-priced as well. It’s a substantial knife for the money, well designed, with adequate materials and fit and finish. I really can’t complain. That said, I likely wouldn’t pay much more for the knife than it sells, so the pricing seems just about right.
The Tenacious nicely rounds out Spyderco’s product line and is an affordable knife that features all the design elements and characteristics Spyderco is known for. I like the Tenacious and recommend it to anyone seeking an inexpensive, durable utility knife that can be used vigorously.