C17 Catcherman

The C17 Catcherman is a lightweight folding filet knife that was introduced in 1992 and discontinued in 2006.

Appearance in catalogs

The C17 Catcherman appeared at least in the following catalogs (older, newer):

• 1993, 1994, 1997-2000 Spyderco Products (C17)
• 2001-2005 Spdyerco Products (C17PSBKE)

Designer

Designed by Sumio Sakai/Japan , within parameters given by Spyderco.

Information from the Spyderco catalog on the web

C17BKE:

"If you're a dedicated fisherman, chances are you own a good-sized collection of fishing gear. Having a super-lightweight, compact folding filet knife that clips in a pocket can be a boon when hauling all your gear to your favorite spot. Made to fit the bill, the Catcherman features a semi-flexible blade that is ground flat and thin offering just the right amount of flex for filleting and de-boning.

It is seventy-five percent PlainEdged with a short section of gnarly serrations at the blade's base for cutting fibrous fish material such as skin, cartilage, bone. MBS-26 steel has status for high performance in edge retention and rust resistance. The FRN handle is textured and has an integral pocket clip for tip-down carry."

Spyderco USN Catcherman - Exclusive

A Spyderco classic is back and it’s back with a vengeance. Originally released in 1992, the Catcherman was a purpose-designed folding fillet knife. Its long, sweeping blade was ground extra thin for flexibility and was mated to a lightweight fiberglass reinforced nylon (FRN) handle with an integral pocket clip. An instant classic, the Catcherman was a mainstay of the Spyderco line for many years before being discontinued. Original Catcherman knives are now highly sough-after collector’s items.

Through a special arrangement with the Usual Suspect Network (USN), Spyderco has produced an exclusive edition of this classic knife. The USN Catcherman features a partially-serrated blade ground from our exclusive H-1 steel, a nitrogen-based alloy that is completely immune to rust. Its blade is coated with a durable black titanium carbonitride (TICN) coating that reduces its reflective properties and forms the perfect backdrop for the handsomely engraved USN logo. The most distinctive feature of this limited-edition knife is its signature “toxic green” handle—the signature color of the USN. It features a “Volcano Grip™” texture pattern for a positive grip in even the most demanding conditions and an old-school integral clip configured for right-side, tip-up carry.

A unique and highly collectible knife, the USN black-bladed Catcherman is sure to be an instant classic. The C17PSGRBK Catcherman in Spyderco's online catalog.

Variations

The C17 Catcherman is made in Seki-City, Japan and has Back Lock.

SKU	Handle	Edge	Steel	From/To	MSRP	Note	Number made	Grind	Clip	Clip positions	Collectors club
C17PSBK	Black FRN	PS 75/25	AUS-8	1992-2000	54.95$ (1994)		N/A	Hollow	Integral FRN	RH, TU
C17SBK	Black FRN	SE	AUS-8	?-1994-?	54.95$ (1994)		N/A	Hollow	Integral FRN	RH, TU
C17PSYL	Yellow FRN	PS 75/25	AUS-8	?-1994-?	54.95$ (1994)		N/A	Hollow	Integral FRN	RH, TU
C17SYL	Yellow FRN	SE	AUS-8	?-1994-?	54.95$ (1994)		N/A	Hollow	Integral FRN	RH, TU
C17PSBKE	Black FRN	PS 75/25	MBS-26	2001-2005	66.95$ (2004)		N/A	Full Flat	Integral FRN	RH, TU
C17PSGRBK	Toxic Green FRN	PS 75/25	H-1	2011	129.95$ (2004)	Special Run for the USN Forum. Black coated blade with USN logo. See Forum knives for a complete listing.	~600	Hollow	Integral FRN	RH, TU	Variant
C17GR	Bright Green FRN	PS 75/25	LC200N	2023	$160.00 (2023)	Sprint Run.The C17GR is part of Spyderco Salt series of knives.	~1200	Full Flat	Integral FRN	RH, TU	Variant

Most collectible variation

The USN forum Catcherman is probably the rarest and would probably be a contender for most collectible.

Questions regarding collecting the C17

Some interesting questions we are looking for an answer to:

Questions with an answer:

Technical information

Measurements (mm and grams) of the C17 Catcherman:

Variation	Length overall	Length closed	Length blade	Length edge	Hole Ø	Blade thickness	Weight
C17	265mm	149mm	121mm	111mm	11mm	2mm	80g
C17BKE (MBS-26)	265mm	151mm	121mm	110mm	11mm	2mm	71g
C17PSGRBK	265mm	151mm	121mm	110mm	11mm	1.8mm	76g

Measurements (inches and ounces) of the C17 Catcherman:

Variation	Length overall	Length closed	Length blade	Length edge	Hole Ø	Blade thickness	Weight
C17	10 7/16"	5 7/8"	4 3/4"	4 3/8"	7/16"	5/64"	2.8oz
C17BKE (MBS-26)	10 7/16"	5 15/16"	4 3/4"	4 5/16"	7/16"	5/64"	2.5oz
C17PSGRBK	10 7/16"	5 15/16"	4 3/4"	4 5/16"	7/16"	9/128"	2.7oz

Pictures

C17PSGRBK USN Catcherman