I can't speak to that particular knife, but Spyderco has been making folding pocket knives in Colorado since 1981. The C01 Worker was their first design.
They started in 1973 with a non knife related product that actually gave them their name. It was an articulated clamp system that looked like a spider. The company settled in Golden in 1978 and started producing knife sharpeners.
I bought a Spyderco Mariner in Colorado in 1985. It had The Spydie Hole, stainless steel frame/handle, forward positioned back lock, a belt clip and serrated edge. All innovations to the folding knife world that are credited to Spyderco.
Here's a pic of the original Spyderco C01 Worker from the Spyderco Forum
<a href="http://s95.photobucket.com/user/georgemaggos/media/100_5257a.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l158/georgemaggos/100_5257a.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 100_5257a.jpg"/></a>
Last edited by Rich@CCC; 12-31-2015 at 09:29 AM.
TANSTAAFL
Managing Partner, Custom Carry Concepts, LLC
Very cool, Rich. Those were made in Japan, if I remember correctly. Early ones had no lanyard hole, and the two screw pocket clip
The Janitor,
Are those yours?
I had always been under the impression that the original Spydies were assembled in the states from Seki City blades. A little research tells me that the C01 Worker and C02 Mariner were never manufactured in Gloden, only in Japan. I learn something new every day.
TANSTAAFL
Managing Partner, Custom Carry Concepts, LLC
I believe if it's engraved, and un-numbered, it's from a later batch. These two are owned by a mod on USN. the top is #0031 and the bottom is #1495. I was fortunate to snag #0013
The C15 was a new step for Spyderco, and what would become Benchmade. I think D'Asis was making them in Oregon
Les D'Asis had just come away from the Pacific Cutlery bankruptcy when we asked him to make the C15. Benchmade did not exist as yet and grew from the small storefront in which he made our knives. BOB