Spyderco "mislead" about price increases!!!

[Quiet]

This knife is worth more than everything Ganzo has ever made in pretty much every conceivable way.




Spyderco is a superior company who makes a superior product over Ganzo in every conceivable metric, and frankly their product catalog is endlessly more in depth than Ontario's as well. Also, I haven't seen it mentioned, but I find it hilarious that the OP is talking trash about the Spyderco Tenacious, a knife which is part of a line made in China specifically so those with lesser budgets can still own a Spyderco, with a Spyderco's design language and features. Spyderco doesn't have to make their budget line at all. They sell all the knives they make from their Golden and Taichung products. Sal has stated he wanted to be able to offer knives to those with smaller budgets. That's pretty awesome, all things considered. Plenty of companies who are basically off the stance that if you can't afford their products, move it along pal, you're stinking up the place.

Chronovore, want a better steel in your Spyderco product? Get out your wallet, and buy one of the Golden/Taichung knives. Or hey, maybe you could just buy one of the Ganzo clones. Of course, I'm guessing you already have.

 

[goldie]

Im glad this thread started,i wound up searching and getting a Knifejoy Damascus Endura,and with the points i had in credits got it for 49.00 about the price of the tenacious.....

 

[Twindog]

This knife is worth more than everything Ganzo has ever made in pretty much every conceivable way.




Spyderco is a superior company who makes a superior product over Ganzo in every conceivable metric, and frankly their product catalog is endlessly more in depth than Ontario's as well. Also, I haven't seen it mentioned, but I find it hilarious that the OP is talking trash about the Spyderco Tenacious, a knife which is part of a line made in China specifically so those with lesser budgets can still own a Spyderco, with a Spyderco's design language and features. Spyderco doesn't have to make their budget line at all. They sell all the knives they make from their Golden and Taichung products. Sal has stated he wanted to be able to offer knives to those with smaller budgets. That's pretty awesome, all things considered. Plenty of companies who are basically off the stance that if you can't afford their products, move it along pal, you're stinking up the place.

Chronovore, want a better steel in your Spyderco product? Get out your wallet, and buy one of the Golden/Taichung knives. Or hey, maybe you could just buy one of the Ganzo clones. Of course, I'm guessing you already have.

That knife is a bad example of what Spyderco does -- which is mostly pretty good.

The edge on that knife is absurd -- cannot be sharpened without leaving an ugly gash in the blade. It's pure art, which is fine, but knife art should also be highly functional.

 

[sharp_edge]

That knife is a bad example of what Spyderco does -- which is mostly pretty good.

The edge on that knife is absurd -- cannot be sharpened without leaving an ugly gash in the blade. It's pure art, which is fine, but knife art should also be highly functional.

Yep - I owned one and sold it not long after. The fit and finish is great. The CF scales are beautiful. The flipping action is just so so. But what killed me was what you said - that unsharpened portion of the blade, which to this day I still don't understand why. I remember Charlie Mike modified that part by adding a finger choil.

 

[fishface5]

Spyderco follows the design of the designers. That's the way Brend designed the blade. Why? Who knows.

To the OP: to assert that Sal lies you should first provide a direct quote of the statement that you say is a lie, and then research and provide the actual manufacturing cost of the knife over time. Without that, you have a question not a statement. And because Sal's good character is so well known by many forumites, anything less in support of such a rancid accusation against him is of course met with anger. You besmirch a good man without actual evidence.

 

[Steely_Gunz]

I would just hand sharpen it like I do every other knife I own

Use the stone, follow the grind, voila.

I'm all stupid fingered when it comes to using sharpening systems. Gimme a stone, a ceramic stick, and a loaded strop, please.

 

[Twindog]

Yep - I owned one and sold it not long after. The fit and finish is great. The CF scales are beautiful. The flipping action is just so so. But what killed me was what you said - that unsharpened portion of the blade, which to this day I still don't understand why. I remember Charlie Mike modified that part by adding a finger choil.

Yes, I did the same thing -- actually, Josh ground a finger choil into the blade.

Here's the original:

Here's the added choil, which cut out the thick, 180-degree (inclusive, LOL) part of the edge. You can see that even with the large choil, I still had to grind up into the blade to get the edge even:

 

[Twindog]

I would just hand sharpen it like I do every other knife I own

Use the stone, follow the grind, voila.

I'm all stupid fingered when it comes to using sharpening systems. Gimme a stone, a ceramic stick, and a loaded strop, please.

Wouldn't work. You'd have to sharpen half way up the heel of the blade. It would look awful. There would be no grind to follow.

 

[Quiet]

That knife is a bad example of what Spyderco does -- which is mostly pretty good.

