Spyderco: Name Recognition

[JD Spydo]

I bought my very first Spyder ever back in the Spring of 1995. It was a Stainless Handled Mariner, full SE model with GIN-1 blade steel. So it goes without saying that I've been aware of Spyderco for a long, long time now. As probably many of you all here on the Forum could make similar statements. But even here in the year 2021 it amazes me that I meet and talk to so many people who claim that they have not yet ever heard of "SPYDERCO".

And that baffles me too because I now see Spyderco ads in all the outdoor & Survival type publications, as well as most of the hunting, fishing and survival type publications as well. I don't really count the knife magazines because it's usually just enthusiasts like us that reads those types of publications. But most every time I go fishing or engage in any outdoor activity I chat with several people and it amazes me how so many people I talk to that claim they have never heard of SPYDERCO.

I'm wondering if you many of you all have experienced this as well? You would think that by now any avid working person or outdoor enthusiast or anyone in the survival/prepper communities would have at least be aware of the name SPYDERCO by now?
Or am I living in another dimension???? ( sorry I got it wrong the first time on my first Spyder>> the first one I got was a Mariner model) So that's what I edited.

[standy99]

I love Spyderco because it still is the if you know you know brand.

Work with young US marines a bit, for a bit each years and there is the three camps.
Have one 20%
Know about them 20%
Or
Brand that starts with Bench all my life %20

The other 40% think a $100+ knife is nuts/crazy/have 3 kids out of my price range.

——————————————————————————
Believe me 80 percent of people are not knife people.

I teach blade safety at work for new recruits and you would be surprised how many young and old, male and females that can not work out how to close a back lock pocket knife that they are going to use at work.

[Evil D]

It wasn't until 2005 that I first heard of Spyderco, and I've been a casual knife guy since I was about 6. The problem is sometimes just exposure, I didn't grow up with any sort of influence related to knives and it wasn't until my late teens that the internet became a thing, and even then the idea of searching for knife brands wasn't something that occurred to me. I suspect a lot of people are like this, they may have a casual interest but not really pursue it. Most everyone has heard of Buck or Case or Victorinox but Spyderco is a bit more of an AFI brand.

[Hopweaver]

If Spyderco made a Utility knife, its name would be in all of the major hardware stores and more. It would be great for name recognition and brand awareness. Especially if the utility knife entered the market at a decent price with excellent quality and ergonomics.

I see more skilled trades workers using utility knifes instead of pocket knifes. This would be HUGE for brand awareness.

[aicolainen]

I grew up in a family with long hunting traditions and developed a general interest for knives very early.
The exposure back then was typically through hunting magazines or mail order catalogues, and what you found in those were mostly Norwegian brands (Helle, Brusletto etc.), Swedish Mora knives and Chinese knockoffs of Ka-Bars, Rambo knives etc. The only US brands I remember from those days are Gerber and Buck, and Leatherman eventually got exposure through those channels in the late 90's.
I also had an international subscription for Guns & Ammo from my early teens and some years out, but can't recall knives getting much exposure in US gun magazines in that era.

Up until I got more specifically interested in folding knives around 2016, I could probably name less than 10 knife brands off hand, and maybe recognize a few more if shown to me. Neither Spyderco or Benchmade was one of them.

My closest circle of hunting and shooting buddies know about Spyderco, and a few of them own one, but I can't know for sure if that is the result of organic exposure or my "bad" influence on them.

It's probably healthy that most people doesn't nerd out over knives to the extent afi's do, but I wish more people got to appreciate good quality cutting tools and were introduced to some basic maintenance skills.

Edit:
I should also add that I was involved in military and SAR work from 2000 and all the way up to 2016, when I got into knives through a totally different vector of exposure. I hope those lines of work are more exposed to Spyderco in the US, but it sadly did not increase exposure in my neck of the woods. I think this has improved (if you want to call it that) for military personnel over the last couple of years, but I've not noticed a similar change in the SAR area.

[phaust]

When it comes to U.S. brands, my experience says the only brands known by the average joe are the ones with a history connected to the military like Kabar and Buck. A huge chunk of the population still refers to a folder as a "Buck knife" and a big fixed blade a "Kabar".

The next set of brands most likely to be known are the ones in every chain big-box store with lots of models built for lower price points (Gerber, Kershaw, maybe Sog?, maybe Case?).

Then you hit specialty brands with a good number of models and aiming at higher quality or more niche uses, like Spyderco, Benchmade, Leatherman. If you aren't in one of those niches or circles, there's a good chance Spyderco isn't on your radar.

[aicolainen]

Then you hit specialty brands with a good number of models and aiming at higher quality or more niche uses, like Spyderco, Benchmade, Leatherman.

Not to get into a discussion on gender, but I think you'll be hard pressed to find a male around here (Scandinavia) that doesn't recognize the Leatherman brand.

