Whats the deal with sprint runs?

[Mulefun]

How does everybody know about all the sprint run variants, when they aren't released for months at a time and are supposed to be secret. Where do you buy them also.

[warriorsociologist]

Spend some more time here and:
1) read some of the old threads (go back a few pages),
2) read all the new posts as they appear,
3) and generally spend the time you should be out using your knives on here reading about them...

(that last one was in jest...sort of.)

[sal]

Hi Mulefun,

Welcome to the Spyderco forum.

We try to select them about a year in advance. Materials, adjustments, etc. Then we try to schedule them in as best we can, but with sprints, it seems there are always variables over which there seems to be little control; makers schedules, materials availability, etc. Sprints can be a pain is the a$$ because they are short runs, which is difficult for all production companies.

sal

[bohica1998]

Hmm, who says they are supposed to be a secret? It would kind of defeat the purpose OF a Sprint run if nobody knew they were for sale!

Usually you can find out about them in advance here on the forum as there WILL be debates and discussions about EVERY new Sprint run that is done.

As far as where to buy them, unless it is an exclusive Sprint for one dealer (the red Snap-it for A.G. Russell and the Titanium Millie for Knifeworks come to mind), they can be bought from the SFO (Spyderco Factory Outlet), either in person or online.

[Mulefun]

Secret like, everyone speculates what materials will be used and then the knife materializes out of nowhere with an announcement that its here and for sale. It would catch everyone off guard. It wouldn't defeat the purpose of the sprint run it would just be slower, until word of mouth/internet/and forum kicks in and the sales of the run lights up like a pool of gasoline.

[sal]

The sprint runs for the next year are in the catalog. Page 65 of the new PDR.

You can tell what is planned. We just cannot accurately predict when they will be released.

We try to do 4 Mule Teams per year, usually about every 3 months.

sal

[JNewell]

How does everybody know about all the sprint run variants, when they aren't released for months at a time and are supposed to be secret. Where do you buy them also.

Secret like, everyone speculates what materials will be used and then the knife materializes out of nowhere with an announcement that its here and for sale. It would catch everyone off guard. It wouldn't defeat the purpose of the sprint run it would just be slower, until word of mouth/internet/and forum kicks in and the sales of the run lights up like a pool of gasoline.

They in the catalog, as Sal points out, and they are always the topic of lots of discussion here and at other foramonths or even years in advance of production. It's no secret at all, but the numbers are small, so if you snooze...

[RedRunner]

Ditto to everything said. I think most of us are talking about them for quite a while before they are ever produced. And at times it becomes frustrating waiting for them to finally come out. I use the word "frustration" for lack of a better term. It's not the kind of frustration that makes me have hard feelings towards Spyderco, it's my uncontrolable eagerness to get the knife. :)

There is no mystery or secret to these knives. I see you have a rather low posting count and just joined - I would suspect you're just entering the group and are developing an interest in Spyderco. Welcome - keep up your interest and you will likely be well rewarded. I imagine you are frustrated simply because you haven't been able to get one of these knives. That's understandable, but you probably didn't realize how the Sprints work or that you have to be somewhat pro-active to get them.

Realize that Spyderco could probably produce high-volume quality knives in less exotic products and be quite successful. We are all thankful that Spyderco makes these special knives with "exotic" steels and scales for us. And it does add greatly to our interest in the company and the whole product line. Spyderco has an amazing product, terrific quality and all at a good price. That's the mystic we all love about a Spyderco. No matter what you buy, it's a good value.

So with respect to the Para 2 (S90V/CF), I would contend it is worth $300 to $350 and if you want one you should buy it - they are available for less. Some people have bought them for $180, and you may find one at that price, but think of that as a sale (or a steal), you only find those when you look hard - it's not something that will last for ever at those prices.

[Mulefun]

I haven't tried to get any of the knives. "cause i don't have the money and usually their all gone anyway." I just see a lot of threads about peoples sprint runs finally arriving in the mail and I've seen nothing about it on the spyderco website. I was just wondering how everybody found out about them.

[The Deacon]

I was just wondering how everybody found out about them.

There's really no hard and fast rule. Some are the result of our collective begging and are confirmed long before they are produced. Some are Sal's or someone else at Spyderco's idea. Most of those show up in an annual catalog, or catalog supplement, again well in advance of release, but a few do pop up unexpectedly. Some are paid for by a dealer, distributor, or other entity and it is left up to the sponsor to advertise them.

