Upping the price.

[zhyla]

I happen to have a couple knives arriving this week one with 14C28N and one in Nitro V. I don’t have any way of gauging edge retention though.

[sal]

the Polestar and Alcyone are very functional patterns, in a good size, but sales were soft. So we changed the handle color and steel to CTS-BD1N, and sales are still soft. 'Tis a puzzlement? It might just be the higher price due to the BD1N? Might be the Linerock? Don't know. Still searching. I've redesigned them in other locks and made prototypes. We have to decide what to do next? I'm telling you this just to give you an example of the effort we go through to refine a model so more of you are happy with it for a long time.

sal

I know you've said you redesigned it with a back lock, but have you tried redesigning it with a compression lock? I know I've said it a lot, but I still think a Polestar with a compression lock would be a top seller and the perfect Spyderco knife. But there seems to be an aversion to having China attempt the compression lock. Maybe Spyderco thinks a China compression lock will devalue the premium compression lock models from other countries? Or maybe it's just too difficult for them and quality control would take a hit?

Hi Born,

I carried an Alcyone 2 prototype with a Compression lock yesterday. Today I'll be carrying a Polestar 2 prototype. Tomorrow I'll be carrying a prototype 4.0" version I call "Deep Space" (TM). They all have Compression Locks and Carbon Fiber scales.

sal

[cabfrank]

Bombshell.

[ladybug93]

a prototype 4.0" version I call "Deep Space" (TM). They all have Compression Locks and Carbon Fiber scales.

where do i sign up?!

[weeping minora]

Not so hot on the idea of CF scales, but I am interested in these upcoming models.

[CDEP]

Hi Born,

I carried an Alcyone 2 prototype with a Compression lock yesterday. Today I'll be carrying a Polestar 2 prototype. Tomorrow I'll be carrying a prototype 4.0" version I call "Deep Space" (TM). They all have Compression Locks and Carbon Fiber scales.

sal
[/quote]

The Polestar/Alcyone are truly underappreciated designs. I carried a Polestar every day for a long time at home, before I caved and started buying all the flagship models, but now that I have all these PM2s, PARA3s, and all the Native Family I *still* keep the Pole & Alcy in rotation. The Alcyone gets less carry time because I use it when I am away from home and need the sub-3" blade, but neither is ever in their boxes. Always at hand. They're just great tools. I'm glad you never lost faith in them, Sal.

If sexing them up a bit will convince more people to give them a shot I am 100% here for it. I'll take 2 of each please and thank you!

[WilliamMunny]

Hi Born,

I carried an Alcyone 2 prototype with a Compression lock yesterday. Today I'll be carrying a Polestar 2 prototype. Tomorrow I'll be carrying a prototype 4.0" version I call "Deep Space" (TM). They all have Compression Locks and Carbon Fiber scales.

sal

I have had the Alcyone for awhile now and like the knife. BDN1 steel has been solid, I tend to use it a lot in my garage so the steel is pushed.

When it comes to pocket time I do like my Para 3 better. The two main reasons is the choil, on a 3” knife I like having just that much more room to grip. The second is the compression lock, just so nice. I have and love a GB2 so I am also a fan of liner locks and no choil but it just never felt like it worked as well on the Alcyone for some reason, guessing because it’s a shorter knife.

Good luck with the Alcyone 2, I know your a big fan of the line.

[sal]

Not so hot on the idea of CF scales, but I am interested in these upcoming models.

Hi Weeping Minora,

The carbon fiber scales are just for prototypes to be able to carry and use the models. If and when we decide to make them, maybe in Golden, I'll be asking for opinions on steel and handle?

sal
_____________________________________________________________________________________

"If a man speaks in the forest, and there is no wife to hear him, is he still wrong"?

[weeping minora]

Not so hot on the idea of CF scales, but I am interested in these upcoming models.

Hi Weeping Minora,

The carbon fiber scales are just for prototypes to be able to carry and use the models. If and when we decide to make them, maybe in Golden, I'll be asking for opinions on steel and handle?

sal
_____________________________________________________________________________________

"If a man speaks in the forest, and there is no wife to hear him, is he still wrong"?

