What's the Deal with Sprint Runs?

I find I am really enjoying the "Premium" Steels with a touch of vanadium over the older high quality Steels. I have many knives with 440B, Sandavik steel, Aus8 or 420HC. The newer "mid-range" steels which seem to take advantage of a little bit of vanadium and lots of chromium like VG-10 are really fun to have and use. So far edge retention and sharpness of regular steels that I have used. I have ordered the orange para 2 in CTS-XHP both because I love orange and it looks like an upgrade to VG-10.

I have not yet tried one of the super steels and am highly tempted to get in on the K390 mule or get in on a spring with one of the super steels. I have some orange G-10 that would made a nice orange handle for it. I feel myself becoming a steel fan LOL. Which is kinda silly as my daily knife useage is cutting open 3-4 hay bales and opening my mail.
 
Per "Care to cite any examples of where someone has been "stuck with a bunch of expensive knives that no one wants to buy". You are correct, this is not common. However, it is partially true if you bought some things at the height of their "scarcity" which have since be reissued. For example, the shabariha and matriarch were originally sold at less than the MSRP when released and then after time, the price rose above MSRP. As soon as the new releases came out, the price of the old versions dropped. Each time spyderco re-releases an knife, it dilutes the value of the older versions if the knife's value is dependent upon collector demand. Remember that spyderco collectors when you demand re-releases.

There are a few knives that spyderco has marketed as one time only, all the rest, as stated on their site, can be released again. The WTC knife and the aniversery knife with bug damascus come to mind as one time issues.
 
My take on sprint runs is that they are saturating the market pretty well as is. Most of the time you can get one without too much trouble if you knew about it from the start. It's when you show up late to the party that all the cake is gone... "Most of the time", some of them do turn out to be much more popular than others.
 
brownshoe said:
Per "Care to cite any examples of where someone has been "stuck with a bunch of expensive knives that no one wants to buy". You are correct, this is not common. However, it is partially true if you bought some things at the height of their "scarcity" which have since be reissued. For example, the shabariha and matriarch were originally sold at less than the MSRP when released and then after time, the price rose above MSRP. As soon as the new releases came out, the price of the old versions dropped. Each time spyderco re-releases an knife, it dilutes the value of the older versions if the knife's value is dependent upon collector demand. Remember that spyderco collectors when you demand re-releases.

There are a few knives that spyderco has marketed as one time only, all the rest, as stated on their site, can be released again. The WTC knife and the aniversery knife with bug damascus come to mind as one time issues.
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Yablanowitz was speaking of Spyderco getting stuck with them, not some speculator who paid an inflated price in the hopes of selling for an even more inflated one.

I do agree the value of some older knives has gone down, but I disagree with you notion that Sprints are the reason for that. Personally, I think the economy has played a much more significant role than the Sprints since some older models of which no Sprints have ever been offered have also suffered significant loss of value in the past three years. Prime example would be the selling prices of the less common variants of the C35 Q. In a better economy, Sprints should increase the value of older versions, as the grey FRN Calypso Jr did when released, by increasing interest in the model and giving at least a few of those purchasing it incentive to find and acquire the rest of the "set".

I disagree with your last statement as well. There is at least the implication on the Exclusives page I linked to earlier that Sprints are one time offerings. WTC Knife can also be looked at as a variant of the D'Allara Rescue and 25th Anniversary Delica was just one of many Delica variants, including last years two bolstered jigged bone Sprints.
 
Fat Goat Forge said:
I find I am really enjoying the "Premium" Steels with a touch of vanadium over the older high quality Steels. I have many knives with 440B, Sandavik steel, Aus8 or 420HC. The newer "mid-range" steels which seem to take advantage of a little bit of vanadium and lots of chromium like VG-10 are really fun to have and use. So far edge retention and sharpness of regular steels that I have used. I have ordered the orange para 2 in CTS-XHP both because I love orange and it looks like an upgrade to VG-10.

I have not yet tried one of the super steels and am highly tempted to get in on the K390 mule or get in on a spring with one of the super steels. I have some orange G-10 that would made a nice orange handle for it. I feel myself becoming a steel fan LOL. Which is kinda silly as my daily knife useage is cutting open 3-4 hay bales and opening my mail.
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In the case of CTS-XHP being an upgrade it is very similar in composition to CPM-D2, not so much VG-10. VG-10, 154CM, and ATS-34 mostly fall into the same catagory. Where CPM-D2 and CTS-XHP are more simlar (tool steels). I guess the term super steel is often used as a flexible term by many.
 
I don't know, this seems pretty clear, there is no mention of commiting to not repeating a Sprint run:

"Spyerco Sprint Run - This is defined by Spyderco as a Limited Edition Production of any Spyderco product in a configuration different than what has been previously produced and can include changes in the handle color, materials, blade steel, coatings, etc. The production quantity is pre-determined by Spyderco and is sold by Spyderco either through the existing Dealer and Distributor Network or Consumer Direct (The Mule Team Series)."
 
