In the 1990s Spyderco was approached by a specialized branch of U.S. law enforcement about making a knife for their undercover agents. These plain-clothes LEOs found themselves in situations where they often could not carry a firearm but carrying a knife was not a problem. Most had no formal training in self-defense tactics or MBC but as a last resort could use a blade to protect or extricate themselves from a life-threatening situation. This was how the Civilian model came to be.

The Civilian has a patented reverse "S" blade that's intended to be used like an oversized claw. The tip is ground to an ultra-thin profile. Deeply curved and full at the belly, the VG-10 hollow-ground blade excels in slicing and is available fully SpyderEdged. Because of its distinctly specialized features it is not intended or designed for general utility or everyday use. Curved in all the right places for ergonomic use and retention of the knife, the handle is black G-10. Mounted for tip-down carry with a custom curved black clip, the knife rides deeply and unobtrusively in a pocket.

It is a badass looking knife with a reverse S blade that is designed to do only one thing, cut through flesh and bone. The proper way to use this knife is as if it were a claw designed for slashing. It is not a knife designed for stabbing. The most common word I see used to describe this knife is “scary” and I don’t disagree. A single swipe from this knife would be absolutely devastating.

The tip of the knife is razor-sharp and very intimidating. This is one of those knives that if someone pulled it on you it would be an oh shit moment.

It comes with a pocket clip that allows the knife to be carried either tip up or tip down. The tip of the knife is delicate because it’s thin and razor-sharp, so be careful with it.

It has a G10 handle that is strong, comfortable, and ergonomic. It also has a slim profile, so it is easy to conceal.

It is still the the best self defense knife on the market right now, particularly for someone not so experienced in tactical knife use.

That said, it is not designed as an everyday care knife (EDC knife) and is designed purely for self defense. If you’re looking for a self defense knife that doubles as an EDC knife, I would not recommend this knife. The tip is too fragile.

Currently priced at $224 at Blade HQ, if that is too expensive for your budget a more affordable alternative is the Spyderco Matriarch 2 at $101.50, with slighty less premium materials - FRN Handle instead of G10, and a shorter blade at 3.55", instead of 4.125" for the Civilian. The tip of the Matriarch maybe more robust than the Civilian due to the blade geometry. Both knife blades have VG-10 steel blades. The Matriarch also has a version with an Emerson Wave feature for auto deployment when pulled out of the pocket for about $10 extra.

https://www.bladehq.com/item--Spyderco-Civilian-G10--5089

https://www.bladehq.com/item--Spyderco-Matriarch-2-Flat-Ground--11497

Shop around there maybe better pricing elsewhere, BladeHQ are a good company to deal with and very knowledgeable.

Mirrored from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cijSHVp4ebs
WeAllJuggleKnives