Spyderco SpyNano Review
Note: This review, as with all content I write on this site, is my opinion. It does not reflect the opinion of others, including the American Knife and Tool Institute (AKTI), the cutlery trade group that I advise on legal matters.
If you make recommendations about anything—food, movies, folding knives—invariably you come to a tension between what you like and what is good. Often that Venn diagram has substantial overlap, but even non-idealized objects can tickle your fancy. And explaining why you like something that you know isn’t perfect or ideal is pretty challenging. That said, it’s worthwhile doing so because it clarifies one’s opinions versus one’s preferences (here is an article on how I view these things as being different).
I really like the SpyNano. A lot of that is preference. It is a chunky knife. It’s not particularly slicey nor is it something that vanishes in the pocket. It is part of what Spyderco calls its Little Big Knife stable of designs and that is an apt description. It’s basically a bigger knife in every way except blade length (which, in turn, impacts handle length). Despite my disdain for bigger knives and my outright hatred of wasteful designs, the SpyNano has me more than a bit smitten. It is a great pocket companion—a stylish, well-made, little chunker. Let’s find out why.
The product page for the SpyNano has been taken down. Here is the Blade HQ page with the specs. It is a flash batch knife, which means it has limited availability. It has been in stock for a while so it is either unpopular or was made in larger numbers than something like the notoriously difficult to find Burch Bombshell (aka The Danger Pickle). The SpyNano is part of a series of knives produced by Lionsteel the combine Lionsteel designs with the Spyderco Hole. In fact, the SpyNano is virtually identical with the Lionsteel Nano. There are even photos online that show scale swaps between the two. There are no variants of the SpyNano, unless you include the Lionsteel Nano itself. Here is my SpyNano (a gift for Christmas in 2025):
TLDR: Like a smaller pit bull, this is a chunky little thing that you will like having around.
Design: 2
The SpyNano is not a subtle design. It is incredibly consistent with its overdone touches. There is a huge belly. The crowned spine is very polished (if it weren’t so nice I would say it was overdone). The Spydiehole hump is really silly. The faceted micarta is definitely unusual. Even the organic details on the titanium side are weird and quirky. The quirkier the details the more polarizing the knife but for me, I really like them so I really like the design in general.
Fit and Finish: 2
Lionsteel stuff has always been well made. That’s not been the issue. A lot of it has been ugly, like the Lionsteel Roundhead (which had a teenager’s acne in the form of exposed fasteners), or overly genteel, like the TRE. But all of them were well-made (I didn't like how the pivot was tuned on the TRE but that is probably a preference). The SpyNano is both a design I like AND well made. Employing Spyderco features (and mimicking the Little Big Knife philosophy) avoids Lionsteel’s weaknesses and having LS make the blade plays to their strengths.
Grip: 2
Micarta is a wonderful material for a host of reasons. A good canvas micarta, like seen here, is truly excellent. Grip is positive and sure without being gritty or harsh. It’s like getting the grip of a Cold Steel G10 handle but keeping your jeans hole-free. Good trade off.
Carry: 1
Svelte the SpyNano is not. At a blade length of 2.56 inches and a weight of 2.9 ounces it is quite the porker (let’s be clear—comparatively speaking to knives I prefer; this isn’t a PMP Knives Beast which is not so much a knife, but instead a pocket full of neutron star matter at 14.08 ounces). The PM2 is a 3.45 inch knife with a weight around 3.8 ounces. Of course in folders, you have to remember that an inch in blade length adds at least an inch in handle length (i.e. two slabs of handle). It is a knife that is not great in thin shorts or in the summer time when weight in the pocket feels oppressive. For that, it gets a 1.
Steel: 2
I like M390. I like M398 more. Is it noticeably better? Nope. We are at a point metallurgically where video games were at the start of the last console generation—upgrades aren’t necessarily noticeable based on specs alone. And noticeable improvements require a huge increase in resources. So I like M398 a lot, but it isn’t twice as good or even 50% better than M390.
Blade Shape: 2
This is a comically overdone drop point and the almost glued on Spydie Hole only adds to the visual silliness. But there is something about the appearance with the combination of the micarta that reminds me of the snout-like nose and the bubble canopy of my very favorite jet aircraft the A-10 Warthog. And while the appearance is likely to be divisive, the performance is not. The belly gives you a ton of flexibility with the SpyNano allowed the blade to do a bunch of different tasks. The straightaway isn’t that long, but it is long enough. All in all, this is a great combination. This is a very good knife to try if you want to get into a smaller knife with thicker blade stock as a half measure between a pocket-carried boat anchor and something like the Dragonfly. If you undergoing a prudence-motivated transition from the latest knife Pokemon with a blade length of 4 inches, the SpyNano might be your big knife nicotine patch.
Grind: 1
Look, this blade has huge blade stock for a knife its size. It is WAY more than necessary. Hence the 1. But, and this is important, Lionsteel has done everything humanly possible to mitigate the impact of bulky blade stock. The grind is a tall, flat grind, expertly machined down to a biting cutting edge. Its great or at least as great as it can be with blade stock this thick. Its not a Dragonfly 2, but its is good.
Deployment: 2
Well, there is no way to bitch about the accessibility of this Spydiehole here. Like mentioned above, it is basically tacked on. The knife also has a flipper tab, but I really like the Spydiehole deployment here. You can remove the flipper tab (dumping into the plastic bin that holds all of my terrible flashlight clips, spare screws, framelock tab bars, and lanyards), but I don’t really see the point.
Retention: 2
What a delightful little clip. It is so interesting and easy to use with an obvious design—like the Post It note of clips. Why hasn’t anyone done something like this before? Good, endemic clip designs are the sign of a mature design aesthetic in a knife company and this clip is a sign of that.
Lock/Blade Safety: 2
As a general rule a high end finish on this knife means that the knife’s lock is almost always going to be really, really well done. Like with the nicest stuff, the SpyNano opens and closes with smooth kinetic pulses. There is no lock stick, not blade blade, no nothing.
Other Considerations:
Fidget Factor: Very High
The flipper and Spydiehole makes for a very fidget friendly knife and the micarta is a dream.
Fett Effect: Very High
Titanium and micarta both develop a wonderful patina. You won’t be disappointed if making it your own is a thing you enjoy.
Value: Low
At around $250-$300 the knife is a bit pricey but not insanely so.
Overall Score: 18 out of 20
Graded or numbered scoring systems always have flaws. There is no way to translate numbers or letter grades into words exactly or vice versa. This is not a perfect knife, but it is a perfect knife for me. I have always enjoyed having a knife that was a study, sturdy blade. The Leafstorm was my first, then I went through both the first and second Techno. All were a great. This is better. Like a great full zip hoodie that has been with you for years or an axe that has been passed down for years, the SpyNano is a tool that gets better with use.
Competition
Well, among the Spyderco stubby and sturdy knives, this is my favorite, but how does it stack up to the OG stubby and sturdy design—an original custom Leafstorm? Kevin’s knife is a masterpiece with titanium orange peel and divoted handles. The blade is just the right size. But I actually like the deployment on the SpyNano better. Because the SpyNano runs micarta and titanium it is not quite as serious a boat anchor as the Leafstorm, so in a practical sense it is the better choice. I like both knives a lot. A lot, a lot, but if I had to choose I’d probably keep the Leafstorm 9 4 out of 7 days of the week. The fact it is that close speaks to how great this knife truly is.
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