Spyderco Forums

Evil D wrote: ↑

Sun May 10, 2020 7:17 am

I would be happy enough to just have a SE option on any model I want.

Someday, David

Someday...
:D

Seems like we have this discussion every couple of months. I'm not for or against the idea of a custom shop. If I'm not mistaken, Sal has already said it wasn't going to happen. Kind of pointless (IMO) to keep going asking over and over

Below is a forum search for past custom shop comments from Sal....

search.php?keywords=custom+shop&terms=a ... mit=Search

It seems to me that what people really want is a less expensive custom shop.

The world of knives already offers a more or less limitless set of options for customizing any Spyderco knife (way more options than any factory custom shop could possibly offer). You can buy an amazing assortment of custom scales, clips and coatings, you can get regrinds into any shape and thickness you can imagine, laser engraving is available to your exact specifications. Many of these services are already offered by factory authorized dealers.

What would a factory custom shop be able to offer that isn't already possible? The only two things that come to mind are lower cost (for the small set of options they made available) and a warranty (which is another way of saying 'lower cost' because the fix to a problem with an unwarrantied knife is to either pay to replace it or pay an expert to repair it).

Given that what we're really asking for is a lower cost custom option, maybe we need to just suck it up and realize that the cost of customizing an already high end knife is going to be fairly high as well.


Can anyone come up with something that they think could reasonably be offered by a factory custom shop that isn't already available elsewhere?

Buck knives has a custom shop. They have a limited number of models that can be customized and there are limited selections.
The options are very nice and you do get a nice knife when it is all said and done.

Personally all I really want would be a set of dark blue scales for a Lil Native Without the pocket clip attachment hopes.

I know this is probably heresy but I am not fond of pocket clips. Scales without all of the holes would be very nice.

just as an example, what if i want a manix 2 with dlc and blurple scales with xhp steel? all of these things are produced by spyderco already, but in order for me to get this knife, i’d have to buy a manix 2 in s110v, a blacked out manix in s30v for black hardware, and i’d have to hunt down an old exclusive from cutlery shoppe and completely destroy the frn handle to get the dlc xhp blade. that seems like a ridiculous endeavor for something that shouldn’t be too difficult to get from the factory where all those components could already exist.

ladybug93 wrote: ↑

Sun May 10, 2020 12:40 pm

just as an example, what if i want a manix 2 with dlc and blurple scales with xhp steel? all of these things are produced by spyderco already, but in order for me to get this knife, i’d have to buy a manix 2 in s110v, a blacked out manix in s30v for black hardware, and i’d have to hunt down an old exclusive from cutlery shoppe and completely destroy the frn handle to get the dlc xhp blade. that seems like a ridiculous endeavor for something that shouldn’t be too difficult to get from the factory where all those components could already exist.

It would also be a “ridiculous endeavour” to keep every single part of every single knife in inventory in some quantity on the off chance that someone wants to order some obscure combination of said parts at an increased cost rather than buying one of the many combinations of colours/steels etc already on offer would it not?

If you consider the realities of a production setting the goal would be to end up with as many complete knives as possible with as little defects and leftovers as possible.

Lets say a run of 1000 knives for example, they make 1000 of each part, blades, scales, screw sets etc, out of 1000 maybe 900 make it through production and QC for sale, another 90 end up as defective complete knives or seconds which can be sold at reduced cost and the last 10 are complete write offs due to defects or issues. That leaves a small quantity of likely defective parts which are of no value to the producer. They may choose to hold some of those parts (if functional) for w&r etc but that would be at their cost, yes storage itself is a cost to a company.

With the vast array of aftermarket clips, scales, screws, backspacers etc already available for many of spydercos popular models I really don’t get it.

ladybug93 wrote: ↑

Sun May 10, 2020 12:40 pm

just as an example, what if i want a manix 2 with dlc and blurple scales with xhp steel? all of these things are produced by spyderco already, but in order for me to get this knife, i’d have to buy a manix 2 in s110v, a blacked out manix in s30v for black hardware, and i’d have to hunt down an old exclusive from cutlery shoppe and completely destroy the frn handle to get the dlc xhp blade. that seems like a ridiculous endeavor for something that shouldn’t be too difficult to get from the factory where all those components could already exist.

I don't think Spyderco keeps XHP DLC Manix 2 blades around. They'd have to do a special run and just hold the blades in storage waiting for your request. They probably have s30v and s110v blades (and BD1n, and Maxamet) but I doubt you'd ever see anything aside from the regular production steel options available.

How much would you pay for that knife, leaving out the DLC XHP blade? Maybe replacing it with DLC s30v? And how would the price of that compare to the price of the component knives you'd have to get, less the price you could resell the other franken-manix for secondhand? I bet you could sell the s110v blade in the black scales for pretty close to what you paid for the s110v. You're basically doing a scale swap for the blurple, right?