[ladybug93]

i think spyderco is out of the price range for most people that carry a knife. most just need something simple that will cut things occasionally and don't want to spend $100 on a tool for that, or they carry a specialized tool for a specific job, like a utility knife.

my first pocket knife was a spyderco. i just happened to see a ladybug in a knife store (back when that was a thing) and i thought it was the coolest knife ever. i was just a kid though, and i didn't start seriously edc'ing a knife for years. when i did, it wasn't an "expensive" spyderco. it took years (and the need for a rust-proof knife) for me to find my way back.

i think it's just not the brand for everyone. it does blow my mind that people regularly overpay for benchmade knives when spyderco is equal or better in quality and value. but i like where spyderco sits in the lineup and wish they'd stop moving toward benchmade prices. eventually, i'm going to have to stop buying them because i don't want to pay what's being asked. it's already true for some models.

[ladybug93]

Then you hit specialty brands with a good number of models and aiming at higher quality or more niche uses, like Spyderco, Benchmade, Leatherman.

Not to get into a discussion on gender, but I think you'll be hard pressed to find a male around here (Scandinavia) that doesn't recognize the Leatherman brand.

maybe they should consider a leatherwoman line.

[phaust]

Then you hit specialty brands with a good number of models and aiming at higher quality or more niche uses, like Spyderco, Benchmade, Leatherman.

Not to get into a discussion on gender, but I think you'll be hard pressed to find a male around here (Scandinavia) that doesn't recognize the Leatherman brand.

Thanks, I was wondering a bit about that one as I typed it. I remember Leatherman as well as Gerber or any other big brand as a kid but wasn't sure if that is/was the norm.

[aicolainen]

i think spyderco is out of the price range for most people that carry a knife. most just need something simple that will cut things occasionally and don't want to spend $100 on a tool for that, or they carry a specialized tool for a specific job, like a utility knife.

I don't think the price point explain the lack of name recognition, and to the extent that it does, I think it's a secondary effect.

Most people who carry and use their knives regularly around here (keep in mind we have rather strict knife laws) are tradesmen. For most of them it's just a tool. They neither need it or want it to be fancier or more capable than an affordable and fit for purpose Mora/Hultafors/Bacho/whatever. There is also no culture for BYOT (bring your own tools) in these lines of work. All tools, PPE etc. is provided by the employer. Seems to me BYOD/BOYT is more common in the US, I might be wrong about that, but either way this kind of practice probably help to further suppress personal preference and interest in the tools used. Maybe some of these workers would have considered Spyderco as a personal knife for EDC or outdoors use if they were exposed to them through their workplace tool supplier, but I doubt the number is significant.

Lots of people who use or carry more occasionally, e.g. hunters, backpackers, military etc. are willing to spend a pretty penny to get a knife that is more in line with their preference or the status they want to project.
The ones I know in this category that don't own a Spyderco are simply not attracted to their aesthetics. Most simply don't know they exist.

[Doc Dan]

Spyderco simply does not advertise like a lot of companies do. I've pointed this out several times in the past. If you pick up an outdoor, hunting, or gun magazine you will find all sorts of knife advertisements, but nothing from Spyderco. Spyderco is almost a boutique knife. I know a lot of gun people, many who have nice knives from BM, Buck, etc., and they had never heard of Spyderco until I introduced the brand to them (one just last week!).

[wrdwrght]

I think Spyderco has had an “if you build it, they will come” approach since its beginning, and has not (yet) found a reason to be more aggressive. I’m glad. Being aggressive leads to shoddiness.

[TkoK83Spy]

Anybody I know that isn't a knife nut, thinks Spyderco is a Walmart brand type of knife! Yes, they do sell some models there and that's where non knife people may happen to see them. Little do they know they are SO MUCH MORE than the base line/budget knives.

I have a couple Spyderco shirts and have had people ask me what Spyderco is. I suppose I get it, because before I got big into knives around 5 years ago...I had never heard of Spyderco either.

[Jim Malone]

I carry a Spyderco since 1990's. Had to import each and everyone thrue a gunstore in the days. They knew me as "The Spyderco guy" there. I bought 80 % of their Spyderco stock each year. I live in Europe and pocket knives are considered as a weapon by 90% of the population and frowned upon . Only thugs, hunters, or professionals carry pocket knives here. Seeing a clip here on a adult is a surefire way of knowing who is in law enforcement, the fire department, the Army or EMS.

People are baffled if i tell them how much a Spyderco knife costs. They have no idea why i would spend so much on a knife they could buy in the hardware store for less then 10€. Let alone why i need 60+ knives. And why they're not an investment.

I'm pretty certain that it would take me a few days, maybe weeks of i would step outside right now and ask anyone who walks past me if they know what a Spyderco is. No one would know.

[high]

I agree with what Wrdwrght said above. I met Sal @ the 1st new york custom knife show at the sheraton hotel back in 80 or81
bought a serrated mariner and my brother bought a serrated worker. The spydie crew was also selling the sharp maker.
I had never heard of them and at the time had no idea why a hole and a clip were on a folding knife ( never was a visionary LOL). I am an electrician and in all my years carrying a spyderco I have met only a dozen or so fellow tradesman who have ever heard of spyderco, or any other quality knife for that matter.
My oldest son is a cop and once I set him up with a spyderco , 3/4 of his fellow cops now carry one or two. I think the pure function of a spyderco is what really sold them back then, but now that they are very established I see the name is much more familiar to people.I often have someone see the clip and ask if that is a spyderco, Best, Andy

[Evil D]

One part is definitely distribution. Cost isn't the only factor, there are people spending WAY more money on bear proof coolers, and those brands sell in part because they're hip and trendy and they're sold in hip and trendy stores. Why is it I can go into REI and buy a Benchmade but not a Spyderco? That's the sort of thing that's missing, that's why the average outdoors enthusiastic may not know about Spyderco.