Hi Harpoon,

We try to create sprints that give newer customers an opportunity to experience the model after it's been gone for a while and the earlier models are getting very rare. As mentioned, we try to change them in some way, usually an upgrade, that will distinguuish them from the earlier version. in a configuration different than what has been previously produced

They are often the results of customers requests. Sometimes, like the Meerkat, it's customer demand. The goal is to not affect the value of previous versions.

For example, if we get enough demand, we'll make another Para2 in S90V, maybe even in carbon fiber, but we'll change the color of the carbon fiber (or glass fiber).

Hi Brownshoe, It's not a commitment, just something we feel we should do in the interest of our customers.

BTW, we're going to do a remake of the Starmate. We're making it in Japan with some changes, all new tooling. We think it will be a better model. As I remember, I owe you one of the new models from an earlier agreement. If you can let me know a comfortable way that I can get that to you, I would like to follow up.

sal
 
brownshoe said:
I don't know, this seems pretty clear, there is no mention of commiting to not repeating a Sprint run:

"Spyerco Sprint Run - This is defined by Spyderco as a Limited Edition Production of any Spyderco product in a configuration different than what has been previously produced and can include changes in the handle color, materials, blade steel, coatings, etc. The production quantity is pre-determined by Spyderco and is sold by Spyderco either through the existing Dealer and Distributor Network or Consumer Direct (The Mule Team Series)."
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I don't know, this quote from the Spyderco Glossary page seems pretty clear to me.

Sprint Run
A limited, one time only, production of a knife design/model. Production numbers are less than 1500 pieces.
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Sal

Sal Glesser said:
We try to create sprints that give newer customers an opportunity to experience the model after it's been gone for a while and the earlier models are getting very rare. As mentioned, we try to change them in some way, usually an upgrade, that will distinguish them from the earlier version. in a configuration different than what has been previously produced

They are often the results of customers requests. Sometimes, like the Meerkat, it's customer demand. The goal is to not affect the value of previous versions.

For example, if we get enough demand, we'll make another Para2 in S90V, maybe even in carbon fiber, but we'll change the color of the carbon fiber (or glass fiber).

sal
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Got it.

Appreciate your participation here and following up on this.

Thanks.
 
Sal Glesser said:
Hi Harpoon,

We try to create sprints that give newer customers an opportunity to experience the model after it's been gone for a while and the earlier models are getting very rare. As mentioned, we try to change them in some way, usually an upgrade, that will distinguuish them from the earlier version. in a configuration different than what has been previously produced

They are often the results of customers requests. Sometimes, like the Meerkat, it's customer demand. The goal is to not affect the value of previous versions.

For example, if we get enough demand, we'll make another Para2 in S90V, maybe even in carbon fiber, but we'll change the color of the carbon fiber (or glass fiber).

Hi Brownshoe, It's not a commitment, just something we feel we should do in the interest of our customers.

BTW, we're going to do a remake of the Starmate. We're making it in Japan with some changes, all new tooling. We think it will be a better model. As I remember, I owe you one of the new models from an earlier agreement. If you can let me know a comfortable way that I can get that to you, I would like to follow up.

sal
Click to expand...

That's the only part I'm seeing. :D
 
Sal Glesser said:
Hi Harpoon,

We try to create sprints that give newer customers an opportunity to experience the model after it's been gone for a while and the earlier models are getting very rare. As mentioned, we try to change them in some way, usually an upgrade, that will distinguuish them from the earlier version. in a configuration different than what has been previously produced

They are often the results of customers requests. Sometimes, like the Meerkat, it's customer demand. The goal is to not affect the value of previous versions.

For example, if we get enough demand, we'll make another Para2 in S90V, maybe even in carbon fiber, but we'll change the color of the carbon fiber (or glass fiber).

Hi Brownshoe, It's not a commitment, just something we feel we should do in the interest of our customers.

BTW, we're going to do a remake of the Starmate. We're making it in Japan with some changes, all new tooling. We think it will be a better model. As I remember, I owe you one of the new models from an earlier agreement. If you can let me know a comfortable way that I can get that to you, I would like to follow up.

sal
Click to expand...

Basketweave (a la Sage 1 / Gayle Bradley) please! :D

(seriously, if you make this knife, I will own 3 of them - you can even put it out in CTS-20CP if you just really want to)
 
Sal,

I am signed up to get my first sprint which will be the Orange Para 2 in CTS-XHP and look forward to getting it. Its both fun vie to one of those that get one and to then be the owner of a semi-unique item. I was thinking that its probably good for your dealers too. They get a block of revenue when the knives ship (or upon pre-order depends on the dealer policy) and build traffic to their sites. I would imagine the revenue from a sprint run does not really compensate Spyderco for the time and tooling but I am sure you guys find it fun as well and as it is a pleasure to deal with a company that provides the joy of the sprints to their customers, it must build brand loyalty/awareness as well. But the bread and butter I am sure will always be mass production of catalog items.

Again thanks to you and your staff for providing us with the most enjoyable sprint runs.
 
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