The PIG

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Wow 5-by-5,

Nice shape for a knife 38 years old. The thread certainly has spurred old memories.

"Talkin' Story:

We had introduced our serrated "Mariner" model and serrated "Rescue" model. ('82 / '83) The "Mariner" version was made with AUS-8 (Aichi) because of its better corrosion resistance and the "Rescue" model was made with Gingami 1, (Hitachi, marked G2) because of it more aggressive cutting and edge retention.

Law Enforcement was using the model and asked us to create a model that had the cutting power of the serrated sheepfoot, but with an point. That's how the original Police model came to be. After I finished the design, Gail and spent many hours trying to make the decision to engrave the blade with "PIG". It seemed like a good idea at the time, but a bad decision on something so radical can kill a model. As it turned out, we took the plunge. (That's kinda been our style).

After dealing with prototypes , etc. We tooled up and made the model with a mid lock back for easy one hand closing. We were still giving Harvey McBurnette and Al Mar credit for the development of the mid lock back, which we used with Al Mar's permission. (We've since found an earlier piece to the puzzle, thanx to Brian Huegel, and we bought it. For another thread that Brian and I can share).

The first shipment came in Maybe 2-300 both plain and serrated. Gail and I had devised a test for testing the locks (which later became known as "Spine wack". We found that the pieces defeated consistently. The maker was upset that we would do such a test, and more upset that we had already put them on a plane back to them. We were new working together and had to learn each other. To their credit, they repaired every piece to pass our lock test. Sometimes you have to rub a "Yin" stone and a "Yang" stone together until they're smooth.

We're still working with the same maker today. More than 40 years. I worked with the grandfather and the father and my son (Eric) works with the grandson. We were both strong minded, so we had our "Discussions". they made all of Al Mar's early models. Al introduced me to them. (Al was a great man. he raised the bar for the entire industry, and this was the maker "family" that made his knives).

The current Police Model is our longest continuously running design, though it has changed a great deal over the years from the original "PIG" to the "Police 4 FRN". Some thoughts to share.

I think Jack (Yab) has them all.

sal
 
sgt1372 said:
Yes, I agree that there are some flippers and scammers on the Exchange but they are easily identifiied.

There's one "flipper" on the Exchange who likes to lock his threads so that there is no transparency in his sale dealings who buys and then resells the same knives on the Exchange but I don't see how he can make much profit doing that.

Way too much trouble to me but I'm not very business minded. LOL! ;)
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And that flipper you speak of also has in his posts no low balling, or something to that effect, but when he buys he takes it straight to Im so he can "low ball" lol. I refuse to buy or sell to folks like that
 
sgt1372 said:
Here's a walk down memory lane. A C07S Gen 1 Police "PIG" - Pride Integrity & Guts (engraved on the blade) - currrently for sale on the Bay.
Made around 1984-86 (per Spydiewiki). Supposedly NOS. Price on the sticker on the box is $61.98. LOL! ;)

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Would love to buy it but they're asking $1k for it. So, a virtual viewing will have to do.
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$61 bucks in 1984 was pricy I bet. But still a sexy knife dude.
 
John_B said:
$61 bucks in 1984 was pricy I bet. But still a sexy knife dude.
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I paid more than that for a Kersahw Shallot around that time.

While the Shallots have appreciated in value, I would have done much better if I bought a couple of PIG's instead. LOL! ;)
 
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I gave $80 for an Al Mar Falcon in 1980, so it was a little pricey, but not that high.
 
There's another PIG 4sale on the Bay.

It's offered at "auction" and the current high bid is $405 w/one day left to go. Not going to post a sniper bid for it because there are 25 "Watchers" who are likely to pump up the bid and it's already more than I'd want to pay for it (after you add tax/shipping on top) but I'll be curious to see how much it sells for.

Update 05/03/2022:

This PIG sold for $485. Less than half of the asking price of the other one that I opened this thread about, which is obviously "overpriced."
 
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The chamfered spider hole on that knife looks really easy on the thumb. I wish Spyderco still did that.
 
Sal Glesser said:
Hi Elgatodeacero,

We learned that the chamfers made opening the knife more difficult due to the thumb slipping out of the hole.,

sal
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One of the first, messy, injuries I received from a knife. In 1989 I was showing off at a party and flicked my Police Model open. My thumb slipped out of the hole. Which rotated the knife in my grip resulting in the edge towards my palm. I sliced a dime size chunk of skin off the side of my thumb.
Never forget that bday party.
 
sgt1372 said:
Yes, I agree that there are some flippers and scammers on the Exchange but they are easily identifiied.

There's one "flipper" on the Exchange who likes to lock his threads so that there is no transparency in his sale dealings (who buys and then resells the same knives on the Exchange) but I don't see how he can make much profit doing that.

Way too much trouble to me but I'm not very business minded. LOL! ;)
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I think you should be banned for locking your for sale threads. But I also consider calling out gougers so…
 
DMG said:
I think you should be banned for locking your for sale threads. But I also consider calling out gougers so…
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That's a bit severe but I think there should at least be a "rule change" against doing that. Absent that, just refusing to deal w/them should be sufficient. If more people would to THAT, they'd probably change their ways but that hasn't happened yet.

As far as "gougers" are concerned, people are entitled to ask whether they like for the knives they are selling and buyers have the choice to pay the asking price or negotiate for a lower price.

People on BF are for the most part very experienced and know when a knife is "worth" what the seller is asking or not. So, I really see no need to "call out" gougers because, if they are price gouging, their knives will simply go unsold.
 
sgt1372 said:
That's a bit severe but I think there should at least be a "rule change" against doing that. Absent that, just refusing to deal w/them should be sufficient. If more people would to THAT, they'd probably change their ways but that hasn't happened yet.

As far as "gougers" are concerned, people are entitled to ask whether they like for the knives they are selling and buyers have the choice to pay the asking price or negotiate for a lower price.

People on BF are for the most part very experienced and know when a knife is "worth" what the seller is asking or not. So, I really see no need to "call out" gougers because, if they are price gouging, their knives will simply go unsold.
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Solid points. Most people on here are pretty good. I am more speaking of the people that misrepresent than overprice things.
 
DMG said:
Solid points. Most people on here are pretty good. I am more speaking of the people that misrepresent than overprice things.
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If you think there's a "misrepresentation" of an item or just something "off" about it, you should REPORT in private it to the Mods for further action.

I've done that in a couple of suspected hacks which, in fact, turned out to be hacks.
 
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When it comes to pricing, some people just have an inflated notion of the value of their item. I've been watching the same G-10 Police model go unsold on eBay for several months. The seller periodically marks it down by $100, and it still doesn't sell. My offer got rejected instantly, so it seems my idea of the value is about half what his idea is (my offer was $50 more than I think it's worth).
 
winnerone23 said:
One on the exchange
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Pretty beat up for $350 but, if I HAD to own one, I'd try to talk it down to $300 and then polish the h*ll out of it, if I got it.

All Spyderco stainless models polish up really nice! :)

Only problem for me is that it has a SE blade and, if I'm only going to have 1 variation of a specific model, I prefer PE.
 
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