Spyderco Emphasis C245GPS Folding Knife

Spyderco Emphasis C245GPS Folding Knife

True to its name, the Emphasis takes all the proven features and advantages of the best-selling Efficient and “emphasizes” them while keeping the design “cockpit” — the key dimensional relationships of the pivot, lock, and trademark round hole — consistent with the original. Its full-flat-ground 8Cr13MoV stainless steel blade is available with a choice of PlainEdge or partially serrated CombinationEdge and is supported by skeletonized stainless steel liners, a stainless steel backspacer, a robust LinerLock mechanism, and textured G10 scales. To allow discreet tip-up carry, it is also equipped with a black-coated deep-pocket wire clip that is reversible for left- or right-side carry.

Introduced in 2016, the Spyderco Efficient was designed from the ground up to be a member of Spyderco’s popular Value Folder family — a series of full-service folding knives priced to fit virtually any budget. Like the other members of this family, the Efficient proudly included all the critical features and benefits that define Spyderco knives, but in a more affordable format. It was also sized for easy carry, to comply with most knife-law blade-length restrictions, and to hit the ergonomic “sweet spot” preferred by most Spyderco users.

Although the Efficient quickly earned a devoted following among performance-oriented Spyderco enthusiasts, as we all know, there is no such thing as a “one-size-fits-all” knife. In addition to obvious physical differences in hand size, individual knife choices are also based on subjective personal preferences, legal considerations, weight, and carry comfort. Not surprisingly, as good as it was (and still is), the Efficient was not ideal for some users. Some wanted the same design in a slightly smaller package; others wanted a noticeably larger size better suited to big hands and larger cutting tasks. To answer those calls, Spyderco decided to go literally in both directions and created the Insistent and Emphasis, both of which share the same proven design style and performance characteristics as the Efficient.

Insistent is essentially a more compact, “gentlemanly” version of the Efficient. Overall, it is approximately 14 percent smaller, and its full-flat-ground drop-point blade is only 2.5 inches long, making it compliant even with very strict blade-length laws, such as those in Chicago and Boston. Made from 8Cr13MoV stainless steel, its broad profile ensures excellent edge geometry, and the index-finger choil at the base of the edge provides a comfortable forward grip purchase. Choking up on the knife in this way improves control during precise cutting tasks and easily accommodates a four-finger grip — even with large hands.

At the other end of the spectrum is the Emphasis, which “emphasizes” the proven features of the Efficient by expressing them in a knife that is overall roughly 15 percent larger. Its extremely capable blade is also full-flat-ground from 8Cr13MoV stainless steel, has an index-finger choil, and measures a substantial 3.58 inches (91 mm).

Despite the shorter and longer blades of the Insistent and Emphasis, the “cockpit” of both designs — the key dimensional relationships of the blade pivot, lock, and trademark round hole — is exactly the same as that of the Efficient. Similar to the concept of full-size, compact, and subcompact pistols, this consistency means that the basic handling and one-handed operation of all three models are virtually identical. Like the Efficient, both the Insistent and Emphasis have broad-profile drop-point blades, well-centered utility points, and “hump-less” spines that make them narrower and more comfortable in the pocket when closed. They are also available in PlainEdge and CombinationEdge formats.

The handle construction of the Efficient is also mirrored in its larger and smaller brothers, which feature full skeletonized stainless steel liners, solid stainless steel backspacers, and non-slip textured G-10 scales. This solid framework ensures excellent structural strength and balance and provides the foundation for the knives’ robust LinerLock mechanisms. Generous cutouts in the presentation-side scale allow easy right-handed access to the blade’s round hole and also convenient one-handed lock release.

Other than their sizes, the only other significant difference between the Insistent and Emphasis and their inspiration, the Efficient, is their pocket clip style. Unlike the Efficient’s stainless steel clip, both new models feature low-profile deep-pocket wire clips that can be easily reversed for left- or right-side carry.

Choosing a knife is a very personal process. While size matters, the right size matters even more. With the options offered by the Insistent, Emphasis, and the original Efficient, you really can’t go wrong.

Specifications

Closed length: 12.2 cm

Blade style: leaf-shaped

Blade grind: Full-flat

Blade finish: satin

Blade Edge: Combo

Handle color: Black

Locking mechanism: Liner Lock

Pocket clip: Tip-up, left/right carry

Model number: C245GP

Model name: Emphasis