ThatWouter: Created page with "The Spyderco byte February 2018 e-newsletter was sent out on 26 February 2018, and it contained the following articles. ==The Yojimbo 2 and Trainer== '''C85GP2''' '''MSRP:''' $209.95 '''Origin:''' USA --------------------------------------------- '''C85TR2''' '''MSRP:''' $209.95 '''Origin:''' USA Michael Janich’s association with Spyderco dates back to the late 1990’s and early 2000’s when he taught his system of knife-based self-defense under the auspices..."

2026-09-02T15:53:43Z

Created page with "The Spyderco byte February 2018 e-newsletter was sent out on 26 February 2018, and it contained the following articles. ==The Yojimbo 2 and Trainer== '''C85GP2''' '''MSRP:''' $209.95 '''Origin:''' USA --------------------------------------------- '''C85TR2''' '''MSRP:''' $209.95 '''Origin:''' USA Michael Janich’s association with Spyderco dates back to the late 1990’s and early 2000’s when he taught his system of knife-based self-defense under the auspices..."

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The Spyderco byte February 2018 e-newsletter was sent out on 26 February 2018, and it contained the following articles.

==The Yojimbo 2 and Trainer==

'''C85GP2'''

'''MSRP:''' $209.95

'''Origin:''' USA
---------------------------------------------

'''C85TR2'''

'''MSRP:''' $209.95

'''Origin:''' USA

Michael Janich’s association with Spyderco dates back to the late 1990’s and early 2000’s when he taught his system of knife-based self-defense under the auspices of our “Martial Blade Craft” program. In addition to hosting his training, Spyderco was impressed enough with Janich’s knife knowledge to ask him to design two knives for the company—the original Ronin™ and Yojimbo™ folder. The straight-edged Wharncliffe blade profile showcased in both of those designs had been around for well over a century, but it had never really been applied to modern personal-defense knives. We believed in the concept, though, and with the production of those knives, Spyderco and Janich pioneered what is now known as the “tactical Wharncliffe.”

The first-generation Ronin and Yojimbo were relatively short lived, but by the time Janich joined Spyderco full time in 2009, the seeds they had planted had already had a significant effect on the knife industry. It therefore seemed the perfect time to revisit those designs and bring them up to date. The first product of that effort was the Yojimbo 2.

Meaning “bodyguard” in Japanese, yojimbo is also well known as the title of a classic Akira Kurosawa samurai film. In keeping with that spirit, the Yojimbo 2 was designed to be the consummate personal protector. Crafted from CPM® S30V® stainless steel for excellent edge retention and corrosion resistance, its broad Wharncliffe blade features a perfectly straight cutting edge. Unlike blades with “belly,” this ensures the full transfer of energy all the way to the point for maximum cutting power and depth. From a utilitarian perspective, the versatile Wharncliffe pattern also offers everything from scalpel-like precision at the tip to raw cutting power at the heel of the edge.

To balance edge geometry, strength, and a long service life, the Yojimbo 2’s blade features a deep, high hollow grind. The blade’s spine is left full thickness for mass and structural strength and features a long, slightly concave ramp to accommodate a thumb-forward grip that makes the knife feel as if it is a natural extension of your hand.

The Yojimbo 2’s ergonomic handle is tapered to fit the natural shape of the human hand and includes a prominent forward guard. It is built on a foundation of skeletonized stainless steel liners that also form the basis of the knife’s patented Compression Lock™ mechanism. MBC rated for extreme strength, the Compression Lock’s location on the handle’s spine also greatly minimizes the chances of unintentional lock release and allows the blade to be safely closed one handed without ever placing your fingers in the path of the edge. The knife’s liners are nested within peel-ply-textured G-10 scales and connected by stainless steel standoffs. This refined, open-backed construction keeps the Yojimbo 2 exceptionally thin and lightweight and allows for easy cleaning and maintenance. It also supports the knife’s four-position pocket clip, which is fully configurable for all possible carry positions.

Serious students of self-defense know that tools alone are not enough; they must be powered by proper skills. And the best way to develop those skills is with a training knife that is mechanically identical to your live-blade carry knife. With that thought in mind, in late 2017 Spyderco proudly unveiled the Yojimbo 2 Trainer. Its full-thickness, blunted edge and rounded tip allow safe, controlled contact with a training partner, while the carefully engineered holes in the blade remove enough material for its weight to closely match that of its sharpened counterpart. Those holes, along with the handle’s textured red G-10 scales, also allow it to be instantly recognized as a safe training tool. All other aspects of its construction are identical to the sharp version, allowing it to be carried, drawn, opened, and used in training with the same fluidity that would be needed in a real critical incident.

