The Spyderco Matriarch 2 conforms to the idea that your EDC blade should be a tool and your defensive blade should be a weapon.  Looking back in the Matriarch’s family tree we see the original Spyderco Civilian, designed for undercover officers who were in a non-permissive environment for defensive firearms.  With it’s distinctive reverse-s blade design, the Matriarch 2 stands out in a crowd.

This knife features a black reinforced nylon handle connected to the business end which is made from VG-10 stainless steel and approximately 3.5″ long.  My specific test model is blacked out with a black titanium carbonitride coating to reduce the overall visible signature.  The hook on the back of the blade is the patented Wave opener used under license from Ernie Emerson which opens the knife as it is being drawn out of your pocket.  As a defensive minded slicer, the Wave ensures the Martiarch 2 will be ready for action as soon as it is pulled.

The blade is as sharp as you’d expect from a well known name like Spyderco.  While most of the edge is serrated, the forwardmost 1/4″ or so is straight edged.  I use that term loosely, as the contour of the steel is still heavily curved near the point, the better to part flesh with.  The patented Wave feature that is licensed out from Ernie Emerson is a unique feature.  I hadn’t used it before, so the first couple out-of-pocket draw strokes left the knife half-opened.  A little more practice and a more intentional draw stroke has increased the odds of a successful full-lock, we’ll see how well it fares once it’s broken in a bit.

First impressions are big, and the Matriarch 2 certainly stands as a memorable knife.  The wicked curve of the blade along with the all-blacked out design mark this as a protective tool to remember.  This is no EDC implement of average uses, this is designed solely for use in life and death scenarios.  As such, I’ll devise some better testing protocols rather than a few months of rough use.

Stay tuned…