Spyderco byte January 2025 - Tenacious® R.I.L. and Tenacious® R.I.L. Disarray™ Finish D2
C122TIBLP / TIBLBKP and C122TIBLD2P / TIBLBKD2P
Tech Specs
- Closed Length: 4.38 in / 111 mm
- Overall Length: 7.75 in / 197 mm
- Blade Length: 3.35 in / 85 mm
- Edge Length: 3.35 in / 85 mm
- Blade Thickness: 0.122 in / 3.1 mm
- Weight: 3.3 oz / 93 g
- Blade Steel: 8Cr13MoV or D2
- Edge Type: PlainEdge™
- Blade Grind: Full-Flat
- Handle Material: Titanium
- Lock Mechanism: R.I.L.
- Carry Option: 4-Position
- MSRP: $170.00 - $231.00
- Origin: China
The “OG” Tenacious
In its original form, the Tenacious features stout stainless steel liners and an easy-to-clean open-backed construction style. Skeletonized to reduce weight, the liners extend the full length and width of the handle for maximum strength and form the foundation of the knife’s sturdy LinerLock mechanism. They are reinforced by peel-ply-textured scales machined from G-10, a lightweight fiberglass-epoxy laminate that offers outstanding strength and a comfortable, secure grip.
The blade of the base version of the Tenacious is crafted from 8Cr13MoV stainless steel—a durable, reliable blade steel that provides an excellent balance of cutting performance and ease of sharpening. Its full-flat grind creates exceptional edge geometry for low-friction cutting performance. Unlike most Spyderco folders, its edge also extends the full length of the blade, providing superior control when cutting near the “heel” of the blade (closest to the handle). This feature also allows it to “cut above its weight” when the full length of the edge is brought into play.
To support all carry preferences and keep the knife poised for immediate access, the Tenacious design features a broad-based four-position pocket clip that is easily configured for left or right-side, tip-up or tip-down carry. For duty-bound users concerned with light discipline and those who prefer the aesthetics of an all-black format, the G-10-handled Tenacious is also available with a black oxide blade coating and matching black handle hardware.
The Tenacious Lightweight
To make the Tenacious even more affordable and versatile, in 2019, Spyderco introduced a lightweight version featuring injection-molded fiberglass-reinforced-nylon (FRN) scales. The molded scales reduce the overall weight of the knife by almost 10 percent compared to the G-10-handled version and add the enhanced grip security of our signature Bi-Directional Texture™ pattern. For tactical end users, the Tenacious Lightweight is also available in all-black configurations with black oxide blade coatings.
Steel Upgrades
The choice of 8Cr13MoV stainless steel in the original Tenacious and Tenacious Lightweight was a very purposeful one. This calculated compromise allowed the design to remain very affordable while still maintaining extremely high standards of fit, finish, and overall construction. However, as the Tenacious became increasingly popular, fans of the model expressed interest in “high-performance” versions with more sophisticated blade steels.
The responses to that calling included a Tenacious Lightweight that proudly features CPM® S35VN™ stainless steel and a G-10-handled version featuring CPM M4 tool steel. These premium, American-made powder metallurgy steels offer a significant performance enhancement over 8Cr13MoV and ushered in a new era of the evolution of this workhorse design.
The Tenacious R.I.L.
Throughout its evolution, the Tenacious steadily earned a reputation that transcended its budget-friendly roots to establish it as one of the cutlery industry’s truly iconic designs. To celebrate that achievement, Spyderco decided to raise the bar even higher.
Many knife enthusiasts regard the Reeve Integral Lock (R.I.L., or “frame lock”) popularized by legendary custom knifemaker Chris Reeve to be the next-level improvement of Michael Walker’s LinerLock. True to that spirit, Spyderco has created a R.I.L. expression of the Tenacious that represents the next phase in its design evolution.
The Tenacious R.I.L. elevates the knife’s classic design with the addition of titanium handle scales and an ultra-reliable R.I.L. mechanism. Painstakingly crafted from solid 6AL-4V titanium, the scales have precision-machined recesses on their interior surfaces that remove material while creating a reinforced web-like structure. This complements the handle’s easy-to-clean, open-backed construction to minimize the knife’s weight and optimize its balance in the hand.
The reverse-side scale is machined to create an integral lock bar that forms the basis of the knife’s R.I.L. mechanism. The end of the lock bar houses an inlaid stainless steel interface that provides a long-wearing steel-to-steel contact point. This feature not only ensures positive lock engagement, smooth operation, and a long service life, but also functions as an overtravel stop to prevent overflexing of the bar’s spring action during lock release.
To further showcase the titanium scales and handle features of the Tenacious R.I.L., they are color anodized a brilliant blue. They also include four sets of threaded mounting holes for the knife’s broad-based pocket clip. These allow the clip to be easily configured for left or right-side, tip-up or tip-down carry with a Torx® T-6 driver. In addition to the clip, the butt end of the handle also features a lined lanyard tube for the easy attachment of fobs and safety lanyards.
Like its predecessors, the blade of the Tenacious R.I.L. is full-flat ground from 8Cr13MoV stainless steel and includes a fully accessible Trademark Round Hole™. This allows swift, one-hand opening with either hand and unmistakably identifies the knife’s Spyderco pedigree. The blade is available with a choice of two finishes: a handsome satin finish or a non-reflective black oxide coating. Following suit, the handle hardware and pocket clip are either brightly finished or have matching black coatings.
D2 and a “Disarray™” Finish
In addition to the “standard” expressions of the Tenacious R.I.L., this remarkable design is also available in an “upscale” version featuring a premium D2 tool steel blade and a stunning “Disarray” finish on the handle scales. This proprietary heat-based anodizing process is individually applied to the polished titanium scales to create a breathtaking lightning-bolt-like pattern. Completely random and unique to every scale, this finish—and the enhanced blade steel—take the Tenacious to all-new levels of sophistication. The Tenacious R.I.L. Disarray finish is also available with a choice of a satin-finished blade and bright hardware or a black-oxide-coated blade and matching black-coated hardware.
The Tenacious has grown from being one of Spyderco’s most affordable folding knives to one of our most recognizable and diverse. The addition of the new R.I.L. models proudly continues that tradition and is sure to attract legions of new fans of the design.