PSA:How Can You Tell A Spyderco Factory Second Knife?

[Hair Scraper]

I run by the Spyderco factory second sales when they have them. So do a lot of other people. You’ll see lots of seconds show up in antique shops, on Craig’s List, and I’m sure on Fleabay afterwards.

If you're buying a used Spyderco knife here’s how you can tell it’s a factory second.

All factory seconds have a notch ground above and behind the thumb hole on the right side of the blade. (as seen below, plain steel or coated) They don’t come with a box, and there is no warranty.

That being said, the factory seconds are a great value because most “defects” are cosmetic.

 

[Multum in parvo]

I assume that this is a Golden/Co. practice and there are no Seconds sales on overseas knives?

 

[Hair Scraper]

I assume that this is a Golden/Co. practice and there are no Seconds sales on overseas knives?

Correct, the sale is only in Golden, CO. They do receive the stock from the overseas factories, (Taiwan, Japan, China, Italy,) they're inspected, and the seconds are included at that sale.

Their hatchets are included in the sale and I can only assume they put a grind mark on them, too.

In 2020 they did have an online Seconds Sale, but it was a tremendous undertaking and they're holding off on doing that again.