Way, way on the bottom of Spyderco’s Blade Show prototype showcase, I spotted a mockup of the Ronin 2, Michael Janich’s next evolution of the Ronin fixed blade knife.  My Canon DSLR begging to be used, I examined the Ronin 2 prototype.  It is a slim knife with thin G10 scales over a full tang spine.  The scales are held fast with three Torx bolts and there is a lanyard hole at the rear.  The Ronin 2 blade was marked CPM S30V and was deeply hollow ground.

Before someone cries foul and alleges I broke show rules, this is not a photograph from Spyderco’s Blade Show 2014 booth.  Clearly, it is forbidden to take pictures of the glass case of prototypes from Golden, Colorado.  I am, however, armed with Photoshop.  And I took some notes at the show…

My image is made from a photograph I took of my own Yojimbo 2, which I digitally altered to look like the Ronin 2 that I was able to handle at the Blade Show.  I think it is pretty true to the Spyderco prototype.

One detail I was not able to recreate from memory in my pirate image was a flat spot on the butt of the handle that translated into a thumb shelf when holding the knife in a reverse grip, edge out orientation.  I remember feeling it there, but I don’t recall exactly what it looked like.

Since the Ronin 2 at Blade Show is a prototype, any details seen are subject to change in a production model.  I talked to Mike Janich at the booth about the Ronin 2.  He said that it was designed as a fixed blade mirror image to his Yojimbo 2 folder, of which he is very proud.  The prototype seemed maybe just a bit larger than a Yo2 in my hand, but the overall dimensions are very similar.

Michael Janich foreground, Eric Glesser to the left.

When I asked when a Ronin 2 might hit store shelves in the future, Mr. Janich gave me his all-too-familiar shrug and humble answer that there were many other talented designers’ work ahead of his in the production pipeline.  Hmmm, same answer he gave me about the Jani-song…

Original Image

While a Spyderco Ronin 2 may not be available anytime soon for us mere consumers, there are alternatives.  You could go looking for an original Spyderco Ronin online.  Prices are high and finding is rare for that particular iteration.  In the meantime, Mr. Janich said faithful versions of his Ronin, built by custom knifemaker Mickey Yurco, are available at Stay Safe Media.  I am all in for a couple of Ronin 2’s if they are ever produced.

by Wilson

Update:  Ronin 2 pre-orders are being taken.  Read here:  New Spyderco Ronin 2