ENDURA 4

I own a lot of knives, and know a lot about them. I've used knives of various kinds on a daily basis either outdoors or at work, and choosing which knife or knives you'll carry if you're hunting, fishing, camping or backpacking is actually pretty easy. Choosing an EDC on the other hand, not so much. I've been trying for more than 50 years, and I think that I've finally done it with the Spyderco Endura (Saber grind). That said, no matter which folding pocket knife I carry, I always have 2 Swiss Army knives and a multi tool with me. With all that out of the way, and with the additional caveat that I haven't had it for long, AND that the only other Spyderco I've ever owned is one of their "bird" series Cara Caras, but it was the Cara Cara that sold me on Spyderco in the first place. For such an inexpensive knife, that Cara Cara has impressed me more than any knife I've ever owned since my first Buck 110 that I got back in the early 70's. I don't know why I didn't gravitate to Spyderco before now. I think it was because of their odd shaped grips, and their leaf shaped full flat grind blades. I had no idea, until I bought the Cara Cara, just how comfortable and useable those unusual shapes make them. Although the Endura isn't exactly like the Cara Cara except for a (way) better type of steel, and please don't misunderstand me here, that Cara Cara is a superb knife, it's just that the Endura is so much better. The fit and finish on the Cara Cara is very good, far above average, but the Endura is flawless, it's also even more comfortable in the hand because the grip is fantastic, even the material - FRN, which is the same as the Cara Cara, feels sturdier and more refined. To say that all the surfaces mate up and that there is no wobble should be unnecessary on any decent knife, and they are extremely good on the Cara Cara, but somehow they are even better on the Endura. Both blades arrived scary sharp, and the temper and treatment of the steel, proved by years and years of daily use of the Cara Cara, is exceeded by the excellent VG-10 steel the Endura uses. That said, I'm taking that on faith so far since I've only had the Endura for a short time, but I've put it through the usual tests, and it's still flawless and hair shaving sharp. I should have bought this years ago because I don't think I can do better no matter how much money I spend, and I've tried. Hard. It looks like I can go ahead and sell a few dozen knives now, because they are no longer needed. I won't. I should, but I won't, at least not for a while because I like the knives that I own, it's just that this Spyderco Endura is so much better. I've been a big believer in Cold Steel, ESEE, Condor, Buck, Ka-Bar and CRKT, still am, it's just that...at least in the arena of folding knives, I am now a firm convert to Spyderco.

A good outdoors knife will be used for wood processing, carving/whittling, animal processing, food preparation, rope cutting, producing wood shavings, scraping a firesteel, and many other tasks. It needs to have a reasonably thick and strong blade, made with a steel that is resilient against corrosion, breaking and chipping, and easy to resharpen, and with a grind that gives it a strong edge and a strong point. VG10 is a very well rounded, middle of the road stainless steel. It’s not as prone to chipping/ breaking as harder stainless steels, it’s very resistant to corrosion and rust, and It’s fairly easy to sharpen to hair shaving sharpness within a few minutes, which is very important for a good outdoors knife, which will have to be resharpened in the field several times because of the tough jobs it’ll have to do. Also, VG 10 has decent edge retention, which means it needs to be resharpened less often. Harder, more expensive steels available on other spyderco models may have better edge retention but they’re also more difficult to sharpen, especially under field conditions. They’re also more prone to chipping and breaking under heavy use, making them good for EDC, or for general cutting use, but not so good for camping, outdoors or survival scenarios where they would be very hard to resharpen. But the steel is only part of the considerations one needs to make to select a proper outdoors knife. The grind, the grip, and the blade thickness and geometry are all important factors as well. A full flat grind (FFG) gives the knife’s blade a thinner edge and a thinner point, making it better for cutting, as it generates less friction while its going through the material, but it also makes the blade (and especially the edge) significantly weaker. A FFG knife is perfect for an EDC knife, and for general use,but not so much for an outdoors knife A saber grind is preferable for an outdoors knife, as the blade will be thicker closer to the edge, making it more resistant. Also, the point of the knife will be considerably thicker and stronger. They may not cut as well as FFGs (althouh they cut fine) but they will retain their edge better, and if the blade hits a knot in the wood, a saber grind will make it less likely for the knife to chip, break or suffer any damage. Add to that the blade length and thickness, appropriate for most outdoor tasks, a great grip and the ability to open the blade one handed with gloves on, and you have the makings of an awesome outdoors folding knife. For the above reasons, delicas and enduras, in VG10 and saber grind are a great choice for an outdoors folding knife, and a great option for a cubscout working on their whittling chip award/patch (the delica is smaller, and a better choice for smaller hands) or a BSA scout as their outdoors folding knife (the endura would be the better choice).

