The Spyderfly's handles are cast steel with a slightly rough bead- or sand-blasted finish. The unique slotted design not only lightens them as other skeleton patterns do, but also makes these handles just slightly flexible to accommodate the squeeze to open the spring latch.

The really sexy part, though, is the oval opening between the handles that exposes the tip of the blade.

The opening is small enough, about a half-inch (1.25cm) across, that most people won't be in danger of injuring their finger. But, I do think that carrying the Spyderfly in your pocket without a sheath could be a problem if the material of your pocket itself got in there.

Speaking of carrying the Spyderfly, the Spyderfly does not come with a sheath. I'm actually glad for this. The cheapie sheaths that other companies are providing aren't worth the extra price you know you're paying for them. Besides, sheaths are a very personal thing. Some people prefer leather. Others want Kydex. Some prefer ballistic nylon, etc. Some what horizontal. Some want vertical. Some what pocket sheaths. Some want belt sheaths. Some what neck sheaths. There's just to many different options and preferences. In my opinion, Spyderco is wise to sell the Spyderfly without a sheath.

The Spyderfly does come in a nice box.

The box itself is interesting. Notice how the end wall is sort of bulging out. The Spyderfly is about a quarter-inch (about 6mm) to big for this box. What this tells me is that Spyderco is a company focused on knives. The Spyderfly is the length that it is because that's the right length for it, not because that's what will fit in a standard box.

Closed, the Spyderfly is just a hair under six inches (15.25cm) long. This is about a half-inch longer than the Benchmade 42. Open, the Spyderfly is 9 13/16 inches long (24.9cm) excluding the latch. In this next picture, you can see the Spyderfly next to a Benchmade 47A. Clearly, the Spyderfly is longer.

It's a little bit longer, but it's a lot wider.

The Spyderfly exceeds the Benchmade in weight too. With its steel handles, the Spyderfly tips the scale at 6oz. (170g). A Benchmade 42 with it's Titanium handles weighs in at only 4 1/4oz. (120.5g). For reference, the old Benchmade 45 which also had steel handles tips the scale at 6 1/4oz. (177.2g).

That weight difference brings us to the big question that everyone is asking about the Spyderfly: how does it flip?

The answer is: Very well. I think it's a bit slower than a Benchmade 42 which isn't surprising given the weight difference. But, it reminds me very much of the positive feeling and the inertia of the old BM45. Oh, and I still love the BM45. The additional weight gives the handles more inertia. That makes some moves slower. But, it actually makes other moves less effort. Manipulations seem to be almost self-completing. The latch stays perfectly out of the way. The pocket clip also seems to cause no problem. Because the handles don't touch, it's a very quiet knife to manipulate. In short, I like it.

Many Spyderco knives are made for Spyderco to Spyderco's high standards by off-shore contract manufacturers following Spyderco's exact plans and specifications. However, it is illegal to import balisong knives into the United States. So, the Spyderfly is assembled at Spyderco's facilities in Colorado.

There are a few tiny finish issues on the Spyderfly. The aforementioned witness lines are one. Some of the harder to finish areas, inside the handle channels, etc., are less polished. But these are minor and cosmetic issues. Overall, it's a solid knife. It's a real knife that you'll not only enjoy flipping but using too. And Spyderco's suggested retail price for the Spyderfly is $99. For that price, the minor finish issues are quite acceptable.

Remember, an MSRP of $99 typically means an actual street price more in the $75-85 range. The Spyderfly is a durable, high-quality balisong knife that flips and handles well. It's also a serious knife that's strong and sharp for everyday use with a great warranty from a great company. And you get all that for well under a hundred dollars! The balisong community has needed this knife for a long time.

I think Spyderfly a great balisong and a great knife. It's every bit Spyderco. And I'm delighted to see Spyderco enter the growing balisong market.

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