What is the price and value patterns of discontinued Spyderco knives?

[mjpgolf1]

So I just bought a Spyderco Burch Chubby a couple weeks ago for a whopping $130 brand new on sale because of it being discontinued and it got me thinking. These were literally just a $250 priced knife a few months ago, with a retail of over $300, and people gladly bought them for that. So what is the pattern of discontinued knives and their values after the dust settles and the inventory is all sold off? I wouldn't think that these knives on the used market will stay at the price they are selling for now (around $100-$120) because they are such a solid and well built Titanium knife, which we all know that knives with these materials are selling for much more. So will the value of these little knives, and others that are in the same situation of being discontinued and blown out at cheap prices, go back up over time at all? I'm not asking because I want to make money on my Burch Chubby at all. I'm just asking out of curiousity, and because if I was one of those people that just paid $250+ for one this past year I would be a little upset. This disrupts the used market for those folks who maybe would want to sell and recoupe most of their money back. Earlier this past year these were selling for around $200 used, so to see the value drop that much would be upsetting to those folks.

 

[CryoGuy5272]

It's an ever changing market. 6 months ago you had m390 PM2 going for well over $300 and when BBS released another run the value dropped back down to below $200. Once they're all gone the price will climb again. Depending on the popularity, it will dictate the price. Gayle Bradley folders are still available but the price has went up quite a bit


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[50an6xy06r6n]

So I just bought a Spyderco Burch Chubby a couple weeks ago for a whopping $130 brand new on sale because of it being discontinued and it got me thinking. These were literally just a $250 priced knife a few months ago, with a retail of over $300, and people gladly bought them for that. So what is the pattern of discontinued knives and their values after the dust settles and the inventory is all sold off? I wouldn't think that these knives on the used market will stay at the price they are selling for now (around $100-$120) because they are such a solid and well built Titanium knife, which we all know that knives with these materials are selling for much more. So will the value of these little knives, and others that are in the same situation of being discontinued and blown out at cheap prices, go back up over time at all? I'm not asking because I want to make money on my Burch Chubby at all. I'm just asking out of curiousity, and because if I was one of those people that just paid $250+ for one this past year I would be a little upset. This disrupts the used market for those folks who maybe would want to sell and recoupe most of their money back. Earlier this past year these were selling for around $200 used, so to see the value drop that much would be upsetting to those folks.

Just on the subject of the Chubby, I suspect that sales at the original MAP price were actually not so great, which is why they were discontinued. I too picked one up at the clearance price, and I actually think I like it a little better than my Techno, which is the comparable folder in the Spyderco lineup.

But I digress. As CryoGuy said, I think prices tend to cycle up and down, as people will pay more for limited run or discontinued knives when they're rare, until all the people who want them get their fill, at which point the knives seem to stay unsold until prices get cut again (usually by someone who notices how inflated prices are and realizes they can sell their knife by undercutting them). Not a scientific analysis by any means, but something I've noticed collecting the Lum Chinese models.

 

[mjpgolf1]

Just on the subject of the Chubby, I suspect that sales at the original MAP price were actually not so great, which is why they were discontinued. I too picked one up at the clearance price, and I actually think I like it a little better than my Techno, which is the comparable folder in the Spyderco lineup.

But I digress. As CryoGuy said, I think prices tend to cycle up and down, as people will pay more for limited run or discontinued knives when they're rare, until all the people who want them get their fill, at which point the knives seem to stay unsold until prices get cut again (usually by someone who notices how inflated prices are and realizes they can sell their knife by undercutting them). Not a scientific analysis by any means, but something I've noticed collecting the Lum Chinese models.

The original MAP pricing was in line with comparable folders though. The Techno, which is obviously in the same league as the Chubby, is still selling really well at just under $200, and anyone would be hard pressed to find a full Titanium frame lock with great blade steel and carbon fiber inlays for anywhere near what they are blowing the Chubby out for now. Don't get me wrong I was happy to pick one up for the $130, but it just seems like they didn't quite have to whore them out for such a low price. I know that I would really be upset if I was one of the guys who bought one for $250 the week before, or anytime for that matter. It just hurts the resale and value of a very well made knife. I can see clearing out some of the frn or g10 handled knives with funky designs for cheap, but when the market is so hyped up on Titanium framelocks right now I just think it can upset your customers who would've normally had a knife that would sell for $180-$200 on the used market, but now they are forced to sell for half price if they want to move it.

I know we don't all buy knives to sell them, but let's be honest here, a lot of the expensive titanium buyers do take into consideration the value of a knife when they decide to drop $200+ on them. Especially since a lot of us like to buy, sell, and trade quite a bit just to enjoy different stuff. Just look at how active the exchange is here and how many guys are selling like new expensive knives all the time. There are obviously a lot of collectors in this hobby now a days and it really kills things when they drop the prices so drastically.

 

[Mike45ACP]

Not to over simplify but I think it comes down to the old law of supply and demand. I don't think the Burch Chubby was ever a real hot seller. Some knives are never desirable till they go out of production?

Mike

 

[mjpgolf1]

Not to over simplify but I think it comes down to the old law of supply and demand. I don't think the Burch Chubby was ever a real hot seller. Some knives are never desirable till they go out of production?

Mike

I get it. Makes sense. I guess now we sit back and wait to see what happens. Seems like such a great little knife to not be a hit though.

 

[yablanowitz]

It wouldn't be discontinued and clearance priced now if it was a hit. It never appealed to me, but I'm not a titanium or framelock fan myself.

 

[50an6xy06r6n]

The original MAP pricing was in line with comparable folders though. The Techno, which is obviously in the same league as the Chubby, is still selling really well at just under $200, and anyone would be hard pressed to find a full Titanium frame lock with great blade steel and carbon fiber inlays for anywhere near what they are blowing the Chubby out for now. Don't get me wrong I was happy to pick one up for the $130, but it just seems like they didn't quite have to whore them out for such a low price. I know that I would really be upset if I was one of the guys who bought one for $250 the week before, or anytime for that matter. It just hurts the resale and value of a very well made knife. I can see clearing out some of the frn or g10 handled knives with funky designs for cheap, but when the market is so hyped up on Titanium framelocks right now I just think it can upset your customers who would've normally had a knife that would sell for $180-$200 on the used market, but now they are forced to sell for half price if they want to move it.

I know we don't all buy knives to sell them, but let's be honest here, a lot of the expensive titanium buyers do take into consideration the value of a knife when they decide to drop $200+ on them. Especially since a lot of us like to buy, sell, and trade quite a bit just to enjoy different stuff. Just look at how active the exchange is here and how many guys are selling like new expensive knives all the time. There are obviously a lot of collectors in this hobby now a days and it really kills things when they drop the prices so drastically.

While I get what you mean, as others have commented it seems that fit whatever reason the Chubby was not very popular. I suspect that it's because it was priced about $20 higher than the Techno is at MAP, and is over $200, which is something of a threshold price for a lot of people. From what I observed it also seemed like it didn't get a lot of attention from the well known early adopters and reviewers of Spydercos, and as a result it got a lot less exposure than the Techno has, and a lot of people are less aware of it. I for one had been eyeing it since it came out, but since I didn't hear much about it I kind of forgot about it until I saw they were being cleared out.

As much as it sucks to have the value of your knife go down the reality is dealers liquidating them at such low prices are just trying to make their own money back, and don't have any obligation to the secondary market prices. In this case I think anyone who bought it at MAP with plans to resell it just made a bad investment in that respect.

On the other hand, anyone who got one at clearance prices I think got a fantastic deal on a great knife they won't be afraid to use. And who knows, maybe it'll get a cult following after being discontinued and prices will go back up. Just look at the Leafstorm. They're relatively rare now, and seem to fetch prices higher than they did when first released, even used.

 

[mjpgolf1]

While I get what you mean, as others have commented it seems that fit whatever reason the Chubby was not very popular. I suspect that it's because it was priced about $20 higher than the Techno is at MAP, and is over $200, which is something of a threshold price for a lot of people. From what I observed it also seemed like it didn't get a lot of attention from the well known early adopters and reviewers of Spydercos, and as a result it got a lot less exposure than the Techno has, and a lot of people are less aware of it. I for one had been eyeing it since it came out, but since I didn't hear much about it I kind of forgot about it until I saw they were being cleared out.

As much as it sucks to have the value of your knife go down the reality is dealers liquidating them at such low prices are just trying to make their own money back, and don't have any obligation to the secondary market prices. In this case I think anyone who bought it at MAP with plans to resell it just made a bad investment in that respect.

On the other hand, anyone who got one at clearance prices I think got a fantastic deal on a great knife they won't be afraid to use. And who knows, maybe it'll get a cult following after being discontinued and prices will go back up. Just look at the Leafstorm. They're relatively rare now, and seem to fetch prices higher than they did when first released, even used.

Oh yeah, at $130 it can't be beat. The fit and finish on these knives is absolutely second to none so it's surprising that they didn't get more love. Although the blade design is a bit wonky, but when you actually use it you find it quite useful with cutting chores. The blade is super thin behind the edge and the knife takes a wicked edge and gets really sharp. I guess time will tell but with as hot as titanium framelocks are I would think it would go up in value over time.

 

[Mike45ACP]

I actually loved the looks of the chubby and thought I'd buy one. Then I saw the price tag and really thought about how I would use it. It's a cool looking little knife but I couldn't picture using it that much so I passed on it. For 130.00 I think I'd buy one and not look back. That's a great value.

Mike

 

[mjpgolf1]

I actually loved the looks of the chubby and thought I'd buy one. Then I saw the price tag and really thought about how I would use it. It's a cool looking little knife but I couldn't picture using it that much so I passed on it. For 130.00 I think I'd buy one and not look back. That's a great value.

Mike

Well you better scoop one up before they're gone. I love mine and would absolutely buy another. I actually would've bought it at its original price but every time it came time to buy another knife at that price point I always forgot about the Chubby until after I had already purchased something else. The fit and finish is on par with my More expensive Titanium frame locks so you definetely won't be disappointed. I have both the Chubby and the Techno and the Chubby is just a bit better as far as fit and finish goes, but my Techno has an ever so slightly off center blade, which I'm not really happy about and is not the norm for these knives.