Urban disappointment

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S30V is available for US-made knives, VG-10 for Japan-made. Switching that around would involve shipping the steel. Total budget-buster.

In one sense, I'm with 5.56, I'd like to see more and more Golden, Colorado U.S.A. Earth on my knives. On the other hand, I worry about outsourcing anywhere and everywhere, and that's not politics, just a feeling that companies lose their style and possibly ultimately their quality doing that.

But Japan? Spyderco's partners over there are an integral part of what makes Spyderco what it is today. I cannot flinch at seeing a Spyderco made in Japan.

* ****** **** ****** *

I am looking forward to the Urban. I recently got around to picking up a UKPK, got a good deal on it, too. :) VERY knice knife.
 
My Tenacious is made in China, and I love it. The quality on it is much better than some domestic knives. The only reason I won;t buy the Urban, is because for a few dollars more I can get a larger UKPK made with S30V. If the Urban was in the $50.00 range, I'd grab it.
 
I highly suspect that producing knives, or just about anything, in Japan, is not meant to reduce cost, but to take advantage of some world class production opportunities. Japan, currently, side steps many of the alleged issues with producing knives in some other countries. For instance, the country is, by world's standards, very progressive, so worker's rights (etc) isn't an issue, and Japan has been a good friend to the US for quite awhile now.

I would like to see more USA models too, but I love Japanese knives too.
 
As far as I understand, the factory at Golden is nearly pushed to capacity. Hence why there are not more models being produced there. Maybe someone else can confirm that.
Both Vg10 & s30V are excellent steels. As much as I can appreciate the knives coming out of Golden, I tend to prefer the Seki produced knives for the overall fit and finish.
 
AF said:
OK, not totally off topic since the 2009 catalog was mentioned-
what is the top knife of 5 pictured, clipped to the the reed at the beginning of the product guide? Page 9 of the PDF version.
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It's an Embassy, isn't it?
 
bodankers said:
As far as I understand, the factory at Golden is nearly pushed to capacity. Hence why there are not more models being produced there. Maybe someone else can confirm that.
Both Vg10 & s30V are excellent steels. As much as I can appreciate the knives coming out of Golden, I tend to prefer the Seki produced knives for the overall fit and finish.
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Spyderco has said so for a few years now. They have also said that profits from their sales is being reinvested in the Golden plant to expand capacity.

Seems to me if a person holds off on knives now based only on country of origin waiting for it to occur in the US are only shooting themselves in the foot.
 
5.56 said:
Allow me to clarify, obviously Spyderco has been making Japanese knives for many years, everyone knows this.

Recent discussions with Sal have concluded that it is Spyderco's intent to make more US versions, that's coming right from Sal himself.

Well according to the 2009 catalog, out of the 40+ models available, only 6 are made in the US.

That is what I meant by my statement of the company's direction.

And I am not trying to make this into a political discussion, I am more disappointed that it's not S30V like it's counterpart
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Sorry, I don't buy that. I think it's total BS and that you're primary agenda here is political.

The 2009 catalog's been out for months, with the Urban's materials and country of origin clearly listed. If you can count the US made models in it, you could have seen the Urban was not among them and either posted this whine earlier, or gotten over it.

That catalog, and decisions on where things in it would be built were made LONG before Sal's post. So your intimation he was less than honest when he said that is BS too.

Then there's you count. Six in the print catalog, but there's also the DKPK which appears in the online catalog and the entire "restricted models" line (SmallFly, SzaboFly, Citadel, and Embassy), which appear in a separate print catalog. So a half truth at best here.

Consider this - twenty years ago there were zero Spyderco models made in the USA. Ten years ago there were four. Today there are eleven.

Paul
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Personally, I do not understand the original complaint.

Spyderco has been completely up front regarding the manufacture of this knife.

Spyderco has no history of outsourcing American jobs--quite the contrary.

