Spyderco, no longer the value it once was...

Status
Not open for further replies.
Sunyata said:
I was looking at that. It was a nice buy. I doubt it would be that price now though, that was during the recession when everything was cheaper.

I bet it would be close to the Manix now.


Odd sidenote, it looks like they ran those blades softer too.
Click to expand...

It probably would be similar in price. I'd still buy it over the Manix if they were priced the same. Now if Spyderco would put 110V in the G-10 Manix I'd be very interested. I've even considered doing the blade swap thing but I'm afraid I'd screw it up and ruin a good knife. :(
 
Last edited:
calc said:
It's like the high price of medicine. People take a look at the price and think to themselves, "that's ridiculous! How expensive can it be to make this?". They're ignoring the years of research pharmaceutical companies have to go through and, more to your point, the countless failed products along the way that this success has to cover for.
Click to expand...

And, more importantly, the vast sums they spend on marketing - more than twice as much as they do on research. http://consumerist.com/2008/01/05/drug-companies-spend-almost-60-billion-on-marketing-30-billion-on-research-what/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/09/pharmaceutical-companies-marketing_n_1760380.html
 
The Delica, Endura, Millie, Manix and Police lines epitomize Spyderco for me personally and still represent great value. The Spyderco Rubicon in S30v for $300 and Sprint runs in the $250-$300 range make me feel like Spyderco has gotten away from its roots to which one day it will return.

I do not have an issue buying true mid-techs or customs in the $500-$800 range but these production knives by ZT that experience ridiculous dealer and secondary markups will not get a dime of my $$$.
 
I don't think Spyderco has lost its value. I don't have wads of cash to spend on knives and I have 5 Spydies.

Delica Waved
D fly 2
Ladybug
Tenacious
UKPK

Show me a $40 Benchmade.
 
vwb563 said:
The weight issue I can see but the value thing I'm not to sure about. Around $120 for a blade, a ball bearing, and spring seems a little much to me even if the blade is 110V because you sure ain't getting much else for the price. That's my opinion.
Click to expand...

That's fair. Personally, I love FRN handles. It's lightweight, tough, keeps cost down, it can be grippy without being abrasive and it's pretty much chemically inert. The only real problem with it is aesthetics and, on a user, I find that to be pretty unimportant.
 
Spyderco new models are expensive. Look at any knife company's new models and you should see the same. There was a quote in the benchmade forum about cheap knives still selling the same number of units while sales of knives over $100 to 200 exploding. Manufactures aren't stupid. They are making what sells.
 
Patience pays dividends on new models.

For instance, when the superb Chaparral 3 Stepped Titanium came out it was going for $350-$360. If you look at the detail of the intricate milling on the titanium handles and know the time it takes to create that you'd appreciate the premium on pricing. Anyway, I waited and observed for several months after its introduction and finally grabbed one for $259! Even now it's still selling for $300-$362 at many places.

I've also been looking at the Battlestation which sells for $190-$200 for VG-10/G-10! Well, it looks like there's finally one at $160 but I haven't decided yet.
 
The models that I feel have the most value to me personally are in house designed and Golden produced.I scratch my head and get sticker shock when I see the prices of some of the Taiwan produced models.The prices of some of the newest models seem to be headed in an upward trend especially the Taiwan produced models.Some of the newest Japan produced models prices seem to be climbing also.This is my personal opinion and to each their own.....There is value everywhere in the Spyderco lineup and it's up to you to decide which ones have value to you personally.I prefer the Golden produced models so I tend to focus on acquiring those particular models and know how much I am willing to pay for the knives I desire.There is just too many knife models that Spyderco offers and never enough money to buy them all.I try not to buy into any hype and make sound and well thought out purchases that I can stomach and live with and afford.I am very blessed and grateful to own the knifes that I have acquired.
 
Last edited:
Stays Sharp said:
They need to bring it back then. At that price.
Click to expand...

Bent piece of wire huh? Did this bent piece of wire ever fail? Did it not live up to its promises of holding the knife in your pocket? :rolleyes:

Whoops, quoted the wrong post. My response is in regards to the one this post was responding to.....
 
vwb563 said:
Kershaw offered it, 110V, in the Shallot series a few years back for around $60-$70. For that price you got the 110V blade, full stainless steel handles, the Kershaw "Speedsafe" assisted opening mechanism, a blade flipper, and a true pocket clip instead of a bent piece of wire. This was true value in a knife. Don't take me wrong, I love most Spydercos myself, just not crazy about their FRN knives.
Click to expand...

Ah yes, here's the offender:thumbdn:
 
Last edited:
Krissig12 said:
Ah yes, here's the offender:thumbdn:
Click to expand...

I'd like to respectfully ask, what is offensive about that comment? Was there a need to call him out for stating his opinion? Some people may not like a thin wire pocket clip, whereas others do. Doesn't make either view wrong, and certainly nothing acting like the guy broke some law. LOL Come on, now.
 
