I'm reading the writing on the wall, China

Sal Glesser said:
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
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I said earlier that I wouldn't buy Chinese, but I did buy a Spyderco Tenacious at WalMart for one of my sons a few months ago. I examined it first, and it seemed like a decent knife. He loves it.
I've never had a "modern" knife, but I did notice that my boss (a retired Army Colonel who was a paratrooper and did tours in Afghanistan and Iraq) has a very nice Spyderco Military. I have no idea where it is made.
For some reason, of all the modern knives around, Spyderco seems to fascinate me. Not sure why, but if I ever buy a modern knife for myself, it will most likely be a Spyderco. (Probably made anywhere BUT China!)
 
so prc produces for the world's export market
because the world in general wants low priced goods.
the big picture is that the China market itself has
tremendous growth potential for luxury products.
"new money" will want to buy "foreign-made" capitalist goods.
the strategy into china is to only export the costliest and best to the prc.
sure that would eventually result in reversed engineered copies
where even the locals in prc will surely forego cheapos, if given the choice...
it would be a mistake to outsource completely in view of this perception
where imports remain a preferred exotic choice in foreign eyes.
"proudly made in the usa" is still a powerful catch phrase to be reckon with.
 
Prester John said:
I said earlier that I wouldn't buy Chinese, but I did buy a Spyderco Tenacious at WalMart for one of my sons a few months ago. I examined it first, and it seemed like a decent knife. He loves it.
I've never had a "modern" knife, but I did notice that my boss (a retired Army Colonel who was a paratrooper and did tours in Afghanistan and Iraq) has a very nice Spyderco Military. I have no idea where it is made.
For some reason, of all the modern knives around, Spyderco seems to fascinate me. Not sure why, but if I ever buy a modern knife for myself, it will most likely be a Spyderco. (Probably made anywhere BUT China!)
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Well the Tenacious is Chinese lol, and as someone else said the Military is made in Colorado. I don't think Spyderco is very modern anymore, now that all the new kids want flippers with ball bearings.
 
MyLegsAreOk said:
Well the Tenacious is Chinese lol, and as someone else said the Military is made in Colorado. I don't think Spyderco is very modern anymore, now that all the new kids want flippers with ball bearings.
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I thought the trend is now back to PBW. I just pick up what I like.
 
bearfacedkiller said:
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.
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Agree, totally. People either don't know, or forget, that from 1981 to 1990 every Spyderco knife was made in Japan and that the earliest Spyderco models made in the USA (C15 Terzuola and C19 Terzuola Jr.) were made by another knife company for them and only accounted for a tiny percentage of Spyderco's sales. The fact is that the Golden factory did not exist until the mid 90's and only came to exist because of the profit from the models made in Japan and the expansion of the Golden plant you noted could not have happened without the sale of knives made elsewhere. If Spyderco can continue to increase their US production, and American jobs, by selling knives made in other countries, including China, I fail to see the downside.
 
Golden Coloroado USA Earth...gives me the warm and fuzzies. Though I do like a nice Taiwanese titanium frame lock.

I can't see a future where spyderco would abandon its US, Japan, and Taiwan operations. Thanks spyderco!
 
The Deacon said:
Agree, totally. People either don't know, or forget, that from 1981 to 1990 every Spyderco knife was made in Japan and that the earliest Spyderco models made in the USA (C15 Terzuola and C19 Terzuola Jr.) were made by another knife company for them and only accounted for a tiny percentage of Spyderco's sales. The fact is that the Golden factory did not exist until the mid 90's and only came to exist because of the profit from the models made in Japan and the expansion of the Golden plant you noted could not have happened without the sale of knives made elsewhere. If Spyderco can continue to increase their US production, and American jobs, by selling knives made in other countries, including China, I fail to see the downside.
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Well Japan is Japan and China is China. It's not about foreign knives, it's about a wicked place that's hurting this nation and it's own.

sorry don't know why it wouldn't all me to edit my post with another quote so I made two posts.
 
I think PBW means phosphor bronze washers...but I could be wrong.

Edit: I swear the above post wasn't there when I started the reply. Narrr.
 
I doubt if many here despise Communism more than I but that said , the only knives made in China by Spyderco are the " value line " . All the examples of the value line I've examined came razor sharp , not something I can say about some American brands costing 4 times as much I've experienced. Last time I checked , not a whole lot of people are immigrating to Communist China so we can assume these unfortunate souls were born there thru no fault of their own. If given the chance they'd likely trade places with any one of us. ;)
 
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MyLegsAreOk said:
Well Japan is Japan and China is China. It's not about foreign knives, it's about a wicked place that's hurting this nation and it's own.

sorry don't know why it wouldn't all me to edit my post with another quote so I made two posts.
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Generalizing an entire country and its people its truly an absurd practice. Its not like the USA is perfect by any means. We are all humans evolving on this earth together trying to do the best we have with what we got.
 
Hi Skyhorse and Maugust,

Wise words. It is important that we make a distinction between the Governments of some countries and the population, which doesn't always agree with its Government.

sal
 
I'm wondering what the current situation in China will evolve into, as the leadership is dealing with its people & it's being compounded by the new virus situation. Their production is being affected now on many levels & in many industries. It will make things different, but what will be the changes which come about? Steel, labor, markets, cash-flow, policies?
 
I too wonder how the virus with effect production. I read that the areas currently under lockdown in China are responsible for 80% of their GDP and 90% of their exports.
 
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From what I've heard, it's a bigger problem for China than we're hearing, but anyway one looks at it, it's still a hide-n-watch.

sal
 
I once watched a "how stuff is made" video where they took you to the Buck factory. I was surprised at how much of the process was automated and how few workers there actually were. Makes you realize that you could put that tooling/machining anywhere and get good results.

But for me, and it might sound weird. But I find Chinese knives soulless. When I buy a US made knife I feel like I actually own something special that's worth holding onto.

The other thing I noticed about Chinese products in general is they don't stay cheap. They undercut and rip everyone off. And once they have a foothold and even put other companies out of business, they jack the prices up to what other western companies charge. Meanwhile it's a inferior product made in appalling sweatshop conditions.
 
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