At what point does brand love go overboard ?

[Hickory n steel]

I've got 3 Buck 119 collector issues. I doubt I buy more Buck knives due to fact they have stick tangs and I collect hard use, full, exposed tang knives.

I love them and feel they're one of the best companies in the business, based on quality and customer service / business ethics but I still would not own only Buck knives and currently only have 5 ( not done though )

 

[Insipid Moniker]

For me it's about my emotional reaction. If I'm having a discussion about the merits of a company that's pretty calm, I'm still good. However, when someone criticizes a company and I get all up in ma feels, then I'm probably being a fanboy.

I like a lot of knife companies very much, but I try to remember, though I think very highly of the business practices and ethics some of them display, they have no loyalty to me at all, nor should I to them.

 

[Cvrobinson]

When you pre order a blade at my age, knowing you may not "survive" until delivery

 

[brownshoe]

When the only slipjoint you'll consider has to be made by GEC and you constantly tell people about the fit/finish problems of every other slipjoint maker. Plus you preorder 2 of every new GEC release to make sure you get one you'll keep for a year until you flip it for more than you paid.

 

[JBoone]

When you get the logo as a neck tattoo.

 

[22-rimfire]

When the only slipjoint you'll consider has to be made by GEC and you constantly tell people about the fit/finish problems of every other slipjoint maker. Plus you preorder 2 of every new GEC release to make sure you get one you'll keep for a year until you flip it for more than you paid.

GEC makes a good slipjoint. If you like slipjoints, it's hard not to like a GEC. That said, since I don't collect knives (only accumulate), I am rapidly approaching the point where I buy only an occasional GEC. I don't flip them. I haven't sold any of my knives.

 

[unwisefool]

When you start thinking about getting a tattoo of the logo...

 

[RBid]

I was in a store the other day going, “Where are the Spydercos?” It was ridiculous. Benchmade *everywhere*. No Spyderco, AT ALL. No ZT. Not even Kershaw!

I made sure to let them know they were shameless brand whores before I left.

I’ll never go to the Benchmade factory again, for as long as... this week!

 

[Charlie Mike]

I'm loyal to MY brand.

 

[eugenechia1989]

I may come across as a Cold Steel fanboy but the truth is, I don't like most of the knives they make, and I do have complaints about my favourite knife which I perhaps praise a bit excessively (Code 4) - slippery handle and small blade relative to the handle (odd blade to handle ratio). If I were a true fanboy, I'd say all Cold Steel products are great, nobody makes better knives than they do, and I'd be offended if someone complained about the Code 4 being slippery, the American Lawman being a bit too utilitarian, the Tri-Ad lock being a bit too stiff, and etc... I think an inability to look at a brand and its products objectively is a sign that one's a fanboy and brand-love has gone overboard. Basically, excessive praise and aggression towards anyone who doesn't share the same level of enthusiasm.

 

[Yonose]

I’m pretty loyal to 4 or 5 brands:Spyderco, Busse, Zt(though I havent bought one recently), and Ontario blades made of 5160. I own multiples of at least 10 other brands, but am a fanboy of the brands mentioned above.

 

[craytab]

When you get so upset over the rules of this forum regarding cloning you post insults on another member's profile page

On a serious note, I came to a point where I owned most of the seki made sogs. Besides the fact that I never used them, i looked at the crap sog was now putting out and could not justify the collection. Still have a few users but the character of a company matters.

 

[gazz98]

I don't go overboard on brand loyalty. But I'm willing to try.

I'm now officially soliciting offers from knife companies and/or makers to endorse their products. I'm available for print, video, personal appearances, etc. I accept cash + knives as payment. I can do for your knives what the bear did for Snuggle fabric softener and Flo did for Geico.

 

[22-rimfire]

...On a serious note, I came to a point where I owned most of the seki made sogs. Besides the fact that I never used them, i looked at the crap sog was now putting out and could not justify the collection. Still have a few users but the character of a company matters.

Company character or perceived character matters somewhat. Product matters more to me. But I was also a SOG fanboy back in the 2005-2007 time frame or until they copied (from my point of view) the Spydie hole. As time progressed, more and more companies have been going with some sort of hole, but not necessarily the noticeable humped blade design of many Spydies. I feel pretty much the same way about Cold Steel as I do SOG generally speaking and I seldom even look at their line these days except when somebody here mentions a model that I am not familiar with. Now I am not so biased against SOG and sometimes recommend them. But I try to look at them fairly objectively now.

 

[3fifty7]

When Ron Choen nearly ruined Kimber then went to Sig and they began to produce iridescent and diamond plate crap that I tried my damnedest to ignore. I know it's all about the bottom line but imo they are trying too hard to appeal to consumers that I'd rather not be reached if that's what it takes. You build your reputation on a tried and true product then splinter into so many different directions, for what? Sadly I feel I'm seeing and trying to ignore these same signs from my favorite knife company in the last couple of years, but without taking chances we would be without new design and innovation.

 

[skyhorse]

Can we all agree quartermaster are the best?

 

[Horizon7]

When a Spyderco fan defends the poor production of the jade Lum tanto.

 

[DocJD]

When you get so upset over the rules of this forum regarding cloning you post insults on another member's profile page

On a serious note, I came to a point where I owned most of the seki made sogs. Besides the fact that I never used them, i looked at the crap sog was now putting out and could not justify the collection. Still have a few users but the character of a company matters.

Way back , 80's and 90's , I had a nice dagger collection that included SOG and Gerber . Lost to theft . Much later when I went to replace them , I was appalled by the the reduction in quality . The inner fanboy felt betrayed and I've never bought from either company again .

On a less serious note : Get over it !

 

[22-rimfire]

Way back , 80's and 90's , I had a nice dagger collection that included SOG and Gerber .

One of my early blades for fun was a Gerber boot dagger. Actually tried using the knife like a regular knife and gave up on that concept.

Did Al Gore invent the internet yet in the 80's and 90's? For regular folks AOL paved the way for internet access in the early to mid-90's and things got better with the advent of the 486 and then Pentium personal computers.

 

[Yonose]

One of my early blades for fun was a Gerber boot dagger. Actually tried using the knife like a regular knife and gave up on that concept.

Did Al Gore invent the internet yet in the 80's and 90's? For regular folks AOL paved the way for internet access in the early to mid-90's and things got better with the advent of the 486 and then Pentium personal computers.

Al Gore invented the internet as we know it around 1990. Lol. Macs and ibm pc’s were what we were using back in 93. It wasn’t that long ago, maybe 2003-4 that fast speeds were generally available making access quick and easy.