Say “Spyderco” to anyone who carries a knife and they’ll all picture the same thing: a leaf-shaped folder with that signature Round Hole punched through the blade. It’s one of the most recognizable silhouettes in the entire knife world.
And that’s exactly why the Skoli is such a left turn for the brand. This is a full-tang fixed blade. The “sheath-on-your-belt” type outdoor knife, and it’s only the second piece Spyderco has built alongside custom maker Kevin Smock.
Smock’s Second Act
Smock’s first collaboration with the brand, the folder that shares his name, became a quiet cult favorite despite looking nothing like the rest of the catalog. The Skoli carries over that same design DNA, but this time around, we’re heading for the world of bushcraft.
The result is a 9.32-inch knife with a 4.68-inch modified sheepsfoot blade, a full tang, and a flat grind tuned for slicing rather than prying. Smock pulled from his own hunting and camping background here, and the priorities certainly show through the knife’s design.
The Round Hole That Can’t Open Anything
The Skoli still wears a miniature version of Spyderco’s trademark Round Hole, except there’s nothing to deploy on a fixed blade.
So it’s been repurposed as a lanyard and paracord pass-through, which as huge Spyderco fans ourselves, we certainly appreciate the brand loyalty hat-tip. Grip duty falls to contoured G-10 scales with an aggressively checkered texture, backed up by a front quillon and spine jimping for when your hands are wet, cold, or both.
Steel, Weight, and the Value Question
The blade runs 9Cr18MoV, a Chinese stainless that’s definitely more workhorse than wonder steel. It won’t hold an edge quite like the S90V or M390 you’d find on a flagship, but it does sharpen easily and shrugs off rust.
At 5.2 ounces it’s lighter than most smartphones despite the full-tang build, and it ships in a custom-molded Boltaron sheath with a G-Clip that handles both belt and inside-the-waistband carry. Pick your poison between a handsome stonewashed finish or a stealthier black oxide coating with matching blacked-out hardware.
Spec Sheet
Brand: Spyderco
Model: Skoli (FB53GP)
Designer: Kevin Smock
Overall Length: 9.32″
Blade Length: 4.68″
Blade Thickness: 0.15″
Blade Steel: 9Cr18MoV
Blade Style: Modified Sheepsfoot, Flat Grind
Handle Material: G-10
Construction: Full Tang (Fixed Blade)
Sheath: Boltaron w/ G-Clip
Weight: 5.2 oz
Finishes: Stonewashed or Black Oxide
Manufacturing Origin: China
Pricing & Availability
The Skoli is listed as “Coming Soon” on Spyderco’s website, with MSRP set at $190 for the stonewashed version and $200 for the black oxide. Preorders are already live over at Blade HQ, currently discounted to roughly $143 and $150 respectively. Head over to Spyderco’s website to keep tabs on the official drop.
Recap
Spyderco Skoli
Spyderco and Kevin Smock follow up their cult-favorite folder with the Skoli, a full-tang 9Cr18MoV outdoor fixed blade that wears a now-decorative Round Hole. Folders, who?
