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Let’s remember that not selling it in a single day is not a failure of a product.

As long as it sells out within a reasonable amount of time, it’s still a success. Even if these and future installments sell out over a month each, they will still have been a successful product.

It’s only a failure if they’re sitting around long enough to be a burden on Spyderco’s physical inventory process.

attila wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 18, 2022 11:58 am

Let’s remember that not selling it in a single day is not a failure of a product.

I can't find anyone who said the MT 32 sale was a failure.

However, it doesn't take much imagination to add "increased mule count in future" to "slow sale of existing low count mule" and arrive at a formula that doesn't balance.

Toker wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 18, 2022 11:27 am

yablanowitz wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 18, 2022 10:14 am

The way this one is moving makes me think the "renewed interest" has been more social media driven FOMO than anything.

I'd buy 2 in a heartbeat if they opened it up. I'm not interested in paying $13 in S&H for one knife when I really want 2. I'm sure there's others out there in the same situation. Not to mention that I would guess there are a good number of other people who bought 1, but would have bought a second if that was an option.

I've been buying 2 of each since the beginning, but when the limit is one, I still support the program and buy one. If that means paying another $13 freight later for a second one, that's what I do. If it means driving 400 miles and freezing my butt off at the Seconds Sale to score another, well, I've done that, too. If it means buying a steel I've never heard of with no idea whether I'll like it or not, guess what? That isn't virgin territory either.

Was the limit of one good or bad? If you didn't buy one because you *wanted* two, it was bad, not just for you but for Sal trying to figure out how many MT40P Unobtainium mules he needs to make. From his side, the difference between "didn't buy one because you wanted two", "didn't buy one because you just weren't interested" and "didn't buy one because the social media influencers didn't tell you to" is a distinction without a difference. Bottom line, it didn't sell.

First thing - we shouldn't compare to magnacut. There was a lot of hype (well justified) months before Spyderco announced they're making a mule in magnacut.
Second, sales of SRS13 are slow mostly because of the steel itself. It's well known in the kitchen knives, but apart from that, not so much. Not to forget that a lot of folks wanted SRS15, but as it is proprietary, we get the closest one to it. And I'm convinced there's people out there saying "if it's not SRS15 - I'm not buying it". Try a mule in some exotic steel and see what happens. The mule team project is all good. It's just seems that lately people want exotic and rare steels in the mule team. It's like no one is happy with S90V or M390 anymore. Just my thoughts.
In all honesty I think that a bit more extended announcement might work. Instead of two weeks it could be four for example. Let people make up their minds, others to plan their finances better.

Bolster wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 18, 2022 11:19 am

[...]
If I were working the problem (and I'm not) I'd think hard about a two-track system: a subscription for the diehards, and the existing system for everyone else. I'm guessing the most persistent complaining comes us diehards who can't get our hands on a mule, and we diehards would likely prepay. But that's more administrative work, and it might just be easier for S-co to cancel the mule program altogether. [...]

The MTC ? The official Mule Tester's Club ?

Also consider that this is the first mule after holidays and events such as: Christmas, New Years, Super Bowl, Valentine's Day, new Spydie drops like the Stovepipe or the Yojumbo sprint. It's a struggle to balance keeping the spouse happy and also getting a new knife haha

Edit: Yojumbo hasn't been sold yet, yes, but some might be saving some cash for that.

Actually, it worked out pretty well and more folks got to get one. There are only a few left, I heard 30 this morning so it's not going to go to a 2 limit. We hope that everyone that wanted one, got to get one. We'll see where it goes in the future.

It's kinda funny, but he fact that "no body ever heard of the steel" is, in my opinion, the way it should be. We're chasing down steels that have not been used much in cutlery. MagnaCut cut was unusual and I'm pleased that we were able to supply many with a sample with which to play. We have few interesting alloys to offer in the future.

sal

Bolster wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 18, 2022 12:45 pm

attila wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 18, 2022 11:58 am

Let’s remember that not selling it in a single day is not a failure of a product.

I can't find anyone who said the MT 32 sale was a failure.