There's a storm rolling in today so I have no work. And as they say, ships and sailors rot in port. So here we go with a product review. First, let me say that I actually USE the gear I own out on the ocean... for days at a time. Some of the characteristics that impress me include size, weight, corrosion resistance, and overall performance of any given piece of gear. So dudes, without further ado, I give you the Spyderco Endura 4 (4th gen Enduro) pocket knife. I know some of you are not sailors, but perhaps you enjoy camping or other outdoor activities, so I figured this might have some general appeal. Size: This is a big folder (3.75 in. blade, 5 in. closed) but it sure doesn't feel big when you're carrying it. This is partially due to the Endura's light weight, but for me it's the flatness that really counts. It's only 3/8 in. thick, which is amazingly thin considering the handle has stainless steel liners built in for strength. This knife practically disappears in your pocket. Excellent pocket clip design too, I might add. Weight: 3.6 ounces. Impressive for a knife of this size with stainless liners in the handle. Corrosion resistance: The Endura's VG-10 steel is among the more rust resistant of the premium knife steels on the market. It's a Japanese made steel developed for culinary use, popular in high-end chef's knives. I wouldn't put it away wet after heavy exposure to ocean salt, but a quick rinse with some fresh water is all the maintenance it will need in extreme situations. Cutting performance: This is the sharpest out-of-the-box pocket knife I've ever owned. Scary sharp. It will shave hairs right down to the skin. VG-10 steel has a fine carbide structure so it will take and hold a very keen edge. It will also sharpen back up without much trouble, which is very cool. Some of the premium steels out there are tough to sharpen after they've lost their edge--not cool, especially out at sea. The Endura's blade, in either serrated or plain edge, is almost 4 inches long. Lots of cutting surface here, folks. And combined with the razor sharp edge that STAYS SHARP, you've got a blade that you can count on in any kind of emergency where you have to cut through a lot of material fast. Last but not least, the large thumb hole in the blade makes one-handed opening a cinch. And the steep, textured thumb ramp keeps your hand from slipping forward even in wet, slippery situations. Overall: Home run. The Spyderco Endura 4 is now a permanent fixture in my quiver of sailing gear. MSRP is $99.95, but Amazon.com stocks these with pricing just under $60. Buy one. You won't be disappointed.

This was my first foray into pocket EDC knifes. I absolutely love it. My complaints are negligible; the knife as I received it had slight abrasions around the tip, but nothing substantial, the paint on the clip wares off as expected, and...I can't think of a third complaint. I purchased the knife for around 60. I never really considered another knife, other than different variants of the Endura and the Native - but I wanted 4". It was finally from a review that suggested that the knife was for function not beauty that led me to choose FRN over the stainless steel of a Police model- the FRN handle would grip in the wet. Color choice makes the knife more appealing for the consumer, but I took black for its clandestine appeal. I feel that the knife is the ultimate in design and execution because it opens very quickly and with a very assuring snap of blade on liner that inspires confidence. No matter which way you hold the handle - reverse edge-in or reverse edge-out, it feels like the blade was designed to be held that way. Even closed, when you clutch the knife in the palm of your hand it seems that the knife was designed to be a kaban of sort. I think that as a self defense weapon, it is discreet enough that if the user were trained to use kabans, the blade itself would never have to be deployed. I don't think I would ever deploy it in violence - it is a nasty piece of metal that would do unremittant damage in some Folsom prison sense that I would never want to be a part of. Visually the thing will inspire anxiety, but I never get the impression that the knife was built for aggression. It simply seems that if you want a large 4 inch pocket knife, one hand open, thin and lightweight, of a high quality steel that the Endura would be the natural outcome. The knife is always in my pocket or my car. It is used mostly to: open blister packs, cut sandwiches in half (don't even have to take the big mac out of the box), obliterate apples and cheese, cut paracord and nylon rope, snip flowers, etch my initials in bars of soap at my friends' homes, sharpen pencils, feather kindling, cut steak at the campsite, whittle tent stakes, and as a wubby when street lights flicker and all things fall silent. Choosing a knife is necessarily personal. In all products or goods that I purchase I tend to look for simplicity in form, reliability in function, dependability over luxury, and naturally sublime aesthetics rather than trend or gimmick. Because of this I drive a Toyota truck, wear Redwings, shoot a Savage, and pocket a Spyderco Endura.

