The Spyderco Autonomy was developed in response to a request from the U.S. Coast Guard for a cutting tool that would meet the demanding mission requirements of their rescue swimmers. They needed a high-performance knife that could be easily deployed with only one hand while wearing heavy gloves, is impervious to salt water, could be easily maintained and, above all, would cut with extreme authority. The result was the orange-handled Autonomy automatic, which is approved for use by Coast Guard personnel.