It's not easy to keep up. Spyderco is now active on so many different forums and other "information exchange venues" that I'm not sure if anyone is totally "in the loop". I know I'm not.

[sal]

If the Deacon doesn't know, then nobody knows. :p

sal

[bohica1998]

Secret like, everyone speculates what materials will be used and then the knife materializes out of nowhere with an announcement that its here and for sale. It would catch everyone off guard. It wouldn't defeat the purpose of the sprint run it would just be slower, until word of mouth/internet/and forum kicks in and the sales of the run lights up like a pool of gasoline.

This would also be a good way for a Sprint run to bomb too. Some of us need the advanced warning to be ABLE to participate in some sprint runs. :D

Plus, the advanced warning actually helps build up a customer base (so to speak) for a particular model, so that when it does become available, people are ready to purchase it.

If you keep it so secret that nobody knows about it, when you DO release it, nobody is ready to buy. No knife maker wants to be sitting on a large stock of knives because nobody knew they were coming and aren't buying them.

From a maker's point of view, selling out of model (sprint run) means it was a success, whereas, if they end up with a bunch of them sitting in a warehouse somewhere... :confused:

Just my humble opinion.

[The Mentaculous]

Sometime I wish I DIDN'T know about all of these sprint runs :D ...so many knives, so little money

[dbcad]

It's really cool Spyderco produces so many flavors :) So many I can't keep up. I've just gotten intrigued with this new Mule though.........

[Joe Internet]

One thing I'd like to see is something in between sprint runs and regular production. Like perhaps a production model with a new blade steel (oh, I don't know, say an E4+M4 :) ) that would be offered for say 6 months or one production year.

So using the E4 example, maybe this year there's the ZDP version, the following year the M4, then S90V, etc.

I think this would give a bit more variety without taking away from the larger number of enhanced features for an actual sprint.

[chuck_roxas45]

So why don't successful sprint runs become regular production? The only sprint run that I've heard of become regular production was the orange millie. But I guess we all know what happened to that.

[Murdoc]

One thing I'd like to see is something in between sprint runs and regular production. Like perhaps a production model with a new blade steel (oh, I don't know, say an E4+M4 :) ) that would be offered for say 6 months or one production year.

So using the E4 example, maybe this year there's the ZDP version, the following year the M4, then S90V, etc.

I think this would give a bit more variety without taking away from the larger number of enhanced features for an actual sprint.

Knives are made in batches, not continuously according to the sales. A sprint run differs from a "regular production" model only in the number of batches (usually one, max. two like the pink Delica, and even that one had a different clip color). Making a sprint run regular production is not well-recieved by some collectors, QED (orange Millie).

Sprint run batch sizes are calculated prior to the production to match the expected need. If all goes well, it sells within a few months or even less (i.e. FFG brown Matriarch); if the acceptance of the model is not so good, it may last longer than that or even go on sale after a while (i.e. T-Mag (not even a sprint), maybe to some degree JD Smith).

If a model is well-accepted like the Bradley or the Para2, it can take a while for the next batch to arrive because the manufacturer has to wait for a (maybe earlier than originally planned) free slot in his production schedule.
Re-producing a sprint run is perhaps even more difficult to incorporate in the production plan...

So the only way to influence the duration of availability is the choice of the batch size (well, and maybe the MSRP :D ), but Spyderco is never able to guarantee that a knife model will last for a definite period of time.

Bottom line: If you want a Sprint run model, get one while you can :cool:

Dennis

[JNewell]

Spyderco already does this - the LH Military is an example of 'limited regular production.' All of this comes at a cost for Spyderco and buyers, though - smaller runs, costs associated with changes in materials, inventory management, etc. I think Spyderco does an amazing job of taking the pulse of the market and responding.

One thing I'd like to see is something in between sprint runs and regular production. Like perhaps a production model with a new blade steel (oh, I don't know, say an E4+M4 :) ) that would be offered for say 6 months or one production year.

So using the E4 example, maybe this year there's the ZDP version, the following year the M4, then S90V, etc.

I think this would give a bit more variety without taking away from the larger number of enhanced features for an actual sprint.