Rise of the Blingblades

L

Larry Turko

Joined
Oct 4, 2007
Messages
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I just recently got my mid year catalog in the mail. Kudos to Spyderco for mailing to Canada for free. Cold Steel now charges 5 bucks to mail their catalog to Canada last time I checked.
However I was less impressed with some of the catalogs contents. I really like the design of both the Mamba and the TigheStick but the focus on expensive, unneeded materials makes both knifes too costly for my liking and turns them from EDC,s into bling. I can picture some well off twerp smoking an expensive cigar, drinking expensive scotch, flashing an expensive watch and trying to impress his shallow friends with his new Mamba or TigheStick or possibly both. In their current configuration I would be embarrassed to carry either knife. It would be great if Spyderco were to bring out both knives in more utilitarian materials that appeal to those of us who actually like knives and aren't out to impress the ignorant with flashy excess.
 
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There are pleanty of affordable options. The PM2 is arguably the most popular knife Spyderco has ever made can be found for under $120, Delica's Endura's and Stretch's for well under $100, don't like FRN the Manix2 is under $100, want a hard use knife the Gayle Bradley is around $100 and loved by pretty much everyone, want a fixed blade the Bill Moran drop point is $80-90. Increase your budget to $150-200 and the list of great options gets even longer.

There is a market for "blingblades" and Spyderco is giving customers what they want. Or would you rather they just cater to cheap people?
 
Larry Turko said:
I just recently got my mid year catalog in the mail. Kudos to Spyderco for mailing to Canada for free. Cold Steel now charges 5 bucks to mail their catalog to Canada last time I checked.
However I was less impressed with some of the catalogs contents. I really like the design of both the Mamba and the TigheStick but the focus on expensive, unneeded materials makes both knifes too costly for my liking and turns them from EDC,s into bling. I can picture some well off twerp smoking an expensive cigar, drinking expensive scotch, flashing an expensive watch and trying to impress his shallow friends with his new Mamba or TigheStick or possibly both. In their current configuration I would be embarrassed to carry either knife. It would be great if Spyderco were to bring out both knives in more utilitarian materials that appeal to those of us who actually like knives and aren't out to impress the ignorant with flashy excess.
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Because everyone that buy expensive knives is a douchebag... :rolleyes:
 
Spyderco seems to me to have one of the better selections for everyone than most other companies. There's something to enjoy for the well off twerps and for those who complain about the well off twerps.
 
uofaengr said:
Spyderco seems to me to have one of the better selections for everyone than most other companies. There's something to enjoy for the well off twerps and for those who complain about the well off twerps.
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I'm more of a middle-class twerp, myself :thumbup:
 
Neither of them appeal to me, but neither one bothers me. Personally, I'm holding out for the Chinook 4 with the Powerlock, among other things.
 
johnny_boy02 said:
There are pleanty of affordable options. The PM2 is arguably the most popular knife Spyderco has ever made can be found for under $120, Delica's Endura's and Stretch's for well under $100, don't like FRN the Manix2 is under $100, want a hard use knife the Gayle Bradley is around $100 and loved by pretty much everyone, want a fixed blade the Bill Moran drop point is $80-90. Increase your budget to $150-200 and the list of great options gets even longer.

There is a market for "blingblades" and Spyderco is giving customers what they want. Or would you rather they just cater to cheap people?
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If by "cheap" you mean well made knives with utilitarian materials selling at a reasonable price like most Spyderco models then yes j-boy, I wish Spyderco would cater only to "cheap" people.
 
I think this Spyderco testing the waters with mid-tech and uber embellished knives is OK as long as they don't lose their way and forget what has made them what they are. I am confident that Sal won't let that happen so we can't be too upset at them expanding. "Something for everyone" is what I think they are going for.

