The 'Pie In The Sky' SLIPIT Folding Knife | Spyderco PITS 2 M398 Integral Retention Titanium Field Instrument

The Experience

There is a category of folding knife that demands more from its designer than a conventional locking folder ever could — one where the blade's security during use depends entirely on the precision of the mechanism rather than the brute force of a locking bar. The Spyderco PITS 2 is that instrument, and it represents one of the most mechanically elegant non-locking folding knives in production anywhere in the world. Designed by British knifemaker Mike Read — whose forum name "Pie In The Sky" gives this collaboration its name and whose entire creative focus is the refinement of the non-locking folder to its highest possible expression — the PITS 2 advances the genre with a mechanism that has no direct equivalent in production cutlery: two integral retention arms machined directly into the solid titanium handle scales, whose forward ends flex as the blade opens to generate the precise bearing pressure that holds the blade securely in position during use. No separate spring. No inserted component. The mechanism is the handle — a feat of precision machining that requires the kind of tolerance control only achieved in the finest Italian cutlery workshops. The blade is 2.74 inches of Böhler-Uddeholm M398 particle metallurgy stainless steel — a third-generation powder metal alloy that achieves hardness levels and wear resistance beyond what conventional and even first-generation particle metallurgy steels can deliver, with the corrosion resistance the serious field observer demands in a daily carry instrument. A full-flat grind with a satin finish produces a blade geometry optimized for precise, low-resistance cutting across the full range of field tasks the observer's kit presents. The handle scales are precision-machined from solid 6AL-4V titanium — the same aerospace alloy used in aircraft structural components and surgical implants — with a matte finish that eliminates light signature and a symmetrical geometry that makes every aspect of the PITS 2's carry and operation fully ambidextrous. Spyderco's trademark Round Hole provides smooth one-handed deployment without a flipper tab, and a reversible deep-pocket wire clip configures for tip-up carry on either side. Handcrafted in Maniago, Italy, at the same facility responsible for some of Spyderco's most demanding European collaboration programs. For the observer who carries their field knife as seriously as they carry their optics — and who understands that a non-locking folder executed at this level of mechanical precision is not a compromise but a philosophy — the PITS 2 is the instrument that answers.

Scientific Engineering

• Integral Titanium Retention Arm Mechanism: Two retention arms are machined directly into the solid 6AL-4V titanium handle scales — not inserted, not attached, but integral to the handle material itself — whose forward ends flex under the blade's opening arc to generate precise bearing pressure against the notched-joint stop pin, holding the blade securely open during use without a mechanical locking bar of any kind.
• Böhler-Uddeholm M398 Particle Metallurgy Steel: M398 is a third-generation powder metal stainless steel produced by Böhler-Uddeholm using particle metallurgy — a process that produces an exceptionally homogeneous carbide distribution throughout the blade matrix, achieving hardness levels of 60-64 HRC with wear resistance and edge retention that surpasses M390 and most conventional premium stainless steels while maintaining meaningful corrosion resistance for field carry.
• Full-Flat Grind with Satin Finish: A full-flat grind geometry produces a blade that is progressively thinner from spine to edge — maximizing slicing efficiency, minimizing wedging during cuts, and providing the most versatile cutting performance across the broadest range of precision field tasks. The satin finish preserves blade steel integrity while maintaining a controlled, non-reflective surface appropriate for field carry.
• Solid 6AL-4V Aerospace Titanium Handle: Handle scales precision-machined from solid 6AL-4V titanium — the same alloy specified for aircraft structural components, aerospace fasteners, and surgical implants — provide an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio with inherent corrosion immunity and a matte finish that eliminates light signature during field carry.
• Symmetrical Ambidextrous Architecture: The PITS 2's fully symmetrical design — Round Hole opener accessible from both sides, reversible tip-up pocket clip, and handle geometry identical on left and right — makes every aspect of deployment, carry, and operation completely ambidextrous without modification or preference for either hand.
• Spyderco Round Hole Opener: The trademark Round Hole provides smooth, reliable one-handed blade deployment without a flipper tab or thumb stud — accessible from either side of the blade simultaneously, operable with either hand, and supported by a precision pivot system that maintains consistent action across the full service life of the instrument.

Boutique & Conservation Values

• The Mike Read Collaboration: Since 1990, Spyderco has partnered with the world's finest custom knifemakers to translate coveted handmade designs into precision production instruments. Mike Read represents the pinnacle of the non-locking folder discipline — a British knifemaker whose entire creative focus is the refinement of the SLIPIT concept to its highest mechanical and aesthetic expression. The PITS 2 is the second production expression of that collaboration and the most mechanically sophisticated non-locking folder Spyderco has produced.
• The SLIPIT Philosophy: The non-locking folding knife is not a compromise instrument for jurisdictions with restrictive knife laws — it is a distinct design discipline that demands greater precision from the designer, greater material quality from the manufacturer, and greater mechanical sophistication from the mechanism than a conventional locking folder requires. The PITS 2 is the argument that the SLIPIT concept, executed at the highest level, produces an instrument of equal capability and superior elegance to any locking folder in its price class.
• Handcrafted in Maniago, Italy: Manufactured in Maniago — the northern Italian city with an unbroken knife-making tradition spanning over six centuries and widely recognized as one of the world's premier centers of precision cutlery craftsmanship. The PITS 2's integral spring arm mechanism demands the kind of precision machining tolerance that only the finest Maniago workshops can consistently achieve.

Specifications

• Model: Spyderco PITS 2 (C269TIP)
• Designer: Mike Read
• Blade Length: 2.74" (70mm)
• Cutting Edge: 2.56" (65mm)
• Blade Thickness: 0.118" (3mm)
• Blade Steel: Böhler-Uddeholm M398 Particle Metallurgy Stainless Steel — 60-64 HRC
• Blade Style: Drop Point with Thumb Ramp
• Blade Grind: Full Flat
• Blade Finish: Satin
• Blade Edge: Plain
• Overall Length (Open): 6.45" (164mm)
• Closed Length: 3.76" (96mm)
• Handle Material: Solid 6AL-4V Titanium — matte finish
• Locking Mechanism: SLIPIT — integral titanium retention arms (non-locking)
• Opening Mechanism: Spyderco Round Hole — ambidextrous
• Pocket Clip: Reversible deep-pocket wire clip — tip-up, left/right carry
• Lanyard Hole: Yes
• Weight: 3.1 oz. (88g)
• Estimated Shipping Weight: 1 lb.
• Warranty: Spyderco Limited Lifetime Warranty
• Country of Origin: Handcrafted in Maniago, Italy