Pre ordered my most expensive knife to date

OP - I just realized it was Knife Center. In my experience, they're the worst. That order may never get filled. Spartan is rolling out sick 2021 specials soon so you may want to consider cancelling your preorder and setting up alerts at DLT, Blade HQ etc. Just my 2 cents.
 
Chuck_Nunface said:
OP - I just realized it was Knife Center. In my experience, they're the worst. That order may never get filled. Spartan is rolling out sick 2021 specials soon so you may want to consider cancelling your preorder and setting up alerts at DLT, Blade HQ etc. Just my 2 cents.
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Knifecenter does suck at preorders. However, the DLT alert system doesn’t always work. I like DLT but when I brought that to their attention they’re just like “yeah, that happens for some people”. Kind of annoying, but overall they’re solid. I missed out on some knives because of the broken alert system.
 
The Aflac Duck said:
Knifecenter does suck at preorders. However, the DLT alert system doesn’t always work. I like DLT but when I brought that to their attention they’re just like “yeah, that happens for some people”. Kind of annoying, but overall they’re solid. I missed out on some knives because of the broken alert system.
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I concur. I have since also signed up the DLT text alert. With both it and the email alert I'm hoping I won't miss anything important.
 
Man u guys just took the wind out of my sails...I'm bumming now I have doubt in my mind about the knifecenter preorder. Well I will have to hunt one down now and if I get a second copy from knifecenter, I will sell the other or just keep it.
 
madcap_magician said:
The Plague Doctor is a 2020 Special Edition. Spartan does unique designs and updates them every year. Fortunately/unfortunately for 2020 they are very behind due to COVID-19, so they are still filling orders for 2020 models. I believe they are on their last batches of dealers orders from 2020 and about 150 individual orders directly with them, and then they'll probably be doing just 2021 special editions.
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The Plague Doctor wasn't originally a 2020 special edition (COVID wasn't a thing at the beginning of 2020 when they announced their special editions for the year), it was originally available directly from the factory in the summer of 2020. Several dealers and a lot of individuals ordered them, and they announced that they're not taking any more individual orders because of the backlog. They never said they're not making them because it's not 2020 any more.
 
The SHF is a great knife and one that'd tempted me for a long time. I find some of the engraved models greatly appealing and others not so much, but the quality of the work involved for all of them is exceptionally good. I'd admired the coloration and detail on the Plague Doctor and like seeing pics of those owned by Chuck_Nunface Chuck_Nunface , Kmikaz3 Kmikaz3 , and others, but that particular design isn't something that I really felt I'd want to own and carry. I fell in love with a Northwest Coast Edition I found online last fall and pulled the trigger rather quickly when I saw it was S45VN. I'm really glad I did as it's an exceptional piece and the notion that the SHF melds the primary attributes of CRKs and RHKs is both interesting and appropriate.

Almost immediately after getting my engraved model--which gets used in an EDC role--I did what Chuck and BTTLBRN BTTLBRN suggested above and started looking for a Plain Jane SHF on the Exchange to carry as a work user and was lucky find one at a great price. That one's an older S35VN model and is nicely broken in, has a great re-profiled edge, and is super smooth with great lock-up and release. Here's a couple pics of my two...

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...and on the subject of Knifecenter, I would mention that I've never pre-ordered from them (or anyone else for that matter) but have purchased numerous knives there over the years and have always found their responsiveness, quick shipping, and pricing to be excellent. I've also been able to take advantage of their rewards points for both discounts on knives and full value for things like beads and CRK slips.

OP, if a Plague Doctor is what you really want I'd keep scouring for both used and new on all markets and not just wait on a pre-order. Good luck on your quest!
 
ChazzyP said:
The SHF is a great knife and one that'd tempted me for a long time. I find some of the engraved models greatly appealing and others not so much, but the quality of the work involved for all of them is exceptionally good. I'd admired the coloration and detail on the Plague Doctor and like seeing pics of those owned by Chuck_Nunface Chuck_Nunface , Kmikaz3 Kmikaz3 , and others, but that particular design isn't something that I really felt I'd want to own and carry. I fell in love with a Northwest Coast Edition I found online last fall and pulled the trigger rather quickly when I saw it was S45VN. I'm really glad I did as it's an exceptional piece and the notion that the SHF melds the primary attributes of CRKs and RHKs is both interesting and appropriate.

Almost immediately after getting my engraved model--which gets used in an EDC role--I did what Chuck and BTTLBRN BTTLBRN suggested above and started looking for a Plain Jane SHF on the Exchange to carry as a work user and was lucky find one at a great price. That one's an older S35VN model and is nicely broken in, has a great re-profiled edge, and is super smooth with great lock-up and release. Here's a couple pics of my two...

RGhgYmS.jpg


W5xqzEQ.jpg


...and on the subject of Knifecenter, I would mention that I've never pre-ordered from them (or anyone else for that matter) but have purchased numerous knives there over the years and have always found their responsiveness, quick shipping, and pricing to be excellent. I've also been able to take advantage of their rewards points for both discounts on knives and full value for things like beads and CRK slips.

OP, if a Plague Doctor is what you really want I'd keep scouring for both used and new on all markets and not just wait on a pre-order. Good luck on your quest!
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Well said, as always.
 
Cowboyfromhell666 said:
Man u guys just took the wind out of my sails...I'm bumming now I have doubt in my mind about the knifecenter preorder. Well I will have to hunt one down now and if I get a second copy from knifecenter, I will sell the other or just keep it.
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What I would recommend doing is leaving your KnifeCenter preorder up. I don't think any of the other dealers have preorder options, you will just have to sign up for notifications, follow on Facebook, and hope to get one before they're gone. But KnifeCenter told me they intended to fill all the preorders, so I'd leave my preorder up with them in the hopes of the guaranteed (if probably very late) knife, keep an eye out for the other dealers, and cancel your preorder if you score. That's been my plan.
 
madcap_magician said:
What I would recommend doing is leaving your KnifeCenter preorder up. I don't think any of the other dealers have preorder options, you will just have to sign up for notifications, follow on Facebook, and hope to get one before they're gone. But KnifeCenter told me they intended to fill all the preorders, so I'd leave my preorder up with them in the hopes of the guaranteed (if probably very late) knife, keep an eye out for the other dealers, and cancel your preorder if you score. That's been my plan.
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...and a good plan that is. Keep all your options open, OP, keep looking, and remember to follow the secondary market as well. There've been a number of hard-to-find knives I've wanted that I've eventually been able to acquire by dint of perseverance. When you finally find that knife you've been hunting, it makes it all the more sweeter when you pull it out of your pocket to cut some stuff.
 
Spartan knives don't interest me (nothing wrong with them I just don't want to own any) but that plague doctor UG looks great!
 
I won’t post a link since I don’t believe that they are a forum supporter but a certain dealer that likes to “Monkey” around appears to have gotten some fresh stock.
 
I can’t help much to say the plague doctor is pretty sweet. A bit rough around the corners but once broke in, its pretty amazing. Sharpening choil and mirror edge not stock, sorry 😞... it was done by me.

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The designs are all laser engraved and colored. They do all the laser work in house, and all the designs are initially drawn by employees. I've spoken to their laser operator, he's the one who designed the Plague Doctor and the DLT exclusive Warthog among others. I think he has a really cool unique style.

As far as I know, Spartan does all the work on the gold class knives in-house, with the exception of heat treat.
 
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