Selling blades only or a blade of the month.

[Mic1]

I'd sign a safety waver, I'd sign away my warranty, I'd pay a healthy price, just to be able to buy blades in different steels. It'll likely never happen, but a guy can dream. I was thinking about this a while back, with the S110V Manix 2's, and I realized that if it came down to having to destroy the FRN handle in order to get the blade out and swap it into a G10 handle, I'd likely be ok with that. That means I'd be ok with paying ~$105 just for a S110V blade.

I did that exact thing and I am totally happy I did. It fits perfect solid lock up. No problem paying $100 for the blade and trashing the FRN. I would pay $75-$100 for a blade change every time. You can't tell me there would be no profit in that. The thing is if I really liked a steel after using it or trying it I would in all likelihood by a second blade as a spare. I mean let's make it simple you place an order for a blade in current production design and steel online, up pops a waiver with legal jargon you agree to it then proceed to check out. All Spyderco has to do is ship you a blade. If for any reason it does not work send it back keep your old blade. I dont even see how this disrupts operations except you make more blades.Make it forum members only, waivers keep tight control on it. I dont see the down side but I never do. Totally an optimist.

[SpyderNut]

Another (pipe dream) alternative would be to have the manufacturer offer different blade steel options (like Evil D suggested). Wouldn't likely be a profitable venture, though, and would drive MSRP beyond what most aficionados are willing to pay.

[Mic1]

Another (pipe dream) alternative would be to have the manufacturer offer different blade steel options (like Evil D suggested). Wouldn't likely be a profitable venture, though, and would drive MSRP beyond what most aficionados are willing to pay.

MSRP would be the same for all the knives you want a new Para 2 go buy one $148.00. Already have one and want a S110v no problem $100. Now lets do the math that's $148 for original + $100 for a blade change assuming you have an original and want to change blades $248.00 Dont have a para 2 and want a new one with S110v and blue scales you're in luck we make one $XXX (whatever it is going to cost). The only thing it does is reduce secondary market inflation on some things not all. It also lets you keep your handle that you have had and like either the color of the scale material or custom scales. It does not have to be mainstream it can be forum only as a focus group. Not like your going to have blades hanging in bass pro. O and STANLEY TOOLS has been letting us change our own blades for years it's how they make money. Some razor knives even have moving parts and need screws removed. Not totally the same thing I admit but not far off the mark either.

[bdblue]

I had a similar idea- bring out something like a Sage variant, maybe Sage 6, with G10 scales. Make batches of scales in various G10 colors, ship them to Golden for assembly. Sell them only through the SFO. So you could order from the SFO in whatever color you desired, they would assemble and ship to you. They could even offer black and satin blades. They could manufacture components for a certain run of knives so they would all fit properly, there would be no need to worry about product changes causing pieces to not fit.

[palonej]

You guys are describing something like Crossman set up. It's a custom shop and you build an air gun exactly how you'd like.....upgraded barrel, choose barrel length, upgraded sights etc.
Imagine a Spydie Custom Shop??
D uh reeeeaaaming!!!

[Mic1]

No that is exactly what I'm not describing. No custom shop no options to pick from none of that. Again noooooo custom shop at all not even a hint of custom shop.

Just current design currently available steel blades for sale. Nothing more!


No custom shop!

[araneae]

People that have been around a while are telling you that this has been brought up before, and the answer was no. You can disagree all you want, but the guy that gets to make the decision is Sal. He's shot this idea down more than once. Ask him how many knives they get sent in because someone takes it apart and screws something up. This idea is an invitation to increase that annoyance and for a small company, they probably don't have the time for that.

[Mic1]

People that have been around a while are telling you that this has been brought up before, and the answer was no. You can disagree all you want, but the guy that gets to make the decision is Sal. He's shot this idea down more than once. Ask him how many knives they get sent in because someone takes it apart and screws something up. This idea is an invitation to increase that annoyance and for a small company, they probably don't have the time for that.

Your right I am new here. And I did not know this had been brought up before and shot down by Sal. Only one member said it was brought up before. I took the rest as just others opinions and general conversation. It seems to have irritated you I'm not sure why. It was a hypothetical discussion for fun like what would you do with a winning lotto ticket no harm in that . And there were a few who have been around who like the idea still.

[Evil D]

I'd sign a safety waver, I'd sign away my warranty, I'd pay a healthy price, just to be able to buy blades in different steels. It'll likely never happen, but a guy can dream. I was thinking about this a while back, with the S110V Manix 2's, and I realized that if it came down to having to destroy the FRN handle in order to get the blade out and swap it into a G10 handle, I'd likely be ok with that. That means I'd be ok with paying ~$105 just for a S110V blade.

I did that exact thing and I am totally happy I did. It fits perfect solid lock up. No problem paying $100 for the blade and trashing the FRN. I would pay $75-$100 for a blade change every time. You can't tell me there would be no profit in that. The thing is if I really liked a steel after using it or trying it I would in all likelihood by a second blade as a spare. I mean let's make it simple you place an order for a blade in current production design and steel online, up pops a waiver with legal jargon you agree to it then proceed to check out. All Spyderco has to do is ship you a blade. If for any reason it does not work send it back keep your old blade. I dont even see how this disrupts operations except you make more blades.Make it forum members only, waivers keep tight control on it. I dont see the down side but I never do. Totally an optimist.

This could also be done in a similar way as a collector's club deal. Not with numbered blades, but a controlled group of people who have signed/agreed to the terms before being able to buy anything. It could be done the same way that the mule team is done, just with an up front notice that there will be no warranty for the blade or knife that it gets put into.

