Anyone else concerned?

I think Spyderco's existing library of work is phenomenal. AFAIC, one could just focus on collecting what was already made and be quite happy. The really frustrating thing for me as someone who appreciate Spyderco with a small collection, is how some of their earlier sought after models aren't being revisited. Take for instance the Slysz Bowie. With going used market rates at double the original price, I'd have thought Spyderco would release a new variant of it. The Spydiechef and Techno 2 come close, similar vibe, but just not quite the same. Is there some kind of Marcin Slycz licensing issue? Or do they simply feel there's not enough of a market demand?
 
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I love Spyderco, I always have. I'm an old account, check my history if you don't believe me.

That said, it's not been the same. No discredit to their current line up. It's full of amazing knives. They are still the best USA brand of entry level premium knives, period.

Here are my issues:
- Real CQI has slowed to a nearly nonexistent crawl on models that are way overdue. (Military, Delica line, etc.)
- The last real flagship model was the Shaman. It's been too long. We need new, compelling models.
- Overfocus on variants. I don't need a new FRN model with an obscure steel. I definitely don't need another Delica 4 with a colored backspacer.
- The last slap in the face is that when they actually do release another redundant variant of a model I actually want, it's extremely limited and sells out in minutes. This feels bad, every time.
 
myu said:
I think Spyderco's existing library of work is phenomenal. AFAIC, one could just focus on collecting what was already made and be quite happy. The really frustrating thing for me as someone who appreciate Spyderco with a small collection, is how some of their earlier sought after models aren't being revisited. Take for instance the Slysz Bowie. With going used market rates at double the original price, I'd have thought Spyderco would release a new variant of it. The Spydiechef and Techno 2 come close, similar vibe, but just not quite the same. Is there some kind of Marcin Slycz licensing issue? Or do they simply feel there's not enough of a market demand?
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They did release another bowie. Maybe there will be more, but the option is there for any retailer to get some made.

The Ayoob is coming back as well. JD Spydo made sure of that! I'm sure other models can come back if there is enough interest. Sal listens and delivers if it makes financial sense. I wouldn't expect him to re-release a model that won't deliver on the investment. Also, if they have the tooling available. Se has been destroyed I'm sure. That's a huge part of it. Tooling is expensive to make and if it won't make a profit I don't think they can spare the expense to get some made, tested, modified, etc.
They are focusing on getting stock built back up for standard models right now. I'm sure interesting things are on the horizon. If not, I'm happy with models I have, like my shamans, Manix 2 xl, Kapara, Amalgam, GB2, Magnitude, endura and Endelas. They're great knives and they cut things... All I ask for.
 
soc_monki said:
They did release another bowie. Maybe there will be more, but the option is there for any retailer to get some made.

The Ayoob is coming back as well. JD Spydo made sure of that! I'm sure other models can come back if there is enough interest. Sal listens and delivers if it makes financial sense. I wouldn't expect him to re-release a model that won't deliver on the investment. Also, if they have the tooling available. Se has been destroyed I'm sure. That's a huge part of it. Tooling is expensive to make and if it won't make a profit I don't think they can spare the expense to get some made, tested, modified, etc.
They are focusing on getting stock built back up for standard models right now. I'm sure interesting things are on the horizon. If not, I'm happy with models I have, like my shamans, Manix 2 xl, Kapara, Amalgam, GB2, Magnitude, endura and Endelas. They're great knives and they cut things... All I ask for.
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Interesting. What a pisser. Looks like this was released back in April of this year and was sold out in record time. :rolleyes: $400, which is high relative to the Spydiechef, but given demand it's understandable. I see it was a KnifeJoy exclusive... so did KJ set a requested volume and Spyderco stuck to just that? I wonder if they'll reflect on the popularity and see about a release #3.
 
Frankly, I don’t understand why Spyderco seems be catering so much of their business to collectors. I think the sprints are a bad business practice. Limited production runs in configurations to never be produced again in “exactly” the same configuration is a “f*** you“ to anyone that isn’t a collector.

The fact that most of their “new“ releases are purely cosmetic and involve no real R&D is definitely concerning.

- Different colored backspacers for police and firemen? :rolleyes:
- Colorado flags? :rolleyes:
- Murdered out keychain knives? :rolleyes:

The third party collaborations are a mixed bag. Some very interesting concepts that are well executed, but others you struggle to understand how they ever got the green light for mass production (I.e. Bombshell). Others come out half baked (e.g., satin spoon clips on stonewashed TI scales, drilling unnecessary holes, unchamfered flat scales, etc.). I frankly wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of knife designers would simply prefer to deal directly with contract knife manufacturers in Taiwan, Japan, and China.

The new SPY27 steel and handle forward choiless design of the rockjumper are the only recent developments that have interested me.
 
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Karl H said:
Frankly, I don’t understand why Spyderco seems be catering so much of their business to collectors. I think the sprints are a bad business practice.

The fact that most of their “new“ releases are purely cometic and involve no real R&D is definitely concerning
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They really aren't catering to "collectors" like me at the moment.

Exclusives can't be "blamed" on Spyderco. They are specially contracted models paid for the the dealers who pay for and sell them.

Spyderco just acts as the middleman to make the knives for the dealers, although I assume they have something to say about how the knives are designed, given specific mfging limitations and the need to preserve the uniqueness of the original models.
 
sgt1372 said:
They really aren't catering to "collectors" like me at the moment.