The edge on that knife is absurd -- cannot be sharpened without leaving an ugly gash in the blade. It's pure art, which is fine, but knife art should also be highly functional.

Actually, I would argue that it's actually an example of what they do very well: turn the designs of highly respected makers into attainable reality. I could have simply posted one of my Delicas, or other designs that many folks could have posted here instead, but wanted to showcase that which Ganzo couldn't hope to achieve, working with industry titans like Walter Brend. Keeping in theme with Ontario having been mentioned, they've also worked with greats like Dozier, but those knives are inexpensive and look and feel like it.

Also, I would disagree with your assertion that knife art should be highly functional entirely.

 

[The Whip]

I guess I am. Makes sense, I have a whole bunch. But you know what? If I thought they were too expensive, I would do something really novel.......... I would......... buy something else.

Yeah, I have a whole bunch, too. But almost all of them were purchased more than ten years ago, for the very reason that you suggest.

That $99 price for a 440V Military really was a special deal. It’s not a fair comparison. In those days, certain retailers got special pricing on some models.

That's not true. All of Spyderco's authorized dealers received the same dealer pricing. And that "Special Price" term was used throughout the catalog. The $99 price wasn't even the lowest offered. If you purchased two or more of the Military models, you got them for $95 apiece. Since no such volume discount exists today, that actually makes the price increase 102%. But I didn't bother mentioning that in my first post because I was trying to make a point, not stretch one.

Besides, Cutlery Shoppe remains an authorized (and favored) Spyderco dealer, so any "bonus buys" should still be reflected in current pricing. It's a legitimate comparison.

Jeff is one of our oldest dealers and he's been with us through thick and thin. I don't know how he was able to compete with Amazon, but he's very bright and I'm sure he has his methods.

This is getting way off topic, but since the conversation's course has turned that direction, I'll chime in. I agree with those assessing Spyderco's following on these boards as cult-like. It's certainly not unique to Spyderco, but the company and its owner definitely are at the top of the Blade Forums Worship Roster. Just look at some of the language used.

People can think what they want, but Sal will always have a special place in the hearts of knife enthusiasts.

If there’s any question of how much respect/admiration there is for Mr Glesser, go look at the “which maker you’d like to have a beer with” thread.

Sal Glesser is a saint

Amen

As a major fan of other brands and a lesser fan (but certainly still an avid, longtime supporter) of Spyderco, it's often off-putting to watch. Spyderco is justified by lots of guys here for doing things that would bring cries of outrage from those same members if they were done by other companies. I think the double standards help to inspire threads like this one.


-Steve

 

[Quiet]

Yeah, I have a whole bunch, too. But almost all of them were purchased more than ten years ago, for the very reason that you suggest.




That's not true. All of Spyderco's authorized dealers received the same dealer pricing. And that "Special Price" term was used throughout the catalog. The $99 price wasn't even the lowest offered. If you purchased two or more of the Military models, you got them for $95 apiece. Since no such volume discount exists today, that actually makes the price increase 102%. But I didn't bother mentioning that in my first post because I was trying to make a point, not stretch one.

Besides, Cutlery Shoppe remains an authorized (and favored) Spyderco dealer, so any "bonus buys" should still be reflected in current pricing. It's a legitimate comparison.




This is getting way off topic, but since the conversation's course has turned that direction, I'll chime in. I agree with those assessing Spyderco's following on these boards as cult-like. It's certainly not unique to Spyderco, but the company and its owner definitely are at the top of the Blade Forums Worship Roster. Just look at some of the language used.










As a major fan of other brands and a lesser fan (but certainly still an avid, longtime supporter) of Spyderco, it's often off-putting to watch. Spyderco is justified by lots of guys here for doing things that would bring cries of outrage from those same members if they were done by other companies. I think the double standards help to inspire threads like this one.


-Steve

Your attempted insinuation that there must be something wrong with having tremendous respect for a guy who created a company who does their best to treat their customers well while making a fantastic product says an awful lot more about you than it does any of us. Offputting is one way to describe it.

 

[The Whip]

Your attempted insinuation that there must be something wrong with having tremendous respect for a guy who created a company who does their best to treat their customers well while making a fantastic product says an awful lot more about you than it does any of us. Offputting is one way to describe it.

That would be off-putting...if it was what I said. But since that isn't what I said or implied, I'll let my original statement speak for itself.

-Steve

 

[Arian29]

I have 28 reasons to love my Spydercos, which I EDC and post pics in BF regularly.

Don’t like to hear any slander against Spyderco.

Many Thanks.
Aryan

 

[Quiet]

That would be off-putting...if it was what I said. But since that isn't what I said or implied, I'll let my original statement speak for itself.

-Steve

Odd that you'd attempt to deny it, although with past comments you've made in other threads, I am unsurprised.

