Spyderco Custom Shop - Ideas and Discussion.

They won't charge extra for the custom ones right? We'll just say whatever we want and it'll happen! In for sure.
 
Danke42 said:
They won't charge extra for the custom ones right? We'll just say whatever we want and it'll happen! In for sure.
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I imagine there would be loads of people who would pay the extra cost for an in house customized Spyderco. There's no shortage a pictures out there with highly customized Spydercos and there are several companies out there surviving solely by making aftermarket parts for knives. Heck, I have several Spyderco knives on hand myself that started as $100 - $150 knives and now have $300+ into them in aftermarket parts.
 
Fixall said:
I imagine there would be loads of people who would pay the extra cost for an in house customized Spyderco. There's no shortage a pictures out there with highly customized Spydercos and there are several companies out there surviving solely by making aftermarket parts for knives. Heck, I have several Spyderco knives on hand myself that started as $100 - $150 knives and now have $300+ into them in aftermarket parts.
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The customer is always right. That's what people like about us.
 
I expect it's too much to ask, but different locking mechanism options would be nice. I'd really like a satin M4 PM2, with a linerlock, and smoke burlap micarta or Nifebrite scales.
 
This entire conversation seems odd to me. I'm not trying to be rude, but I want to explain my confusion below, because I just watched and interview with Eric and I got the same feeling.

Also, it's worth noting that I'm a huge Spyderco fanboi. I have a case full of spyderco knives worth enough to buy a nice, new car.

I have two points:

1. The entire POINT of a custom shop is to create pocket jewelry or keepsakes. Let me explain.

Are new buyers going to use a custom shop? No. It's going to be long time addicts (like myself), and people buying gifts for another (which I've used the Benchmade custom shop for). So the entire purpose of a custom shop kind of flies in the face of the stated design philosophy of Spyderco mentioned earlier in this thread.

2. The "cutting edge first" philosophy behind Spyderco knives is one reason we love them, but to say it's the ONLY thing that matters is compete and total bull feces. I had to same reaction to Eric Glesser hand waving away the peel-ply carbon fiber on the Canis, saying something like people who want real carbon fiber are all about "lipstick and hair rollers." This was a little insulting to me, and it didn't make sense. If looks didn't matter, why even do the peel-ply carbon fiber?

If looks don't matter, why are so many sprints put out in every color of the rainbow? If looks don't matter, why has Spyderco released real carbon fiber, and why are there old models pimped out (beautifully) by Yellowhorse? If Spyderco is only about creating cutting tools and aesthetics don't matter, why are they producing copies of custom maker's designs for (in the case of the Paysan) $500?

The very first Manix 2 I bought is a good enough knife to last me almost the rest of my life. The reason I keep buying Spydercos is because I enjoy the design philosophy of Spyderco only producing cutting tools first, but I also like the risks they take, and the oddly beautiful designs. Aesthetics are why I've spend thousands on the brand, and for anyone affiliated with Spyderco to pretend this is not reality, is a little silly.

My opinion: I think Spyderco reps need to start being more consistent with their message, that cutting comes first, but cutting is not everything. Because if we look at the new products coming out this year, like 75% of them are for collectors like myself...or are we really believing that some random construction worker is going to buy a Pochi and extend the little tail before doing hard cutting tasks? Really? Do regular people care about Rex 45?

If Spyderco's message is consistent with what they're actually selling, there would be no issue with a custom shop. My #1 point would no longer be valid. But as it stands right now, I'm kind of disappointed to see folks associated with the company (including Eric!) giving conflicting messages that seem at least someone insulting to people like me who are willing to pay $400+ for a Rassenti collaboration...and would be willing to pay extra in the custom shop to have our names engraved in a blade or whatever.

TL:DR:

I don't know if Submicron is actually affiliated with the company, but I've seen Eric say flavors of this before as well (recently in a Blade HQ video, in fact) and I'm at least partially refuting this quote earlier in this thread:

"While most knife manufacturers focus on handle color and overall aesthetic design, Spyderco focuses on what matters, the blade, the steel, ergonomics, and cutting performance. Spyderco wants to make functional cutting tools, not pretty pocket jewelry.

To make a custom shop in the way Benchmade has done, designed to create pocket jewelry, would not be consistent with Spyderco's culture of first-principal thinking when it comes to knives."
 
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BumblingBear said:
1. The entire POINT of a custom shop is to create pocket jewelry or keepsakes. Let me explain.
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I respect your opinion but disagree.

The custom shops that we normally see have indeed been all about cosmetic customization. That doesn't mean a custom shop cant be about something else as well.

If you want the handle customized, that's fantastic. But what if I want the blade, heat treat, or something mechanical customized?

