Striders are without a doubt the best knives I have, for my main uses.
I have 3 and want a few more.
I have, and have had alot Custom knives and other production knives (Spidies, Kershaw, Microtech, Benchmade, Emerson, Sebbies....to name a few and while thay all make a good folder, Striders IMHO are in a different class)
I used to be in a club where we met up, and have had 1000's of different models go through my hands.
I personally coulden't care less about "the Lies". Strider make a quality product. (The only Company I wil not buy from again is Microtech, one of the better makers, But that is for my own personal reasons.)
I just want a good hard knife, that can cut, and then take stupid abuse, as I dont use them as I should. I have alot of thin knives, or thin compared to Striders, for sliceing and cutting up sort stuff.
I also want good support if it goes wrong.
Striders policy is not to send out replacement parts. You have to send them in, and they repair them for you.
When I broke my PT clip ( It was my own fault) I was trying to bend it with large pliers in a vice, and I broke the tail off, as I wanted to move the clip up the face a little, Pointless, but I like to fiddle.
I emailed Mick personally, and he shipped me out a new clip, for free, realy quick & was sorry that I broke it, he gave me tips on modding and working with ti.
Now thats service. the only service I have had that has been flawless through out, and I have had contact with all the companies I mentioned, and they all let me down one one or more occasions, only sometimes making things right. You results may vary.
I realise I sound like a fanboy, so I guess I am, In a way, But they are the only company that havent let me down.
I think the thing that sells it for me is the Choil on the striders, I cant realy get on with knives without them now, Even Spydercos have choils, but not as big and nice, it makes the handle and the blade one.
I have all but lost my interest in knive collecting, and knife forums/ clubs; sold of most of my surplus stuff, keeping a few that were made for me, and ones I spent time making, But I always have a Strider of sorts on my person.
OK I think I probably kicked the hell out of that one...
The Ritter grips are good BTW, as are the Griptilians, as are spidies kersherws, alot of knife for your money. I realy rate Spyderco as one of the best as they are function over form, and may not look all that nice, but they do perform all round very well, and theer CEO, Sal Glesser, is a cool dude; Certanly a bit more bang for the buck. Sebbies have the best pocket clip design IMO though. You cant fault them for that. Even Microtech bought clips from CR for a while, and they have the abiltity to make all their own stuff.
The civilian is meant for self defence, and has a clause written in the warrantee for the tip if broken its not their fault, It was as I say designed for SD and the tips for peircing, and not for heavy cutting wood etc. VG10 is good.
The Spyderco Tri-Angle Sharpmaker is one of the most popular and best sharpners out there, but takes practice, and is hard to do in the begining, untill you understand what you are doing, I've noiced that you are choosing high end steels, that are harder to sharpen. It may be worth considering some 440C blades or good old carbon steel to learn how to sharpen realy well before you try 154CM or VG10 & S30v, as they will drive you nuts if you jump in at the deep end,
Personaly there is not much in it with all the performance steels, a sharp cheap steel will cut loads better that a blunt or improperly sharpened wired edged Uber steel.
Knives are so different depending on what you want to cut, its like LED and hotwire. what do YOU want to illuminate, and how long for?
I'm a strider and Hotwire guy, all the way, although I also have a simple and cheap douk douk, and DX cree RCR123 in my pocket aswell, as they all have their place and uses.
I think the best for you will be an all round knife like a 440C Griptilian or the Mini-Griptilian. Serrated or not is your choice, the sharpmaker sharpens both, but If I were you I'd get the plain edge, and use the brown stones on the back edge area of the blade If you undestand what I mean to have good effects.
If you are cutting rope day in day out get serrated, if not plain edge.