Years ago, when I started on the police department in the 1980s, I got a Spyderco Police. The price was a stretch for a young patrolman and as fate would have it, the knife was lost during a foot chase one night only a few months later. It was replaced with various other knives, the last one being a Kershaw Blackout that gave sterling service for several years until I retired. I feel that a knife is probably the most useful and important tools ever developed by mankind, and I still carry a knife daily. Two knives actually; a small knife on my key ring and an EDC knife. Which leads us to the Spyderco Endura. When it came time for a new EDC knife I spent weeks looking at what was available. But I was drawn back to Spyderco (I do own a couple others). The Endura fit the bill; the right size, great quality steel, proven mechanism, and made at Seki City in Japan. What I like: Blade: The knife arrived very sharp. I cannot find a flaw with the blade or grind. I chose the plain edge, saber ground blade. Handles: The handles are black fiberglass reinforced nylon material (FRN) and the pattern of texturing really allows for a solid grip. The is also jimping on the raised portion of the blade behind the thumb hole to help improve grip. I also personally like the slim, flat sided design both from the perspective of grip and carryability. The pocket clip is four position adjustable. Quality: The knife that I received locks up tight. The blade base lines up when it’s locked. The blade lines up when it’s folded. The action, a tad stiff out of the box, continues to smooth out (as it should be). The pocket clip grips tightly. There are no loose screws, flawed screw heads, or anything that isn’t lined up. This is a nice knife. What I don’t like: I have always found the Spyderco thumbhole awkward when opening a knife. Some people can flick them right open, I just can’t seem to get the knack. I still love the knives, and I can open them with one hand, it’s just slow when I do it. If you’ve never used a Spyderco and being able to flick a blade open quickly is important to you, I suggest that you try one before buying. The bottom line: The Spyderco Endura is a classic. It’s been around for decades and is still a top seller, that should tell you something. This is an excellent knife, very well made. And the best part? At this price it’s an absolute bargain.

I have a Spyderco Persistance and love it. The persistance was my first Spyderco product and I was very impressed with the build quality of their less expensive, Chinese line up. My wife told me to pick out two new knives for my birthday(thanks babe). After much deliberation I chose the Endura 4 and the Ontario Rat 1 both in plain blade format. Man, is my wife awesome! This Endura 4 is made in Seki City Japan with VG-10 steel and the fit and finish on this entire knife is stellar. The knife is long and large bladed but is lightweight and has a slim profile that fits my larger hands very well. People with medium to small hands of those who have an aversion to large blades should consider the Delica model. The handle should be G-10 at this price point but its not, however the handle feels great in my larger hands and the traction design molded into the handle really provides excellent grip. Multiple clip mounting possibilities are a nice touch along with the lanyard hole. The pocket clip is strong and blacked out with the spider logo etched in. The blade spine is well jimped at the base which is great and along with the contoured handle provide excellent grip and feel in the hand. The blade is gorgeous and long. 4 inches I believe and made out of VG-10 which is a high quality upper grade of Japanese steel. It is hard, strong and difficult to sharpen but holds an edge exceptionally well and for a long time. Flawless grind and edge on this particular knife. The size of the blade makes opening slower for most at first but like most knives will improve with practice and break in. Overall this knife for less than $60 is a great value. The Japanese blade quality and design of this knife impresses even the majority of "Knife Snobs" so you've got that going for you if you care. I love this knife for EDC and self defense puposes because of my XXL hands. The Delica is the model most will want for EDC in my opinion. Superb Steel, Fit and Finish, Ergonomics and Value give this knife a rare 5 stars from me. Highly Recommend!

