Spyderco Matriarch 2 Knife Emerson Black FRN (3.57" Satin Full Serr) C12SBK2W

General Thoughts It is a quality knife. A lot of people say it's a good self defense knife. I can't confirm or deny that statement as I've never had to use mine for that use. I still think it's a great knife even for EDC. I carry it quite often and the blade shape makes precise cutting with the tip easier. I find that I don't have to choke up on the blade as much as I do with other knives. I also found that the blade shape pulls into the cut rather than out of the cut. This allows me to put more force into difficult cuts without losing control of the knife. The serrations can make some cuts slightly more difficult and sometimes leads to messier cuts. However, I usually have another knife and a box cutter on me so I don't have to worry too much about serrations creating a messy cut. The serrations are very effective. They will tear up whatever you put it to. I was working on a landscaping job recently when I had to cut down some off-shoots of an aspen tree. They ranged from half a centimeter to about an inch and a half. I didn't have shears on me at the time. Rather than trying to find my shears, I simply pulled out my Matriarch 2 and cut what needed to be cut. It functioned like a saw and had zero issues cutting down the trees. I personally chose to purchase the black coated blade with the Emmerson Opener. The coating on the blade has stood up well to what I have thrown at it. The Emmerson Opener is very aggressive and makes it very easy to use. You have to put minimal thought into opening the knife when you pull the knife out. The action is pretty good. The blade has a solid detent. The blade opens and closes smoothly. It is also possible to flick the blade open. I have managed to both thumb flick it and middle finger flick it. I have gotten up to ten middle finger flicks in a row right now using this knife. The handle is light. It could be light by removing the steel liners. However, I prefer to see the steel liners for extra durability. The handle is very simple and lends it to be comfortable in most hands including gloved hands. The clip is a middle-of-the-line clip. It could be better it could be worse. It's not a bad pocket clip and for some people, this knife will have their favorite pocket clip of all time. Personally I would have liked to see a deeper carry pocket clip but that is simply a matter of personal preference. The pocket clip is barely noticeable in the hand though. The main issues I have are the aggressive Emmerson Opener, blade steel, and lanyard hole. The aggressive opening mechanism of this knife makes it very easy to open when pulling it out of the pocket. This has led to the blade opening in situations where I don't want it to be opened. It has even once opened when I pulled it out leading to my hand being cut open. The blade steel is VG-10. Now by no means is VG-10 bad steel. However, for a fully serrated knife like the Matriarch 2, I would have liked to have seen steel with better edge retention because serrations can be a pain to sharpen, so I would rather get a high edge retention steel and either sharpen it myself than everyone once in a while or pay someone to do it for me, especially with the blade shape. I also dislike the lanyard hole. Personally, I like to use 550 paracords for my lanyards but the lanyard hole is too small for 550 paracords. Good: Sharp Blade Shape Serrations Coating Action Handle Mediocre: Pocket Clip Emmerson Opener Blade Steel Bad: Lanyard Hole

I recently moved to a downtown apartment and frequently walk my dog at night. I'm disabled and use a walker to get around. There are some sketchy people about and I wanted some peace of mind, though I choose not to carry a firearm. Running away is the best solution to a confrontation but I can't run and I don't want to depend solely on pepper spray. Enter the Spyderco Matriarch. This is a purpose-designed knife, it's intended solely as a self-defense tool for people with little training using gross motor skills and it's little good as a utility knife--you wouldn't want to dull the serrated edge opening boxes or use it as a prying tool, and hopefully the blade will never get used. The Matriarch can inflict some serious slashing damage--it's not designed for use as a stabbing tool. I recommend you review some YouTube videos for information on technique. The Hawkbill S-shape and the serrations add serious cutting power to the 3.5" blade--it slices through material like a longer blade and effectively has a longer edge area. The Emerson Wave opening feature works perfectly, the knife reliably comes out of your jeans pocket with the blade deployed after a few practice runs. The blade is very sharp out of the box. The knife is light, sturdy and carries comfortably. It locks up tight and there's no play in the action. The VG10 steel has a shaving-sharp edge though it's not a high-end premium material. In any case this isn't a knife you'll be sharpening frequently, if ever. I'm not aware of another small folding knife that's as well suited for discouraging bad guys, just keep in mind that it's not a good choice for everyday utility carry. More than $100 may seem like a lot to pay for a knife you hope you'll never have to use, but the quality and peace of mind are worth it. The Matriarch got me thinking about another more practical Spyderco Emerson opener, the Endura 4, which I may be adding to my collection--I only wish they offered it in a more durable steel than VG-10.