I think it's good to challenge the status quo and what we are used to. And my entire purpose in making this post was to present a compelling argument, and offer ideas, not simply complaining. In the hopes that Sal and Eric will do just that.
I think this is an interesting topic for conversation ForgeThought and you have presented in an intelligent and respectful way. It is not merely complaining but an exploration into solving a problem that might have a solution nobody has thought of yet.
I think the current system does work well for a certain group and is unlikely to leave for that reason as well as the fact that it produces good revenue for Spyderco. It is in a companies best interest to do what is productive and I don't see that as selfish, but this topic makes me wonder if there might be creative ways to offer something similar that caters to a different audience than sprint runs currently do. I don't have any ideas myself, and it is entirely Spyderco's decision whether they would even try anything else, but I see no reason we shouldn't discuss the possibilities of other systems that might satisfy more customers and may very well increase interest and sales for Spyderco as well.
In my opinion, this is not a Spyderco problem. Actually, I don't think it's a problem at all. I assume a dealer places an order for x amount of pieces, then Spyderco fulfills their order when they can. Then the dealer puts them on sale when they receive them. Item sells and transaction is completed. Spyderco is doing their part by fulfilling the dealers order. The dealer can then choose to sell the knives as they see fit. Would it be nice if a dealer notified potential buyers that the knife will go on sale at a particular date and time? Sure. But a dealer is absolutely not obligated to anyone to do that. The bottom line is that they sell the knife, which they are doing. It's business and not personal (cliche, I know.) To reiterate my point, there is no problem with the way sprints are handled. It is what it is. Just my two cents.
Fear Of Missing Out is real and the everyone in the chain from manufacturers to the retailers exploit it. This is by design. It will not be fixed as it is working as it was designed to work.
^ This.
Nobody "needs" another knife. Scarcity keeps the wheels of commerce moving.
My advice is to forget past exclusives, and fixate on the next exclusive, where you still have a shot.
Hehehehe......Amen. I didn't even know Spydie was were making 15v blades smile
I got a 15V PM2 and a Manix. I could have grabbed more PM2s the way they were dropping on Friday but I kept my powder dry for other things I need.
Nothing wrong with the process IMHO. The forum notification thread works and I received email notifications from DLT when they dropped as well.
: to run or go at top speed especially for a short distance.
Seems many people expect them to be Marathons instead of Sprints
Or expect a participation trophy.
Having said that, I can't imagine how people with a 9-to-5 ever manage to snag a sprint run.
I've been lucky enough to have an unusual schedule for the last several years where I've been off work on Tuesdays and that was a drop day for many of them. This upcoming St Nick's Military will be in the middle of my workday and I've got an alarm set and I guess we'll see if I can get a couple minutes to snag one.
I don’t ever lose sleep missing a Sprint. If it happens great if not there is always something of interest. Missing out on the 15V Manix 2 was expected and absolutely have no interest in the other Sprints . Spyderco can run the Sprints how they want , no objections from me . MG2
MNOSD 0002 / Do more than is required of you . Patton
Nothing makes earth so spacious as to have friends at a distance; they make the latitudes and longitudes.
Henry David Thoreau
I think Forge has made some interesting points. Any company that makes a limited number of an extremely desirable product is going to always piss off a handful of loyal enthusiasts when they can’t get said product.
Last weekend I ordered a 15v PM on a whim when New Graham was showing some in stock. Needless to say it was a glitch and they returned my money promptly. Honestly I was kinda grateful. It meant I didn’t buy another knife I didn’t need. At the end of the day it’s just a knife, I have plenty and really don’t need anymore.
I honestly believe Spyderco is a company that looks out for its customers allot more than most mid size corporations and certainly more than companies in the knife industry. I don’t think FOMO is a strategic part of their marketing, I think it has just become so ingrained in our culture that it is an inevitable result of limited supply and high demand for any product these days. The evil that is social media certainly contributes to this.
All that said, I did happen to stop by my local shop today and they had a 15v PM in the case, so I bought it. So I’m probably a hypocrite and don’t know what the **** I’m talking about.
I disagree with the OP generally and specifically. The tone is somewhat disrespectful, entitled and sour grapes.
You cannot blame Spyderco on how the Sprint Runs are released nor should it be a reflection on the company.
There are such problems with concert tickets, video game consoles, etc.
There are “Alert Threads” whereby people post when they’re in stock at some dealers. Subscribe to those threads and get email notification. You still have to act fast.
My attitude is if I get one great and if not I move on. No sour grapes. To each their own.
I welcome dialog, as long as it remains cordial, constructive and is conducted in a civilized manner. - Titanic: Blood & Steel
You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time. - Abraham Lincoln
Two of the 15V BBB Sprint Runs have already been delivered and some of the PM2 is still in the pipeline. The upcoming Mule Team is probably the best chance to get one, depending on quantity produced, since it’s only sold direct by Spyderco.
DELIVERED
Manix2 CPM-15V Brown G-10 C101GPBN15V2 Sprint Run (USA) - DEC 2022
ParaMilitary2 CPM-15V Brown G-10 C81GPBN15V2 Sprint Run (USA) - FEB 2023
UPCOMING
Shaman CPM-15V Brown G-10 C229GPBN15V Sprint Run (USA) - Reveal 12 (JAN 2023)
Mule Team CPM-15V MT39 (USA) - Reveal 12 (JAN 2023)
Hopefully, we’ll see more 15V BBB knives this year depending on US Factory capacity with some possibilities listed below:
Native5 G-10
Para3 G-10
Military or Military2 G-10
Yojimbo2 G-10
Yojumbo G-10
Lil’ Native G-10
Manix2 XL G-10
Native Chief G-10
Manix2 Lightweight
Para3 Lightweight
Native5 Lightweight
I welcome dialog, as long as it remains cordial, constructive and is conducted in a civilized manner. - Titanic: Blood & Steel
You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time. - Abraham Lincoln
Just one more thought on lotteries:
I think a lottery would make it even harder to get the sprint you want. Since it is easier to sign up for a lottery, more people would try to get in. Thus the number of rivals would rise.
I was never a big sports guy, but during the few years I did compete, big games/meets were a great feeling. Anticipation, excitement, and most importantly, accomplishment. The effort it took to win, and the possibility of losing, made victory all the sweeter. I feel the same way about sprints. IMO, a lottery would make the process worse. No dedication or persistence required, just luck.
I do think it’s somewhat cryptic that Sal hasn’t said if Spyderco is going to make any more knives in 15v, or if there are going to be any further collaborations with BBB. I wouldn’t if I were him either. Let the excitement for these sprints do their work.