[Kevinim82]

I am going to rant and answer this question the long way.

I grew up with the 90’s BudK catolog. (I warn you, the story here might not redeem itself.)

As a kid I had Rambo/mall ninja reasons for owning a knife. My budget was in the kershaw, crkt direction. My understanding of knifes/swords was influenced by the marketing of cold steel (Conan the barbarian was a hit when I was still a young boy.) I always saw those expensive knives with holes in them, thought they were cool, but wasn’t going to pay the cost to play. Everyone I new in their teens only had SAK’s or gas station knives (knock off case knives.)

I became an adult and in my mid 30’s and treated myself to a leatherman signal (a hundred dollar knife at the time.) the most I had ever spent on a tool. I gave this knife as a tip to my plumber a year later because the guy was awesome, and he didn’t carry a knife on him.

I asked my wife if I could replace the signal with a knife with a cool blade steel that would equate to never needing to sharpen the knife on me (I wasn’t too good at sharpening at that time.) the knife was a Maxamet Native 5… I remembered the company with holes in their knives… little did I know I bought an ergonomic piece of art. YouTube brought me to Spyderco, because nutfancy or someone in that genre recommended it…

I did learn how to sharpen Maxamet. I have a collection now of 9 Spyderco’s and every male family member has at least 1 quality Spyderco as a gift from me over the last 4 yrs. No one I know would spend over a hundred dollars for a knife.

And to answer this question: I have a coworker who buys gas station knives, and comes in with a new gas station knife about once a year to show me how awesome it is… he is the only person who ever identified the knife I had on me as a Spyderco. He said “oh cool! Spyderco!!!” And that was it. He tuned me out when I told him ball bearing steel, hrc, carbon fiber handles, 15 degree bevel…”

I think my brothers think I am crazy for gifting them 200 dollar knives. My dad somehow gets it and approves the little meerkat… though they all know Spyderco as “the knives with holes in them.”

I’ve never met another person in the wild who knew about Spyderco… and I go to a lot of bait shops and talk fishing with quite a few guys a year…

I’d say for as popular of a company as Spyderco is to us forum-ites, a Spyderco fan is a zebra among the horses…

[JD Spydo]

Spyderco simply does not advertise like a lot of companies do. I've pointed this out several times in the past. If you pick up an outdoor, hunting, or gun magazine you will find all sorts of knife advertisements, but nothing from Spyderco. Spyderco is almost a boutique knife. I know a lot of gun people, many who have nice knives from BM, Buck, etc., and they had never heard of Spyderco until I introduced the brand to them (one just last week!).

I am sorry "Doc Dan" but I vehemently disagree with you about Spyderco's overall exposure to the marketplace. When I first started making "Knives" into a serious hobby back around 1992 it was at that time I started reading 3 of the major Knife magazines. I used to have subscriptions to BLADE, Knives Illustrated and Tactical Knives and I had all 3 of those subscriptions until about 2015 when Tactical Knives went out of business. Spyderco's ads have been in virtually everyone of those publications that I can remember in at least since the early 90s that I know of for a fact.

I also used to see several Spyderco ads in some of the older survival magazines like "American Survival Guide" ( In the Peter Alan Kasler days). And I see Spyderco's ads in many of the newer survival/prepper magazines. There have been a wide range of different advertisements in all kinds of different magazines for Spyderco over the years and in a few specialty publications as well. Heck I remember seeing them in "Shotgun News" back in their heyday ( early to late 90s). But only my most avid hunting & fishing buddies who used knives a lot were the only ones in the early going ( the 1990s) that were aware of the name at that time>> and knew that Spyderco was a fledgling commercial knife company gaining momentum in the marketplace. But both of those hunting/fishing buddies told me that they had learned of Spyderco in Sporting good stores ( posters and advertisements) and other specialty stores that sold Spyderco items. Heck we've got a high end tobacco shop on the Plaza here in Kansas City that also sells Spyderco and William Henry knives ( For Full Flaming Retail I might add).

But for the exposure Spyderco has had over the years I feel that many more people should at the very least know who they are and what they do by this juncture in time. Doc I'm sorry but I have to kindly and respectfully disagree with you>> and I fully disagree that Spyderco has had meager exposure in the advertising arena over the years as well. Maybe it's different where you live I suspect. But I'm sure the company themselves will back me up on that one.

[Jim Malone]

Why is it I can go into REI and buy a Benchmade but not a Spyderco? That's the sort of thing that's missing, that's why the average outdoors enthusiastic may not know about Spyderco.

Iirc there was a time Spyderco sold, i believe, Delica's and Endura in blisters in Wallmart

Don't know exactly when... 2004/2005?
Wasn't a real succes i guess.