Spyderco Forums

I like Spydercos... and Spyderco as a company. I do not mind them taking a little longer making the forum knife. I also do not blame them for not specifying a release date for it... it gives them the flexibility to make it right and enough of them for everyone. If they had a clock ticking down it puts more pressure on them for no reason or benefit at all.

wrdwrght wrote:Collectively, we need to stifle our sense of entitlement or we're going to lose our beta-testing privileges. Just sayin'...

We have beta testing privileges? When did that happen? I want in.

Ken

kbuzbee wrote:We have beta testing privileges? When did that happen? I want in.

Ken, I was being somewhat facetious, but feedback on sprints and exclusives--to which we Forumites are way more clued in than the public--does help Spyderco, no?

wrdwrght wrote:Ken, I was being somewhat facetious, but feedback on sprints and exclusives--to which we Forumites are way more clued in than the public--does help Spyderco, no?

Ah, okay, yes, I think they value feedback from the user community on released products to help with CQI. And I belive they like to hear what types of products we might like to see in the future.

I come from a computer work history and beta tester means something different to me. Software (generally, but occasionally hardware) that is basically a work in progress is sent out to experienced users for feedback before they release it as a final product. Depending on the commitment level of those users, it can be very valuable or not so much

Both are forms of feedback, just at different points in the process.

Ken

arjay18 wrote:Baah! This is exactly what I hate about Spyderco, No official updates. They just leave us hanging and waiting for God know how long. I'm getting tired of all this that I feel like they just don't care about us consumers. I'm talking in general here not just about the forum knife. :mad:

Just had to get that off my chest. :)

I know how that feels sometimes :) but I'd really encourage you to take a second look at the situation. If Spyderco really didn't care, for starters, they wouldn't do a deeply discounted, extremely limited high performance knife like this. Where else are you going to get a properly heat treated S110V folder for about US$140??? :spyder:

JNewell wrote:I know how that feels sometimes :) but I'd really encourage you to take a second look at the situation. If Spyderco really didn't care, for starters, they wouldn't do a deeply discounted, extremely limited high performance knife like this. Where else are you going to get a properly heat treated S110V folder for about US$140??? :spyder:

Yeah, I mean there's nothing more than their own good will stopping them from selling this knife at twice that price all day everyday. So they take the time to do it right and can't keep up with demand...this isn't mass produced/stamped and assembled by machines knives we're talking about. It takes time to finish even a 1000 piece run of knives when we're dealing with a handful of people doing the labor, not machines. When you think about all the other stuff coming out of Golden, it's really not surprising that this is taking longer than anticipated. Good things come to those who sit on their money and be patient

Evil D wrote:Yeah, I mean there's nothing more than their own good will stopping them from selling this knife at twice that price all day everyday. So they take the time to do it right and can't keep up with demand...this isn't mass produced/stamped and assembled by machines knives we're talking about. It takes time to finish even a 1000 piece run of knives when we're dealing with a handful of people doing the labor, not machines. When you think about all the other stuff coming out of Golden, it's really not surprising that this is taking longer than anticipated. Good things come to those who sit on their money and be patient

+1
Can't believe this needs to be repeated nonstop...

I have a couple of friends , who are twins.
There names are Pete and Re-Pete.......................LOL

Holland wrote:+1
Can't believe this needs to be repeated nonstop...

Some people just have a very narrow perspective on things. That's not meant to be an insult...we all do on certain things when we don't really step back and think about a situation thoroughly enough to understand what's going on. You'd be surprised how many people have no idea what it takes to manufacture anything, let alone a quality tool that meets strict quality control standards. There are some companies like Victorinox who can get away with churning out millions of something with mechanical precision and get a desirable end result, but Spyderco just isn't one of those companies and I hope they never are. I will gladly wait a year for a good knife that isn't rushed vs. a knife that's cranked out solely for the sake of the sale and maybe has a so-so heat treat and poor fit and finish. I know there's been a lot of talk about the quality that comes out of Taichung and Seki, but I personally take a bit of pride in the Golden made knives and if it takes them another 6 months to get this knife out, I'll sit back and enjoy the rest of my knives in the meantime and know that the final product is going to be worth the wait. You can't rush perfection.

kbuzbee wrote:Ah, okay, yes, I think they value feedback from the user community on released products to help with CQI. And I belive they like to hear what types of products we might like to see in the future.

I come from a computer work history and beta tester means something different to me. Software (generally, but occasionally hardware) that is basically a work in progress is sent out to experienced users for feedback before they release it as a final product. Depending on the commitment level of those users, it can be very valuable or not so much

Both are forms of feedback, just at different points in the process.

I probably should not have been so loose in my use of "beta-testing". I was in the data/telecommunications industry for more than 15 years (and my wife still is) and know only too well where beta-testing sits in the development process. I suppose I've read too many gun forums lately wherein people rant about flaws in their newly-produced guns and resent being put in the role of "beta-testers". Their reference is, I gather, intentionally ironic... Mine was. Anyway, my point, with which I think you concur, was that the Glessers don't need to be so thoughtful about us. That they are should make us grateful, not spoiled brats.

To help ensure the 2016 Forum knife is available when announced, Spyderco is running the 2016 production concurrent with the 2013 batch.
Early leaks indicate the 2016 version is a retro Native with a flint blade and turquoise stone handle.
Finding enough flint knappers is slightly holding up production on both knife batches at this time.
This way the 2016 forum knives will be ready for immediate delivery when announced, but might be a little dusty from sitting on the shelf.
; >)
Or not, maybe, who knows, all good things....

