Blade Replacement

[me2]

Does Spyderco do blade replacements? I have an old Delica that could stand a new start. It's been used hard for about 6 years.

 

[Clanton]

They do not.

 

[nccole]

Post some pics of this knife!

 

[ShepardCC]

No they don't. they make too many models in too many sprint runs and too many different steels to keep replacement blades in stock

 

[Custom]

Would love to see a picture of this knife!

 

[Ankerson]

Does Spyderco do blade replacements? I have an old Delica that could stand a new start. It's been used hard for about 6 years.

It's Possible, call Customer Service and see what they say...

You never know unless you ask....

 

[tchapman414]

I'd give it a try with their Customer Service. For a regular production run VG10 Delica, they may very well be equipped to do so.

 

[Guest5160]

"For the following repairs please include $20.00USD plus $5.00USD for shipping and handling

Blade or edge- Broken tip from prying or dropping, chipped edge or broken serrations, destroyed edge due to improper sharpening, rust due to neglect or other blade issues. Spyderco does not replace blades. Depending on the blade’s condition we may be able to re-profile or re-serrate."

Taken from: http://m.spyderco.com/edge-u-cation/

 

[suedeface]

Spyderco does not offer blade replacements.....100% true...

 

[me2]

I'll get some video up on youtube. Here's a teaser. I've used it so much that the point more resembles the generation 2 and 3 tip profiles, and I've had to grind down the kick to keep the point from sticking out of the handle.

 

[CRH]

Buy a new knife and keep this beater as, well, a beater.

 

[me2]

I have a Salt 1 to tide me over, but I find I like the weight and feel of a Delica better. Pointier tip too, which is a plus for me. I did carry the Salt at the beach and just for fun I carry it when swimming in our neighbor's salt water pool. The Delica got some rust on it when doing that.

 

[RayseM]

I'll get some video up on youtube. Here's a teaser. I've used it so much that the point more resembles the generation 2 and 3 tip profiles, and I've had to grind down the kick to keep the point from sticking out of the handle.

My old Endura was doing the same. I had to buy a new Spyderco . I'd be happy to replace the blade though. I used that knife real hard and I kind of miss it - no longer my EDC.

 

[seedubs1]

No they don't. they make too many models in too many sprint runs and too many different steels to keep replacement blades in stock

I call BS on this reasoning. KAI and Benchmade have a TON of models, and they do blade replacements or will send you a comparable knife if they can't replace the blade for a VERY small fee. So that's not a good reason at all. Spyderco should be retaining their prints, and should have no problems knocking out a new blade, or they can store extras when they do a run.

As for the sprint runs in odd materials, they should be willing to replace a blade in a standard material (s30v, vg10, 154cm, etc...) with no issue. A knife in some exptic material they can't get their hands on anymore shouldn't deter them helping out a customer by fitting them with a blade in a more common steel. That, or they could charge a bit of a premium for replacement of an exotic material.

It really comes down to:
1) Spyderco sells more knives by not replacing broken blades, and makes more money.
2) Spyderco doesn't want to waste their time replacing broken blades. Companies that replace blades aren't making much if any money (and potentially lose money) for the time and materials required to replace a blade in house.
3) Spyderco just flat out doesn't want to.

Like I said before, other companies that also have a lot of models and do sprint runs in non standard materials offer blade replacement. It really comes down to Spyderco not wanting to provide this service, and NOTHING else.

Personally, I know about their warranty issues with replacing blades, but I buy them anyway because I like their designs so much. You just have to make an informed decision when purchasing.

 

[The Deacon]

I call BS on this reasoning. KAI and Benchmade have a TON of models, and they do blade replacements or will send you a comparable knife if they can't replace the blade for a VERY small fee. So that's not a good reason at all. Spyderco should be retaining their prints, and should have no problems knocking out a new blade, or they can store extras when they do a run.

As for the sprint runs in odd materials, they should be willing to replace a blade in a standard material (s30v, vg10, 154cm, etc...) with no issue. A knife in some exptic material they can't get their hands on anymore shouldn't deter them helping out a customer by fitting them with a blade in a more common steel. That, or they could charge a bit of a premium for replacement of an exotic material.

It really comes down to:
1) Spyderco sells more knives by not replacing broken blades, and makes more money.
2) Spyderco doesn't want to waste their time replacing broken blades. Companies that replace blades aren't making much if any money (and potentially lose money) for the time and materials required to replace a blade in house.
3) Spyderco just flat out doesn't want to.

Like I said before, other companies that also have a lot of models and do sprint runs in non standard materials offer blade replacement. It really comes down to Spyderco not wanting to provide this service, and NOTHING else.

Personally, I know about their warranty issues with replacing blades, but I buy them anyway because I like their designs so much. You just have to make an informed decision when purchasing.

The reasons you offer are no less speculative, and no more likely to be correct, than his. Only Spyderco knows "why" they choose to conduct their business the way they do. The only things that are factual are that they do not choose to sell replacement blades and that it is not their policy to replace broken or damaged blades. If the break/damage was a warranty issue, they'd replace the knife, if possible, or offer credit at SFO if not.

