Sage 1 more expensive than PM2?

[dkblade]

I edited my comment above to add a little about the sage. Decided the PM2 was just too "tactical" for my current taste so, sage v pm2 became regular mini grip v sage.

I had a ritter grip I loved and lost. I thought the benchmade would have better customer service/warranty, be more comfortable in the pocket, open/close faster and easier, and I liked the blade shape better. But the spyderco won out because I felt the ergos in use would be better because of the choils similar to the ones on the native I liked and the thumb ramp. Also because I dislike valox/frn at the price point of the bm, sage's open construction, and better overall aesthetics of the sage.

Spyderco suffers from tall knives. I guess it's a trade off for having the best opening system out there. I would say out of all my knives my sage has the best overall action...the lock has absolutely zero stick, the blade has perfect centering, the scales are milled to perfection, and it just looks great. The clip is excellent in the pocket and disappears, but if I don't tighten it down to the point of almost stripping the screw the wire will shift side to side within the scale slightly. One thing, do you notice yours is harder to open than your other knives? I tried to adjust the pivot to loosen it up and it significantly uncentered the blade. I have it perfectly centered right now but it takes more thumb pressure than any of my other knives to open. Maybe this is by design.

 

[chickenfried]

Yeah the blade doesn't exactly shoot out. I'm going to leave it alone and hopefully it wears in. But I've been carrying around an old timey slip joint for ~ the past year so just being able to open my knife one handed is a plus .

One thing, do you notice yours is harder to open than your other knives? I tried to adjust the pivot to loosen it up and it significantly uncentered the blade. I have it perfectly centered right now but it takes more thumb pressure than any of my other knives to open. Maybe this is by design.

 

[dkblade]

... But I've been carrying around an old timey slip joint for ~ the past year so just being able to open my knife one handed is a plus .

Right. We're all spoiled as hell these days

EDIT I've carried mine for about 6 months on and off and it's just as stiff as it was but thanks to the Spidey hole it still flips open with the right motion. It's a great knife. Enjoy!

 

[Eodjuggernaut]

You're making several false assumptions:
1) There's no reason why a knife from Taiwan should inherently cost less than one from Golden Colorado USA Earth. Exchange rates, shipping costs, etc.


So if it's not less expensive being made in Taiwan then why does spyderco do it? If it could be made in the US at the same cost I have to believe that they would do their very best to have it produced in the US.
Unless I'm missing something.

 

[masters2010]

Looking to pick up my first Sage -- which version is your favorite?

 

[nccole]

The K2 is lower priced than the Slysz Bowie.

Don't try and make sense of it. This isn't like buying produce by net weight at the grocery store.

I own both and totally understand why the Bowie is more than the K2. Time to produce and the finishing details make a big difference. I actually think on average if you took the Golden products and made them in Taichung, they would be more expensive for US consumers. Now if you took all the Taichung product and moved them to Golden, I'm not so sure. Move any of those two to Japan and the price will go up.

 

[Cameron_]

The K2 is lower priced than the Slysz Bowie.

Don't try and make sense of it. This isn't like buying produce by net weight at the grocery store.

That's actually very simple. The Slysz has a handle that requires a great deal more machining, machining Ti is expensive. If/when you hold each you will quickly realize there is value in the extra $...

 

[bflying]

My Taichung models are every bit the quality and precision f/f as any of my Golden models. Dare I say possibly even a hair nicer?

I don't think Spyderco prices anything in their line up based on where it's made. More expensive components have a little to do with it, but not all. It's all based on quality and fair market value. I'd venture to guess that they could make something like the Delica to retail under $20 if they wanted. After all, it's just VG10 and FRN. But try to find a comparable knife with the same quality and consistency in that lower price range....not easy.

Come to think about it, my most expensive Spydies are all Taiwan models also. Would I buy them again after now having used them? Are they worth it? You betcha.

And dang it. I keep finding these Sage threads, and am constantly reminded that I don't have one of them yet.....and want one. Got the larger Domino. Got the smaller Chaparral. But still missing a Sage and Native. Currently on my hit list.

 

[nccole]

My Taichung models are every bit the quality and precision f/f as any of my Golden models. Dare I say possibly even a hair nicer?

I don't think Spyderco prices anything in their line up based on where it's made. More expensive components have a little to do with it, but not all. It's all based on quality and fair market value. I'd venture to guess that they could make something like the Delica to retail under $20 if they wanted. After all, it's just VG10 and FRN. But try to find a comparable knife with the same quality and consistency in that lower price range....not easy.

Come to think about it, my most expensive Spydies are all Taiwan models also. Would I buy them again after now having used them? Are they worth it? You betcha.

And dang it. I keep finding these Sage threads, and am constantly reminded that I don't have one of them yet.....and want one. Got the larger Domino. Got the smaller Chaparral. But still missing a Sage and Native. Currently on my hit list.

Sal has stated many times that the margins on all their product is roughly the same. That means the price you pay is a direct reflection on what the total cost of making it is. I'm not sure what you mean by fair market, but it's based on their costs.
Yes, the Taichung Spydies generally are of a higher "quality". Not really the right term, but most people know what you mean. And no, Spyderco couldn't just sell the Delica for $20 and make money. VG-10 is not cheap, labor in Japan is not like China, and the exchange rate usually means higher prices for us.

 

[hoimin]

So if it's not less expensive being made in Taiwan then why does spyderco do it? If it could be made in the US at the same cost I have to believe that they would do their very best to have it produced in the US.
Unless I'm missing something.

It's about manufacturing capability. Spyderco needed a partner to handle some of the newer models because their Golden shop was at capacity. The OEM in Taichung had the machining expertise and newer equipment that could be leveraged for higher end designs. It has little to do with cost saving, and more to do with finding the best possible manufacturing partner for Spyderco's needs. Because of their expertise, the bulk of the custom collaborations comes out of Taichung. Using Taichung and Seki, etc. allows Spyderco to produce more than Golden alone can currently build. The expansion and upgrade to the Golden plant is underway or nearly there.

 

[bflying]

Sal has stated many times that the margins on all their product is roughly the same. That means the price you pay is a direct reflection on what the total cost of making it is. I'm not sure what you mean by fair market, but it's based on their costs.
Yes, the Taichung Spydies generally are of a higher "quality". Not really the right term, but most people know what you mean. And no, Spyderco couldn't just sell the Delica for $20 and make money. VG-10 is not cheap, labor in Japan is not like China, and the exchange rate usually means higher prices for us.

Yeah, the thoughts in my head didn't really translate. And got distracted on my way out of the office and hit send before going back to reword a bunch of the post. Sorry about that. Kind of wish I could just delete the post.

I guess what I was really trying to convey was that they could be done cheaper, possibly from another location, and sacrificing quality of materials, and workmanship. But then I would not be interested. The high quality materials, labor, milling, fit & finish, are what give these products value at market prices, and desirability.

 

[thefirstsuspect]

Who said they were? Taiwan's also not the USA . I don't doubt any country is capable of producing a quality item. Generally I try to spend my money closer to home when I can.



Got the sage. Beautiful knife, nicely made. Only nitpick is the top/bottom width closed, little chunky.

Nice to hear you like it! I should get one soon.