Are spyderco knives overpriced?

On any given day there is a 80% chance I will have a spyderco knife in my pocket. More than the handle material or the blade steel, the reason I carry a spyderco more often than others is because of their design. Spyderco makes some of the most ergonomic knives you can buy for any price IMO.
 
I actually think some of their knives are underpriced, like the Gayle Bradley. Carbon fiber scales, super solid lockup, CPM M4 Steel? I paid $150 for mine, and would easily pay well over $200 for it. I do not think spydies are overpriced, not in the least.
 
K.O.D. said:
I actually think some of their knives are underpriced, like the Gayle Bradley. Carbon fiber scales, super solid lockup, CPM M4 Steel? I paid $150 for mine, and would easily pay well over $200 for it. I do not think spydies are overpriced, not in the least.
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Know anywhere I can pick one up for a good price?
 
Products should be judged on their own merits,imho. No government ever had to bail out Toyota,just saying. Spyderco products are obviously priced at a very competitive level and the proof is an expanding and growing company here in the U.S. currently creating more jobs for Americans.Unlike some other knife manufacturers,Spyderco doesn't have to resort to price fixing on dealers to inflate the perceived value of their brand.
 
skyhorse said:
...Unlike some other knife manufacturers,Spyderco doesn't have to resort to price fixing on dealers to inflate the perceived value of their brand.
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Wasn't the street price of a Gayle Bradley $120-130 a year ago? Today it's $175. The wholesale price is now about $154. I don't know what you want to call that pricing but maybe it's useful information. Maybe not. No hard feelings intended.
 
Here's my take on the whole thing. When I buy a spyderco knife, I buy it for the steel, F&F, design/ergonomics, and primarily, the hole opener (which is my favorite). Having said that, I only buy $50 and under blades from them now, usually FRN models. I don't see myself buying any $100+ knives from them ever, because though they are nice and well built, I can go to a different mfr. for the same price and have the option of re-blades and replacement parts....none of which Spyderco officially offers for their knives, except for clips. I know that Spyderco is a smaller company, but if they are going to advertise their knives as "knives meant to be used" and grind their blades thinner for better cutting performance, they should think about offering replacement parts and new blades for at least their most commonly sold models. So I guess the knives aren't overpriced if warranty isn't a factor. If you are concerned about warranty and replacement parts, my money will go elsewhere....at least on the $100 and above models.
 
jazub said:
Wasn't the street price of a Gayle Bradley $120-130 a year ago? Today it's $175. The wholesale price is now about $154. I don't know what you want to call that pricing but maybe it's useful information. Maybe not. No hard feelings intended.
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Doing just one Google,I found one for $144.99? :confused: No price fixing needed. We're all friends here,no hard feelings my friend. :):thumbup:
 
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I don't think that there is a simple answer when asking if Spyderco knives are overpriced or not. Quality and design are what set Spyderco knives apart, and sometimes it is difficult to compare them to other knives. That's why I always go to the SFO to have a model in hand before deciding if I'm going to buy it or not, and I found there is no definitive answer to this question. Therefore, and in general strokes, my opinion is:

- their lower priced line-up is definitely worth every cent;

- some knives with uncommon design are not worth the price, while others are. This is because there is a personal decision that involves aesthetics, meaning that I find some knives beautiful while others (of the same quality) I find ugly. I consider the latter ones overpriced;

- their higher priced knives are less of a good value, because at those prices Spyderco is competing with many knives in the market that also are very good and unique. Not that they are necessarily overpriced, just that the competition gets fiercer and some edge is lost;

- knives made in Japan are commanding higher prices and becoming less and less a good value. Some I would say are overpriced, while others are not.

TL;DR : some Spydies offer great value, while others may be a bit overpriced.
 
Meant more as a rhetorical question, but in terms of value and brand comparison in similar products, I purchased both my Delica and Endura for $54 apiece, brand new. So would you rather have either of those knives for less than $60 apiece or a Mini Grip and full size Grip at $90 and $97 apiece, respectively? "Should I choose a Delica/Endura or Mini Grip/Full Grip" is one of the most common questions around here so it's a valid point.

Let me edit to say that when I bought my first Mini Grip it was for $63 shipped, and I was singing a little different tune then. Are you sure we're in the correct manufacturer's subforum on this issue?
 
