Chokwe @ SFO.

5.56 said:
Oh I fully understand the politics involved and the US relations with Taiwan.

My thinking is, if people buy it, they'll continue to make it.

If you want to see more USA Spydies, then support them. If you want to see more Chinese and Taiwan Spydies, then support them.

I personally would like to see more American Spydies, and that's just my preference. YMMV;)
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Exactly... He's prejudiced against us with the idea that we're prejudiced against knives being made in china/taiwan because we don't like china/taiwan... lol
 
How anyone choses to spend their money is their own business, but trying to cloak blind prejudice with noble motives is another matter.

The truth is, the best way to insure there are more Golden made Spydercos in the future, is to make current models, regardless of where they're manufactured, successful. The simple fact is that the Golden made Spydercos of today only exist because the Worker, Mariner, Hunter, Executive, Standard, Police, Harpy, CoPilot, Endura, Delica, and Rescue - all made in Japan, were successful.

I think having relationships with quality makers in several countries is a wise course of action for Spyderco to follow, since it insulates them to the greatest extent possible against localized economic and political problems and natural disasters.

As for the Chokwe. I have not handled one, and don't really plan to, as it's not a knife I have any interest in. Handed lock, asymetrical materials, G-10, no choil - exactly the same reasons I passed on the Leafstorm. But, if it's made to the same level of quality as the two versions of the Sage and the Terzuola SlipIt, then I am sure it is a high quality knife. Speaking of the Leafstorm, it would be interesting to hear how it compares to the Chokwe in terms of fit and finish from an unbiased person who has both.

Paul
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My Personal Website - - - - - - A Beginners Guide to Spyderco Collecting - - - - - - Kiwimania
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Spyderco Collector # 043 - - WTC # 1458 - 1504 - 1508 - Never Forget, Never Forgive!
It's easy to grin when your ship comes in and good fortune and fame are your lot, but the man worthwhile is the man who can smile with his shorts twsited up in a knot. - Morey Amsterdam
 
Obviously I can't comment on the Chokwe, but I can tell you fit and finish on the Leafstorm is superb. I would say probably the best out of any Spydie I have owned. The only thing that I would change is the finish on the clip, a satin Ti look would have been an improvement.

Leafstorm.jpg

Leafstorm2.jpg
 
5.56 said:
My thinking is, if people buy it, they'll continue to make it.

If you want to see more USA Spydies, then support them. If you want to see more Chinese and Taiwan Spydies, then support them.

I personally would like to see more American Spydies, and that's just my preference. YMMV;)
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I don't know if that is true. :confused: If I recall correctly, when Spyderco started, they didn't have an American manufacturing facility. It was because people were willing to buy their models that were made overseas that allowed them to open a facility in this country.

Don't get me wrong, I am all for buying American and don't fault anybody for choosing not to buy products made overseas.

I just don't know if the thought process in the above quote is quite correct. Personally I tend to think that if I buy a Spyderco, regardless of where it is actually assembled, I am still supporting an American company.

Just some food for thought.

Edit: Just read The Deacon's post and realized that he already said pretty much the same thing. Sorry.
 
Deacon and Ginshun said:
...
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So if nobody buys the Taiwan and China models, Spyderco will still make them?

I think not. That is my point.:cool:
 
The fit and finish on each of the Taiwanese Spydercos I own is magnificent. I have two Walker Sages, two RIL Sages and a Chokwe. Since I'm a global consumer all I care about is quality and the quality of these knives is world class. I can't imagine not owning the Sage RIL's. I think it's one of Sal's best knives personally.
 
We are all supporting American companies when we buy their goods that they have now moved from being manufactured in the USA to elsewhere. We just are not supporting the American worker. The companies make the dollars, but the common working man here does not.
I have very little choice on many goods I buy as to country of manufacture. Many like shoes, tires and electronics are nearly, if not impossible to find made in the USA now.
Knives you still can find made in the USA and if a person chooses to support the American working man by limiting his or her purchases to those, more power to them.
After all a knife is not something we have to buy(in most cases), we buy them because we like them and that is all the more reason to spend your money where you see fit.
 
5.56 said:
So if nobody buys the Taiwan and China models, Spyderco will still make them?

I think not. That is my point.:cool:
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If they don't sell, the model would just die. I can't imagine them starting to make a model in the US because the foreign made one fails to sell.

The only thing that not buying the foreign made models accomplishes, is that is deprives and American company of profits, and sets the stage for less knife models to be produced in general. What is the good in that?

I don't know, honestly, I dont' want to hijack the thread though, so I will drop it.
 
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I don't think it's a hijack, it's a relevant topic regarding the origin of manufacture of the Chokwe. And the OP asked if we bought one.

Everything about this knife sounds good, S30v, Ti, RIL, but the Taiwan part is a deal breaker for me, and probably for many others as well.

It's an important detail people should know before they spend $219.95 MSRP
 
The Deacon said:
How anyone choses to spend their money is their own business, but trying to cloak blind prejudice with noble motives is another matter.
...

