Do you think Spyderco is wrong?

D

DGG

Joined
May 3, 2005
Messages
2,293
The rumor is that Spyderco intends to remove the words/names "Police", and "Military" and "Para-Military" from the blades of these versions of their knives so as not to offend someone. I don't know what the problem is but it was mentioned that the owner had to testify in court about the knives' names for some reason.

Anyone hear anything about this? Are they discontinuing these Police and Military models?

http://spyderco.com/catalog/details.php?product=167
 
I've seen some new Millie models without the words on the blade. I'm for it. Too hardcore wannabe for me. Even if I were in the Military, I don't think it would be any cooler because a blade said Military on it. Just me.
 
I would think they are doing it to open up their consumer base. A good example is guys I knew in the Army who would not buy a knife if it had another branch of service on it - a Ka-Bar with USMC on the blade or a SOG Seal 2000. I am sure some potential buyers would be put off buying a knife with "Military" or "Police" on it if they were never in the Military or a Police Officer. If you take the Corvette name badges off a Corvette it is still a Corvette.
 
I have no problem with discontinuing putting the name on the blade.
 
There was a thread about this on the Spyderco forums. I haven't seen anything indicating that it was about "offending" people, other than some speculation.

My guess is they're removing the stamping because:

1) A lot of people don't like words stamped on their blades. A lot.
2) A knife with the word "Police" or "Military" on it could be seen more as a weapon
3) I agree with Halfneck - expanding the market of this knife
 
My memory on this is foggy, but IIRC, a Harvard student was convicted of murder -- he killed someone with a Spyderco Military. I believe the prosecutor used the name of the knife to support an argument that the student was carrying the knife as a weapon. I'm not sure but I think that Spyderco's owner, Sal Glesser, either testified or provided a statement in that case.
 
KeithAM said:
My memory on this is foggy, but IIRC, a Harvard student was convicted of murder -- he killed someone with a Spyderco Military. I believe the prosecutor used the name of the knife to support an argument that the student was carrying the knife as a weapon.
Click to expand...
He provides an excellent example of what not to do while carrying a knife.
IIRC, the Military and Police are named for the purpose Mr. Glessar had in mind when designing them. I don't see anything wrong with those names but I see that other ignorant people who think of the armed services as ninjas running around stabbing everything might have an objection. Unfortunately a lot of these people probably find their way into law school or juries.
I don't like large words on blades. A small stamp with the model name is fine.
 
KeithAM said:
My memory on this is foggy, but IIRC, a Harvard student was convicted of murder -- he killed someone with a Spyderco Military. I believe the prosecutor used the name of the knife to support an argument that the student was carrying the knife as a weapon. I'm not sure but I think that Spyderco's owner, Sal Glesser, either testified or provided a statement in that case.
Click to expand...

Not sure if Sal G. testified, but the rest you are right about, I watched a good part of the trial on Court TV, but missed Sal.

The student was drunk, had words with some poeple in a car on the curb, walked away from the car, but then went back and started up asecond round of conflict, got jumped and stabbed one of the others 5 times and killed him, then called the cops and lied and said he was just a witness to it, went home and hid the knife in his house. Got caught later.

Moron.

But on the topic at hand, I would prefer not to have "POLICE" or "MILITARY" on a knife I was carrying either.
 
DGG said:
Do you think Spyderco is wrong?
Click to expand...

I don't think there is a "right" or "wrong" to this decision. It's just a business decision, like what color handle to put on a particular model. Putting the Spyderco "Spydie" logo on the blade, together with the round opening hole, serves well for brand identification.

Personally I don't buy a Spyderco knife based on the model name or whether it is engraved on the blade/handle/etc. My decision is based on design, materials, clip orientation - things that affect performance or use.

David
 
I have no problem with writing on blades, really. Some do, I don't. If Spyderco removes this to expand the market, that's way cool. A very smart move. If they are doing it to appear more PC, then I'm not to wild about it. Frankly, the people that would object to having a knife that says "Police" on it, are the same people that will object to a blade over 2.5" anyway.
But Sal knows what he's doing.
 
sometimes it dosent even have to do with the name thats printed on the knife, but the name itself.

if someone gets prosecuted for posessing a knife as a weapon, procecutors will dig up the name of the knife, and if it has got a violent name the procecutor has struck gold.

having a knife named the "delica" or "rescue" may not help you but it sure wont hurt you
 
I don't think it's a good idea to put aggressive names on knives. A lot of people have been arguing that it looks unnecessarily bad, and that a prosecutor would eventually use the name against a defedent who had used the knife in righteous self defense (although I don't know if that's the case here). Very good idea to re-name the knives or take the names off completely.
 
I hate the idea of changing a WORD for the sake of appeasing frightened morons, but at the same time I think the whole "police" and "military" thing is corny and wannabe-ish. It may be a good knife, but it's just a knife.

Maybe Spyderco will let me send my POLICE model in and switch it for something a private citizen is allowed to carry.
 
Joe Talmadge said:
I don't think it's a good idea to put aggressive names on knives. A lot of people have been arguing that it looks unnecessarily bad, and that a prosecutor would eventually use the name against a defedent who had used the knife in righteous self defense (although I don't know if that's the case here). Very good idea to re-name the knives or take the names off completely.
Click to expand...



If you ever had to use a knife in defense of yourself or others and your attorney let the prosecution sail that one by he probably advertises on the side of a bus.

If we followed that same logic then someone driving a Dodge Ram is more likely to be in an accident. Or I could claim my Ford Explorer gives me the right to trespass on private property.
:D
 
I've generally avoided knives with names on the blades. Especially aggressive ones that could be used against you in a court of law. It doesn't bother me at all to see the logos disappear altogether.
 
I think it is a very sensible decision to make. Whether you disagree with appeasing the PC crowd or not, if you're up in court they are likely to make up a large proportion (if not all!) of the jury.

IMHO this reduces the likelihood that responsible knife users get tarred with the 'Mall Ninja' image that we are all desperately trying to get away from.
 
How about this one.....

You come home and find an intruder, all you have available to defend yourself is the softball bat you were just using at practice. The manufacturer labels this bat as the "MANIAC".

Legal problems in the making?

maniac484.gif
 
Knifeclerk said:
I have no problem with writing on blades, really. Some do, I don't. If Spyderco removes this to expand the market, that's way cool. A very smart move. If they are doing it to appear more PC, then I'm not to wild about it. Frankly, the people that would object to having a knife that says "Police" on it, are the same people that will object to a blade over 2.5" anyway.
But Sal knows what he's doing.
Click to expand...

:thumbup: agreed
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top