And why is it so "highly sought after" (based on asking and selling prices)?
This is not a "valuation" question, as I know that can possibly have no rational sense behind it, but rather is there any "user" or unusual design feature that I'm not getting (besides that unsightly "hump" that I guess also serves as an impact point when needed?)
Thanks for any insights.
Gunting - is there a special use or purpose to the design that I'm not getting?
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spoonrobot
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The Gunting has a long and involved history that is very interesting. If I find my notes pages on it I'll update what I know.
The designer Bram Frank used to be active in this forum. As I understand it the Gunting was designed to be used by following Mr. Frank's martial disciplines. Part of the draw for acquiring the knife appears to be users who wish to practice the specific discipline but prefer the Spyderco design to the newer Lapu Lapu Corto Gunting models.
Being that certain types are extremely rare (PE S30V is an example, as are the limited release blue-handle "Crimp-it" models) and subsequently bring large lots at auction; there is collector/investor interest as well.
Design wise the knife has a sub-3 inch blade with a very generous handle as well as a left-handed compression lock. The latter was done so that when closing the knife right-handed the point of the blade faces away from the user's body.
Other than the martial aspect I think the driving force is just the fact that it's long discontinued and somewhat hard to find. Nothing strikes me as a "must-have" for a regular EDC user.
The designer Bram Frank used to be active in this forum. As I understand it the Gunting was designed to be used by following Mr. Frank's martial disciplines. Part of the draw for acquiring the knife appears to be users who wish to practice the specific discipline but prefer the Spyderco design to the newer Lapu Lapu Corto Gunting models.
Being that certain types are extremely rare (PE S30V is an example, as are the limited release blue-handle "Crimp-it" models) and subsequently bring large lots at auction; there is collector/investor interest as well.
Design wise the knife has a sub-3 inch blade with a very generous handle as well as a left-handed compression lock. The latter was done so that when closing the knife right-handed the point of the blade faces away from the user's body.
Other than the martial aspect I think the driving force is just the fact that it's long discontinued and somewhat hard to find. Nothing strikes me as a "must-have" for a regular EDC user.
At first I was thinking "What on earth is a Gunting". Found it on the Spyderco site and remembered this interesting creature.
I would say it's main and only purpose is self defense. In the write-up for it, it says the hump can be applied to pressure points and also to allow kinetic opening. Why is it so much sought after? Not many of them out there? I'm sure someone will know the answer to that.
I would say it's main and only purpose is self defense. In the write-up for it, it says the hump can be applied to pressure points and also to allow kinetic opening. Why is it so much sought after? Not many of them out there? I'm sure someone will know the answer to that.
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LostOutThere
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The thing was actually pretty ingenious in design. It had a lot of striking surfaces, and options for MBC/SD use. I had one for a while, but found it to be somewhat useless for my purposes. Many of the features that made it great for MBC and SD also made it impractical for me to carry and so it spent more time on my desk than in my pocket which is not very useful for a knife.
Simple laws of supply and demand, plus the added interest students of the designer have in the knife.
It is like this. Let's take the Yojimbo for example. When it was in production, many might have found it "odd." So sales are not what you might want for a knife. It gets discontinued... Now folks still study with the guy who designed it, so INTEREST in the knife continues after it was discontinued. In other words, there is an engine generating demand that another knife will not have. In time, the supply of knives dries up, and prices go up, because folks still have a steady interest in the knife.
And both the Gunting and Yojimbo were purpose driven designs. This made them look strange when in production... HOWEVER looking strange or different is not a good thing for a production knife, however it seems to be a gold mine for a knife that has been long discontinued. Go figure.
It is like this. Let's take the Yojimbo for example. When it was in production, many might have found it "odd." So sales are not what you might want for a knife. It gets discontinued... Now folks still study with the guy who designed it, so INTEREST in the knife continues after it was discontinued. In other words, there is an engine generating demand that another knife will not have. In time, the supply of knives dries up, and prices go up, because folks still have a steady interest in the knife.
And both the Gunting and Yojimbo were purpose driven designs. This made them look strange when in production... HOWEVER looking strange or different is not a good thing for a production knife, however it seems to be a gold mine for a knife that has been long discontinued. Go figure.
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The Deacon
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Simply put, the Gunting is not a knife, it's something both more sophisticated and more specialized - a "continuum of force" self defense tool. The "horn" above the Spyderhole can be used to inflict pain with the knife in the closed position, and to kinetically open the knife against an attacker's body. It takes specialized training to use properly. Like a knife, it can be used to "cut stuff", but that's not what it was designed for.
Paul
My Personal Website ---- Beginners Guide to Spyderco Collecting ---- Spydiewiki
Deplorable :p
WTC # 1458 - 1504 - 1508 - Never Forget, Never Forgive!
My Personal Website ---- Beginners Guide to Spyderco Collecting ---- Spydiewiki
Deplorable :p
WTC # 1458 - 1504 - 1508 - Never Forget, Never Forgive!
