The Spyderco Tenacious Lightweight Pocketknife: The Full Nick Shabazz Review

Today, we'll take a look at Spyderco's latest budget-focused knife, the Tenacious Lightweight.

[alwong]

The Tenacious is a gateway drug into the world of knife collection. I gave this away at a Christmas gift exchange to someone who wasn't into knives three years ago. His collection now makes me jealous!

I wrote this as the video was running and Nick actually uses the term gateway at the end. Well played Shabazz... well played.

[dfailsthemost]

I'll always be grateful for the tenacious for allowing me to check out a spyderco on a budget. Very few places to buy a knife where I live, and it was awesome to start my knife collecting by getting a good brand.

[LowenKM]

You'd think from the steel snobs' _requirements_ these days, that they were taking their knives into battle... instead of typically becoming another Display Queen that seldom gets 'dirty'! ;-p

[THEamMASSACRE]

I enjoy my old Tenacious. I bought it with a broken tip so it now has a modified sheepsfoot blade.

[ShadowDaPk]

So what's the point of having the Byrd line if the Spyderco line also has "budget" models? I thought that was the point of Byrd.

[dm]

So you're saying for design you'd give it an "A", but in cost for materials, you'd give the tenacious D?
/This is just a tribute

[Still_awake]

I’ve carried the tenacious lightweight for over 5 years now as my edc and while the blade is thin, I have no complaints. I carried my OKC rat 1 before that and it’s a tank but also noticeably heavier. Tried civivi and they felt flimsy so I retuned them. The tenacious lightweight has great grip texture and while the steel isn’t as nice as the para, manix, etc., I can buy 4-5 tenacious knives for the price of a para, and because of that I have no problem using my tenacious hard as a tool. I don’t have to worry about carrying a $240 knife that I’m afraid to destroy or lose either like the para.

[hurricaneheli]

I'd get the Tanacious because of the design, almost alone if it had better steel. But happy with my Para 3.

[tumblingdown]

I think Spyderco's low and mid range knives don't have a future at this current pricing. When these knives were $35 they were compelling but now you're better off with a byrd or a different brand. Don't even get me started on Seki.

[manifestgtr]

I was actually *super* impressed with the lightweight tenny. I’m a pretty heavy Spyderco collector…Cruwear, K390, Shamans, Stretches and Taichung…if you can name it, I probably have two. And honestly, this little thing compares favorably with a lot of that stuff…super comfortable and easygoing, good lock access, full liners and smooth FRN. I dunno, man…I’m into it for some reason…

[ParisLondonRoma]

This is a good model to get the serrated blade. Lots of people don't like serrated but they have their uses. This knive for $50 checks the box without spending a lot

[Poni]

It’s actually piss easy to sharpen. Five light strokes each side with a diamond rod and it’s back to phonebook paper sharp... and that’s after a lengthy vigorous session of cardboard cutting. Now, do a handful of passes on a leather strop and it’s hair-popping. I think there’s nothing wrong with 8cr13moV. People just need to skill-up in sharpening.

[Manic.miner]

Personally I’m not too keen on lightweight, I prefer weight, gives it a feel of quality in my opinion, I know that’s not necessarily true but that’s how I see it.

[jamesbarisitz]

A fine review of an old favorite. I'm on the Civivi, Artesian Cutlery, CJRB train lately and much prefer D2 to any OLD alphabet soup steel.

[TacticalBunnyCA]

I disagree with a lot of the hate on 8cr13mov. It does dull quickly and it is rather rust prone... But! It is one of the easiest steels to work on in term of both quickness and ease to sharpen and actual achievable sharpness. In just a few minutes I can have it shaving hairs of my arm. A strop is quite excellent at extending the time between needing to actually use a stone. I had a Benchmade Crooked river that I should have sent back to Benchmade because the factory edge was dicked up! I instead re-profiled it using my KME diamond sharpening system and it took over six hours! I literally watched both LOTR “the Two Towers” and “Return of the King” before I had it in suitable shape. Sharpening high grade steel, even s30v sucks! Where I can hand sharpen a completely dull and thrashed 8cr13mov in 30 minutes or less and maintenance it with a strop it with a strop to great effect!

[_austindrake]

It's crazy that Spyderco wouldn't at least take a second to check the knife they are sending for review. It would have taken 5 seconds and they would have seen how horrible the centering was and could have sent a different one. Just a thought.

[legendarypillow]

I started with the para 3 in s110v, but I still think that starting with the tenny would be an amazing choice. The para 3 blew me away, it’s easily one of the most iconic knife silhouettes and easily the best edc folder ever created.

[harrisonjr]

So much potential in the budget Spyders, just wish they could get past 8Cr13MoV when charging almost $50 after tax. Otherwise just too many other options! Great review as always Nick!

[JDStone]

I have the G10 Tenacious, it is hard to get a better knife design for the price. I want to get my hands on the LW model.

[tidge]

I think that Spyderco are being left behind in this market space. There are plenty of brands offering higher quality at lower prices. $60ish is no longer "budget", especially for the materials they're using.