Spydies for good causes?

[Menipo]

Considering the success of Sal's "Contest test - Laguiole", I wonder if it would not be a good idea for Spyderco to organize auctions of unique pieces in the forum to support good causes.

I don't know if Spyderco keeps a few units of discontinued models but if, for example, Spyderco organized an auction for a Rookie Foliage Green G10 PE (C51FG) I would be willing to pay much more than what a scalper may ask on eBay knowing that the knife comes from Spyderco, that it is a unique piece, and that my money goes to a good cause.

An engraving could be included on the blade with a reference to the cause and the name of the auction winner, for example (which would also make the resale of the knife difficult - so I tend to believe that scalpers would not be much interested on participating).

Spyderco would set a (high) starting price and all forumites could raise the amount through their messages in the forum during a given period. That would allow to know the latest offer and increase it to whoever is interested. This way funds could be raised for those causes chosen by Spyderco and forumites could obtain unrepeatable knives.

What do you think?

[JRinFL]

I like the idea.

[Abyss_Fish]

Great idea!

[Airlsee]

I think that it's a really good idea. I think that the logistics may be more complicated than they seem but the idea is good! I don't really have the disposable income to be able to play in auctions of unique pieces but Spyderco supports numerous charities and causes and I could see this idea having a very large appeal!

It almost seems so obvious, that Spyderco must have rejected it before...I don't know, I'll be interested to watch the thread.

[The Mastiff]

The few knives they have done this with have been from private collections. I really don't think they keep all that many old ones around. Not ones that aren't needed for business reasons. This isn't a huge worldwide walmart/amazon sized business and personally I'd feel strange asking them to donate their private property to help me do what I should be doing anyways.

:)

[Airlsee]

The few knives they have done this with have been from private collections. I really don't think they keep all that many old ones around. Not ones that aren't needed for business reasons. This isn't a huge worldwide walmart/amazon sized business and personally I'd feel strange asking them to donate their private property to help me do what I should be doing anyways.

:)

Yeah, I don't really know where the knives would come from, or what they would be...so I...well, yeah.

And the point about not being incentivized by the auctioning of other people's property to donate to just causes, is also a very good point that I had failed to even think about.

Thanks!

[p_atrick]

Heck, you could probably release some Magnacut knives in this manner well before they go into wide release.

[Menipo]

The few knives they have done this with have been from private collections. I really don't think they keep all that many old ones around. Not ones that aren't needed for business reasons. This isn't a huge worldwide walmart/amazon sized business and personally I'd feel strange asking them to donate their private property to help me do what I should be doing anyways.

:)

If you understand my proposal in that sense, you have completely misunderstood me or I have not been able to make myself understood.

I do not need third party incentives to do what I must. I donate a good amount of euros every year to different charities and if one forgets to send me the receipt for my tax return I never claim it. Because I donate to help other less fortunate than I, not to pay less taxes.

In the other thread that I was referring to, Sal has listed a discontinued knife (so I assume it comes from his private collection or from a Spyderco collection) for $ 150 that will go to a children's hospital.

With my auction idea, I was trying to maximize the benefits of Sal's free and generous decision: if instead of selling the knife for $ 150 he had auctioned it in the forum, possibly the hospital would get a bigger check. And if what he has decided to do with the Laguiole were done with other pieces (I am not saying that they have to be from his private collection; I do not know if Spyderco has a certain stock of these knives) the success would surely increase.

By the way, the knives in the auction I suggest would not have to be antique pieces. I think what adds value to the auction (aside from who receives the funds) is that the knife is unique. Therefore, an alternative would be to assemble a single modern piece combining parts of others (a Native Chief with the G-10 handle and the Rex45 blade - it's a simple example and I don't know if it's technically possible). It is true that anyone could buy the two base knives and make the mixture, but if the auction knife was added the engraving that I mentioned it would not be the same.

I do not know. It was just an idea and I still think it works.

[The Mastiff]

If you understand my proposal in that sense, you have completely misunderstood me or I have not been able to make myself understood.