As others said, I dont think that Spyderco has Manix 2 blades in 10 steels ready in stock, waiting for something to happen. If you want full DLC, you can go DLC manix S30V and just install blue scales.
Maybe, maybe, maybe it would be possible to have something like a configurator (not a custom shop), that you can mix-match parts that are readilly available.
For example Manix 2:
Blade steel: S110V, S30V, S30V DLC, BD1N, Maxamet, SPY 27
Hardware: Silver, DLC
Scales: Black, Blue
Clip: Black, Silver

And nothing more, no XHP, no titanium-blue-unicornfartanodized clip, just these option that are in ,,stock,, at factory.

i don’t actually want the knife i mentioned. it was just an example of a possibility. i’m not telling spyderco how to run their business. i just think it would be cool to be able to order custom options of pieces they already make. i think you guys are missing my point and that’s okay. i don’t need you all to understand. i also don’t need a spyderco custom shop. i simply wanted to say i know it’s been mentioned often here before and some companies are making it work, so maybe there’s a business model spyderco could look into if there’s enough interest or they want to. relax.

ladybug93 wrote: ↑

Mon May 11, 2020 12:45 am

. i also don’t need a spyderco custom shop.

I guess I missed the point, but it´s ok, life goes on even without custom shop.

Pancake wrote: ↑

Mon May 11, 2020 12:52 am

ladybug93 wrote: ↑

Mon May 11, 2020 12:45 am

. i also don’t need a spyderco custom shop.

I guess I missed the point, but it´s ok, life goes on even without custom shop.

ladybug93 wrote:i simply wanted to say i know it’s been mentioned often here before and some companies are making it work, so maybe there’s a business model spyderco could look into if there’s enough interest or they want to.

should’ve read the next sentence.

Here is the ultimate Manix: M390 DLC and I do not have to wait for a custom shop. I would love to see a few things done for a custom shop: a couple of steel choices, color choices, name or motto engraving, and better fit and finish.

Buck has a custom shop. So does Benchmade. I can’t even count the number of how times I’ve gone to their websites and built a cool knife I wanted to buy, or thought was cool. Then closed the knife builder and forgot all about it. But later bought a regular production or sprint or exclusive. And I think most people have done the same thing. A custom shop sounds like a cool idea, but in reality, is just a way to tie up money in parts that may sit around for years and years.

And what about CQI? What happens when a model is CQI’d? Would Golden just have to throw out old parts in place of new ones after a CQI update? Because who would order a custom knife that isn’t as up to date as a regular production piece?

PStone wrote: ↑

Mon May 11, 2020 6:07 am

Buck has a custom shop. So does Benchmade. I can’t even count the number of how times I’ve gone to their websites and built a cool knife I wanted to buy, or thought was cool. Then closed the knife builder and forgot all about it. But later bought a regular production or sprint or exclusive. And I think most people have done the same thing. A custom shop sounds like a cool idea, but in reality, is just a way to tie up money in parts that may sit around for years and years.

And what about CQI? What happens when a model is CQI’d? Would Golden just have to throw out old parts in place of new ones after a CQI update? Because who would order a custom knife that isn’t as up to date as a regular production piece?

That's why they should CQI the Baby Horn with screw construction and a Golden backlock, then leave it alone.

Small, simple and cheap. The amount of different materials required to be on hand is a lot less than on larger knives. It would be easier and cheaper to test the concept this way.

...and I want one. :p

I think a custom shop is doable but it would have to be limited only a few select models and maybe one or two optional blade steels. The handle material would also probably be limited but you could always do runs of selected color G10 or Micarta handle scales. As much as I would love to see it happen I doubt is would be very profitable and for it to work I suspect it would most likely be located in Golden and be limited to models produced there. I could be wrong but the shipping time to and from Japan, as an example, would add too much additional time for many potential customers.

A custom shop is a neat idea but I don’t think it would profitable.

Eric said that he has been discussing the concept of a custom shop with the factory and many seem for it.

sal

sal wrote: ↑

Mon May 11, 2020 9:36 am

Eric said that he has been discussing the concept of a custom shop with the factory and many seem for it.

sal

Even limited to Golden models, I would love this so much. At the end of the day, I mostly want Golden models in green G10 or micarta with different steels to try out. If I could order this up from the factory even at MSRP it would be so much better than missing an exclusive direct from the dealer and then paying 2x MSRP on eBay.

Doc Dan wrote: ↑

Mon May 11, 2020 4:35 am

Here is the ultimate Manix: M390 DLC and I do not have to wait for a custom shop. I would love to see a few things done for a custom shop: a couple of steel choices, color choices, name or motto engraving, and better fit and finish.

you may be right about that, doc. that’s a sweet manix.

sal wrote: ↑

Mon May 11, 2020 9:36 am

Eric said that he has been discussing the concept of a custom shop with the factory and many seem for it.

sal

wow! that’s cool. i’m sure your customers will understand if it never happens, but if it does, i hope it’s wildly successful for you.

That's also the fun of owning a variety of the same model but with different steels and materials. You can customize them to your own liking!