The Spyderco Shaman is Overrated: Knife Review & Comparison by 555 Gear

[@GCasey]

I bought the Shaman after watching this. Thank you for making my decision easy.

[@esporev]

Hahahah great point

[@chimchu3232]

I'd love to buy one, but they are sold out everywhere rn

[@toddboone333]

@@chimchu3232 BHQ has M4 Shamans on 07/30/2022.

[@chimchu3232]

@@toddboone333 I actually picked one up shortly after leaving that comment from a website called scheels. Just the standard g10 s30v, but it's still a great knife.

[@toddboone333]

Yeah, I have no problem with s30v. Great all arounder. Happy for you man.

[@BigShaneGillis]

You’re supposed to release your finger from pressed position on the lock tab as soon as you give it a little wrist swing, break it in enough and get the flick close down so that you’re letting go before it fully retracts

[@mikejoseph8392]

This is my 3rd and last 555 video that I am watching. I’m baffled as to how you have so many subscribers. If there was ever an overrated knife I would say #2 is the 940 and #1 is the Bugout. It seems that you expect the Shaman to do the tasks of a shovel, ax, sledgehammer and pry bar. Then you bring out a slew of other knives with multiple issues of their own. You seem to have missed the only important issue with this knife is was and will be the pricing. Also if you don’t think that 8cr is a negative on the resilience then you should start reviewing egg beaters.

[@Kenny762c]

Talks trash on Spyderco for using s30v who happen to have some of the best heat treating in the business and then pulls out a 940 and talks it up.

[@hectorrivera6624]

@@Kenny762c I love the 940's. Got two of them

[@AudibleVisibIe]

The only issue with the shaman is the price? Absolutely not, the nub problem is a huge issue and the only reason I'll never own one that's not modified

[@TheBigToe69]

@@AudibleVisibIe That supposed nub problem is only an issue for Nancies that can’t figure simple things out. And Spyderco isn’t missing out in any way because you won’t buy one, lmfao. The Shaman is almost always sold out every where and that’s with the current price gouging.

[@chimchu3232]

@@TheBigToe69 I want a shaman so badly but can't get one rn.

[@dandykill47]

I just gotta point out... This review made me hesitate on picking up the Shaman! Now that I finally pulled the trigger, I am way more impressed than I thought I'd be with it. It is SUPER burly, to the point where if I had to I think I could even baton wood with it if I wanted to. Good luck with that on a 940. The Shaman admittedly isnt perfect, but the flaws pointed out in some of these reviews are wildly overstated!

[@scotmetcalf2745]

Glad to hear it just bought one! And hesitated buying,was looking at a new auto 940 or I guess it’s 9400 Thanks

[@chimchu3232]

Totally agree. It's my hard use/ outdoor folder now. I still prefer the pm2 for breaking down cardboard and other light tasks

[@edsaban572]

Bullshit. For a oversized blade, they use the same hardware they use on pm2, and para3. Same size pivot, same pivot screw. It’s not a well thought out design.

[@kevm9724]

Well said,,,, Shaman is a great knife

[@ryspace]

@@edsaban572 so? There’s plenty of videos and reviews of people who have beat the shit out of their Shamans and had no issues. That said, anyone batoning wood with a folder/sticking their folder into a block of wood and pulling all the way to one side or the other with it and expecting it to never develop issues are funny. There’s a reason fixed blades still exist. Could I do it in an emergency with a Shaman? Probably. Would I do it regularly just for the hell of it? Definitely not.

[@winchestermodel7044]

BAHAHAHA! You lost all credibility when you claimed the BM 940 was a better hard use knife than the Shaman.

[@lucas-jn8oh]

I thought the same thing.... F the 940

[@patrickgambsky6290]

This guy's channel is a joke 🙆‍♂️

[@coffeeandlifting]

I head about the "flaw" of the nub hitting your finger when I was researching this model, and I'm glad it didn't dissuade me from buying it. Your finger needs to come off the locking lever for the knife to stay closed no matter what. If the nub bumps your finger off the lever so that the detent can engage properly then that's not an issue at all. I love this model. Its just an extra beefy PM2 in my book. I use it instead of the PM2 when I have to do something that requires holding onto the knife and applying a lot of force for an extended period of time (like carving an axe handle or wedge). Also, the Benchmade comparison is silly. You think a 940 is better for hard use? An average adult male can't even get a full grip on a 940 because the handle is so small. C'mon. The 940 is a letter opener compared to the Shaman.

