C123 Sage

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The C123 Sage is a project model with several variations using the same pattern and blade steel, but featuring different locking mechanisms and handle materials. The Sage lineup is part of the Prestige series.

Appearance in catalogs

The C123 Sage appeared in the following catalogs (older, newer):

Designer

Spyderco

Lock variations:

History, mentionings etc. from the forums

  • Early information about the Sage project posted by "Sal" on the Spyderco forums.
  • "What makes a Sage tick:" post by "gull wing" on the Spyderco forums. An inside look at the Walker Liner Lock Sage.
  • First pictures by "The Deacon" and initial information about the Sage RIL "Reeve" Integral Lock in a Spyderco forum thread.

Information from the Spyderco catalog on the web

C123CFP Walker Liner Lock:

"A Sage is someone wise in judgment and experience. It’s reasonable assuming they achieved that title through trial, error and extending their best effort at every opportunity. If that definition can be applied to something tangible it would be an item created from experience and striving for quality and performance at the highest level. If said item were a pocketknife we could call it a Sage.

The C123 Sage represents Spyderco’s 30-year pledge to knife crafting and learning to make better knives at every available opportunity. The plan is to offer an ongoing series of Sage Folders with many of the different and ingenuous locking devices and mechanisms the knife industry has to offer.

This model is in recognition of knifemaker Michael Walker’s contribution to the knife industry with his creation of the LinerLock® and ball bearing detent method of locking open a folding knife. While the knife is made in Taiwan, the flat-ground blade is produced with USA made CPM-S30V. It is paired with a twill-woven carbon fiber handle and LinerLock. Categorized as a mid-sized folder, the blade is flat-ground and PlainEdged. Designed for comfort and in-the-hand-ergonomics, the carbon fiber handle is vibrant with multi-colored fibers bonded together when manufacturing the carbon fiber. The weaving runs deep, making ridges and textures for the palm to adhere to while gripping and cutting. A silhouette wire pocket clip adjusts for left- or right-hand carry."[1]

Variations

The C123 Sage is made in Taiwan.

SKU Handle Locks Edge(s) Steel From/To MSRP Note Number made Grind Clip Clip positions Collectors club
C123CFP Black twill CF/G-10 laminate Walker Liner Lock PE CPM-S30V Apr. 2008-Sept. 2019 $179.95 (2009), $209.95 (2016), $225.00 (2019) Sage 1 Regular production Full Flat Black Wire LH/RH, TU Main
C123TIP Ti Reeve Integral Lock PE CPM-S30V June 2009-Oct. 2018 $264.95 (2009), $309.95 (2018) Sage 2 Regular production Full Flat Silver Wire LH/RH, TU Variant
C123GBL Blue G-10 Blackie Collins Bolt Action Lock PE CPM-S30V Jan. 2011-end 2013 $199.95 (2011) Sage 3 (version 1). Blue G-10 version discontinued at the end of 2013, but replaced by C123CFBAP Regular production Full Flat Silver Wire LH/RH, TU Main
C123CFBAP Black cubic check CF/G-10 laminate Blackie Collins Bolt Action Lock PE CPM-S30V Jan 2014-Nov 2016 $249.95 (2014) Sage 3 (version 2). Black cubic check CF version replaces C123GBL Regular production Full Flat Black Wire LH/RH, TU Variant
C123WDP Ti bolsters/Arizona Ironwood Al Mar Mid-Back Lock PE CPM-S30V Jan. 2012-end 2014 $299.95 (2012) Sage 4 Regular production Full Flat Black Wire LH/RH, TU Main
C123CFPCL Black peel-ply CF/G-10 laminate Compression Lock PE CPM-S30V Sept. 2016-2023 $219.95 (2016), $229.95 (2018) Sage 5. Has a lanyard hole. Regular production Full Flat Silver Wire LH/RH, TU Main
C123PBK Black bi-directional FRN Compression Lock PE CPM-S30V 2019 - $175.00 (2019) Sage 5 lightweight. Has a lanyard hole. Uses a newer, hexagonal patterned bi-directional FRN. Regular production Full Flat Silver, deep pocket Wire LH/RH, TU Main
C123GPGY Gray G-10 Walker Liner Lock PE Maxamet 2020-2023 $295.00 (2021) Known as the 'Sage 1 Cool Gray Maxamet' Regular production Full Flat Silver, deep pocket Wire LH/RH, TU Variant
C123PGRM4 Mint green FRN Compression Lock PE CPM-M4 Nov. 2021 $220.00 (2021, MSRP), $154.00 (2021, street price) Blade HQ dealer exclusive Limited Full Flat Silver deep pocket Wire LH/RH, TU Variant
C123GRM4BK Mint green FRN Compression Lock PE Black TiCN-coated CPM-M4 Nov. 2021 $220.00 (2021, MSRP), $154.00 (2021, street price) Blade HQ dealer exclusive. Limited Full Flat Black deep pocket Wire LH/RH, TU Variant