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suedeface said:
Here's my take on the whole thing. When I buy a spyderco knife, I buy it for the steel, F&F, design/ergonomics, and primarily, the hole opener (which is my favorite). Having said that, I only buy $50 and under blades from them now, usually FRN models. I don't see myself buying any $100+ knives from them ever, because though they are nice and well built, I can go to a different mfr. for the same price and have the option of re-blades and replacement parts....none of which Spyderco officially offers for their knives, except for clips. I know that Spyderco is a smaller company, but if they are going to advertise their knives as "knives meant to be used" and grind their blades thinner for better cutting performance, they should think about offering replacement parts and new blades for at least their most commonly sold models. So I guess the knives aren't overpriced if warranty isn't a factor. If you are concerned about warranty and replacement parts, my money will go elsewhere....at least on the $100 and above models.
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Knives are designed for cutting. Tell me what cutting task would break a Military, Gayle Bradley, PM2, Techno, or even a Sage. I don't understand the fear of breaking a knife. I haven't broken my SAK classic and it's tiny and weak. Please elaborate on what cutting tasks break knives.
 
I absolutely do not think that Spydercos are overpriced, and all of this talk of "Well, why can't the models made in Taichung be made here instead??" is easily answered as "Because then no one would buy them."

It's best to remember the reasons why American companies move operations overseas in the first place. It's also best to keep simple economics in mind. Here are a few facts as I understand them after entirely too many business development/Economics/Finance courses:

1. Companies exist to make a profit, and to provide value to that company's shareholders/owners.
1a. Companies do NOT exist to provide Americans with jobs, or to make Americans feel good about their product. Those that might claim they do, are doing so for marketing or "goodwill" purposes. People generally do not want to hear harsh truths, and will hate you for it, which is why companies do not advertise this fact.
1b. If a company could produce or provide its goods or services with fewer workers, it would (as usually evidenced by people being laid off when need/desire for that company's products reduces). Any other view makes no economic sense.
1c. The taxes a company pays for being in business in America are exponentially higher than most other countries.

2. Companies generally move production overseas because at the end of the day, they have to balance the numbers between debits and credits. American workers are expensive, workers in many other countries are not. It's that simple. It's not about what Americans think they deserve, it's simple mathematics. American workers cost more, so you have to charge more in order to pay your workers, insure your workers, provide medical for your workers, etc. AND turn a profit. When you have an item that has a general cost in the marketplace, and making it domestically would force you to charge a price that's entirely outside of the bell curve for it, then it does not make sense to waste money, time, and resources on doing so. You open a plant in another country, and bring the costs of making the product into line with your company's requirement/desire to turn a profit.

3. (and this is the most important) The desire to make a profit isn't a bad thing.

That's why companies produce products in other countries and don't maintain a 100% manufacturing base here.

Also, another thing to keep in mind. One of the commonly stated sentiments here is "I would totally pay more for (insert imported knife here) if it were produced here!!!!". Well, that's great, but here's the thing. For every member of this board who's super gung-ho and would do that? There are ten or twenty non-Board-member casual knife-buyers in the marketplace who absolutely wouldn't. We are actually a small percentage of the knife-buying public in this country. Never doubt it.

And finally, in the interest of clear disclosure: one of my absolute favorite knives out of aaaalllll the knives in my not-inconsiderable collection is my Spyderco Gayle Bradley. I got it for $130 shipped from That Auction Site, and it is perfect (to me) in every way. Amazing super steel, amazing fit and finish, and that price, fantastic. Made in Taiwan? Wasn't even an issue in my mind.
 
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jazub said:
Wasn't the street price of a Gayle Bradley $120-130 a year ago? Today it's $175. The wholesale price is now about $154. I don't know what you want to call that pricing but maybe it's useful information. Maybe not. No hard feelings intended.
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A year ago it was $139 on CS, today it's $144. Hardly an increase and a more believable one in relation to cost and inflation. The GB was never a $120 knife brand new (maybe a one time sale aberration) AND the sellers pricing it at $175 now was pricing it that much last year also and the year before that. Last year, I got two GB's off the exchange for $115 and $100 LNIB and still go for those prices on a constant basis. The wholesale price you quoted of $154 is about the right price you would see for it across the board today (like Amazon, low discount dealers, and Ebay) and since it's release three years ago.
 
I don't think you can generalize across the whole catalog. Some are underpriced, in my opinion (Para2). Others, usually collaborations, have sometimes seemed overpriced (Leafstorm is a good example - again, my opinion, and yes, I know it's disco'd).
 
Good post.

Quiet said:
I absolutely do not think that Spydercos are overpriced, and all of this talk of "Well, why can't the models made in Taichung be made here instead??" is easily answered as "Because then no one would buy them."

It's best to remember the reasons why American companies move operations overseas in the first place. It's also best to keep simple economics in mind. Here are a few facts as I understand them after entirely too many business development/Economics/Finance courses:

1. Companies exist to make a profit, and to provide value to that company's shareholders/owners.
1a. Companies do NOT exist to provide Americans with jobs, or to make Americans feel good about their product. Those that might claim they do, are doing so for marketing or "goodwill" purposes. People generally do not want to hear harsh truths, and will hate you for it, which is why companies do not advertise this fact.
1b. If a company could produce or provide its goods or services with fewer workers, it would (as usually evidenced by people being laid off when need/desire for that company's products reduces). Any other view makes no economic sense.
1c. The taxes a company pays for being in business in America are exponentially higher than most other countries.