Due to consumer demand, I think its inevitable that if Spyderco launches a custom shop, it would include cosmetic variations of some kind.

I believe that a custom shop that's centered only on cosmetic variations would have extremely limited financial upside.

To an extent, Spyderco already has a custom shop. It's just decentralized and distributed amongst many independent dealers in the form of exclusives and sprint runs.

So an in-house custom shop certainly can not conflict with Spyderco's business model as a whole. Like it or not, it has proved to be extremely successful and is the catalyst for their growth.

Consider the Copper PM2 in REX-45 that was just announced by Blade HQ. This is not just a new handle scale, this is a whole new way to build a PM2 and it sounds like it was not easy to figure out. This is customization to the max, and at a scale where it makes financial sense to attempt such a thing.

I am not affiliated with any company in any way. All statements are strictly my opinion, which is being shared simply for the purpose of discussion.

I also want a custom shop, I just want it to be more than about cosmetics, and I want Spyderco to get on board with making a custom shop. I want to see their creativity unleashed.
 
Check this out. This is what got me thinking about all of this.

Fast forward the video to 1:54 where Eric says "the steel is the soul of the knife" and watch through until 2:25.

I liked his handle joke.

 
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A custom shop can create pocket jewelry, but it can also make something to the exact specs someone wants for their tools. For example, you can create a very expensive, very pretty crooked river in benchmades custom shop, or do as I did and just get the color scheme the way you want with a blade steel you want (blue/black with 20cv). Or the Griptilian I ordered, with an m4 blade, blue handles and everything blacked out (it will match my crooked rivers and my BBS pm2!) and yes, I use them. They're not pocket jewelry, they are just in my favorite color (blue).

Benchmades custom shop is great, but they are also a MUCH larger company than Spyderco, and spyderco uses a ton of different steels anyway. Plus, Sal has always been one to sit back a little and allow niche makers develop parts like clips and scales for the knives rather than doing it himself. I respect that, although I've yet to swap a spyderco clip because they work great and see no reason to.

Anyway, I'd love a blue/black shaman. I'd probably pay custom shop prices to make it happen! But if it doesn't I'm fine with standard black G10. I don't need a custom configured knife to enjoy the design and function.

But maybe BBS will do a Shaman exclusive one of these days...
 
Functional cutting tools and aesthetics/pocket jewelry do not and should not always contradict each other. A highly functional cutting tool can at the same time be a great looking piece. I don't think Spyderco owner or any fan needs to de-emphasize or dismiss the aesthetic aspect of knives in order to highlight Spyderco knives as cutting tools. If I or most Spyderco fans were merely looking for functional cutting tools, there would really be no need or want for each of us to buy multiple/many Spyderco knives (as one or two shall last life long).
 
"Functional cutting tools and aesthetics/pocket jewelry do not and should not always contradict each other."

You managed to sum up my entire, long winded post from earlier in a single sentence. Props
 
"People will pay custom shop prices..."

How can anyone say that without knowing what those prices will be?

"...different locking mechanism would be nice..."

As Sal has said, "These aren't Leggos". Changing locks means totally redesigning the knife.

Most of what I see Custom Shop advocates calling for amounts to "I want to buy a prototype built to my specifications. I'd pay twice as much as for a regular production model." What they want would cost several times what they want to pay. I personally think the concept amounts to financial suicide for a company Spyderco's size. Now I'll go away and let you get back to your discussion.
 
OK looks at the Benchmade custom shop.

Can pick a couple kinds of steel, get the blade etched, pick a few colours of handles and black or sliver hardware.

No custom exotic heat treat protocol. No way to get a back lock Crooked River, no nothing.
 
What I want is to be able to select my steel, handle materials, lock hand orientation(ie left or right handed), texture(smooth vs texture g10 or CF), engraving options, & handle colors(for materials like G10 & FRN). I think options like grind, HT, and blade thickness would be too costly and drop overall productivity to be worth doing. There is also the issues with CQI as I understand it they have constant minor changes on that can make parts from a previous iteration incompatible with newer iteration parts.
 
The wishlist knife configuration that keeps jumping into my mind is a Lil Native, in whatever color, REX-45 steel run hard, ground thin behind the edge, with a swedge on top similar to the Dragonfly in order to thin out the top.

That would be the ultimate workday EDC for me. I'm tempted to just modify one of my existing Lil Natives

Believe it or not, there's company policy problems with even the Delica where I work.
 
Spyderco is THE company where a custom shop just makes plain sense. And the exposure to so many steels keeps it very exciting. But, now is not the time to take a gamble with a new service offering. Maybe in two years when things are “normal.”
 
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