Recycled plastic for knife handles.

[Higher]

I am a very big Spyderco fan as we all are here.

I really like what Spyderco is doing. This applies not only to the design of knives and their functional steels. Now I want to talk about "social responsibility".
I'm talking about Charitable Partnerships and OpFocus.
Spyderco supports ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION, Keep A Child Alive, Living Beyond Breast Cancer, PARKINSON'S FOUNDATION, Tunnel to Towers Foundation, Wildland Firefighter Foundation, and various others about which I do not know.
This is a very important and responsible business. We share this responsibility. Whenever possible, we also provide support and are happy when our favorite knife maker supports with us.

Every year we produce tons of plastic waste that ends up in rivers and oceans, and then into our stomachs. They kill birds, fish and animals - both on land and in the oceans. You can at least somehow reduce the damage by recycling plastic waste.
I myself have repeatedly saved marine animals and fish from plastic. It even happened in rivers and lakes. My wife and I sail in Kayaks and when we return, we bring with us a lot of plastic waste that we picked up at sea.

Maybe we need knives with recycled plastic handles. Perhaps even a series salt. Perhaps even as it is, without coloring. I would buy myself such a knife.

I dont know. Maybe Spyderco is already doing it. If this is not the case, then I will be glad if Spyderco will do it.

[Doc Dan]

If it were shredded and turned into FRN I'd be for it.

[Holland]

Great idea. Slam dunk for ESG reporting.

Wonder how expensive it would be to source and use in manufacturing.

[RustyIron]

I have ZERO interest in recycled plastic knives.

To minimize impact, you shouldn't over-consume resources.
Don't buy ten Spyderco's when you can get by with one.

[Naperville]

This is a thing now. One of our local food stores here in Illinois, Jewel Foods, recycles plastic bags that shoppers use to transport their food home in. Processed plastic bags are turned in to sturdy all weather park benches. There may be some other applications for the used bags as well, I did not dig in to it, but we donate bags regularly.

You can read about the collections here:
https://www.google.com/search?client=fi ... +recycling

[Sharp Guy]

I'm all for it but I imagine there's probably some hurdles to overcome to do something like this. My guess is the knives would probably be more expensive because of this

One possible issue is that there's all kinds of different "plastics" out there. Maybe they can find a way to shred and mix them altogether? Not sure

My friend's company sells shredding equipment for recycling. I'll try to pick his brain a little

[Sharp Guy]

This is a thing now. One of our local food stores here in Illinois, Jewel Foods, recycles plastic bags that shoppers use to transport their food home in. Processed plastic bags are turned in to sturdy all weather park benches. There may be some other applications for the used bags as well, I did not dig in to it, but we donate bags regularly.

You can read about the collections here:
https://www.google.com/search?client=fi ... +recycling

Good ol' Jewel Foods. I make a point of shopping there when I'm back home. It's just like every other grocery store but I miss it :)

[Naperville]

This is a thing now. One of our local food stores here in Illinois, Jewel Foods, recycles plastic bags that shoppers use to transport their food home in. Processed plastic bags are turned in to sturdy all weather park benches. There may be some other applications for the used bags as well, I did not dig in to it, but we donate bags regularly.

You can read about the collections here:
https://www.google.com/search?client=fi ... +recycling

Good ol' Jewel Foods. I make a point of shopping there when I'm back home. It's just like every other grocery store but I miss it :)

We are Dominick's Refugees! :D Most of our shopping is done at Marianos, but Jewel Foods is good too.

[VooDooChild]

I hate pollution, and plastic waste. I cant tell you how much stuff I have pulled out of the ocean.

With that said cleaning up and recycling after the fact is like putting a bandaid on a severed limb. We need to regulate this stuff on the production side.

I have no problem with recycled plastic handles. With that said, it would probably cost more money with little environmental impact.

[Zive]

I’m for it if it can be done without sacrificing durability.

But really the handle is probably the least environmentally offensive component of a knife. Consider the mining operations required to obtain the alloying elements… never mind the fossil fuels required to melt and form the steel and heat treat.

Not going to be a popular opinion here, but the most responsible thing to do is buy fewer knives.

[Ric]

No offense but when I was in the US a few years ago I got plastic plates, cutlery, cups in the hotels at the breakfast area. Also in the fast food restaurants.
I did not saw a recycling container.
In Europe we use mainly washable normal plates or paper/wood.

The handle is a safety relevant part and should protect the hand.

[Sharp Guy]

This is a thing now. One of our local food stores here in Illinois, Jewel Foods, recycles plastic bags that shoppers use to transport their food home in. Processed plastic bags are turned in to sturdy all weather park benches. There may be some other applications for the used bags as well, I did not dig in to it, but we donate bags regularly.

