Chesapeake Knife and Tool is no more...

Chefget

Chefget

Gold Member
Joined
Nov 2, 1998
Messages
5,019
Just talking to a clerk the other day, he said new stuff world be coming after the Blade show...
he didn't mention this (from their web site)

"After 26 great years, Chesapeake Knife and Tool has closed its doors.

All orders in our system as of July 1, 2006 will be processed, or the customer notified.

If you have questions, please call
410-720-5114
during normal business hours.

Thank you very much for your business.

The Chesapeake Staff"

Another brick and mortar down... :(

-Michael
 
I never dealt with them but sad to see another knife store close. It is amazing that in a time when the public is willing to pay hundreds and even thousands for a single knife that so many stores have had to close. The internet has done it share of damage, as Walmart and Kmart, and the big box sports stores, but I am amazed that with the large number of knife collectors out there today that some smart knife store owners can't do better. I admit to shopping for a bargin but I would gladly pay a fair price to pick the knife I am getting. It does seem that the knife stores in NYC and Long Island charge two and three times what the same knife can be had for on the net. This makes one feel that they are charging far too much. I also think that the deals some manufactors do with the big box stores hurt the whole knife retail business. I paid as low as $11 on clearence for the Buck Model 110 collector tins at Walmart....who could compete with that price for a new 110 made in the USA?
 
I went into one of their stores in Boston in the late 90s. I was totally unimpressed with selection, price or knowledge of the staff.
So I'm not surprised that they went under. But it's never good to see less knife options out there.

Phil
 
tom19176 said:
I never dealt with them but sad to see another knife store close. It is amazing that in a time when the public is willing to pay hundreds and even thousands for a single knife that so many stores have had to close. The internet has done it share of damage, as Walmart and Kmart, and the big box sports stores, but I am amazed that with the large number of knife collectors out there today that some smart knife store owners can't do better. I admit to shopping for a bargin but I would gladly pay a fair price to pick the knife I am getting. It does seem that the knife stores in NYC and Long Island charge two and three times what the same knife can be had for on the net. This makes one feel that they are charging far too much. I also think that the deals some manufactors do with the big box stores hurt the whole knife retail business. I paid as low as $11 on clearence for the Buck Model 110 collector tins at Walmart....who could compete with that price for a new 110 made in the USA?
Click to expand...

What would a fair price be for brick-and-mortar stores? I'm tempted to open one (long story) but it seems like I'd be swimming against the tide. Would I just have people pawing at the merchandise and then buying it on the internet? I'd be willing to sell at a discount off retail (unlike Chesapeake) but matching internet prices would be impossible.
 
phatch said:
I went into one of their stores in Boston in the late 90s. I was totally unimpressed with selection, price or knowledge of the staff.
So I'm not surprised that they went under. But it's never good to see less knife options out there.

Phil
Click to expand...
for the record, that store is still open--under different ownership. It is called "On the edge". although you will find that prices there are still brick and mortar--the staff is very knowledgable, and the selection not bad.
 
bubinga....I was in law enforcement for years, and now am in commerical property mangaement( Office buildings, malls, theatres, etc). The biggest problem in brick and mortar stores is two fold- one being the overhead ( in a mall that is rent, CAM , RE Taxes, etc) the other is being a small store you will be dealing with jobbers who are selling to you and you may go through two of them to get the product you want. The big box stores deal directly with the manufactures, and will get the product far cheaper than you ever will. The overhaed of a store ( Staff, taxes, insurance, supplies, business license....) make it a hard battle to succeed.
The best way to start is to test the waters by either a internet store, or go to a local store that does not sell knives and see if you can set up a display case in the store with tight inventory controls and see what the market is like. I know of many small stores that will sell items this way to help their profits. You can reach out to a company like Blue Ridge Knives as they will sell to you at wholesale prices if you have a resale number. You may also want to try the old standby--the flea market to see what people will spend on blades in your area....but people will not spend as much at a flea market as they will in a store for a number of reasons....give it a try....good luck...stay away from the items that Walmart sell as the uneducated consumer will see their Buck 110 for $29.99 and they will judge your prices from there.....
 
I was fortunate to grab my Paramilitary at a considerable discount from one of their closing stores last Christmas. I imagine selling all(most?) of their knives at MSRP likely contributed to their demise. It certainly kept me from spending money there most of the time. The staff was knowledgeable though, I don't contest that.
 
eojk said:
I was fortunate to grab my Paramilitary at a considerable discount from one of their closing stores last Christmas. I imagine selling all(most?) of their knives at MSRP likely contributed to their demise. It certainly kept me from spending money there most of the time. The staff was knowledgeable though, I don't contest that.
Click to expand...