As for the Chokwe. I have not handled one, and don't really plan to, as it's not a knife I have any interest in. Handed lock, asymetrical materials, G-10, no choil - exactly the same reasons I passed on the Leafstorm. But, if it's made to the same level of quality as the two versions of the Sage and the Terzuola SlipIt, then I am sure it is a high quality knife. Speaking of the Leafstorm, it would be interesting to hear how it compares to the Chokwe in terms of fit and finish from an unbiased person who has both.
...
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Nothing wrong with blind prejudice, since many decisions are made by everyone based on them daily. I don't buy "store brands" of canned goods, for example.

The Chokwe has a small "finger choil", at least as much of one as the Military has.

I have a Chokwe and Leafstrom that I'm giving a carry try to. So far, I like the knives and the Leafstrom has a running chance of being placed in my "office EDC" rotation.

Both knives appear to have the same level of build quality. Fit and finish are what I expect for the price, better than some of my knives that cost me as much. Only "major" issue on the Chokwe is a minor un-even grind noticeable by a crescent at the top of a grind line by the "Spydie hole". I've seen worse and that is an area I've seen "screwed up" on other knives - must be difficult to grind I guess.
 
5.56 said:
So if nobody buys the Taiwan and China models, Spyderco will still make them?

I think not. That is my point.:cool:
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First, when did China come into this, You are one of the (thankfully) rare few who equates them and Taiwan.

Second, although I'm certain it displeases you, the first version of the Sage did well enough to encourage Spyderco not only to go ahead with the second variation in that series, but also the Terzuola, Chokwe, and now the Chicago and Cat. :p And who do you think the big loser would have been if your wish had come true? The Taiwanese maker? Hell no. Spyderco would have taken the hit.

Would Spyderco still make any model if it sells poorly, of course not. Would they still continue to have knives built in Taiwan, if one of the models made there sells poorly? I'm sure they would. After all the T-Mag debacle did not convince them to close the Golden plant.

Thankfully, most of Spyderco's customers are intelligent enough to know a well designed, well made, knife when they handle it. Both versions of the Sage have earned, I repeat earned, high praise for their fit and finish, and not in a "great work for Taiwan" way, but in a "damn fine work for anywhere on the planet" way. I see no reason to think the Chokwe will not do the same. I know I'm eagerly awaiting the mid-lock version of the Sage.

Paul
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My Personal Website - - - - - - A Beginners Guide to Spyderco Collecting - - - - - - Kiwimania
Dead horses beaten, sacred cows tipped, chimeras hunted when time permits.
Spyderco Collector # 043 - - WTC # 1458 - 1504 - 1508 - Never Forget, Never Forgive!
It's easy to grin when your ship comes in and good fortune and fame are your lot, but the man worthwhile is the man who can smile with his shorts twsited up in a knot. - Morey Amsterdam
 
I think country of origin is only important if you are ignorant to todays manufacturing processes. Take a chokwe and a millie and I bet most people would consider the chokwe a higher quality knife, I know all of the people I have shown both to think so. Where do the raw materials for these knives come from? Just because it says USA made doesn't mean its 100% USA material. Same with Taiwan made products.

Lets take a look at GM. Their cars say made in the USA, ok, yes, they are put together here, but where did all the parts come from? That's right, Mexico, China, Japan.

USA made does not mean 100% USA. Its a global economy, no matter what you buy, part of that money is going to see other countries.
 
orthogonal1 said:
The Chokwe has a small "finger choil", at least as much of one as the Military has.
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This is just untrue. The Military has a finger choil, while the Chokwe has more of a finger guard for choking up. Big difference between the two IMO.
 
The Deacon said:
You are one of the (thankfully) rare few who equates them and Taiwan.
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Wrong.

I do not equate Taiwan to China. One is a staunch ally of many years, the other is not. I was simply citing another example to emphasize a point, I could have used Japan or Italy also in this case.

And this discussion has nothing to do with quality. I have said it before, I'll say it again, Spyderco knives are of the highest quality no matter where they're made. I'll think Deacon's brand loyalty has shown this.

Maybe I just have too much pride in my country.

I'm dropping the issue.
 
amen74 said:
This is just untrue. The Military has a finger choil, while the Chokwe has more of a finger guard for choking up. Big difference between the two IMO.
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Well, that is why we opinions. You are incorrect.:D

No difference between the two as far as I can tell.
 
I just looked at pics of both knives.

Military has a choil, Chokwe does not.

Thats my opinion.
 
I have a Military and a Chokwe in hand.

But if you say there is no "finger choil", then Spyderco must have wasted money on jimping on the non-existant "choil".

Can't convice everyone.
 
Can't speak for anyone else, but when I say the Chokwe, and some other Spyderco knives, have no choil, I mean only that they do not have a usable 50/50 choil, which some Spyderco models including the Military and Sage possess, and which I prefer my knives to have. By a strict definition of the term yes, the Chokwe does have a choil.

Paul
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My Personal Website - - - - - - A Beginners Guide to Spyderco Collecting - - - - - - Kiwimania
Dead horses beaten, sacred cows tipped, chimeras hunted when time permits.
Spyderco Collector # 043 - - WTC # 1458 - 1504 - 1508 - Never Forget, Never Forgive!
It's easy to grin when your ship comes in and good fortune and fame are your lot, but the man worthwhile is the man who can smile with his shorts twsited up in a knot. - Morey Amsterdam
 
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