Question to Sal about the Rock Lobster

[Wavester]

....or to whoever is in the know.

Curious - why was the Rock Lobster designed without steel liners in the handle? I was looking over my modest collection today - and seeing how many Spyderco knives have steel liners, especially the Sprint Runs (granted sans my Para). To me it seems like it would have balanced the knife out better. I was thinking the reply might be to save costs - but I would understand that if the steel that was going to be used was S30v or higher I could understand - but unless I am mistaken VG-10 is not *that* expensive since it is used in a lot of Spydies that command 1/2 of what the RL asks for in price.

Now, I don't mean to say the knife is a bad knife - but to me when you weigh in the factor of steel choice, price, and no steel liners, it doesn't add up. In my humble opinion only, unless development costs of this knife were so much so that the added cost had to be pushed off on the consumer, the RL should be priced say along the lines of a FG Para or or even the Orange Millie. I was dying to get this knife, and even though I really cannot afford it, I did...but with all the factors mentioned above, I am going to sell/return it. I love the knife, but the price point needs to be much lower IMO.

Hopefully Spyderco will come out with a RL-2 that addresses what I am saying above and is a little more affordable

 

[monsterdog]

The Rock Lobster has nested steel liners throughout the full length of the handle, they are not as tall as the handle though (they follow the curve of the liner lock), but I would consider them full nested liners.

 

[Sal Glesser]

Hi Wavester,

Jens Anso said that he would like his Rock Lobster design to be made with nested steel liners. That means the liners are there, they are just "hidden" in a fitted pocket in the scales of the knife. The nesting of liners adds considerable cost to the manufacture of a folding knife because the material must be individually milled out to accomodate the liners.

The scales of the Rock Lobster are made from our "custom" Foliage green G-10, made in the USA and shipped to Seki-City, Japan.

Hope that explains some of the high cost of manufacture.

sal

 

[Wavester]

Thanks for taking the time to reply Mr. Glesser and explaining everything to me. Does Spyderco plan to put out a Rock Lobster 2? Say maybe even a RL FRN?

Hi Wavester,

Jens Anso said that he would like his Rock Lobster design to be made with nested steel liners. That means the liners are there, they are just "hidden" in a fitted pocket in the scales of the knife. The nesting of liners adds considerable cost to the manufacture of a folding knife because the material must be individually milled out to accomodate the liners.

The scales of the Rock Lobster are made from our "custom" Foliage green G-10, made in the USA and shipped to Seki-City, Japan.

Hope that explains some of the high cost of manufacture.

sal

 

[ericb445]

This is awesome to actually talk with one of the head guys at a great company, man where else can you go for that kind of great service.

Keep up the great work at Spyderco

 

[Josh K]

Hi Wavester,

Jens Anso said that he would like his Rock Lobster design to be made with nested steel liners. That means the liners are there, they are just "hidden" in a fitted pocket in the scales of the knife. The nesting of liners adds considerable cost to the manufacture of a folding knife because the material must be individually milled out to accomodate the liners.

The scales of the Rock Lobster are made from our "custom" Foliage green G-10, made in the USA and shipped to Seki-City, Japan.

Hope that explains some of the high cost of manufacture.

sal

Are the scales milled in Golden or milled and fitted in Seki-City? Overseas shipping would be expensive, that and the millie. The paramilitary has nested liners too.

This is awesome to actually talk with one of the head guys at a great company, man where else can you go for that kind of great service.

Keep up the great work at Spyderco

No where, except maybe the Strider forum on USN or the Busse forum here. It is great to get answers straight from the top, if only more companies had Spyderco's business philosophies. :thumbup: