I had a Roady, from right after it was released, and I couldn't get in it sharp. I'm a pretty good sharpener so I figured the steel was bad. So I went to the Spyderco store in Golden and asked if they had any problems with tempering on that model. She tried sharpening it and I demonstrated its dullness by trying shave hair on my arm and she flipped out. I guess you can't do that in their store. Gets all over the carpet?!? I left it there with them to see if they could sharpen and came back a week later and the service department couldn't get a sharpie either. I had brought piece of Styrofoam with me and asked to see a new roadie. The new Roady cut Styrofoam. My old Roadie wouldn't. While I was talking to her I was spinning the blade on the counter, just fidgeting. That (different) customer service person flipped out. "You don't have to spin your knife at me!" Its a tiny knife and no where near her! finally had to get a manager who admitted the knife was not sharp. At first he said they were not able to get it sharp because it had been sharpened down to the thick part of the knife. I only shoppened it once on a Spyderco sharpener!
Finally he gave me a new knife and it does cut Styrofoam.
I got the feeling there is a morale problem there. I recognized it from when I was working in printing. If the the pay was low or benefits were cut people were grumpy.
In past visits, if Sal happened to be downstairs, customer service people always look nervous and I've noticed a high turnover. I have been following in buying Spyderco knives since the mid-80s and the last catalog they put out was like the pinnacle of excellence. The best knife company in the world, I thought! But if the culture is suffering so will quality. Good attitudes and moral start at the top and without good employees you are nothing.
Finally he gave me a new knife and it does cut Styrofoam.
I got the feeling there is a morale problem there. I recognized it from when I was working in printing. If the the pay was low or benefits were cut people were grumpy.
In past visits, if Sal happened to be downstairs, customer service people always look nervous and I've noticed a high turnover. I have been following in buying Spyderco knives since the mid-80s and the last catalog they put out was like the pinnacle of excellence. The best knife company in the world, I thought! But if the culture is suffering so will quality. Good attitudes and moral start at the top and without good employees you are nothing.
