Spyderco byte July 2023 - RESCUE KNIVES

Spyderco byte July 2023 - RESCUE KNIVES​

Another Groundbreaking Spyderco Innovation​

RESCUE KNIVES​

MSRP: $126.00 - $416.00
ORIGIN: USA / Japan

Spyderco introduced its first knife, the Worker™, in 1981. Its defining features—specifically, its Trademark Round Hole™ for swift one-handed opening and its clip for convenient, top-of-the-pocket carry—literally revolutionized modern folding knife design. A year later, we added the voracious cutting power of a fully serrated edge and set a standard in folding knife functionality that endures to this day.

That same year, Spyderco introduced its second model—the Mariner™. Like all early Spyderco knives, it was designed by company co-founder Sal Glesser, who also happened to be an avid sailor. According to Sal, the Mariner was inspired by the classic sailor’s rigging or rope knife but supercharged with the aggressive cutting power of a serrated edge. The “interrupted” cutting action of a serrated blade cuts fibrous material far more efficiently than a conventional plain edge and is the ideal cutting tool for rope—especially when it’s wet.

The first version of the Mariner had flat, slab-style stainless steel handle scales and a blade crafted from AUS-8 stainless steel. Designated the 1002, it pre-dated our use of SKU numbers beginning with a letter “C.” We also produced a PlainEdge™ version of the design called the Paramedic that had a smaller lanyard hole and a thinner handle slab on the side opposite the clip. Both knives were manufactured in dedicated right and left-handed configurations featuring one-position pocket clips configured for tip-down carry only.

One of Sal’s goals in designing the Mariner was to eliminate the sharp point of most conventional blade designs to focus on the knife’s function as a cutting tool rather than its potential as a weapon. At the same time, he wanted to retain enough of a usable tip to open oil cans—a much more common task 40 years ago. The traditional sheepfoot design of a sailor’s rope knife achieved these goals perfectly. According to some historians, the blunt-tipped sailor’s knife began when ship captains would purposely break off the points of their crewmembers’ knives to prevent them from stabbing each other. Others claim it was a safety measure to reduce the chances of injury if a sailor dropped his knife while working up in the ship’s rigging.

Another advantage of a blunt-tipped knife is that it can be used to safely cut things in close proximity to an animal or person. In fact, the term “sheepfoot” or “sheepsfoot” is the literal name of the blade pattern historically used by shepherds to trim the hooves of sheep.

Early Spyderco Adopters​

No matter which version of history you prefer, the enhanced safety of the sheepfoot blade profile, combined with the revolutionary advantages of our CLIPIT® platform, made the Mariner extremely popular among law enforcement officers, paramedics, and other first responders. These duty-bound personnel were among the first to appreciate the quick access and one-handed operation of Spyderco’s CLIPIT designs. Since the early 1980’s marked the first widespread use of seat belts in cars, they also quickly realized the Mariner was the perfect tool for cutting seat belts to free accident victims. The modern “rescue knife” was born.

As the Mariner gained popularity, its design was refined and formally designated the C02—Spyderco’s second CLIPIT model. Despite its name, the Mariner version of the design also proved to be far more popular as a dry-land rescue tool than its Paramedic variant, which was ultimately discontinued.

The Rescue™​

As feedback from first responders concerning the lifesaving functionality of the Mariner poured in, it became very clear that the rescue knife concept we pioneered had potential in other designs. To make that function available at a more affordable price, in 1990, we released the C14 Rescue. The first knife specifically designed for police officers, firefighters, and paramedics as a rescue tool, it featured a lightweight, injection-molded, fiberglass-reinforced-nylon (FRN) handle and a fully serrated sheepfoot blade.

The original Rescue featured a G-2 stainless steel blade and a molded, integral clip. In 1998, it was upgraded to ATS-55 steel and the handle was redesigned to incorporate a reversible metal clip secured by a barrel bolt to support ambidextrous tip-up carry. A mainstay of Spyderco’s product line for many years, the Rescue was later upgraded again to feature a VG-10 stainless steel blade and a crescent-shaped cutout in the spine for enhanced control. It was also renamed the Rescue 93mm to differentiate it from the Rescue 79mm™, aka the Rescue Jr.™

In 2011 we redesigned the Rescue from the ground up to create the current Rescue 3. The Volcano Grip™ texture pattern on the handle of the original design was upgraded to Bi-Directional Texturing™ for even greater traction and control in emergency situations. The new handle also features screw-together construction and skeletonized stainless steel liners that offer increased strength as well as a solid foundation for the attachment of a four-position hourglass clip. Originally produced with a stout, saber grind for maximum strength, the Rescue 3’s VG-10 stainless steel blade was later revised to feature a lighter full-flat grind that offers enhanced edge geometry for low-friction cutting performance.

