Spyderco Forums

EDIT: WHY on earth does it suddenly look like as if this thread was started by ME?! Where is the actual OP, "Brooklyn 2019" gone?!

brooklyn2019 wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 05, 2019 1:59 pm

Hey anyone have pics of spyderco beginnings maybe pics inside their bread delivery truck will be nice or their first factory

I don´t and probably no one beside Sal or long time Spyderco employees?

Here is a vid where Sal talks a bit about the beginnings (and you can see a pic of the bread delivery truck as far as I recall)

https://youtu.be/mLcTWwh1Cpc&t=64s

Better than the out of focus slow pan in that video lol

Here's an old picture of Sal demonstrating the Sharpmaker. This is 1981, so it's pretty early.

https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news ... /836853906

(I'm not embedding the linked image because I have no idea if Getty allows that.)

Here’s a picture of my dad outside the first Spyderco storefront, he was the manager. The paper is dated 1982.

Ez556 wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 06, 2019 3:27 pm

Here’s a picture of my dad outside the first Spyderco storefront, he was the manager. The paper is dated 1982.

That's really cool, thanks for sharing! :)

Thanx Jordan. Your Dad was one of the best.

sal

Great thread! I'm an old VW pilot and love to see that Beetle in tow behind the bread truck!

Hey Brooklyn,

Welcome to our forum (I was born in Brooklyn).

FYI, when Gail and I began Spyderco, we were homeless, living in a 1955 International step van (with our 2 yr old daughter) that was a bread delivery truck that we converted to a motor home. We towed a VW beetle behind the truck with our equipment. We built our product in campgrounds and sold them in local fairs and show. America is a great country.

sal

sal wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 06, 2019 11:27 pm

Hey Brooklyn,

Welcome to our forum (I was born in Brooklyn).

FYI, when Gail and I began Spyderco, we were homeless, living in a 1955 International step van (with our 2 yr old daughter) that was a bread delivery truck that we converted to a motor home. We towed a VW beetle behind the truck with our equipment. We built our product in campgrounds and sold them in local fairs and show. America is a great country.

sal

Your right. This is a great country. It’s inspiring to a younger guy. I’m not homeless, as I just bought a house this year (or the right to pay for it and pay taxes, as the case may be). I’m above the lower, but far below the upper, where money gets tight. But I have a unique opportunity in front of me to own my own business. Just in the beginning stages of discussion, but hearing reminders like this is encouraging. Leaving the comfort of a some what steady income can be a little intimidating, even though I’m 100% commission based. Thanx, Sal.

Hi Prndtech,

Always extend your best effort (Gambaru in Japanese) good enough is never good enough.
Persistence is king.
Always be 100% honest with your customers.
improvement is your evolutionary obligation to humankind.

sal

Strive for excellence, not mediocrity: which is another word for "good enough"...

It's threads like this one that make me wish that the book entitled "The Spyderco Story by Kenneth Delavigne" was still in print. Not only is the book no longer in print but the publisher i.e. Paladin Press is also gone as well.

There is probably a lot more that could be written about Spyderco's beginnings and really it's high time for a sequel to "The Spyderco Story".

It's an incredible American entreprenuerial success story.

Hi JD,

We're working on something.

sal

sal wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 07, 2019 3:00 pm

Hi JD,

We're working on something.

sal

Glad to hear that! I value my copy of "The Spyderco Story" highly!

Hahaha what just happened

Wartstein wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 07, 2019 3:27 pm

WHY on earth does it suddenly look like as if this thread was started by ME?!
Where is the actual OP, "Brooklyn 2019" gone?!

They stepped out, will be back shortly.

sal wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 06, 2019 11:27 pm

Hey Brooklyn,

Welcome to our forum (I was born in Brooklyn).

FYI, when Gail and I began Spyderco, we were homeless, living in a 1955 International step van (with our 2 yr old daughter) that was a bread delivery truck that we converted to a motor home. We towed a VW beetle behind the truck with our equipment. We built our product in campgrounds and sold them in local fairs and show. America is a great country.

sal

I never knew that about Spyderco’s history. Thanks for sharing Sal. And thanks for taking the chance. I’m glad it worked out for you and for decades worth of customers. America truly is a great country.

rangefinder wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 06, 2019 12:38 pm

Here's an old picture of Sal demonstrating the Sharpmaker. This is 1981, so it's pretty early.

I still have the one, an older version than that one, that I bought from him at the Texas State Fair. Mine has the wooden base, round sticks, and typewritten instructions.

Wartstein wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 07, 2019 3:27 pm

WHY on earth does it suddenly look like as if this thread was started by ME?!
Where is the actual OP, "Brooklyn 2019" gone?!

If I recall correctly, the first few posts from new users need to go through a moderation process as a way of helping to prevent potential spam bots from posting. I'm guessing that is what happened and the post will return if the OP was not a spam bot.