Spyderco Am I the only one who just can't do it?

Danke42 said:
I read Spyderco as an American company so buying their knives supports US jobs. The profit from those China, Italy, or Taiwan knives flows back to the USA to build the company.

I don't disagree, but the Taiwan company is making money as well.

A little while ago some folks started a bull**** stirring thread about where the clips and hardware on the USA Spyderco's were made. Very aggressively demanding answers. Sal came into the thread and explained the USA knives get USA made hardware.

I like Sal and I think most of us would agree he's a stand up guy. I've seen him here a lot and you can't say that about many CEO's of million dollar companies. Im opposed to starting that kind of trouble just for the sake of starting it. There's nothing wrong with the question. What is wrong is when you're asking it for the wrong reasons.

The 2 folks looking to stir stuff up dried up and blew away. The didn't say thank you. They didn't want US made hardware. They wanted to start a little tweetstorm about that & were upset to be denied their ammunition. That type of insular attitude masquerading as national pride is damaging.
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They got what they deserved.
 
psquared said:
I own or have owned in excess of 100 Spyderco knives over the last 25 years or so. Taiwan made knives are my least favourite. I have a Taichung made Chaparral and a Brouwer in my rotation but in all honesty they would get a lot more pocket time if the tang stamp said Japan or USA ... not because they are bad knives but for me, my "pride of ownership" on Taiwan made knives just isn't on the same level as it would be for a knife made by a specialist cutler in Japan or at the mothership in the US. I could be very wrong but my uninformed perception is that the the Taiwan made knifes are just "things" made in a factory that could be repurposed to make washing machines or whatever and as a result they lack the soul of a knife made at the founder's home facility or in a city of cutlers like Seki.

Not a popular opinion and it is quite possibly flawed but no amount of good reviews on the fantastic Taichung made knives has been able to change that. This old dog is just looking at the new tricks thinking ... nah, I'll leave that to the youngsters.
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You do know that Taiwan has a tradition of fine cutlery like Japan as well. They may be Chinese (yes, the Taiwanese people are of Chinese origin), but they are not like China. However, China also has a long history of making cutlery as well. Their civilization has been doing it for centuries, as a matter of fact!

Your pride of ownership for Taiwan knives should be just as high as your US made ones, as they have as much pride making them as the US crew does, and they have been working with Spyderco for decades (like all Spyderco's partners... Sal doesn't take partnerships like that lightly and neither does Eric).

My Taichung spydies are some of the best made knives in my case, easily standing with all of my US made Spyderco, Benchmade, and Zero Tolerance knives.
 
3fifty7 said:
I was a bit taken aback by the made in Taiwan thing too. I understand and admire Taiwans hope/quest for independence but will they ever completely stand on their own two feet?

Anyway.
Since it is where the Spyderco I wanted was made I bought it. Then I bought another. I am very pleased with the Spydercos I have bought from the Taichung facility.
Would I prefer they were made in the USA, absolutely.
Would I pay 10% more for the same knife made in the USA, absolutely.
Would I pay 20% more for the same knife made in the USA, yes, yes I would.

Now I can’t answer the question of complete manufacturing costs per unit of equal products coming from the two different facilities, but I doubt the 20% I would be willing to hand over would cover it. Perhaps that would be better discussed in another thread.
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Taiwan is a democratic country who does stand on their own two feet. Where did this come from?
 
soc_monki said:
Like I said before, I love my Golden spydies, but my amalgam and gb2 are even better. The gb2 has been called a Taiwan Sebenza. I don't know how close it really is to a CRK, but it is a fine knife and very high quality!

Still love my Shamans though!
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I've owned a few Sebenzas so I'll have to check out the GB2 now.
 
SteelPanther said:
doesn't spyderco manufacture in other countries to keep pricing down?? if some of these knives were american made the prices would far surpass that of the shaman. I've got a few sekis and they're awesome....I once too only wanted golden made but that went away after picking up a seki made knife
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I like the Seki made knives. I have an Endura in the truck and a Pacific Salt as a workhorse in the wilderness. That Pacific is probably my most used knife ever. Mine is 6-8 years old and has almost gotten the serrations sharpened out of it and is near retirement. It's been beat to hell in the outdoors for years and still going strong. I think it was less than $80.00 new when I bought it.
 
soc_monki said:
You do know that Taiwan has a tradition of fine cutlery like Japan as well. They may be Chinese (yes, the Taiwanese people are of Chinese origin), but they are not like China. However, China also has a long history of making cutlery as well. Their civilization has been doing it for centuries, as a matter of fact!

Your pride of ownership for Taiwan knives should be just as high as your US made ones, as they have as much pride making them as the US crew does, and they have been working with Spyderco for decades (like all Spyderco's partners... Sal doesn't take partnerships like that lightly and neither does Eric).

My Taichung spydies are some of the best made knives in my case, easily standing with all of my US made Spyderco, Benchmade, and Zero Tolerance knives.
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Well said..........
 
psquared said:
I own or have owned in excess of 100 Spyderco knives over the last 25 years or so. Taiwan made knives are my least favourite. I have a Taichung made Chaparral and a Brouwer in my rotation but in all honesty they would get a lot more pocket time if the tang stamp said Japan or USA ... not because they are bad knives but for me, my "pride of ownership" on Taiwan made knives just isn't on the same level as it would be for a knife made by a specialist cutler in Japan or at the mothership in the US. I could be very wrong but my uninformed perception is that the the Taiwan made knifes are just "things" made in a factory that could be repurposed to make washing machines or whatever and as a result they lack the soul of a knife made at the founder's home facility or in a city of cutlers like Seki.