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The Deacon
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I understand what you're saying, but Spyderco doesn't really "mass produce" them. Aside from the original run of the Matriarch, most of them probably wind up in the hands of people who purchase them strictly for their "bad ***" look and do not invest in the specialized training necessary to be able to use them properly. Some wind up in the hands of Spyderco collectors who buy them because they fall into a specific category of knives they collect.LorenzoL wrote:I totally do not get knives like the Gunting, the P'Kal or the Matriarch. I am sure there must be somebody out there who finds a use for them, but is it enough to mass-produce them, I doubt...
Paul
My Personal Website ---- Beginners Guide to Spyderco Collecting ---- Spydiewiki
Deplorable :p
WTC # 1458 - 1504 - 1508 - Never Forget, Never Forgive!
My Personal Website ---- Beginners Guide to Spyderco Collecting ---- Spydiewiki
Deplorable :p
WTC # 1458 - 1504 - 1508 - Never Forget, Never Forgive!
One of the main reasons that I've decided to accumulate and/or collect spydercos is the company's willingness--even quest--to take design and production risks. Spyderco makes, has made or will make a knife for just about every purpose or aesthetic. I find the purpose built knives like the Gunting to be among the most thrilling. I can make a knife that will cut open boxes, sever twine, or open letters. I could certainly buy a knife for $20 that would do all of those things admirably for the rest of my life. What spyderco brings to the table for me, especially with the collaboration models, is the "cutting edge" cutting edge side by side with other laudable goals like ethnic revivalism--take the Bradishansky Shabaria--is this a useful knife? It'll cut. But it's more than that--it takes an ancient blade design and brings up to date while producing it with the finest contemporary materials, exposing and preserving the ethnic edge shape for new audiences. The collaboration models also take knives to places never traveled before, the process of collaboration takes the knifedesigner, the company and the manufacturer to new places--I find any and all of these projects thrilling.LorenzoL wrote:I totally do not get knives like the Gunting, the P'Kal or the Matriarch. I am sure there must be somebody out there who finds a use for them, but is it enough to mass-produce them, I doubt...
BTW, the P'kal is a terrific cutter. It's also an incredible SD knife for those who feel they need one.
Needs a picture
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~boxer93/gunting_closed_1.jpg" width="512" height="384" border="0" alt="">
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~boxer93/gunting_closed_1.jpg" width="512" height="384" border="0" alt="">
Be Excellent to each other.
awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!boxer93 wrote:needs a picture
<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~boxer93/gunting_closed_1.jpg" width="512" height="384" border="0" alt="">
There was a time when I had no like, desire, or need for a self-defense blade. Knives such as the Spyderco Gunting made no sense to me. Then came the Spyderco P'Kal... this knife was appealing!
First, the P'Kal had a unique look that really caught my attention and made me want to learn more about it. Then came its Philippine theme, which for me, having been stationed in the Philippines, was quite fascinating. And, the fact the blade design offered some utility use made it an all-around winner. Initially, I was going to remove the Emerson opening device so as to make the P'Kal less of a SD knife, but once I understood how the knife worked and how it was to be properly carried in the pocket for SD deployment and use, the wave feature remained and I EDCed the P'Kal for its intended purpose. Later I purchased the Spyderco P'Kal Trainer to better learn how to use the knife.
Since purchasing the P'Kal and EDCing it, other knives designed for SD became more appealing and beautiful since I understood their roles and purpose better. Now knife designs such as those by Emerson and the Gunting make far more sense to me.
First, the P'Kal had a unique look that really caught my attention and made me want to learn more about it. Then came its Philippine theme, which for me, having been stationed in the Philippines, was quite fascinating. And, the fact the blade design offered some utility use made it an all-around winner. Initially, I was going to remove the Emerson opening device so as to make the P'Kal less of a SD knife, but once I understood how the knife worked and how it was to be properly carried in the pocket for SD deployment and use, the wave feature remained and I EDCed the P'Kal for its intended purpose. Later I purchased the Spyderco P'Kal Trainer to better learn how to use the knife.
Since purchasing the P'Kal and EDCing it, other knives designed for SD became more appealing and beautiful since I understood their roles and purpose better. Now knife designs such as those by Emerson and the Gunting make far more sense to me.
I can understand the blade profile of all other MBC blades better. I never saw the Gunting on a "cutting" level of the others. I don't mind the concept of punyo handles but as a primary aspect it seems odd.
If you draw a knife for limb destruction or even submission you still pulled a knife. I'd rather pull a flashlight or pen for that purpose. It doesn't make the Gunting less of a special knife...just IMHO.
If you draw a knife for limb destruction or even submission you still pulled a knife. I'd rather pull a flashlight or pen for that purpose. It doesn't make the Gunting less of a special knife...just IMHO.
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LostOutThere
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I am relatively certain that regardless of how you use the knife, it still counts as deadly force in most places.Blerv wrote: If you draw a knife for limb destruction or even submission you still pulled a knife. I'd rather pull a flashlight or pen for that purpose. It doesn't make the Gunting less of a special knife...just IMHO.