The latest expressions of the “tactical Wharncliffe” movement Spyderco pioneered nearly two decades ago, the Yojimbo 2 and the Yojimbo 2 Trainer are the perfect personal-protection pair.

'''C85GP2'''

'''Overall:''' 7.69 in / 195 mm

'''Blade:''' 3.20 in / 81 mm

'''Edge:''' 3.05 in / 77 mm

'''Weight:''' 4.2 oz / 119 g

'''Grind:''' Hollow

'''Origin:''' USA

'''C85TR2'''

'''Overall:''' 7.74 in / 197 mm

'''Blade:''' 3.25 in / 83 mm

'''Edge:''' N/A

'''Weight:''' 4.2 oz / 119 g

'''Grind:''' Blunted

'''Origin:''' USA

==Collaborator spotlight: Fred Perrin==

Fred Perrin is a name that should be familiar to any seasoned knife enthusiast and particularly to Spyderco followers. Born in the Normandy region of France and now living in Burgundy, Perrin is one of the most uniquely qualified designers in the cutlery industry. In addition to his impressive skills as a blacksmith, bladesmith, and knifemaker, he is also a military veteran, an expert marksman, a lifelong martial artist and Savateur (exponent of French Savate), and one of the most sought after close-combat trainers in Europe.

While many knife makers are also knife designers, very few ever have a profound or lasting impact on the knife industry. Perrin is one of those rare few. Following his service in the French Army, he worked as a scaffold specialist in support of Paris’ many construction and renovation projects. That challenging job involved lots of work with rope and knives, and Perrin quickly realized the factory-made knives available then were not the best tools for the job. What he really needed was a knife that cut very well, allowed the dexterity to tie knots and work rope without sheathing or closing it, and could not be accidentally dropped on workers or pedestrians below. In true Perrin fashion, he solved the problem by designing and making his own knife. That knife was the now-iconic La Griffe—a compact fixed blade with a prominent index-finger hole in the ricasso that allows the knife to remain securely in the hand while the fingers are free for other work. That innovation was an immediate hit among Perrin’s coworkers and soon a career in knifemaking made more sense than scaffold work. The Perrin hole became a distinguishing feature of many of his designs and, although it has since been used by other knifemakers and manufacturers, credit for the original idea rests squarely with him.

Spyderco has incorporated this uniquely functional feature into several of our designs, including the S.P.O.T.™ (Self-Protection Options Tool), the Caspian Salt™, and our popular Swick™ models. In every case, we have also given full credit to Perrin for his innovation.

Another signature feature that is characteristic of Perrin’s designs is a deep index-finger groove in the handle that serves as a functional, yet low-profile, integral guard. Originally inspired by the integral guard of the classic Corsican dagger, Perrin’s version is even more effective as it combines a guard, a wide, hand-filling grip, and outstanding grip security into one brilliantly simple feature.

It’s not surprising that the functional genius of Perrin’s work—along with his penchant for round holes—caught the eye of Spyderco founder Sal Glesser, who recruited Fred as one of our earliest collaborators. The first Spyderco expression of a Perrin design was the Street Bowie™, which was based on one of Perrin’s most popular custom fixed-blade designs. Although large enough to perform admirably in most fixed-blade roles, true to its name, the Street Bowie could still be easily carried. For those who preferred a smaller knife, Spyderco and Perrin later introduced his second collaboration, the compact Street Beat™. That model, in turn, inspired the Street Beat Lightweight, which offers all the same features and benefits as the hand-finished Street Beat, but in a more affordable format.

Perrin was also deeply involved in the design of a unique Spyderco folding knife called the PPT™. A collaborative effort between Fred and his fellow French knifemakers Philippe Perotti and Sacha Thiel, it features a hybrid lock that combines the strength of a Reeve Integral Lock (R.I.L.) with the comfort and grip security of corrugated, 3-D-machined scales. This remarkable design was recently re-released as a limited-edition Sprint Run featuring stunning carbon fiber scales and a CPM S90V blade.

Fred Perrin is a one-of-a-kind talent who has combined exceptional creativity with his insights as a self-defense expert to have a profound influence on modern knife design. We are honored to share his designs in the Spyderco product line.

