- Joined
- Nov 28, 2012
- Messages
- 8,799
They explain the brand names and the company pretty well themselves: http://www.greateasterncutlery.com/
You can also find a list of their dealers at that site.
They are a small manufacturer so the number of knives they produce in a year is limited by their size. They don't have a standard catalog of knife patterns they produce, so consider every single production run as a limited edition that may never be exactly repeated. Or it might be, there's no guarantee either way.
They produce special factory orders (SFOs) for a some of their dealers, clubs, organizations, and individuals. Some models are more highly desired than others, some SFOs the same. It's a combination of factors - size, shape, suitability to task, handle material, blade shapes, and also the marketing and buzz generated through social media and forums like this one. All contribute to more or less demand for any particular product run.
The SFO Barlow patterns using the TC logo (Charlie Campagna's SFOs) and NF logo (Mike Latham's SFOs) seem to attract a lot of interest, creating a higher than normal demand. These (and others) are usually completely sold out by pre-order or reservation through the dealers/individuals that placed the SFO. Others may end up for sale on dealer web sites.
For example, right now there are some Tidioute brand #15 single-blade Boy's Knives available at several dealers for $70-ish. These are not dramatically different from an equivalent TC Barlow, other than the bolster size and lack of blade etch. If you are interested in the brand, a 15 is a good pattern to get your feet wet.
You can also find a list of their dealers at that site.
They are a small manufacturer so the number of knives they produce in a year is limited by their size. They don't have a standard catalog of knife patterns they produce, so consider every single production run as a limited edition that may never be exactly repeated. Or it might be, there's no guarantee either way.
They produce special factory orders (SFOs) for a some of their dealers, clubs, organizations, and individuals. Some models are more highly desired than others, some SFOs the same. It's a combination of factors - size, shape, suitability to task, handle material, blade shapes, and also the marketing and buzz generated through social media and forums like this one. All contribute to more or less demand for any particular product run.
The SFO Barlow patterns using the TC logo (Charlie Campagna's SFOs) and NF logo (Mike Latham's SFOs) seem to attract a lot of interest, creating a higher than normal demand. These (and others) are usually completely sold out by pre-order or reservation through the dealers/individuals that placed the SFO. Others may end up for sale on dealer web sites.
For example, right now there are some Tidioute brand #15 single-blade Boy's Knives available at several dealers for $70-ish. These are not dramatically different from an equivalent TC Barlow, other than the bolster size and lack of blade etch. If you are interested in the brand, a 15 is a good pattern to get your feet wet.
