domestic vs foreign

[crazywednesday]

I just noticed tonight that my LC200N mule is taichung and my SPY27 is Golden Colorado. Is this a function of the steel or something else? I could care either way. I think they are both top quality. Im just curious.

[jwbnyc]

Spyderco makes knives at multiple sites around the World. Your Mule was made in Taiwan. Your other knife was made in Colorado. Certain makers work with certain steels by and large but there are exceptions.

[yablanowitz]

Generally, production capacity plays a big role. Toward the end of the pre-hiatus Mule Teams, most of the Mules were farmed out to Taichung because Golden was so overloaded.

[defenestrate]

Generally, production capacity plays a big role. Toward the end of the pre-hiatus Mule Teams, most of the Mules were farmed out to Taichung because Golden was so overloaded.

Exactly.
Aside from having consistently excellent quality, Taichung is capable of making pretty much anything made in Golden (aside, likely, from making tons of exclusives and sprints). So anything not locked to Golden could conceivably be made there.

[Giygas]

Where the steel is manufactured seems to play a big role.

Models made of US produced steels tend to be made in Golden. European produced steels tend to go to Taichung.

[Accutron]

Where the steel is manufactured seems to play a big role.

Models made of US produced steels tend to be made in Golden. European produced steels tend to go to Taichung.

Spyderco offshored mule production starting with MT18 (S110V) in 2014, and repatriated the model when they resurrected the MT project in 2020. Most of the mules produced in Taichung are made from US steel grades. Location of manufacture is not related to the steel grade.

[Giygas]

Where the steel is manufactured seems to play a big role.

Models made of US produced steels tend to be made in Golden. European produced steels tend to go to Taichung.

Spyderco offshored mule production starting with MT18 (S110V) in 2014, and repatriated the model when they resurrected the MT project in 2020. Most of the mules produced in Taichung are made from US steel grades. Location of manufacture is not related to the steel grade.

Most of the mules overall are made of US produced steel, so that seems inevitable, no?

I was definitely wrong, though.

[yablanowitz]

Where the steel is manufactured seems to play a big role.

Models made of US produced steels tend to be made in Golden. European produced steels tend to go to Taichung.

Spyderco offshored mule production starting with MT18 (S110V) in 2014, and repatriated the model when they resurrected the MT project in 2020. Most of the mules produced in Taichung are made from US steel grades. Location of manufacture is not related to the steel grade.

Not entirely true. The Mules with Japanese steels have been made in Japan, the 9Cr18 was made in China. I suspect the "repatriation" had more to do with production capacity than anything else. I remember Sal saying not long ago that Taichung was running at capacity, too.

[crazywednesday]

Interesting bit of info. Any guesses where the Rex 76 mule will be manufactured?

[yablanowitz]

At this point, my guess would be Golden, but we'll soon know.

[Ramonade]

The MT33P product page indicates Taïwan.

[crazywednesday]

The MT33P product page indicates Taïwan.

I should have looked there first!