Like firearms, not all knives are created equally. Just as the 1911, the Browning High-Power, the Uzi, and the Thompson transcended their roles as weapons to become historical icons, the Fairbairn-Sykes dagger, the KA-BAR, and the Gerber Mark II made indelible marks on the history of edged weapons. In the same spirit, one of the most distinctive and recognizable folding knives ever produced is the Spyderco Civilian.

In 1981, Spyderco’s founder, Sal Glesser, single handedly revolutionized the knife industry by defining the modern folding knife. First, he gave it the capability to be deployed quickly and positively with only one hand via his Trademark Round Hole in the blade. To ensure immediate access and make its deployment even quicker, he added a spring clip that keeps the knife poised at the top of the pocket. And finally he supercharged the cutting power of the humble pocketknife by adding scientifically designed serrations to the cutting edge.

Although commonplace now, these features set Spyderco knives well apart from the competition in the early 1980s. They also made them the tools of choice of savvy law enforcement personnel who appreciated them as both reliable tools and potent back-up weapons in officer survival situations. As a direct result of this dedicated law enforcement following, in the late 1980s, Spyderco was approached by agents of a U.S. federal law enforcement agency with a request to produce a special-purpose folding knife. These agents regularly engaged in undercover narcotics operations that made the carry of a traditional sidearm or even a backup pistol impossible. To give themselves a fighting chance if a drug buy went south, they wanted a folding knife that could be easily carried and concealed, but had the capacity to inflict massive damage with simple, gross-motor-skill tactics. They were not trained knife fighters, so they wanted a knife that would transform instinctive offensive and defensive actions into devastating fight-stopping tactics.

The Reverse “S”

Ever a patriot, Spyderco’s founder also enjoys a challenge; so he immediately went to work on the project. His design goals were simple: create a knife that has the capacity to create devastating damage when wielded by a person with minimal training using instinctive gross motor skills. After giving the challenge considerable thought, Glesser looked to nature – specifically the claws and talons of animals – for the solution.

Most conventional knife blades offer two distinctly separate functions: cutting with the edge(s) and piercing with the point. Although some advanced techniques of wielding a knife can effectively combine these two functions, typically they are separate actions.

An animal’s claw, however, operates very differently. Because of its hooked shape, the point of the claw makes contact first, even when powered by a simple gross-motor-skill swing. As the point penetrates, it pulls the target tissue into the concave of its curved shape. This “gathering” action is also similar to the shearing mechanics of the concave edge of a sickle. When translated to a knife blade, the result is an amazingly destructive dynamic that transforms a single, instinctive swing into a deeply penetrating thrust and a powerful shearing cut, all in one motion.

The claw-shaped blade, traditionally known as a “hawkbill” profile, was really nothing new and had been around in various forms for centuries. Although it was a good place to start, it had one major shortcoming: when extended to a longer blade capable of reaching vital targets in the human body, it also became prone to snagging – especially when directed at limbs or other targets with underlying bone. If the point penetrated beyond the bone, the blade hooks on the bone and the cutting action stops. To get the blade back, you must either retract completely and abandon the cut or radically articulate your wrist to contour around the bone. To Glesser, neither of these options was acceptable. Instead, he devised a better solution that combines all the advantages of a hawkbill blade with those of a conventional blade shape. The result was the Reverse “S” blade profile.

Conventional blades cut most efficiently when they make initial contact with the base of the edge (the “heel”) and the entire length of the edge is drawn through the target with constant or increasing pressure. This cutting action uses the full length of the edge and easily contours around bones. Glesser not only combined this cutting dynamic with the advantages of the hawkbill, he accentuated it by curving the heel of the edge outward into a convex shape. The resulting blade shape – an outward curving bade and an inward curving hook near the tip – resembled a backwards letter “S” and was dubbed the Reverse “S” profile. When executed with Spyderco’s scientifically optimized “SpyderEdge” serration pattern, it yielded an amazingly powerful cutting weapon.

