growing weary of the sprint run game

Better than buying "GOLD CLASS" knives. The Sprint runs are a remedy I think. But hard to keep up with. Just when you buy a good one a nicer one comes out the next week. Now your out of money and might be forced to flip the "old" Sprint run for the new. Sadly for me I swore to never sell my knives due to the regret I would have. I agree its hard to keep up. How bout some Sprint run tenacious line knives? Cheap but special.
 
If I can get one at retail, I'll go for it, but I try not to get dragged into the buying frenzy on the secondary market. My liner lock S30V Military is a fine knife without the bells and whistles and I try to focus on that. I'd much rather own a Military and a Para 2 in S30V than just one of them in some sprint run.
 
I've had good luck out of a shop but sadly they are not a BF dealer. They probably wouldn't still have the Lum tanto or the CTS-20 para2
 
A particular model is produced in a quantity intentionally insufficient to supply the market.
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Not true at all. If there were a way to accurately quantify "the market", it would have been done by now, dontcha think? Look at what happened to the Orange MIlitary and teh CPM-D2 para - people claimed that they waned a larger run, they NEEDED a larger run. Mext thing you know, the knives were sitting and sitting and sitting on shelves all across the planet. I managed to find a NIB para in D2 over a year and a half after their release. Sprint Runs entail a limited number of knives for a limited market. Not everyone wants the new steel, many could care less. Just have to be quick on the trigger nad plan ahead what knives you want to score. It's worked for me every single time (aside from the S90V Manix2 and the S90V Military), during those releases I was in deep financial problems.

Zeva said:
Just wondering but where do you guys usually get your sprint runs?
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Google works
 
The sprint run game is a bit frustrating to all involved, including Spyderco. Sal was asking for suggestions recently for suggestions on how to improve it. Can't find the thread now, but some people had good ideas. The whole idea of limited editions kind of lends itself to this frustration of not being able to find the one you want. But, it just makes it that much sweeter when you do score one.
 
powernoodle said:
...growing weary of the sprint run game.
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I hear ya, P-noodle. Got a blue Manix 2 and a Moonglow one and an M4 Military at the retail cost. Bought a grey Para 2 at the secondary market cost. Sometimes you get the bear; sometimes the bear gets you.
 
At first, sprint runs were certainly frustrating. As a newbie to knives and knife collecting, I kept discovering these great sprint run models which pre-dated my interest. Then there were the models which I missed by a few hours/days/weeks simply because I had other, more pressing matters on my mind.

I eventually gained some perspective on the issue and saw it "on the bright side". If I missed a certain sprint run, that was $xxx.xx that I could spend on other things. A wise man once told me the market will always make way for bigger and better things. For every shiny trinket that catches your eye, another will take its place. That made the sprint run issue easier to deal with, at least for me.
 
It is incredible to me that Spyderco produces so many sprints. The chances of seeing an updated version of an older model, or getting the model you like with an upgraded steel and/or handle material are pretty good compared to most other production makers dealing mostly in the one hand opening pocket clipped folder arena. There are instances when I wonder if there's a bit too much out there at a given time. Sometimes there are situations where getting a certain knife or paying a fair price for it can be difficult. However, the alternative could be a dearth of choices or a lack of listening and responding to customer demand on the company's part. I'm happy that Spyderco chooses not to go that route.
 
While I like the idea of sprint runs as an exciting way to give fans a chance to experience new ideas and new materials, I really believe the practice has wandered away from Sal's original intent. There are so many speculators out there now that a large percentage of these sprints get sucked out of the marketplace before knife "users" can get their hands on one - at least with the more popular lines like the Military, Para, Manix, etc.

I guess the solution is to find one knife you like, use it and don't worry about what you don't have.
 
I find the fact that fellow forum members use the exchange here to jack up the prices of these knives to other knife nuts here on the forums repulsive .... I personally have never juiced up the price of any knife I got at retail price , spydies , Hinderers ect... This isn't eBay !!!! Then again I won't pay inflated prices for any knife , I guess it's all just personal preference .
 
Ah, the power of the free market and the taste of the other side. Glad to see something got to you.
 
5.56 said:
It's a love hate scenario.

Should I be mad at the fact that the Manix2 that I paid $175.00 for is now worth $375.00? :D:D

manixs90v.jpg
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You shouldn't be, but I should because I'm looking for one :D.

I would love to just see a Manix 2 with a full flat grind. VG10, S30V, S35VN, 154CM, CPM154, Carpenter steel. Doesn't matter, I just want a Manix with a full flat grind.

