Taiwan Spyderco's and American manufacturing.

BMCGear

BMCGear

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Let me start out by saying that this isn't a troll thread, so please don't treat it as such as I'm very drawn to a product but I am a strong supporter of buying American when I can, yes, I know my TV is made overseas; I wish that I had an option there. So again, I buy American, when I can. Spyderco is an interesting company in that their knives are made all over the world - Golden, Japan, Italy, Taiwan, China, and maybe a few others that I haven't heard of.

So I'm torn; I'm a person that believes in supporting the American economy and workers which Spyderco definitely does (they just expanded their Golden facility, correct?) and I could definitely buy a Golden model and do that but the Spydiechef may be my next knife...

So, I'm open to dialogue on this and would welcome other opinions and perspectives.

Edit to add:

I bought a Taichung made Sage 5. It's awesome!

IMG_20161201_0756573_zpsusatypd4.jpg
 
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Do you have friends? Do you support them?

Taiwan is a definite friend of the USA. Buying from there is helping a friend.
 
The way I look at it is in this community, all the good makers are small businesses. You can't, for example, buy Russian AK parts without helping the Russian government. But you can buy from CKF without helping the Russian government. Reate has no connection to the Chinese government.

With knives, I like to support small businesses run by people who love knives and want to make a great product. The great thing is, that describes almost all cutlery companies. Even the big ones, which are still very small companies by most standards.
 
I understand your stand on supporting your own country, but when it comes down to it, I would be in favor of manufactures that deliver the kind of quality I seek, America has some great designers and makers, but on the other hand, we live in a time of globalization, a knife could have a Polish designed collaborating with an American company that is manufactured in Taiwan, and if you feel any guilt buying a knife like that then you might be overthinking, Ive never heard anyone have second thoughts buying a Lionsteel. It's just very different than buying knives from brands like kizer or reate, but that's a whole different discussion.
I live in Taiwan, love it, it's a beautiful place, I don't understand why people make such a big deal of Spydercos made in Taiwan, we're responsible for making the knives, but it still belongs to an American company, right? So it's a business choice, and in the end most of the money you spend actually still goes to an American company, there are people buying and carrying kizers and reates, but no one bats an eye??
Sorry if I come out sounding hostile, it just kinda stings me every time I see these posts when there are bigger issues at hand. If the origin of your knife really matters to you, then maybe take some time to travel to that country and experience it's culture, I welcome you to come to Taiwan for once, it might change your perspective on such things.


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Spyderco as a manufacturing company has to balance local and overseas production plants
That is basic common sense to maintain a local production plant which may often bring less margins into the company

In the case of Spyderco what is interesting is that they didn't sacrifice quality for profitability as the quality level of the Taiwan production is IMHO on par with the US quality


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Even after the recent factory expansion, Spyderco does not have the production capacity domestically to keep up with the demand for their current offerings. Sal has spent many years developing good relationships with makers all over the world in order to bring more offerings to us, the End Line Users. The maker he has found in Taichung, Taiwan is one of the best in the world in my opinion. To avoid a Spyderco product simply because it was made overseas is counterproductive in my mind. Spyderco started out having all of its knives made overseas. Profits from selling imported knives was what allowed them to build a production facility here. I seriously doubt the factory expansion was paid for by sales of US made models alone. Buying Spyderco knives has created more US jobs, regardless of where in the world those knives were made.
 
I like to buy American too but my Domino from Taiwan is a favorite.
 
This isn't black and white. Everything is global no matter what the stamps on the blade say.

Take the SpydieChef, for example. An American company finances and brands a knife designed in Poland and fabricated in Taiwan. Blade steel is made in Europe and distributed by a US firm. Other components could come from anywhere.

Money goes into all involved local economies, and this is going to be the case with anything you buy, whether is says Made in USA or not.

Moral of the story: you're not supporting a corrupt anti-intellectual property regime that uses the money to launch cyberattacks against People Magazine. So just buy it.
 
@KennyLiu@ said:
I understand your stand on supporting your own country, but when it comes down to it, I would be in favor of manufactures that deliver the kind of quality I seek, America has some great designers and makers, but on the other hand, we live in a time of globalization, a knife could have a Polish designed collaborating with an American company that is manufactured in Taiwan, and if you feel any guilt buying a knife like that then you might be overthinking, Ive never heard anyone have second thoughts buying a Lionsteel. It's just very different than buying knives from brands like kizer or reate, but that's a whole different discussion.
I live in Taiwan, love it, it's a beautiful place, I don't understand why people make such a big deal of Spydercos made in Taiwan, we're responsible for making the knives, but it still belongs to an American company, right? So it's a business choice, and in the end most of the money you spend actually still goes to an American company, there are people buying and carrying kizers and reates, but no one bats an eye??
Sorry if I come out sounding hostile, it just kinda stings me every time I see these posts when there are bigger issues at hand. If the origin of your knife really matters to you, then maybe take some time to travel to that country and experience it's culture, I welcome you to come to Taiwan for once, it might change your perspective on such things.


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Click to expand...

Thank you to everyone for your comments. As I said, I have an open mind and I'm open to changing it; but since I was a kid buying US was built into my head. With that being said it's not that I have anything against Taiwan; I have similar hang ups with Japan or Italy. It's the American jobs shipped overseas that worry me. But as I was thinking already; Spyderco isn't a company that started making products in the US and moved production overseas cutting quality and costing jobs while padding their on accounts. They're using the global economy to further their existence in the American economy and provide jobs in Golden while ensuring that quality doesn't go down.

