Fantasy knives?

[awa54]

OK, there's lots of talk here about those lusted after exotic combinations of steel and handle material, or resurrections of long retired favorite designs, but how many of us Spyderco die-hards would pony up an extra $20 or so for a regular production UKPK made in a choice of G10 handle scale colors? ...even giving it the same treatment as the Delica/Endura by reviving multiple FRN colors would be nice.

Personally a FFG drop point in Royal blue or Brown G10 would loosen my wallet up instantly

[Holland]

Frn chaparral or an frn dragonfly with partial liners

[Tdhurl1103]

Navy Blue G10 on my PM2 or DB would be really nice.......for me at least.

[Evil D]

There are certainly combos and/or knives that don't quite exist that I would pay a premium for. The problem is would anyone else?

[awa54]

There are certainly combos and/or knives that don't quite exist that I would pay a premium for. The problem is would anyone else?

I guess I hadn't presented my concept well enough... You have nailed it though; *I* really want a G10 handle UKPK in colors and would likely buy several colors of that knife, how many of *you* would like to see that particular item as a regular offering?

[The Deacon]

OK, there's lots of talk here about those lusted after exotic combinations of steel and handle material, or resurrections of long retired favorite designs, but how many of us Spyderco die-hards would pony up an extra $20 or so for a regular production UKPK made in a choice of G10 handle scale colors? ...even giving it the same treatment as the Delica/Endura by reviving multiple FRN colors would be nice.

Personally a FFG drop point in Royal blue or Brown G10 would loosen my wallet up instantly

An "extra $20 or so" relative to what, for a G-10 UKPK? MSRP for the G-10 UKPK was $150 in 2009. The Military went for $220 at that time, and is now $260. so assuming a new G-10 UKPK would sport a $165 price tag is not unreasonable. That's roughly double the MSRP of the FRN version.

No interest, personally, I prefer the easier opening and closing that a midlock offers over the stiffer action necessary for safety with a slip joint.

[tvenuto]

I'm with deacon, I love a well-executed back(mid) lock like Spyderco does, so the slippies don't do it for me.

[brick]

how many of us Spyderco die-hards would pony up an extra $20 or so for a regular production UKPK made in a choice of G10 handle scale colors?

I don't foresee myself doing any knife shopping for a while but a G10 (or even CF?) UKPK in XHP or similar is the one thing I wish I could buy new.

[awa54]

OK, there's lots of talk here about those lusted after exotic combinations of steel and handle material, or resurrections of long retired favorite designs, but how many of us Spyderco die-hards would pony up an extra $20 or so for a regular production UKPK made in a choice of G10 handle scale colors? ...even giving it the same treatment as the Delica/Endura by reviving multiple FRN colors would be nice.

Personally a FFG drop point in Royal blue or Brown G10 would loosen my wallet up instantly

An "extra $20 or so" relative to what, for a G-10 UKPK? MSRP for the G-10 UKPK was $150 in 2009. The Military went for $220 at that time, and is now $260. so assuming a new G-10 UKPK would sport a $165 price tag is not unreasonable. That's roughly double the MSRP of the FRN version.

No interest, personally, I prefer the easier opening and closing that a midlock offers over the stiffer action necessary for safety with a slip joint.

To each their own! I like pretty much all locking (or non-locking) knife designs that are practical and elegantly executed... As to pricing, I did say "or so", but I think you're missing the reason for original release UKPK prices; after all the original UKPK was a limited run knife, also I wasn't suggesting we get an S30V blade, just the stock BD1 and I *did* leave the door open for FRN to be the scale of choice, just offered in some different colors. Any color you like as long as it's black, gets old after a while...

I know I'm doing an apples to durians comparison, but if a Chinese made Byrd Tern with G10 scales can be sold for less than half what an FRN UKPK goes for, then the materials cost of G10 can't be all *that* much. So let's be generous and say that a G10 handled UKPK made in USA would list for $125 instead of $85 and might street for $65 or $70, would that be worth Spyderco's effort? I know I'd buy it! I also think that the more robust feel of a G10 handle might make a few converts to using this excellent knife for tougher chores than light pocket duty at the office (which even the FRN version is absolutely capable of!). I also would have bought in to the colored handle UKPKs in FRN if I had known about them when PE versions were still available, but I missed that boat

[The Deacon]

To each their own! I like pretty much all locking (or non-locking) knife designs that are practical and elegantly executed... As to pricing, I did say "or so", but I think you're missing the reason for original release UKPK prices; after all the original UKPK was a limited run knife, also I wasn't suggesting we get an S30V blade, just the stock BD1 and I *did* leave the door open for FRN to be the scale of choice, just offered in some different colors. Any color you like as long as it's black, gets old after a while...

I know I'm doing an apples to durians comparison, but if a Chinese made Byrd Tern with G10 scales can be sold for less than half what an FRN UKPK goes for, then the materials cost of G10 can't be all *that* much. So let's be generous and say that a G10 handled UKPK made in USA would list for $125 instead of $85 and might street for $65 or $70, would that be worth Spyderco's effort? I know I'd buy it! I also think that the more robust feel of a G10 handle might make a few converts to using this excellent knife for tougher chores than light pocket duty at the office (which even the FRN version is absolutely capable of!). I also would have bought in to the colored handle UKPKs in FRN if I had known about them when PE versions were still available, but I missed that boat

As you say, to each their own.

