Imagine a lazy afternoon, not much to do, you are browsing the web for news and all out of a sudden you see there’s a new Spyderco model with a $ 7.75 (MSRP) price tag. Wait a minute! A Spyderco? For under $ 10?

At least my reaction was quite alike, so I am going to try and give you some insight of what to expect from a Spyderco that you can buy for around five bucks online.

Overall

First of all: It’s small. Well, “tiny” would actually be more spot on. According to Spyderco’s website it measures 2 7/8 inches (or 73 mm) overall with a 1 5/16 inches (or 33 mm) blade. That kind of tiny…

Size aside, the Bug features everything that can be found on any other current model (except the pocket clip of course): opening hole, lanyard hole, bug-logo etching and a (for the size) surprisingly sharp edge.

The finish is brushed like on other SS models but to me the finish looks a little bit more rough if compared to other Spyderco knives. Maybe I have this impression because all these tiny scratches suddenly look a lot bigger if the knife itself is tiny too. On the other hand, the lasered bug-logo on the handle also does not look as nicely done as on other models. I don’t know…

Two other things you will notice quite fast are that the knife is made in China (like the C133 Tenacious) and that it does not have a lock. The Bug is a so-called slipjoint knife (like the Swiss Army Knives that everybody knows) and thus part of Spyderco’s SLIPIT group of models.

The handle

The shape of the bug’s handle resembles a downscaled version of other well known Spyderco models. It’s quite similar to the SS Delica’s or the SS Jester’s handle and features bevelled edges. There’s no jimping on it but despite of it’s size you can still hold it quite securely between your thumb, index and middle finger. I doubt that anyone can will use the knife for tasks that require jimping to enhance the grip on the handle, so I’d say it’s good as it is.

The blade

The blade has the typical Spyderco looks, even at under two inches. Unlike other models the steel type is not etched on the tang (maybe due to a lack of space) but a look at Spyderco’s website reveals that it is made of 8Cr13MoV, like the blade of the Tenacious. It is full flat ground with a plain edge and a 3/16 inch (or 5 mm) opening hole. As already stated, the inscriptions are minimal: “Spyderco” on one side of the tang, “China” on the other.

The common triangular shaped blade might be useful to pierce through (soft) plastic wrappings or to remove splinters with its tip. If it’s not a string, adhesive tape or an envelope you want to cut, I would forget about cutting with this blade at all. It is just too small to be really useful when it comes to everyday cutting chores although it might come in handy when you don’t have a regular sized knife on you and you just want to cut string, adhesive tape, etc.

Surprisingly the backspring is rather strong for this little knife, so I don’t think it will close on you unless you abuse it.

My conclusion

The Bug is the perfect knife to give away. No, I don’t mean that in the negative way. It is small enough to look cute – even to people who might get scared at the sight of a knife, it’s inexpensive so you can afford to give a couple of them away as presents, the blade is sharp and pointy so in some cases it might be useful if nothing else is at hand and it’s a Spyderco.

If you are looking for a serious user at about the same size, I would recommend to get one of the new Ladybugs. They are barely larger but they lock and they have a larger (1 15/16 inches or49 mm) blade which makes them a lot more useful. The downside is the price difference. Remember, we are talking about $ 7.75 MSRP for the Bug and $ 44.95 MSRP for the Ladybug.

What justifies such a big difference in price? Well, frankly said: quality. Don’t get me wrong, the quality of the bug is OK – actually MUCH more than OK if you consider the price – but in direct comparison with a SS Jester or SS Ladybug it becomes obvious why the latter cost more than six times as much as the bug. The fit and finish is much better and the materials are superior (VG-10). If you’re not looking at them side by side you won’t notice but put them on the table together and you’ll know what I mean.

This doesn’t mean that the Bug is the same kind of cheap and flimsy knife that you can buy out of the bargain bin of your local hardware store or gas-station. Well, it is cheap but although it might not be of the same quality as the higher priced models of about the same size it is in NO way a flimsy knife. In fact it looks and feels more expensive than it really is.

So, my point is this: You want a Bug to carry it on a necklace? Get it! You want give a friend a nice gift? Get it! You want to convert one or more NKP with a small gift they simply can’t reject? Get it! Your keys feel lonely and you need a new cool keychain? Get it! You need just another cool gadget? Get it! You need a new knife for your collection? Get it! Actually you’ll have a hard time to think about a reason why you should NOT get a Bug. But…

You need a knife small enough to be carried on your keychain, with a lock, that can be used for more serious tasks than cutting a loose thread while not scaring away NKP, available in a variety of colours and handle material s?Buy a Ladybug! And while you’re at it: get a Bug too. Just because…

More pictures…

To see more pictures of the Bug, please take a look at this short video:

Cheers, Rob

April, 2009