Affordable fixed blade (AFK)

[bearfacedkiller]

So we basically want Spyderco to make their own version of the Buck Selkirk? It is affordable ($50-$60), made in China and uses 420HC. Looks like a general purpose field knife to me. If I didn’t have expensive tastes in knives I would have one already. It also looks to have a comfy handle.

[Pancake]

Hey Darby. It does not have to made in China. Golden is making Waterway for a fair price, so in theory it could be USA made, using cheaper steel.
My idea was to have something in between Bow River and say like a Bradley Bowie, around 150-170 Euros. But again, it's hard to tell if market would want such a knife. I would want such a knife, but I am just a one person. Maybe this whole talking is just not worth it, when other companies have this field already filled with their products.

[bearfacedkiller]

A Golden made field knife for about $150 in something like BD1N sounds like something worth discussing to me. Not sure how feasible it is but you don’t know unless you try. :)

[Pancake]

For me, 52100 could be a good candidate. BD1N also doesnt sound too bad.

[sal]

Interesting discussion. Hard to compete with China on price. That 12 to 1 ratio was designed to avoid price competition.

I do have a design for a "hump-less" fixed blade that I designed back in 2018. Blade is 3.8", handle about 4.25". It's pretty much a "plain Jane" field knife. We've already made a few plastic versions as I refine the design. I guess I'll make a prototype and go from there. Handle material and machining can be expensive. FRN is expensive to make the molds, but the final product cost is less. I would prefer to not make it in China. I would like to hear opinions on handle material and steel choice.

Many of our knives are ideas or requests from our ELU Afi's that just know more about knives than the general public. eg: We had requests for a Shaman with no finger-choil. It seemed like an odd request, but I thought to explore the concept. It took a number of design refinements to make it work, but in the end, it works. I'm working on a proto now.

sal

[VooDooChild]

Man a no choil shaman would probably end my search for my perfect knife. (Especially if it was a backlock)

For affordable fixed blades. Would a really durable rubber handle keep costs down?

Im fine with about any steel. Maybe some more psf27. Vg10 would also work fine.

[Pancake]

Interesting discussion. Hard to compete with China on price. That 12 to 1 ratio was designed to avoid price competition.

I do have a design for a "hump-less" fixed blade that I designed back in 2018. Blade is 3.8", handle about 4.25". It's pretty much a "plain Jane" field knife. We've already made a few plastic versions as I refine the design. I guess I'll make a prototype and go from there. Handle material and machining can be expensive. FRN is expensive to make the molds, but the final product cost is less. I would prefer to not make it in China. I would like to hear opinions on handle material and steel choice.


sal

Boy oh boy!
Plain Jane field knife sounds lovely. Would love to test it at some point in the future :D

IMO, my handle material of choice is micarta. Strong, durable, and even finished to higher grit still has some texture, unlike G10, which could be too smooth. But I am fine with G10.
Steel: whatever keeps the cost down. Basic steel like 52100, or basic stainless like AEB-L would be my choice.

[kennethsime]

A Golden made field knife for about $150 in something like BD1N sounds like something worth discussing to me. Not sure how feasible it is but you don’t know unless you try. :)

For me, 52100 could be a good candidate. BD1N also doesnt sound too bad.

I too would prefer Golden, I'd just like a price under $200. I would vote tool steel like 52100 over BD1N, but not sure how how that effects price. 3.8 or 4 is fine. Honestly an existing design like the Moran, a 4" Enuff, or an FFG Jumpmaster but with a tool steel would do it for me if that helped keep costs down. I guess those are all Seki models, though.

[PStone]

Steel I think should be stainless and easy to sharpen. AEB-L seems to fill that role nicely. I love it in my Urban. CPM-154 would be my second suggestion. Followed by RWL34.

For the handle, any chance of a rubberized type of material?

[TomAiello]

BD1n would be cool. I'd also love to see 14c28n, which should be more in line with the affordability goal (and which has all the positive attributes of AEB-L).

I'm not sure how Spyderco would feel about using a new steel in a new platform all at one go, though. That's a lot of risk. If it came in at a price point in the $75-$125 range, I bet it would sell though.

I like the handles on the Enuff. But I think that would require a new mold, wouldn't it? So probably not for an experimental project. For a fixed blade I'd like something rounded (so not just flat slabs of G-10). TeroTuf or Micarta would be really cool, but I think that might push the price up.

What handle materials are compatible with an affordable price point?

[sal]

Shop time runs about $1.00 to $2,00 per minute depending on the crew. Any process that adds labor to the handle raises costs. The Waterway in G-10 is not really practical for us as the labor costs to form the handle are high. But we wanted to see if the model was popular to bother to make FRN molds, so margins are more experimental than doable.

sal

[JD Spydo]

At the risk of sounding like a scratched 33 rpm record album I have maintained for a long time that the layout for an affordable fixed blade model is already there. Take the TEMPERANCE 1 model ( 2004-2006 era) which was available in both PE & SE with VG-10 blade steel. I had seen that model sell for as little as $60 even during it's hay-day. It was one of the few fixed blade models that was available in PE, SE and even with a black coated blade.