[@chimchu3232]

Totally agreed. I was thinking the same thing, that nub is supposed to push your finger off the lock and keep your fingers away from the blade edge. Can't wait to buy one of these knives, I have a pm2, but the shaman seems a little more beefy and ergonomic

[@aaronwidder9624]

This knife is absolutely the best I've used! As far as users go, it's a beast! The g10 is contured perfectly, and the blade is very good! All the positives way out weigh that front guard.

[@jonputnam4320]

Well, you got some views with your title I guess, but it's wildly inaccurate and misleading for someone that doesn't know better. 👎

[@jalenbrown8217]

This guy is inadvertently selling the shaman.

[@kenmarapese9085]

Love the Shaman!

[@tylerantonietti355]

As someone who’s owns the 940 and loves it, I’d have to disagree on it being a more “hard” use knife then the Shaman. There two completely different knives. I want to buy a Shaman but haven’t got my hands on one yet unfortunately. The 940 is a great knife but I can’t see the comparison between the two. Shaman seems like it would be great for a harder use knife. It’s definitely got the right build. Would I compare the Shaman to something like a Recon 1 or AD-10, no. But it’s still a great knife on its own that could certainly be considered pretty hard use for a folder. Not quite on the level of Recon 1 or AD-10 (my opinion) but certainly more so then the 940. I just don’t see the 940 as hard use. It’s a awesome, light, easily wieldable knife that’s a pleasure to carry but 940 and hard use don’t go together in my opinion lol. Just my 2 cents of course.

[@esporev]

Yah, the 940 is not a hard use knife... it’s a great edc blade but not hard use... he complains about the shaman not being a good pry tool!! Don’t pry with your knives! Then he says you shouldn’t be prying later!???

[@ALANatWork]

@@esporev He's partial to benchmade...and that's okay but it makes this review rather subjective.

[@chimchu3232]

Agreed. I have a bugout for my small light EDC knife, and I use a spyderco pm2 or tenacious as a work knife because they are built tougher.

[@grumpyoldwizard]

You are right on. Get a Shaman, or at least go try one out. I love mine.

[@chimchu3232]

@@grumpyoldwizard yes, I got a shaman shortly after I left my previous comment, the shaman is a tank. Hardest use folder I have.

[@grumpyoldwizard]

I really like my Shaman. I had resisted purchasing one for years and really didn’t pay much attention to it. Then I got one. I really love it. The shape is almost identical to the Strider SNG (one of my favorites) and the handle is grippy with a perfect shape for my hand. We all have our own preferences so don’t write this one off before trying it out.

[@sputumtube]

I'm baffled how you can compare the Shaman with the 940. The Shaman is a hard use 'go-to-war' knife whereas the 940 is a well made 'gentlemans folder'. I own both of these and their intended uses are leagues apart.... ask any soldier.

[@555Gear]

Please explain the difference, I fail to see it. In what objective sense is the blade more tactical on the Shaman? The handle? The pocket clip?

[@555Gear]

BTW, even of we disagree here, it's good having you stop by again Paul, been a while! Cheers, Andrew

[@sputumtube]

@@555Gear The size, strength and overall heft of the Shaman makes the 940 look like a (very well made) toy. It's clear as day to me that these two are for different uses. The easily breakable omega springs in the 940 are just one example. Don't get me wrong, I love my 940 for it's elegance etc, but it's not the hard use beast that the Shaman is.

[@sputumtube]

@@555Gear Thanks Andrew, it's nice to check in every once in a while. One of the few channels where I can be assured of intelligent debate rather than infantile name-calling... if we all agreed on everything there would only be one folding knife in the whole world.. Lol.. ;)

[@RealAndyOriginal]

Neither of those two are “go to war”. Fixed blade for that.

[@GoodmaneYT]

4 years ago I would have disagreed with you, but now the going rate for these knives is upwards of $270. At that price the knife should be flawless.

[@thomassmith8314]

When the knife is closed the choil guard becomes an AO flipper allowing you to open it with a quick flick of the wrist. I actually love that feature. Don't see it as a flaw at all. As mentioned, once it breaks in the nub doesn't get in the way when closing.

