Spyderco WTC commemorative

Warthog

Warthog

Joined
Oct 6, 2000
Messages
567
Anyone have this knife?
http://www.spyderco.com

It seems like a mega collectors item and of course is very "cool" (is that the right word?...:-/) that it is made of WTC steel...

For being limited and an exclusive 9/11 Spyderco knife, $225 doesn't sound that bad.

What do you guys think?

Warthog
 
You probably know my personal feelings on it as I replied at the Spyderco forum. Basically, I applaud Spyderco for their charitable cause (all proceeds go to the families of firemen, and other emergency crews, who died on 9/11).

However, I question whether it's appropriate to own a knife made of the twisted ruins (some would call graves) of the building which claimed victims of 9/11; especially since those hijackers used bladed implements to threaten the passengers killed on the planes).

Just my point of view and others are welcome to feel otherwise.
 
I remember when this topic came up a month or so ago. I too, was curious if anyone has recieved one yet.
 
I think that its a great idea, Much better than just reusing the steel for another building...
 
Clan= I have to side with you, it is a nice idea as far as the proceeds, but something tells me what if you were to show off your "genuine world trade center remains" to a victims family how would they feel? any of us can imagine, but to have empathy you would have to be in a similar place. It is a nice gesture, but tasteful? I would much rather they collect donations. some how it resembles a marketing strategy, just a thought.
 
When I went to Blade this past year I had the opprotunity to handle and discuss at length with Mr. Glesser the specifics of the WTC Knife. I saw the proto and the EDM'd skyline and I was amazed. As someone who has been to Ground Zero and lost friends there I think it is a fitting and most righteous gesture. Not many people may agree about using the "remains" of the Towers in the knife but think of it this way....they found nothing of my friend John, nothing, just his badge. His life is in that knife. A little piece of him is being admired and thought of on a daily basis. He is still with us in that knife. I can think of no better way to celebrate his life than in a knife from the company whose knives he used on a daily basis. In essence this knife is a mini memorial to everyone who was lost. No different than the other memorials that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and use some piece of the towers in its presentation.

And as far as a it being a "marketing strategy", I wholeheartedly disagree. A large number of Spydercos clientele where lost that day. If you had had the chance to talk to Mr. Glesser on the subjct, as I did, you will find that $$$ was not the object here or the end result but closure and healing. $225 for this knife is most reasonable considering the processes that were involved in its creation. I am appluade MR. Glesser for his kind gesture. He is making NOTHING on this knife. NOTHING. Shame on you for thinking that that this was a "marketing ploy". Can someone do something nice for the world without people believing it has to do with turning a profit? I guess not.
 
Interesting perspectives.

If any of you purchased the knife, would you use it at all or leave it mint for collection purposes?

Warthog
 
warthog,
To answer one of your first questions, the last I heard is shipping should start in Dec. '02 I'd expect to see mine after that. As for your last question. I'll use mine, maybe not for cutting shingles, but it won't stay in the lockup.
Chris

Be Excellent to each other.
 
Originally posted by K.V. Collucci
but think of it this way....they found nothing of my friend John, nothing, just his badge. His life is in that knife. A little piece of him is being admired and thought of on a daily basis. He is still with us in that knife.
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I have a hard time believing that the majority of grieving families would feel that way. It's like showing a mother a piece of strewn metal from the wreckage from a car accident her son died in and saying, "remember this?" I would find that rather ghoulish.

Remember, we're not in a position to know how they feel.

Also, just because we find knives romantic, or a great gift idea doesn't mean others may appreciate it; we're subjectively biased. It's like the George Costanza character from Seinfeld. "I don't drink wine. I drink Pepsi..." he says. So he sees no harm in taking Pepsi and Ring-Dings as a lovely gift to take to a dinner party.

However, I do see that some people, perhaps some knife nuts who are still traumitized by 9/11 may find some catharcism from the knife as to feel closer to the victims.