Judging by the locations I'm seeing on people replying to this, it looks like their area of business is a lot larger than I had imagined. So experience with sales staff will likely vary a lot.

I've bought some multi-tools and SAKs from them in the past, but I was put off when they started dealing more in wall hanger swords and inane gift items.
 
Holy Moly!

I have never shopped with them, but I came really close to buying my Sterling Silver Armor Zippo Lighter from them, but I found a much lower price. They were charging MSRP as listed on Zippo's site.

I really wonder what the repercussions of their closing will be, particularly given that they are the link you get directly from Zippo's website when you click "Buy Now"!

Who will Zippo use as their recommended online retailer now?

-Jeffrey
 
The Random Leek just became a thing of the past I guess. It was the only thing I've ever got from CK&T. I wonder how many were made, it's a great little knife.
 
I had a good freind that worked at one. but i ended up walkigna way with a custom/damascus sebbie for 30% off. So im sad to see it go but definatley worth gettign a custom sebbie for so little money.
 
The stores in my area were always very expensive compared to the internet.But these stores were in shopping malls where I'm sure the overhead was awful.Sad to see them go though.
 
Knife stores have to deal with a lot of overhead. They have to pay high rentals or property taxes, insurance and salaries. They have limited supplies on hand and very limited real estate. So for every knife they sell, they have to factor all this into the price.

A huge knife web warehouse, on the other hand, only looks big on the Internet. These businesses don't have all the overhead and can offer vast selections as a result. It's like a knife shop in a mall. Keeping in mind that many people come in and look, ask to handle a knife, then go back and order it off the Internet because they don't feel like paying those overheads, it's pretty apparent that companies have to also sell other things, like guns, safes and so forth to make up for it.

Scan159.jpg


You're more likely to get a good price in
a place like this than a small dedicated knife
store in a mall somewhere.
 
It isn't just knife retailers. The privately held, small business retail business in general is becoming extinct in the U.S. People prefer superstores and national chains. I'm not sure why but the preference is really obvious. It is almost impossible to make a go of small business retailing any more. They are dropping like flies in all markets and in all industries. I closed one myself last year so I've felt the sting of it as well. It's too bad but is only getting worse.
 
Most retailers, alas, don't understand the price-driven nature of wholesale and retail.

I recall an outlet called Best Products a number of years ago. Great prices on everything from cameras to luggage. Not the nicest stores in the world, but great prices.

Then some idiot executive got put in charge and he decided to make the stores nicer. So Best Products showrooms were closed down all over at various times and when they opened they looked just like every other outlet, and guess what, the prices had gone up to reflect the modifications! Well, now Best Products no longer is in business.

The bottom line is that people don't give a damn whether there's sawdust on the floors or the buildings are old. They just want the prices to be good or that segment of buyer just won't darken your door. Sure there's always someone willing to pay top dollar at Nordstrams and shop while some guy in a suit plays a piano on the second floor. But Best Products appealed to the cheapskate (guys like me), and when I couldn't get my cameras, lugguge and jewelry at rock bottom prices, I dropped 'em like a hot potato.

I even think people on the Internet could make more money selling knives if 1) they offered good stock, 2) provided DECENT photos of the product, and 3) provided adequate information on the product, like blade material, blade length, price, and decent shipping.

kabarwarthogfolder.jpg


Photos of knives like this
certainly aren't going to sell
the product. Can't photographers
ever learn to compensate for
dark subjects?
 
Guess the free sharpening is no longer valid :\

The B&M's are pretty expensive (and that's before 5% MD Sales Tax). I bought a couple of knives at the Annapolis Mall store closing for about 30% off and they were "reasonable" in pricing.

Love their steak knives - will take extra care of them to make sure they last a long time!
 
tom19176 said:
I never dealt with them but sad to see another knife store close. It is amazing that in a time when the public is willing to pay hundreds and even thousands for a single knife that so many stores have had to close. The internet has done it share of damage, as Walmart and Kmart, and the big box sports stores, but I am amazed that with the large number of knife collectors out there today that some smart knife store owners can't do better. I admit to shopping for a bargin but I would gladly pay a fair price to pick the knife I am getting. It does seem that the knife stores in NYC and Long Island charge two and three times what the same knife can be had for on the net. This makes one feel that they are charging far too much. I also think that the deals some manufactors do with the big box stores hurt the whole knife retail business. I paid as low as $11 on clearence for the Buck Model 110 collector tins at Walmart....who could compete with that price for a new 110 made in the USA?
Click to expand...

...and just getting ready to buy one of their beautiful creations!
 
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