[@bkj427dvl]

It's an easter egg for fast deployment

[@whatisclandestine2253]

For me, nothing at all wrong with my crucarta shaman. People complain about the choil bump. I just use it to push past the detent. Other than that, it’s a weee but heavy, but it’s made for some moderately heavy tasks in the folder world. It does what it’s made for perfectly.

[@LanningKann]

I avoided the Shaman for years because of reviews like this. I finally decided to get one with the thought I’d return it if I didn’t like it. It’s been a month now and I prefer it over my other knives. It’s not perfect, but it’s an awesome performer. I use mine in the bush as well as on my home farm and at work in a patrol function. It’s awesome. The term “hard use” for a folder is silly to me. I’d prefer to say use a knife as a knife and if you need to chop or pry, change tools.

[@abc456f]

Your critiques of the knife are certainly valid. But for me, they're not consequential enough to go negative on it. I love the ergos, it just fits my hand really well, I find the countoured g10 so comfortable. The weight doesn't bother me a bit. I pocket carry a firearm so a 5 oz. knife isn't a big deal. Mine is a free dropper and with a little practice I've mastered moving my finger out of the way when closing the knife. You didn't mention the jimping which I think is a real positive. I haven't had any chipping issues so far, I put a mirror polish on the edge with my KME. Also replaced the pocket clip with an mxg gear deep carry clip. Honestly it's one of my favorite spydercos. I like it so much that I have the carbon fiber limited edition model on pre-order. Also I don't think the BM 940 is a good comparison. The Shaman definitely has a harder use blade. I did own a resilience and liked it very much, but sold it. I just needed to free up some cash for something else, but I would probably buy another at some point. Maybe I'm a contrarian but the pm2 doesn't impress me as it does most folks. I much prefer the manix 2 over it. And the manix 2 xl is far superior to the resilience. I have a spydiechef on back order as well. It's always interested me but I never got around to buying one. All that said, if they did release a Shaman v2 and address some of the issues you brought up, I'd be all over it. Been carrying a BM superfreek for a few months now, I think Benchmade knocked it out of the park with it. Look forward to more of your well thought out reviews, this one was very well presented.

[@barkingspider2007]

My Shaman has had the nub removed.. It is in M4 and is a great EDC blade. Great video : )

[@loustefanou1857]

If you no longer want this knife, I'd be happy to trade you a knife for this ?

[@Youtube-Censorship-Police]

prying is NOT "hard use", prying is pure stupidity, especially with a folding knife!

[@matusknives]

I am surprised by all those TDs. I am looking at hard use knife and actually appreciate critical views. They may or may not reflect what I might be concerned about, but it gives me a chance to give a thought to potential issues I otherwise might have missed. So thank you 👍

[@bstimy]

action was so stiff out of box, and with it so stiff it hurt my finger when i closed it because i couldn't time the closing and get my finger out of the way in time. I tried to loosen the pivot but had no room to do it without blade play. Put 2 drops of gun oil by the pivot from up top, one on each side. Knife is perfect and I can now time the close because the action is consistent. Now my finger never gets hit. Gorgeous, sturdy, comfortable knife.

[@CompanerosCacao]

Right on ..makes me 2nd guess this knife.. appreciate the honest review

[@markjg2275]

I like the Spyderco Shaman these minor flaws do not bother me, however the cost is too much for the knife that is my complaint for a folder no matter the steel or maker. The best EDC knife for the money is a Lion steel M4 fixed blade in M390 steel. Easy to conceal and for field use and EDC and at $155.00 is a bargain compared to any overpriced Spyderco in the $180.00 and more price range , I own a Spyderco Native in G10 but for the money and quality the Lion steel M4 is just a better choice . The Resilience is ok but made in China and cheaper steel and I do not trust liner locks . No folder can compare to reliability like a good fixed blade, Just my opinion buy what you like.

[@patrickgambsky6290]

It's your opinion my shaman been with me ever since it came out I carried it every day couldn't ask for a better knife peace 👌

[@nyccolm]

Hogwash- the Benchmade 940 superior?? Ridiculous. Benchmade quality control itself is miles below Spyderco. And all this blather about S30 V is just pure silliness.

[@gideonstactical]

Thank you very much. I appreciated the info.

