why are the lefties getting the shaft again?

numberthree

numberthree

Joined
Dec 14, 2000
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After seeing pics of the new paramilitary, I have to again express my extreme disappointment that it's going to be yet another righty-only high-end spyderco. It can't be THAT expensive to drill 3 holes on the other side of the knife...especially since this was originally slated to have a full 4 way clip! Come on Sal, throw us a bone, please!
 
I've got a plain edge para on order through my local... I know mine will be sent off for leftie holes... ron(sc_rebel) does great work.

I'm quite used to getting shafted as a leftie. The 10% we cover isn't enough of a market to cater to like the 90% of righties, but we'd sure make a hell of an impact if we quit buying right-only models.
 
I know that some of the G10 Spydercos can't be set up for left hand carry because they lack a liner on that side, and the G10 isn't enough to hold a screw reliably.

However, it is my understanding that the Para has dual liners due to the compression lock.

If that is the case, I cannt imagine why it is being made with anything other than a true 4 position clip.
 
I guess, that for the most part, us lefties just aren't important enough...:(.

But dang...I'd LOVE to have a (lefty) stainless fully serrated VG-10 Police model, but I think I'd have better luck with taking a flying leap to Mars than ever owning one of those...:(.
 
Spyderco's the company that has to take the financial risks for production costs versus revenue for these decisions, so maybe it's not too fair to say that they're shafting us. By that same logic, they could argue that we screw them over worse whenever a fixed blade or a folder with a reversible clip is left on the shelves. The S-curved Meerkats are being discontinued due to lack of robust sales and we weren't chastised for hosing over our friends in Seki and Golden.

Still, where are the ambi-clipped paramillies? :D
 
Originally posted by thombrogan
Still, where are the ambi-clipped paramillies? :D
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And what to me is even worse, unless things have changed between the prototype and the production model, why design the clip for the Persian to preclude making it LH mountable. Great looking knife, totally ambi except for the clip! :mad:
 
I fully appreciate that they can't afford to build lefty only models or significantly retool existing knives to cater to a fickle 10% market share, but we're talking about 3 tiny holes. That seems like a pretty small investment to gain 10% of the market share. I'd love to see a 4 way clip, but even if there's economic reasons not to do that, let's at least see some ambi action...
 
Originally posted by The Deacon
And what to me is even worse, unless things have changed between the prototype and the production model, why design the clip for the Persian to preclude making it LH mountable. Great looking knife, totally ambi except for the clip! :mad:
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The unique curved clip on the Persian will only work on the right ride. They would have had to include a separate clip for lefties.
 
Originally posted by Carlos
The unique curved clip on the Persian will only work on the right ride. They would have had to include a separate clip for lefties.
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What about the Yojimbo? The first pictures of the prototype showed an ambidextrous clip; now, that doesn't seem to be the case anymore... Why?
 
Never mind... Sal has just spoken on another thread. The Yojimbo is gonna be ambi after all. Cool!
 
I am a lefty, and after taking my required Marketing and Stratigic Mgt. courses I understand why they got to do what they GOT TO DO.

They too have to make a profit, and in the manufacturing biz time is money. Re-tooling takes time, using those machines increases wear and the occasional blemish that gets a piece trashed, and in general us leftys dont really account for 10% of the market that we think we do.

If they drilled the holes they MIGHT see a increase in sales by a small fraction. The real money to be made in the knife industry is in the $40-$60 range, and all of those do have ambi-clips. The +$100 portion of us knife buyers is significantly smaller, and although makers listen to us, I dont think it is because they absolutely need to (look at CRKT, a good knife for $30, but not a Spidie). I think they listen to us for new ideas, "Oh Yeah, I shoulda done that!" type of improvements, and generally to be artisticly challenged.

As strictly a lefty, yes it angers me, but from a business perspective I understand. Better to have a right hand Spidie than no Spidies at all.
 
but in the $100 + price range, the extra dollar it would cost to drill 3 holes wouldn't be even noticed by a right handed buyer and would just attract that many more buyers...this isn't a retool at all, it's a small extra step in the process that would yield a potential 10% increase in the knife's sales...seems like a minor investment to me...
 
Originally posted by Carlos
The unique curved clip on the Persian will only work on the right ride. They would have had to include a separate clip for lefties.
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Hmm, take a look at the attached. Granted that, not knowing exactly where the pivot pin is, my placement may be off by a bit, but it looks doable and darn good to me.
 

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But then there would be gaping holes in the left bolster for the vast majority of users. :barf:

It would need a second clip to maintain the integrity of the clean tip-up design.
 
Originally posted by Carlos
But then there would be gaping holes in the left bolster for the vast majority of users. :barf:

It would need a second clip to maintain the integrity of the clean tip-up design.
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Do you own any centerfire rifles Carlos? Hardly ever see one that is not drilled and tapped for scope mounting. Never seen one yet with "gaping holes" in the receiver, plug screws solve that very nicely. Just a guess, but bet it would work for knives too. As for tip-up carry, that's a big :barf: in my book, not a selling point.
 
The Persian is an art piece. Extra holes in the Chinook II for 4 way clip mounting is one thing, extra holes in the Persian is something else.

I'm a tip-up man myself, but clip position is nearly a religious question. No point in digging that up. ;)
 
Originally posted by Carlos
No point in digging that up. ;)
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Take it you never read my sig line. ;) :D

Guess many of "the faithful" would classify me as a hertic or, at very least, a highly un-orthodox worshiper at the Spydie shrine. After all, out of the three dozen Spyderco folders I own all but one are plain edge. On top of that, eight are models that came without clips (3 Kiwis, 3 Jesters, a Spydercard and a 25th Ann. Delica). Even worse, I've removed the clips from six more, all of which were tip uppers :p and a had the audacity to modify the handles on two others. I own and love the one Spydie that has the temerity NOT to have a hole. :D I pray for a plain edge version of the D'Allara Rescue. I've also never thought that the screws in the bolsters of my 25th Ann. Delica, which IMHO qualifies as an "art piece", spoiled the looks of it. What ya think Carlos, should I be stoned, or burned at the stake?:D

On a more serious note, can we lefties and tip downers at least assume from your statement regarding the Chinook II that the 4 way clip mounting will be on the production version of it?
 
I don't see the extra holes and the dummy screws to fill them as an expense issue.

Rather, I think the right-handed designers and developers think they have already made sufficient allowances for left-handed use.
In other words, I see it as a lack of awareness.
I extend this to left-handed designers who don't carry their own designs on an every day basis.

Although I describe myself as left-handed, I move my knife around, from left to right and front and back, with consideration for differences in clothes, social pressures, and to acommodate other items I might have on my belt or in my pockets on any given day.

The Native provides true amibidexterity by any measure, and it does so at no extra cost and without the slightest bias to either right or left-handedness.

I see the lack of true ambidexterity, when and where it exists, as pandering to right-handers and an attitude of "good-enough" for left-handers.

A real folding knife has threaded holes or other provisions for alternate right and left-handed carry, and, if necessary, dummy screws.
 
Originally posted by The Deacon

I've also never thought that the screws in the bolsters of my 25th Ann. Delica, which IMHO qualifies as an "art piece", spoiled the looks of it. What ya think Carlos, should I be stoned, or burned at the stake?:D
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Firing squad. :)

Originally posted by The Deacon
On a more serious note, can we lefties and tip downers at least assume from your statement regarding the Chinook II that the 4 way clip mounting will be on the production version of it?
Click to expand...
Yup, Chinook II has 4-way clip positioning.
 
What about serrations for lefties? I was always thinking those should be on the other side of the blade as well...
 
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