Mastermachetier wrote:bh49 wrote:....
We have couple things in common. IMHO I am loyal Spyderco customer and forum member.
I am on this forum for more than 10 years every day with very rare exclusions. I am carrying and using Spyderco knives since 2005. Also I love my Sharpmaker. :)
Since 2006 I carry and use Spyderco knives almost exclusively. ..... to G10 or CF or Ti models, many people will successfully argue that other quality brands has models with better values.
I am working for production company and the only person, who carry Spyderco. Several others carry BM, Kershaw and gas station knives.
You mentioned Byrd line. One of my coworkers just bought Chinese made Kershaw for $15 on sale. Considering Kershaw customer service and warrantly, this is not bad at all. I use to own couple Kershaws and not crazy about their ergos, but the kid loves it. Plus free sharpening and Kershaw will pay return shipping.
So I love my Spyderco knives for their ergos and slicing abilities. I certainly love my Sharpmaker. And some of them are great values, but not the most of them.
....
I think the value equation comes when comparing certain models to the competition. Spydercos might not be the best value knives all around , but compared to the other big knife manufacturers certain knives where in really good niches prices wise. Models like the Delica, Endura, PM2, even the Shaman, before the price increase that is. Now with the price increases they are among tougher competition. I still love spydercos and will probably get some in the future , but i will probably tend to stick to the exclusive and sprint models.
I think I understand what you guys mean. And you are most definitely a loyal Spyderco fan BH49 :D I hope I'm still posting here in 10 years. Much respect :spyder:
I've handled plenty of benchmades, and owned a few Kershaws, CRKT's, Bucks, ect. With Spyderco I have stuck mostly to the sprints and exclusives in my collecting as well. I was buying knives in the $300 dollar range around the time I switched to Spyderco. Not a single one of those $300 knives I own can hold a candle to the Blurple S110V Para 2 I bought for $150. Now that a blurple pm2 costs $165... that's still true. Better steel, better lock, better fit and finish. But that's just comparing them to my other favorite brand.
Spyderco offers a range of steels other companies don't. It's hard for me to say a Cruwear, Hap 40, or Maxamet knife is over priced when hardly anyone or no one else is making them. What knives do I compare those to? For example if anyone is desperate for a Cruwear flipper BHQ has some for $700, KW has them for $675. Want maxamet or hap40? The only knives at BHQ like that say Spyderco. If you want Maxamet or fluted cf it's spyderco or nothing. Now does everyone value fluted CF and maxamet as much as I do... probably not.
I also realize "Value" is a subjective word. I went and took another look at BHQ, looking for a more concrete example of what I meant. And after a second look I must admit you are right, the competition is actually starting to inch closer.... Here's a link to BHQ with the filters "CPM s30v" and "G-10" sorted from lowest to highest priced. I know this is a narrow example, I was trying to keep it simple, S30V is widely available and so is G-10.
https://www.bladehq.com/cat--Manual-Kni ... erial:G-10
Looking at the knives... looking at the prices... The competition is closer than I remember but I don't see a single knife on that page I would buy over a Spyderco. I do not think the BM Freek or Bugout is better made (or a better knife) than the Manix even though they are all the same material and both BM's are $4 dollars more than the Manix. I'd even go so far as to say the Manix is a MUCH nicer knife. Same with the Para 3 at $130 vs the bugout at $114. Even for $15 difference there's no competition (to me) which is the better quality knife for relatively the same amount of money.
...but this is all subjective... and I am biased. Most definitely :D
When I looked at vg-10 and m390 blades, I saw what you guys were talking about. There were a some $130 m390 flippers with titanium, and some respectable looking $100 vg-10 g-10 flippers. (I hate frame locks, smooth metal handles, and ball bearings, but I realize other people like them even though I'd never buy one). They are from a Chinese company I've haven't heard much of, so I'm a little dubious to the quality (but who knows maybe it's there). But ya either way, at $50 dollars cheaper than a Mantra, if you like frame lock titanium flippers, that could be a good deal if the quality is there (ie. good heat treat, high grade materials, fit and finish). I suspect if someone handed me one of those frame lock vg-10 flippers and then asked me if I'd rather have a vg-10 delica for $30 cheaper... I'd pick the Delica. A vg-10 ti framelock flipper vs. a ZDP delica for the same price... ZDP all day. I'm rambling now... sorry :o The point I was trying to make was if I saw a knife with a really well made lock, great design, handle material, fit and finish, super steel, ect... at a lower price than Spyderco... If I thought it was a superior product for a lower price, I'd buy it.
