I think we’re reaching the limit

[Dnwrghtsr]

I’ve noticed recently that exclusives or sprints that would sell out in minutes just sit in stock. SMKW pm2 is still in stock at $199. Not a bad price compared to the regular production pm2’s. The pm2 s90v coated olive green was in stock for a long time. It was on sale at one point for $139. I was wrong about the pm2 15v, I thought $204 might slow sales but it did well. It looks like the shaman 15v is selling out slower than the first two. In the past if you bought an exclusive or sprint if you decided you didn’t like it or just wanted to try something else you could almost always get your money back or maybe a little more. I realize there are exceptions but it seems to me like some of these models are reaching the top of their price points.

[Danke]

Waves on the ocean; Crest or Trough.

[standy99]

With interest rates up everywhere from the USA, UK, and Australia…..it’s not only knives. A lot of other goods are in the same space lately.
(As a watch guy also….Limited watches have been similarly lasting longer than usual lately)

[Bolster]

Knives are an interesting "investment" and seem to follow the general path for weapons: In good times they are worth more; in bad times worth less, and in really bad times, worth a lot more!

[dull&blunt]

Don't buy knives as an investment. Buy them because you are genuinely enthusiastic about them. You'l be satisficed knowing that you got to experience them before passing them on. That is worth something.

And as a side note: SWKW did too many specials with the same recipe (along with a lot of other exclusives), and the 15V are an extra special recipe that nearly deserve their own category. At least as I understand them.

[RustyIron]

I’ve noticed recently that exclusives or sprints that would sell out in minutes just sit in stock. SMKW pm2 is still in stock at $199. Not a bad price compared to the regular production pm2’s.

You're right, it's not a bad price when compared to the plain vanilla PM2. The scales are really nice. But from my perspective, the steel is more important than the fancy colors. It's M4. There's no way I could be happy about M4 when for five bucks more, I could have 15V.

Maybe Smokey Mountain sold a bazillion of these knives, but they could get a better deal by ordering a 1.1 bazillion units.

[Bolster]

Don't buy knives as an investment. Buy them because you are genuinely enthusiastic about them.

That's a great example of a false dichotomy. For the record, I buy gold and silver, and I'm genuinely enthusiastic about them, too.

[Evil D]

It's market saturation, and I think increasingly picky buyers who are learning more about the steels they're buying. Used to be any sprint or exclusive sold out in just about any steel because it wasn't S30V or VG10, but now the steel type has a lot more to do with it than it did in the past. While a steel like S90V is certainly not a bad steel, it is also very much old news at this point and there have been a lot of ways to buy it in the past, same with S110V that's standard production now, people overlook those options because they're not "special" but then lose their minds over the next steel that might be so similar that they couldn't tell them apart in a blind test.

I just bought 3 of the purple/DLC Para 2's from DLT because they were actually $17 cheaper than the standard DLC version which is pretty amazing. I don't know if people just don't like purple or something but it wasn't long ago people would have sold a kidney for a Cruwear Para 2.

[Cowboyfromhell]

I think its about money. The prices for knives have rose every single year since 2020. $10-20 increase yearly sure does make people go hmmmm, nope all set. my first spyderco, a s30v black g10 pm2 cost $120 in 2019....4 years later its almost $200!!....its almost May and I have only purchased 1 spyderco knife. Usually this time of year I have bought 5-10 spydercos..... Price is certainly a factor now......

[standy99]

Plenty of bargains around also…mint LW Para 3 in M4 was only $122 IIRC

I can be accused of buying a knife just because it was “as cheap as chips”

[Giygas]

I think its about money. The prices for knives have rose every single year since 2020. $10-20 increase yearly sure does make people go hmmmm, nope all set. my first spyderco, a s30v black g10 pm2 cost $120 in 2019....4 years later its almost $200!!....its almost May and I have only purchased 1 spyderco knife. Usually this time of year I have bought 5-10 spydercos..... Price is certainly a factor now......

While certainly not a counter to your point, this made me realize something.

My first Shaman actually cost $10 more than my most recent Shaman. The CF/s90v sprint run Shaman was $280 in 2019, and the 15V Shaman was/is $270 now.

My Spyderco buying has slowed down significantly, too...

[TkoK83Spy]

Yep, with the prices of everything going up, "luxury" items like a knife may now have to take a backseat to people that are living on a budget. As previously mentioned, if it's not the hot new steel of the week there's a great chance it's going to sit...which is crazy to think how quick knives in the steels mentioned would have sold out in seconds a mere 4-5 years ago.

Also, lets face it. There's A LOT of competition out there these days for knives in the $100-$300 range. Very nice options all around.

Another thing, with the prices going up the dreaded "flippers" probably aren't around scooping them up by the dozens these days when their returns have to be pretty minimal and not worth the hassle.

[JRinFL]

The flippers will move on to the next hot product. They are much like mosquitos and fleas, only less welcome.

The problem with offering the next super steel is that everything else looks bad in comparison. They have created their own trap in that in order to keep driving sales they have to keep offering something new and better. All the low hanging fruit has been picked and there is not much left on the tree.

[Bolster]

All the low hanging fruit has been picked and there is not much left on the tree.

Ha! Well said. The way I see it, we are the low hanging fruit! Despite protests to the contrary, we forumites are always willing to whip out the billfold for another knife...

[Matus]

Maybe just more people are buying houses. Doing so had a very chilling effect on the budget of my absurdly-non-essential expenses ...

[RustyIron]

I don't know if people just don't like purple or something but it wasn't long ago people would have sold a kidney for a Cruwear Para 2.

I feel secure enough with my masculinity that I'll publicly admit to preferring the Purple CruWear PM2. I carry it frequently. Don't tell anyone, but I've also dyed a couple FRN K390's purple. My fancy 15V PM2 hasn't even arrived yet, and I'm already thinking about what I can do to make it purple.

[Evil D]

I don't know if people just don't like purple or something but it wasn't long ago people would have sold a kidney for a Cruwear Para 2.

I feel secure enough with my masculinity that I'll publicly admit to preferring the Purple CruWear PM2. I carry it frequently. Don't tell anyone, but I've also dyed a couple FRN K390's purple. My fancy 15V PM2 hasn't even arrived yet, and I'm already thinking about what I can do to make it purple.

It's not a bad purple either especially with the black blade. Mine all got scale swaps through so now I've got 3 sets of purple scales I need to do something with lol.

[HolySteel]

It's not a bad purple either especially with the black blade. Mine all got scale swaps through so now I've got 3 sets of purple scales I need to do something with lol.

I think that visually the purple with black is a great color combination. I wanted a Cruwear, but went with the Crucarta because the blade wasn't DLC-coated. Doing a little research, it looks like the DLC shouldn't be a concern as far as scratches and chips, but I'm glad I didn't know that when I skipped it - love the Crucarta.

[ZrowsN1s]

You're not off base saying S90V is old news to some David, but it's a shame. I love S90V it's one of the better steels out there in my opinion, and still a reason for me to buy a knife I might not otherwise.

[James Y]

Don't buy knives as an investment. Buy them because you are genuinely enthusiastic about them. You'l be satisficed knowing that you got to experience them before passing them on. That is worth something.

I agree with this.

Jim