Cat & Chicago Disco'd...

[SaturnNyne]

Back in December there was a dealer promotion of a free Sage I for every certain amount of Spyderco merchandise purchased (as I heard it). Some dealers decided to take advantage of the freebies by quickly selling them at a reduced price, so Poor Fish let a bunch go around the $64-70 shipped mark. Naturally, they disappeared instantly at 64 so they tweaked the price until they got it where they wanted. There was a big thread about it at the time.

[flash900]

Ouch -- missed that...and I'm on the Poor Fish e-mail list!

Wait, now I remember: I wasn't interested in the Sage back then....It was AFTER I got my Cat and Chicago that I began lusting for a bigger CF brother to those two blades.

So, Sal and company, those value-priced blades do pay off for you in the long run. I suspect your popular (and often sold-out) Persistence may do the same.

[ChrisR]

I'd like to see them continue at the same price point but with the intended quality and less expensive scale materials. If these models are intended to be entry level priced but quality has to be sacrificed to keep it there, the fancy carbon fiber is the most obvious thing to axe. Hopefully the price difference between CF and equally (or more) functional G10 would be enough to buy the needed extra quality.

Been watching this thread with great interest over the last few days, while waiting for the :spyder: -Admins to approve my account :D (thanks folks)

These knives didn't sell purely on the CF scales - they are both great designs and the price-point was very attractive. If CF was too difficult to perfect within the budget then they could be made with something like polished G10 scales - but keep the quality blade material - then I think they'd still be a real winner :)

Also, as one of those people from 'across the pond', where we have 'interesting' knife laws, I was wondering whether the Chicago wouldn't have been better as a SLIPIT anyway? The blade shape doesn't lend itself to puncturing and the knife was designed to accommodate stricter knife-carry laws so the slip-joint might make it an even more acceptable knife to carry in cities.

Chris R.

[HotSoup]

I think they should be remade in G-10 and manufactured in CHINA. It would be even cheaper and at least the stuff that comes out of China has never had any quality issues. Its time for Spyderco to dump Taiwan.

I personally find that Chicago and Cat over-priced for what you get. Carbon Fiber is a gimmick, and not worth the money while G-10 scales are just as good, if not better and cost less, as we can see from the Tenacious and Persistence. Spyderco was spot on with those models, and should do the same with the Cat and Chicago!

[ChrisR]

Carbon Fiber is a gimmick, and not worth the money while G-10 scales are just as good, if not better and cost less

I kinda agree but I think CF is preferred for some knives because it's often given a polished, classy finish - more suitable to a 'gentleman's folder' that you might put in a jacket pocket or peel fruit with at lunch. The rough-feel (peel-ply?) G10 is great for hard-working knives but they can scratch belts and clothes when clipped in tight. So I'd say by all means use a G10, with some grain and without the plastic feel of FRN, but polish it and make it look really classy, like CF :)

[HotSoup]

Polished G-10 is really nice, but you do lose the grip. I'll stick with my matte G-10. Carbon Fiber does have the aesthetic value, but in terms of performance, G-10 for me.

[Spyharpy]

I picked up the last Chicago and Cat from a seller that I frequent often. Both were very nice and had no issues that I could see. Was planning on getting them later but given the situation now, I had to get them before they disappeared. Both are nice little cutters. With CF, low rider wire clips and getting a chance to hold them in person, I was sold on the spot.

[SlideTechnik]

Dang, that was quick.

[jabba359]

I think they should be remade in G-10 and manufactured in CHINA. It would be even cheaper and at least the stuff that comes out of China has never had any quality issues. Its time for Spyderco to dump Taiwan.

Spyderco is not having a problem with the entire country of Taiwan, just a single manufacturer. The Sage, Gayle Bradley, and Bob Terzuola slipit are all made in Taiwan and these knives may all have higher fit and finish then even the Golden models. To classify an entire country by only one manufacturer is kind of ignorant.

As for the CAT and Chicago, I would also love to see them resurrected using another manufacturer and with different scale materials. I had planned on buying some and swapping out the scales with custom materials anyway, so I'd be all for whatever scale material would make them the cheapest possible. If we could get the manufacturer of the Tenacious/Persistance to make some of these smaller knives with G10, I'd buy a bunch of them.

[Visual Articulation]

Good day all. I just picked up a Chicago at my local army navy store for 50 bucks even. Was very comfortable in hand and at the time in the store seemed fine as far as lock up and fit and finish seemed descent for fifty dollars. Its my first CF spyderco. so i will check it more closely after reading this thread. thx u all for the information shared.