Spyderco named this knife after its principal job function, to Assist. The Assist was designed for emergency/fire/rescue professionals and well-equipped mariners who rely on their knives to function flawlessly under pressure. Even with twenty-five years experience in making rescue knives, Spyderco is still offering new high-tech features and the Assist model showcases the latest and greatest in this knife genre.

     The VG-10 (special stainless steel that includes cobalt) patented blunt-tipped blade is a toothy eighty-percent SpyderEdged for aggressively cutting seatbelts and fibrous material. The last inch of the tip was left PlainEdge for detailed cutting (think sharpening pencils). Perched above the Round Hole, a Cobra Hood positions the thumb directly over the hole for quick blade deployment, then doubles as a leveraging platform for the thumb.  This knife is very easy to open with one hand which is important for marine or rescue use.

    The wavy pattern cut from the top of the blade (created by a fireman from Sweden) and along the inside of the handle let you place a piece of rope (between the half-open blade and handle) and scissor the blade shut-especially convenient for cutting rope in-and-around flesh without having to fully open/expose the knife's blade.

    The FRN handle is a molded wonder of Bi-Directional textured contours and bulges that ergonomically wrap around your palm. In the closed position, squeeze the blade deeper into the handle and a retractable carbide tip protrudes out from the base for breaking glass. Outlined in safety orange on the handle's spine is a shrill and attention-pitched survival whistle. Carries left/right handed, tip-up by means of a tension wire clip.

     Overall length is 8 3/8" Blade length is 3 11/16".  Weight is just 3.9 oz--thanks to the handle which is FRN-a nylon polymer mixed with glass fiber and is very strong but light weight.  The handle uses Bi-Directional Texturing which is a series of graduating, sized forward and backward steps that radiate outward from the center of the handle. This texture provides resistance to slipping and sliding when gripped in the hand.  With a blunt nose, retractable carbide tipped glass-breaker, and other rescue features, this would also be a helpful knife to carry in a vehicle.