• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

BladeReviews.com

Knife Reviews

Menu
  • Home
  • Reviews by Brand
    • Al Mar Knives
    • Benchmade Knives
    • Boker Knives
    • Buck Knives
    • Cold Steel Knives
    • Chris Reeve Knives
    • CRKT Knives
    • DPx Gear
    • Emerson Knives
    • ESEE Knives
    • Fällkniven Knives
    • Fantoni Knives
    • Gerber Knives
    • Great Eastern Cutlery
    • Hinderer Knives
    • Hogue Knives
    • Ka-Bar Knives
    • Kershaw Knives
    • Kizer Knives
    • LionSteel Knives
    • Mcusta Knives
    • Mora Knives of Sweden
    • Microtech Knives
    • Ontario Knives
    • Opinel Knives
    • Reate Knives
    • Rockstead Knives
    • Schrade Knives
    • Shirogorov Knives
    • Smith & Wesson Knives
    • SOG Knives
    • Spartan Blades
    • Spyderco Knives
    • Steel Will Knives
    • Strider Knives
    • Victorinox Knives
    • Viper Knives
    • Zero Tolerance Knives
    • Close
  • Reviews by Purpose
    • EDC Knife Reviews
    • Tactical Knife Reviews
    • Survival Knife Reviews
    • Hard Use Folding Knives
    • High End Pocket Knives
    • Gentleman’s Folders
    • Rescue Knives
    • Traditional Knives
    • USA Made EDC Knives
    • Close
  • Reviews by Class
    • Folding Knives
    • Fixed Blade Knives
    • Assisted Opening Knives
    • Automatic Knives
    • Machetes
    • Titanium Frame Lock Knives
    • Close
  • Best Of
    • The Best EDC Knives
    • Best Survival Knives
    • Best Tactical Knives
    • Best High Value Knives
    • Close
  • Gear Reviews
    • Flashlight Reviews
    • Multi-Tool Reviews
    • Watch Reviews
    • Knife Sharpener Reviews
    • Close
  • FAQs
    • Knife Care and Maintenance
    • Knife Dictionary
    • Knife Steels
    • Steel Composition
    • Interviews
    • Close
  • Contact
  • About
    • About
    • Privacy
    • Links
    • Close

Schrade SMEDB/SMEDY California Issue Knife

by Dan Jackson 3 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. We may get paid an affiliate commission if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of the links on this web page.

The Schrade SMEDB California Issue is often referred to as a large version of the Schrade SCALY a very popular small folding knife that can be easily converted in to a “California Legal” automatic knife.

Schrade SMEDB

Model Name / Nomenclature

It took a little digging around before this really clicked for me but I am fairly certain that SCALY stands for Schrade California Legal, Yellow. SMEDB simply stands for Schrade Medium Black. SMEDY indicates that the handle scales are yellow.

Dimensions, Blade Steel and Specifications

The SMEDB has a 2.5 inch drop point blade with a 3.5 inch handle. At a mere 2.3 ounces, this is a nice every day carry (EDC) option. The knife is made of 440C, a go too steel for Schrade with good durability and edge retention. The SMEDB is a sized knife with a 440C drop point blade with a plain edge and a either a mirror polished finish or a black teflon coating depending on if you get the SMEDY or SMEDB. Schrade does a good job of putting an edge on this blade from the factory however I hit it with a few laps on my fine ceramic stone and a leather strop to get it hair popping sharp. It holds an edge very well.

Schrade SMEDY

Handle

The handle is made out of T6061 aluminum with a black or yellow delrin inserts. The handle is thick and slightly bowed giving it a nice feel in the hand. The pillar style construction of the handle makes it very easy to clean and I like the look of it a lot. A large aluminum push button is a prominent feature on the handle. You have to push the button to release the blade.

Automatic Capable

Ok so a lot of buzz around this knife is that it is an automatic. Well, its often advertised as an automatic, but when it gets to your door it probably won’t be an automatic. That’s due to the various legalities surrounding automatic knives in the US (assuming you are buying this in the States). Generally speaking, you will have to buy a spring for this knife to convert it into an automatic. Depending on where you live that could make the knife illegal so do some research before making the decision. The nice thing is, if you want to make this knife an automatic it is an extremely easy conversion. You can buy a coil spring on ebay (some online merchants carry them too) open up the knife, and the spring drops right in – everything is pre-drilled and ready to go.

Safety

An important feature of this knife (especially if you decide to do an auto conversion) is the safety on top of the handle. It’s a solid sliding lock safety that will keep the knife closed and prevent it from accidentally deploying. If you read my Schrade SCALY review you would know that this safety is a feature we may see disappearing from non-Benchmade automatic knives due to an ongoing lawsuit. If you are interested in this knife, I would buy it now rather than later so you get one with this important safety feature.

Limited Availability

In addition to the safety lock being in danger of disappearing it appears that the entire knife might be going the way of the dinosaur as well. I’ve heard rumors that Schrade is discontinuing these knives. If this is a knife you are interested in, get it while the getting is good.

[easyazon-block asin=”B00181R7KQ” align=”center”]

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Reddit
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Pocket
  • Tumblr

Related

Filed Under: Automatic Knives, EDC Knives, Schrade

About Dan Jackson

Dan is the creator of BladeReviews.com. He founded the site in 2010, and for the first 5 years Dan wrote all of the reviews and recorded all of the video reviews. He grew up using pocket knives, and the decision to start the website stemmed from his fascination of all things sharp combined with a deep passion for writing. He has personally reviewed almost 300 knives of all shapes, sizes, and price points. He is recognized as an authority on daily carry knives and has consulted with knife companies on product design.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. JOHN LANGLEY says

    January 23, 2012 at 11:01 am

    I recently purchased a Schrade SMEDB. It is of high quality and fast opening with NO play in the blade/handle area and is very sharp and ideal for utility purposes. My only complaint is the lack of checkering on the Delrin inserts since the knife is small and hard to manipulate because of the “slipperiness” of the handles. All things considered, cost and quality-wise, I would recommend this knife.

    Reply
    • Dan says

      January 23, 2012 at 12:10 pm

      Thank you John for the great comment! Glad you are enjoying your SMEDB, I agree it’s a nice knife for the money! A little more texturing would be a nice improvement I think. Thanks again!

      Reply
  2. Dan Stickney says

    October 18, 2017 at 6:17 pm

    Don’t know if this is still live, but do you know what size spring is required? I just bought one, and it seems to be a nice little knife, but it’ll need a spring… thanks for any help you might offer.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on TwitterFollow Us on YouTubeFollow Us on RSS

Subscribe to Email Updates and Never Miss a Review (No Spam)!

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Shop BladeHQ

Shop Outdoor Gear on Amazon

Shop KniveShipFree.com

Search BladeReviews:

Best of BladeReviews:

Best EDC Knives
Best Survival Knives
Best Tactical Knives
Best High Value Knives

Copyright © 2025 · Log in