Spyderco Ladybug 3 Ultra-Compact Lightweight Plain Edge Knife

I needed a good keychain knife, but one with a good, sharp blade, a locking mechanism and ENOUGH handle to insure a good grip. The Ladybug 3 fits my bill to a T. Its lanyard hole can accept a split key ring, which in turn allows me to mount it on my keychain. The handle is textured and long enough that when the knife is opened [and locked], it presents a good, secure grip. Nice blade, Good steel. Holds an edge well. Very positive lock; when you deploy the lock, it holds the blade opened -- and that's that! Well-constructed. Add to my positive comments, the extreme light weight and the price ... a good value and a good knife for my specific purpose. Highly recommneded as a key chain, pen knife with intended use to be light cutting jobs. Bears repeating: sharp, lockable blade with a good grip handle, lightweight at a reasonable price. Thank you, Spyerco. A very fine implement for a specific function. Excellent product for this purpose!

I use this as a utility pocket knife for opening boxes, cutting straps and string, and anything else that comes up. I have carried a Case XX Caliber lockback as my utility knife for years (photo), and it has filled the requirements, but I wanted to step up a little (also since my "serious use" carry knife is a Spyderco Delica). The knife was VERY sharp out of the box. Since I haven't used it a lot at this point, I can't say how well the edge will hold up, but with the high-quality VG-10 steel, I expect it to be outstanding.The Ladybug is smaller than my old Case, but one big advantage is that it can be opened one-handed. I have large hands, so it took some practice to get down a technique. I basically hold the spine of the knife against my palm with my index, middle, and ring fingers and open it with my thumb (photos). I haven't tried to develop a technique to close it one-handed. I rarely need to, and with the lockback and small size, I think the danger factor is not really worth it.Fit and finish on this little knife is amazing. It has every bit the quality of Spyderco's top line knives. It's almost like they just shrunk the Delica. Gimping on the back of the blade and handle is very nice and provides a very secure grip even though you can only get two and a half fingers on it. I will put a lanyard on it soon like is shown on the Case which will provide an even stronger grip.If you need a great little utility pocket knife, buy this knife. You won't regret it.

This knife is my first from Spyderco, and it is by far my most practical EDC. It fits perfectly on my keychain -- just slightly smaller than my car key when closed -- and it is just as light as a key too. The thumb hole on the blade works well for me, though I could imagine it being a little too small for someone with big hands, and the transition from the closed to open position is incredibly smooth. In fact, sometimes I find myself mindlessly opening and closing it as I'm thinking or daydreaming. The mid-lock is effective, but does not allow for easy 1-handed closing (without risking a finger), especially since the knife doesn't have a choil that could cover a whole finger. Although the blade is small and fairly thin, it comes razor-sharp out of the package, and I've already used it a number of times for simple, everyday tasks; however, I don't think it'd hold up well under strenuous cutting. The only downside I can think of with this knife is that you need to be careful pulling your keys from your pockets or bag -- I once grabbed it by the spine and opened it without realizing (thinking it was a key), but luckily noticed before closing my hand around the edge. I would highly recommend this knife to anyone.

Surprising cutting ability for such a small knife. For a pocket knife you really don't need a longer blade. The durability and style are great. Nice to have a knife made in Japan rather than China. And this sucker is light. Quite a bonus. Perfect for a coin pocket. Drop it in another pocket and you have to fish around for it a little. Probably a good key chain knife but travel too much and worried I will forget and forfeit to TSA. Opening one handed is easy enough after a little practice. But a bit stiff. So you have to be careful not to cut yourself. Not sure if I can loosen it up a little to make it easier. I am used to assisted opening knifes. So I guess this will take me some time to get used to. Otherwise, one hell of a knife. Worth every penny.

Sometimes great things come in small packages. Such is the case with Spyderco's Ladybug, a diminutive piece of cutting excellence made in Seiki, Japan. If you are familiar with Spyderco knives, you are familiar with the excellence to detail and the unsurpassed utilitarian edges of knives second to none. The Ladybug has no clip to attach to anything: A pocket or a keychain suits this cutting powerhouse, and it excels in cutting. I have used this knife to open letters, cut line and rope, slice bags and cut tape on Amazon packages and will no doubt find a thousand other uses for this small unobtrusive tool, As with all Spyderco knives, it is wickedly sharp and has easy assist opening with the Spyderhole. I love this knife and all Spyderco knives made in Seiki, Japan. So, if size matters and is an issue with your choice of knife, know that the Ladybug is small, but its size in no way diminishes its cutting excellence.