Is it possible we're stretching spyderco a little thin...?

[Abyss_Fish]

I haven't been around this forum too long, about a year of lurking and a few months of membership and activity. So I don't know if the waves of new model requests are a recent development or not. However, I keep seeing Sal talking about the factories, especially golden, being at or close to capacity with current models and developing new ones. And there are still multiple announced models that are still in pre-production. Which excites me a bit, especially since the next reveal is coming up.

But I keep stopping to think, should we keep asking for more models and more sprints and such when there's so much going on already?

I absolutely understand wanting new variations and new designs, I mean I don't think any of my spydercos are un-modded. And I did JUST make a post about wanting a manix 2 salt. BUT STILL. I feel a little bad about it all. Sal and everyone are working hard constantly to put out new and interesting knives, and when was the last time you were entirely let down by a reveal?

Look I love this community, but don't you guys think Spyderco deserves a break? I'd love to hear you're thoughts on this. Have a great week.

[samdasnake]

I see your point but I think that after over 40 years in business Spyderco knows how to balance demand for new products with their capacity. And I think that requesting new models is just one form of input Spyderco receives from customers. The other is what people buy, and that’s what’s ultimately driving most decisions. And I seriously doubt that Sal and his team are stressing b/c they can’t produce every idea posted on the forums.

[ladybug93]

i think the community's input is probably invaluable to them and has driven cqi and new models. otherwise aka probably wouldn't waste time engaging here. although they can't make every variation requested by the forum members, it's a good way to keep a finger on the pulse of the customer to see what they like and want.

on the other hand, i agree to an extent. i have said in the past that i wish spyderco would slow down with dealer exclusives and sprint runs so they could focus more time and energy on making more production variations. to your salt example, there's been talk for years about golden production models in lc200n, but we've only seen the native get salty so far. i can't help but wonder if that's partially due to ridiculous amounts of exclusives being produced constantly. personally, i'd rather see spyderco selling some of these variations rather than only certain dealers getting designs locked in as their own.

[samdasnake]

Oops duplicate post

[Menipo]

I see your point but I think that after over 40 years in business Spyderco knows how to balance demand for new products with their capacity. And I think that requesting new models is just one form of input Spyderco receives from customers. The other is what people buy, and that’s what’s ultimately driving most decisions. And I seriously doubt that Sal and his team are stressing b/c they can’t produce every idea posted on the forums.

Could not agree more. "I want doesn't get".

I tend to believe that by reading the forum Sal gets more valuable input than stress. Because I am sure that when a decision on the manufacturing of a new product is made by Spyderco, a sound economic analysis has been previously completed. Only that way (projecting the expected return) decisions on the price, the size of the production run, etc can be taken.

[p_atrick]

i have said in the past that i wish spyderco would slow down with dealer exclusives and sprint runs so they could focus more time and energy on making more production variations.

Due to the limited nature of these knives, they tend to sell out really fast. To Spyderco, that's a good thing; there is less risk in producing those models. For us, maybe that's not so good. We can't seem to get the knife we want because it already sold out, or we have to endure another run of PM2's when we don't really care for that model. How would you differentiate between a production variation and an exclusive/sprint run? Quantity?

[JD Spydo]

I tend to agree with what these previous 3 posters shared with us. I think Spyderco uses our input as a valuable barometer of sorts to gauge what the overall market desires.

Getting inside the heads of "end line users" of the product gives Spyderco excellent feedback that they can use to their advantage.

Take the success of the current C-60 Ayoob thread where a few of us requested a Sprint Run of the C-60. If we didn't go through the motions of letting the company know which past models we dearly love how else would the company know it? Not to mention all the suggestions for improving the products have helped the company greatly I'm sure. The suggestions of Spyderco's most ardent fans are probably a lot better direct communication for the company than any marketing agency could provide for them.

Knowing how wise and successful of a man that Sal is I'm sure he knows when to shut his computer off for the evening

[Buddafucco]

I assume they have a web shaped table that they have their spydiemeetings at. When they sit down at this table to discuss new products and improvements or changes to current products, i would think having a long list of ideas would be better than having a short list or no new ideas.

[JuPaul]

I assume they have a web shaped table that they have their spydiemeetings at. When they sit down at this table to discuss new products and improvements or changes to current products, i would think having a long list of ideas would be better than having a short list or no new ideas.

A web shaped table... If that isn't a reality, it needs to be.

[prndltech]

I assume they have a web shaped table that they have their spydiemeetings at. When they sit down at this table to discuss new products and improvements or changes to current products, i would think having a long list of ideas would be better than having a short list or no new ideas.

A web shaped table... If that isn't a reality, it needs to be.

Or spider shaped.... don’t know if they could sit a person at each leg

[JonLeBlanc]

I've wondered these things myself, but as has been stated, if it weren't business-practical, Spyderco wouldn't have survived and thrived all these years doing it. It really is a marvelous success story.

[Sharp Guy]

I don't know about stretching Spyderco but I sometimes get overwhelmed by all the suggestions! All good though!

[wrdwrght]

i think the community's input is probably invaluable to them and has driven cqi and new models.

Just so, as Sal said to me directly when I presumed to caution everyone against asking for the moon.

Clearly, Sal and Eric have their “no”, and they know why.

[BornIn1500]

I think you're confusing suggestions with demands . We're not carrying torches. It can't be a bad thing to have an abundance of suggestions and ideas floating around. And I remember Sal saying it's a good way to judge consumer demand for new products.

[curlyhairedboy]

There seems to be a long time between when a suggestion is created and prototyped, and when it hits production. Sometimes community demand isn't sustained long enough to justify the production space. I'm sure spyderco keeps their finger (leg?) on the pulse.

[The Meat man]

I'm not worried about Spyderco. They know their business and capabilities.

[steelcity16]

Sal and team seem to know how to sort the wheat from the chaff. I wouldn't worry about it. Keep the suggestions coming! I know I won't stop shilling all of my crazy ideas any time soon. I'm pretty sure some exclusives have been at least partially, if not wholey due to some of my comments on this forum. Or at least I like to tell myself that.

[bdblue]

should we keep asking for more models and more sprints and such when there's so much going on already?

We can ask, and Spyderco will provide what they can and want to provide, but we don't have the power to overload them. They are busy because there is high demand in the knife world. When they sign up to produce a new model or a limited model, it goes on their schedule and might be 1 year or more down the road before it hits production.

[Doc Dan]

I think Sal is a creative type of person and new designs is a way to feed that need. I also know from his comments that there is a board of some sort that helps in making decisions.

[Evil D]

The opposite of this is people who complain that Spyderco never listen to their customers just because they don't immediately change some flaw that they decided needs their full attention. So do they listen too much or not enough? Seems to depend on who you ask and what their wishes are.