My first trip to the Spydie Outlet - an ode to joy

M

MG_Saldivar

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Feb 5, 2005
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I moved to the Denver area from my native Texas a couple of years ago to attend graduate school. As a graduate student, I'm chronically broke. As a knife collector, I longed to go to the Spyderco Outlet and let my credit card scorch the earth.

Dilemma.


After two years of waiting and months of scrimping, I had a respectable wad I could take into the Spyder lair. Today was the day.

I took the scenic route from my north-central Denver metro home to the Spydie Outlet (18 miles one way) in order to drive through a part of town I'd never before seen. Mistake. The clear Colorado sky, the still snow-capped peaks west of town, the verdant foothills of Golden... All were wasted on me.

All I could keep thinking was Spyderco Outlet Spyderco Outlet Spyderco Outlet Spyderco Outlet Spyderco Outlet...

I pulled into the surprisingly unassuming office park that is Spyderco World HQ. Only two other cars were in the parking lot. Immediately I became suspicious.

Did I misread the Spydie Web page? I asked myself. They're not open on Saturdays. I'll be shut out, left to press my nose against the window in silent longing like Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate. Spyderco Outlet Spyderco Outlet Spyderco Outlet...

Quickly, I realized that the good citizens of Denver, despite their many charms, simply are not as inclined to make the pilgrimage to Golden as are we Spyderco fans. Their loss.

On trembling legs, I staggered up the steps to the building entrance. The sign read "SPYDERCO OUTLET STORE <--." My lower lip quavered. I felt a tear gathering itself in the corner of my eye. Would I unman myself by crying now, at my moment of supreme joy?

Sal would understand, I thought. The salty tear fell.

I walked into the store. My head began to hurt -- I realized that my eyes were literally bugging out of my head.

50+ feet of glass-topped counter filled to the brim with Spyderco and Byrd knives. Fixed blades. Folders. Liner locks. Lockbacks. Ball locks. Wire clips. Solid clips. Clip points. Drop points.

Nirvana.




The new additions to my collection...
Byrd Robin, Caly 3 CF/ZDP, and "seconds" turquoise Kopa
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My new primary EDC!
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I defy you to find the "second" aspects of this Kopa! :D
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Great story!!

I am jealous. I long to visit the Spyderco Outlet some day. Thanks for sharing with us.

Great choice of knives. I have the CF Caly 3 and it is by far my favorite Spydie!

Cheers,
Mike
 
I shed a tear reading this story! :p nice scores , i will definitely make a pilgrimage to the SFO one of these days! :)
 
Now we know why he picked Denver for grad school ... notice among all the detail, all the emotion, all the travelogue! he tells us NOTHING about his grad school :p

Fifty feet of counter space for Spydies. Mmmmmm.
 
I'm glad your visit worked out better than mine ;)

I went along with my girlfriend to visit her son and his family (and discovered it is possible to become "Grandpa" without getting married or having kids :D ). My one request for the 3500+ mile trip was a stop at the SFO. Unfortunately, we arrived in Golden at 11:00 p.m. Saturday night, and we both had to be at work by 8:00 a.m. Monday :rolleyes:

At least I got to see the outside :o
 
Might be bragging a little bit, but i handled the kopas that were labeled as seconds. all three had very small cracks in the inlays. i believe this is one of them.

But yes, there are a lot of spyderco's to handle. i try to go out about once a month or so, and it wouldn't surprise me if more people started trekking out to the SFO, now that the weather is great
 
Great story Saldivar.

I don't think I'll be visiting the Spyderco Outlet any time soon, but at least I could enjoy a "visit" through your POV.

Congrats on your purchases, BTW.
 
that g10 robin is the best knife of the three inmop. the g10 robin, with its price, is one of the best spyderco/byrd knives ever made.
 
As far as I could tell, their prices are reduced relative to MSRP. I saw some knives priced competitively with eBay sellers and online retailers, and others that were more expensive.

I don't know if I'd get EVERY knife from the outlet even if I could afford it just because there are a couple of small businesspeople I like to support, but I'll say this -- being able to pick through several of one model to make sure I got the 'best' one was VERY nice. :D

(Not that I was wading through 'bad' knives but like most collectors, I get a 'feeling' from certain knives.)

Also, while I was there, I was EDCing my Meerkat and the gentleman who helped me out with my purchases touched up the Meerkat's blade for me for free while I browsed. I also walked out with the new Spydie/Byrd catalog that I can flip through 'til the new one comes out next year...


(Thanks to the kind and PATIENT staff of the Outlet Store for letting me paw through the merchandise. :o )
 
Thanks for the cool story and congratulations on your new fine acquisitions. Enjoy them, they are as handy as good looking.
 
Your descriptiveness is fantastic. I can completely picture Dustin Hoffman crying and shaking walking up the Spyderco building steps. You're probably lucky someone didn't panic and called the EMTS or brought you a tissue and a glass of water. LOL-:D Thanks for the great tale and for your patronage as well!

Joyce @ Spyderco
 
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