Spyderco Cleaning Mat?

[Sumdumguy]

Fair enough, it is an officially licensed product. Even still, I will stand behind my comments about being cautious with licensing. This is not something I would want my company's name on and not a business I would want to associate my company with. But, it isn't mine and I have no say, only advice.

It is a mat made for cleaning and disassembling knives. Organization is one of the most important parts of doing this task properly.

There is no way to have any organization on this mat, aside from the hole in the corner. If performance and efficiency matters in a knife, shouldn't it also for the station at which we work on them?
There are two large flat sections next to the large Spyderco logo. Those would work just as well as the hole in the corner.

Yes, It fits the definition of "rubber mat" perfectly. However, as a cleaning mat for knife disassembly, it is inadequate. All show, no go. Not the Spyderco way.

As for them just licensing it, be careful what you put your name on. This may be "just a mat", but it represents them as a company. If someone sees this years from now, it's a Spyderco product. It doesn't matter to them that Spyderco never touched it, their name is on it. If it's poorly designed for it's intended task, guess who gets the credit(blame?)?
Years from now, I'm guessing the only people who will be aware of this mat existing are the people who received it in their battlebox and hardcore Spyderco collectors. It's intended task is to be a rubber mat, which it does quite well in my opinion.

It was an example, the principal is the same regardless.

Business is complicated. Even more so, when you throw in some psychology.
It sure is!

Indeed.

In a world where marketing is becoming more and more advanced(behavioral analysts, etc.) and the use of it more and more devious, Spyderco has stood as a beacon. A reminder that you don't have to put profit at the forefront of every decision you make. If you focus on making a high quality, high performance product and having good customer support/relations, the success will come.
Right, which is why you don't see garbage promotional items from Spyderco, like pop sockets and can koozies with their logo on it... You see custom designed promotional items like this rubber mat, not generic crap. Spyderco obviously cares about their customer relations. Battlbox is technically now a customer of theirs, so taking their design and changing their design is a great way ruin a potential, profitable, relationship.

I never said they should change someone's design. They can, however, reject an idea that doesn't line up with their product standards. It's brand protection, which is important regardless of how small the detail is.

This product goes against that philosophy, this is nothing more than a profit generator.

It doesn't go against anything... Also, profit is great, because they're still a business after all is said and done.

This product had no thought put into it, aside from increasing subscription and sales numbers for battlebox. It is a slap job(shovelware, for the techies). Sure, I could spend my days making "review" videos promoting garbage products, for corporate money and be a lot better off, financially. But that is not the right way to turn a profit. There is no honor among shills.


Apologies for the length, I'll pretend it's because I wanted to take a break from working on the house. :p

Back to the flooring with me!

It really seems like it was just a promotional item for their partnership with Battlbox. A cool and unique one at that. Spyderco isn't in the rubber maintenance mat business, if they were, I can assure you it would live up to the standards we've all come to expect from them.

But it still carries their name. With name, should come standards.

:spyder:

[sal]

I guess this is an authorized accessory. My apologies.

sal

[curlyhairedboy]

glad it's authorized, i can use it as a valet tray!

[Mushroom]

Fair enough, it is an officially licensed product. Even still, I will stand behind my comments about being cautious with licensing. This is not something I would want my company's name on and not a business I would want to associate my company with. But, it isn't mine and I have no say, only advice.

It is a mat made for cleaning and disassembling knives. Organization is one of the most important parts of doing this task properly.

There is no way to have any organization on this mat, aside from the hole in the corner. If performance and efficiency matters in a knife, shouldn't it also for the station at which we work on them?
There are two large flat sections next to the large Spyderco logo. Those would work just as well as the hole in the corner.

Yes, It fits the definition of "rubber mat" perfectly. However, as a cleaning mat for knife disassembly, it is inadequate. All show, no go. Not the Spyderco way.

As for them just licensing it, be careful what you put your name on. This may be "just a mat", but it represents them as a company. If someone sees this years from now, it's a Spyderco product. It doesn't matter to them that Spyderco never touched it, their name is on it. If it's poorly designed for it's intended task, guess who gets the credit(blame?)?
Years from now, I'm guessing the only people who will be aware of this mat existing are the people who received it in their battlebox and hardcore Spyderco collectors. It's intended task is to be a rubber mat, which it does quite well in my opinion.

It was an example, the principal is the same regardless.

Business is complicated. Even more so, when you throw in some psychology.
It sure is!

Indeed.