[@555Gear]

Thanks for stopping by!

[@dmarcellus]

As soon as he compared it to a "Native Four"....I knew I was watching a video produced by someone who doesn't know knives. 03:24

[@EBFNOQMAGNO]

very over rated. and now a year later, they ask $204 with S30V steel. NOT.

[@makkdiver]

i like ti but i take your points. the choil IS really stupid. you are completely right and i never saw anybody point that out. when i slap it shut it bangs my finger, which actually hurts! when i compare to my PM2.... i dont get why it had to point out so massive. yes its stupid. it's also quite heavy, i have the all black vversion (black blade also) the blade itself got scratched up almost the first time i used it, on something pretty simple like cutting wood.

[@overlandedc]

Interesting take on this knife! Always good to hear different opinions. I personally really like the Shaman which is honestly a big surprise as it’s not the type of knife I would typically carry.

[@knifevideochannel4657]

Inconsequential nitpicks IMHO! The recent S90V CF Sprint Shaman is off the charts nice.

[@jlsouth7337]

you say s30v is chippie and then reference s110v later? you don't think s110v is more chippie than s30v???

[@Pmedic605]

"Prying" with a folding knife blade isn't "hard use" it's abuse and frankly stupid to do.

[@93MichiganFootball]

I was willing to hear the guy out on his reasoning until he said that the 940 was a better and more hard use knife than the Shaman. 😂🤣

[@Great_lake_derelict]

You’ve never used a 940 then.

[@ScottieG59]

I noticed the same issues, though they do not bother me. I also have no problems with the ergonomics. Still, I admit there is nothing the Shaman does better than much less expensive knives. To me, it is the Native 5 XL.

[@JJ-lu6mg]

Scott G the Native is a great alternative to the Sharman both are very similar it basically comes down to size and which lock mechanism you like better. Except for the contoured G10 handles on the Sharman that’s a much better comparison 👍🏼

[@constitutionalright827]

So let me clear up your definition of "fatal design flaw" -- I don't like it and think Benchmades are better. Got it. However, that is NOT the definition of a fatal design flaw.

[@cosmoscience2092]

I own a Shaman as well as many other popular knives. The Shaman is incredibly well made and the ergonomics really are something to behold. It’s obviously a larger knife but I can easily throw it in some gym shorts and it’s not bothersome. Is it as small as a benchmade bug out? No, obviously not, but it’s still easily manageable.

[@StoneHands25]

I think he's trolling. I'll take that shaman

[@josephhooper1956]

This guy is a cry baby...."it bops your finger when you close it". Grow a pair dude. It literally doesn't bother me at all don't even notice it. And you didn't open it like a front flipper.... So that's not an issue either. You just like to complain.

[@nightstalker824]

Haha I was thinking the same thing! "It's heavy..it hurts my finger, I can feel the uneven backspacer." This dude is a collector and knife snob, not a user. This guy lost his cred when he said the 940 Osborne is a more hard use knife🤔 . Nothing wrong with the 940, but this goes to show you that the only thing he cuts with his knife are his loose strings on his socks or opening up his mail...

[@andreasplosky8516]

I love the design, I really do, but for me the fatal design flaw is the price. :) In Europe Spyderco in general is criminally expensive. Converted back into dollars we Europeans have to pay the equivalent of 340 dollars for this. It makes me nauseous.

[@skywalkerMC]

Some of your points were valid but I about died laughing when you compared the 940 for heavy use. I love my 940 but I would not consider it a hard use knife by any stretch of the imagination. Thanks for taking the time to give a review.

[@grizzlycountry1030]

You're the only one then.

[@bigjohn3038]

Perspective is funny. I hate the Stonewash vs the Satin Finish! Agree on the compromised lock / guard design 100% though!

[@theknifeconnection9571]

Why is it such a big deal that this lil tab hits your finger. I'm able to move my finger easily. Love this knife

[@ihave7sacks]

He's doing it wrong if it hits his finger. Favourite chungus knife

[@theknifeconnection9571]

@@ihave7sacks lol. I hear ya. Sometimes it hits my finger if I’m not paying attention

[@Crangaso]

5 years later, it was an instant classic.

[@gratefulot360]

Really excellent review. I’ve never purchased a Spyderco knife for its rapid deployment. I really just like the confident feel of my thumb solidly controlling the deployment of the blade through its full range of motion.

