Spyderco's Limited-Edition Production Runs
Throughout our 40-plus-year history of manufacturing knives, Spyderco has produced a variety of limited-edition models. In some cases, these have been “full-line” products sold through our normal sales channels but manufactured in smaller quantities. More recently, however, we have standardized our limited-edition production into three categories: Exclusives, Sprint Run® knives, and Flash Batch™ products.
To help our customers better understand the differences between these categories of knives and the ways in which they are sold to the public, we thought it would be a good idea to take a close look at each.
Exclusive
An Exclusive is a special configuration of an established Spyderco model that we produce for a single wholesale customer or distributor. Although it is a variation of an existing design, it typically showcases special blade and/or handle materials, color combinations, surface treatments, or other features that make it distinctly different. Often, well-established dealers and distributors will define a consistent combination of elements like blade steel, blade finish or coating, and handle color as their “signature” theme and apply it across multiple Spyderco models.
True to its name, this category of limited-edition knives is sold exclusively to the customer that commissions it. With minor exceptions like the members of Spyderco’s collector club, the dealer or distributor purchases the entire quantity produced and sells it through their commercial sales channels. Dealers sell the knives directly to their customer base, while distributors sell to dealers who then make the knives available to consumers.
As unique as they are, Exclusives are the only category of limited-edition knives that may be repeated in the exact same form. If the dealer or distributor chooses, they may follow an initial production run with one or more subsequent runs in the exact same format.
The success, rarity, and availability of Exclusives depends largely upon the customer networks of the businesses that commission them. The better they are at marketing, driving demand, and developing their own dedicated community of followers, the quicker their Exclusives tend to sell out. If you’re curious about the Exclusives currently available from our dealers, please check out this dedicated page on our website: https://www.spyderco.com/catalog/category/exclusives
Sprint Run®
Spyderco’s second category of limited-edition knives includes Sprint Run products. A Sprint Run is a special production run of a knife not found in our regular product line. It may be a distinctive version of a current model or a special expression of a discontinued design; however, every Sprint Run is a unique, one-time-only event. Once it is sold out, it will not be produced again in that exact form.
Unlike Exclusives, which are available only from the commissioning dealer or distributor, Spyderco sells Sprint Run knives to all levels of our distribution network. As such, they are available to multiple distributors and dealers, who can then resell them to their customer audiences, as appropriate. Spyderco also reserves a quantity of every Sprint Run knife for consumer-direct sales through our website and the Spyderco Factory Outlet (SFO) store. The exact number of Sprint Run knives sold to each dealer and distributor is carefully allocated based on the size of the production run and the size of their orders to be as fair as possible.
Based on this model, consumers have the opportunity to purchase Sprint Run knives from a variety of different commercial sources. This increases their chances of adding a special knife to their collection and allows them to support their favorite dealers. Currently, there are several highly collectible Spyderco Sprint Run models still available, including the SpyOpera™ with carbon fiber scales and a Damasteel® Thor™ Damascus blade, the Military™2 with a CPM 15V® blade and brown G-10 scales, and the classic Temperance™ fixed blade with a CPM CRU-WEAR® blade and gray handle. We have also recently announced a number of other Sprint Run models that will be shipping soon, including multiple knives showcasing ultra-high-performance CPM 15V blade steel, pink-handled versions of the Yojimbo™ 2, YoJumbo™, and MicroJimbo™, and the eagerly anticipated Sage™ 6 Button-Release Compression Lock® with carbon fiber scales and a CPM S90V® blade. If you’re looking to spice up your collection or add a special touch of class to your EDC rotation, your timing is excellent.
Flash Batch™
The third type of special, limited-production knife we offer is a Flash Batch™ product. Like our Sprint Run knives, a Flash Batch is a truly distinctive, one-time-only event that will never be duplicated in the exact same form again. A Flash Batch is different, however, in that it showcases a brand-new design that has not been previously produced. To make them even more collectible, every Flash Batch knife is individually serialized with a discreetly placed laser-engraved number.
To date, Spyderco has only offered five Flash Batch models. The inaugural Flash Batch knife was the Lil’ Nilakka™, a gentleman’s folder expression of the Finnish puukko designed by custom knifemaker Pekka Tuominen. It was followed by the late Bob Lum’s dramatic Darn Dao fixed blade, Michael Burch’s stout Bombshell™ folder, and our recent lionSTEEL® collaborations, the SpyMyto™ and the SpyNano™. Like our Sprint Run models, these are sold through our established distribution network and are therefore available through a variety of resellers.
Spyderco takes great pride in creating elite, limited-edition versions of our knives with the knowledge that they will become highly prized collector’s items. We hope this article has given you a better understanding of the differences between our limited-edition product categories and how they are sold in the consumer marketplace.