In a world where marketing is becoming more and more advanced(behavioral analysts, etc.) and the use of it more and more devious, Spyderco has stood as a beacon. A reminder that you don't have to put profit at the forefront of every decision you make. If you focus on making a high quality, high performance product and having good customer support/relations, the success will come.
Right, which is why you don't see garbage promotional items from Spyderco, like pop sockets and can koozies with their logo on it... You see custom designed promotional items like this rubber mat, not generic crap. Spyderco obviously cares about their customer relations. Battlbox is technically now a customer of theirs, so taking their design and changing their design is a great way ruin a potential, profitable, relationship.

I never said they should change someone's design. They can, however, reject an idea that doesn't line up with their product standards. It's brand protection, which is important regardless of how small the detail is.

This product goes against that philosophy, this is nothing more than a profit generator.

It doesn't go against anything... Also, profit is great, because they're still a business after all is said and done.

This product had no thought put into it, aside from increasing subscription and sales numbers for battlebox. It is a slap job(shovelware, for the techies). Sure, I could spend my days making "review" videos promoting garbage products, for corporate money and be a lot better off, financially. But that is not the right way to turn a profit. There is no honor among shills.


Apologies for the length, I'll pretend it's because I wanted to take a break from working on the house. :p

Back to the flooring with me!

It really seems like it was just a promotional item for their partnership with Battlbox. A cool and unique one at that. Spyderco isn't in the rubber maintenance mat business, if they were, I can assure you it would live up to the standards we've all come to expect from them.

But it still carries their name. With name, should come standards.

:spyder:

It's just a rubber mat SDG, calm down. :rolleyes:

[SG89]

This thread is so colorful lol

[Evil D]

This thread is so colorful lol

I scrolled too fast and gave myself a seizure :eek:

[Sumdumguy]

Fair enough, it is an officially licensed product. Even still, I will stand behind my comments about being cautious with licensing. This is not something I would want my company's name on and not a business I would want to associate my company with. But, it isn't mine and I have no say, only advice.

It is a mat made for cleaning and disassembling knives. Organization is one of the most important parts of doing this task properly.

There is no way to have any organization on this mat, aside from the hole in the corner. If performance and efficiency matters in a knife, shouldn't it also for the station at which we work on them?
There are two large flat sections next to the large Spyderco logo. Those would work just as well as the hole in the corner.

Yes, It fits the definition of "rubber mat" perfectly. However, as a cleaning mat for knife disassembly, it is inadequate. All show, no go. Not the Spyderco way.

As for them just licensing it, be careful what you put your name on. This may be "just a mat", but it represents them as a company. If someone sees this years from now, it's a Spyderco product. It doesn't matter to them that Spyderco never touched it, their name is on it. If it's poorly designed for it's intended task, guess who gets the credit(blame?)?
Years from now, I'm guessing the only people who will be aware of this mat existing are the people who received it in their battlebox and hardcore Spyderco collectors. It's intended task is to be a rubber mat, which it does quite well in my opinion.

It was an example, the principal is the same regardless.

Business is complicated. Even more so, when you throw in some psychology.
It sure is!

Indeed.

In a world where marketing is becoming more and more advanced(behavioral analysts, etc.) and the use of it more and more devious, Spyderco has stood as a beacon. A reminder that you don't have to put profit at the forefront of every decision you make. If you focus on making a high quality, high performance product and having good customer support/relations, the success will come.
Right, which is why you don't see garbage promotional items from Spyderco, like pop sockets and can koozies with their logo on it... You see custom designed promotional items like this rubber mat, not generic crap. Spyderco obviously cares about their customer relations. Battlbox is technically now a customer of theirs, so taking their design and changing their design is a great way ruin a potential, profitable, relationship.

I never said they should change someone's design. They can, however, reject an idea that doesn't line up with their product standards. It's brand protection, which is important regardless of how small the detail is.

This product goes against that philosophy, this is nothing more than a profit generator.

It doesn't go against anything... Also, profit is great, because they're still a business after all is said and done.

This product had no thought put into it, aside from increasing subscription and sales numbers for battlebox. It is a slap job(shovelware, for the techies). Sure, I could spend my days making "review" videos promoting garbage products, for corporate money and be a lot better off, financially. But that is not the right way to turn a profit. There is no honor among shills.


Apologies for the length, I'll pretend it's because I wanted to take a break from working on the house. :p

Back to the flooring with me!

It really seems like it was just a promotional item for their partnership with Battlbox. A cool and unique one at that. Spyderco isn't in the rubber maintenance mat business, if they were, I can assure you it would live up to the standards we've all come to expect from them.

But it still carries their name. With name, should come standards.

:spyder:

It's just a rubber mat SDG, calm down. :rolleyes:

You are missing the point.