[@ronfry5851]

It's okay bro you don't have to like the shaman

[@maitrehg]

For EDC, the PM 2 is my choice.

[@incontruth4116]

I have two 940’s that I love but you can’t compare the two. One’s a workhorse and one is a letter opener.

[@UnNamedTrucker]

Good points. The flaws you point out would definitely bug me

[@carmelotansengco4605]

I just bought one last week and honestly, I still prefer the Paramilitary 2. The number one thing for me is the weight. Along with the Shaman, I bought a Manix 2 G10 version with the standard S30V blade. Compared to the PM2, the Manix 2 is way heavier but it feels light compared to the Shaman. Just thought I'd share my thoughts on this matter.

[@chimchu3232]

100% agree. I rotate between the 2 depending on what i need to do, but ultimately I prefer the pm2. Shaman is better for hard use, but the pm2 is light, sturdy and the blade shape is perfect for most tasks

[@davidlocke1668]

Own two of both

[@lesamourai777]

I appreciate your honest review. It's a rarity these days, especially when it comes to knife advertisements, err, I meant "reviews".

[@Digimorphosis]

I have to agree with some of the other comments. Where he slams the "hard use" functionality and then mentions prying and digging I'm wondering if he actually understands what hard use with a knife really is. And the whole video he phrases things in a theoretical manner, not from his experience, so it's not even clear if he's actually used this knife for anything (and commenting on that) or just making assumptions from holding the knife. Comments like, "I took this out and used it in XYZ ways and thought this" would've made the critiques sound a lot more valid. In my experience, other than batoning which is contentious anyway, this knife handles heavy cuts like taking branches off fallen trees, notch carving, cutting rope, etc. that require a lot of pressure and leave marks on blades, very well. (Cutting tasks greater than cutting twine, opening Amazon boxes, and cutting paracord.) For those tasks, it's about as close to the comfort and cutting power of a fixed blade that I've had in a folder, barring only that it's less slicey than a Scandi grind. And I find that despite its weight it carries very well in the pocket. To each their own, I guess.

[@carmelotansengco4605]

Hi. It's me again. I take back what I said. Seems like you just have to get used to the Shaman. My example didn't want to drop when it first arrived. A couple of drops of Frog Lube on each pivot quickly fixed that but there was some side to side blade play which I couldn't get rid of. I disassembled the knife and put everything back together. I used Blue Loc-Tite on the pivot screws and tightened them until they would no longer turn and I was just going to back them out little by little until I got the action I wanted. I didn't need to. As soon as I pressed the compression lock, the blade dropped shut and there was no more play. With regards to the nub, I just use the top part of the compression lock and it doesn't bother me anymore. Sometimes I go all the way in and snap-close the knife. I just get my finger out of the way. Timing is the key.

[@edcko10]

Yeah this knife must be a real piece of crap! That's probably why I can't find one🤔

[@knifelife7777]

Me personally I love the shaman its one of my,favorite knives. I have the jade G10 and M4 version. I did delete the guard nub so that it is flush with the scale when closed and it no longer hits my finger. I also shaved the scales down and made the handle skinnier and also added a deep carry pocket clip. Overall I shaved about half an ounce off of the weight and fixed the issues that were slightly bothersome.

[@kylewood8327]

From all the comments I’ve read below your out voted. 🤣 Got mine coming shortly, gonna go nice with my Para 3 and Manix 2 XL.

[@ryansmith2772]

They make this knife in M4, Rex 45 as well as 4v... The shaman feels good in the hand. The 940 is a classic but the handle sometimes feels thin in hand for larger handed users. These are knives. "Overrated" is harsh. I carried the 275 adamas for years. It's good but d2 is flawed.

[@ryansmith2772]

At the number of dislikes. It's obvious this is an unpopular video

[@appalachiangunman9589]

My ZT seems to have a strong tip design, but my PM2 lends itself more for piercing, so there’s a purpose for both, but please people don’t use any knife you care about to pry things with.

[@csarebel8657]

Yeah so I was reluctant after watching this… I was pissed bc it was $210. Now it’s $240ish, but I couldn’t help myself… I bought one and I think it’s definitely worth the $240 tag. My only gripe is that I would a better steel for that much money… but it’s not even that heavy… my AD10 is much heavier and bulkier. I believe Sal Glesser has stated that he designed the Shaman to be a harder use type of workhorse knife.