BTW, I don't know if it was a sprint, but I was perfectly happy with my VG10 Endura FFG. Until I saw the ZDP189 model with FFG. Yep, had to have it. Great user, but am I going to be able to sharpen ZDP189?
 
RevDevil said:
Not true at all. If there were a way to accurately quantify "the market", it would have been done by now, dontcha think? Look at what happened to the Orange MIlitary and teh CPM-D2 para - people claimed that they waned a larger run, they NEEDED a larger run. Mext thing you know, the knives were sitting and sitting and sitting on shelves all across the planet. I managed to find a NIB para in D2 over a year and a half after their release. Sprint Runs entail a limited number of knives for a limited market. Not everyone wants the new steel, many could care less. Just have to be quick on the trigger nad plan ahead what knives you want to score. It's worked for me every single time (aside from the S90V Manix2 and the S90V Military), during those releases I was in deep financial problems.



Google works
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+1:thumbup:

If Spyderco were just in this for money, they would be competing with Frost Cutlery and those guys that make $5 keychain knives for a penny a piece.

I wish demand was such that it would be worth while to put S90V in regular production. At the moment however, it is not.
But we're not even talking about super steel and the limited availability of new technology, we're talking about a different colored scale with a relatively ordinary PM steel. CTS XHP isn't even on my radar as far as steel types go, some people like it, I prefer steel that will make your grinder cry for mercy.
It's times like this that I really scratch my head at people who throw money at anything just because it's scarce.
 
Per "If Spyderco were just in this for money", what do you think Spyderco is in business for? Charity?

Spyderco started as a tool company, but a number of years ago, they started to chase the collectible market. Much of their line and and most of the sprint runs are collectibles first and tools second. You should expect the prices to be high for what's hot and low for what's not. That's the collectible game. If everyone can get the "hot" items, it's not as collectible, thus a good sprint run has just enough knives to feed the frenzy, but not so many as to allow all the fish to be satiated. This drives the frenzy for the next round of collectibles. That being said, there is a risk in reprising too many old models...people may start too think their collection is being diluted and lose interest.
 
This is a friendly counter from one relatively old-timer to another. I hear you, and I share some of your frustration, but I really don't think the intent at Spyderco is to produce amounts insufficient to supply the market. As RevDevil said, it's hard to gauge the market, and the experience of the last couple of years wasn't always the way things went. I also don't think anything like half of any of these sprints get scalped - I think it's more that we are hyper-sensitive to the relatively small number that do because of the prices that people are willing to throw at them on eB@y or in BST forums...but none of that benefits Spyderco.

I would guess that the sprints make a good bit less money for Spyderco than regular production knives. Buying steel (especially) and other materials in smallish lots, then producing and shipping them in small lots, has got to eat up a lot of the profit margin.

I definitely know the feeling of "cool new steel, gotta try it, wonder if I can find one for sale and pry the cash loose " or "oh, another XHP, too bad it's a sprint, better bust my butt to try to get my hands on one before they're all gone." :(

Random rumblings... ;) :confused: :rolleyes: :foot:

powernoodle said:
I love my Spydies, and own more than my fair share. Have one in my pocket 5 out of 7 days. But this sprint run thing is growing old. A particular model is produced in a quantity intentionally insufficient to supply the market. And half the sprint run buyers flip the knife for a quick $100 profit. I'm after the brown Military. I'm sure that someone would like to take my money. But nooooooo.

I understand that its a marketing thing, and the purpose of a manufacturing company is to make money. I get it. Busse is the King when it comes to stirring up the customer base with limited production and creating demand. But for the consumer, sometimes its not so fun.

I'm just saying.

Edit: and if I am able to score a brown Military, I'll be saying "ain't sprint runs the greatest thing ever?" :)
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I missed the Brown military because of other issues, but in return I did snag a BD30P manix 2 and a cat for my friend, it's my first manix 2 too. Win some lose some?
 
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The whole sprint topic is a tough one...generates more heat than light, I think. One thing I know: if Spyderco did fewer sprints, there'd be a whole lot less pressure on the budget. :eek: :D I can put a precise date on when I got the sprint bug under my skin: the release of the S90V Manix 2. Not only have I bought too many that have been released since then, I went back and bought some that had been released before that (S90V Military, CPM-D2 Military and ParaMilitary, for example). And the end result is that I've got more great knives than I could use in three lifetimes... :o
 
i am not a fan of the sprint run game.... ive searched high and low for sprints only to sell them off and realize that i was looking for something more. the only one ive kept is my s90v military. It pushed me to realize that i wanted something more out of my knives, therefore drastically changing what spyderco offerings are to my liking. This list is now limited to the ppt, military, and the upcoming tuff
 
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