I hope if people buy the knife they do so to support the families of the emergency crews that died; not to try to profit by hoping it increases in value some day.
 
To take the steel and turn it into a livesaving tool that is actually used... in my opinion that's the best use of the steel we could find. Unfortunately, I think the price tag probably means that most of them won't end up being used to save lifes. That's a shame.

A local high school has acquired one of the beams and is coordinating a national effort to use it in a set of memorials to be erected in every state and they hope to dedicate them on 9/11/03. I've got mixed emotions about that as well. The worse things we could do is capitalize on what happened and memorialize the event itself. We need to memorialize the honor and duty that was shown by those that went in to save others. In my book, these are separate events.

I don't, however, see a problem with a knife being used. In fact, I think it's a good idea, especially with the SAS approach. Knives have been tools for longer than any other implement and have served us well. It deserves for us to stand up and protect it. After all, those boxcutters weren't the cause of the problem.
 
k.v. that was only my opinion, if it wasnt a ploy, good! I just dont think that everyone gets as excited as some people do about knives and I think in some circumstances this knife could be taken as distateful.
 
Originally posted by Full Tang Clan
I have a hard time believing that the majority of grieving families would feel that way. It's like showing a mother a piece of strewn metal from the wreckage from a car accident her son died in and saying, "remember this?" I would find that rather ghoulish.

Remember, we're not in a position to know how they feel.


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First off, the metal from the WTC was turned into a well crafted and very beautiful skyline commemorating the victims. It is not, however, ghoulish. It is not a twisted piece of wreckage throw on the table to traumatize the victims families. It was a horrible tragedy that was turned into a work of art.

And I am in a postion to know how they feel because I am one of them. 344 times over.

Would you argue against any memorial that has used some part of the wreckage? What about GZ as it stands today? Is it ghoulish for the families to visit it? Because, after all, bodies still remain buried and lost. These families have no closure. People memorialize those they have lost in different ways. Mr.Glesser, being in the postion and business he is in, did it his own way. He was at GZ. He saw the carnage and he responded to honor those that used his knives on a daily basis and were his bread and butter.

I said it once, I'll say it again......these knives are a mini-memorial to those gave the ultimate sacrifce. Nothing more, nothing less.
 
Originally posted by K.V. Collucci
First off, the metal from the WTC was turned into a well crafted and very beautiful skyline commemorating the victims. It is not, however, ghoulish. It is not a twisted piece of wreckage throw on the table to traumatize the victims families. It was a horrible tragedy that was turned into a work of art.

And I am in a postion to know how they feel because I am one of them. 344 times over.

Would you argue against any memorial that has used some part of the wreckage? What about GZ as it stands today? Is it ghoulish for the families to visit it? Because, after all, bodies still remain buried and lost. These families have no closure. People memorialize those they have lost in different ways. Mr.Glesser, being in the postion and business he is in, did it his own way. He was at GZ. He saw the carnage and he responded to honor those that used his knives on a daily basis and were his bread and butter.

I said it once, I'll say it again......these knives are a mini-memorial to those gave the ultimate sacrifce. Nothing more, nothing less.
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K.V., I'm just stating my opinion and saying I, personally (not you, not Sal Glesser, nor anyone else, just me), wouldn't feel comfortable with it regardless of how beautiful it looks. Like I said, others may feel different and they're all entitled to their POV so please don't take it so personally. In fact if you re-read my last post you may see that I did state that if such a momento gives them a form of catharis then that's a good thing. And as long as people buy the knife to support the victims' families and not for collection purposes, that's good too.

Even if you were directly impacted by 9/11 more than I (in which case you have my sincere condolensces), you can still only speak for yourself and your family. Just as I can only speak for myself; not for the families of the victims. To do otherwise would be myopic, and rather egocentric.

I'm just saying it's a sensitive issue and we need to know what others may feel. How do non knife nuts and others outside this forum feel? Do they not count? Were the family of the victims asked beforehand on how they feel?

I apologize if I sound preachy but the issue isn't as simple as saying, "This is the way it is...".
 