The Evolution of the Civilian

The original Spyderco Civilian was released in 1990 and featured a GIN-1 (Gingami-1) stainless steel blade mated to a handle machined from aircraft quality aluminum. The satin-finished handle, which housed the knife’s sturdy back lock mechanism, had textured Kraton rubber inlays for a secure grip and a Kraton-inlaid pocket clip that offered right-side, tip-down carry. The Civilian’s specialized design and sophisticated blade grind were protected by a U.S. design patent and instantly established it as one of the most unusual and distinctive factory knives ever produced. Manufactured by G. Sakai in Japan only in limited quantities, it also became both an instant success and a status symbol among its intended audience of law enforcement officers.

Later versions of the aluminum-handled Civilian featured a gray Tufram handle coating and were made with GIN-1, G-2 (literally another designation for the GIN-1 alloy), and ATS-55 blade steels. The imposing Reverse “S” blades of these knives boasted Spyderco’s fully serrated “SpyderEdge” serration pattern; however, a special run of knives with plain edged blades in GIN-1/G-2 steel was also produced.

In 1992, the Civilian’s revolutionary design was officially recognized by the knife industry. It won the “Imported Knife Design of the Year” award at Blade Magazine’s prestigious Blade Show and International Cutlery Fair and was immediately catapulted to “classic” status.

In 1997, Spyderco simplified the Civilian’s design to make it easier and more economical to produce. Textured black G-10 handle scales and a single stainless steel liner replaced the original aluminum handle construction, and the signature blade profile again progressed through several different steels, including GIN-1/G2, ATS-55, and ultimately VG-10. Like the first-generation version, the G-10-handled Civilian featured a pocket clip configured for right-side, tip-down carry only. Initially, it used Spyderco’s standard 3-screw clip, as found on the classic Police model, but later a “half-moon” clip with a C-shaped base was developed specifically for the Civilian.

Although the G-10 Civilian remained the standard production version of the knife, several upscale variants with carbon fiber scales were also produced, featuring ATS-55 blades, both plain and serrated edges, and in both left and right-handed configurations. The G-10 Civilian also continued its incremental evolution over the years, adding a Boye Dent (a recessed scallop in the lock bar that reduces the possibility of unintentional lock release) and two clip mounting position options for right-side tip-up or tip-down carry. Still an active part of the product line more than 25 years after its initial release, it remains a unique and truly iconic folding knife.

The Matriarch

Although designed specifically for law enforcement, sales of the Civilian were never restricted to that community. As such, it also became popular among civilian self-defense practitioners. During the 1990s, sexual assault was extremely common in South Africa and Spyderco’s distributor there began recommending the Civilian as a personal-defense tool for women. Both the tool and the basic training he provided proved to be very effective, but unfortunately its price and limited production kept it from being available to all who wanted it. To solve that problem, the distributor suggested that Spyderco make a more economical version using the injection-molded fiberglass-reinforced-nylon (FRN) handles they helped pioneer. In 1999, Spyderco combined a hollow-ground Reverse “S” blade with the lightweight FRN handle of their best-selling Endura model to create the Matriarch – an inexpensive folder that offered the same voracious cutting performance as the Civilian.

In the early 2000s, the Matriarch was produced with both black and gray handles before it was ultimately discontinued from the line. In 2010, Spyderco brought it back with a full-flat-ground blade with both plain and fully serrated edges and a brown FRN handle. The brown-handled Matriarchs were produced as a limited-edition “Sprint” run and quickly sold out, but not before reigniting strong public interest in the design.

In response to that demand, Spyderco revamped the Matriarch concept by mating a serrated Reverse “S” blade with the highly evolved handle of their fourth-generation Endura. Unlike the solid FRN of the previous generations, this handle features skeletonized stainless steel liners for increased strength, molded FRN scales with an improved Bi-Directional Texture pattern, and a four-position clip that supports left or right-side tip-up or tip-down carry. Together with the blade’s round hole and the sturdy back lock, the Matriarch 2’s four-position clip supports all possible carry positions and makes every aspect of the knife’s carry, deployment, and operation completely ambidextrous.

The Emerson Opener

One of the disadvantages of a folding knife for personal defense is that it is slower to get into action than a fixed blade. While Spyderco’s round hole certainly speeds up the process by providing a purchase for quick one-handed opening, it still requires a practiced hand to get it right – especially under stress. To offer an even faster option, in 2013, Spyderco introduced a version of the Matriarch 2 featuring an Emerson Opening Feature, commonly known as an Emerson “wave.” This feature consists of an integral hook machined into the spine of the blade, just above the round hole. When the knife is carried tip-up in the pocket, this hook snags the lip of the pocket as it is drawn, automatically opening the blade. Since the blade opens as the knife leaves the pocket and does not require any secondary action, it is significantly faster than conventional one-hand-opening methods.