[Brock O Lee]

I agree, to have an option like this would be nice. In a perfect world. But I understand why Spyderco does not do it.

Imagine you have to keep stock on hand of Manix 2 blades in 5 different steels. Now multiply that with 5 different popular models. Now multiply that with different CQI versions. Steel is bought in bulk, and might not always be readily available. You would most probably have to manufacture and heat treat a batch of 1000 blades at a time. Some steels would not be as popular as others, so you would sit with unused inventory, maybe for years - just look at how long some of the Mules take to sell out. Unused inventory of blades may stop you from doing any lock improvements or other innovations on these models.

I think it would be a logistical nightmare, and would probably kill the current (and very successful for Spyderco) concept of sprint runs.

Also, for some 'self adjusting' locks like the Manix's, it might be easy to do a blade swap and have a good lockup. You might need to do some 'lock fitting' on a liner lock to get a good lockup. If something goes wrong, you risk damage to your reputation as a responsible company.

[VashHash]

You can always get in touch with a custom maker and have him make you a blade and fit it for you. We would love being able to swap blades but remember screws get stripped and so do the threads on parts. This would be a nightmare if people are stripping out spacers and other things. It seems like it would be straight forward but would probably cause a lot of issues. Sure it starts as providing blades but don't forget washers and bushings and stand offs. Sure you could get waivers but customers would complain that spyderco won't sell or give them washers and stand offs and screws. You know little things like that. People tend to lose small items easily.

[Mic1]

"Dogs and cats, living together! Mass hysteria!”

Spyderco owners are less capable then Chris Reeve owners or Hinderer owners? They can't take there knife apart and put it back together without losing parts and striping screws and generally running a muck? Since Sal already has said no this is all academic anyway. Totally respect that decision. But I am not buying the "it would destroy spyderco crash MSRP send everything into a downward spiral of chaos destroying sprint runs and law suits everywhere" I don't think you give Spyderco or the owners of Its products enough credit.

[bearfacedkiller]

Spyderco's warranty and repair department is one person who gets a little help from people in other departments. For this reason w&r can get a little backed up at times. This blade swap idea would only smother Charlynn even more.

I do not believe that we aren't giving Spyderco enough credit. Quite the opposite really. We have a very realistic view of the company and their size and thus their limitations. Spyderco has nearly doubled it's size recently and they still only have about 75 employees. We as fans (fanatics) are spoiled by how much Spyderco seems to bend to our will and give us what we want and when they say they cannot do something I believe them.

[Evil D]

Some of you are looking at this from a standard production perspective, and are pointing out the issues it would cause as a standard production situation. I'm talking about a sprint run type of deal, like the mule program, where it's announced that a batch of 1200 blades or something are being made for this purpose, in this steel, for this model, and the steel and model rotate or something, maybe based off demand or even a vote. It's pretty safe to assume that like the mule program, this would cater to knife AFI's more so than the general public, and so I don't think making it known up front that any knife modded by these blades will be void of the warranty. It may be an additional product to deal with manufacturing, but considering the profit that could be made off of selling HALF OF A KNIFE for ~$100, it seems like smart business to me as long as you make it clear up front that it would cost you your warranty.

In the meantime, I guess we can just butcher knives and make frankenspydies lol.

[Mic1]

As a small Business owner I will support any owners decision to run there business anyway that they want regardless of the reason it's their business to do with as they please it's there risk and there money. Sal does not want to then that's the way it is I don't really care what the reason is. But all this conversation has been between members with what I assume ( maybe falsely) is there individual opinions on why it will or won't work.

Some of you seem to be taking this very personal. It's a forum for discussion and conversation. Sometimes just hypothetical or even silly. Some of us are just putting out there as an idea and when a reason why it won't work is offered some of us feel the need to offer a solution that might work. Some people are wired this way I myself included always see a way through. But really it's not meant as an argument just conversation. It reall does not matter anyway it is already decided. So again this is just for fun.

[tvenuto]

I think Evil D's idea is an interesting one. I would just add the caveat that I think the blades should be marked in some way, something like a seconds notch (not exactly that), so that it was very clear that this was a blade sold via the "swap-a-blade program" or whatever.

I still think the whole thing is more trouble than its worth, that is, unless there's a bottleneck in production that causes you to have excess capacity in blade-making. However in that case I'd think the more profitable thing would be to remove that bottleneck.

To the "drop in gun part" comment I would merely point out that gunsmiths exist. We've come to expect a level of F&F from our Spydies that rival the finest guns; that doesn't come without some expertise in assembly.

[bearfacedkiller]

But all this conversation has been between members with what I assume ( maybe falsely) is there individual opinions on why it will or won't work.

We are just telling you what Sal has told us before. Do some searches for "folding mule team" or something like that and you should find a few threads about this sort of idea. :)

[Mic1]

But all this conversation has been between members with what I assume ( maybe falsely) is there individual opinions on why it will or won't work.

We are just telling you what Sal has told us before. Do some searches for "folding mule team" or something like that and you should find a few threads about this sort of idea. :)

I typed in blade swap and blade only and got the phone book. I do normally look before I put up a topic. I would have not thought to look for "folding mule team" .

[dubya3]

I think it would be a logistical nightmare, and would probably kill the current (and very successful for Spyderco) concept of sprint runs.

Exactly. Sprints are good enough for me when I want upgraded materials, plus the collector in me feels it'd hurt the value of sprint's in the long run

[Mic1]

I think it would be a logistical nightmare, and would probably kill the current (and very successful for Spyderco) concept of sprint runs.

Exactly. Sprints are good enough for me when I want upgraded materials, plus the collector in me feels it'd hurt the value of sprint's in the long run

Hand slapping my face.

I give up!