UN12 Issue 21 – Now Available Nationwide!
The wait is finally over—UN12 Issue 21 is now on sale and hitting newsstands…
The wait is finally over—UN12 Issue 21 is now on sale and hitting newsstands…
According to Griffin Armament, the original Revolution 9 and Revolution 45 suppressors were…
It’s fair to say that we are living in uncertain times. When social…
I designed the Button Man to give shooters a low-round-count, low-light-engagement drill that involved both…
The V Exercise was created for those who would like a continuous moving-and-shooting exercise that…
The tripod is the essential tool to allow the precise delivery of fire from any…
On its face, a knife is a simple tool, one seemingly as old as mankind itself. Dive deeper and you may discover that a knife isn’t quite as simple as it may seem. Sure, its main job is to cut, slice, or stab. How it goes about these tasks and how well it executes them comes down to many factors, including its shape, how it’s made, and what materials it’s made from.
The knife you see before you is a modified Spyderco Spydiechef owned by one Dean Brown. He is an avid saltwater fisherman, and as such he has gone through many budget knives that succumbed to the corrosion brought on by the salty environs of the ocean air and, of course, by seawater itself. Understanding this, his wife bought him a Spyderco Pacific for his birthday some years ago.
Featuring a corrosion-proof blade and low-light-visible yellow handle, the Spyderco Pacific was the ultimate EDC folder for an ocean angler. Brown loved using it, but his wife rarely touched it since it usually carried the scent and remnants of fish or bait on it. She did, however, notice that the blade was getting smaller and thinner from years of sharpening and honing.
For Father’s Day this year she bought him a replacement, this Spyderco Spydiechef. The design concept, as the name states, is a folding knife suited for chef and EDC duties. Equipped with a corrosion-proof LC200N blade and titanium scales, it was also perfect for use as a fisherman’s EDC blade.
One issue that Brown had while testing out his new knife was that the flat titanium scales became slippery when his hands were wet. Wanting texture like the FRN handle on his Pacific, he searched for ways to improve the titanium scales. Using a Dremel rotary tool fitted with sanding drums and steel brushes, he was able to create added texture without altering the overall lines of the design. After imparting a non-slip patina to the scales, he decided to go ahead and give them some color, too. He applied a burnt-bronze finish to the scales using a home titanium anodizing kit. The end result is textured scales that not only provide additional grip, but a finish that gives the knife a “custom” look he intends to enjoy for years to come.
Overall it’s a simple yet clean aesthetic—which, incidentally, probably won’t stay that way for long. Brown told us that he has a tuna fishing expedition coming up soon and that his personalized Spyderco Spydiechef will be along for the ride—where we’re sure that it’ll end up covered in fish bits.
Text by Chris Lee and images by Michael Grey
Specs
Personalized Spyderco Spydiechef
Owner: Dean Brown
Occupation: Textiles
Special Thanks: My wonderful wife Jill and my fishing buddies, Will, Joe, Greg, and Andy
Spyderco
Model: Spydiechef
Model Number: C211TI
MSRP: $335
spyderco.com
Designer: Marcin Slysz
With so many options available to get your AR-15 build started, where do you start? We looked around and found that many companies now offer AR build kits,…
Based on a SpydercoMcBee C236TI Personalized by the owner Self taught customizer Much like firearms, knives are works of art that are oftentimes modified by their owners to reflect…
A few years ago, UN12 released a buyer’s guide detailing custom work from some of the industry’s leading customizers of Glock slides (UN12 Issue 009, circa November/December 2021)….
Faxon Firearms, a leader in the firearms industry, is proud to announce the release of its new EXOS Pistol Compensator, designed to significantly enhance the performance of the…
I remember my dad teaching me the basics of tools and hardware when I was a little kid. He was not a particularly handy man, but all dads…
© 2025 UN12 Magazine
© 2025 UN12 Magazine
Wait! Don’t forget to