I don't want to get in the middle of the back and forth of this thread, but I do want to voice my opinion. I've owned Spyderco knives for about 15 years. I've been a member of the factory forums since 2004. In all the time I've been following and "collecting" Spyderco knives, they've always been a "small" company, and they've taken very deliberate steps to remain one.
I've received "free" clips from BM, and I've received free parts of all sorts from CRKT and Kershaw (they'll send out almost anything except blades, handle scales, and liners). I've purchased new clips for my knives from Spyderco as well. As for warranty service, I won't go into experiences with other makers here as this is not the place to discuss such things. But, on the occasions I've had to deal with Spyderco's customer service, they have been courteous and professional, and they've always resolved everything to my satisfaction. For a lot of reasons, Spyderco is the brand you'll find in my pocket every day, and I mean every day. It's the knife in my glove compartment and the knife in my toolbox. It's the knife in my wife's nightstand (still haven't convinced her to carry all the time yet) and the first one I'll give to my (future) child.
There are some strong benefits to a company that has remained small like Spyderco. One is the company's ability to interact with their customers through things like these forums and give them what they want. When I joined the Spyderco Forum in 2004, I started a thread with a thought on the old FRN lightweight models. It brought some interesting response, but I was surprised when the 4th reply to my thread came from Sal Glesser himself. The idea that the owner and head of my favorite knife company cared what I had to say about their products was awe-inspring. Right now, there's a thread on the factory forum that poses a poll on a future sprint run. If it generates enough interest, I have no doubts they will make it. We, the fans, get what we want from Spyderco in a way that, IMO, no other manufacturer delivers. However, one aspect of this kind of company that could be perceived negatively is that their operating budget doesn't always allow for "freebies" or "hand-outs" like pocket clips and other things. At the end of the day, the question is whether you're willing to pay that price to do business with a company like Spyderco. Personally, I pay it gladly.