A New Spyderco SOTR Owner Asks What Comes Next

The most expensive part of buying a first Spyderco is often the second one. A post on r/knifeclub this week captures the moment precisely: a new owner is delighted with a Spyderco SOTR and already asking whether they are done, or whether the next purchase should be a Bodacious, a Sage, or a Shaman.

It is a recognizable progression. Spyderco's lineup rewards curiosity because the models are genuinely different tools rather than color variants: the hole-opener geometry, the lock type, and the blade shape all change how a knife feels in use. That is also why the brand has one of the most loyal followings in the production knife world, and one of the most confusing catalogs for newcomers.

The three models named sit in different jobs. The Sage line is the refined everyman — a compact, well-machined folder that has been through several lock generations. The Shaman is the heavy-use option with a thicker blade and a handle built for hard gripping. The Bodacious takes the Shaman's shape and trims it into a slicier, more pocketable form. Someone who loves the SOTR would do well to handle all three before choosing, because the feel differs more than the spec sheets suggest.

The community advice in threads like this is usually the same and usually right: carry what you have for a few months before buying another. A knife that feels perfect in the first week can reveal its limits once you have opened a hundred boxes with it, and the second purchase is more informed if it addresses a real gap rather than a review's enthusiasm.

For buyers starting out, the budget end of Spyderco's range — and the CIVIVI and Kizer compacts we track — offers a cheaper way to learn which features matter. The SOTR owner has already made the jump; the honest answer to their question is that there is no "done", only a better sense of what you actually use.