I thought i could resist the temptation to purchase another knife and had been doing well...no purchases in last three months. Just when it was under control, I just lost it and bought three knives; Benchmade Griptillian, and two Spyderco's, the Tenacious with black blade and the Endura 4. If you've had a chance to read my other reviews, you know I like most value quality knives I see; I do prefer larger folding knives primarily for defensive purposes; and I use a 3 knife EDC system. One of my first EDC knives was the Spyderco Endura with Spydee-edge bought around 1990. It served me well both in casual clothes or in dress clothes. I prefer for folks not knowing that i carry a knife so the endura just went into my right front pants pocket. The original endura was light, fairly easy to deploy and was very useful over the years. It is now honorably retired with built in clip still in place! Over, the years i have remained a big spyderco fan but watched as the cost of these quality knives continued to increase. So, with that in mind, I saved and over time purchased the Ambitious, Tenacious, Resilience and Persistance (luv 'em) and the mannix 2 XL (the best)and even tried the value version of the Endura, the Cara cara II ( good value knife) but still did not buy the current version of my all time favorite, the Endura. Finally, I decided it was time, and wound up with the Endura 4 FRN handle, plain edge this time. However, this wound up not being as easy as you would think. I originally was looking for the Endura 4 with the full flat ground blade. The site I was sent to featured 4 or 5 models of the FFG blade but in different handle colors. I was aware of this particular model but listed there was a black handled FFG listed at $68. I figured the black handle FFG was a sprint run and thats why i paid more than the other FFG blades by about $8-10. So when I got the endura 4 with the sabre grind, I contacted Amazon to complain. According to the amazon rep, sometimes when loading the product info it can be imported into the wrong site (much like the inaccurate knife info on the griptillian I purchased). The rep gave me a $8 dollar credit and i still get the outstanding endura 4 albeit with a sabre grind blade but i can live with that! Amazon, if you input info on products make sure its right. that should be your responsibility not the customer. And on the flip side of the coin; once again you worked with me on a dispute and i came away still a satisfied amazon customer. Good job! This version of the Endura remains excellent. The steel is VG10 which is nice. I really like the current version handles for the ergonomics (i have large hands); the positive grip of the handles and the outstanding jimping on the blade spine. Since I also bought the 550 Griptillian in this purchase, I wish Spyderco would have added similar jimping on the upside and downside of the endura's handles. That would really reduce the potential of blade slippage on any thrusting movements. Still the grip of this current version still exceeds the grip of my original Endura. In 1990, there was no adjusting the blade pivot as the pivot was fixed. on the current version, the blade pivot is adjustable via a torx tool. Also, the metal clip (original version was built-in plastic clip) is 4 way adjustable and I carry mine tip-up right side in my jeans or just in the pocket. Going back to the handles. I found the handles on the Cara Cara II to be a little irritating. The handles on the original Endura were somewhat slippery. The handles on the Endura 4 are somewhat grippy and do not irritate my hands but provide a very decent grip (as in defensive use decent grip). The only downside! Although i appreciate the strength of lockbacks, they usually are slower to deploy and a little harder to close than axis (my fav) or liner locks using one hand. To be honest, I will not carry a knife that can only be opened/closed with both hands. But thats just me. My original endura was a little hard to deploy as is the case with the current endura 4. Over time my original got easier to deploy the blade. We'll see what happens with the 4th gen model! Just for clarification, when i say a blade deploys easy , hard, etc. here's what I mean. When gunowners talk about trigger tension, we talk in terms of poundage. For instance, one gun I carried had about a 7 1/2 pound trigger pull compared to another gun i owned that had a 4lb pull. What that equates to , is that it takes more strength to fire the 7.5 trigger pull weapon then it does a gun with lesser trigger pull. Now what does that mean with knives...I already said the blade deployment on the Endura4 is a little hard. In this purchase, i also bought the excellent benchmade Griptillian with their patented Axis lock. It is easier and quicker for me to deploy and close the Griptillians blade than the Endura. Does that make the Griptillian better than the Endura 4. Not necessarily! Practicing defensively with a knife takes into consideration the drawing, deploying and use of any knife understanding the blades characteristics and limitations as well as the users. The Endura 4 is sitting in my right pocket as i type. It is the perfect back-up to my larger defensive blades and can substitute for my smaller utility edc knife. Although I wouldnt open this bllade in front of the public or you might get some 911 calls. With its blade length at 3.75 inches and a large handle, this does appear to be a big aggressive looking knife unless youre comparing to a cold steel XL Voyager or 6" Ti-light. The Endura 4 is light, capable, and could make a decent defensive blade if youre willing to train. Plus, for the cost and simple maintenance, it will last you a lifetime and if you're like me, I'll be passing my knife collection on to my grandson! Happy Holidays Folks! Hope you get a Spyderco Endura 4 plain edge under your Christmas tree this year!