I still maintain that if the TEMP 1 was resurrected in LC200N in PE & SE and put it in the Salt Series as an affordable outdoor/sporting type fixed blade knife it would draw a lot of attention. Also use either the same or similar handle I believe it could be a home run on the sales charts.

Even to this day I've had some of my friends handle one of my TeMP 1 models and almost all of them say that the handle on the TEMP 1 is near perfect. Yes a Salt Series version of the TEMP 1 in SE & PE with a sheath that would work well in harsh environments. To this day I still like my TEMP 1 models better than I ever did the TEMP 2. The TEMP 1 is just perfect for so many uses and it's still about my favorite Spyderco fixed blade to this day.

[Sumdumguy]

Interesting discussion. Hard to compete with China on price. That 12 to 1 ratio was designed to avoid price competition.

I do have a design for a "hump-less" fixed blade that I designed back in 2018. Blade is 3.8", handle about 4.25". It's pretty much a "plain Jane" field knife. We've already made a few plastic versions as I refine the design. I guess I'll make a prototype and go from there. Handle material and machining can be expensive. FRN is expensive to make the molds, but the final product cost is less. I would prefer to not make it in China. I would like to hear opinions on handle material and steel choice.

Many of our knives are ideas or requests from our ELU Afi's that just know more about knives than the general public. eg: We had requests for a Shaman with no finger-choil. It seemed like an odd request, but I thought to explore the concept. It took a number of design refinements to make it work, but in the end, it works. I'm working on a proto now.

sal

I would love to see it in LC200N. Give it a nice steel, but make everything else as basic as possible. The ELU can have a sheath made to their specs if they don't like the stock one.

Same with the handles, basic g10 in black or yellow(or have both options). I would prefer yellow, for dying. But, the average Joe would probably go for black. However, if the price could be driven down enough, the added sales volume might be able to warrant the FRN molds.

I'd say make it in Golden, if possible. At the very least, Taichung. The only problem I have faced with Taichung, is explaining to people that it's NOT China(kindasorta) and that their quality and skills are fantastic. But some people are still hesitant. Golden would make it a MUCH easier sale.

Glad to hear China isn't on the table.

This would make for an incredible knife, that if the price target could be met, will blow some minds.

How much cheaper are the blister packs vs a standard box?

Are there any other non essential areas where costs could be reduced for this particular model?

[Pancake]

Polyamide, nylon, basically something like FRN is a very good material. I had Mora Garberg and the handle material was very strong yet nice to touch.
But again, cost for a mold would be high.

[VooDooChild]

At the risk of sounding like a scratched 33 rpm record album I have maintained for a long time that the layout for an affordable fixed blade model is already there. Take the TEMPERANCE 1 model ( 2004-2006 era) which was available in both PE & SE with VG-10 blade steel. I had seen that model sell for as little as $60 even during it's hay-day. It was one of the few fixed blade models that was available in PE, SE and even with a black coated blade.

I still maintain that if the TEMP 1 was resurrected in LC200N in PE & SE and put it in the Salt Series as an affordable outdoor/sporting type fixed blade knife it would draw a lot of attention. Also use either the same or similar handle I believe it could be a home run on the sales charts.

Even to this day I've had some of my friends handle one of my TeMP 1 models and almost all of them say that the handle on the TEMP 1 is near perfect. Yes a Salt Series version of the TEMP 1 in SE & PE with a sheath that would work well in harsh environments. To this day I still like my TEMP 1 models better than I ever did the TEMP 2. The TEMP 1 is just perfect for so many uses and it's still about my favorite Spyderco fixed blade to this day.

The jumpmaster 2 sort of covers the serrated option. I wish I had more opportunities to use mine. I need to get outdoors more like I used to do.

[sal]

Hi VoodooChild,

Every time I hear that "I need to do that more", me included, the line that comes to mind was one of our shirts that said, "Why wait until you're younger".

sal

[VooDooChild]

Hi VoodooChild,

Every time I hear that "I need to do that more", me included, the line that comes to mind was one of our shirts that said, "Why wait until you're younger".

sal

Wise words sir. Why indeed?
Work and other projects I guess. Camping has fallen behind on the list of priorities compared to some of my current projects.

Not good or bad, just life. I envy those who always knew what they wanted. I always found many things interesting and bounced back and forth between all sorts of stuff.

[sal]

Deleted. a bit too harsh. Apologies.

sal

[sal]

Hi VoodooChild,

Every time I hear that "I need to do that more", me included, the line that comes to mind was one of our shirts that said, "Why wait until you're younger".

sal

Wise words sir. Why indeed?
Work and other projects I guess. Camping has fallen behind on the list of priorities compared to some of my current projects.

Not good or bad, just life. I envy those who always knew what they wanted. I always found many things interesting and bounced back and forth between all sorts of stuff.

I'm in the same boat, for sure.

sal

[tonijedi]

Awesome news.
Would like to see it in LC200N as I've been asking for a shorter Aqua Salt in this size range in FFG LC200N.