Spyderco Custom Shop

[kobold]

I would be happy if they even sold it as a DIY knife, just all the parts that were chosen put in a box which you assemble.

Oh, yes, that would be awesome. Or at least make it an option.

[Evil D]

It just depends on what is offered, and I have a feeling this would be limited to the more popular models that I'm not into so having the ability to order a Para 2/3 in random combos won't really interest me but I'm sure it would be popular with the masses. I'm placing more hope on sprint runs of past models. If somehow it opened up to "any model we've ever made in any steel/edge/handle combo we've ever made" I would probably bankrupt myself so maybe it's good that it won't ever happen like that.

[Higher]

My friends replied that this topic was raised more than once.

I would like to have a knife from my favorite manufacturer, not only rare or sprint run or exclusive. Even unique and with a single copy. That especially it should be exactly from the manufacturer. Not customized, but from Spyderco.

But I will say my "not". It doesn't have to be.
The whole point of the collectors club and sprint runs would then be lost. One release of this kind on order would lose the value of Spyderco to all other customers.

If you are lucky, you can endure difficulties, or paid double the price for a sprint run. And then you see a similar knife, but already "official customization". Where is the value then? What is it? Where is this value?

[Evil D]

I'm gonna sound like a real Debbie Downer here but I'll tell ya exactly what this will lead to....


eBay is going to be absolutely overwhelmed with "ULTRA RARE ONLY ONE EVER MADE!!!!” listings. That is absolutely guaranteed.

[kobold]

IDK. When I shop on the secondary I am never after modded, special things, all I really want is the standard version. Even if I am shopping for sprints and exclusives, I don't want them to be modded in any way.. Because it is not personalized for me, but for a 'stranger'. I would like to be the one who does the creative work. :rolleyes: And because of that, it may be less likely I will put 'my unique knife' up for sale.

[yablanowitz]

I would be happy if they even sold it as a DIY knife, just all the parts that were chosen put in a box which you assemble.

As many threads as I've seen where people are whining because they screwed up reassembling their knife (although they never admit that, they always blame the knife) I can't see that ending well.

[The Meat man]

I would be happy if they even sold it as a DIY knife, just all the parts that were chosen put in a box which you assemble.

As many threads as I've seen where people are whining because they screwed up reassembling their knife (although they never admit that, they always blame the knife) I can't see that ending well.

Have to agree. That sounds like an absolute nightmare for Spyderco.

[TkoK83Spy]

If you buy enough of the same model, you can create all sorts of customs :p

[kennethsime]

I'm gonna sound like a real Debbie Downer here but I'll tell ya exactly what this will lead to....


eBay is going to be absolutely overwhelmed with "ULTRA RARE ONLY ONE EVER MADE!!!!” listings. That is absolutely guaranteed.

I beg to differ on this point, but think it would depend on the options offered in the custom shop.

I think the eBay flippers thrive when the base model is plain black with S30V, and to get anything more interesting you have to buy one of 600 knives. As long as there's a collector's market, and an inflated value for collectors, there will be folks selling the knives on eBay at a premium.

In a world where you can buy a given knife in a variety of colors and blade steels, I think a lot of folks will be satisfied with those factory custom options, reducing pressure on the exclusives and sprint runs.

If I can buy a Shaman with micarta scales and a tool steel blade, and I don't have to stay up late or wake up early for a 10% chance at snagging one at 5am, I think I'd be ok even if it weren't a limited run of 600 CruCarta or Z-Carta models. I don't need exclusivity, I just like tool steels and earth tones.

[kennethsime]

I would be happy if they even sold it as a DIY knife, just all the parts that were chosen put in a box which you assemble.

As many threads as I've seen where people are whining because they screwed up reassembling their knife (although they never admit that, they always blame the knife) I can't see that ending well.

Have to agree. That sounds like an absolute nightmare for Spyderco.

As Sal has said, "they're not Legos." A lot of work goes into fitting the knives together individually.

[kennethsime]

The whole point of the collectors club and sprint runs would then be lost. One release of this kind on order would lose the value of Spyderco to all other customers.

If you are lucky, you can endure difficulties, or paid double the price for a sprint run. And then you see a similar knife, but already "official customization". Where is the value then? What is it? Where is this value?

I think this is a key difference between collectors and users, as mentioned above. Collectors see value in exclusivity. Users see value in utility. If a $150 knife costs $3-500 because of exclusivity alone, you can count me out.

[Evil D]

I'm gonna sound like a real Debbie Downer here but I'll tell ya exactly what this will lead to....


eBay is going to be absolutely overwhelmed with "ULTRA RARE ONLY ONE EVER MADE!!!!” listings. That is absolutely guaranteed.

I beg to differ on this point, but think it would depend on the options offered in the custom shop.

I think the eBay flippers thrive when the base model is plain black with S30V, and to get anything more interesting you have to buy one of 600 knives. As long as there's a collector's market, and an inflated value for collectors, there will be folks selling the knives on eBay at a premium.

In a world where you can buy a given knife in a variety of colors and blade steels, I think a lot of folks will be satisfied with those factory custom options, reducing pressure on the exclusives and sprint runs.

If I can buy a Shaman with micarta scales and a tool steel blade, and I don't have to stay up late or wake up early for a 10% chance at snagging one at 5am, I think I'd be ok even if it weren't a limited run of 600 CruCarta or Z-Carta models. I don't need exclusivity, I just like tool steels and earth tones.

What I didn't consider is that anyone else would be able to make the same knife so maybe this wouldn't happen, at least not until someday way in the future if this program went away, then you would have knives that could be the only one of their kind and then they'd be rare.

[dj moonbat]

Since Benchmade is doing this, it should be possible to research what happens to the collectible market for the relevant models. It’s about as close to apples-to-apples as you can get.

[Abyss_Fish]

If you buy enough of the same model, you can create all sorts of customs :p

That’s the way!

[kennethsime]

Since Benchmade is doing this, it should be possible to research what happens to the collectible market for the relevant models. It’s about as close to apples-to-apples as you can get.

Really? I don't see Benchmade doing nearly so many sprints and exclusives. Then again, I don't follow any of the other companies nearly as closely as I do Spyderco.

[Stainless]

Since Benchmade is doing this, it should be possible to research what happens to the collectible market for the relevant models. It’s about as close to apples-to-apples as you can get.

Really? I don't see Benchmade doing nearly so many sprints and exclusives. Then again, I don't follow any of the other companies nearly as closely as I do Spyderco.

They'll still do them and they still sell out every run. There is room for both.

[S-3 ranch]

Man oh man I would love to have the ranch brand S-3 and my other flank brand § put on a crew wear, spyderco of my choice
Buck knife provides this service, I should enquire about this

[Rinzler]

There is room for both, as stainless said. I can get any of the sprints without much effort but sometimes I think how nice it would be to be able to just have a customizable option. For example I wanted a maxamet PM2 with camo scales. Instead of easily ordering from a factory custom shop I had to buy two knives and resell what I didn’t want, namely the s30v with grey scales.

How popular are camo maxamet knives? Or camo scaled knives in general? Would such a model sell well if offered? This is precisely the reason why a custom shop could be a benefit.

[Hopweaver]

The custom shop would need to have restrictions, as not to infringe on Dealer Exclusives and Sprint Runs. Other than that, I see it as a win for consumers.

[JRinFL]

There has been interest in this for over a decade now (and several threads), so it's nice to see some movement at Spyderco. It seems to be paying off for Buck Knives, so I cannot see it a negative for Spyderco. Spyderco is careful in their planning, so I don't see this as draining resources from the main business.