People seem to love that bent piece of wire lol. Its cool, I like it too but Im not particular on clips. Speaking of clips... A Spyderco innovation... That bent piece of wire is just another part of the evolution (at least trying to) regardless of how simple it is.

Some would say the Kilingon clips of KAI's past (VWb563's favorite brand apparently) are equally unappealing. To each their own.
 
Quiet said:
I'd like to respectfully ask, what is offensive about that comment? Was there a need to call him out for stating his opinion? Some people may not like a thin wire pocket clip, whereas others do. Doesn't make either view wrong, and certainly nothing acting like the guy broke some law. LOL Come on, now.
Click to expand...

He probably took note of how he worded it. Demeaning the clip style by saying its not a true pocket clip. Then what is it?... All this after arguing his points this entire thread that Spyderco is of lesser value than what others are saying here.

I actually dont even think he's using the term "offender" in a literal sense. Basically you can just call something pretty much worthless POS pretty much and not have someone who likes it not make a rebuttal.
 
Last edited:
Guys lighten up! It's all good. I'm not intentionally trying to offend anyone. I was just poking a little fun at Spyderco for using the "wire" clip. But I guess it actually goes hand in hand with building a lightweight knife which is what the FRN knives are all about. It works. I've used knives with bent wire clip. I'm just a little old school about some things I guess. It's all good though. Carry on. Carry on.
 
Stays Sharp said:
He probably took note of how he worded it. Demeaning the clip style by saying its not a true pocket clip. Then what is it?... All this after arguing his points this entire thread that Spyderco is of lesser value than what others are saying here.

I actually dont even think he's using the term "offender" in a literal sense.
Click to expand...

Well, I'll say this. I can't speak for vwb, but I'VE bent one of those Spyderco wireclips before, absolutely. I caught it on a doorframe, one that I'd caught plenty of better constructed, actual pocket clips on, and where those sprung back with no issues, that wire clip stayed bent out and I had to remove it from the knife in order to bend it back into shape. Those clips have always felt weak to me. So, I had no issues with VWB's wording because I understood where he was coming from.

That said, I don't think the clip design really has anything to do with the "value" part of the discussion, because I understand that Spyderco was trying to be as minimalist as possible with that clip design.
 
VW,
If youre really "old school" you'd give the brand who innovated the pocket clip a little more respect lolz.

Quiet,
Yep pocket clips bend. Very strong ones, wire ones, they all do. That's when you weigh in the advantages of the wire clip and see if it is worth it. But lets not act like other clips are bend proof. Clips get bent everyday FYI.
 
Stays Sharp said:
VW,
If youre really "old school" you'd give the brand who innovated the pocket clip a little more respect lolz.

Quiet,
Yep pocket clips bend. Very strong ones, wire ones, they all do. That's when you weigh in the advantages of the wire clip and see if it is worth it. But lets not act like other clips are bend proof. Clips get bent everyday FYI.
Click to expand...

I'm not saying they aren't. I'm merely sharing the personal experience which makes ME PERSONALLY not hold much love for them. But really, it doesn't matter, because I actually sold the last knife I had with the Spyderco wire clip (a Manix 2 LW) a couple of weeks ago, and I don't have any plans to get any more Spydercos that have that clip.
 
I just spent 200 on a Southard. That is the most I've spent on a blade. I'm lower middle class, that is expensive to me, and probably the most I'll ever spend on a blade in the future.

So what did I get?:

Titanium
amazing mind blowing steel
fit and finish that is beyond perfect
overtravel disc
captive ball bearing pivot
a warranty to back it up
a company that values it's customers

I'm missing where I lost out in value? IMO, I have a blade double the value from what I paid. If it wasn't for Spyderco I could not afford such a nice blade.

Now, I used to be like the op, I have a thread about the same,......"I can't affod the new stuff.....bla bla bla.". You know what I did? Something I have never done, I SAVED MY MONEY!!! Seriously, the first time in my life really that I turned away the shiny objects, and had a goal of getting my Southard. And you know what? It was TOTALLY worth it!!!
 
Stays Sharp said:
VW,
If youre really "old school" you'd give the brand who innovated the pocket clip a little more respect lolz.

Quiet,
Yep pocket clips bend. Very strong ones, wire ones, they all do.
Click to expand...

Old school I am. And yes Spyderco deserves a great deal of respect when it comes to pocket clips and opening holes. They're the king for sure. I bet I've been caring Spydeco knives longer than most of you guys out there. My first Spydie was a FRN Endura which had the integrated FRN clip. That was around 1990 or 91. Can't remember for sure but talking about a delicate clip. I broke several of those clips off before I learned to give myself a little more clearance when rounding corners. ;)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top