Hi sal,

Made In Golden, with discussion for steel and handle materials is always good news! I hope the carry and testing prove the model to be worth the queue.

Side note, I always get a kick out of your quotes. Thanks, sal.

[zhyla]

Relevant video for this thread from the high end knife side of things.

[youtube][/youtube]

[RamZar]

The KnifeJoy Slysz Bowie exclusive for $450 is not as outrageous as it seems. A plain Chris Reeve Large Sebenza 31 MagnaCut is now $500. Both are very well made with matte titanium and crowned blade spine. CRK still has no Lockbar Insert/Overtravel Stop for the titanium frame lock. CRK has a nicer titanium clip.

I also prefer the original finish on the blade and titanium when it came out in 2014.

I purchased my original Slysz Bowie Folder (C186TIP) with CTS-XHP Blade and Titanium Handle when it was first released in September 2014 for $279.95 from Cutlery Shoppe. So, I paid 44% off MSRP of $499.95 in the pre-MAP days.

Even the CPI Inflation Calculator says $280 in September 2014 is now $362.80 but to that add the upgrades and $450 for such exclusivity is not unreasonable.

Is it worth $450? I think so for many who have paid well over $500 for one the past several years on eBay.

Some dealer should do an exclusive Slysz Bowie with MagnaCut, Bronze Anodized Titanium, Bronze Barrel Spacers and the Lockbar insert & overtravel stop.

[Wartstein]

...

Hi Born,

I carried an Alcyone 2 prototype with a Compression lock yesterday. Today I'll be carrying a Polestar 2 prototype. Tomorrow I'll be carrying a prototype 4.0" version I call "Deep Space" (TM). They all have Compression Locks and Carbon Fiber scales.

sal

Hi Sal,

I am sure that's good news to many,... but it makes me fear a bit for the Golden made BACKLOCK Polestar... about three years ago you said you'd have a design for that and that it " seemed like the answer" to the sales problems of the model (see the thread I started about this here viewtopic.php?t=92202#p1615898)

Did you change your plans from backlock to comp.lock?

What among other things really speaks for the backlock imo is, that in the Polestar this would mean another backlock handle forward design and the first from Golden (actually there is "only" the Seki Leafjumper im current production) - a great concept that should really be expanded to more models.

And a BACKLOCK "Deep Space" - a handle forward backlock 4 inch blade folder - would be amazing.

[Spyderbot_matrix]

Got up to page six before deciding to post something.

My single beef (and I’m a nobody, so easily dismissible) is that some Spydercos are Astronomically expensive. Inflation as a side bar, lil natives are pricy. The quality is there, solid locking mechanism, good ergos, it honestly is a good knife. But average cost is $160, sprint runs more, closeouts, less. You can get a Native5, Pm3, A chinese s35vn variant knife, A seki knife and be happy too. Spend a little smarter, get a manix 2 LW in the mail. I feel the pain of costs too, if it wasn’t fuel it was food, i throw a lot of money at the phone bill, and insurance and rent… it’s all overboard.

If Spyderco made a 8Cr lil native or native 5 or Pm3, i’d get it. I have a resilience coated blade that’s my folding chef knife. Love it. I also have a Tenacious CF combo blade cool little knife- wish that came in a nutty steel. I’m sorry to read Sal having to discontinue knives because they didn’t sell. Im fairly new to the brand. But if you follow benchmade’s antics they make a $600 knife that isn’t worth the money. Pricier parts and they hope the fanbase just buys it. I can safely say I will never spend more than $200 on a knife. If it’s right on the line and got something extra going on, why not.

Before spydercos, whatever was hanging off the pegboard at autozone or walmart was fine. Until the lock/blade failed. The blade dulled and sharpening for a hour did nothing. Rust. Disintegrating handles. Got a shoebox full of those I’m gonna throw out one day, I keep them just remind me not to make those mistakes again. At $25-45 a purchase to use it a little- ouch

Then I got a gen2 (1998) Endura vg-10 with the square penny clip bolt. Wow. Simple, light, no complaints. I keep it as a time capsule knife.

Fast Foward 1 year through s30v pm2s one maxamet, pm3s in s45vn, 20cv, and s110v, with native 5’s and 2 manix 2, I happily spent the money. (Also got a s30v lil native for gentleman outings) got more models but definitely invested.