As for the original UKPK's pricing being due to it being a "limited run", I'm not sure where you're getting the idea from that production of the original black G-10 was "limited" by anything other than sales. It's true that back when they first came out, a few of them were specially engraved for members of a British knife forum. However the same knife, sans-engraving, was in regular production for several years and the green G-10 and orange G-10 versions were made for several years after that. The titanium and CF versions had relatively short runs, but the G-10 version most definitely did not. So, while there's no way to know for sure, I think my thoughts on MSPR are a LOT closer to what Spyderco would have to charge today than yours.

Your best bet might be to keep an eye on eBay. You have to be very careful with the black G-10 ones, there are way more fakes than real ones being offered for sale these days, but I'm pretty sure the green and orange are safe, as are the colored FRN ones.

Here's the completed auction of a fake black one some poor sucker got burned badly on this one. Note the absence of clip grooves on the left side of the handle, it's they "tell" that lets me know it's a fake.

[awa54]

Here's the completed auction of a fake black one some poor sucker got burned badly on this one. Note the absence of clip grooves on the left side of the handle, it's they "tell" that lets me know it's a fake.

Dang, that was painfully obvious! I can't imagine how anyone thought Spyderco would produce something with such an abysmal blade grind! not to mention the coarse pitch jimping and the clip fail. I hope the buyer was a rich sucker, not a poor one, at least then the sting of getting a half-assed fake like that could be shrugged off easily, with the only real harm being to the buyers pride. Harm to the Spyderco name and to their trade in goods is a totally different subject. The fact that the auction was here in the US is more than a bit disturbing, as it indicates the possibility of an entire shipment of fake product making its way into the US without detection...

I guess I'm a bit thick, but I still can't see how adding G10 scales (for which the tooling already exists) to an $85 knife would double the price... custom aftermarket scales in micarta or exotic wood are only $60 retail and don't benefit from the economy of even small scale mass production. If the whole package goes "premium" I would agree the price would have to be commensurate, but with a non-exotic blade steel used, it seems that the only barrier to a *comparatively* affordable G10 model of the UKPK would be a will to produce it and interest in the market to justify that production.

However if the response to this thread reflects overall interest in the UKPK model line, then I totally understand why Spyderco wouldn't bother to try adding luster to that part of the line.... not much love on display here :P

[SpyderNut]

Here's my number one fantasy knife:

Michael Walker in M4 with Ti scales.

:cool:

[chuck_roxas45]

OK, there's lots of talk here about those lusted after exotic combinations of steel and handle material, or resurrections of long retired favorite designs, but how many of us Spyderco die-hards would pony up an extra $20 or so for a regular production UKPK made in a choice of G10 handle scale colors? ...even giving it the same treatment as the Delica/Endura by reviving multiple FRN colors would be nice.

Personally a FFG drop point in Royal blue or Brown G10 would loosen my wallet up instantly

$20 or so for a knife in the steel I want? Outstanding!

[awa54]

$20 or so for a knife in the steel I want? Outstanding!

Seems I totally failed on my pitch here... The (very poorly worded?) idea was that a *standard* CTS BD1 bladed UKPK offered with multiple G10 handle scale color choices would maybe be a not so pie-in-the-sky thing to hope for (as opposed to a wish to see a sprint run of titanium/niobium mokume handle PM2s with a HAP72 blade, as gets discussed fairly often on forums).

Sarcasm is always appreciated by me, as I can sling it pretty hard if needed, but so are reading and comprehension skills ...see; sarcasm!
I wasn't actually introduced to cutlery yesterday, or even the day before, so I *do* realize that fancy steel commands fancy pricing, but that wasn't what I intended this thread to be about.

It seems that all those initial buyers of G10 handled UK Pens who definitively *are not* reselling them, must have liked the idea... but some of us weren't savvy enough to realize that a model which was seemingly on the upswing would soon be relegated to a single color option and speaking as one of those poor fools, I can say that I want another chance to get in on the coolness!

[chuck_roxas45]

$20 or so for a knife in the steel I want? Outstanding!

Seems I totally failed on my pitch here... The (very poorly worded?) idea was that a *standard* CTS BD1 bladed UKPK offered with multiple G10 handle scale color choices would maybe be a not so pie-in-the-sky thing to hope for (as opposed to a wish to see a sprint run of titanium/niobium mokume handle PM2s with a HAP72 blade, as gets discussed fairly often on forums).

Sarcasm is always appreciated by me, as I can sling it pretty hard if needed, but so are reading and comprehension skills ...see; sarcasm!
I wasn't actually introduced to cutlery yesterday, or even the day before, so I *do* realize that fancy steel commands fancy pricing, but that wasn't what I intended this thread to be about.

It seems that all those initial buyers of G10 handled UK Pens who definitively *are not* reselling them, must have liked the idea... but some of us weren't savvy enough to realize that a model which was seemingly on the upswing would soon be relegated to a single color option and speaking as one of those poor fools, I can say that I want another chance to get in on the coolness!

Ok, you got me good. :)

However, what I was trying to say is that $20 or so for what basically is a custom shop knife won't cut it...

[awa54]

Hi Chuck,

I agree, but *if* it was a regular production item, it just might be possible to see G10 for a moderate price bump... and I did mention FRN in colors, which ought to cost *nothing* except for adding SKUs (which of course makes for more inventory and administration costs, but you get the point).

It just baffles me that all the variety went out of the UKPK line. At least now the blades are FFG!

[chuck_roxas45]

Hi Chuck,

I agree, but *if* it was a regular production item, it just might be possible to see G10 for a moderate price bump... and I did mention FRN in colors, which ought to cost *nothing* except for adding SKUs (which of course makes for more inventory and administration costs, but you get the point).

It just baffles me that all the variety went out of the UKPK line. At least now the blades are FFG!

Well, no harm in asking. Spyderco has said in the past that they don't want to do a custom shop but you never know with them. :)