Fixed Blades

[Blackhair]

I have only recently been introduced to Spyderco and am a new frequenter of the Spyderco Forums, so please forgive me if this is a stupid question.

Why doesn't Spyderco make more fixed blade knives?

I can already see future salary going into Sal's pockets for more Spyderco folders, but I have a small future amount of money and space set aside for a good fixed blade, and am just wondering why Spyderco seems to stick almost exclusively with folders (which they make incredibly...)?

[smcfalls13]

I'm pretty sure the likely reason is that most of Spyderco's prior fixed blade offerings did not do very well in the market. The problem with selling a fixed blade is that the vast majority of the market prefers a "sharpened prybar" and not a knife.

Spyderco makes fixed blades that are optimized for cutting, not chopping down trees, but they are often ignored in favor of the more typical "I can chop concrete and it won't break" type knives.

[yablanowitz]

Spyderco revolutionized the folder, but the fixed blade market seems to be tougher to crack. There are a lot more fixed blade makers fighting for their piece of that market than there are folder makers. Sal is keeping after it, but on a relatively small scale. I'd rather see him doing it the way he is than jumping in the deep end and maybe sinking straight to the bottom.

[zenheretic]

3 Morans, 3 Spots, 1 Swick, 4 Temperence, 1 Ronin, 4 Hossom, 2 dive knives (pending), Airborne(s) (pending), 3 Perrins, multiple Mules (pending), Ed Schempps (pending)....did I miss any?

[Dr. Snubnose]

3 Morans, 3 Spots, 1 Swick, 4 Temperence, 1 Ronin, 4 Hossom, 2 dive knives (pending), Airborne(s) (pending), 3 Perrins, multiple Mules (pending), Ed Schempps (pending)....did I miss any?

Yep how could you forget the KUMO!!!!....Doc

[zenheretic]

Yep how could you forget the KUMO!!!!....Doc

Yes how could I forget the knife that almost helped me perform some self induced plastic surgery to trim the fat on my waist?

[jaislandboy]

yeppers as Scott related to the lag in fixed blade sales for ....
even though their fixed offerings are as impressive as their folding varietals....

[KaliGman]

3 Morans, 3 Spots, 1 Swick, 4 Temperence, 1 Ronin, 4 Hossom, 2 dive knives (pending), Airborne(s) (pending), 3 Perrins, multiple Mules (pending), Ed Schempps (pending)....did I miss any?

The only one that comes to mind immediately is the Lum Tanto, fixed blade.

[Blackhair]

Okay, well that's more fixed blade knives than I realized Spyderco had made, but most of those are discontinued, only two of the Morans and the Kumo are still in production.

Plus, you listed a total of 11 styles of fixed blade knives (that's counting all 4 Temperences as 1 style, etc, etc...), plus the two that other people remebered. Bringing it to a total of 13 styles of fixed blade knives over the course of Spyderco production, that you can remember. Whereas Spyderco currently produces 50 styles of folders!

I know that Spyderco has made a number of fixed blade knives, I was just wondering why it was such a small percentage in relation to their folders.

I think the answer that makes the most sense to me, and sems to ring true with how Spyderco makes their knives, is smcfalls13's answer:

Spyderco makes fixed blades that are optimized for cutting, not chopping down trees, but they are often ignored in favor of the more typical "I can chop concrete and it won't break" type knives.

That seems to sum up the general feeling towards fixed blade knives.

I wonder what it is about fixed blade knives that makes most people think "Beater, not cutter.", even though it is a fixed blade knife.

[tonydahose]

you also have to realize that folders are more sheeple friendly than a fixed. almost anybody that knows me at the fire dept knows that i like knives and that i always carry one with me. if i were to carry a fixed blade on my side i think i would be told to take it off asap and would probably be writing "paper" on why i brought a weapon to work. even when i was a cop i dont think i ever saw another officer carry a fixed blade. i do own a few of 's fixed blades but i dont think i would carry it unless i was out on a hunting/camping trip.

[J.B]

I wonder what it is about fixed blade knives that makes most people think "Beater, not cutter.", even though it is a fixed blade knife.

Besides kitchen knives probably most fixed blades are made for outdoors use. If you are far away from any civilization, maybe in a battle, you don´t want to have a knife that cuts good but is so thin that it could break rather easily. Thicker blades in general are harder to break. That´s why people tend to accept reduced cutting ability for higher stability in (outdoors) fixed blades. No rule without exception, the Sissipuukko M95 rather bends than breaks but with the same intention. A bent blade could still be used, a broken blade not.

By the way, what is the third Perrin fixed? I only know the FB04 and the FB15.

Best wishes
JB

[KaliGman]

I'm pretty sure the likely reason is that most of Spyderco's prior fixed blade offerings did not do very well in the market.

SMCFalls13 is 100% correct, in my opinion. Spyderco has to make money to continue operations. Some of the most popular knives with forum members and other knife aficianados were not great sellers. I am very partial to Spyderco's Karambit, a folder that did not sell well at all, that is discontinued, and will probably not be offered in a sprint run simply because these knives sat on Spyderco's shelves for so long. In fixed blades, I am very partial to the Ronin and the Spot. I like my Lum Tanto as well.

With the exception of serious outdoor, military, and SWAT-type use, most people are much more apt to carry a folder than a fixed blade. IMHO, Spyderco's business model seems to be to provide very good quality, production cutlery at a decent and fair price. I don't see the company delving into the low end fixed blade market as this would cheapen the Spyderco brand (I bet that you will see some well made Byrd fixed blades, later on, in the cheaper price range ). The middle ground is a tough market, with multiple players entrenched already. The high end is custom made. A lot of the middle to lower-high ground is filled with sharpened crowbars right now, just because that is what the market seems to want. "Military Style" thick blades are "in." If you have to use just one tool for everything, they do have some merit. They may not be the best for cutting, hammering, prying, etc., but they can do all of these tasks in an emergency. I don't care for them, but to each his own. I would expect Spyderco to continue to issue a special use/special purpose/interesting new design fixed blade from time to time, to fill niches that they perceive to exist in the market. I expect that folders will always account for the lion's share of their profits, though.

[Blackhair]

Spyderco has to make money to continue operations.

With Spyderco's excellent customer service, and the fact that they really listen to what people want, it's easy to forget that there are more people out there buying Spyderco's than just the Forum-Monkeys, and that Spyderco is a mass-market operation, and not a company that's only here to satisfy our wants and whims

[zenheretic]

broken blade not.

By the way, what is the third Perrin fixed? I only know the FB04 and the FB15.

Best wishes
JB

I believe there is a black blade for the original Perrin...but perhaps I'm misremembering...afterall I forgot the FB Tanto, which happens to be the most attractive, yet least useful of the FB models...and I forgot the Kumo, which is both attractive and useful.

[kbuzbee]

3 Morans, 3 Spots, 1 Swick, 4 Temperence, 1 Ronin, 4 Hossom, 2 dive knives (pending), Airborne(s) (pending), 3 Perrins, multiple Mules (pending), Ed Schempps (pending)....did I miss any?

How about the pending H1 Utility Knife??? I'm looking forward to that one.

Ken

[eastr]

With Spyderco's excellent customer service, and the fact that they really listen to what people want, it's easy to forget that there are more people out there buying Spyderco's than just the Forum-Monkeys, and that Spyderco is a mass-market operation, and not a company that's only here to satisfy our wants and whims

yes but it is us FORUM MONKEYS that help with ideas and problem solving for the ever day joe. did they includ the kitcen knifes in the list of fb's? if you want a beast of a spyder buy the hossum forester .as dun dee would say now that's a knife .there is a post some where of knives created because of all of us here in spyder vill. i live in the country hunting fishing is everybodys game but tend not to see FB's except for big game season. little world to many pepole is the best reason for lack of FB's i would say. my son and nephws call my FB05 a sword and it's just mid size. one question what type of FB are you after???? there are many to chose from. but if your looking for the 10$ ontario machett made of 1085 i think?? you'll not find it in the spyderco line. it's the companys that produce these afortable sharpened prybars that make it hard for spyderco to get a leg in. when my other knife user see my hossum they say why the hell pay that much for somthing that could hit a rock during normal use. all i can say is i love a spyderco rocks
edit finished sentence

[Blackhair]

one question what type of FB are you after???? there are many to chose from. but if your looking for the 10$ ontario machett made of 1085 i think?? you'll not find it in the spyderco line.

Good, because I don't think I'd trust any knife that had a retail price of $10

I certainly don't want a sharpened prybar, but I also want something that can take some abuse. I've got my eye on the upcoming aqua salts, those look like a good all-around knife; and rust-proof to boot!

[eastr]

yeap gotta have one or 2 of those my self great looking knife. do you or anyone happen to know if it is full tang or stick tang or parshall like the fb05 sorry if tang is incorrect

[smcfalls13]

yeap gotta have one or 2 of those my self great looking knife. do you or anyone happen to know if it is full tang or stick tang or parshall like the fb05 sorry if tang is incorrect

Since those will be FRN handled, I'd expect them to be partial tangs, like the Temp, Perrin, or Moran.

Plenty strong enough.

[eastr]

Since those will be FRN handled, I'd expect them to be partial tangs, like the Temp, Perrin, or Moran.

Plenty strong enough.

yes i agree my fb05 are very tough. but some of the reason for it's end was everyone wanted full tang rite tool rite job no prob.