Spyderco Bug Abalone Slipjoint Pocket Knife

The Spyderco Bug Abalone Slipjoint (C133AP) is one of the smallest knives Spyderco makes, with a 1.25-inch drop point blade and an overall length of just 2.91 inches open. The handle pairs nickel silver with an abalone shell inlay, so it looks more like a small piece of jewelry than a work knife. The blade is Sandvik 12C27, a Swedish stainless steel that takes a very fine edge and is simple to touch up.

A slipjoint has no lock, so a spring holds the blade open and closed and lets it fold under enough pressure. That keeps the Bug legal in many places where locking knives are restricted, and it is a good reason to keep cuts light and pull toward a safe direction. A tiny round hole in the blade still gives a thumbnail something to catch when opening it.

There is no pocket clip, so it rides loose in a coin pocket, on a key ring, or in a small zip pouch. It handles opening mail, trimming a loose thread, cutting tape on a package, or slicing an apple at lunch. Wipe the abalone with a soft cloth rather than soaking it, since shell inlays do not like long exposure to water or cleaners. More small non-locking knives are in our traditional knives.

• 1.25-inch Sandvik 12C27 drop point blade
• Nickel silver and abalone handle
• Non-locking slipjoint
• 2.91 inches overall, no clip