Not a popular opinion and it is quite possibly flawed but no amount of good reviews on the fantastic Taichung made knives has been able to change that. This old dog is just looking at the new tricks thinking ... nah, I'll leave that to the youngsters.
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You may have summed up (an indeed helped me understand) why I can't get past the Taiwan label, in spite of knowing the quality and reputation of the knives made there.
 
And speaking of Taiwan made knives, the Ontario Rat is always regarded as a great budget knife. Mine really impressed me for the $25 I paid for it. So smooth, and really well built.

And what about Cold Steels Taiwan made knives? My AD10 and 4max Scout are as well built as my Taiwan Spydies. I wonder who Cold Steel contracts with because they do an amazing job!
 
Thanks so far for all of the responses. I hope this continues.
 
soc_monki said:
And speaking of Taiwan made knives, the Ontario Rat is always regarded as a great budget knife. Mine really impressed me for the $25 I paid for it. So smooth, and really well built.

And what about Cold Steels Taiwan made knives? My AD10 and 4max Scout are as well built as my Taiwan Spydies. I wonder who Cold Steel contracts with because they do an amazing job!
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Absolutely. My AD10 is simply an excellent knife, and on my particular example is virtually and objectively flawless. It's one of the most comfortable knives in hand that I own, right up there with the classic Olamic fullsize Wayfarers that I own.
 
MolokaiRider said:
It’s neat how Spyderco knives made in different factories all have a different feel, but all are still unmistakably Spyderco.

Taiwan made versions have the highest level of finish, and tighter tolerances.

Golden, Colorado is in a close second, with Japan right behind and in some models paralleled.

China made value versions are still well built and highly functional.
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No doubt the Taiwan knives are best.
I've had enough to know. They are awesome!
 
Hale Storm said:
I had the Vallotton and loved it. Just can't get past that Taiwan labeling on the knife I guess.
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I don't really think there's anything wrong with that, IMO. I have quite a lot of friends on this board that refuse to buy Chinese knives on principle, but I'll happily buy them from reputable Chinese manufacturers. We're all here for a hobby that we enjoy and if the country of origin makes a knife less enjoyable for you, I don't think you're at all in the wrong for avoiding it.
 
soc_monki said:
And speaking of Taiwan made knives, the Ontario Rat is always regarded as a great budget knife. Mine really impressed me for the $25 I paid for it. So smooth, and really well built.

And what about Cold Steels Taiwan made knives? My AD10 and 4max Scout are as well built as my Taiwan Spydies. I wonder who Cold Steel contracts with because they do an amazing job!
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I wouldn't be shocked if Cold Steel used the same OEM in Taiwan as Spyderco. I believe they used some of the same Japanese manufacturers and there seems to be quite a bit of mutual respect between Sal Glesser and Lynn Thompson.
 
Wolverine666 said:
In my opinion , the Tai Chung models are a cut (no pun intended) above the rest of Spyderco’s offerings. The level of quality/fit and finish you get for the asking price is fantastic.
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Quiet said:
I have no issue with Taiwan, and have to say that I have loved every single Taichung Spydie I've ever owned and quite a few of them have come and gone through my collection over the years. The fit and finish of those knives has been lightyears ahead of the Golden Spydies I've owned and still own, that much I can tell you.

The only Spyderco knives I have issue with buying are those which cross the $300 threshold. When I'm looking to spend money past that, other brands tend to command my attention.
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Add me to the list of people who think the Taichung Spydercos have better production quality than the Golden models.

SteelPanther said:
doesn't spyderco manufacture in other countries to keep pricing down?? if some of these knives were american made the prices would far surpass that of the shaman. I've got a few sekis and they're awesome....I once too only wanted golden made but that went away after picking up a seki made knife
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In a roundabout way, you could say that's the reason, since they could expand their production capacity in Golden or elsewhere in the US if they really wanted to.
 
OP is missing out.

The Taichung manufacturer Spyderco uses is capable of making some of the best production knives available (short of the smaller semi- boutique brands). And ROC is a strong strategic and political ally, unlike other overseas destinations from which I refuse to buy cutlery.

There has been past criticism of abrupt spydieholes on some of their models, but I guarantee if Spyderco spec’d more chamfering/tumbling it would be there.

Here are 6 reasons I’m proud to own Taichung Spydercos. I can provide a few more, if needed.

 
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Insipid Moniker said:
I wouldn't be shocked if Cold Steel used the same OEM in Taiwan as Spyderco. I believe they used some of the same Japanese manufacturers and there seems to be quite a bit of mutual respect between Sal Glesser and Lynn Thompson.
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The quality is there, even on my 4max Scout. I wouldn't doubt it, but I'm sure there are more than a few great makers in Taiwan! Can't wait to try out my sr1 lite. Should be a fun knife to do dumb things with!
 
soc_monki said:
Taiwan and the government itself claims they are an independent nation. It's others who don't recognize that, including the US. We should be supporting them in their independence.
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Almost no one has formal diplomatic ties to ROC. As much as the US government would like to formally recognize ROC, we've got an embassy and 5 consulates in China that would shut down if that happened, which would have massive economic ramifications.
 
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