Sal, Can We Form A Collective, And Order An Exclusive?

[steelcity16]

If I genuinely thought something like this had any chance of actually happening I would have tried to put it together myself a long time ago for any number of the hundreds of exclusive ideas I have had.

I think your best bet is to throw your best ideas into a poll on here and hope they generate enough excitement among members that Sal decides to do it as a sprint, or one of the dealers who browse this forum decide to do it as an exclusive. The Cru-Carta Shaman came to fruition because of a few threads on here and it became one of the most sought after Spydercos of all time.

Now, that said, I do think Spyderco should make their yearly forum knife something actually chosen via a series of polls by us here on said forum. Sal could give us a list of models, steels, and scale colors that are possible, and then we could narrow it down via the polls.

[Rp5]

Not trying to poke holes in the model, but doesn't Spyderco have manufacturing facilities in different parts of the world? I ask because blade material / blade design /scale design / scale material combos may be unique at each location.

On the other hand, I'd be happy to be a 1 unit investor in the ivory shaman.

[dj moonbat]

The real barrier to this happening will be settling on what knife/steel/scale combo to buy.

I’m totally down to buy 600 copies of my perfect knife with y’all. My enthusiasm for buying YOUR perfect knife, though, could vary significantly.

Collective action is great for some things. I have not found purchasing decisions to be among those things.

[bdblue]

The real barrier to this happening will be settling on what knife/steel/scale combo to buy.

I’m totally down to buy 600 copies of my perfect knife with y’all. My enthusiasm for buying YOUR perfect knife, though, could vary significantly.

Collective action is great for some things. I have not found purchasing decisions to be among those things.

The forum has shown to not agree much on details. People have proposed forum knives, sometimes in combinations that might sell a total of 5 to the forum members. It seems unusual to me that a knife like the PM2 in DLC 4V with red G10 can sell in record time to the scammers and the general public, but if you proposed it here as a forum knife most people would want some aspect of it to be different.

[ABX2011]

Slightly different idea but there are also smaller dealers that don't have the deep pockets for a Spyderco exclusive of 1200 pieces. If you approached one of them, you might be able to partner with them. That way you would get the knife you wanted and you'd share in the profits. Just a thought.

[Freediver]

If it makes you feel any better, I would totally buy your ivory micarta s90v shaman.

[sal]

Hi Rp5,

Welcome to our forum.

sal

[StipeK]

Yes, me too. Paid advance like Massdrop and wait, better then surffing trough web and dealing with dissapotment, as you find them out of stock.

[Rp5]

Thanks, sal.

[Ric]

I think agreeing here on one model, steel, ... is nearly impossible.
Many throw in there dream knife.

If it's not a backlock with no Spyderedge it will survive not long

[p_atrick]

Do we have insight on the 30 day vs 60 day vs 90 day project Duration versus Fund Rate completion on this thought exercise? Social seems to point that the shorter window, the higher probability of full funding?

I just pulled the number 60 out of thin air. If 30 is better, then go with that.

[JTowns]

I'm new around here and don't want to over step, but I've been part watch forums and I've seen small manufacturers make a forum specific watch. I think this is a good idea especially if "Spyderco Forum" would be printed somewhere on the knife. I think the biggest challenge would be getting people to agree on a model and specifications and what may happen if people are upset they're idea gets voted down and back out after saying they're all in. I think it would be a better idea if Sal himself takes input and comes up with something and just puts it out there and people are either in or out.

[Sharp Guy]

I think your biggest challenge won't be finding investors, but rather getting those investors to agree on a model and configuration.

Yeah I thought the same. I can't see 600-1200 people getting together and agreeing on this. I hope I'm wrong but I see some feelings getting hurt along the way.

I know British Blades Forum worked with Sal to put together their exclusive Urban. Don't know for sure but I assume they had to raise the money first. Even if the run is only 600 pieces it would be a large amount for a Shaman using special materials. I find it hard to believe there wouldn't be issues with this

[Menipo]

All good intel, thanks!

Perhaps a Native 5 Lockback in the same combo would generate more excitement. Traditional classy chassis, traditional classy scale material.

I’ll put more thought into the recipe until I get a hard no from the powers that be.

I think there is an easy way to test your idea of the Forum Exclusive and, if the outcome is positive, to convince the powers that be: start a new topic in the form of a poll. Something like "If you would buy a [specifications of the knife], vote Yes within the next X days". If you manage to collect, say, 300 yeses, I tend to believe that Sal might be interested in seriously considering the proposal.... Because if 300 forum members like that configuration, it is fair to assume that out of the forum there would be thousands. So if the run for the Forum is not sold out within a few days, the balance could be easily sold through the regular channels.

[BornIn1500]

Prices haven't been touched on.
Hypothetically, since it would be a "collective" and not retail, surely there would need to be a steep discount from MAP, right? We would essentially be paying dealer cost because there is nobody else besides Spyderco to turn a profit. Would Spyderco even allow that?


And then... which one of us would be in charge of shipping hundreds of boxes? You would need to add a shipping fee to the knife fee. What about international? Then you'd need to figure out shipping fees on a per person basis. Talk about tons of work. There's more to this than meets the eye

[sal]

Hi StipeK, JTowns,

Welcome to our forum.

sal

[steelcity16]

Prices haven't been touched on.
Hypothetically, since it would be a "collective" and not retail, surely there would need to be a steep discount from MAP, right? We would essentially be paying dealer cost because there is nobody else besides Spyderco to turn a profit. Would Spyderco even allow that?


And then... which one of us would be in charge of shipping hundreds of boxes? You would need to add a shipping fee to the knife fee. What about international? Then you'd need to figure out shipping fees on a per person basis. Talk about tons of work. There's more to this than meets the eye

I think you could look to the recent Blue TiCN Dragonfly. This was commissioned by a YouTuber for his followers if I am not mistaken? Does anyone know what the cost of those were if you were a follower? You could pretty easily figure out if that was at or below MAP. I am assuming he did it for "the community" and didn't turn a profit, but I could also be way wrong since most social media personalities seem to do social media for the money.

[BornIn1500]

I've been part watch forums and I've seen small manufacturers make a forum specific watch. I think this is a good idea especially if "Spyderco Forum" would be printed somewhere on the knife.

There have been multiple forum knives in the past. Last one was 2018 https://www.spyderco.com/catalog/detail ... S90V2/1151

The idea proposed here was different.

[Thunderpants]

How about a pink G10 Tropen? That thing'd sell like hot cakes.

[xceptnl]

The real barrier to this happening will be settling on what knife/steel/scale combo to buy.

I’m totally down to buy 600 copies of my perfect knife with y’all. My enthusiasm for buying YOUR perfect knife, though, could vary significantly.

Collective action is great for some things. I have not found purchasing decisions to be among those things.

Well said. Pretty much sums up any decision we attempt to make here. The real question here is are we all willing to compromise enough on our wants to make it become reality.