Spyderco Endura 4 Lightweight Folding Knife - 3.8" VG-10 Stainless Steel Blade, Blue FRN Handle, Plain Edge (C10FPBL) - EDC, Outdoor, Camping & Survival Tool

I consider myself a knife guy. Always had an obsession with the best knife, or who carried what and why. What cuts best, what's most versatile? What's the best steel, or blade shape? These are questions (among others) all knife guys tend to ask themselves. I have a large collection of folders from all stripes, Gerber, CRKT, SOG, Camillus, Zero Tolerance, you name it, I probably have one of their popular folders. From that selection I carried the SOG Trident for about two or so years, and it did well. The knife was just too much at times and too little at others. I wanted a knife steel that maintained better than AUS 8a, a knife design that was finer, and one in which you didn't need to deploy a large jagged curved blade with an audible snap during a funeral to cut some string and cause further heart-attack related deaths. I saw the Endura 4 online, and I also saw the price, and from what seemed an average looking knife, I deemed it just an overpriced name brand blade and left it at that. Hell was I wrong. The Endura 4 is without doubt my favorite folding knife period. I own some pretty renown folders, such as the ZT 035ts, and still I turn to my Endura 4 consistently. The full flat grind is astounding. It glides like wings on an airplane through even tough materials, such as leather, or double thickness cardboard. Holistically, the FFG blade will actually wear down through sharpening more gracefully than other grinds making this knife a better investment over time. The steel is thick on the spine, about 4mm at its thickest, and strengthens the FFG of the blade, making it no real sacrifice in strength to go with this grind over a saber grind or hollow. The VG10 steel is a godsend as well. I have never had a steel that stropped so well. I haven't sharpened my knife in about six months, being that I strop it consistently enough to maintain an obsessively razor edge. My friend shaved his entire arm recently with the six month strop edge and his skin was baby smooth to the touch, that weirdo. The Spyderhole opening grows on you (I love saying Spyderhole), and will be as fast as an assisted opening once you get used to it. The handle is, at the core, heat treated skeletonized stainless steel, with GRN scales laid upon those to make a deceptively strong handle and lockup for its feather-light weight. The lockback design was something I had to return to from previous arclock or linerlock knives, but I appreciate Spyderco's incredibly strong lock design, and have a renewed appreciation for lockbacks as it is. Ergonomically, this knife is a dream, and fits the hand exceptionally well, with a natural forward cant that complements the blade design for piercing or slicing. The blade shape is my favored attribute of this blade. The drop point spear blade shape has become my favorite blade shape through my use of this blade. Looking at ancient knifes of flint, and even blades like fangs and claws found in nature, the spear or leaf shape has been a choice design, as it works so well in regards to so many tasks. Great for piercing, and plenty of belly for cutting this shape had become my favored blade shape in recent months. It also sharpens easily due to its shape, as it follows a natural sweep of the hand required when using a whetstone. The color choice for the handle scales is a nice touch, as my choice of grey blends in with jeans better than the hazard orange or parrot blue also offered, which with this color doesn't advertise my choice to carry a knife to the public as easily. I know that was long, but essentially this knife is king, and compared to all those knives, the Gerbers, the SOGS, the CRKTs, the Zero Tolerance, this knife is superior in my versed opinion on knives, and if I seem like too big of a tool to be believed through a review, check out some of the video reviews on YouTube and be enthralled by others. For EDC, this is a wise choice for anyone, as you won't notice the length, or its feather weight, and should appreciate the 4 inch exposed steel, (3.75 inch cutting edge) when doing any folding knife task. For about $60-$70, make this knife an investment to replace a myriad of other folders you will use and transition from in your lifetime. This is the last pocket knife I will ever need.