Color Options for the Stock Grivory Scales

The Warrior said:
It's been brought up before. I would love to see some scales in OD. Here is a few renderings I did some time ago, when it was brought up to have some custom Beckerhead scales made:

TweenerHandleorangebh.png


BKScalesorangebh.png


TweenerOD.png


OD.png
Click to expand...


Yes, very nice.
 
I personally want to die my micarta with blue Rit dye, and seal it with a super glue (or something similar) If you have a few bucks, try it on a set you already have. If it's horrable or they become destroyed, It's on micarta you despise.
 
I talked to the boss a little bit ago and got the scoop. He may pop in here later to go more in detail, but right now he's trying to evict some house guests.:D

Basically, there just isn't enough market to produce these. You'd never pick everybody's favorite color no matter how many options you offered. I know it seems like folks here would jump all over them, but the reality is we're a small (though important) fraction of Ka-Bar's business. The average customer buying maybe one knife for his/her life doesn't usually customize their blade. It's a concept that's hard to grasp for us knife nuts. The black handles are kind of the blue jeans of the Becker blades, they just go with everything and work for the general public. They're also tough as Hell while still looking good. So for now, Fusion paint would be a great alternative.
 
Somebody correct me if I'm wrong (I'm sure you will), but I don't know if the 'Kabar's already making multiple colors on the tweeners' argument is as strong as it might seem.
Wasn't the decision with the tweeners to go with Zytel over Grivory because it is made in the USA?
Even if that was just a marketing line, it might mean hat Kabar doesn't have tan Grivory in stock.
 
Maybe we could at least talk Kabar/ Ethan into doing a special buy in run of scales... if we pay up front, there is nothing to loose!
 
Zytel and Grivory are basically the same thing just produced by two different companies.

All the new Becker's, Full Size ones and Tweeners have Zytel scales now.
 
grinter said:
Even if that was just a marketing line, it might mean hat Kabar doesn't have tan Grivory in stock.
Click to expand...

I have always assumed that they contract for the casting of the scales. I don't THINK that Ka-bar has vats of liquid tan Zytel just waiting to be poured into whatever mold they stick into the waiting machine. Could be wrong, though.
 
I, too would like to see a bunch of different color choices but, I do not think KA-bar would be up for it at this point......Murph makes the point best when he says that although the denizens of this forum are damn important to both the company and Ethan Becker personally and business wise, they are, unfortunately, not terribly numerous....... Just think of your poor and deprived friends who own a couple of knives but who are not really "knife people"........ How many of them are gonna go hunting for extra spiffy scales? ...... I backed into the cutlery biz modding and embellishing other peoples blades and sheaths....... Most of my outdoorsy friends were tolerant in the same way they put up with my smoking and other nasty habits...... I like the idea but, I try hard to not suggest ideas to KA-Bar that I am fairly sure will cost them money....... They rely on me to bring ideas to the table that I am reasonably certain will MAKE them money....... Frequently, I have to temper my enthusiasm, in order to maintain credibility to get the big projects accomplished........ Having said that I will bring it up when I am at SHOT in January.....It is on the list but......

Has anyone used the Fusion paint on their scales and how is it holding up?.....

Ethan
 
I have a rattle can of Rust-oleum® multicolor textured (looks like it'll leave a sand (rough) finish) in a very dirt toned brown that I have yet to put to use. I actually bought it specifically for scales. It says it "works on wood, metal and more" and I may just be ready to give it a try and report back. Also think I'm gonna have to make some more Mike-carta with all that orange canvas leftover from my 7 mod. My opinion is if they could only be manufactured in one other color it should be orange, then they could just put some on some of the knives and call them their "Hunter's edition". Might even find a way to sell more knives. But of course, I know nothing about marketing and even more nothing about most of the other stuff to do with marketing and business, as evidenced by the fact that I was only self-unemployed once. Which was enough to learn me.

I totally get Murph's point, tho. Our little cadre of Beckerheads is not nearly enough to make a significant ΔΩ in Ka-Bar's manufacturing calculus.
 
beachmaster said:
Maybe we could at least talk Kabar/ Ethan into doing a special buy in run of scales... if we pay up front, there is nothing to loose!
Click to expand...

Ethan Becker said:
Having said that I will bring it up when I am at SHOT in January.....It is on the list but......
Click to expand...

Ethan, I wonder if Ka-Bar would go for beachmaster's idea.
We know they've made some in orange and yellow, and at the very least, orange and/or olive drab would both go over exceptionally well.
I wonder if they'd consider a sprint run for Beckerheads or for forum regulars who pay up front?
 
Ethan Becker said:
I, too would like to see a bunch of different color choices but, I do not think KA-bar would be up for it at this point......Murph makes the point best when he says that although the denizens of this forum are damn important to both the company and Ethan Becker personally and business wise, they are, unfortunately, not terribly numerous....... Just think of your poor and deprived friends who own a couple of knives but who are not really "knife people"........ How many of them are gonna go hunting for extra spiffy scales? ...... I backed into the cutlery biz modding and embellishing other peoples blades and sheaths....... Most of my outdoorsy friends were tolerant in the same way they put up with my smoking and other nasty habits...... I like the idea but, I try hard to not suggest ideas to KA-Bar that I am fairly sure will cost them money....... They rely on me to bring ideas to the table that I am reasonably certain will MAKE them money....... Frequently, I have to temper my enthusiasm, in order to maintain credibility to get the big projects accomplished........ Having said that I will bring it up when I am at SHOT in January.....It is on the list but......

Has anyone used the Fusion paint on their scales and how is it holding up?.....

Ethan
Click to expand...

I was thinking the same thing. They rely on scale of sales in order to turn a reasonable profit. This allows for the very well priced blades combined with much higher than cost of entry performance (due to quality).......there's simply not enough % of market that would buy said colored scales in their market in order to make the venture profitable unless they charged a price that is likely not attractive.
 
If a special rundidn't work, maybe they would give us permission to work with DuPont directly. Not for resale purposes of course. If we get a set number, say 90 beckerhead scales were wanted, maybe Kabar would allow for 90 grips to be made in colors of our choice, AMD we could work directly with the factory to get things going...
 
Guyon said:
Ethan, I wonder if Ka-Bar would go for beachmaster's idea.
We know they've made some in orange and yellow, and at the very least, orange and/or olive drab would both go over exceptionally well.
I wonder if they'd consider a sprint run for Beckerheads or for forum regulars who pay up front?
Click to expand...

I'd probably be willing to buy anywhere from 50 to 200 sets to put in my store since I know they would sell. That is depending on color and price. I'm not gonna be stuck with hot pink BK-2 scales. lol

But the Tan, olive drab, and orange would probably do really well.
 
You're right, Dex. Tan would be very popular too.
 
And considering they are about as much material, maybe a little more than the Ka-Barleys, retail should only be $6-$10 a set I'm guessing. I think most people would buy a couple different colors at that price.

Just a guess though. I've been wrong before. lol
 
Hey GUYON and Dex.......

I am gonna try....... Orange, OD and tan are on my personal list........

E
 
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