Sal, can we please get a FRN Lava please???

[jhyde7585]

Peel ply is always a plus. I think it would fit the lava nicely.

[cckw]

Plenty of small knives already available. I have a D-fly and it's an OK knife but don't need one kinda like it

[moeman]

Plenty of small knives already available. I have a D-fly and it's an OK knife but don't need one kinda like it

Have you held a Lava? It feels completely different than the Dragonfly. It is a powerful cutter...

[thelock]

Plenty of small knives already available. I have a D-fly and it's an OK knife but don't need one kinda like it

Plenty of big knives already available as well, but that doesn't mean that we don't want more

[JacksonKnives]

First--I love the Lava. It's a great design. It's got all kinds of character and grip options and belly... I love what it does.

That said, I find it *really* hard to justify spending more for a Lava than for a Dragonfly or a Delica. I did justify it, because I'm a knife aficionado, but I wasn't sure until I held it that I'd made the right choice.

In Black or Blue G-10, if the cost (street price at, say, a certain low-margin retailer in Idaho) were greater than $95, I don't think I'd go for it. If I could get one for less than $80 I'd probably buy it. Red polished G-10 (to match the Red Persian) I would pay $100 for, but I know I might be the only one. (In ZDP-189 with polished Red scales I'd pay an insane amount of $$, but I sincerely doubt we'll ever see that.)

The way it stands, I'm better off getting a custom maker to re-scale an existing Lava than to get my hopes up. (I started that process long ago; maybe someday I'll get around to finishing it...)

If the Stainless were re-released, I'd pay up to $70 for it... but based on the street price last time around, the state of the USD/Yen, and the price of the Balance, I've got no hope of seeing that.

[redyps04]

I am thoroughly convinced that you have to hold the Lava, to understand the Lava.

[redyps04]

The way I see it is, not many people as I recall were begging for a white Wayne Goddard Sprint. In fact, it took many vendors years to rid thier inventory. Not many people called for a JD Smith Sprint, a Massad Ayoub Sprint, or a Zowada Sprint... Yet these were all made nonetheless.

But I have seen many members calling for a Lava Sprint over the past several years. It seems like every few months somebody else begins a thread calling for it's resurrection, and every time it's debated whether or not there is enough support for it. Am I just missing something here?? I think as far as sprints go, there should be no problem finding enough willing buyers for a 500-600 piece sprint. I also think most people would accept and understand a price higher than the G-10 Dragonfly given that it's a sprint and a very specialized and unique piece which seems to have a fairly large cult following. Plus, as stated earlier, the main reason several people didn't buy the SS version in the first place was because they complained of the weight. I couldnt even count the number of people who said they would have bought it if it only came in G-10 or Micarta.

So, I hope I'm not sounding inflammatory, as I'm just trying to understand it. But seriously, what gives?

[Freediver]

Sal,

How about titanium instead of stainless steel? I understand this raises costs, but I'm sure I'm not alone when I say I feel it's worth it.

[NoFair]

Slip it Lava in non-black G10 would be perfect. Since I have a G10 Navigator I'm pretty patient

[ChrisR]

I voted "no" but not because I think it is a bad idea (the Lava seems a nice knife) but mainly because I can think of a lot more knives that I'd like to see first and Sal and the guys are already run off their feet

That said, if the Lava were modified to be a slipit then I would certainly want one ... the deep finger choil and blade shape look ideal for a slipit to me

[The Deacon]

In spite of my normal disdain for peel ply G-10, it's probably the best choice for a Sprint Lava since most folks want something that offers better traction than smooth metal and I'm not sure if the Lava's maker is equipped to texture G-10 like the folks in Taichung do for the Perrin PPT and Anso Zulu.

[thelock]

Slip it Lava in non-black G10 would be perfect. Since I have a G10 Navigator I'm pretty patient

The slip it market is small, so I don't see it coming. We are lucky if we can get a sprint run of the lockback. What do you guys think about the red G10 proposition?

[thelock]

The way I see it is, not many people as I recall were begging for a white Wayne Goddard Sprint. In fact, it took many vendors years to rid thier inventory. Not many people called for a JD Smith Sprint, a Massad Ayoub Sprint, or a Zowada Sprint... Yet these were all made nonetheless.

But I have seen many members calling for a Lava Sprint over the past several years. It seems like every few months somebody else begins a thread calling for it's resurrection, and every time it's debated whether or not there is enough support for it. Am I just missing something here?? I think as far as sprints go, there should be no problem finding enough willing buyers for a 500-600 piece sprint. I also think most people would accept and understand a price higher than the G-10 Dragonfly given that it's a sprint and a very specialized and unique piece which seems to have a fairly large cult following. Plus, as stated earlier, the main reason several people didn't buy the SS version in the first place was because they complained of the weight. I couldnt even count the number of people who said they would have bought it if it only came in G-10 or Micarta.

So, I hope I'm not sounding inflammatory, as I'm just trying to understand it. But seriously, what gives?

I agree 100%.

[Jazz]

Maybe it's because Chad's a Boker guy now.

- best wishes, Jazz.

[Blerv]

The way I see it is, not many people as I recall were begging for a white Wayne Goddard Sprint. In fact, it took many vendors years to rid thier inventory. Not many people called for a JD Smith Sprint, a Massad Ayoub Sprint, or a Zowada Sprint... Yet these were all made nonetheless.

But I have seen many members calling for a Lava Sprint over the past several years. It seems like every few months somebody else begins a thread calling for it's resurrection, and every time it's debated whether or not there is enough support for it. Am I just missing something here?? I think as far as sprints go, there should be no problem finding enough willing buyers for a 500-600 piece sprint. I also think most people would accept and understand a price higher than the G-10 Dragonfly given that it's a sprint and a very specialized and unique piece which seems to have a fairly large cult following. Plus, as stated earlier, the main reason several people didn't buy the SS version in the first place was because they complained of the weight. I couldnt even count the number of people who said they would have bought it if it only came in G-10 or Micarta.

So, I hope I'm not sounding inflammatory, as I'm just trying to understand it. But seriously, what gives?

Forum audiences in general speak loudly and rarely put their money where their mouths are. In fact, our anti-mainstream personas often beg for sprints or production models that the rest of the world simply can't figure out. Spyderco often goes out on a limb and listens to our requests and it's much appreciated but for every home run we strike out a bunch too.

The Lava was a cool knife but a bad seller hence why it was discontinued in 2009. In fact, until about a year ago you could buy them all day for about $80. Compared to some of the other Sprint redux models:

Massad Ayoob: Disco 2002
Rookie: Disco 1999
Wayne Goddard Jr: Disco around 1998 for last run
JD Smith: Disco 2001
Zowada: 2002

Please don't consider this anything but another perspective. I agree, there is probably enough time that has passed and enough of a loyal CLB audience that a G10 Lava would sell well enough to justify a 600-1200 piece run (people love G10 these days). I just think many who have appreciated the sprints from decade-old designs are the older forumites and Spydie fans who are less verbal in public spaces but just as willing to throw down money.

Then again, I'm not fronting the manufacturing expense so the folks taking the risk have the final say. Maybe they should double-pack them with the Para2 sprints as it would take a horde of undead to prevent those from selling.

[thelock]

It was a bad seller because it was SS construction, find me a good SS knife that is a ''good'' seller.

[Donut]

I think if you're gonna do a Lava sprint, it will have to be a small run.

I'd love to have a G-10 version, but I'm not a HUGE fan of the blade shape. I've said it before, I would love to see it with the Squeak's blade shape.

Squeak has the better blade, Lava has the better handle/ergos.

[Jay_Ev]

I think if you're gonna do a Lava sprint, it will have to be a small run.

I'd love to have a G-10 version, but I'm not a HUGE fan of the blade shape. I've said it before, I would love to see it with the Squeak's blade shape.

Squeak has the better blade, Lava has the better handle/ergos.

I've read elsewhere on here that the smallest run that can be done in Japan is 1200 pieces.

[Blerv]

For me the blade shape was the big bummer as Donut said. A ton of belly, not a very aggressive tip angle, and about 1.5" of cutting edge. It would be great if they could just grind off the belly....hmmm .

Other people said it weighed like Spyderco filled the handle with depleted uranium. The weight didn't bug me but dang I love that quote.

[redyps04]

For me the blade shape was the big bummer as Donut said. A ton of belly, not a very aggressive tip angle, and about 1.5" of cutting edge. It would be great if they could just grind off the belly....hmmm .

Other people said it weighed like Spyderco filled the handle with depleted uranium. The weight didn't bug me but dang I love that quote.

Haha! I like that quote too.

I guess another question I'm attempting to bring up is why in the world do some knives which almost have no backing at all and sell horribly as a result (like the White Goddard Sprint, no offense to Wayne himself) come out of seemingly nowhere, while forum members clamor for other sprints which never end up seeing the light of day? Even though I'll be the first to say that Spyderco gets a lot right, a lot of the time, I do think there seems to be a bit of disconnect in the area of sprint runs for some reason or another, and I guess I'm trying to understand Spyderco's selection process regarding sprints. The Dodo eventually got a revival, if for nothing other than pure mob rule. But for the most part I look at some sprint runs and have to wonder where in the world they came from. I can't be the only one who wonders this, right?