Spyderco C123PBK Sage 5 Spear Point Folding Knife Black – Satin

The Spyderco C123PBK Sage 5 is a folding knife that was designed to showcase 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, CPM S30V blade, an ergonomic handle design with textured forefinger coil 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 knife maker or designer who invented it.

The Sage 5 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 innovative 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.