Description

Spyderco co-founder Sal Glesser has always had a keen interest in designing knives to meet specific performance criteria. His uncanny ability to understand and identify with the needs of end users led to some of Spyderco’s most iconic designs, including the Mariner, the Police Model, the Civilian, the Military, the Rescue, and the Assist, to name just a few.

A more recent example of Sal’s task-specific approach to knife design is the RockJumper, which he created to satisfy the demanding requirements of outdoor enthusiasts and climbers. Introduced in 2020, the RockJumper not only earned a devoted following but also inspired demand for a version with a more conventional blade shape. Sal’s latest design, the LeafJumper, answers that calling.

Design Evolution

Sal’s goal in designing the RockJumper was to create a lightweight folding knife that offers impressive cutting power and swift, ambidextrous, one-handed operation. To deliver that in a convenient, easy-to-carry package, he scaled the design to fall into the perfect “middle ground” between the Delica 4 and Endura 4 Lightweights while still providing all the same time-tested features and benefits.

Many of the defining qualities of the Delica 4 and Endura 4 can be found in their handle construction. Their lightweight, ergonomic handles are built on a framework of stainless steel liners. Skeletonized to reduce weight, the liners give the knives impressive structural strength, support their sturdy back lock mechanism, and provide solid anchor points for their four-position pocket clips. The liners are nested within scales injection-molded from tough fiberglass-reinforced nylon (FRN) and feature Spyderco’s signature Bi-Directional Texture pattern for a secure, non-slip grip. Matching FRN backspacers add additional strength and anchor the springs for the knives’ back lock mechanism, which is easily operated with either hand.

All these features are faithfully incorporated into the handle of the RockJumper, which features a broad profile that flares at both ends to “bracket” the user’s hand for added grip security. The hand-filling design also lies flat across the palm to allow instinctive tactile orientation of the plane and edge of the blade. Since many outdoor enthusiasts and climbers like to use safety lanyards on their knives, the handle’s butt end also includes an oversized lanyard hole.

On the “business end,” the RockJumper features a full-flat-ground VG-10 stainless steel blade with a classic Wharncliffe profile. The blade’s spine curves gracefully to meet its perfectly straight edge at an exceptionally acute point. The result is a blade that offers everything from scalpel-like precision to extreme cutting power in a single package. Available in a choice of PlainEdge or fully serrated SpyderEdge configurations, it proudly features a fully accessible Trademark Round Hole for positive, one-handed opening with either hand.

Turning Over a New Leaf

Although the Wharncliffe blade shape is extremely practical and versatile, some knife users prefer more “belly” to their edges and a more robust tip that is closer to the knife’s centerline. To cater to those preferences, Sal decided to fit the RockJumper’s handle with a broad, leaf-shaped blade and the LeafJumper was born.

As its name suggests, the defining feature of the LeafJumper is the shape of its blade, which resembles the symmetrical profile of bamboo leaf. Although this shape has been a standard since man crafted the first knives 2.5 million years ago, Spyderco is perhaps best known for showcasing it in modern folding knife design. The Manix 2 and Manix 2 XL, UK Penknife, Chaparral family, Caly 3.5, and Lil’ Temperance 3 Lightweight are evidence of that.

Available in a choice of PlainEdge or fully serrated SpyderEdge formats, the LeafJumper’s blade is crafted from VG-10 stainless steel to provide an exceptional balance of edge holding, corrosion resistance, toughness, and ease of sharpening. Its fully accessible Trademark Round Hole proclaims the knife’s Spyderco pedigree and allows swift, reliable, one-handed opening with either hand. Like the RockJumper, the LeafJumper’s blade has a minimal ricasso (the unbeveled, full-thickness area nearest the handle) to offer maximum edge length. This works in concert with the handle’s refined ergonomics to position the hand farther forward and allow enhanced cutting power near the heel of the blade, closest to the handle. Full-flat ground and beautifully satin finished to ensure low-friction cutting performance, the blade’s slightly upswept edge raises the point and aligns it on the knife’s central axis. Raising the point also thickens and reinforces it, making it better suited for piercing and other point-oriented tasks.

With the exception of its injection-molded name, the LeafJumper’s handle is exactly the same as that of the RockJumper and faithfully provides all the same benefits. Built on a framework of skeletonized stainless steel liners, the broad, hand-filling handle features FRN scales, a molded FRN backspacer, and a sturdy back lock mechanism with a positive self-close function. The FRN scales are injection molded with our high-traction Bi-Directional Texture pattern to provide a secure, non-slip grip in even the most demanding circumstances. To ensure ease of carry and keep the knife poised for instant access, the handle includes a four-position hourglass pocket clip configurable for left or right-side tip-up or tip-down carry. For users who prefer the extra security of safety lanyards and fobs, the butt end of the handle offers a generously sized lanyard hole. Together, these features make the LeafJumper’s design completely symmetrical and allow every aspect of its carry, deployment, and operation to be completely ambidextrous.

The LeafJumper is a formidable cutting tool that takes all the proven features of the RockJumper and expresses them with the benefits of a leaf-shaped blade. If you’re looking for a mid-sized folding knife that offers both unfailing performance and iconic Spyderco style, look no further.

Specifications
Blade Length: 3.09″ (78 mm)
Closed Length: 4.43″ (113 mm)
Overall Length: 7.51″ (191 mm)
Cutting Edge: 2.87″ (73 mm)
Blade Thickness: 0.118″ (3.0 mm)
Blade Material: VG-10 Stainless Steel
Blade Style: Leaf Shaped
Blade Grind: Full-Flat
Blade Finish: Satin
Blade Edge: Plain
Handle Material: FRN
Handle Color: Black
Locking Mechanism: Lockback
Pocket Clip: Stainless Steel (Tip-Up/Down, Right/Left Carry)
Model Number: C262PBK
Model Name: LeafJumper
Designer: Sal Glesser
Weight: 3.00 oz. (85 g)
Made in Japan