Spyderco - The Q Ball

Good knife designers always seem to cultivate a distinctive “look” that makes their knives immediately recognizable and unmistakably theirs. The best designers go a step further by combining those signature aesthetics with tangible performance benefits that achieve a superior synthesis of form and function.

From his earliest designs, Spyderco’s Eric Glesser has shown a talent for that “higher level” of functional aesthetics. His unorthodox Dodo™ and Scorpius™ designs quickly went from questioning convention to attracting a near-cult following among performance-oriented knife users. Now the rebellious spirit of those early designs is back with Glesser’s all-new Q Ball folding knife.

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The Q Ball is a highly functional, all-purpose folder that blends an unconventional approach to ergonomics with a compact, exceptionally capable blade style. The heart of the design is its dramatic Wharncliffe-style blade, which is precision machined from VG-10 stainless steel. It combines the perfectly straight cutting edge of the classic Wharncliffe pattern with a beautifully executed full-flat grind to offer cutting performance far beyond its compact size. The spine curves gracefully to meet the edge, creating a utilitarian point that balances structural strength with scalpel-like precision. For maximum control, the blade features an index-finger choil that allows a forward “choked up” grip and puts your hand closer to the cutting action for enhanced power and precision. Our Trademark Round Hole™ is positioned high on the blade for excellent leverage during one-handed openings and is equally accessible with both hands.

The ergonomic handle of the Q Ball features the same curved profile and tapered butt as Glesser’s early designs, but expressed in a sleeker, more understated style. This unique shape fills the hand and complements the different lengths of the fingers to ensure maximum surface contact and control. The handle’s construction includes skeletonized full stainless steel liners, a solid stainless steel backspacer, and textured black G-10 scales.

Linking the blade and handle is Spyderco’s Ball Bearing Lock™—a patented mechanism that offers exceptionally smooth operation and extreme lock strength. In the Q Ball, this lock proudly showcases a white ceramic ball bearing—the inspiration for the knife’s name—a stainless steel piston and a coil spring. When the blade is opened, the spring and piston drive the ball bearing onto a ramp on the back of the tang, wedging it securely between the ramp and the handle’s steel backstrap. Pulling the bearing toward the butt of the handle releases the pressure and allows the blade to be easily closed with one hand without having to place your fingers near the edge. Easily accessed and operated with either hand, the lock and the blade’s Trademark Round Hole make operation of the Q Ball completely ambidextrous. A reversible deep-pocket wire clip further supports this theme, offering a choice of left or right-side tip-up carry.

The Q Ball is an amazingly capable and pocket-friendly cutting tool and the latest chapter in a truly distinctive family of knife designs.


  • OVERALL: 6.58in / 167mm
  • BLADE: 2.72in / 69mm
  • EDGE: 2.19in / 56mm
  • WEIGHT: 3.5oz / 99g
  • GRIND: Full-Flat
  • ORIGIN: Japan

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