Low End Spyderco Knives

[NASA50]

This topic has probably been discussed before, but I am new to the Spyderco Forum and wish to vent ....

I am disappointed every time I look and see a Spyderco knife made in China or Taiwan.

I guess I understand that not everyone can afford a Spyderco made in USA or Japan ... and that is why Spyderco chooses to cater to the low end budget buyer ...

But, if they think it is a prudent business decision to do so ... I wish that Spyderco would produce these low end knives under a different name ... becuase to me, these Chinese low end knives "taint" the reputation of quality that Spyderco is known for ... simply ... the chinese low end knives bring down the image of the rest of the line ...

That is just my two (2) cents ....

Please keep the manufacturing origin of all Spyderco knives in the USA and Japan ... and leave the Chinese knives to someone else ...

[sal]

Hi NASA,

Welcome to our forum. Sorry your first post made you feel like you want to vent? that's OK. This is a somewhat unusual forum in that the group that hangs here keeps in friendly.

Let me offer some thoughts to share. The manufacturing costs of US, Japan, Italy and Taiwan made models keeps rising. Many of our customers felt that we were exceeding the average working man's budget to get a good knife. The Chinese Yuan is 6/1 to the US dollar which is very difficult to compete against.

We have been working with the same makers in China for two decades. We feel that we know them well and they are trying to make quality product, take care of their families, and give you their best that We together can produce. We may not agree on the way their Government chooses to run a Country, and they may not either. I must admit that sometimes I wonder about the way our own Government runs a Country. But we're all working hard to make good knives for you to use and enjoy at a budget that is affordable for you. If things change, then we may change, but our standards are high and we always try to do the right things for the right reasons.

sal

[zhyla]

I am disappointed every time I look and see a Spyderco knife made in China or Taiwan.

I guess I understand that not everyone can afford a Spyderco made in USA or Japan ...

Uh, generally speaking Taiwan made Spydercos are as good or better than Japan made. I’m not sure why you’re lumping Taiwan in with China other than they are closely related countries.

I don’t have any recent Chinese Spydercos. I have an older Tenacious and Ambitious. I don’t think I would call them low end. Nothing about them is terribly low end except the steel.

The newer Chinese designs look like a step up. Maybe you should buy one before saying their existence tarnishes the Spyderco brand.

[skeeg11]

Sal has the patience of Job.....especially when it come to people who tell him how he should run his business. Much respect.

[VooDooChild]

At least spyderco tries to not outsource all of their products to the lowest bidder. In fact only a small percentage of their product line is made in China and I commend them for that.

Meanwhile, other tool manufacturers couldnt wait to move all of their production to china and still charge a huge markup.

[sethwm]

I feel like if spyderco sold the Chinese knives under another brand because of stereotypes, _that_ would taint the brand for me.

You can build crap anywhere. You can build high quality products anywhere. It’s about the corporate culture you set, the standards you hold.

[Manifestgtr]

I, for one, am quite thankful for Spyderco’s lower end offerings. Don’t wanna expose my k390 police, shamans or Taiwan models (which are FANTASTIC and well-respected in amongst collectors) to some sort of insanity? The resilience it is…

If you were going to rid yourself of everything made in China, you’d have to ditch your car, phone, refrigerator, ac unit, house, almost everything. For better or worse, our current economic situation has entirely surrounded western civilization with Chinese components, tools and trinkets. In my mind, it’s more a matter of the manufacturer and how much they do or don’t care. Spyderco falls into the former category, I find value in their lower end offerings. If they’re made in China, so be it. If I don’t want it, I don’t buy it

[tbdoc4kids]

Please do not tar Taiwan with the same brush you used on China. Taiwan has been making high-end Spyderco knives for years and they deserve respect,

I only have a few of the China-made Spydercos. The fit and finish may not match Taiwan or Golden, but they are darn good. I do wish the steel could be a higher grade, but in the end it does the job for me and is easy to sharpen.

I cannot imagine Sal ever putting his brand on a bad knife!

[Spydersense]

Please do your homework before assuming a country of origin automatically makes something "low end". The Taiwan Spydercos are among the best production knives, of any origin.

[Naperville]

I bought my first Randall ~94, but I've only been collecting for around 4 years. I'm new to all of it. Here is how I look at it.

Under the age of 27, I worked in the trades in concrete and as an electrician. I carried box cutters to cut open things, but had I known about Spyderco maybe I would have carried a Byrd. I doubt that I would have carried a $200 knife to open a bag of concrete at the jobsite, score wallboard, or strip a wire. The Byrd knives would have been plenty good.

As a collector no longer working in the trades I'm looking for the esoteric knife qualities. Qualities not seen in lower end models, but that a collector may choose to spend money on because they perceive a difference, even if it is so infinitesimally small to be insignificant to the purpose of a knife, which is cutting.

We all know the guy with the complete stereo for $250 to $500 dollars. But there are some spending over $10,000, and even a few $100,000 for a complete stereo system. But even the stereophile that enjoys music on a $100,000 system, at the beach he brings his $100 portable radio to have music.