C123GY Gray FRN Compression Lock PE Maxamet 2023 - $328.00 Regular production Full Flat Silver, deep pocket Wire LH/RH, TU Variant
C123GCBL Cobalt blue G-10 Compression Lock PE CPM SPY27 2024 - $305.00 Regular production Full Flat Silver, deep pocket Wire LH/RH, TU Variant
C123CBL Cobalt blue FRN Compression Lock PE CPM SPY27 2024 - $245.00 (2024) Regular production Full Flat Silver, deep pocket Wire LH/RH, TU Variant
C123GBOR Burnt-orange G-10 Compression Lock PE CPM REX 121 2024 - $400.00 (2024) Regular production Full Flat Silver, deep pocket Wire LH/RH, TU Variant
C123BOR Burnt-orange FRN Compression Lock PE CPM REX 121 2024 - $340.00 (2024) Regular production Full Flat Silver, deep pocket Wire LH/RH, TU Variant
C123YL Yellow FRN Compression Lock PE CPM MagnaCut 2024 - $235.00 (2024) The C123YL is part of Spyderco's Salt series of knives Regular production Full Flat Black, deep pocket Wire LH/RH, TU Variant

Most collectible variation

Questions regarding collecting the C123

Some interesting questions we are looking for an answer to:

Questions with an answer:

Q: Why is the Sage 2 the only Variant in the Collector's club?

A: The CF Sage 1 was the first Sage, and therefore the Main model. When the next Sage (the Ti Sage 2) came out in early 2009, it was a variant of the Sage lineup. Later that year, the collector's club was reorganized. As part of this reorganization, it was decided that the each new Sage release would be considered as a Main model and would not have a "V" after the collector's number. The rest of the Sages were released after this change, so that is why only the Ti Sage 2 has a "V" after the number. (note: with the release of the CF Sage 3, a true variant of the bolt-lock design version, the Sage series now has two variants. I'd expect that any new lock implementations would continue to receive the "Main" designation while any changes to handle material within each lock design would constitute a "Variant" designation.)

Technical information

Measurements (mm and grams) of the C123 Sage:

Variation Length overall Length closed Length blade Length edge Hole Ø Blade thickness Weight
C123CF Walker Liner Lock 181mm 106mm 76mm 67mm 13mm 3mm 91g
C123TI Reeve Integral Lock 181mm 106mm 76mm 67mm 13mm 3mm 99g
C123GBL G-10 Bolt Action Lock 184mm 110mm 76mm 70mm 13mm 3mm 100g
C123CFBAL CF Bolt Action Lock 188mm 112mm 76mm 70mm 13mm 3mm 105g
C123WD Mid-Back Lock 184mm 106mm 76mm 67mm 13mm 3mm 120g
C123CFPCL Compression Lock 183mm 106mm 77mm 67mm 13mm 3mm 91g
C123PBK FRN Compression Lock 181mm 106mm 76mm 67mm 13mm 3mm 77g

Measurements (inches and ounces) of the C123 Sage:

Variation Length overall Length closed Length blade Length edge Hole Ø Blade thickness Weight
C123CF Walker Liner Lock 7.19" 4.19" 3" 2.63" 0.51" 0.118" 3.2oz
C123TI Reeve Integral Lock 7.19" 4.19" 3" 2.63" 0.51" 0.118" 3.5oz
C123GBL G-10 Bolt Action Lock 7.25" 4.19" 3" 2.75" 0.51" 0.118" 3.5oz
C123CFBAL CF Bolt Action Lock 7.30" 4.30" 3" 2.74" 0.51" 0.118" 3.7oz
C123WD Mid-Back Lock 7.19" 4.19" 3" 2.63" 0.51" 0.118" 4.2oz
C123CFPCL Compression Lock 7.20" 4.17" 3.03" 2.64" 0.51" 0.118" 3.2oz
C123PBK FRN Compression Lock 7.13" 4.17" 3.00" 2.64" 0.51" 0.118" 2.7oz

References

  1. The C123 Sage Walker Liner Lock in Spyderco's online catalog

Pictures

See e.g. this thread on the Spyderco forums.

C123CFP (top) and C123TIP (bottom) CF Sage 3 (from left to right): Sage 1, 2, 3 and 4.

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