Despite whatever my Lady says I will keep spending on spydercos. (Breakup imminent lol) 3 reasons.

Quality is there.
Transparency.
Warranty.

The big one for me is warranty. Knife sharpening I consider part of the warranty. I use aggressive shapton kutomaku stones to sharpen my rescued knives, but say I feel a little lazy, shipping (usps priority is about $11.00) pays for sharpening as many fit in that box and Syperco eats the shipping back. Spyderco doesn’t charge for sharpening. $5 for UPS (for as many shipped out) is unrealistic. Even in bulk rating. I haven’t broke a one of these knives yet. These are points that any other knife company can make money on. The way inflation is going, I could be selling these knives 200-300% of the original cost, If times get tough. Knock on wood not there yet. Think I’m good for now though

[zhyla]

My single beef (and I’m a nobody, so easily dismissible) is that some Spydercos are Astronomically expensive.

Yeah, there's really two veins in this discussion. One is that the higher end Spydercos are crazy pricy. If a friend was pitching me the idea that we were going into the business of selling $450 knives I would laugh him out of the room.

The other is that none of the price points are competitive in terms of cost of quality/materials. Obviously Spyderco absolutely destroys a lot of other brands in terms of design.

The KnifeJoy Slysz Bowie exclusive for $450 is not as outrageous as it seems. A plain Chris Reeve Large Sebenza 31 MagnaCut is now $500.

Well that's kind of what this thread is about (and what Shabazz' chief complaint is): Spydercos cost as much as a Sebenza!

[Spyderbot_matrix]

My single beef (and I’m a nobody, so easily dismissible) is that some Spydercos are Astronomically expensive.

Yeah, there's really two veins in this discussion. One is that the higher end Spydercos are crazy pricy. If a friend was pitching me the idea that we were going into the business of selling $450 knives I would laugh him out of the room.

The other is that none of the price points are competitive in terms of cost of quality/materials. Obviously Spyderco absolutely destroys a lot of other brands in terms of design.

The KnifeJoy Slysz Bowie exclusive for $450 is not as outrageous as it seems. A plain Chris Reeve Large Sebenza 31 MagnaCut is now $500.

Well that's kind of what this thread is about (and what Shabazz' chief complaint is): Spydercos cost as much as a Sebenza!

100%- my limit is $200, and that knife gotta be made from the autobot matrix of leadership

So when I see custom knives weighing in at $300-$1000,

Yeah no and I can still drop it carelessly or lose it? Nope- I’ll never be cutting anything that needs that kind of steel. Ever

[Flash]

Easy to remedy knife price hikes - simply buy less.

Restrict yourself to a couple of knives per year - consider ones that you “really” want instead of consuming every new release that is put in front of you like some kind of a mindless rampant, knife-eating Pac-Man.

Quality over quantity brothers.

[vivi]

was going through old documents and among them are knife receipts.

szabo folder second run - $165

yojimbo 2 - $125

rex45 native chief sprint - $167

The yojimbo 2 was purchased in 2017 and now they're $200. They debuted at $95-99 IIRC.

[BornIn1500]

Hi Born,

I carried an Alcyone 2 prototype with a Compression lock yesterday. Today I'll be carrying a Polestar 2 prototype. Tomorrow I'll be carrying a prototype 4.0" version I call "Deep Space" (TM). They all have Compression Locks and Carbon Fiber scales.

sal

That is great news. Absolute EDC perfection.
Thanks for giving it a chance to become a reality.

[Wartstein]

Hi Born,

I carried an Alcyone 2 prototype with a Compression lock yesterday. Today I'll be carrying a Polestar 2 prototype. Tomorrow I'll be carrying a prototype 4.0" version I call "Deep Space" (TM). They all have Compression Locks and Carbon Fiber scales.

sal

That is great news. Absolute EDC perfection.
Thanks for giving it a chance to become a reality.

Yes, but the question remains: What does this mean for the planned Golden made backlock[/i ]Polestar?!
Really been looking forward for that one...

[sal]

Hi Warstein,

I'll get to that story in your other thread about the back-lock, handle forward, Polestar and Alcyone.

sal