So they are really the exact opposite of what I was worried about.
 
Yes, I believe your last statement is true. You have to dig deeper than the label.

The 80s called and they want their Made in Taiwan stigma back...
 
bluemetalchurch said:
Thank you to everyone for your comments. As I said, I have an open mind and I'm open to changing it; but since I was a kid buying US was built into my head. With that being said it's not that I have anything against Taiwan; I have similar hang ups with Japan or Italy. It's the American jobs shipped overseas that worry me. But as I was thinking already; Spyderco isn't a company that started making products in the US and moved production overseas cutting quality and costing jobs while padding their on accounts. They're using the global economy to further their existence in the American economy and provide jobs in Golden while ensuring that quality doesn't go down.

So they are really the exact opposite of what I was worried about.
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Yay! I love happy endings :)

So what are you going to buy first?!?!?
 
Sal has responded to these concerns a number of times in the past, though I'm not sure how much he's posted that hasn't been covered here, and it might be tough to use the search function to find those posts.

It will be interesting to see how global trade shapes up and shakes out in the next few years. Companies like Spyderco could hurt, rather than helped, by some of those changes.
 
I usually avoid chinese knives myself but do have some. I will buy knives from almost any other nation. Many like to compare Taiwan to China but ultimately supporting Taiwan is the opposite of supporting China. The relationship between the two is complex but I certainly side with Taiwan.
 
@KennyLiu@ said:
I understand your stand on supporting your own country, but when it comes down to it, I would be in favor of manufactures that deliver the kind of quality I seek, America has some great designers and makers, but on the other hand, we live in a time of globalization, a knife could have a Polish designed collaborating with an American company that is manufactured in Taiwan, and if you feel any guilt buying a knife like that then you might be overthinking, Ive never heard anyone have second thoughts buying a Lionsteel. It's just very different than buying knives from brands like kizer or reate, but that's a whole different discussion.
I live in Taiwan, love it, it's a beautiful place, I don't understand why people make such a big deal of Spydercos made in Taiwan, we're responsible for making the knives, but it still belongs to an American company, right? So it's a business choice, and in the end most of the money you spend actually still goes to an American company, there are people buying and carrying kizers and reates, but no one bats an eye??
Sorry if I come out sounding hostile, it just kinda stings me every time I see these posts when there are bigger issues at hand. If the origin of your knife really matters to you, then maybe take some time to travel to that country and experience it's culture, I welcome you to come to Taiwan for once, it might change your perspective on such things.


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Click to expand...

Hell, I was made in Taiwan. :D
 
bluemetalchurch said:
Thank you to everyone for your comments. As I said, I have an open mind and I'm open to changing it; but since I was a kid buying US was built into my head. With that being said it's not that I have anything against Taiwan; I have similar hang ups with Japan or Italy. It's the American jobs shipped overseas that worry me. But as I was thinking already; Spyderco isn't a company that started making products in the US and moved production overseas cutting quality and costing jobs while padding their on accounts. They're using the global economy to further their existence in the American economy and provide jobs in Golden while ensuring that quality doesn't go down.

So they are really the exact opposite of what I was worried about.
Click to expand...

I should thank everyone here for the civilized and friendly comments. I'm now actually glad you have brought up this subject and led some really open minded people into this discussion. The cutlery world has certainly went through a lot of evolutions, and learning from other cultures is what helps us progress, like tanto grinds and karambit styles so on and so forth.
Globalization is a great way for us to improve and innovate, as long as you don't do anything shady with it, and to show that I don't just favor Taiwan made knives, here is a part of my humble collection.

P.S. When are you coming to Taiwan? JK!


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Having been in the Navy I've had the opportunity to live in various places around the world. I'm proud to say we have purchased some wonderful products from hard working, honest people in other countries. Some of the best Spydercos are made in Taiwan. They take pride in their work and it shows. Purchase with confidence.
 
bluemetalchurch said:
So again, I buy American, when I can.
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I'm with you- I buy American when I can but it can be difficult. And in many years of owning automobiles I've only owned foreign brands for about 10% of that time.

My current folders include Benchmade, Spyderco (PM2, Manix 2, Military and Bradley), and ZT. And as time goes by the percentage share of Spydero Colorado models is going up.

You will hear a lot of arguments justifying buying foreign, and most people seem to do whatever they want to do. But the same people would really be complaining if they lost their jobs to foreign companies, so I think most people choose what is convenient for them not what they think is really right. I don't know what to tell you, if there was a new Spyderco model that I wanted that was from Taiwan, I would probably buy it.
 
JOTI is a small, family owned development and their knifemaking abilities are some of the best in the world in my opinion. Dollar for dollar when you examine the quality work they do, there's almost nothing out there that compares. I have no problem supporting them as well as a great company like Spyderco.
 
Taiwan is a very special blend of Chinese, Japanese and American cultures. A Unique, modern democracy with very special people, and our Taichung maker is special as well.

We visit often. We were in Taipei for the sunflower student protest. Impressive in the way all did their part....."Passion is the spice in the spirit that makes excellence possible".

sal
 
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