Exclusives can't be "blamed" on Spyderco. They are specially contracted models paid for the the dealers who pay for and sell them.

Spyderco just acts as the middleman to make the knives for the dealers, although I assume they have something to say about how the knives are designed, given specific mfging limitations and the need to preserve the uniqueness of the original models.
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They are currently catering to “collectors” that buy things because the supply is artificially limited.

I don’t have an issue with the exclusives. Most don’t require much R&D, and if the demand is high enough, the dealer will generally order more knives to meet the demand.

The lack of internal R&D cannot really be blamed on sprints or exclusives.
 
Maybe they see the writing on the wall.

Things are not doing well for US manufacturing at almost all levels.
 
I'd love to see another run of SUPERBLUE , it's to good a user to simply collect.
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Sal Glesser said:
Hey Sgt,

Interesting thread. Maybe you could post the question on our site forum. Interesting discussion. Probably get more response there. I'd be interested to hear. I could share some thought.

sal
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Well, this is a pretty unique invitation.

I don't log into the Spyderco Forum very often but if you'd like me to open a new thread there posing the same question, I will, especially if you plan to comment publicly on the matter because I'd be very interested in what you have to say.

Just give me a day or so to get around to it.
 
Sal Glesser said:
Hi Sgt.

I'm patient. I thought I've seen you on the site forum before?

sal
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I've logged in there on occasion (just lurking or looking at threads that came up in searches) but I don't think I've ever left a message there before.

So, this will be a 1st. :)
 
Spyderco is the brand that really pushed me into the rabbit hole. I came late in the hobby and still remember the excitement when discovering models such as the para 3, the techno, or the Spydiechef (bought 2 when they came back in stock). I have a lot of them and none are disappointing.

Today, I'm eager to discover new models everytime there is a Spyderco reveal, but as some of you already pointed out, it's mostly rehashes in different steels and colors.

Still love the brand as much as before. My personal opinion is that innovations and risky designs are more to be found at Kizer nowadays.
 
nephron said:
Not sure what you mean, could you clarify, thank you.
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I believe his point is that even worse than here, polling for results on the Spyderco.com forum won't be representative of all knife buyers or the majority in a way that reflects the population of people buying Spydercos at large.

If I want to know if the average Joe thinks sailing is cool, going to the yacht club to take a tally is not the way to go about it.

But on the other hand, Sal's post could be taken to mean their target is that type of person, people on their own forums, and the balance between variations and new models is meant to be what to address their wants alone. In that case, it's not selection bias necessarily to raise the question there.
 
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Ok, Sal.

I tried to create a thread on the Spyderco Forum with the following text and was repeatedly blocked from doing so because of the VPN and privacy extensions that I use. Tried posting it w/o the VPN and using a browser w/o any privacy extensions and still couldn't post it.

I'm copying the text of what I "wanted to post" here to save for another attempt later.

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I've been a Spyderco owner for over 30 years, since the early 90's when I bought an Endura 1, Merlin 1 and SpyderCard. Still have the Endura and Merlin but sold the SpyderCard.

I have since become an avid collector of Spyderco and other knives. My Spyderco collection currently stands at 150, which is not a huge collection but it contains many unique and now hard-to-find models of all types; fixed, folder, bali and auto.

I have also been a member of the Spyderco Forum for some time but, while I have lurked and read various messages of interest on this forum, have never posted a message or started a thread here before because I am already an active member on Blade Forums and the Spyderco subforum there. So, I found no need to be actively involved here too.

However, I was recently asked by Sal to create the same thread here that I started on the Blade Forums, which he said that he would comment on after I did.

So, below is the opening message in the thread that I created there and, if you would like to view that thread in full, includuing Sal's comments there, you can find it here: Anyone else concerned?


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October 29, 2021

I've complied a pretty decent collection of Spyderco knives in a very short period of time but what attracted me most to buying Spyderco knives initially was its extensive line of "designer" and otherwise "unique" knives which set them apart from other brands.

As far as I can remember, the Ikuchi, Smock & Swayback were the last "designer" knives most recently released by Spyderco but Spyderco now seems to be focused mainly on making variations (exclusives, included) of established models, like the PM2, Endura, Endela, Delica, Resilience, Police, Rescue, etc.

There were also the Pattadese and Watu that were recently released but they were just knock-offs of the earlier Pattada and Chockwe (additions to the Ethnic Series) and not unique designs in their own right. There are also the Tuff and Slyze Bowie exclusives and the company's release of the SmallFly2 but they were just revisions of older models too. And, there is the anticipated 2nd Sprint run of the Ayoob, which again is yet another revision of an older model.

Of course, making what "sells" makes perfect business sense but there's nothing really interesting or exciting about this to me as a "collector."

Are there any NEW "designer" (or otherwise "unique") knives in the pipeline for Spyderco or is a rehash of older models all that we can expect to see for the foreseeable future?

If not, I guess I'll just resort to what I'm doing w/ZT and focus on collecting older vintage/discontinued Spyderco knives, as opposed to anything "new."
 
Hi Sgt.

I don't know what the problem is. I'll contact Kristi.

I can also post it for you, but I'd like it to come from you.

sal
 
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