Fine, just don't buy it then. Your opinion on the matter is noted.
 
It is a very sensitive issue, and I’m sure it does vary from one person to the next. But why pre-suppose that it’s a negative thing? Why speak for anyone, other than yourself?

I consider myself fortunate to have been able to hold both the chunk of steel that the shields were made from and a proto of the finished knife. Each time I felt a profound sense of sadness, loss and anger. But to me, most of all, the knife commemorates those who lost their lives in the line of duty. If a knife keeps their memory alive, and benefits their loved ones, it’s a laudable effort by Sal and Spyderco.

A lot of thought and effort went in to making that knife and finding the right organization to donate the money to. The organization that receives the money doesn’t just provide a one-time cash infusion and then moves on.

Those are my thoughts on it, and they're no more right or wrong than anyone else’s, but thanks for letting me express them.
 
Originally posted by Mike Robuck
It is a very sensitive issue, and I’m sure it does vary from one person to the next. But why pre-suppose that it’s a negative thing? Why speak for anyone, other than yourself?
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Mike,

I think you're taking my quotes way out of context.

At no point did I say I am speaking for anyone other than myself. In fact, I've explicitly stated that I ONLY SPEAK FOR MYSELF. I said I wouldn't buy it (just as I wouldn't buy Sebenza, or a brown colored suit); just personal reasons. Nowhere did I declare a mass boycott and say no one else should buy it. If you got that impression, I'm sorry. However, I even commended Sal Glesser on his charitable efforts. Perhaps you are mixing my comments up with someone else's? I encourage you to re-read my posts.

Also, if you read all my posts in totality PLUS my original response at the Spyderco thread, you will note that I stated it is great if people other than myself, like you, find some catharsis and closure by acquiring the knife. I say they should buy it then. So I disagree that I am pre-supposing it as totally negative.

I'm sorry if I'm sounding defensive, Mike, I admit I am getting devensive. But it is only because it really concerns me when people take my statements out of context.
 
Full Tang:

I sort of lumped everyone’s non-endorsement of the concept into one response, which must have made you feel like you were tarred with a broad brush. Sorry about that. We’re all here to express our opinions (and appreciation of knives) but, obviously, we all can’t agree on everything.

But I hope Spyderco sells all of them.;)
 
No hard feelings, Mike. Our opinions differ, but I think we fundamentally agree that it's great to have such diverse ideas.

"I say tomato, you say tomato, I say potato..." Wait. That doesn't really work unless you say it aloud! ;)
 
Hi Guys.

I really appreciate all of the honest opinion. I can assure you that My wife Gail and I discussed this very question for countless hours. There were even some within the company that questioned the idea. We spoke with the victims families and asked them their opinions, We spoke with Police, firemen, writers, customers, etc. The last thing that Gail and I would want to do is something that was somethow perceived as improper.

I can guarantee that there were at least 100 Spyderco knives in the pockets of the 403 SAS heroes lost in those buildings.

I'm sure there will be some that will feel as though it was not a good thing to do. We cannot please all. The funds that we raise for the families will not be huge, like what the music industry provided, but it will be our soft "thank you", done in our own way.

FTC, perhaps we might have a changes to share thoughts sometime, somewhere. Seeing the knife and feeling the steel doesn't seem to invoke negativity.

We just received the first sample of the hardwood presentation box with the skyline burned into the lid. Everything about this model will be will be the very best quality that we could do. In our minds, the whole endeavor is for respect, caring and helping.

I am sorry and somewhat disappointed that it might be perceived in another manner, but we know in our hearts what we are doing.

How many of you in business will knowingly go into a project that guarantees no profit?

I still thank you for the input and bothering to care enough to discuss our project.

sal
 
Sal,

Your heart is in the right place. I am sure your efforts are much appreciated by the families who lost loved ones in the WTC attacks. You don't owe anyone an apology for their perceptions. Thank you and keep up the good work!


- Frank
 
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