I own a number of Spyderco VG-10 and S30V models, and I have used some of both very hard. I have had no reason to complain about the performance of either steel in any of the knives that I own. If someone really wants a particular steel in a knife--well, that is their privilege. However, to claim a performance difference between the two, or between Spyderco's Japanese-made and US made models is nonsense, in my experience.
 
shaldag said:
Personally, I do not understand the original complaint.
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5.56 has a problem with foreign made knives. This is another example of him voicing his opinion on the matter. He gets a bit repetitive but I always learn something during the debate. For example, The Deacon's post was informative. I never knew 20 years ago there were 0 Spyderco's made in the US.
 
morrowj_98 said:
For example, The Deacon's post was informative. I never knew 20 years ago there were 0 Spyderco's made in the US.
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I keep forgetting what some people lust after isn't Spydercos thusly they wouldn't know stuff like that.

The way I see it is Sal is an engineer/designer/salesman that has slowly built his company from just an idea into what it is today.

A lot of blood sweat and tears, and obviously a labor of love. :)
 
The Deacon said:
Consider this - twenty years ago there were zero Spyderco models made in the USA. Ten years ago there were four. Today there are eleven.
Paul
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Well said Paul. I don't hesitate to buy any Spyderco knife that I like, and can afford, regardless of where they are made.

I also have to say I love VG-10, it's a piece of cake to get way too sharp for a clumsy guy like me.
 
Well, as has already been stated, Golden is at capacity. As Deacon said, in addition to all the items listed in the normal catalog, all of the restricted models (autos and balisongs for sale to military and law enforcement only) are also produced in Golden, due to legal requirements existing within the 10th Circuit. So the Smallfly, Smallfly Trainer, Szabofly, Citadel 92mm, Citadel 83mm, and Embassy can be added to the "U.S. Made" list. The 'flys are 154CM, (at least my Smallflies are--I never bought the new Szabo, as I already have a VG-10 version from when they were made before) the rest are S30V.

Actually, Ed Schempp's designs are made in Japan, and since some of my very favorite Spydercos are designed by Ed, where the knife is manufactured is not a primary criteria for me when making a purchase. The quality of the knife is, as is the customer service of the company. That is why I buy Spyderco.
 
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The Deacon said:
The 2009 catalog's been out for months, with the Urban's materials and country of origin clearly listed. If you can count the US made models in it, you could have seen the Urban was not among them and either posted this whine earlier, or gotten over it.
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Actually, I just received the catalog with my S90V Mule Team knife, so no, I didn't know about the Urban's origin. I assumed it was from Golden because of it's counterpart the UKPK.

And I am not attacking Sal, he has been extremely helpful in the past. Thank you Sal.:)

The purpose of this thread is not political, it was just to convey my feelings about the knife, and why I won't be buying one. Read the OP, it clearly states that I am upset with the choice of steel also. I prefer S30V for it's edge holding properties, and it seems that I am not alone. So why VG-10 if the knives are going to be the same price? That's a valid question.
 
I like VG10 in a thin, small knife. I can get a better cutting edge on VG10 than S30V. (The S30V's edge lasts longer, but I don't do rough work with a small knife.) VG10 in my Calypso Jr is a Scalpel and I hope in my Urban as well.
Have one on the way.:)
 
Hi 5.56,

Sorry for your disappointment.

We're growing our US factory as fast as possible given the limitations of time, people and money.

We'll be making more US product as time goes on. Especially Slipits, and we're also trying to make them less expensive.

In the meanwhile, we have excellent makers in a few places tha can assist us in getting product to the market much faster than waiting for Golden.

Patience.

Hi Lycosa,

Not much or a businessman. More of a inventor/designer.


sal
 
5.56 said:
I guess one question I have is, why is the Urban VG-10?

What's wrong with S30V? It worked for the UKPK? And clearly, the Urban is a variant of the UKPK.

Why the switch? :confused:
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I could be wrong, but isn't VG-10 steel sourced in Japan, and S30V sourced in the USA? If so you would have to export the S30v to Japan.
 
I actually prefer VG-10 to S30V, but that's a personal preference. It's one reason I'm so partial to the Caly III. As for Spyderco and Japan, I have no problems. Some really nice Spydercos have come out of Japan.

In 30 years or so, folks may be talking about China in the same terms we now talk about Japan. "Made in Japan" used to be a bad thing. Not anymore. Now that analogy doesn't change the politics associated with China, and those considerations ought to be very real. But one has to admit that Chinese production quality is steadily gettig better.
 
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