It's not about the mat, it's about what it represents. Changes begin with minute, seemingly inconsequential precedents, that are easy to ignore. Compound those precedents and you end up with drastic changes, usually not for the better. In the end, those "inconsequential precedents" are of WAY more consequence than you initially thought, only now, it's too late to fix the problems they have created.

Foresight is the key to longterm stability. It's a difficult concept to fully understand and even more so, to utilize. But it is something we must learn to use.

You must fix the issues before they start, not try to control them after they are created. It's like tires, it is very easy to put off buying new tires. They still hold air, right? The car still drives.
So, you put it off.

Fast forward. You're now driving to work one cold, wet morning, your car breaks traction(because of bald tires) and hits a tree. By ignoring the need for new tires, you now need a new car.

I hope this helps you understand what I'm getting at.

I'll step away now, I've said my piece.

[Cscottsss]

I'd buy it if it was any other color than red.

[VashHash]

I wish it showed dimensions of the mat.

[Dazen]

I'd buy it if it was any other color than red.

They said it was their first run, maybe the next runs will be in another color! I like the red, I’ve got enough knife and gun stuff in black, greys, greens and earth tones.

[toxophilus]

Use code TK9HF7 to get 15% off :spyder:

[TkoK83Spy]

Go Lakers!!...oh wait

[araneae]

I disassemble/clean my knives on a rag. It was free.

[SteveMidwest]

I wish it showed dimensions of the mat.

6.5 by 10.5 inches.

[Sharp Guy]

I disassemble/clean my knives on a rag. It was free.

My whole workstation/bench is covered in black rubber shelf liner. Works great! I have no need this Spyderco cleaning mat yet I have one on the way. I don't know why I impulse by things like this lol. I don't even have a place to put it. It'll probably end up in a drawer along with all the other stuff I don't use, including too many knives haha. Heck, I use the PM2 parts breakdown mat thing I got from BHQ as a giant mouse pad and I don't really even need a mouse pad.

[JacksonKnives]

Spyderco could partner with Real Avid and do a mat with a custom screen print like the one below:

https://www.realavid.com/product/handgun-smart-mat/

I use them for my guns and they are great, and they roll up nice when not in use.

They should give you a commission. I just ordered one.

Do they make them for other things? I'd love one with a bunch of small compartments for electronics. Replacing batteries in a laptop or iPad takes a huge number of compartments to organize screws, and the best thing I have for that is the iFixit matt, which is kind of a cheap cardboard.

I have a cheap silicone mat for this purpose I bought for a few bucks on sale on one of the big e-commerce sites. The magnet spots are handy for screws, but most importantly if I accidentally let a hot soldering iron rest on it it won't burn the silicone the way it burns my wooden repair bench. If course, that doesn't stop me from scorching things anyhow. :rolleyes:

[koenigsegg]

Can't please all the people all the time. At least I'm pleased!

[koenigsegg]

Fair enough, it is an officially licensed product. Even still, I will stand behind my comments about being cautious with licensing. This is not something I would want my company's name on and not a business I would want to associate my company with. But, it isn't mine and I have no say, only advice.

It really seems like it was just a promotional item for their partnership with Battlbox. A cool and unique one at that. Spyderco isn't in the rubber maintenance mat business, if they were, I can assure you it would live up to the standards we've all come to expect from them.

But it still carries their name. With name, should come standards.

:spyder:

It's just a rubber mat SDG, calm down. :rolleyes:

You are missing the point.

It's not about the mat, it's about what it represents. Changes begin with minute, seemingly inconsequential precedents, that are easy to ignore. Compound those precedents and you end up with drastic changes, usually not for the better. In the end, those "inconsequential precedents" are of WAY more consequence than you initially thought, only now, it's too late to fix the problems they have created.

Foresight is the key to longterm stability. It's a difficult concept to fully understand and even more so, to utilize. But it is something we must learn to use.

You must fix the issues before they start, not try to control them after they are created. It's like tires, it is very easy to put off buying new tires. They still hold air, right? The car still drives.
So, you put it off.

Fast forward. You're now driving to work one cold, wet morning, your car breaks traction(because of bald tires) and hits a tree. By ignoring the need for new tires, you now need a new car.

I hope this helps you understand what I'm getting at.

I'll step away now, I've said my piece.

So my Spyderco logo shaped USB thumb drive is the best thumb drive on the market right? Or is it the bracelet flash drive?

[The Deacon]

So my Spyderco logo shaped USB thumb drive is the best thumb drive on the market right? Or is it the bracelet flash drive?

No, but they both need to function the way a reasonably computer savvy person would expect drives of their capacity to perform.

[VashHash]

I wish it showed dimensions of the mat.

6.5 by 10.5 inches.

Thanks