For many, the Emerson Opener version of the Matriarch 2 defined the ultimate personal-defense folder; but for armed professionals operating in environments where light discipline is a concern, its shiny satin-finished blade still left a lot to be desired. For them, and others who like the idea of “basic black” for their knives, an all-black version with titanium carbonitride-coated blade and hardware was added in 2015.

Size Does Matter

In many jurisdictions, the substantial blade length of the Civilian and Matriarch makes them illegal to carry. To provide a Reverse “S” option for these areas, Spyderco developed the Lil’ Matriarch – a scaled-down version of the concept based on the handle of their popular Delica 4 model. Introduced in 2012, it did not prove to be as popular as its bigger brothers and was discontinued in 2015. Despite its short commercial life, the shorter blade of this compact knife still packed the cutting power of the Reverse “S” profile and makes a potent defensive weapon if you can find one.

The Spyderco Civilian and the other knives of the Reverse “S” family that it inspired are some of the most visually stunning factory folders every produced. They are also incredibly potent personal-defense weapons that really do maximize the cutting power of a small blade through the advanced dynamics of their blades’ sinuous shapes. While no weapon is ever a replacement for sound training, the Civilian and Matriarch have performed as designed on numerous occasions, saving the lives and virtues of their owners when wielded with simple, instinctive combative skills. With that kind of pedigree behind them, they’ve certainly earned their iconic status.

Today’s tactical folding knife market offers more choices than ever before. While choices are typically a good thing, they can also be overwhelming—unless you have a logical, step-by-step method to select a knife that best meets your personal need. This article is intended to provide exactly that. To avoid semantic arguments, please note that it is presented with the premise that “tactical” means a knife suitable for defensive use.

Step 1: Research the Law

The first step in choosing any carry knife should be to research the laws in your area and the areas you frequently travel. This research should include both state laws and county or municipal laws that might apply. Smaller jurisdictions cannot “relax” a state law, but they can create laws that are more restrictive than the rest of the state.

Many concealed carry and knife rights web sites provide guides to state knife laws, as does the Smartphone app “Legal Blade.” These are a great place to start, but the only definitive way to understand the laws in your area is to hire an attorney to research knife case law—how the written laws were actually interpreted in real cases.

Step 2: Define Key Characteristics

Based on your legal research, the next step is to define the key characteristics of a knife that’s legal in your area, such as blade length, number of edges, types of folding knife actions, and any other criteria specific to the laws in your area. Make a checklist of what you’re looking for and every time you consider a knife, compare it against these criteria.

Step 3: Choose a Blade Style

Blades are available in a bewildering array of shapes and profiles. Unless you already have an advanced skill set and strong knife-design preferences, stick with the basics and look for a blade shape that cuts and punctures effectively.

The most efficient way to cut with a knife is to use the entire length of the cutting edge while maintaining constant pressure into the target. If a blade has curve or “belly” to the edge and its point is high in relation to its centerline, the force of your cut will dissipate significantly as you reach the tip of the blade. Straighter edges cut deeper and center the point of the blade better, making it more acute and more effective as a thrusting weapon. Some people insist on extreme point strength so the tip will not break if it is accidentally thrust into bone or other hard objects. While this logic has merit, don’t let tip strength become so important that it compromises the knife’s ability to penetrate your real targets—flesh and the clothing covering it.

Another aspect of blade design is edge geometry, or the “grind” of the blade. This is basically the cross-sectional shape of the blade that creates the bevels and the cutting edge. Common blade grinds like hollow, flat, and convex are all suitable for a defensive knife, provided they are executed well enough to provide a relatively thin, keen cutting edge while maintaining enough thickness to ensure blade strength. With rare exceptions, serrations are not desirable on a defensive knife because they tend to “grab” clothing and dissipate the force of the cut. Stick with a standard “plain” cutting edge.