You can read about the collections here:
https://www.google.com/search?client=fi ... +recycling

Good ol' Jewel Foods. I make a point of shopping there when I'm back home. It's just like every other grocery store but I miss it :)

We are Dominick's Refugees! :D Most of our shopping is done at Marianos, but Jewel Foods is good too.

Haha...here in DFW we have Market Street and Whole Foods which are kind of like Dominck's. Marianos wasn't in my area (Algonquin/Crystal Lake) when I still lived there. I see there's one close to where I raised my family in Crystal Lake

Sorry for the grocery store interruption. Back your regularly scheduled program :)

[James Y]

It sounds like a good idea. But if it ever did come to pass, I wouldn’t expect recycled plastic in handles to be a part of Spyderco’s regular lineup. It could possibly happen in limited editions. The issue would be potential manufacturing cost, as well as if it would be durable enough, like FRN.

I always recycle plastic whenever I can, including produce bags, plastic shopping bags, bottles, food packaging, etc. But I am happy if it’s mainly reused into things like permanent park benches, maybe things like fence posts(?), and other products designed for permanence, or at least long-term use.

Jim

[Bill1170]

FRN means Fiber Reinforced Nylon. Very few post-consumer recycle streams isolate nylon. The polyethylene, polypropylene, PETE, and similar popular consumer polymers are inferior to nylon (AKA PA6) for glass-fiber reinforced products. Using inferior materials to appear “green” is a false economy.

A better approach is to purchase fewer items, of higher build integrity, and make them last a long time by taking proper care of them.

[Rinzler]

I'm all for it but I imagine there's probably some hurdles to overcome to do something like this. My guess is the knives would probably be more expensive because of this

One possible issue is that there's all kinds of different "plastics" out there. Maybe they can find a way to shred and mix them altogether? Not sure

My friend's company sells shredding equipment for recycling. I'll try to pick his brain a little

Aren’t the blue line and red line knives more expensive even though they support a cause?

I’d gladly buy a knife made with recycled plastic, even if the cost is higher. Go an extra step and use a recycled carton box with minimal graphics and a QR code instead of the typical instruction and warranty information.

[Sharp Guy]

I'm all for it but I imagine there's probably some hurdles to overcome to do something like this. My guess is the knives would probably be more expensive because of this

One possible issue is that there's all kinds of different "plastics" out there. Maybe they can find a way to shred and mix them altogether? Not sure

My friend's company sells shredding equipment for recycling. I'll try to pick his brain a little

Aren’t the blue line and red line knives more expensive even though they support a cause?

I’d gladly buy a knife made with recycled plastic, even if the cost is higher. Go an extra step and use a recycled carton box with minimal graphics and a QR code instead of the typical instruction and warranty information.

What are the blue and red line knives? Never heard of that before

There are several models that Spyderco donates a portion of the proceeds to charitable contributions. As far as I know the price isn't any higher because of it

https://www.spyderco.com/community/char ... tnerships/

My point was if knives that use recycled plastic cost more than similar models with FRN handles then I'm not sure how attractive they'd be for the general consumer. I get why this could be a good idea. Just not sure how practical it would be. If Spyderco decides to do something like this then great. I probably wouldn't be interested (it depends) but if other are then great

[Naperville]

What are the blue and red line knives? Never heard of that before

There are several models that Spyderco donates a portion of the proceeds to charitable contributions. As far as I know the price isn't any higher because of it

https://www.spyderco.com/community/char ... tnerships/

My point was if knives that use recycled plastic cost more than similar models with FRN handles then I'm not sure how attractive they'd be for the general consumer. I get why this could be a good idea. Just not sure how practical it would be. If Spyderco decides to do something like this then great. I probably wouldn't be interested (it depends) but if other are then great

The Blue and Red Line knives were manufactured by Spyderco for the Police and Fire support teams.

I know what you were thinking there Chicagoan!

[mikey177]

Maybe Spyderco could also explore the possibility of replacing the foam padding in the knife boxes with cardboard or some other more eco-friendly material.

[araneae]

I'm all for greener options. I wonder if they could add some amount of reclaimed plastic shred to the FRN mix. Some shoe companies do that with the foam soles containing a percentage of recycled material. I try to reduce single use plastics in my daily life and would love to see them ditch the foam tray and plastic pouches inside the box, replacing them with a paper wrap, its more old school too.

[standy99]

Pretty sure Spyderco would already be ethically minded in all their production compared to other companies.

I try to limit anything in other aspects of life so don’t see it needed in the knifes I buy and make lately.

No straws, carry a metal water bottle, use cotton shopping bags religiously.