[@toddboone333]

I will never understand people who are like, “A piece of metal hit my finger. Completely unacceptable!” Maybe people who don’t work with their hands don’t have calluses all over them like mine. People said the same thing about the Spyderco Amalgam. It’s turned out to be one of my favorite daily carries. Just ordered the M4 Shaman. I guess I’ll wait and see. But if I ever use the words “hot spots” about a knife handle, I think I’ll go ahead and give up on life.

[@williams.1130]

Fuckin A, thank you. Idk wtf has happened to the men in our country but guys like this only buy knives to dress them up and finger fuck them on the couch. Opening the package of the next one at most. if I had ever said ouch the little nub poked my finger my dad would've thrown a box of tampons at my head.

[@travisricker0]

Yes, the 940 is a much better hard use knife (confused)

[@mistersmith3986]

If Spyderco didn't waste their cutting edge with a half ass finger choil and the Shaman had an actual locking system, I already would have owned a few of them.

[@grumpyoldwizard]

That choil wont be a problem. It is part of the actual blade, so it isn’t even there when you have the blade deployed, and does not block the compression lock at all. Its only in the way if the blade is closed (when you don’t need to use the lock).

[@Outpost_76]

I did my first impressions finally on the new Blade HQ M4 Shaman and found most of the same issues you did. I see now the M4 Freek would have been a better buy for me personally.

[@theknifeconnection9571]

Really

[@scrumdiddily6162]

Over rated? I wouldn’t exactly say that. It’s a solid knife with awesome materials that’ll hold up for years to come. Idk how that can be “over rated”

[@Sporky0000]

I think the Shaman should be a fixed blade or there should be a fixed version of it.

[@andrewlebaron5681]

Okay guys I love the Shaman too but the ONE thing this guy has right is that nub/guard being a flaw. Anyone who claims it’s not a blatant safety concern is either lying to themselves, or more likely they are right handed. This means they are able to semi safely fling the massive blade closed while not entirely letting go of the knife to move their finger out of the way before it gets slammed. For people who are fuming at this point reading this, take a second to put this knife in your LEFT hand and give it a whirl trying to move your thumb out of the way before the blade closes. Oh and heads up you might wanna wear steel toed boots while trying this one out the first time. After you’ve given that a go, tell me how that’s not a serious flaw/safety issue? Having to completely let go of the knife while flipping it closed to avoid getting your thumb smacked with a high chance of the knife getting hit out of your hand. It’s like Russian roulette or something… Now to remind you I love the shaman, mostly because it’s the closest thing to a native with a compression lock. But this one serious flaw would’ve been insanely simple to avoid and the knife would be hardly different. I know this because I fixed the problem on my shaman and no it doesn’t involve obliterating the finger guard altogether. If you shave down just the right amount of the guard so it’s barely protruding into the lock release area, you still have a majority of the guard left on the knife. On top of that, the blade is extremely tall and if you slightly grind down the cutting edge you can also reform the finger guard to damn near close to its original size. I mean it’s a win win. The knife looks way better this way too with the blade just a tad bit less tall. This brings me to my final point, how the hell was this not done already during the design process? I love Sal and his knives, but I’m sort of baffled and confused by his claims to have spent multiple years designing this knife. When he’s talked about his reasoning on the forums/when people are chomping at the bit to defend his design every chance they get, their main claim is that that finger guard simply needs to be that size for the knife to function correctly. As I have just shown however, the finger guard could’ve been the exact same size if the blade was ever so slightly less tall to keep the guard out of the path of our poor fingers and thumbs. And I’m serious you can hardly even notice the blade looks any different on my modded shaman. If anything it looks better and closer to the proportions of the native. Thanks for reading this through if you made it this far. I seriously want to know what people think about the original design after learning this. To me it seems like it’s obviously flawed or maybe not nearly as much work was put into the design process as was claimed.