2. Companies generally move production overseas because at the end of the day, they have to balance the numbers between debits and credits. American workers are expensive, workers in many other countries are not. It's that simple. It's not about what Americans think they deserve, it's simple mathematics. American workers cost more, so you have to charge more in order to pay your workers, insure your workers, provide medical for your workers, etc. AND turn a profit. When you have an item that has a general cost in the marketplace, and making it domestically would force you to charge a price that's entirely outside of the bell curve for it, then it does not make sense to waste money, time, and resources on doing so. You open a plant in another country, and bring the costs of making the product into line with your company's requirement/desire to turn a profit.

3. (and this is the most important) The desire to make a profit isn't a bad thing.

That's why companies produce products in other countries and don't maintain a 100% manufacturing base here.

Also, another thing to keep in mind. One of the commonly stated sentiments here is "I would totally pay more for (insert imported knife here) if it were produced here!!!!". Well, that's great, but here's the thing. For every member of this board who's super gung-ho and would do that? There are ten or twenty non-Board-member casual knife-buyers in the marketplace who absolutely wouldn't. We are actually a small percentage of the knife-buying public in this country. Never doubt it.

And finally, in the interest of clear disclosure: one of my absolute favorite knives out of aaaalllll the knives in my not-inconsiderable collection is my Spyderco Gayle Bradley. I got it for $130 shipped from That Auction Site, and it is perfect (to me) in every way. Amazing super steel, amazing fit and finish, and that price, fantastic. Made in Taiwan? Wasn't even an issue in my mind.
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Penetration said:
Ok so lets say you look at a "sprint run" right? What's the difference between that and the original? Lets say different color handle but what is it really? Exactly that a different color handle. So basically your paying more for something that has no real difference other than the right to be called a "sprint run"
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Think about something as simple as baseball or "Magic Cards". Some of those pieces of colorful cardboard go for thousands of dollars. Why? They're just cardboard. People who collect things want things no one else has. If you want something no one else has, there must be very little supply. If you want it to be impressive to people, you want it to have a high demand (a coveted item).

Low supply + High demand=expensive.

If you aren't into collecting, then get a basic model. If you are into collecting rare knives, then you have an expensive hobby, get over it. There's all types of knives I wish I had, but to ME they are overpriced. However, for the non-knife people I know, they see my nice knives (each about $80-120 in worth)they think I'm crazy for spending that. Also, they really can't tell the difference between a knife of that quality and a crap one, so how could they understand? Meanwhile, here where the knife nuts live I'm an amateur. If you can't see the value in a knife, then don't buy it. If you want high quality materials and an excellent knife, you'll have to pay more than $20. If you want some exclusive high quality sh-- then you really gonna hafta come out your pockets.

PS. I can't believe the bugs are the ones you think are overpriced.
 
suedeface said:
Here's my take on the whole thing. When I buy a spyderco knife, I buy it for the steel, F&F, design/ergonomics, and primarily, the hole opener (which is my favorite). Having said that, I only buy $50 and under blades from them now, usually FRN models. I don't see myself buying any $100+ knives from them ever, because though they are nice and well built, I can go to a different mfr. for the same price and have the option of re-blades and replacement parts....none of which Spyderco officially offers for their knives, except for clips. I know that Spyderco is a smaller company, but if they are going to advertise their knives as "knives meant to be used" and grind their blades thinner for better cutting performance, they should think about offering replacement parts and new blades for at least their most commonly sold models. So I guess the knives aren't overpriced if warranty isn't a factor. If you are concerned about warranty and replacement parts, my money will go elsewhere....at least on the $100 and above models.
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Tools have their "specialty" areas. If you get a very thin flat ground knife, it wouldn't be to use for prying. Meanwhile, a huge bulky knife is not as smooth a cutter/slicer as the bulky one you could pry with. Its not their fault they can't make a knife that is perfect for everything, it doesn't exist. I have a zdp dragonfly, quite thin. It is very sturdy for a small, scalpel like blade. My Manix 2 is a tank in comparison. It doesn't mean the DF isn't meant to be used. Their knives are "meant to be used" but for different things. You wouldn't want to do a lot of food prep with a civilian.
 
jazub said:
Wasn't the street price of a Gayle Bradley $120-130 a year ago? Today it's $175. The wholesale price is now about $154. I don't know what you want to call that pricing but maybe it's useful information. Maybe not. No hard feelings intended.
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Paid 136 for mine 2 years ago, just found it on ebay from same seller for 141 shipped. No complaints here.
 
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