I do not need third party incentives to do what I must. I donate a good amount of euros every year to different charities and if one forgets to send me the receipt for my tax return I never claim it. Because I donate to help other less fortunate than I, not to pay less taxes.

In the other thread that I was referring to, Sal has listed a discontinued knife (so I assume it comes from his private collection or from a Spyderco collection) for $ 150 that will go to a children's hospital.

With my auction idea, I was trying to maximize the benefits of Sal's free and generous decision: if instead of selling the knife for $ 150 he had auctioned it in the forum, possibly the hospital would get a bigger check. And if what he has decided to do with the Laguiole were done with other pieces (I am not saying that they have to be from his private collection; I do not know if Spyderco has a certain stock of these knives) the success would surely increase.

By the way, the knives in the auction I suggest would not have to be antique pieces. I think what adds value to the auction (aside from who receives the funds) is that the knife is unique. Therefore, an alternative would be to assemble a single modern piece combining parts of others (a Native Chief with the G-10 handle and the Rex45 blade - it's a simple example and I don't know if it's technically possible). It is true that anyone could buy the two base knives and make the mixture, but if the auction knife was added the engraving that I mentioned it would not be the same.

I do not know. It was just an idea and I still think it works.

There is merit in your idea I agree. Perhaps you will get it started by putting one or two of yours up for auction to begin the donation process. There are a lot of charities hurting for money now that could use it.

Joe

[sal]

Hi Menipo,

I think it's a good idea, but probably not one that I would do. I have a really limited amount of time. The contest that I'm trying is just me doing it with some help from Gail. It seems simple, just print, cut, pick, mail. We'll see? Auctions require more involvement and a set-up.

sal

[Menipo]

Hi Menipo,

I think it's a good idea, but probably not one that I would do. I have a really limited amount of time. The contest that I'm trying is just me doing it with some help from Gail. It seems simple, just print, cut, pick, mail. We'll see? Auctions require more involvement and a set-up.

sal

Hi Sal,

Many thanks for your response. If you change your mind I'd be more than happy to donate a couple of my knives. I only have plain vanilla regular production Enduras, Delicas, Endelas, PMs and the like (living in Europe it is almost impossible to get Sprint Runs and Exclusives) and my knives have nothing unique nor do they have anything to do with the type of pieces that I described in my initial posts, but if I can help raise money for those who need it more than us, I would be delighted.

Kind regards.

[sal]

Thanx for the offer. I think I have enough old stuff "laying around" for my simple donations.

sal

[Stuart Ackerman]

On the day I was born, I suffered continual epileptic fits, and a wise old surgeon ignored the other doctors when they said I was a hopeless case.

I had been taken away from my mother at birth, and so for a whole day she had not seen me, and thought I had died.

The surgeon decided to operate on my brain, with a procedure that he had planned for years... he and I went into the medical journals.

I was handed back to my mother with a huge bandage on my head, and she freaked out...

The surgeon explained what he had done, and I never, ever suffered another fit again in my whole life.

I am 61.

Time for me to help other children...payback if you will?

I will donate one of my Serratas with a Blue G10 handle, with a Pug blade ( a little shorter for those that do not know).

Raffle, auction, whatever...

If Sal could speak to me via email with Alex, let us make it happen somehow?

BTW...the surgeon's name was.... Doctor Blade :)

[Fireman]

On the day I was born, I suffered continual epileptic fits, and a wise old surgeon ignored the other doctors when they said I was a hopeless case.

I had been taken away from my mother at birth, and so for a whole day she had not seen me, and thought I had died.

The surgeon decided to operate on my brain, with a procedure that he had planned for years... he and I went into the medical journals.

I was handed back to my mother with a huge bandage on my head, and she freaked out...

The surgeon explained what he had done, and I never, ever suffered another fit again in my whole life.

I am 61.

Time for me to help other children...payback if you will?

I will donate one of my Serratas with a Blue G10 handle, with a Pug blade ( a little shorter for those that do not know).

Raffle, auction, whatever...

If Sal could speak to me via email with Alex, let us make it happen somehow?

BTW...the surgeon's name was.... Doctor Blade :)

I would love a chance at that and to do some good.