- Spyderco Yojimbo 2 · Wharncliffe3.2″ blade · 0.157″ spine · 4 oz · ~1.55″ tall
Spyderco Yojimbo 2
The Spyderco Yojimbo 2 is a 3.11" wharncliffe folder in CPM-S30V, hollow ground. The handle is G-10, secured by a compression lock. One of only 3 wharncliffe blades in the catalogue, out of 140.
- Blade
- 3.2″
- Weight
- 4 oz
- Steel
- CPM-S30V
- Price band
- Premium
Everyday carry and general utility
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Specifications
Manufacturer-published figures, cross-checked against knifeworks, sharpthings.
- Blade length
- 3.2″
- Spine thickness
- 0.157″
- Blade shape
- Wharncliffe
- Grind
- Hollow
- Steel
- CPM-S30V
- Overall length
- 7.69″
- Closed length
- 4.49″
- Weight
- 4 oz
- Lock
- Compression
- Deployment
- Manual
- Handle material
- G-10
- Country of origin
- USA
Why a wharncliffe
A straight edge with a spine that tapers to the tip in a straight or near-straight line. The whole edge contacts a flat surface at once, so it cuts cardboard and rope on a bench better than any curved blade, and the fine tip is excellent for detail work.
Every wharncliffe here →About CPM-S30V
The long-time American benchmark. Holds an edge far longer than 420HC and still sharpens on ordinary stones. Chippy if you pry with it.
1-5 is a relative ranking drawn from published composition and hardness, not a lab measurement. Higher is better on every axis, and no steel is a 5 across the board — edge retention and toughness pull against each other. All CPM-S30V knives
What owners say
Drawn from 490 owner discussions of the Spyderco Yojimbo 2 since 2024. The opinions are theirs. The specifications above come from the maker.
What owners like
- The size fills a gap: one owner who found the Para 3 a little short and the PM2 too long says the Yojimbo 2 splits them almost exactly, with about the same cutting edge as the PM2 in a shorter knife, and another with medium to large hands calls it perfect.
- The wharncliffe point gives fine control: one owner chokes up into a pinch grip and uses the tip like a craft knife, and a pumpkin carver found the craft-knife tip ideal for everything except scooping out the insides.
- It slices well: one warehouse worker uses it more than any other knife at work and says it slices through cardboard like butter, and another owner calls it slicey, sharp as hell, light and easy in the pocket.
- The factory G10 handle wins people over; one owner who bought theirs used with aftermarket scales went back to the stock ones because they feel so good, and another says every groove gives a comfortable grip.
- Looks put buyers off until they hold it: several owners describe thinking it was ugly or goofy and then loving it in hand.
- The S30V edge takes knocks; one owner banged the edge on their truck bed while cutting a strap and found no chips, and another says S30V holds up while staying relatively easy to sharpen.
- It sticks with people: one owner carried it as their everyday knife for eight years, and another who sold theirs missed it so much that they bought another.
- Seconds and sales bring the price down: one buyer got a factory second at a little under half off retail, with only slight blade play they fixed in seconds, and another paid $153 for an S30V model in 2026.
What owners flag
- The very thin tip worries owners: one who carried it daily for eight years got tired of worrying about the tip and would not lend it out, another found it too fragile and moved on, and one says it feels like it would break if you looked at it wrong.
- Lock stick shows up on new and used knives; one new owner got sudden stiff lock stick on flick opening, a used buyer found the lock very hard to compress after flicks, and one owner says they tried everything to cure it.
- One factory second's compression lock arm stuck out far enough to pinch the owner's index finger on every opening until they reshaped the interface themselves.
- It looks aggressive: one owner swapped to something more modest for the real world, another says it scares people and they hesitate to use it in front of them, and one feels it was clearly designed for self-defence rather than everyday use.
- The straight edge has no belly; one owner carving a pumpkin missed a belly for scooping out the insides.
- The G10 is aggressive in the pocket: one owner says they would carry it more often if the scales were a bit less aggressive.
- Hollow-ground S30V can gum up on tape; one owner says a single 5 ft cut through taped cardboard left residue on the hollow and the tip section unable to slice printer paper.
- Clips change the feel: one owner found a deep-carry aftermarket clip spoiled the ergonomics, and another prefers the deep-carry clip and handle of a Kubey Fenrir.
Eight years as one owner's everyday knife is the longest record here, and they gave it up mainly over worries about the tip. The Yojimbo 2 is a 3.11 in hollow-ground wharncliffe on G10 with a compression lock, and owners carry it for breaking down boxes, warehouse cardboard and general use. One surveyor who wanted a single knife for the office and the woods chose it because it sits between the Para 3 and PM2 in length.
In use, owners praise the precise, craft-knife-like tip, the slicing of the hollow grind and a handle one owner liked enough to go back to stock scales. The trade-offs are a thin tip that three owners worry about, no belly for scooping, lock stick on some knives, and G10 that one owner finds too aggressive in the pocket. Several owners thought it ugly before they held it and changed their minds.
Canis owners are the ones who left: two moved from the Yojimbo 2 to it, one after eight years, for a less worrying tip. Others weigh it against the smaller and larger versions; one owner prefers the smaller one, and another prefers the Yojimbo's handle to their Microjimbo's. Prices vary widely: one buyer paid $153 for an S30V knife in 2026, and a factory second cost another a little under half off retail.
Is a wharncliffe like the Yojimbo 2 practical for everyday carry?
The owners who use it daily say yes for most jobs. A surveyor who carries it everywhere argues a wharncliffe is as useful as a belly blade in almost every situation except skinning large game, and a warehouse worker uses it more than any other knife at work. The gap is belly: a pumpkin carver missed it when scooping out the insides.
How fragile is the Yojimbo 2 tip?
It is very thin, and owners treat it carefully. One owner who carried it for eight years says they got tired of worrying about it and would not lend the knife, and another moved to a different knife because the tip felt too fragile.
How big is it compared with the Para 3 and Para Military 2?
One owner who compared their specs says it sits almost exactly between the two in length, weighs about the same as a PM2 and has nearly the same cutting edge despite a 1/4 in shorter blade. An owner with medium to large hands calls the size perfect.
What can I do about compression lock stick?
Three owners report it: one on a new knife after about a week of flicking, one on a used knife after a couple of days, and one who says nothing they tried fully cured it. A different lock problem showed up on one factory second, whose lock arm pinched the owner's finger until they reshaped the lock interface themselves, which they admit risked ruining the knife.
Will the Yojimbo 2 look too aggressive to use around other people?
Some owners think so. One says it scares people and makes them hesitant to use it in public, another switched to a more modest-looking knife for daily use, and a third feels its self-defence design shows.
Features
- Compression lock
- Hollow grind
- Made in USA
- Stainless blade
