Has the Paramilitary 2 ship sailed?

[cjk]

seems like full steam ahead to me.

[z1r]

You're judging whether or not the most popular Spyderco model ever is done based on two recent exclusives that were instant sell outs? This is after there were a few other recent exclusive drops plus it's right after the holidays. So most people are tapped out.

My answer is NOPE! It's definitely NOT the end of the PM2 era. Based on what we've seen in the past there's still much more to come

I think an expensive exclusive offered just after the Holidays is bad timing. And, the more expensive an offering the smaller the market for it, simple. Great knife and popularity is not waning. I just think that the exclusives should be better thought out with regards to release dates and price and the actual offering. Some combinations by their nature will only appeal to a select group whereas the CruCarta had mass appeal and flew off the shelves.

[DLTJordan]

Its still a very popular model, and a benchmark EDC knife, but the days of a 5-10 minute sellout are gone for the time being in my opinion, other than exceptions like the CruCarta edition.

[ChrisinHove]

Are Spyderco boxing themselves into a corner by making desirable new iterations of the PM2 solely as short-run exclusives?

I don’t know about you, but if I can’t get my first choice I just won’t buy what I perceive to be an inferior alternative. My next PM2 will be a wharnie. If there isn’t one I can buy, then I won’t be buying another PM2. A shame, but my wallet & starving children* will be happy.

*joke, admittedly in very poor taste

[Soulrack]

The Marbled Carbon Fiber Elmax exclusive has an MSRP of $310 so I think MAP would be $217 but they're asking $229.95 which might be (is) hurting sales. Blade Ops just having an Elmax exclusive for about $50 cheaper with gray G-10 can't help either. If you scored the blade ops and upgraded to carbon fiber scales because you already have the gray scales on the Cruwear sprint, the 2018 forum knife and the Maxamet PM2 then the total price would be north of $230 by $30 to $50 I'd imagine.

The Cutlery Shoppe exclusive is an homage to the Broncos--it comes with a sticker that says so, and I do agree that it is quite ugly. The OD Green and Blaze Orange looks a lot better and will sell faster too I bet. It's price is very fair for a REX45 PM2.

The first Paramilitary 2s had a MAP of around $105 without strict rules and could be scored for around $90 NIB! I honestly wouldn't be mad if the companies that pony up the money for these exclusives charged MSRP for them like Spyderco did with the American Flag/CO scale they made.

[ladybug93]

Its still a very popular model, and a benchmark EDC knife, but the days of a 5-10 minute sellout are gone for the time being in my opinion, other than exceptions like the CruCarta edition.

we need a dlt ladybug hawkbill salt with ticn and red/black zome. a ladybug ladybug. i can't promise it'll sell out in five minutes, but i can promise i'd buy at least one.

[BornIn1500]

The Marbled Carbon Fiber Elmax exclusive has an MSRP of $310 so I think MAP would be $217 but they're asking $229.95 which might be (is) hurting sales.

I think they could also advertise it for cheaper than MAP since it's an exclusive, right? I don't think MAP applies for exclusives. But seeing the prices of exclusives on the secondary market, it makes sense that the original retailer would want to capitalize on the high perceived values. The fact that this is a slow(er) seller makes me think flippers don't see much room for a profit. Maybe higher initial costs are a good thing and will allow real users to buy them all now.

[Tims]

The Para 2 is one of Spydercos enduring patterns, I can't see it going out of fashion any time soon. There are nearly endless options for variation that will keep it popular

[Soulrack]

The Marbled Carbon Fiber Elmax exclusive has an MSRP of $310 so I think MAP would be $217 but they're asking $229.95 which might be (is) hurting sales.

I think they could also advertise it for cheaper than MAP since it's an exclusive, right? I don't think MAP applies for exclusives. But seeing the prices of exclusives on the secondary market, it makes sense that the original retailer would want to capitalize on the high perceived values. The fact that this is a slow(er) seller makes me think flippers don't see much room for a profit. Maybe higher initial costs are a good thing and will allow real users to buy them all now.

