My favorite carry clipits this summer have been the Spyderco C52 Calypso jr. and C12 Matriarch lightweight. There were a few very hot weeks over here, and these vintage ultra-thin and light folders were simply a joy to carry and use. The thin flat ground VG-10 blades were just fine for everyday chores and slicing up the limes for drinks.
C52 Calypso jr.
Naturally, I didn’t pick a stock C52 Calypso jr. This grey handled version was a sprint run that was released by Spyderco back in 2004. As it is an old-school lightweight, it features a linerless FRN handle. As with most FRN handles, every corner is rounded and ergonomically tuned to perfection, for my hands at least. This means the C52 was easy to carry and a great fit for my hands. The thin full flat ground VG-10 not only makes for an excellent ‘slicy’ sharp edge, it’s also very easy to bring back with a few strokes on the white stones of my Sharpmaker. I carried this folder IWB, and the VG-10 definitely picked up some perspiration, but no spots or stains of rust. If only it came with a tip-up clip option…
C12 Matriarch
This C12 Matriarch came out as a sprint run in 2010. The most eye-catching changes from the regular production Matriarch -at the time- was the brown FRN handle and the FFG blade. 600 were made with plain edge, and 600 featured the SpyderEdge you see here. I always figured that if you’re going to accept some so-called ‘resistance’ in your cutting, due to the hooked blade, you might as well add serration to the edge for maximum cutting power. Although, many years ago, I did some informal cutting tests on clothing, and I never experienced any significant ‘drag’ or ‘resistance’ when using a serrated edge. The C12 was more of a ‘totem’ for my summer carry than an actual user. It didn’t cut anything. I kept it unused for when an emergency would arrive. One of those ‘emergencies’ being ‘playing with it while watching TV’ 😉 . Like the C52, I carried this Matriarch IWB and the VG-10 was not affected by rust at all.
Lightweights
In lighter clothing, I find it so much easier to switch to those FRN lightweight clipits. The cutting performance is there and they’re just so much easier to carry, compared to a G-10 PM2, Shaman or Manix. If you don’t already own a FRN Spydie, give one a chance, especially one with no liners, like a Dragonfly 2 or Lightweight Manix. Light on weight, heavy on performance!
See more details of the C52 Calypso jr. on SpydieWiki, or stay on that website to learn the history of the C12 Matriarch (and Civilian). You can also check out my original video of the C12 Matriarch sprint run at the 2010 IWA Show, with Michael Janich, or the prototype photos I took at the 2010 Amsterdam Meet. And if you’re up for some more reading, there’s my article on the Calypso jr. from 2001.
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