Question Spyderco Balence

[zero]

I'm just curious if anyone can tell me why the new spyderco balence has such a high msrp. Other then the fact that spyderco can price their knives however much they want.

It's silly for me to compare it this way, but i would have thought it would be a bit more then when the cat and chicago came out. Again i'm going by size and materials used. I understand that the production factory is different and that the chicago and cat were very cheap for what we got them for. that aside, i guess i'm really looking for a justification in putting that much money down on one. :D

[Frapiscide]

Reason one: CF Scales
Reason two: Sprint run of 600 pieces in CF, then SS handles later.

[HotSoup]

The Cat and Chicago were also made in Taiwan, not in Japan, where manufacturing costs are higher due to exchange rate and wage differences. The CF Balance is also a Sprint run, so they have to cover costs by only selling 600.

Also, the Balance is an Ed Schempp collaboration, meaning he will receive part of the profits as well.

All these factors will determine the final 'value' of the knife. Spyderco generally uses a universal standard for how much of a 'cut' they make (they have a formula according to Sal). The $199.99 MSRP is a result of all things considered.

That being said, I simply CANNOT POSSIBLY justify spending that much on such a small knife. This is one time where the Japanese-made label and materials don't make it worth it for me. Street price on eBay is about $185-190. Still way too rich for my blood.

I won't be getting one. No offense Mr. Schempp.

Spyderco will be releasing it in stainless-steel scales later on and upping production, so that should lower the price considerably (I hope).

[bh49]

You really cannot compare Balance with Cat. Different maker, different exchange rate, different quality, different F&F, very small run. Also Balance is Schempp. :) Probably it is better to compare with CF Cricket. It was made long time ago, exchange rate was much more favorable to US $, still street price, IIRC was $99.95. Balance is $125, which is about right considering everything above.

[HotSoup]

Balance is $125

Really? I definitely didn't do my homework. I only checked eBay and the BIT posts were for $190!

[gbelleh]

I have one on order. The way I see it, in a few months, I will have long forgotten the price, but I'll have that cool little knife for years to come.

[The Deacon]

Another possible contributing factor would be if the Balance, like at least some of Ed's other folders, is being produced by Moki. They tend to be the most expensive, but also the best, of Spyderco's Japanese makers.

[bh49]

Really? I definitely didn't do my homework. I only checked eBay and the BIT posts were for $190!

Favorite pharmacy
http://newgraham.com/store/product/7798/Balance-PE/

[SUDS]

Favorite pharmacy
http://newgraham.com/store/product/7798/Balance-PE/

Thats the first photo (besides the prototype photos) that I have seen off it

@Hotsoup, YCS sells them for $103

[HotSoup]

Jesus. It really is tiny.

I hope the SS ones are like half the price of the CF ones. THEN I'd consider it.
It is a cool design.

[Creepo]

Jesus. It really is tiny.

I hope the SS ones are like half the price of the CF ones. THEN I'd consider it.
It is a cool design.

Most probably around the Cricket and Spin, same size, Seki, VG-10, SS framelocks.

[Pneumothorax]

Also, the Balance is an Ed Schempp collaboration, meaning he will receive part of the profits as well.
.

I think this is a big part of the pricing. How big? I dont know, but if you look at all the collaborations, they are expensive. Its not just about the materials, its about the design you are buying. Many of the collabs are unique and are priced to reflect the value the designer brings to the table - think Rock Lobster, Leafstorm, etc. Why do designer clothes cost more even though the materials are the same as cheap clothes? I would not expect the price of the SS version to come skyrocketing down - that would devalue the design value of Ed Schempp. "Hey Ed, the people want your knife for cheap, so we're gonna cut the price in half on the SS...no Ed, we dont think your design is worth less than before..." Not a very compelling conversation.

[iwolf81]

This is a great knife that would really like to acquire, but I cannot justify its price for a knife this small. Although I consider myself a "collector of users", especially of Ed Schempp's designs, I'll await the SS version.

Regards,
Ira

[Pinetreebbs]

Ordered, it is simple math:

(Ed Schempp) + (Spyderco) = Buy!

[Visual Articulation]

I want one bad but unlike most i tend to want to carry bigger blades and I fear my lust for the superleaf is going to make me miss the boat on a cf balance. but I'll keep hope I can score some extra fun money to make all these new knives ride in my pocket

[freeman7]

FWIW, size of the knife would figure into when where I would carry it, but would have little bearing on perceived value.

[psychophipps]

Does this little honey strike anyone else as a pretty nice little folding mini-kerambit?

[Blerv]

Here are two links about MSRP pricing and how things are priced. Please note they were not written pertaining to the Balance but in response to the corresponding threads:

http://spyderco.com/forums/showpost.php ... stcount=29

Hi 4077th,

I'll try to answer your question.

Spyderco operates on relatively fixed margins. We take all of the costs to produce a model, add our margin, which is relatively small and establish our MSRP. Distibutors and dealers margins are also included in that MSRP.

This model was expensive to make. The price established is based on the cost. Because you cannot see the cost, doesn' mean it isn't there, it just means you can't see it.

To compare our Bushcraft model to a Mora is, in my opinion, somewhat ignorant. Kind of like comparing an expensive Spyderco model an inexpensive Wal-mart Chinese knife, or comparing a Honda to a Ferrari. you might also say the Ferrari is overpriced, but to those that can see the value, it is not.

Both the inexpensive knife and the Honda "will do the same thing", but there is a large difference in the way they do it.

I hope that helps in your understanding.

sal

and...


http://www.spyderco.com/forums/showpost ... stcount=16

Hi Mgbehard,

Welcome to the Spyderco forum.

The cost of products in general and Knives in particular can be very confusing. Especially now with great disparity in costs due to country of manufacture.

It's easy to see why most knife manufacturers had moved much of their production to China. It's very difficult to compete costwise.

As Jay_Ev wisely mentioned, it's also a controversial subject. I would like to avoid the political view in this thread if possible.

Knifemaking skill varies greatly through out the world. Also the ability for knife perople to "see" the differences in quality also varies. As one gets more involved in knives, one learns more about them. The world of knives is a very deep complex world if one chooses to explore. As one learns more about them, different areas become more important. There are visitors to this forum that actually pay attention to how much carbon is in the blade steel.

$1.00 in the US:

Costs $1.35 to make something in Europe as the Euro is valued higher. Add shipping, duties, tooling costs, etc. which increases the cost.

Costs $1.20 to make something in Japan.

Costs about $.75 to make something in Taiwan.

Costs about $.30 to make something in Chnina.

There are in fact quality differences as well as material cost differences that make the cost equation more complicated.

The US, Europe and Japan produce very high quality blade steels.

We ship US steel to Taiwan.

China produces it's own steel, but as yet, it's not exotic chemistry, though they produce some good steels and they are improving.

Our margins are relatively fixed. Because we might be able to "get more" for a product does not mean that we do. We feel that "to to charge as much as the market will bear" is not best.....for us.

The Tenacious could probably command a higher price. The Dragonfly is probably a better deal based on our costs. The maker that makes the Dragonfly has already proven over time that his quality is very good and the knife will perform for a very long time. The maker that makes the Tenacious is very good, but we've not had the time element yet to tell long term quality.

Hope that helps.

sal

[zero]

Thanks for everyone's feedback, i'll just have to look at it like when the CF kiwi came out.

[LorenzoL]

Beats me but since I have zero interest in sub-3" blades, let alone sub-2" blades, I won't lose much sleep over the price of the Balance.