I think it does apply still. That's based on my own memory of a DLT comment about one of their exclusives being inline with new standard model pricing and the comment was that their price was based on the previous year's pricing even though they didn't receive it that year or something. The OD Green Black S90V from last year maybe?

[Ramonade]

It's January, worst month of the year for almost any business. There is a video that sums it up pretty nicely.

Off Topic

Please feel free to delete it if it's too much out of pocket

[okay]

It's a great knife for sure. I would like to see a DLC Wharncliffe PM2 with the brown micarta scales.

[Deadboxhero]

Fades come and go but the pm2 is forever.

Just remember some of the same people that complain about not having titanium this and frame lock that are the same people that were trying to get everybody to buy fidget spinners, pocket tops and expensive titanium bit drivers.

Keep them pm2's coming, I love all the different steels.

The more there are the more chance there is for people to get their hands on them and the less people will hoard them because they won't be able to keep up with hoarding all of them

[canyonrat]

Wow I only own one PM2, a generic digi-camo-satin. I'm good for at least one or two more PM2's if they are interesting. I would really like to see a mini-Manix actually.

I am the untapped market. We are out here...

[Revival]

As long as they keep making them, people will continue to buy them. PM2’s appeal to the hardcore user and the collectors plus everyone in between. From a business perspective, the PM2 is always a safe bet.

[CXXX]

By my count there have been 26 PM2 releases in the last 2 years, I bought them all except the "Lightweight Aluminum" versions. I may have bought those if they had not all dropped the same day, I didn't have $500 for that. PM2's have peaked a little bit, but you have to remember these exclusive orders have probably been in the manufacturing que for over a year. A year ago dealers were placing orders for a guaranteed sellout, some of these exclusives have put dealers in the spotlight by having the exclusive. Some dealers that I had not been aware of before...
Dealers risk their money for the exclusive, and some continue to have them in stock for long periods of time. One dealer has exclusives after the regular production model has been discontinued!
Who knows how many PM2 exclusives are in the production que? I would guess a lot from PM2 mania.
Fradon Lock 1/12/2022, 7pm, 150 units left. That's in less than 48 hours.

[bdblue]

The PM2 is still one of my favorites. I've owned about 12 and have 4 left. I don't collect them, I use the ones that I have, so 4 is what I can easily use in my rotation. That won't stop me though- if they make a LW version I'll buy one, if they make a G10 version with an interesting steel I'll buy one.

[SnackPack]

Looks like the upper limit of Boise St. fans that carry PM2s has been reached by the cuteryshoppe run.

[S-3 ranch]

It’s really not in a working class price range for its weight and price, kinda in the CRK status symbol area.

[thomasomoore]

PM2s sell out at the rate they should now and both of those exclusive PM2s should be sold out by the end of the week. Selling 600 $230 knives in a few days is fantastic by any realistic measure. I am a very serious PM2 collector but even I stopped buying every release, and multiples of them usually, because I don’t have to there will be another around the corner. I just buy the ones I want now and that is what has changed in the PM2 collector circle.

[Co Pilot]

Are Spyderco boxing themselves into a corner by making desirable new iterations of the PM2 solely as short-run exclusives?

I don’t know about you, but if I can’t get my first choice I just won’t buy what I perceive to be an inferior alternative. My next PM2 will be a wharnie. If there isn’t one I can buy, then I won’t be buying another PM2. A shame, but my wallet & starving children* will be happy.

*joke, admittedly in very poor taste

I think they are. I own a few PM2 and 3's, but would have preferred the wharnie and tanto versions. As I said before I think these should have been made part of the standard production line. Sprint runs should probably be different steels/handle materials. I know I kind of hate wrangling to buy a sprint and missing out on a knife that is very useful but limited in availability.
It kind of sucks actually. . Lol.