Customizing Your Spyderco’s Ergonomics: The Best Tweaks for Comfort

This is the 37st blog of the Spyderco blog series. You can check the other blogs I wrote from here – https://spymodz.com/blogs

By Logan M. Fraser
Custom Knife Modder & Spyderco Parts Specialist
Based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada

If your Spyderco knife doesn’t feel quite right in hand, you’re not alone. Many users—especially those with larger or smaller hands—find that stock ergonomics can be improved. Customizing Spyderco ergonomics is one of the most impactful mods you can do. A few small changes can make a big difference in long-term comfort and usability.

Over the years, I’ve done countless ergonomic upgrades for clients and personal builds. Here’s a complete guide to dialing in the perfect fit.

Why Ergonomics Matter in EDC Knives

Ergonomics affect how secure, comfortable, and efficient your knife feels during use. Poor ergonomics can cause:

Hand fatigue
Slipping during wet use
Hot spots under pressure
Poor blade control

Well-designed mods enhance grip retention, reduce strain, and help you enjoy your knife more.

Evaluate Before You Modify

Before changing anything, use your Spyderco for a few days and note:

Where does it pinch or dig?
Which finger lands awkwardly?
Do the scales feel too thin or thick?
Does the jimping actually help—or hurt?

This helps target specific ergonomic tweaks rather than changing things blindly.

Tweak 1: Aftermarket Scales for Shape and Thickness

Stock G10 or FRN scales are functional, but they’re often too flat or too blocky. Aftermarket scales can dramatically change the feel in hand.

What to Look For:

Contoured shapes that follow finger curves
Materials like micarta (grippy) or carbon fiber (lightweight)
Palm swells for deeper hand fit
Chamfered edges to eliminate hotspots

Check out the ergonomic scale kits at https://spymodz.com. They’re shaped with user comfort in mind and available for popular models like the PM2, Para 3, and Manix 2.

Tweak 2: Pocket Clip Swaps

Yes, pocket clips affect ergonomics. A stiff, high-riding clip can dig into your hand or interfere with natural grip.

Best Ergonomic Clip Types:

Deep carry wire clips – low profile and non-abrasive
Titanium milled clips – solid but smoother against the palm
Shorter clips – less likely to catch or poke

Avoid overly thick or flared clips—they may look nice but create pressure points.

Tweak 3: Jimping Modification or Removal

Jimping (those textured notches on the spine or choil) provides grip, but it can be too aggressive.

You Can:

Sand it lightly to reduce bite
Round it off with a diamond file
Fill it with epoxy if removing fully

Personally, I’ve tuned down the jimping on a dozen PM2s for clients with sensitive thumbs. Comfort over cosmetics.

Tweak 4: Choil and Finger Groove Adjustments

Some Spyderco knives, like the Native or the Shaman, have integrated finger choils. But the radius or depth may not suit everyone.

Consider:

Light sanding of edges for smoothness
Slightly deepen or round grooves with a sanding drum

Be very careful here—don’t remove too much material. Always test during the process.

Tip: Use painter’s tape around areas you don’t want scratched or reshaped.

Tweak 5: Add Backspacer for Palm Control

Adding a thicker or grippy backspacer can improve control and hand feel.

Benefits:

Adds width for fuller grip
Improves finger indexing
Makes the knife easier to close one-handed

Backspacers are often overlooked, but I’ve had many customers say they wouldn’t go back after trying one. You can browse color-matched and textured backspacers at https://spymodz.com for most EDC models.

Tweak 6: Grip Tape or Micarta Overlays

If you don’t want to change scales, you can improve grip with:

Skateboard grip tape
Micarta overlays
Textured decals

These are great for wet or gloved environments and are fully removable.

Tweak 7: Spacer Pins and Lanyard Hole Mods

Spacer pins can subtly adjust hand placement and overall rigidity. Likewise, smoothing or modifying the lanyard hole area prevents pinky discomfort.

Lanyard Area Fix:

Use a rubber or brass bead to relieve pressure
Sand the hole edges if they’re too sharp

Tip: High-quality lanyard beads also let you personalize the look without impacting function. I’ve designed a few brass beads for this exact use.

If you’re into paracord lanyards and custom beads, check out some great options at https://beadshub.co—a site I also contribute to.

Tweak 8: Custom Thumb Ramps or Wave Features

Some users want better blade deployment without sacrificing control. A ramped or waved mod can make opening more secure.

Options:

Wave-shaped thumb ramps for quick open
JB Weld & file trick to create a custom ramp
Add G10 overlays to build up the thumb area

Only try this if you’re experienced—it’s semi-permanent.

Bonus: Gloves-On Ergonomics

If you use your knife with gloves (military, construction, outdoor), test all ergonomic mods while wearing them. Finger grooves and scale texture feel very different with fabric between your hand and the handle.

Wrapping Up: Personalize Your Comfort

There’s no “one perfect Spyderco feel.” That’s what makes customization so fun. Once you find the balance of grip, texture, and contour that suits your hand, your knife becomes an extension of your arm.

The tweaks above are based on real mod shop experience—not theory. If you’ve got questions about your model or need help choosing parts, drop them in the comments. I’m happy to help.

And if there’s a Spyderco comfort topic you want covered next week—let me know. This blog is built around your feedback.