Para 3 Cruwear in stock..

[farnorthdan]

New scales and back spacer came today, MO better

[Sharp Guy]

^ Nice Dan! I've been thinking about getting some canvas micarta scales for mine as well. Who'd you buy those from if I may ask?

[murphjd25]

Wow Dan, that looks amazing brother!

[ZrowsN1s]

New scales and back spacer came today, MO better

That is a good looking knife sir. I see your aftermarket clip isn't hindering your lanyard usage, again, it looks very nice :D

[farnorthdan]

Thanks guys, Luke at Cuscadi hooked me up, I'm always amazed at how well his scales fit and how fast shipping is. I will say though, the lanyard tube was a bear to get out of the old scales.

[Molle Ninja]

I had Cuscadi micarta on an old PM2, and while promptly made and well finished they also were nowhere as rigid as the g10. I could flex the whole knife very easily.

Hopefully better with the shorter Para 3!

[farnorthdan]

I had Cuscadi micarta on an old PM2, and while promptly made and well finished they also were nowhere as rigid as the g10. I could flex the whole knife very easily.

Hopefully better with the shorter Para 3!

No flex on this one, thanks

I also have micarta on my Cruwear Military with minimal flex, not Cuscadi though, Suingab.

[thespydy]

Received mine on Monday. I love the gray scales is came with. Indeed, those scales are what tipped me to search for, and buy the knife. Having said that, however, your knife is absolutely beautiful! Great job!

[blueblur]

These are back in stock at national knives for $152.

[DougC-3]

These are back in stock at national knives for $152.

Isn't it odd for National to sell it for $26 over the MAP price?

[Daniel]

These are back in stock at national knives for $152.

Isn't it odd for National to sell it for $26 over the MAP price?

Odd, and I will remember it in the future. Like Cheaper Than Dirt, if you profiteer, then I will no longer do business with you.

[ZrowsN1s]

These are back in stock at national knives for $152.

Isn't it odd for National to sell it for $26 over the MAP price?

Odd, and I will remember it in the future. Like Cheaper Than Dirt, if you profiteer, then I will no longer do business with you.

Can I add something to this conversation? National selling these for $26 over MAP may actually be helping people who want to buy one and don't want to go through a 3rd party or private seller. I may be completely off base here, but these don't stay in stock anywhere for more than a few hours, and because the knife is in such high demand, I feel like the ones being sold at MAP right now are being bought up by people who are going to turn around and resell the knife at a higher price (I've seen them as high as $200). By raising the price $25 above MAP, National is taking away the Profit Margin of the people who are "Knife Flipping" and driving the demand and cost up for people who actually want one to use. It's easy to buy one for $125 and resell it 3rd party for $160 (only $35 over map), but if it already costs $150 it's harder to resell one at $185 ($60 over map) for the same profit margin, so the flippers/scalpers will pass on the knives at National, and someone who actually wants the knife can get it at a reasonable price (considering supply and demand) from a reliable dealer. I may be completely wrong about that but that's my 2 cents :D

[DougC-3]

These are back in stock at national knives for $152.

Isn't it odd for National to sell it for $26 over the MAP price?

Odd, and I will remember it in the future. Like Cheaper Than Dirt, if you profiteer, then I will no longer do business with you.

Can I add something to this conversation? National selling these for $26 over MAP may actually be helping people who want to buy one and don't want to go through a 3rd party or private seller. I may be completely off base here, but these don't stay in stock anywhere for more than a few hours, and because the knife is in such high demand, I feel like the ones being sold at MAP right now are being bought up by people who are going to turn around and resell the knife at a higher price (I've seen them as high as $200). By raising the price $25 above MAP, National is taking away the Profit Margin of the people who are "Knife Flipping" and driving the demand and cost up for people who actually want one to use. It's easy to buy one for $125 and resell it 3rd party for $160 (only $35 over map), but if it already costs $150 it's harder to resell one at $185 ($60 over map) for the same profit margin, so the flippers/scalpers will pass on the knives at National, and someone who actually wants the knife can get it at a reasonable price (considering supply and demand) from a reliable dealer. I may be completely wrong about that but that's my 2 cents :D

I think those are very good points. IIRC, I paid about $235 for my green PM2 sprint at Country Knives after the first run sold out and was glad to get it at the time. They had been selling for $140 at the usual stores, but I got a late start and missed them. Country Knives charges higher prices, but they provide a great service when you find out late about older must-have knives and the're sold out everywhere else.

Also, I didn't mean to cast aspersions on National Knives. I was just thinking that they usually sold at rock bottom prices, often below other people, but I haven't been keeping up much lately, and times change. I actually think these are hard times in some cases and places, and people do what they have to do to stay in business and provide us with the knives we must have, for which I'm greatful :p

[Daniel]

Just say no to profiteering.

Suppose that other knife retailers get the same idea. Then, on every sprint they increase the price $25-35 or even $50 more than the MAP price?

Well, National did it and they still sold out, so why don't we all do it?

The MAP price is already more than the competitive prices would be if market forces were left to dictate the prices.

You decide to pay more, then get used to paying more every time.

I do not pay more than the sticker price on a car and usually quite a bit less. I will not offer more than the list price on a house. Why should I pay more for a knife that is nothing but a discretionary item? It is up to every person, but this knife pricing BS has to end.

[Surfingringo]

Looking at the situation objectively, I kind of feel like the retailers are stupid for NOT charging more for the sprint. I always am amazed that more retailers don't choose to charge a little more when they get a sprint that sells out very quickly. I'm sure i would do that if I were a retailer investing my money in inventory and staking my survival on the margins that I made. Especially if I owned an online retailer like these knife outlets where they are already operating on very thin margins. You can't argue for controlling prices in one breath and in the next say that market forces should be allowed to determine prices. I mean, I guess you can if you are trying to unite the demand side in order to affect pricing but it won't work. It's the pricing itself that will determine demand and there is a limit at which it will affect demand to the point of making an item unsaleable. If, however, an item is marketed at a 10-15% markup over what other retailers are charging and still sells out instantly then it is difficult for me to say that THEY are the ones with the incorrect pricing model. All that said, I agree with the above post that the only way to keep pricing from going up on these sprints is for the entire demand side to be more strict with what they are willing to pay but that's like herding cats. My opinion will have zero affect on it. They'll stop when the price gets high enough and apparently, 150 on the cruwear sprint isn't high enough to make them stop.

Just my morning coffee thoughts. All to be taken with a grain of salt. :rolleyes: :cool:

[Orangeneck]

I think SSK also listed it $26 over MAP. With an additional ~$10 shipping, I passed. It was available for over 1 week IIRC. Dealers can charge whatever the market will tolerate. I already have too many spydies to overpay.

[Surfingringo]

.....I already have too many spydies to overpay.

This exactly. ^

[anycal]

So, I am ready to Rit dye this thing. It gets dirty too easily.

Am I going to be the first one, or has anyone done this?

Pearl Gray has worked well for me in the past. Thinking about adding some Scarlet to the mix. Just a hint.

[Sharp Guy]

So, I am ready to Rit dye this thing. It gets dirty too easily.

Am I going to be the first one, or has anyone done this?

Pearl Gray has worked well for me in the past. Thinking about adding some Scarlet to the mix. Just a hint.

I'm undecided if I want to dye the stock scales or buy some in micarta. I'll probably just go with dye and if they don't turn out so well I can always go with aftermarket scales as a backup.

Still unsure about dye color too. Might just darken the grey a bit to get them as close as possible to the to the Cruwear PM2.

[ConspicuousConsumption]

Is it worth doing the Knife Center pre-order? Or are sprints one and done for manufacturing?