Step 4: One-Hand Opening

A tactical folding knife must have the ability to be brought into action quickly, preferably using only one hand. To do this, most include some type of “purchase” on the blade that allows it to be rotated open with thumb pressure. These typically come in the form of blade holes, thumb studs, and disks. All of them work well, provided they are positioned high enough above the line of the blade’s pivot pin to be easily accessed and provide good leverage for a straight-line drive of your thumb.

“Flippers” are another type of one-hand opener. A flipper is an integral lever on the edge side of the blade designed to be stroked by the index finger to open it. This requires you to compromise your grip slightly and is more of a fine motor skill, so it requires a higher level of training to use under stress.

All one-handed “purchases” can be found on pure manual folding knives; however, there is also a category of folder called an assisted opener. When the blade of an assisted opener is opened partway by manual pressure, a spring mechanism in the handle gains mechanical advantage and kicks the blade open the rest of the way. By the definition of federal law these are not switchblades, but there has been significant legal controversy around them challenging this.

In general, manual-opening knives are preferred because they can be opened as fast or as quietly and slowly as you want; however, if you have arthritis or other finger dexterity issues, they might be a good option. Avoid assisted openers that have secondary safeties to ensure that the blade stays closed as they negate the speed gained by the quick-opening mechanism.

One unique one-hand opener is Ernest Emerson’s “wave-like opening feature.” Hands down the fastest way of opening a folding knife, it consists of a hook on the spine of the blade that catches on the edge of the pocket as the knife is drawn. This creates leverage to pivot the blade open as it clears the pocket. While it is very fast and easier to learn than manual opening methods, it does take its toll on your pockets if you practice a lot.

Automatic knives, aka switchblades, can be legally carried by civilians in some states. Although they open quickly with the press of a button or lever, they usually require a safety of some sort to be carried safely in the pocket. Again, operating the safety negates the speed of the auto opening, making autos slower to deploy than conventional folders.

Step 5: Choose a Lock

Another important consideration is the type of mechanism that locks the folder’s blade open. Obviously, strength is a key consideration to prevent the knife from failing during use and potentially closing on your fingers; however, the lock mechanism also has a profound effect on how easy a folder is to open.

In the closed position, lock mechanisms like back locks apply considerable spring force to keep the blade closed. This “self-close” feature makes them very safe to carry, but also requires more force to open the blade. Conversely, locks that apply pressure to the side of the blade like LinerLocks, frame locks, Axis Locks, and Compression Locks apply much less pressure to keep the blade closed and offer a much easier blade opening action.

A good folder lock should be strong, well manufactured, and easy to operate. It should also engage fully even when you open the knife dead slow—a useful covert tactic if you have the time to “prep” your draw before trouble starts. The lock’s design should also prevent your hand from applying pressure on it when the knife is gripped tightly. This can either impede one-hand opening of the blade or release the lock unintentionally during use.

Step 6: Handle Construction and Texture

The handle of your knife should be comfortable in your hand, devoid of any hot spots or sharp edges, and large enough for you to get a secure grip with your entire hand. To ensure that you can maintain your grip and manage the shock of impact during powerful cuts and thrusts, the handle must also provide good traction—either through the use of ergonomics, texture, or both.

Good knife handles should also be structurally strong and durable. Materials such as steel, titanium, G-10, Micarta®, fiberglass-reinforced nylon, and wood are all perfectly suitable, provided that they offer adequate texture for traction.

Step 7: Clip Position

Pioneered by Spyderco’s founder Sal Glesser nearly 40 years ago, the pocket clip anchors a folding knife to the top of the pocket to keep it poised for immediate access. Depending upon the clip’s attachment point, it positions the closed knife either tip-up or tip-down. This has a significant effect on your draw and the technique you will need to use to open the blade. Clips may provide only a single carry position or have multiple mounting holes to support two, three, or four different carry orientations. In general, more is better, since it allows you to experiment and tune your carry style to best fit your needs, your hand size, and your knife.

Step 8: Blade Steel

Virtually all high quality folding knives use blade steels that are suitable for defensive use. Unless you are a metallurgist or insist on the latest super steel, stick with a steel takes a good edge and resists rust well. For a knife carried constantly, corrosion resistance is actually more important that long-term edge holding.

Step 9: Invest in Quality

Although price is no guarantee of quality, don’t go cheap. Do your homework, make logical decisions, and invest in a respected brand and you’ll have a knife you can trust when you need it most.