For the record I did and do own Striders, including two customs made by Duane Dwyer, who in my opinion, based on my personal experience is very nice guy and knifemaker. I also heard a lot about Strider giving discounts to active duty guys and helping some customers. Never had personal experience with Mick, but seen enough on these forums.
Striders are very much a niche/cult type item, so the usual business stuff you referred to doesn't really apply, in my opinion.
Hmm, Strider sure as hell is not a charity, as far as money goes they're typical business. Customer pays money, they provide the product and service. On top of that, their product is pretty intensively marketed, promoted and all that. Just like in any other business. So, itf they take money as usual and promote their stuff as usual, why the usual customer service rules shouldn't apply? It's their choice of course how they treat their customers.
I doubt anyone will claim they're cheap or affordable knives either. Fine, you get what you pay for, but then that's where part of the argument is.
Basically, as it is today, Strider can charge top dollar for his product, which are good "user" knives, but not the best quality, did I get that right?
And for that money, the customer should get the best CS, IMHO. For some reason, cultists, Strider or not, are always willing to give up their rights.
Anyway, telling their customers to "quit sniveling" about the knives that were delayed, sometimes over 6-8 months, even though those knives were paid in full isn't the best for their own business. Delays happen, reasons can be different, and maker or business can handle all that in different ways, telling your customer to shut up and put up is apparently one of them.
I sure don't see how it is exciting to be told something like that. Don't know about cultists, but I really don't feel any tougher or bada$$er when that kind of response goes public from the maker. May be, some are proud that they can take it like a man, all those delays and tough guy responses, but mostly, customers aren't like that.
Again, Striders were originally created for men in the military who were going to strap them to their battle gear and USE the HELL out of them.
May be they were designed and created, but with price tags like that... I haven't been in US military, but because of my website I do get a lot of emails from LEO and active duty personnel. So far(since 2000) one guy had Strider MH, which was given to him as a present, by his family/friends. Another bought used Strider buck spearpoint.
I don't think 200-300 or more is a knife designed for military. Even with increased military spending we have I am not sure how many soldiers could possibly have Strider knives. At least, of all the guys I talked to, it was not even 1%.
Basically, whichever way you put it, it is unrealistic and very naive to claim(believe) that major customer base for Strider knives is military, spec ops or any other special elite unit. Last time I checked, Strider wasn't standard military issue knife. How many people are there after all in those spec ops? Do those specops use/loose 10 knives a day per person to have such substantial needs?
Thus, most of their knives go to their civilian customers. And for some reason, those are the guys looked down the most on Strider forums and by certain Strider reps.
Be very careful how you deal with them as they do not suffer fools/whiny princesses well... The Strider guys just *really* don't suffer fools well.
Who is a fool, or by what action is that defined? Asking about your knife that you paid 8 months ago is foolish? Or expecting 300$ better precision and craftsmanship is foolish?
You see, if we skip all that "whiny" precision and craftsmanship stuff, then we have a chunk of 1/4 thick steel, CPM154 or S30V, heat treated by P. Boss (that was the case before, donno about now). Are those designs that superior to any other chunk of steel of the same thickness and steel? Because, P. Boss heat treats blades for a lot of makers.
Especially with paracord instead of the conventional handles? I am not sure how many guys in the field would have time to remove that paracord and put it back for maintenance. Let alone the fact that the cord absorbs water, oil and any other crap pretty good.
So, in the end, a company takes your money, makes the promise to deliver product by certain time, then that gets delayed for half a year or more, and if one is a true badass and hardcore, he won't ask why, won't cancel, whinnies you will complain, start sending emails...
Is that the idea?
Yes, I do realize, some customers can be real jerks. Although, not at that rate.
and a little piece of paper which came with the 882 telling me about God
).
:thumbup:
