Spyderco Sage 5 Compression Folding Knife 18

Spyderco’s Sage Series is a unique family of knives that showcases the innovative lock mechanisms that have helped define modern folding knife technology. Every knife in the series features the same basic design parameters—a full-flat-ground, leaf-shaped CPM S30V blade, an ergonomic handle design with textured forefinger choil and thumb ramp, and a reversible tip-up wire clip. However, each knife is distinct in that it highlights a specific lock mechanism and acknowledges the trendsetting knifemaker or designer who invented it.

The Spyderco Sage 5 Compression highlights Spyderco’s own Compression Lock mechanism. Although often mistaken as a “LinerLock on the back of the handle,” the Compression Lock is actually radically different. In a Compression Lock, the blade’s tang ramp faces upward toward the handle’s spine, rather than toward the butt of the handle as in a LinerLock. When the blade is opened, the lock bar is sandwiched between the ramp and the knife’s stop pin. Pressure that challenges the lock is transferred to the width of the bar—not its length—and literally tries to crush it between the blade ramp and the stop pin. This patented mechanism is substantially stronger than most LinerLocks and its location allows the knife to be safely closed with only one hand without placing your fingers in the path of the edge.

The skeletonized stainless steel liners that form the framework of the Sage 5’s lock are nested into textured carbon fiber/G-10 laminate scales. Open-backed construction reduces the knife’s weight and allows easy cleaning, while a reversible deep-pocket wire clip provides convenient tip-up carry on either side of the body. Showcasing one of Spyderco’s proudest contributions to modern knife technology, the Sage 5 is an extremely capable all-purpose cutting tool.