Spyderco Citadel

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Spyderco is known for their incredible folding knives, but they also have a few automatic knives that embody the high quality standards the brand has built a reputation on. The Spyderco Citadel is a fully automatic knife that has the sleek design and sturdy construction that Spyderco is known for. The Citadel comes in two different blade styles and sizes: a black blade version and a satin, and in 83 mm or 92 mm sizes.

The firing button and the safety are located conveniently on the upper front side of the handle. The design make retrieving the knife from your pocket and firing it into the open position a quick and comfortable process. The action on this knife is reliable and will fire the blade into locked position every time you use it. It has a plunger lock push button that deploys the blade easily. The knife has a textured aluminum handle that make it easy to maintain a grip with bare or gloved hands. It also includes a reversible pocket clip that can be worn tip up or tip down. The lightweight construction and sleek design make this a great choice for an every day carry automatic knife.

The only negatives with the Citadel have to do with the automatic features of the knife. Although the knife opens good, it can seem a little sluggish when compared to a top of the line side-opening-auto like a Protech. Oiling and breaking the knife in can ease this problem overtime, but some people will still find the quickness of the auto action a little disappointing. Another issue that this knife can have is concerning the safety switch. It varies for each knife, but some of these will have a very sticky safety switch. It will require a lot of force to switch the safety from on to off position. Some people will view this as a negative but others will not mind because it will prevent accidentally switching the safety off and opening the blade. 

Everything from centering to lock up to spring reliability are excellent on the Citadel. The Spyderco Citadel is a great choice for anyone who loves the high quality knives Spyderco is known for. I would not however recommend this automatic knife to anyone who is accustomed to the intense firing power of a Protech automatic knife. If you are more concerned with reliability than sheer firing power than you will love the Citadel.