Blackjack knife Co. ? Help fill me in.

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I own a Black jack knife and it is excellant quality. Especially considering what I paid for it 10yrs ago. Can someone tell me what happened to this company and why they went under? especially after offering such a great product line! Any help will be appreciated.
Bob Hankins
 
The company is defunct but I see that AG Russell has some of the old merchandise for sale.

Larry

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I guess I am mainly interested in the WHY of what happened to Blackjack Knives. Did they get sued for copyright infringement? Or maybe just poor management. I would like to know.
Thanks
 
This is one question that has been asked a lot. The short answer is they just did not run the business properly. Their bills were not paid and they under cut dealers especially in the southern IL area. When you don't pay your suppliers, pass out bad pay checks to your employee's, and under cut your own dealers, you don't stay in business. The sad part is they made some really nice knives at very affordable prices.

Regards,

Tom Carey
 
I agree, they did make some nice blades. One thing I never understood is why Randal Made Knives never sued them!!

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"Always think of your fellow knife makers as partners in the search for the perfect blade, not as people trying to compete with you and your work!"
 
I agree, they did make some nice blades. One thing I never understood is why Randal Made Knives never sued them!!

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"Always think of your fellow knife makers as partners in the search for the perfect blade, not as people trying to compete with you and your work!"
 
Woaaahh. Don't know what happened there. I just clicked the icon once. Sorry for the repeat Forumites!!
 
Sue them for what?

flattery?

Randalls arent patented, ya know.


[This message has been edited by Anthony Lombardo (edited 29 November 1999).]
 
Additionally to Tom Careys post, I understand that close to the time before their shutting down, a large number of their fix blades were improperly made in the way of heat treat and quite a few reports of failure surfaced. I last saw them available from Cutlery Shoppe. There were AWACs,HALOs, and Blackmoor Dirks(?).

L8r,
Nakano
 
If I'm not mistaken Ken Warner has started up BlackJack again. As a matter of fact the connection to his web site was posted here recently. Any one else see it ?
Bob
 
I believe it was also mentioned in an earlier thread that the Blackjack trademark is now owned by Ken Warner. He has a website at www.knifeware.com

He mentions in his website about making some new versions of Blackjack knives. That should be interesting. He also stated that one reason the original Blackjack Knives went under was that the were sold too cheaply.
 
According to some investors that I talked to and some of the law enforcement officers that claimed they were in on the raids of the business and homes of the owners. There was more than simple mis-management and cheap prices going on. According to the hearsay there were LOTS and LOTS of knives stacked in the garages, basements, and closets of the owners homes while they claimed that there was no product to deliver.

I have seen many a business go under by the owners "living out of the till."
 
Thanks for all of the input!
This was my first posting and definetly won't be the last.
Thanks again
 
for nakano2 I own several late production blackjack knives and I would appreciate any information about defects in heat treatment that you know about. thanks fudo
 
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