Sal, Can We Form A Collective, And Order An Exclusive?

[SleeplessInSoCal]

I was just looking at some of my favorite private label bourbon bottles, while fidgeting with a Shaman.

And just like that old Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups ad from the 80s, “You got chocolate in my peanut butter!”, I was struck with an epiphany.

Can we form a collective, and write a check for an exclusive run of 600 S90V Smooth Ivory Micarta (or smooth ivory G10) Shamans?

The collective could basically be me writing the check myself in advance I guess, and then taking preorders.

Bad idea?

Already been shot down before?

Bending the rules?

Illegal?

(anyone feel free to take my Ivory S90V Shaman idea and run with ‘er, if my idea is a no-go, btw)

[Abyss_Fish]

I mean. If you're serious then become a dealer and cut sal a check. Although every once in a while forum posts go somewhere.

[SleeplessInSoCal]

I mean. If you're serious then become a dealer and cut sal a check. Although every once in a while forum posts go somewhere.

100% serious. Again, drawing the parallel with the whiskey clubs, these hardcore enthusiasts (who all have day jobs) are given the priceless opportunity to partner with the manufacturers on some absolutely legendary stuff.

Don’t know if my family could survive me quitting my current job and starting a specialty retail business from the ground up during a pandemic.

[steelcity16]

I mean. If you're serious then become a dealer and cut sal a check. Although every once in a while forum posts go somewhere.

Right? If BBS is considered a dealer then the barrier to entry can't be too high.

[Abyss_Fish]

I mean. If you're serious then become a dealer and cut sal a check. Although every once in a while forum posts go somewhere.

Right? If BBS is considered a dealer then the barrier to entry can't be too high.

My thoughts exactly. That place is clearly one or two dudes in a garage with piles of spyderco boxes. They just wanted a para 3 in m390 I guess

[SleeplessInSoCal]

I mean. If you're serious then become a dealer and cut sal a check. Although every once in a while forum posts go somewhere.

Right? If BBS is considered a dealer then the barrier to entry can't be too high.

My thoughts exactly. That place is clearly one or two dudes in a garage with piles of spyderco boxes. They just wanted a para 3 in m390 I guess

Well, this is a very exciting development! It sounds like I’ve found two partners willing to help me cough up about a million bucks to invest in Spyderco inventory to sit on for a while. And in the middle of a recession. Didn’t think it would be that easy!

If not, I can just sell my megayacht, or my home in the Hamptons.

That’ll probably take a while to draw up the partnership contracts or to sell those assets though, so in the meantime, maybe we can generate some excitement in the collective idea?

[Abyss_Fish]

Well, this is a very exciting development! It sounds like I’ve found two partners willing to help me cough up about a million bucks to invest in Spyderco inventory to sit on for a while. And in the middle of a recession. Didn’t think it would be that easy!

If not, I can just sell my megayacht, or my home in the Hamptons.

That’ll probably take a while to draw up the partnership contracts or to sell those assets though, so in the meantime, maybe we can generate some excitement in the collective idea?

I definitely dig the idea. There's already the spyderco collectors club, so the idea of a "spyderco designer's club" is a great idea. A monthly or yearly membership fee to sit in on design meetings and such.

I'm all in!

[SleeplessInSoCal]

Well, this is a very exciting development! It sounds like I’ve found two partners willing to help me cough up about a million bucks to invest in Spyderco inventory to sit on for a while. And in the middle of a recession. Didn’t think it would be that easy!

If not, I can just sell my megayacht, or my home in the Hamptons.

That’ll probably take a while to draw up the partnership contracts or to sell those assets though, so in the meantime, maybe we can generate some excitement in the collective idea?

I definitely dig the idea. There's already the spyderco collectors club, so the idea of a "spyderco designer's club" is a great idea. A monthly or yearly membership fee to sit in on design meetings and such.

I'm all in!

God bless you! Our first member! The particular model that I mentioned could change, obviously, depending on your preferences/input.

Vanax (pipedream) or another Cru-Wear would also be gorgeous with that smooth ivory, for example.

