A real SAK of sh*t

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Jun 6, 2002
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A weighty envelope arrived at the office and, handling it, I’m like, “don’t tell me ...” In the envelope was a SAK made in China, offered as a sample of what I can buy in multiples of with my company name engraved on it. And sure ‘nuff, there was my company name emblazoned on this sample knife!

So I start thinking which customers of mine wouldn’t mind getting a POS with my company name on it.

Delving further, I dig out the page explaining the offer. Holy cow. This knife is available for $1.98. And that’s the engraved price. Mind you, that’s the engraved price and this advertising specialty company offering it is MAKING MONEY on this!

So I figure to check this little knife out. Surprise! It’s truly a POS.

I was all about how not to hurt myself handling this blade that felt as though it’d self destruct. Some of the tools were difficult to get into the open position. Don't even ask about the blade.

This might come in handy as a fishing weight, but then again, it might scare any fish away.


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Maybe some poor sheeple would carry it if it was free, and it might come in handy for them. But that is a big "maybe". :)



Blades
 
Those made in China verions of the SAK really are "pieces of work", aren't they?. I wouldn't give one of those to even my worst enemy.:barf:.
 
I've been given a few of the Chinese SAKs. :barf: They DON'T get displayed along side my Spydies
 
Several reasons goods made in the "People's Republic of China" are of lesser quality...

They manufacturing base is controlled centrally and is planned similarly to nations under a "wartime economy". Thus, consumer goods receive very little attention and the last pick of raw materials.
Export goods recieve the least attention.

The economy is labor intensive, and they have a shortage of good quality capital machinery. Quality labor is often snatched up by foreign companies who import their own machinery and run their own factories... Usually, they will manufacture just parts and then ship the parts back to the home factory for assembly so that it can be labelled "made in so-and-so"

China lacks the marketing capability to create a good product and market it as so... It excells as an OEM contractor for existing foreign companies. Thus, the product is only as good as the OEM contractor requires it to be. The above knife, I guess, meets contractor requirements.

There's probably a lot more reasons, but I would also speculate that if you actually did the groundwork and found a knifemaker who made knifes the "old fashioned" way, and gave him a chunk of high quality steel, he would make you a work of art.
 
I just picked up a Cold Steel walking stick, and in the package were my free gifts: the obligatory Proof video, and one of their Swiss Steel made-in-China SAK knockoffs.

First of all, it looked exactly like the picture Boink posted, except the handles are red plastic and mine didn't have the beautiful scissors. Second of all, while the quality isn't dangerously poor, the knife is so crude, it would be an insult for a knife knut to give it to anyone.

What really gets me is that Lynn Thompson hypes these knives by saying how useful the real SAKs are, but that they are too expensive for the average person. Huh? We're not talking high finance for a Classic or a Cadet, are we? And the real ones will last half of forever.
 
Lynn Thompson is a whole other issue...LOL

True, the China made SAK's are a POS, but it serves it's purpose, which is to produce a SAK for as little money as possible. Don't be angry with China or Chinese industry, they did what they were asked... companies ask for these knives by the thousands because they cost only pennies and they can give them away for marketing recognition. Don't even be angry with the companies that give them away gratis... after all, they perform really well for the money you paid for them. Do however, be angry if someone sells you one for a few dollars and claims that they have a high quality product. But then, do be angry with yourself as well, for laying out money for a POS.
 
Now I understand how Home Shopping Network was able to sell their "Knife Spectacular" comprising around 100 knives of all types for only $250.00, seeing that this went for $1.98.

Actuall, now I think HSN was actually too expensive for the 100 knife deal! :eek:
 
Mutt,
your right in a sense in america we do "balk" at free things sometimes. Personally I would never give one of these to anyone, advertising, or otherwise. It would reflect what I think of my customers. Cheap? yes, very inexpensive, but then I would'nt want someone to have my "advertisement knife" falling apart on them as they look at my logo. It would be more expensive to give out better knives, if there was the mony you could, maybe pens would be better?
 
I suspect you have different "customers", but what you say is the truth. Americans have come to expect more...

Truth be told, even sheeple will know the difference between that, and a SAK, but not many will really give a rat's derriere about it, especially in urban areas where a good knife is NOT part of everyday life.

No publicity is bad publicity... if you give out a cheap fridge magnet, a cheap watch, or even a Beretta shotgun, the name isgoing to be emblazoned in the customer's mind... even if it invokes negative though, it's still thought and when time comes to think about a service or a company, that name is going to pop up first in his/her mind.

Thus, if your service and product is good, yet your giveaway below par, customers will most likely go back ot you again. It's not about the knife, it's about seeing the name over and over again.
 
That's because you're not a "businessman" and that's a good thing...

It's also funny that only in America, a term used to denote slimy cut-throat and backstabbing, self-justifying practice in pursuit of financial gain has become a term for respect?
 
does it show? I thought I was complimenting you...LOL

I've been eating Indian food for four days straight, I'm beginning to smell like curry and I had a bad dream last night...LOL
 
Try using some of the tools.... The last Chinese-knockoff SAK I saw was made of chrome-plated copper! Nice, flaky coating. Now if they only knew about tin they'd be in the Bronze Age ;) .
 
So far, in the last 4 months, I've gotten 3 of these in the mail.

I wonder what they actually cost - $0.10? It would have to be very, very low to enable them to send out so many.

One of my coworkers carries one on his keychain. I warned him repeatedly that it was garbage and probably dangerous, but he hasn't listened. I don't think he's in any real danger, though, as he's not the type of guy to ever use it (or even remember that he has it on his keychain).

I got a plastic handled one a while back, as well. I think it is pretty similar to the Cold Steel version. It's not as bad as the stainless ones, but it isn't exactly high quality.

It sure makes you appreciate those "expensive" SAK's.

-- Rob
 
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