Lamenting the Wegner Jr.

J

jeffj

Joined
Apr 8, 1999
Messages
439
I just have to say that the Wegner Jr. is my favorite carry. SAL...will you ever resurrect it? I have the BM 705 and a small Sebenza (both of which I like) but I still prefer the design of the Wegner. In fact, I would say with these modification, it would be the my ideal all-round knife:

1. flat-ground blade (I know that hollow looks better but I want function)
2. BG-42 steel blade (60 RC, like this stuff)
3. new lock (prefer axis lock, but will settle for a SpyderLock when available)
4. screw construction (lose the rivets so I can clean it)

Leave everything else unchanged.

Maybe the new year will bring about new customer sympathy at Spyderco. Pity me Sal.
smile.gif


Does anybody like the Wegner Jr.?

jj

[This message has been edited by jeffj (edited 31 December 1999).]
 
I really like the Wegner ,jr. I love the full size version. Rumor has it that Tim Wegner is trying to work out a deal with Spyderco to continue making them, but for Tim's company Bladetech. In which case they could still be found, probably at a higher price. I haven't heard any updates lately though.

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Dennis Bible
 
It is my favorite production >3" folder from any maker. My wife loves hers. I think that the high cost of such a small knife killed it because it's materials and design is first-rate. It is a shame to see it go but customers dictate product lines. Voting with their dollar. I just figured that I'd have to pick up a couple more, one for me and another for the wife.


 
Sal, Gotta go with these guys, bring it back! The Wegners are two of my all time favorites. I've been buying one - two knives per month for six or eight months now, expanding my collection. And I've gotta say, something is taking a back seat next month, I'm buying two more Wegners!
smile.gif
 
It wasn't the high cost that killed this fine little knife, it was the discounters. The mainstream dealers wouldn't reorder them because the price had been driven down to the point that we couldn't sell them and make a decent margin. That killed the sales.

We are not going to sell an item if we can't meet overhead costs and make a profit. That's what business is all about.

Instead of capturing the market they destroyed it.

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Dennis Wright
Wright Knife & Sporting Goods
(Buy a knife...confuse a liberal)
La Mesa, CA
1-800-400-1980
wrightknife@ixpres.com

 
Why this knife though? I see many others that get no mention anywhere ever, let alone a following live on. Without the pocket clip the Wegner jr. is the perfect pocket knife IMHO. I was surprised to see this model get axed since I know a few people with one. Oh well, onward and upward to better sub-3" Spyderco designs.
 
I agree 100% with Jeffj. I have two of the jrs (and one senior) and love them both. The overall design is excellent. Great knives!



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Hoodoo

No, I do not weep at the world--I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife.
Zora Neale Hurston

Oversharpen the blade, and the edge will soon blunt.
Lao Tsu
 
I agree 100% with Jeffj. I have two of the jrs (and one senior) and love them both. The overall design is excellent. Great knives!



------------------
Hoodoo

No, I do not weep at the world--I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife.
Zora Neale Hurston

Oversharpen the blade, and the edge will soon blunt.
Lao Tsu
 
Jeffj if I may: Axis lock/ BG 42 would increase the cost overall. And there would be a need for a great enough demand. Flat grind? Well, both Wegner and Jrs cut pretty well with its thin hollow grind. Sal has answered to the rivets/ screws question. His experience is that the rivets are much stronger than screws for this particular application. Perhaps oversized screws? Hmmm...

L8r,
Nakano
 
Buck learned the lesson about rivets vs screws a few years ago with the original 560 titanium handle. It was a screwed together model that folks could take apart and clean. They got so many back from people who took them apart and couldn't get them back together right that they switched over to rivets.

I also agree that this knife should remain. I like it just the way it is. A flat grind wouldn't add any function to the blade and would reduce it's strength. The lock is as strong as it needs to be and the fit is such that it is totally reliable. I wouldn't change anything.

I also think the size is perfect for pocket carry. I would be inclined to remove the clip and just drop it into my pocket. Lets hope that Tim and Sal can work something out and keep this one around.

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Dennis Wright
Wright Knife & Sporting Goods
(Buy a knife...confuse a liberal)
La Mesa, CA
1-800-400-1980
wrightknife@ixpres.com

 
I wouldn't be for replacing the original, just coming out with a new twist on an old theme. Keep the old but try something new and slightly different but based on a solid performer.

I'm not sure I follow the reasoning on the desire for rivets. It appears to be a benefit for the company but is it somehow a benefit for the consumer? My BM 705 Axis is small and I've had it apart several times. My personal preference is for the ability to tweak my knives and to be able to clean them thoroughly. Difficult to do if they are riveted. But...the riveted Wengers I own are so solid and smooth they haven't needed a bit of tweaking. I guess if you make 'em right, then you don't have to mess with them.
smile.gif


------------------
Hoodoo

No, I do not weep at the world--I am too busy sharpening my oyster knife.
Zora Neale Hurston

Oversharpen the blade, and the edge will soon blunt.
Lao Tsu
 
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