I'm reading the writing on the wall, China

The only way I see Spyderco becoming “Chinese” is if one day it’s owned by a larger corporation...but I don’t think that’s gonna happen any time soon!
Some people act as though that larger corporation is simply named "CHINA"
 
Nothing wrong with politics making up a part or whole of the decision making. But before I even knew what politics were (when I was pretty damn young) Chinese knives looked like cheap crap and were cheap crap, like 10 crap knives for the price of $15 at the flea market crap. That’s been pretty consistent for a long time so I automatically associate Chinese knives with crap. Jump forward to today and they’ve improved. Well goodie for them, they took good notes. With those things said, I’ve loved my Polestar for years. And I will own a ClipiTool within a month. Only because they have spyders on them.
 
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It's far more complicated than most realize or understand. GeoPolitics are an interesting study. Many issues facing the USA that have large consequences. We trust our politicians to handle those things, but a greater study shows that they may not be as effective at handling them as they should be. Especially in the current political climate.

sal
 
I try to buy American when I can, but the truth is "made in the USA" is often really assembled here but with foreign parts.

However, I do own three Chinese knives; a kizer, two WEs, two made with American steel. So, made in China but with foreign parts.

I don't see Spyderco making any changes in the near future. The Golden and Taichung made knives have too big a fan base.
 
I wasn't going to reply to this thread because it's more to get other peoples' opinions on it, but. Sal, is this a good time to ask if you have any input on this? Will Spyderco go the way of Gerber or CRKT?
 
This thread shows a complete lack of knowledge in regards to Spyderco’s history. They have done nothing but expand their US operation over the years. About 2-3 years ago they did a massive expansion of the Golden plant. I think it at least doubled in size. Considering that they just invested heavily in producing American made knives I think we will see them making them for a while.

Sure, the economy line has grown but so has the domestic line of knives.
 
I have hard time believing that the Tenacious is their best seller but considering that the only two Spydies available at my local Walmart are the Tenacious and Resilience then I guess it is possible.

Just out of curiosity? How did you get access to Spyderco’s sales records? :rolleyes:
 
Hi Legs,

We don't have plans to go that route. We have to consider that the Chinese makers are getting better and their pricing is not possible to compete against with their valuation of the Yuan and their government assistance. They also have large capacity for knives of the quality of the Tenacious.

Hi Darby, We do sell quite a few of the Tenacious model. Most in the knife market watch prices and making knives in Golden, Japan, Taiwan and Italy are certainly more expensive than China. Were also paying attorneys regularly to fight their counterfeiting and even that is difficult because they scratch each others backs.

I can say that we will continue to do what we're doing as we're doing it.

sal
 
I can’t see Spyderco ever going the mostly or all-China route. I don’t get how anyone could see it going that way. And I don’t see the Tenacious as Spyderco’s all-time best seller, either. I’m betting the all-time best seller is more likely the Delica or Endura. Just because the Tenacious sells at Wal-Mart does not mean it’s Spyderco’s best seller; it’s sold there because it meets the price point (probably the price limit) of the general demographic of who might purchase a knife there. It means that Spyderco is smart enough to cover all the possible levels and price points.

Without Spyderco’s budget line, including its Byrd line, some other nameless manufacturer would be selling their Spyderco clones in their place.

Jim
 
Just to clarify, when I see China I see the large communist country that would like the USA to go away, even though it is technically a part of China Taiwan is a democratic country on friendly terms with the USA. Taiwan yes for purchases, China no(if at all possible, which it isn't much of the time). We all have different life experiences that color our outlook, does not make one right and the other wrong(even though it seems to appear so lately), what is wrong is not being able to voice it with out negative results.
 
It's far more complicated than most realize or understand. GeoPolitics are an interesting study. Many issues facing the USA that have large consequences. We trust our politicians to handle those things, but a greater study shows that they may not be as effective at handling them as they should be. Especially in the current political climate.

sal

Yes it is far more complex. What most people don’t realize is the Chinese Communist government own or controls nearly everything. When they don’t outright own it they force companies into JV’s with 50% government ownership.

Curious about your Chinese MFG relationship. Do they force you (Spyderco) into the JV structure for knives too?

Our politicians are good at one thing. Enriching themselves with zero accountability. Propped up by the complicit and equally corrupt media.

We have spent the last 30 years creating China into a manufacturing juggernaut and we will probably have to spend the next 30 limiting or tearing it down.

Trump understands this very clearly and has been the only “politician” willing to take them on.
 
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There is an entire forum dedicated to discussing Political questions. This ain't it.

The original question was whether Spyderco was going to make all their knives in China.
Sal says they are not.

You can discuss whether you will buy Chinese knives.
Do not discuss the politics of the various countries.
 
I have hard time believing that the Tenacious is their best seller but considering that the only two Spydies available at my local Walmart are the Tenacious and Resilience then I guess it is possible.

Just out of curiosity? How did you get access to Spyderco’s sales records? :rolleyes:
I don't have sales records but it means something if everyone I speak to know's the name Spyderco from the Tenacious, many users or /r/knives on reddit buy the Tenacious as their first Spyderco, everyone but 1 person I've met in the past 5 years had a Tenacious instead of another Spyderco, everyone says that's the one they're in the market for when I show off milli, etc, etc. At least anecdotally I can say Spyderco and the Tenacious could be used interchangeably like Kleenex is for tissues, and I DO NOT LIKE THIS.

So just my thinking is that if this is nation wide the tenacious outsells every other knife Spyderco makes 15 to 1.
 
There is an entire forum dedicated to discussing Political questions. This ain't it.

The original question was whether Spyderco was going to make all their knives in China.
Sal says they are not.

You can discuss whether you will buy Chinese knives.
Do not discuss the politics of the various countries.
I will NOT buy Chinese knives. And I will NOT discuss their politics.
 
Hi HK,

Our relationship with our Chinese companies is that they are vendors, not partners. We also patent much of what we in China for some protection.

Hi Legs,

We sell a lot of tenacious, but nothing like 15-1.

Also, Walmart may disco out Tenacious because it's too expensive.

sal
 
Hi HK,
Also, Walmart may disco out Tenacious because it's too expensive.
sal
Thanks again for posting Sal and I got to say this shocked the heck out of me. It's hardly expensive and a very high end brand for them to carry. Also, being that I'm sure that's where most bought theirs it seems like the best outlet for it too. While I don't like the knife or Chinese products, I hope you can argue for it to stay in because it's beneficial for both parties.
Our relationship with our Chinese companies is that they are vendors, not partners. We also patent much of what we in China for some protection.
I certainly have a soft spot for some outside Golden and hope G-Sakai and Joti are partners, but I doubt Joti is.
 
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