However, it doesn't take much imagination to add "increased mule count in future" to "slow sale of existing low count mule" and arrive at a formula that doesn't balance.

You’re right in that no one called MT32 a failure. That’s too strong of a term to use this soon. Sorry for that.

I spoke up because there are concerns that slow sales of this and future mules may mean that the Mule Team project could fade away again, and I, of course, also don’t want that to happen.

sal wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 18, 2022 2:40 pm

Actually, it worked out pretty well and more folks got to get one. There are only a few left, I heard 30 this morning so it's not going to go to a 2 limit. We hope that everyone that wanted one, got to get one. We'll see where it goes in the future.

It's kinda funny, but he fact that "no body ever heard of the steel" is, in my opinion, the way it should be. We're chasing down steels that have not been used much in cutlery. MagnaCut cut was unusual and I'm pleased that we were able to supply many with a sample with which to play. We have few interesting alloys to offer in the future.

sal

Thank you!

I eagerly look forward to the future Mules!

Good to hear they are selling steadily. This is how I like to see these kinds of drops go. The "sell out in minutes" thing is getting old for me, and to be honest for me it kills the fun of purchasing a knife. I would never have gotten one of these if they'd sold out in minutes, and I do appreciate the chance to try a steel that I otherwise might never try.

Thanks for keeping at these Sal and Spyderco.

sal wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 18, 2022 2:40 pm

It's kinda funny, but he fact that "no body ever heard of the steel" is, in my opinion, the way it should be. We're chasing down steels that have not been used much in cutlery. MagnaCut cut was unusual and I'm pleased that we were able to supply many with a sample with which to play. We have few interesting alloys to offer in the future.

sal

I think releasing just esoteric steels as Mule Teams is not the optimal way to go and mixing in familiar steels and even repeats of past MTs (S45VN, SPY27, 4V, K390, 20CV, LC200N) a better way.

sal wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 18, 2022 2:40 pm

Actually, it worked out pretty well and more folks got to get one.

Thank you Sal, this means that Spyderco has successfully addressed a major issue with regards to availability.

The MT32P will be my first Mule, bless this one-per-customer policy

I haven't been able to grab one- the site said my IP was a security risk. I'm outside the US but shipping to a US residency. I didn't get a response to the inquiry I submitted.

I'm not crushed missing out but I would not have minded having another in the stable. I like the look and always enjoy trying out something new.

Try phoning them. The IT department is unlikely to fix your problem fast, but customer service may be able to run you card over the phone now that the rush has hushed.

sal wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 18, 2022 2:40 pm

It's kinda funny, but he fact that "no body ever heard of the steel" is, in my opinion, the way it should be.

sal

I was thinking something like this myself. The mule program is about getting to try out steels that nobody (except industry people like Sal) have ever heard of. So they won't have been heavily promoted like Magnacut (which is clearly an exception we should ignore as far as predicting sales and such). Heck, the mule program is about trying steels that nobody ever thought should be tried as knife steels -- if Sal thinks it makes sense.

I am glad that there are only a handful left -- for Spyderco's sake, and for the sake of the Mule team in the future.

I like that they limited purchasing, I’ve missed out on the last 4 mules because I was a day or a couple hours late to the draw and was really happy to be able to purchase this one after the ap made me aware of it.

That being said if you are a knife maker, I think you should be able to register in advance for two or more to be able to check quality variations in MFG. It’s one thing to make one good knife, quite another to make a multitude of equally good knives consistently. Some steels are more forgiving of natural variation in HT than others, which matters when mass producing a knife.

All gone now.

Hope my french friends got the time to buy one.
I shared it with the french Spyderco Fan Club and a couple of them planned to buy their first mule !

One of them had a "suspicion of fraudulent" something, I linked him Kristi's tutorial to buy efficiently but he didn't seem to have worked it out yesterday

I wasn't wanting one. Not a big fan of cladded steels. I was surprised to see it was still available yesterday evening, even this morning. So I gave it a shot, added it to the cart and tried to order it. But: Spyderco did not like my IP. And since they did not like my IP, they did not get any money.

Hi Electro-Static,

Welcome to our forum.

sal