Myself, I am into users and do not care too much about cutesy Ti framelocks flooding the market right now so I can see what OP is saying but what we need to look out for is what is going on with the knives THAT WE DO LIKE.... On one hand, the new Stretch and Worker's prices raise an eyebrow then the GB2's pricing saved the day for me. I know the whole pricing speech and totally understand it but I have become more selective in my purchases because of the market. Recent example is the Slyzcs Bowie, I flat out passed on it. So I hope Spyderco (continues to) find ways to reinvigor the $200 and below range...you know... For USERS like me and you ;)
 
Larry Turko said:
If by "cheap" you mean well made knives with utilitarian materials selling at a reasonable price like most Spyderco models then yes j-boy, I wish Spyderco would cater only to "cheap" people.
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Utilitarian materials? Do you even know what the word utilitarian means? It definitely doesn't mean G10 handle scales and sub-$100 pricing. What's reasonable to you, may not be reasonable to someone else. What's cheap to me, might be expensive to you. You're getting butt hurt about a non-issue.

You like the design of these two knives... Do you think cheaper materials would make them utilitarian? You want utilitarian, buy a Tenacious.

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Market forces at play. Nothing more than that.

For the pure utilitarian people, a $100 or $200 knife probably solves all needs. For the EDC crowd, a blingy knife serves another role.

I have a slightly different approach in that I appreciate the hand made details and find myself willing to pay for them in small doses.
 
Larry Turko said:
I just recently got my mid year catalog in the mail. Kudos to Spyderco for mailing to Canada for free. Cold Steel now charges 5 bucks to mail their catalog to Canada last time I checked.
However I was less impressed with some of the catalogs contents. I really like the design of both the Mamba and the TigheStick but the focus on expensive, unneeded materials makes both knifes too costly for my liking and turns them from EDC,s into bling. I can picture some well off twerp smoking an expensive cigar, drinking expensive scotch, flashing an expensive watch and trying to impress his shallow friends with his new Mamba or TigheStick or possibly both. In their current configuration I would be embarrassed to carry either knife. It would be great if Spyderco were to bring out both knives in more utilitarian materials that appeal to those of us who actually like knives and aren't out to impress the ignorant with flashy excess.
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Perhaps a bit of perspective is in order here. US street price for Spyderco's Brend/Pirela Mamba will be around $325, while a certain custom knife dealer in AZ's asking price for one of Walter Brend's custom Mambas is $1495. The same dealer has sold several Brian Tighe's customs with sculpted titanium handles similar to those on Spyderco's Tighe Stick for around $500, while its street price should come in at around $290.

Perhaps these makers only allowed Spyderco to produce their knives on the condition that they be made as true to the originals as possible, or perhaps it was Spyderco's idea because they felt there was a market for that level of quality. I have no idea how well they will sell, but as others have mentioned, there are plenty of Spyderco knives that are excellent values. But I'm sure you already know that, and your real beef is that Spyderco didn't downgrade the materials they used for these two specific knives enough for them to appeal to your wallet.
 
I don't think the pretty knives are poaching off the ugly knife turf. It's actually kind of nice to have some options besides black or stainless on the handles, and if that means the toffs have better toys than me then let them bling. Personally, I can't afford to carry a $300 knife, but I like that the rich kids are supporting the companies that make great knives in my price range. I just can't see Mr. Glesser turning his back on the people that keep coming back for his products--not many people have only one spydie, I think.
 
I'm sitting here flicking open and closed my Byrd Cara Cara2, just got it late last week. Hell of a knife, hell of a price. As I understand it, this is the utilitarian version of the Endura4. And while it'd be nifty to have a green handle, I'm happy that the Byrd brand is picking up that utilitarian side of things. Otherwise, I couldn't keep the product lines apart (e.g. Tenacious/Persistence/Resilience vs. Delica/Endura/something).

Diversification and expanding the product range - as long as quality doesn't suffer across the range - is a good thing, I think. I can't justify the cost of the Endura4, but I don't feel like I'm missing out by having the Cara Cara2. Different strokes for different folks.
 
Frankly speaking, even we don't know how a model will sell. We are gambling on every one. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

I will say that some of them are quite difficult to get to the marketplace.

sal
 
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