[@pauldayton5285]

Spyderco's best heavy use folder IMO is still the Manix 2XL. I think the ergonomics of the M2XL is far superior to that of the shaman. The choil on the M2XL is way more pronounced & practical. The handle design on the M2XL provides a better & more secure grip even when reversed than the shaman. The ball bearing lock ( especially for me being a lefty ) is easier to operate , ambidextrous , faster to deploy / close & stronger than the compression lock. The blade on the shaman is thicker & I'm guessing would be stronger than the blade on the M2XL. That might not be an advantage though because blade strength has never been a problem on the M2XL in the 6yrs I've carried it & would prefer better slicing performance over a thicker blade. Lastly the M2XL is less expensive making it hard for me to see why anyone would choose a shaman over the M2XL. I'd like to know what you think of this comparison 555? Thank you for the video by the way ! 💯❤🔪🌎❗

[@toddboone333]

I like them both. But I’ve never seen a Manix XL in anything other than s30v. Don’t get me wrong, I think s30v is a great all around steel. But if if I can get the Shaman in M4, I’m getting the Shaman.

[@macmurfy2jka]

Love the Resilience. Very sad when I lost mine. Wish it was made of better steel.

[@D2G10]

I just went and bought a D2 steel clone of Shaman which looks and performs almost exactly like my real s30v shaman for just $30 bucks. Resilience is NOWHERE near in terms of ergos, blade geometry and lock strength.

[@RAWHEADSPEAR]

Link for Shaman?

[@jeffoff7795]

It takes about five minutes to get used to the finger choil design. And don't pry with your knife.

[@johnfisco8382]

I respect your opinion but I don’t understand the choil hitting your finger complaint. I am always flicking mine and when it does hit unless you’re smacking it with way too much force you can barely feel it. Secondly and even more importantly every compression lock you have to move your finger away before it closes to lock the blade back in place.

[@toddstamos89]

The centering on that 940 is criminal.

[@jamessquair6829]

I'm going to repeat what many other commentors have said - the only one of the negatives you point out which isnt very open to personal taste and interpretation is the Shaman's price. It is costlier than it needs to be. I just happen to like the way the Shaman feels in my hand - no amount of rationalization on anyone else's part is going to change that.

[@manifestgtr]

Why do people complain about that nub? “My beefy, crazy, pocket destroyer of worlds hurt my finger : (“ Within a couple weeks of having a shaman, I’d already kind of forgotten it was there. By the time a month rolled around, I’d ordered the z-wear model...it had already become my favorite “big” folder (it’s not even that big, really...my ad15 is a much more noticeable pocket presence). The shaman isn’t perfect, but really...I don’t own too many *perfect* tools. My mora 120 sloyd is the closest knife to perfection in my shop and that’s a totally different planet compared to this.

[@sublyme2157]

Just got a PM2 after putting if off for years. Wow. Just wow.

[@0neTwo3]

Micah Knepper good move, you won’t find much better!

[@hoya4448]

Nathan Schmoekel no doubt!

[@gregbaker7861]

That choil has never bothered me but I have man hands...

[@ryansmock2717]

When I call someone a knife noob and people don't know what that means, I show them this video. Especially 4:50. Yikes

[@timc1411]

Lol "well I have the shaman in my pocket, so I guess there is no way I can carry my leatherman." It's like this guy doesn't work with his knives. I've been using a shaman in rex 45 every day for over a year. Dude is clueless.

[@charlesholland6851]

I want this knife. Even if it’s not perfect. But really, if you’re worrying about a few ounces, go on a diet.

[@punkrwkr4]

Just bought a Shaman myself, this video just seems wrong on so many levels. I think it's less design issues here and more reviewer issues than anything.

[@ashmerch2558]

The Shaman has the best handle in the knife business, period... the resilience is heavier than the Shaman and has a larger carry profile, along with 8cr13mov VS S30V. The complaints seem way over stated and nitpicky. The Shaman is a fantastic folder Its kinda like wine... some folks like chateau lafite, and some folks think box wine is finer than the chateau lafite...

[@ReticentSparrow]

It's clear the reviewer has a disdain for the Shaman. A disdain so strong that he can't stay consistent in his line of argumentation: He derides the Shaman for not being a slicey knife, yet praises the 940 for being a hard use knife; he talks about having multiple cheaper blades for cutting and knife abuse, then mentions other dedicated tools made specifically for non-cutting tasks; etc. It's fine not to like a particular knife, but at least be as objective as possible when reviewing it. The 940 is pretty, but the knife will be useless when the spring in the Axis lock breaks. And calling Benchmade a "working man's knife" is laughable. There are numerous brands I'd reach for first if I wanted a "working man's knife." Credit where credit is due: the Cold Steel suggestion isn't a bad one. The takeaway here is to know your needs, and be intentional in your gear selection. If you want luxury, select a Benchmade folder. You want hard-use? Use a fixed blade. You need a slicer on the cheaper end? Morakniv and Opinel got you covered. I've liked other videos from this guy, but this one is a big yikes.

[@modofatak]

Agree with every. single. point. And now…look at the price!!!

[@dustyroads3223]

Love the name of it. Makes you want to put on a featherd chief head band while using this knife during cut test and listing to Enigma " return to innocence ". 🤣😂🤣😂😍😂

[@shura_sa]

I have to disagree with you on most points, the knife is a way better hard use knife over a 940. The blade stock is evident of that. BM springs break constantly and I wouldn't deem that very good for hard use, let alone a general EDC knife. Also on the note of the shaman being a worse slicer than other knives, I agree, but the shaman wasn't made to slice like a champ, it's a bigger, beefier knife. The nub is annoying but after using a shaman, I learned how to just avoid that issue by timing my release on the compression lock. My experience with the shaman has always been great, when I carry it, I rarely ever even notice it in my pocket. Finally, I found it contradicting that you said to not get it because it's not good for a hard use knife things, like prying, however, knives aren't made to pry and they really shouldn't be marketed like that. I don't think that spyderco marketed it like that at all. Everyone should know what to do and what not to do with a knife. Also you concluded by talking about how you shouldn't pry with knives but knocked the shaman for not being good to pry with, I found that very confusing. Anyways, nice video man.

[@dsknives310]

U hit all the fatal🤕 flaws spot on! I like the weight & once u get it down u can deploy with the compression lock. I’ve been tempted to grind down that nub. Be careful with the resilience your tip at least😬! Awesome tips 👍🏻

[@norgeloki01]

I filed mine down and like it much better.

[@esporev]

Watch Nick Shabazz’s review of the Shaman if you want a more concise and compelling review, this channel could use some pointers from Nick’s reviews also.

[@akquicksilver]

It has one wart as far as I judge. The compression lock could have been executed much better. Fortunately there are aftermarket fixes. But I love the rest except for the lanyrd hole.

[@fulltangbushcraft6382]

I would think that the only folks buying a 200+ shaman would already be knife savvy. If you want a small light knife get a delica or a dragon fly ,if you want a beefy , large folder get a manix 2 or shaman , NO knife is perfect though. But spyderco comes close

[@FoxSolomon1]

I love my shaman and the nub doesn’t bother me. All you have to do is just practice moving your finger quick enough and it’s no problem. The only point I agree with is the price. $180 is high and I paid $130 for mine secondary.

[@davidlocke1668]

270 out the door now, I own two at that price and love them both

[@nickedcr2320]

You straight up violated spyderco 🤣

[@EagleJim62]

I agree with your criticism of the Shaman. The finger guard bumping into my finger was annoying and the smooth G10 along with the heavy weight made it a little hard to hold on to when closing the knife. I'm a Spyderco fan but not of the Shaman. I replaced with the unbeatable PM2. Well done review.

[@555Gear]

Actually a week after this I also ordered a PM2, I forgot to mention that!!

[@OnTheEdge5950]

I actually like your review. I did just order a shaman , but I actually asked the questions you did without even handling it. I own a Benchmade super freak and I like it. You actually use your knives so your reviews are more for a the user. I can’t wait to get my shaman, but this was a very good review 🤙. You connected some dots on what I was thinking but couldn’t put my finger on. I still don’t understand why the nub is on the comprehension lock?

[@zgnu]

I say it is best in class. Our opinions cancel each other out.😂

[@josephlinares96]

I got got mine today, and I have to say, just as he pointed out, it's heavy, and that nub is annoying. I am no way a primadona, i could excuse the weight if only it didn't have that nub, it ruins the fidget factor. A waaaaay better version of this style knife would be the benchmade super freek.

[@KandKo]

I know this vid is a few years old at this point but I don't get why people complain about the nub on the blade. 5 minutes on a belt sander and problem solved 🤷🏻‍♂️