A forum knife?

[Yo Mama]

Other forums a customized blade made for members, usually at a good price for what you're getting. Plus, if you're a forumite you have more pride in ownership. I want to show off a highroad blade!

I'd want something most could easily afford, if at all possible. To be clear, it would only be with mod approval, and I'm only bringing the idea to the table.

Anyone in?

 

[hso]

It would have to be offered by THR and not a member,

You'd be surprised by the "challenges" of bringing such project to fruition. Setting up a NFW group buy is a significant headache without the needed commerce software to collect monies. Imagine 100 times the headache. Sites that conduct such "business" usually have the backing of a retailer.

 

[conw]

How about a Case with a spyderhole (licensed of course) that's legal in all THR members' locations (or at least the NFW section), and is suitable for self-defense?

That ought to make everyone happy...

 

[hso]

What do you guys think the minimum orders are on these projects?

 

[Yo Mama]

I think minimum is normally 200-300.

It would have to be a knife EVERYONE wants.....which makes this the fun part

conwict, you have an interesting proposition my friend!

 

[rjrivero]

hso: Sent you a PM. If you think we could be of help, let me know. Regards. RJ

 

[Armored farmer]

....interesting, keep talking....

 

[OH_Spartan]

What about approaching Benchmade about a % discount for THR members that have the THR-approved logo or design laser-etched on the blade.

Perhaps we set up an electronic approval where a THR mod verifies the member in good standing, limit to one per user and/or household if there is fear that this would be abused by non-THR members.

Benchmade would handle the financial transactions...THR would not.
Benchmade already laser-etches as a service they offer, so they have the infrastructure to handle the customization.
Benchmade has a full product line, so surely all THR members could find something they like.
THR mods could set up a thread that takes a verbal commitment from THR-members. this list could be shown to Benchmade as part of the negotiation. "we think X% is reasonable because we're going to sell YYY knifes."

I picked Benchmade because they make great knives; sell knives at a variety of price points and they offer custom laser etching already. There may be other makers with the same characteristics.

 

[Paulgibs]

I'm not in any position to opine on the degree of difficulty in pulling this project off, but if it's do-able, I'm interested.

 

[OH_Spartan]

Another, maybe simpler approach could be to work with the knife maker/manufacturer to get a series of coupon codes set up. THR-members could PM a THR-moderator for their coupon code to use at check-out.

I'm sure there are other creative solutions that are far better than anything I have offered here. I'm just trying to keep the conversation going.

 

[Yo Mama]

Benchmade has their own forum and their own knife, so I'm not sure if they would be interested. They are actually rounding up the final list now.

Also, normally there are more people wanting the knife than the number offered, resulting in a waiting list. This is good, as it's natural for some to say they want one, but fall off the list due to personal reasons.

 

[OH_Spartan]

so benchmade is finishing up a THR forum knife?

 

[Yo Mama]

No, Benchmade has their own forum, and their own knife.

 

[Gordon]

A twist on this which is fun is various custom knife makers make a "THR" knife and label it as such and have a blind raffle that runs off a lottery number. Say 100 spots at $5 each with a cut off date of when the raffle goes no matter what the card has filled. The maker posts work in progress ect. and gets to knock him/her self out. The winner gets a valuable one of a kind, everyone a winner!

 

[conw]

That was a joke... I will literally die if that idea becomes a tangible item.

However, before dying, I suppose I would place an order for it...and try to last until it came out

 

[OH_Spartan]

Ahhhh...got it, thanks Yo_mama.

Maybe I took the conversation down a bad road by throwing Benchmade's name in the mix. The point of my posts was to try to identify problems to be solved. Namely:

THR will have trouble taking $$ for the knives, ensuring the knives actually sell, and deciding on a design that accommodates all the knife snobs on THR.

Imagine a knife-maker or manufacturer that: takes online orders, sells quality knives at a range of price-points and has the ability to custom engrave with a THR logo

You now have a THR/Manufacturer partnership that solves all the problems outlined above. Perhaps the only remaining problems are safe-guarding that the manufacture isn't giving away too much $$ to non-THR members. The THR needs to protect their brand, logo design, etc. to make sure we are staying true to the THR. This could be set up by a coupon code or some other process.

Again, just trying to keep the conversation going.....I'm sure better ideas will surface.

 

[hso]

That was a joke

and another bad one, at that.

Folks,

If someone wants to approach Derek with some ideas I encourage you to do so.

 

[conw]

Well it was meant to illustrate how difficult a THR forum knife would be, to make everyone happy.

Guilty as charged though!

 

[hso]

Add the axis lock and you'd have the ultimate knife.

 

[jbkebert]

I would be interested in a chance from one of the forum's knife makers.

On the logo item idea. Outdoor edge does engraved logo items at reasonable prices. The two outdoor edge knives I own are really very good knives.

 

[conw]

Psshhht. You can't have an ULTIMATE knife without a tanto point... or better yet a BESH wedge!

Also, we could put Bear Grylls's name on it somewhere.

 

[hso]

conwict,

Heck a "tanto" is just a wharnecliffe that's upside down.

 

[newbuckeye]

Why would you have to narrow it to ONE style? Pick a maker, have a folder, a fixed, a lockable and a something else......??

 

[hso]

newbuckeye,

Because you have minimums that have to be ordered and Spyderco has a 500 piece minimum. Other companies go as low as 250. At those numbers you can't be assured of selling 250-500 pieces of just one knife. Start doing this all at once with different knives and you assure yourself of financial failure. Doing it in a serial manner reduces the risk, but there's still risk if you don't sell all of them quickly. THR isn't coupled to or supported by a commercial site that can absorb that sort of financial strain. The staff are unpaid volunteers and members don't pay to support the operating cost of the site. It would be a major undertaking and risk.

OTOH, if folks wanted to commit to demonstrate a real interest instead of just "talking at the bar"...

 

[KCAce]

I really like the idea of a forum knife, too, and would love to see a Benchmade or any of several other possible makers (Gerber, Case, Spyderco, Buck, etc.). Or another thought, if knives have volume issues, why not a cane or walking staff made by a reputable manufacturer with 'THR' applied some way? I'd prefer a knife, but maybe something else would be 'easier', while being a somewhat nicer than a T shirt or ball cap.
KCAce