Camillus Closes

I believe like A.G.Russell. The management,for the sake of its employees.
Should have done like the rest of the knife making companies. Kept on making
thier preamium line and found a line overseas, that met thier standards to sell.
However, it is a great loss and I wish all the employees well.
 
It is really a shame and the "reasons" at this time only have value in teaching the rest of us.

In reality, it is very difficult to keep an American knife company alive and healthy these days.

Changing markets, shifting economies, skilled labor costs, Chinese competition (cheap), Japanese competition (high quality), changes in laws, 911, Internet sales, aggressive competitors, etc.

Each of the surviving American companies must be on their toes, alert and focused. This is not yet finished.

In the end, it is the most committed that survive.

sal
 
Sal Glesser said:
Changing markets, shifting economies, skilled labor costs, Chinese competition (cheap), Japanese competition (high quality), changes in laws, 911, Internet sales, aggressive competitors, etc.


sal
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I agree with those points except for 7 and 8. I don't see how 9/11 had any impact on U.S. knife makers at all that it didn't have on everything else in the business world. I might be wrong but I sure don't see it. I also believe the internet has done more good for promoting and selling higher end knives than anything else during the 9 years I've been involved in it. I realize manufacturers feel the opposite way but I think they are wrong.

It is a shame to lose another American cutlery icon. I hope we don't have to lose any more. Yes it is hard to keep any company afloat in the U.S or anywhere else. It takes tenacity and hard work. Those that are committed to it can make it happen. I certainly agree there.
 
I've got an awesome Camillus M3 Trench Knife from WWII with blade date marked 1943. It will remind me of 'the good old days'.

RIP :mad:
 
Sal makes a great point. The tragic Camillus situation, like many others, serves as a great learning tool for remaining knife companies. Like in many industries, knife companies must remain flexible, innovative and responsive as new competitive challenges arise.
 
A. G. Russell said:
Bob is correct when he says that forign compition is over played.

It is not the flea markets that hurts so much as it is Wal-Mart, Lowes, Home Depot and the other big box stores. All pushing china and low-low prices.

One of the reasons the compoany failed was because they tried to import cheap crap rather than make the great knives they could have. I had lots of knives on order and they quit delivering more than a year ago.

What really hurts is "What could have been"

Management has to bear the blame. They failed to react properly to 9/11 and to the influx of cheap knives from China.

A. G.
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How did they fail to react on 9/11?

Camillus has been making pretty crappy knives. They still made the WW2 knives and they were priced well but not going to make a ton of money. Lets look at the other lines like becker. Becker came out with the EXTREME BECKER a few months ago and it cost 400 dollars!! You could buy a strider (better sheath, heat treat and cheeper) thats alot better.

Its just like the american car companys, their not matching the competition. Case will be next, I hope!

I feel sorry for the workers but not a company that lets it self go and wonders why its going in the crapper.
 
SubaruSTi said:
How did they fail to react on 9/11?

Camillus has been making pretty crappy knives. They still made the WW2 knives and they were priced well but not going to make a ton of money. Lets look at the other lines like becker. Becker came out with the EXTREME BECKER a few months ago and it cost 400 dollars!! You could buy a strider (better sheath, heat treat and cheeper) thats alot better.

Its just like the american car companys, their not matching the competition. Case will be next, I hope!

I feel sorry for the workers but not a company that lets it self go and wonders why its going in the crapper.
Click to expand...

Now you hope Case knives go out business? :confused: Why?
 
I dont hope but I hope if another company dose its them or someone who isnt trying to stay afloat.

Kershaw has their new ZT line that has great knives, some of the best production I know of. Case has...? oh yeah crap. I bought a case knife a few years ago and I opened it up and started to whittle a stick and in about 3 strokes the label on the side fell off! The steel is pretty cheep and you pay $40-$50 bucks, its insane. If they dont try they shouldnt be in buissness.
 
Knife Outlet said:
I agree with those points except for 7 and 8. I don't see how 9/11 had any impact on U.S. knife makers at all that it didn't have on everything else in the business world. I might be wrong but I sure don't see it. I also believe the internet has done more good for promoting and selling higher end knives than anything else during the 9 years I've been involved in it. I realize manufacturers feel the opposite way but I think they are wrong.

.
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Hi KO,

Didn't mean that it impacted them more than anyone else, just that it impacted knife companies, them included. Didn't say internet was good or bad, just that it has changed the industry. Certainly the information available through the internet has significantly edge-u-cated the knife customer making it even more important to "keep up".

sal
 
Sal Glesser said:
It is really a shame and the "reasons" at this time only have value in teaching the rest of us.

In reality, it is very difficult to keep an American knife company alive and healthy these days.

Changing markets, shifting economies, skilled labor costs, Chinese competition (cheap), Japanese competition (high quality), changes in laws, 911, Internet sales, aggressive competitors, etc.

Each of the surviving American companies must be on their toes, alert and focused. This is not yet finished.

In the end, it is the most committed that survive.

sal
Click to expand...

Very well said Sal......

:thumbup:

It's a same that good American product (insert company/service/product/ here) can be outdone buy the new global economy, but it is what it is. Live and learn huh;)
 
I'm going to miss Camillus. While they were most noted recently for contracting to other companies and for their more modern stuff, I will always treasure their old timey pcket knives. One of my most treasured possessions is a small stockman (sold by Sears as Craftsman) that my sister gave to me for my birthday one year.
 
One of my first knives was a Camillus Scout Knife given to me by my Grandfather for use when exploring the woods behind his house at the impressionable age of 8.

:(
 
I have a small Camillus locking boyscout knife.... not half bad really.
I've had it for nearly 20 years now. It has held up well. Like many people here I feel that Camillus didn't make the changes necessary to stay competitive. Good luck to the families.
 
I have an older Camillus Kabar and was a real good user, also the lock backs are good too.
Its all about management, six sigma, marketing, branding and circulation. I bet if all of the Hog user pull together the price of one blade, we can buy back the company, I would volunteer as $1 a month salary to return it to baseline. ROI say 3 years. Definitely needs government contract to regain profitability.
Come on Hog users, wanna save a old american heritage!
 
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