 

[seedubs1]

My point was that it is Spyderco's choice. It's not because they offer too much and they "can't." Other companies offer a lot of models, do sprint runs, and seem to do just fine offering replacement blades. So Spyderco having a lot of models and sprint runs is no justification for not offering replacement blades. Bottom line is that Spyderco chooses not to.

The reasons you offer are no less speculative, and no more likely to be correct, than his. Only Spyderco knows "why" they choose to conduct their business the way they do. The only things that are factual are that they do not choose to sell replacement blades and that it is not their policy to replace broken or damaged blades. If the break/damage was a warranty issue, they'd replace the knife, if possible, or offer credit at SFO if not.

 

[MisterEwing]

My point was that it is Spyderco's choice. It's not because they offer too much and they "can't." Other companies offer a lot of models, do sprint runs, and seem to do just fine offering replacement blades. So Spyderco having a lot of models and sprint runs is no justification for not offering replacement blades. Bottom line is that Spyderco chooses not to.

I think you hit the nail on the head: it is a matter of choice. I know Spyderco's warranty policies and I chose to continue to buy and use their products, regardless. Have I taken advantage of blade replacement services from other manufactures? Yup, and both times they were great. Would I like Spyderco to offer the same type of service? Absolutely. But, at the end of the day, they don't.

At the same time I don't see the need for anyone to try to justify nor vilify Spyderco's policy by debating what the company can and can't do. I've worked a good part of my adult life in production/replacement parts inventory management and I can assure you that running a lean manufacturing environment which supplies components for both 'finished units' and after sales support is incredibly challenging; it's much more complicated than simply 'choosing' to sell more finished units instead of offering replacement components for after sales support. Ultimately there are too many variables and unknowns to conclude anything beyond: their policy is what it is.

 

[yablanowitz]

I call BS on this reasoning. KAI and Benchmade have a TON of models, and they do blade replacements or will send you a comparable knife if they can't replace the blade for a VERY small fee. So that's not a good reason at all. Spyderco should be retaining their prints, and should have no problems knocking out a new blade, or they can store extras when they do a run.

You do realize that Benchmade is about three times the size of Spyderco, right? And KAI is about ten times the size of Benchmade? And that Spyderco has a policy of constant quality improvement, meaning a blade from this year's production may or may not fit a knife from last year's production, much less something from six years ago, so they would have to custom make a new blade and fit it to the old knife, a process which would cost several times what a new knife would cost? Or do you think they should warehouse a hundred or a thousand extra blades for every production run of every model in case they make a small change to the next run? Or do you simply believe they should stop developing new models and reassign those resources to replacing blades on old knives?

Wake up and smell the coffee, people. Knives wear out. If your knife has one blade and it wears out from use, it's time for a new knife.

 

[RevDevil]

My point was that it is Spyderco's choice. It's not because they offer too much and they "can't." Other companies offer a lot of models, do sprint runs, and seem to do just fine offering replacement blades. So Spyderco having a lot of models and sprint runs is no justification for not offering replacement blades. Bottom line is that Spyderco chooses not to.

Actually Sal has mentioned in many posts that they do not have the room to stock these items. There is also the CQI (look it up for clarification) slight changes in geometries of lock bars, mating surfaces, and other areas prevent the same knife build 5 years ago to be fit with a new part that was made last week. We can speculate all day until the cows go home, but I'll take Sal's word for it.
You also cannot compare across the board the 3 companies you did because they are all much different in size and organization from one to the next.


Dammit Jack beat me to it.

 

[seedubs1]

Actually Sal has mentioned in many posts that they do not have the room to stock these items. There is also the CQI (look it up for clarification) slight changes in geometries of lock bars, mating surfaces, and other areas prevent the same knife build 5 years ago to be fit with a new part that was made last week. We can speculate all day until the cows go home, but I'll take Sal's word for it.
You also cannot compare across the board the 3 companies you did because they are all much different in size and organization from one to the next.


Dammit Jack beat me to it.

Yeah, I fully understand quality improvements that go on behind the scenes. I'm a mechanical engineer, and work for a company that does this. Most of the time, the customer isn't aware of anything happening, and changes to a product that's been selling for years are happening behind the scenes to fix small warranty claim issues. But we continue to fix things for customers, even if they send us, for example, rev 30, and we're currently producing rev 37. We just swap all parts necessary to complete the fix. Optimally, we'd do enough design validation before releasing a product that needs updates. If something does need new revisions, it's really on us, and we should have done it right the first time. So we fix it even if it means swapping more than the individual broken component in an assy.

In Sals case, all he'd have to do is replace the mating surfaces of the lock face if that was changed. If it's an expensive swap, he could inform the customer that they can either choose to pay for, let's say, a new frame lock side of the knife, or Spyderco can't fix the knife. Maybe have this as not being part of the warranty, but an extra service they offer. I for one would sure like to be able to swap a blade, especially if it's still the current gen knife they're selling, instead of just getting a hard "no."

As an example, I'd love to be able to get a new blade for my Schempp Tuff if it ever broke, even if I had to pay for a new Ti side due to a new released revision. I'd rather pay $75 for a new Ti side and blade than $200 for a whole new knife.