[ZrowsN1s]

One of the essential rules of the forum is we don't talk politics. The political conversation that goes well and fosters understanding is the exception not the rule, mostly it ends in people shouting at eachother.

I've broken this rule here a few times, and regret it almost every time.

Addressing your point, Spyderco actually does have a budget brand called Byrd.

Out of all the different factories Golden Colorado is my favorite. Taiwan makes some of the highest quality Spyderco's available though. Have you ever had the chance to handle or use one? Slyz Bowie, Spyderchef, Swayback, Techno, Kapara, Smock, McBee, Watu, Caribbean, Subvert, Drunken, Paysan, Nirvana, Stovepipe..... MOST of Spydercos high end knives are made there.

[mikey177]

Yeah, I'm so disappointed when I look at my Taiwan-made Spydies... disappointed that I don't have a Paysan, or a Burch Chubby, or a GB1, among many others

[ChrisinHove]

It’s easier to be a customer than a manufacturer.

[RamZar]

Spyderco has knives made in China that are both part of the Spyderco brand and the Byrd brand. Personally, I wish they would put all their China made knives under the Byrd brand name. It’s kind of confusing. Then, Spyderco also has China made Spyderco knives selling for over $100 with S35VN and FRN. Byrd knives (all made in China) top out at under $70.

Taiwan is not China (at least not yet pending a PLA invasion) and it’s democratic, capitalistic and where the rule of law and fair trade are paramount. The quality of the Spyderco knives coming out of Taichung in Taiwan are top notch.

Spyderco also makes knives in Italy with the likes of LionSteel and Fox.

[James Y]

Taiwan-made Spydercos are NOT low-end or cheaply-produced products. This isn't the 1980s, when 'made in Taiwan' was equated with cheaply-manufactured knives and other goods. Taiwanese manufacturers started upping their knife game sometime in the 1990s, and now the Taichung, Taiwan-produced Spydercos are on par with some of the finest manufactured knives in the world.

I actually LIVED in Taiwan for nearly a decade. Taiwan is NOT mainland China, and they should not be lumped together.

Jim

[Wartstein]

...

I only have a few of the China-made Spydercos. The fit and finish may not match Taiwan or Golden, but they are darn good. I do wish the steel could be a higher grade, but in the end it does the job for me and is easy to sharpen.
....

I personally even have to go a step further: My (Chinese) Tenacious LW in S35VN has absolutely perfect fit and finish, even better than most and not worse than any Spyderco I ever got. And I mean PERFECT in each regard (except one, to be precise: Came with no or almost no oil in the pivot area, but that´s an easy fix).
And S35VN actually IS a "higher grade steel".

/ Generally: I am not from the US, but still don´t like that each and everything is more and more getting produced in China.

But, that said: I don´t understand at all when Americans criticize Spyderco for making some of their models in China:
I mean, Spyderco does everything to be almost a flagship US brand, and for that I think one has to see the whole package.
And I am sure: On todays market, to "work" and survive, they just have to produce a part of their products in China, In order to being able to also still offer a good share of American made knives, offer American jobs and do their part for American economy.

[Toucan]

I'm not gonna get into it too much, because last time people jumped down my throat when I mentioned xenophobia. But jeez. Why write off an entire nation's manufacturing capability when they're known to make quality stuff?

Taiwan makes the unbelievably complex silicon in all the world's electronic devices. I'm sure they can put a few pieces of steel together within tolerances.

It's similar with China. How is the Tenacious anything other than an objectively solid working person's knife for a fair price?

When someone buys a French-made slip joint with unknown steel and sloppy fit and finish for $30, (a Douk-Douk, for example) it's charming and rustic. Yet a $30 locking knife with decent steel, and infinitely better fit & finish gets complaints if it's made in China.

Japan is mentioned as a place that makes quality stuff, but, ironically, all this reminds me of a particular type of person that never got over the Japanese car boom. The sort that are still convinced Japan makes tinny cars built to fail and sluggish econoboxes despite the fact a Corolla is barely broken in at 100k miles, and the NSX, LFA, 2000GT, and GT-R all exist. The kind of dude that chose a Chevy Vega over a Honda Civic back in the day.

There's junk and quality anywhere if you look, and judging something based on where it's from rather than the quality itself is a good way to miss out on a lot of new and nice things. Ask yourself, why do you think something from Taiwan intrinsically not as good as something from elsewhere?

[spydergoat]

I came for the rant and stayed for the economics lesson. The only thing I can add is I wish the Tenacious was around back when I was shopping on a budget for my first folder.

[Evil D]

I feel like if spyderco sold the Chinese knives under another brand because of stereotypes, _that_ would taint the brand for me.

This would be blatantly admitting that they are inferior.

[kobold]

The reason I have many Taichung knives, but none made in mainland China is not only political, but also because of their superior quality. In my eyes they are above Japanese made ones and sometimes above Golden made also.
edit: Welcome to the forum!