From what I have seen of the Attwood stuff the price is way over what I would pay for a key ring tool, by the time it gets here it would be more than €100 for $100 with shipping customs duty and tax (€1 = $1.51). I have never really researched the subject of this type of tool so I don't really know what else is out there, if there are a lot of others then I will start to research them before I buy anything. Especially if they are all more or less similar to the piranha in terms of cost and quality. You are right about the `get what you pay for´ particularly as far as tools for work go, I buy the best I can afford and it usually pays dividends, otherwise it is the old saying `Buy cheap, buy twice´( or more).
"I am a huge fan of Atwoods and I think imitation is the highest form of flattery." Isn't that a backhanded compliment? I think it's unfair to these people since they have already given their piece on how they respect Attwood etc and explained their position. They are trying to market a universal tool that looks like it could very well be handy to have around. On top of that, Attwood pieces have definitely hit an almost luxury point so I don't think anyone is deciding to choose a piranha or an Attwood piece. In fact if you're really an enthusiast, I can't see why you can't just own both and judge them on their own merits. These people are offering a multitool that, for now, seems to be durable and well made and do a multitude of things. We're not exactly reinventing the wheel here. Competition is always good for any field of innovation.
IMHO this looks like an awsome tool. The fact that it will not be a limited production run is icing on the cake. With all my financial responsibilities, I cannot always jump on an Atwood when they are available, IF I happen to catch one. I plan on getting one of these as soon as I can. Don't get me wrong, I'll still snap up a crawdaddy when one is up for grabs on the sales forum and I have the cash as I do love Peters work, but in the mean time this is a great way to have a uni-piece multi tool with an open ended wrench. Good job guys, I think ya hit this one out of the ball park.
I preordered one. And I love Peter's stuff and will continue to add to my Atwood collection anytime that I can.
What makes Atwoods so expensive? Is it just demand? Cost of labor? Extremely low volume production? Complicated design? I'm trying to understand why this Piranha, which is made out of S30V like Atwoods, is half the price. And then there's the Gerber artifact which is 1/5th the cost of the Piranha. Seems like these wouldn't be hard to make via extrusions and two machining operations for the pry flats.
Well, first of all the Piranha is not necessarily 1/2 the price of an Atwood. It's $49. Some of Peter's tools are in that price range including recent releases of Prybabies and Chiggers Some are more. You have to be careful confusing the secondary market for what Peter sells them for. But to your first questions, yes it's absolutely supply & demand. That drives pricing for everything. He had a sign up sale last week for a Talonite MSOPT for $250, and 382 people signed up for it. 382 people willing to pay $250 for that rare tool. You think he should let them go for $49? What drives the cost of something can have multiple reasons. Why does a BMW cost more than a Ford Focus? Why is a Moleskine more than a Mead pocket notebook? Why is a Benchmade Mini Grip more than a Buck Bantam? But at the end of the day, they are worth what the market will bear for a price. And since his tools sell out in minutes if not hours, they're probably "worth" more than he charges for them.
I worked for a produce company (wholesale) for 13 years. If I took anything with me when I left that company that I have used or quoted it was the owner saying SON YOU ONLY CHARGE WHAT THE MARKET WILL BEAR! And a resounding heck yeah for the man who can get top dollar and have them standing in line! When you are the only guy with tomatoes in town it's a joy to watch your money quadruple than just double! :boo:
Nice, so if I placed my order on the first then will mine ship out on monday or tuesday then? Thanks! Edit: I see you are changing the material, may I ask why?
Yes, it will be part of the first shipments. In terms of material, the mill that produces S30V is in Chapter 11 Bankruptcy and has no firm date for the next run of S30V. In order to ensure that we're able to best meet customer demand and cause no delays we've decided to change the Piranha to 154CM indefinitely. If production of S30V starts up again and stabilizes, then we will most certainly reconsider using it. The metric version will be available for purchase in the next few weeks and start shipping in January.
Crucible, who makes S30V, is in Chapter 11. There are assorted reports of stopping/resuming production, availability of old stock, etc.
