I’ve had a thing for pocket knives ever since discovering my Dad’s small collection in his jewelry box as a kid. You know how some kids like to snoop around in their parents stuff when they’re not home? Yeah, I was one of those kids… I was fascinated by the different shapes and sizes of pocket knives that he had and ever since then, I’ve kept an eye out for interesting small knives to add to my own collection. Today I want to tell you about two such knives from Spyderco.
The Ladybug (Left) and Cricket (Right) are small keychain sized knives. The Ladybug is probably marketed towards women given the Purple color of its handle. The Cricket is more unisex.
Both are locking blade style knives with non-serrated blades.
Ladybug
Spyderco’s smallest lightweight knife is the Ladybug. The blade is made of VG-10 stainless steel and the handle is made of fiberglass-reinforced nylon. The Ladybug weighs in at only 0.6 of an ounce (16.4 grams).
Length overall 4 3/8″ (111 mm) blade length 1 15/16″ (49 mm) blade steel VG-10
Length closed 2 7/16″ (62 mm) cutting edge 1 11/16″ (43 mm) weight .6oz (18 g)
Hole diameter 3/16″ (5 mm) blade thickness 5/64″ (2 mm) handle material FRN
I love the size and feel of this little knife. It’s so light, that you’ll barely notice it on your keychain.
The blade folds open and locks in place without any effort. The molded finger grips on the handle and serrated thumb rest make holding and using this knife very comfortable. I really can’t find anything to complain about with the Ladybug, other than the fact that if you would drop it in the mud, it might be difficult to clean the dirt out of all the crevices in the handle. That said, an old toothbrush would probably do the trick.
The Ladybug is $44.95
Cricket
The Cricket is a more robust knife than the Ladybug. Although thin and small, it weighs quite a bit more since it is made stainless steel.
Length overall 4 9/16″ (116 mm) blade length 1 7/8″ (47.5 mm) blade steel VG-10
Length closed 2 3/4″ (70 mm) cutting edge 1 3/4″ (44mm) weight 1.75 oz (49.5 g)
Hole diameter 7/16″ (11 mm) blade thickness 5/64″ (2 mm) handle material Stainless Steel
When closed, the Cricket takes on an oval shape. As you can see from the image above, the back side of the knife has the perfect surface for logo or personal message engraving.
The other side of the knife has a strong metal clip and the blade locking mechanism. Unlike the Ladybug which has the lock release on the spine of the handle, the release on the Cricket is built into the liner / grip.
In the image above, you can see that the blade lock has been activated. To unlock the blade, you have to press the liner up with your thumb to allow the blade to fold shut. It’s not quite as easy and effortless as a traditional lock release on the spine.
The blade shape of this knife reminds me of a bird’s beak. The S shaped blade is wide and large. Holding the knife is comfortable even though the handle is made of steel. The rounded shape and beveled edges keeps the handle from digging into your palm.
The Cricket is $94.95.
Of the two knives, the Ladybug is my favorite due to its size, easy opening / closing and price. That said, both knives are well made and should provide years of cutting service.
Product Information
| Price: | Ladybug - $44.95 Cricket - $94.95 |
| Manufacturer: | Spyderco |
| Pros: |
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the name of the lock used on the cricket is a liner lock as the liner keeps the blade from moving
You mean Frame Lock.
Wow, we must have been riding the same brain wave. Both posted reviews of Spyderco knives in the same 24 hour period. What are the odds! 🙂
@lgreenberg Really? Different knives though?
If purple isn’t your thing you can also get the Ladybug in black, white, and stainless.
There is also a variant called the Ladybug Salt. It uses H-1 steel instead of VG-10. H-1 is a relatively new steel that is entirely unaffected by corrosion, unlike “stainless” steel. You can leave a Ladybug Salt in the ocean for months then just rinse it off and put it back in your pocket.
Readers should note that it is a criminal offence punishable by jail-time to carry lock knives in the UK, no matter how short the blade.
Another lady with Spyderco taste. I’ve got a white ladybug, Poliwog, and Caly III. I’m not a collector, but they are all handy. I’ve got the lady bug on a small stainless steel ball chain, attached to a Leatherman Squirt (scissor version). All my small multitool needs right there. 🙂
@julie – yep, http://www.geardiary.com/2009/08/22/review-spyderco-native/
@lgreenberg Nope, you reviewed a completely different knife 🙂
I sure hope no one pays $45 MSRP for the Ladybug… That model is commonly sold for $25 or less. 🙂
At $25 price point, it is a great value.
LOL, yeah I was saying yes to your question of “different knife?” 🙂
Gabe, I agree. Don’t know why Spydeco’s M.S.R.P. is so high on all their knives. I noticed that on the one I purchased. M.S.R.P. was $110. I paid under $80 and I didn’t buy it from anywhere that heavily discounts.
@ andy yes but a liner lock works in the same way
Yes they do work the same way.
Yes, the cricket is a frame lock. It uses the same general mechanism as a liner lock, but considered superior by most for a couple reasons. When you use a frame lock your fingers actually jam the lock in further and help prevent it from backing out. Additionally, liners tend to be inherently thin to keep a knife less bulky but the frame is usually a similar thickness to a liner and a scale combined, so it makes for a more stout lock.
Ahhh Spyderco. Yes the knife that I tried to chop off my fingers with. Fond memories. My camping gear still is stained.
Note to self: Do not try to impress your friends by spinning a open blade around your hand. NOT SMART.
@Andrew This comes to mind after reading your comment: