I wanted to add a few quick thoughts.Naperville wrote: ↑Sat Feb 17, 2024 9:31 amI have quite a bit of an education,...my biggest achievement was in the College of Business where I obtained a Management Information Systems degree. Instead I remember the concepts that underpin hundreds of pages of text. One thing is for sure. If Spyderco manufactured below their cost to make knives, they would go out of business. Capitalism is self correcting. If you want to stay in business, you simply cannot sell any product at too high a margin or too low a margin.
Let me begin by saying Spyderco prices do feel a bit high (e.g. $168~ for VG 10 Enuff 2). However, each company is rightfully entitled to set a price that seems fair - and we have an equal right to make buying decisions based on the prices and quality we observe (the Enuff 2 was bumped down my priority list and replaced by a fairly large Spyderco folder).
A competitive marketplace is driven by the interplay between business costs and the price, quality, and customer support for the products being offered. This complex relationship is precisely what makes a free market economy so great for consumers. In a free society consumers ultimately influence prices (via supply and demand) and reward particular companies with their business at the expense of other companies. At the present moment the American marketplace is flooded with Chinese folders; some of these pocket knives are of dubious quality, while others seem quite good. This is the essence of marketplace competition - but competition from companies who do not have the high overhead costs Spyderco faces in the US, Japan, and Taiwan.
Inflation is real, and some of it has been created by individuals who have nice intentions. From 2010-2024 the CO minimum wage almost doubled from $7.24 (https://cdle.colorado.gov/sites/cdle/fi ... heet_0.pdf) an hour to to $14.42 an hour (https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/state). And while this base wage growth has positive side effects, it also brings about an increase in the cost of labor for companies who employ workers in Colorado. As a result, I suspect Spyderco's wage scale has likewise moved upward: they surely want to hire good workers with a history of being reliable and responsible -- not the typical 18 year old slacker who just wants a job to pay for car insurance, fuel, and fast food. Many of the US based suppliers and subcontractors Spderco works with could conceivably face a similar growth in labor costs.
One of the conclusions I have reached is that subtle quality can be really important. For example, if Spyderco heat treats a basic lock-back correctly, it will offer years of good service. If another company skimps on the heat treat or lowers their quality control standards to save money, the lower price knife might develop excessive lock-wobble after only a few years (due to metal-on-metal wear at the lock interface). I personally value the fact that Spyderco will try to manufacture quality products, and then if they make a mistake customer service will rectify the matter.
My personal conclusion is this: I will continue to buy and value Spyderco products, but my purchases will be thoughtful and planned to fit within wise budgetary constraints. If this means I go a few years between pocket knives, so be it. I plan to live well and enjoy the little pocket luxury goods I own.
's in 10 different steels