Brand Loyalty

I'm a die-hard Himalayan Imports fanboy. They embody pretty much everything I look for in a company - high quality, hand-made products made by traditional craftsmen using traditional methods, historical relevance, excellent customer service, good treatment of employees, and just being really incredibly good looking.
 
I don't have a preference in the positive. But in the negative I do. Anything KAI, Böker for some reason Imcannot stand. Trying to give both a chance in the future again though.

Don't even know why. Just that its this "huge" corporate thing. Various brands and a billion different models.
 
I like knives from many brands. I used to be diehard for a couple companies but no longer. I still like them and buy products from them but, i dont work for them, they are not my friends and we dont hang on the weekends so i dont pretend like we do. At the end of the day i am a consumer buying goods from companies. I try not to pretend its anything more than that. The only difference between the knife in my pocket and the groceries i bought today is i have a hobby in knives rather bread or toilet paper. But i dont feel my love for knives makes me special to any of the corporations that make them. I hold no ill will to anyone but i also dont revere anyone to an elevated standard either.
 
mqqn said:
Some brands have the features, materials and build quality that I look for in a knife, so I tend to buy those brands. I also have a friend who makes knives, and I like his knives and buy those as well.

I can't keep everyone in business, and I have more cutting ability in my collection than 50 individuals would need in a lifetime, so it really comes down to what I want.

And I buy what I want from who I want based on what I want.

best

mqqn
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That's a significantly different concept than brand loyalty. My preferences certainly draw me to a few brands, but if they stop making knives that suit those preferences I will cheerfully stop buying from them, and if their quality slips or they produce a lemon I'm not going to try to excuse it.
 
After collecting knives for a while, you refine your tastes and become aware of what works and doesn't work for you.

Had a lot of quality, sharp things pass through my hands over the years. I've learned that quality and sharp doesn't always make for a good knife. Ergonomics and form-follows-function seemed to win out over pricey materials, proprietary locks, and passing fads. I also learned that I don't like: little springs, thumb studs, polished / slippery laminates like carbon fiber (peel ply or textured is awesome), assisted openers, or flippers. That knocks out quite a bit of competition for my hard-earned dollars. :D
 
The only brand I'm completely loyal to is the one imprinted on my wallet. ;) Having said that, there are some brands I like better than others. But in the final analysis, it really comes down to what I'm willing to give up to get what I want. I call that using my opportunity cost calculator. The tradeoff is either worth it to me or it isn't.
 
I am not loyal to any one brand... but I will say that I have brands that I favor because above all else, customer service trumps everything. So when I see people like Sal (Spyderco) or Clay Allison (Wicked Edge) having their own forums and actually listening to their customers and standing behind their products, that says something to me and I wanna back that!
 
I find myself liking the look of a lot of spydercos and I love the way the company is run. I wouldn't say I am incredibly loyal to any one brand since each brand has different advantages. However, the two companies I like right now the most are kershaw and spyderco.
 
I will never have blind brand loyalty.
I currently have more Spydercos than any other brand. But there are many Spydercos I don't like.

If I like a knife I buy it, try it, and if I still like it, I keep it. :)

I also prefer to stick to USA made knives. But that isn't a deal breaker either if the knife suits a purpose.

Right now I have a USA Spyderco clipped in my waistband and a Chinese Kershaw clipped in my pocket.
 
Interesting that no one I would consider a cough cough fanboy for any brand that I have seen on here over the years except one CRK fan. (No offense if you know who you are:D) has chimed in

Also interesting that KAI/ZT seemed to be liked by most with Spyderco bringing up second in this small sample.
 
bobnery said:
Interesting that no one I would consider a cough cough fanboy for any brand that I have seen on here over the years except one CRK fan. (No offense if you know who you are:D) has chimed in

Also interesting that KAI/ZT seemed to be liked by most with Spyderco bringing up second in this small sample.
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Certified CRK fanboy checking in!

But Im also a non-exclusive fanboy, in that Im a fanboy of many brands. ZT, spyderco, Benchmade, pretty much anything I like and have liked for a long time would qualify.

But I wouldnt blindly defend any of these if they started making something less than what got me to like them.
 
There are some definite fanboys in this thread whether they'll admit it or not.
 
While being an unwaivering fanboy isn't the worst thing in the world, it is down right annoying when people will ignore: Facts or logic and In some extreme cases both lol
Krissig12 said:
I say we all hunt them down!

After all, the worst thing one could be is a fanboy of a particular brand :rolleyes:
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I use to be loyal to benchmades but with the price increase and quality so hit and miss I'm more loyal to zero tolerance. Zero tolerance are about the same price but I feel there quality is much better than most knife companies.
 
shinyedges said:
While being an unwaivering fanboy isn't the worst thing in the world, it is down right annoying when people will ignore: Facts or logic and In some extreme cases both lol
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Let the ignorant be ignorant *shrug*

No reason to get worked up over it
 
Insipid Moniker said:
That's a significantly different concept than brand loyalty. My preferences certainly draw me to a few brands, but if they stop making knives that suit those preferences I will cheerfully stop buying from them, and if their quality slips or they produce a lemon I'm not going to try to excuse it.
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What exactly are you trying to get at? Arguing the semantics of what constitutes brand loyalty?

Picking the fly specks out of the pepper is a speciality for some

best

mqqn
 
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