Evil D wrote:Some people just have a very narrow perspective on things. That's not meant to be an insult...we all do on certain things when we don't really step back and think about a situation thoroughly enough to understand what's going on. You'd be surprised how many people have no idea what it takes to manufacture anything, let alone a quality tool that meets strict quality control standards. There are some companies like Victorinox who can get away with churning out millions of something with mechanical precision and get a desirable end result, but Spyderco just isn't one of those companies and I hope they never are. I will gladly wait a year for a good knife that isn't rushed vs. a knife that's cranked out solely for the sake of the sale and maybe has a so-so heat treat and poor fit and finish. I know there's been a lot of talk about the quality that comes out of Taichung and Seki, but I personally take a bit of pride in the Golden made knives and if it takes them another 6 months to get this knife out, I'll sit back and enjoy the rest of my knives in the meantime and know that the final product is going to be worth the wait. You can't rush perfection.

You make a lot of good points. I think it also has a lot to do with resources available. I'm sure if someone gave sal five million bucks for the sole purpose of speeding up the production of the 2013 forum knife, it could be done without sacrificing quality. Higher tech machines, more machines, more people, ability to pay more for rush orders for materials, ability to pay other facilities better suited to do some intermediate work, and so on....

So, this brings up another question. Who here wants to donate a few million bucks to get the forum knife into our hands a little quicker? :D

Evil D wrote:Yeah, I mean there's nothing more than their own good will stopping them from selling this knife at twice that price all day everyday. So they take the time to do it right and can't keep up with demand...this isn't mass produced/stamped and assembled by machines knives we're talking about. It takes time to finish even a 1000 piece run of knives when we're dealing with a handful of people doing the labor, not machines. When you think about all the other stuff coming out of Golden, it's really not surprising that this is taking longer than anticipated. Good things come to those who sit on their money and be patient

Or just not making it... You can count the number of production folders made with S110V blades on the fingers of one hand and have fingers left over. :) Just getting a project like this up and running is a big time and money sink, and they aren't going to make it back on this knife or on the other Native S110V.

JNewell wrote:I know how that feels sometimes :) but I'd really encourage you to take a second look at the situation. If Spyderco really didn't care, for starters, they wouldn't do a deeply discounted, extremely limited high performance knife like this. Where else are you going to get a properly heat treated S110V folder for about US$140??? :spyder:

Well the way I see it Spyderco is still making money on this, you have to look at it in my perspective. I'm Chinese and the way we look at sales is to put a small markup and sell a boatload rather than selling at a premium and selling a quarter of that quantity. I think this is what they are doing selling it with a little margin and selling a lot, then WE sing praises like "Where else are you going to get a properly heat treated S110V folder for about US$140???" any people jump in seeing that, free marketing I tell yah. It really has nothing to do with their kind hearts or goodwill selling them that low, just pure marketing. Spyderco is still profit driven and is concerned about the bottom line, thus I'm sure they are still making money. I am okay with that since its still a win for us consumers.

I'm not complaining particularly about the wait, just that WE at least deserve some official updates on what is happening when it's delayed. It's just good customer service to do that rather than just keep silent about the matter like there is a shroud of secrecy behind everything.

I'm happy that Spyderco continues to make forum knives, even with the crap from last time.

Also, Spyderco used to have release dates and Sal was more than happy to share updates. The bad attitude that comes off on the forums I believe, has changed this. I don't even see Sal as much on the forums anymore. Don't believe me? KAI has now stopped release dates, updates and sharing prices prerelease altogether... You know why? Because of the crap that follows with people, they said it themselves. Spyderco wouldn't say such things in public but I think it is for similar reasons.

All I know is I probably have 2 more knifes that can afford this year, the forum knife and the Domino and I am pretty excited about both of them.

All companies have to be profit driven but you have to admire Spyderco for the way they go about it. It isn't easy to do things the way they do, that becomes pretty obvious when you look at what the competition has to offer. Spyderco has a soul and the Forum knife is just one of the many ways that they show that.

Why are people complaining at all??? I mean seriously? If this took 10 years to materialize it would still be an amazing gesture on Spydercos part and we should be saying thanks not complaining about a month or two or six or twelve.
They do things like this for the forum. For the COMMUNITY that is created here. A bunch of whiners is not a community. A place where people come together and talk about Spyderco knives, and other hobbies and interests is a community.
Lets start behaving like the groups of adults (or close to in some cases) that we are and just enjoy the knowledge and experience and interactions of the members here rather than clambering to get any word of the latest shiny new thing, and trying to demand things from the people that make this place possible.

Sorry to go off...just getting tired of all the BS that seems to have developed around here lately.

Please continue with yours lives now. :D

What a goofy thread.
Wake me when its time to order.
Thanks!

I haven't really seen any "complaining" or "whining". However I have seen people sharing their thoughts, concerns and points-of-view. This is a discussion forum and that is exactly what this forum is for.

kbuzbee wrote:We have beta testing privileges? When did that happen? I want in.

Ken

Sorry you didn't get in. I'm already testing the 2014 Forum knife. It's pretty cool (let's just say it's iconic and has a stop lock...), but not quite as ergonomic as the Barong 2.