==Training knives==

Training knives fill a critically important role in personal-defense and law enforcement defensive tactics training. When learning how to defend against edged-weapon attacks, realistic training tools truly get the adrenaline pumping and make the training more compelling. For civilians and duty-bound personnel who regard their knives as potential defensive weapons, good trainers are critical to proper skill development.

Training knives fill a critically important role in personal-defense and law enforcement defensive tactics training. When learning how to defend against edged-weapon attacks, realistic training tools truly get the adrenaline pumping and make the training more compelling. For civilians and duty-bound personnel who regard their knives as potential defensive weapons, good trainers are critical to proper skill development.
In the old days, the only training knives available were either traditional Japanese wooden tanto knives or overly flexible molded rubber trainers, neither of which was very realistic. As knife-oriented self-defense training became more popular, more technically accurate trainers molded from plastic or fashioned from aluminum began to appear. However, all of these trainers were still essentially fixed-blade knives—even if they were trying to replicate a folding knife design.

All that changed in 1990 when a martial artist named Erik Remmen approached Spyderco’s Sal Glesser with the idea of teaching a self-defense class based around the use of our lightweight Delica® and Endura® models. Remmen, a highly skilled practitioner of Korean Hwa Rang Do® and an expert in the martial use of knives, understood the groundbreaking advantages of our CLIPIT® designs, especially when it came to deploying a knife from a disadvantaged position. His program emphasized carrying of a pair of CLIPIT knives and developing the skill to draw and apply them from any position to effect a safe escape. His only obstacle was finding safe, blunted training knives that were mechanically identical to their live-blade counterparts.

According to Remmen, “I wrote Spyderco CEO Sal Glesser a letter explaining my concept. At this point in time Sal didn’t know me from Adam. A couple weeks later a package arrived at my door. Inside I found 40 brand new factory dulled CLIPITS, no charge. A note inside said: Good luck with your new Defensive Tactics Training Course, Erik!”

Those were the first “factory-made” folding training knives ever produced. As word of Remmen’s training spread, interest in the unique tools he used in that training also grew, so in 1999 Spyderco introduced purpose-designed training versions of the Delica and Endura Lightweights. Unlike the dulled “drones” we had provided to Remmen, these trainers had full-thickness blunted edges and points and bright red handles to make them easy to identify in a training environment.
As the Delica and Endura designs evolved, their training counterparts paralleled them and were ultimately joined by other folding trainer designs, including the P’Kal and Yojimbo 2. In addition to their use in martial arts and self-defense training, our trainers have also become popular among scout leaders and youth groups as the perfect tools for teaching knife safety. Kids (and adults) learning to handle knives properly start with the trainers to ensure complete safety. As they progress in their knife-handling skills, lipstick or dry erase marker can be added to the edge of the trainer’s blade. Any ink or lipstick marks on a child’s hand would symbolize a “cut” and let him or her know that more practice is necessary before handling the real thing.

Used properly, training knives can be a tremendous asset in safely developing knife-based skills. In fact, some of those skills are literally impossible to master without a folding trainer that offers the same mechanical operation as its live-blade counterpart. Although folding trainers are more commonplace these days than they used to be, it all started with Spyderco’s initial commitment to doing the right thing nearly 30 years ago.

==The Amsterdam Meet and IWA==

As February comes to a close, members of Spyderco’s Sales, Marketing, and Public Relations Crew are gearing up to head to Europe for our annual “Meet” in Amsterdam and the IWA trade show in Nuremberg, Germany.

The Amsterdam “Meet” is a one-of-a-kind gathering of knife enthusiasts from all over the world who want an exclusive sneak peek at Spyderco’s concept models and prototypes. In addition to being a great opportunity to visit with truly passionate knife fans, the detailed feedback they provide is invaluable to our research and development and marketing efforts.

IWA is the largest exposition of knives, firearms, outdoor equipment, and tactical gear in Europe. This whirlwind four-day event allows us to renew our relationships with our international dealers and distributors and to share our newest products with them, members of the media, and professional end users from all over the world. Our IWA display also showcases many of our concept models and prototypes to encourage even more comments, feedback, and customer insights.

For those of you planning to attend the show, please visit us in Hall 5, stand 5-341. We look forward to seeing you there!

Spyderco byte - February 2018 - Revision history