The Rescue Jr.​

In the stress of a critical incident, the extreme cutting power of the full-sized Rescue model is definitely preferred. However, some end users—especially law enforcement officers—expressed a preference for a smaller version of the knife that could be carried more easily. To meet that need, in 1998, we introduced the Rescue Jr.™, which later became known as the Rescue 79mm. This compact knife distilled all the key features of the 1998-era Rescue into a pocket-friendly package with a 3.11-inch (79mm) blade. This incredibly handy knife went on to become the official issue knife for a U.S. federal law enforcement agency and is still serving proudly in our product line.

The D’Allara Rescue​

Following the tragic events of September 11, 2001, Spyderco created a very special rescue knife—the World Trade Center Knife. Created in memory of NYPD Officer and Spyderco enthusiast John D’Allara, who was among the lives lost that day, it was developed to pay tribute to the victims and raise funds to benefit the loved ones they left behind. The original version featured a CPM® S30V® sheepfoot blade, Spyderco’s Ball Bearing Lock™, and an FRN handle inlaid with a hand-finished silhouette of the New York City skyline machined from steel salvaged from Tower 1 of the World Trade Center. Individually serialized, these remarkable knives came in a custom presentation box with a letter of authenticity.

Later, the handle mold of this design was modified to create a user-oriented version called the D’Allara Rescue, which featured a VG-10 blade. Years later, two generations of the design were also rendered with drop-point blades.

The C79 Assist™​

In 2003 Spyderco introduced the flagship of our rescue knife line, the Assist, which literally redefined the standards of the breed. Initially, there were two variants of the Assist. The Assist I was the full-featured version which endured to become the current model. The Assist II featured a more acute point profile and lacked a glass-breaker function and was ultimately discontinued.

The Assist’s unique blade features an oversized Trademark Round Hole and Cobra Hood™ attachment that together ensure positive one-handed blade deployment, even while wearing heavy gloves. The blunt tip slides under seat belts, clothing, and other materials without endangering the victim and its mostly serrated CombinationEdge™ easily powers through seat belts, harnesses, webbing, and rope.

Injection molded from tough FRN, the Assist’s handle features both Bi-Directional Texturing and finger grooves to ensure a secure grip in critical situations. The finger grooves also allow the knife to “scissor cut” rope by using the action of closing the blade and the leverage of the pivot. Squeezing the closed blade into the handle extends a carbide glass breaker from the butt end of the handle to break windows quickly and efficiently. Along with these features, a built-in survival whistle and a reversible wire pocket clip for ambidextrous tip-up carry make the Assist one of the most extraordinary rescue tools ever produced.

The standard version of the Assist has a hollow-ground, satin-finished VG-10 stainless steel blade and a high-visibility orange handle (a black-handled version was also produced, but later discontinued). For tactical environments where light discipline is a concern, an all-black version with a titanium carbonitride-coated blade and blackened metal hardware is also available.

Salt® Series Rescue Knives​

With the launch of our groundbreaking Salt Series in 2003, Spyderco became the undisputed industry leader in ultra-corrosion-resistant knives designed for use in and around the water. Since our growing line of rescue knives was also incredibly popular with sailors and watersports enthusiasts, it made perfect sense to give them the “Salt treatment.”

First, the Rescue design was rendered with an H-1 steel blade to become the Atlantic Salt™. An H-1 version of the Rescue 79mm called the Saver Salt™ followed, as well as an H-1-bladed Mariner called the Mariner™ Salt®. The Assist™ Salt® raised the bar even higher, combining the versatility of the Assist model with an ultra-corrosion-resistant H-1 steel blade (sans Cobra Hood) and a bright yellow handle. Even the compact Manbug™ joined the Salt party, boasting a tiny but amazingly capable SpyderEdge sheepfoot blade. In 2022, the H-1 Salt models were upgraded to H-2 steel and the Atlantic Salt was also rendered in LC200N steel with a full-flat-ground blade.

The Autonomy™​

Arguably the most unique member of Spyderco’s rescue knife family is the Autonomy. Developed in response to a request from the U.S. Coast Guard, it is an automatic rescue knife designed to meet the demanding mission requirements of their elite rescue swimmers. The product of years of painstaking research, development, and testing, it features a sheepfoot-style H-1 blade suitable for cutting seat belts and removing clothing from a victim’s body, while retaining enough point utility to puncture rafts and flotation gear.

The Autonomy’s finger-grooved handle is constructed with full stainless steel liners flanked by textured G-10 scales. Its oversized firing button is easily indexed by tactile sense and is powered by a spring integral to the stainless steel liner. The knife’s auto-opening blade is driven by a corrosion-resistant coil spring nested within a patented removable module that allows spring replacement without disassembling the entire knife.

The original orange-handled version of the Autonomy was designed for carry in a dedicated pouch, so it did not include a safety or pocket clip. Later, an orange-handled version with a reversible wire clip and safety and an identical all-black version were added. The latter won the Blade Show’s prestigious “Most Innovative American Design” award as a groundbreaking achievement in automatic knife design.

This extensive, but not complete, history clearly reflects Spyderco’s pioneering role in the creation of the modern rescue knife. Although this breed of knife is now commonplace, we were the first, and remain committed to staying the best.