Unless of course you meant "cult-like" when quoting my comment as a compliment? So, it IS what you implied. Anything else to add?

 

[JokersFaceLifter]

Ganzo abandoned his own thread because of his unfounded claims about Sal lying is both unsubstantiated and laced with personal feelz, and he knows it --- it was a triggered tantrum, thats all, we all know Sal/Spyderco is not trying to swindle their customers

 

[Insipid Moniker]

Yeah, I have a whole bunch, too. But almost all of them were purchased more than ten years ago, for the very reason that you suggest.




That's not true. All of Spyderco's authorized dealers received the same dealer pricing. And that "Special Price" term was used throughout the catalog. The $99 price wasn't even the lowest offered. If you purchased two or more of the Military models, you got them for $95 apiece. Since no such volume discount exists today, that actually makes the price increase 102%. But I didn't bother mentioning that in my first post because I was trying to make a point, not stretch one.

Besides, Cutlery Shoppe remains an authorized (and favored) Spyderco dealer, so any "bonus buys" should still be reflected in current pricing. It's a legitimate comparison.




This is getting way off topic, but since the conversation's course has turned that direction, I'll chime in. I agree with those assessing Spyderco's following on these boards as cult-like. It's certainly not unique to Spyderco, but the company and its owner definitely are at the top of the Blade Forums Worship Roster. Just look at some of the language used.










As a major fan of other brands and a lesser fan (but certainly still an avid, longtime supporter) of Spyderco, it's often off-putting to watch. Spyderco is justified by lots of guys here for doing things that would bring cries of outrage from those same members if they were done by other companies. I think the double standards help to inspire threads like this one.


-Steve

Interesting that all of your examples are about the founder of the company, someone that's personally active on the forums and many of us have interacted with personally and extensively, rather than the company itself. Maybe it's just an accident that you've decided to conflate admiration for one with worship of the other, but it certainly comes across as an intellectually dishonest attempt to cast those that have expressed admiration for Mr. Glesser in a negative light.

 

[BTGuy]

G Ganzofan Am I correct in understanding that you're simply asking that Spyderco admit they could charge less for their products? I would happily agree that anything I would like to buy should certainly be cheaper, but many times the costs are not representative of a companies single product (materials, labor, etc.). With Spyderco, I see a company continually pushing their development and production quality. They invest in research and try new things. That costs money which comes from their profits on sales of their product. If they simply wanted to continue making existing products at the cheapest price I'm sure they could manage to bring prices down considerably on some of their knives. From what I've seen from Spyderco in the products I've purchased from them over the last few years they are doing very well by their customers given the prices they charge and I look forward to the things they'll do in the future.

I wouldn't say I'm the biggest fan of Spyderco's knives. They do make a few I really like though.

 

[Danke42]

That knife is a bad example of what Spyderco does -- which is mostly pretty good.

The edge on that knife is absurd -- cannot be sharpened without leaving an ugly gash in the blade. It's pure art, which is fine, but knife art should also be highly functional.

Well I think it's a great example of what Spyderco does. They partner up with designers who's own knives verge on unobtainable and they let that designer reach more people and most importantly they pay that designer royalties for their work.

I find that I don't have to "like" every knife they make for me to like their work. That knife isn't for me because it looks like it escaped from an episode of Star Trek. But I'm sure that for other folks they love the look.

 

[Danke42]

As for "cults of personality" in the world of knives it's fine if you don't like someone.

If your frustration with Spyderco comes Sal's Mr Rodgers like kindness I predict a rocky road ahead.

And if that frustration turns to lies, slander and character assassination then all bets are off and no quarter given.

 

[Eli Chaps]

...

As a major fan of other brands and a lesser fan (but certainly still an avid, longtime supporter) of Spyderco, it's often off-putting to watch. Spyderco is justified by lots of guys here for doing things that would bring cries of outrage from those same members if they were done by other companies. I think the double standards help to inspire threads like this one.


-Steve

Hey there Steve. If you're going to quote me and try to use that snippet to paint the narrative you seek, you're doing me, you and the entire discussion a disservice at best. See, ya left out the parts in that same post where I said,

...

Then there is the issue of Sal Glesser. I am a die hard Spyderco fan. But they are in no way beyond criticism.

And also in that same post where I said,

...

You can disagree with their pricing and even Sal's stated reasons for it, but around here, people will require a modicum of respect in doing so. A level of respect that won't be applied to other makers. That's just the way it is and it was earned.

See Steve, I never said that Sal and Spyderco are above reproach. Quite the opposite in fact. And I feel like I addressed what you perceive as a double-standard pretty well. It isn't a double standard Steve, when one person and company conduct themselves at a higher standard than other companies.