Why is the Tenacious so cheap?

fulloflead

fulloflead

Joined
May 3, 2002
Messages
6,192
Every time I see a photo of one I think "Wow, that looks like a great knife. I need one."

The seem to get good reviews.

But I'm used to buying knives at a bit over $100.

I see the prices on these things and the price doesn't seem to match the product. I see the price and think there must be something wrong with it, like it must be a really low-end model, but the reviews don't seem to reflect that.

What's the deal?

.
 
I've posted before on this and other forums that it's a fantastic value in folders today. However, I quickly lost interest in mine and sold it. It's a very good knife, but just didn't have the f/f or whatever that I prefer as a daily carry blade. If you're looking to buy a relative inexpensive folder, there's not many other folders today that offer the value as the Tenacious.
 
Like the man said, it is a great deal and you won't find a better one. I bought one here in the Exchange, but don't carry it much. The point on my Paramilitary is better suited to most of the things I do at work, so it gets more pocket time.

Definitely one of the highest quality knives to come out of China.
 
fulloflead said:
Every time I see a photo of one I think "Wow, that looks like a great knife. I need one."
Click to expand...

I say yes you do. I got one a little over a month ago and I absolutely love this knife. I carry it at least once a week. I love the size of it and the ergos of the handle is great. Anyway, for thirty bucks from NGK. You should grab one up. If you dont like it give it as a gift to a friend.
 
I just bought 4. One for myself, my Dad, my Brother and my Brother-in-law. Santa Claus is coming to town. Now I just need to figure out what to get the ladies.
 
fulloflead said:
Every time I see a photo of one I think "Wow, that looks like a great knife. I need one."

The seem to get good reviews.

But I'm used to buying knives at a bit over $100.

I see the prices on these things and the price doesn't seem to match the product. I see the price and think there must be something wrong with it, like it must be a really low-end model, but the reviews don't seem to reflect that.

What's the deal?

.
Click to expand...

First, it is made in China, so the exchange rate on the currency is in our favor. A U.S. dollar bill will buy there what it would take a U.S. ten dollar bill (rough guess, not fact) to buy here.

Second, the steel, while being the best Chinese steel Sal could get, is not in the same class with VG-10 or S30V. Its performance is similar to AUS-8 in my experience. Not bad, but pretty low-end for Spyderco.

As a starter Spyderco, it is a lot of bang for the buck. It would likely handle all the cutting needs of most of the knife buying public without a hitch. Some of us aren't satisfied with good enough, and a few of us actually use our knives hard enough to need better performance than the Tenacious offers, but we are a tiny minority.
 
Great knife for the price. Could not pass it up but still EDC the para military w/D2
Side by side pics.
P1010005-vi.jpg
 
Hi Fulloflead,

As mentioned, the exchange rate between the US Dollar and the Chinese Dollar is quite different. It seems like a strange twist in currency, but at this time, it's running about 3 or 4 to one. That's why most American as well as other country's knife manufacturers have chose to make their knives in China.

The Tenacious model made in China has a retail price of about $50. The same model made to the same quality in Taiwan would probably run about double that. A USA made model would run about triple. And with current Yen value, a Tenacious model, made with an exotic steel like VG-10, made in Seki City, could retail for $175. A tenacious made in Europe with the current Euro value would run about $200.

We hadn't planned on making any Chinese made Spyderco's. The Spyderco byrd brand seems to fill the low cost offering market quite well. A turn of events in the USA market, combined with the direction of competitors caused us to make a low-cost Chinese made Spyderco.

Our Chinese maker for the Tenacious maker is good, and he follows our direction well. The knife is an excellent buy.

I expect the Chinese dollar to increase over the next 5 - 10 years and the costs of manufacture will be closer to other modern countries. Then you will see the price of Chinese made products increase.

The goal is and should be to build more in the USA. However, at current wages in the US, most cannot afford to purchase USA made products which is what drives the Chinese manufacturing machine.

sal
 
Once again another great, common sense explanation of Spyderco business theory.

Makes sense in an elegeantly simple way. :thumbup:

In regards to the Tenacious, I'd take it over a Byrd any day, although I do love my Wings! It's a beautiful knife with a very appealing blade shape, good liner lock and handle texture/aesthetics, but I am a bit jaded about the 8CrMo13V stainless because I love the VG-10 and S30V put into the rest of the line.
 
steelscout30 said:
Once again another great, common sense explanation of Spyderco business theory.

Makes sense in an elegeantly simple way. :thumbup:

In regards to the Tenacious, I'd take it over a Byrd any day, although I do love my Wings! It's a beautiful knife with a very appealing blade shape, good liner lock and handle texture/aesthetics, but I am a bit jaded about the 8CrMo13V stainless because I love the VG-10 and S30V put into the rest of the line.
Click to expand...

Thanx Steelscout,

We have a mule team knife coming out in '09 that is 9Cr18Mo. It's not VG-10 but it is on the upward climb. We do a good heat treat on the byrds and the performance might surprise you.

I do not expect that byrd will exceed Spyderco, it's not intended to. Spyderco will continue to lead in innovation and new matrials and byrd will provide a more cost effective solution with many of the good features developed by the Spyderco brand. Both will evolve. We're trying to win your long term trust and confidence.

sal
 
The Mule Team has been great for knife enthusiasts and steel junkies alike and I'm looking forward to trying the 9Cr18Mo.

In regards to the heat treat and performance of the Byrds, my Wings in particular has impressed me very much, especially in the fit and finish department. The G10 is very nice, the grinds even, solid lockup of the liners, etc. I thought the belt sheath that came with it was also well made, too. While I love the Golden models, when Spyderco imports you certainly do it the right way---with quality in mind.

I am lucky that I have income significant enough to allow me to purchase the main Spyderco brand, but for anyone who doesn't the Byrd line is no doubt an excellent alternative.

In regards to winning my long-term trust and confidence, you already have it, sir. I think that if we started something along the line's of Kershaw's Mafia the number of people scrambling to join it would be amusing. :D

God bless,

Wade
 
i got my Tenacious a couple of weeks ago and i could not believe the value i got for my money.. im hoping to add another one as a spare on my next knife order... last night i went Rabbit hunting with some friends and used the Tenacious to clean them out... cut through them like it was nothing mean and bone alike... it had one small chip near the belly but today i took care of that with my Sharpmaker and its back to razor sharp edge with no chip in the blade.

aside from being a bit heavier than my Endura 4 wave it's still a great knife.
 
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