Started carrying a Gerber E-Z many years ago, mostly for show. It was easy to deploy (thumb hole) but I never trusted the lockback (which rose above the scales in the back). The Gerber was not sharp and I could not get it sharp. When the clip eventually got loose (and could not be tightened), I switched to CRKT M16 because of the double lock. It was sharp and I could mostly keep it sharp and I liked the tanto blade. But the blade was too short and I learned that I will never trust a liner lock (with or without a double lock). I discovered the Benchmade 'axis' lock (Gerber calls a similar lock the 'wedge', others call it 'crossbolt'). I ordered one with a thumbhole and got one with thumb studs. It is a fine lock but it makes the knife fat. I also worried that a push from the front might dislodge the lock unintentionally (the spring on Gerber's wedge is much stronger). The blade was too short and I will not get another knife with studs, but the essential problem was that it would not cut more than the old Gerber E-Z. That brings me to the Endura4. Thought I would never get another lockback, but Spyderco's lockback is not like the old Gerber. It is precision-cut and gives a very satisfying click when engaged. The lockback rides below the scales, and, if that is not enough protection, Spyderco added the 'dent'. My fingers appreciate the idea. The big thumbhole makes the knife deployable with gloves. Finally, the Endura4 (VG-10 steel, Japan) cuts everything from delicate (smooth opening of a CD security strip), to ordinary (quartering apples), to difficult (low-lying Osage Orange branches on my daily walk). Quality is at Benchmade standards but, if I ever need to work on it, the fasteners are torx T8 for the blade and T6 for the rest, including the movable clip. That clip is the best I have used so far (better than Benchmade). The scales (handle) are fibreglass-reinforced nylon with steel liners. They are comfortable but yet non-slip. Spyderco add jimming on the front of the scales above and on the the blade just beyond the pivot to further decrease the chance of sliding forward on the blade. That blade is long. It is a big knife in a small package. That means it is a drop point blade, but Spyderco's flat sabre cut (not hollow cut) looks to leave the blade very strong. I will know more after a few years.

Messer kommt in einer Pappschachtel mit kleiner Broschüre über das Endura und ein Aufkleber, eine nette Beigabe. Zum Spyderco selbst, es ist sehr scharf und der Verriegelungsmechanismus läuft butterweich Liegt sehr gut in der Hand, Empfehlung von mir 😁

Como todas las navajas de Spyderco, una calidad excelente, el acero perfectamente acabado, un poco duro de afilar, hay que tener práctica, pero tiene un corte espectacular, es ligera y con un tamaño perfecto para el bolsillo. Es la segunda que tengo que da la marca y 100% repetiré.

Es una excelente navaja, viene con un filo que rasura, el mango es bastante amplio y permite un grip muy cómodo. La que me llegó venía con un juego muy leve en la hoja, pero ajustando un poco el tornillo queda perfectamente estable. Cabe mencionar que no es una imitación. El envío fue muy bueno, llegó al día siguiente de mi compra.

Estudie los tipos de acero para navajas y cuchillos que hay en el mercado evaluando dureza, facilidad para afilarse duración del filo tipo y color del acero y por fin me decidí por Spyderco una ventaja importante es que tiene facilidad para abrirse.

Una gran navaja, se nota mucho la calidad. Es grande pero se abre fácil con una mano. El mango frn personalmente me gusta mucho, hace que el agarre sea fuerte. Tengan mucho cuidado que viene con un filo que asusta!