[p_atrick]

Let me start off by saying that I know nothing when it comes to the production and marketing of physical goods. I would imagine that the biggest obstacle to seeing very specific configurations of a particular model is risk. You don't want to be stuck with inventory that can't be sold at a price that benefits the company. So if you want some sort of club, then you have to get the risk off of Spyderco and onto the participants. Here is how I envision (for whatever that is worth) a possible solution.

We, the public, are presented with a particular knife configuration. We have sixty days to get enough people to pay the full price up front for the knife. I use the word "we" because I don't see Spyderco spending the time or money to advertise this knife. It would be up to the afi community to spread the word. The threshold would have to be large enough to make this worth Spyderco's time. 1,200 seems to be the magic number. Maybe it could be a little smaller. Limits would be placed on how many knives one person could order. If a dealer wants a particular configuration, they can pay for their own exclusive. We also want to limit the number of people who will flip the knife. Undoubtedly, people will game the system. This won't be perfect or fair. If the threshold is not crossed, the money would be returned minus any fees for payment processing (the assumption is that these fees would not be excessive). If the threshold is met, then the model would enter the production schedule. I read a recent post that it takes about a year for a knife to get made once it goes on the production schedule.

The above scenario is completely fabricated and has no basis on any actual experience or knowledge of the manufacturing process. There are a lot of ways in which the proposed knife would fail. In fact, I would bet that only a minority of knives would actually make it through the process. You would also need some pretty dedicated Spyderco fans who would be willing to part with a decent amount of money while waiting more than a year to get the knife.

[GarageBoy]

Massdrop, but Spyderco form? Or what skblades and buck knives had going for them?

[JuPaul]

I think your biggest challenge won't be finding investors, but rather getting those investors to agree on a model and configuration.

[Buddafucco]

I don't know what crowd funding sites charge but... Maybe that's a way?

[Sonorum]

I think your biggest challenge won't be finding investors, but rather getting those investors to agree on a model and configuration.

This was my first thought!

[Rinzler]

I think your biggest challenge won't be finding investors, but rather getting those investors to agree on a model and configuration.

Agreed. What the OP proposes is not something I would ever consider buying.

[JMM]

I think your biggest challenge won't be finding investors, but rather getting those investors to agree on a model and configuration.

This was my first thought!

I agree 100%

Given how popular all the Shaman Exclusives made in the past year or so have been it seems pretty likely that we will see something from the M390 family along with K390 and it sure seems like S90V would be a great choice for someone to do -- The S90V/CF Shaman is going for more than a CruCarta these days on the secondary markets. Sal has stated their are more exclusive Shamans on the way, so I'm guessing we'll have some pretty awesome choices by years end...

[SleeplessInSoCal]

All good intel, thanks!

Perhaps a Native 5 Lockback in the same combo would generate more excitement. Traditional classy chassis, traditional classy scale material.

I’ll put more thought into the recipe until I get a hard no from the powers that be.

[Oloung1]

We have sixty days to get enough people to pay the full price up front for the knife.

I don't know what crowd funding sites charge but... Maybe that's a way?

Do we have insight on the 30 day vs 60 day vs 90 day project Duration versus Fund Rate completion on this thought exercise? Social seems to point that the shorter window, the higher probability of full funding?

[soc_monki]

I'd like a dlc m390 shaman, with blue G10. Just throwing my vote in there... Lol

[DMgangl]

I like this idea. Something exclusive to the forum would be nice. I know Spyderco has done a few Forum knives in the past. I remember a Native model forum knife.

I would say to help everyone come together. Spyderco could let us know which models to choose from. Specific steels and handle materials that are available.
I'm sure factory and material availability isn't 100% right now. I would hate to see us all agree on something to find out it isn't possible right now.

[Burton Knut]

I’m all for sprints/exclusives and I’d be willing to pony up in advance (probably for two.) BUT it would have to be a model I like/use and not just a novelty for my collection.

Now at the risk of jumping the gun, if we were talking about a Manix, Chief, Endura, Police, Street Beat, Swick or one of a few older models I’d be in to contribute in the planning, but most models wouldn’t even get my interest. At that point the recipe would be a moot point from my perspective. All that being said there are probably just as many people who would have no interest in the models I listed, and round and round we go.