Companies that didn't start with knives

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Yo Mama

Yo Mama

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Hogue comes to mind first, as I'm lusting over their otf with a clip point! They started in gun grip comfort and then got into blades, and made a great solid product in the USA.

What other companies have done this well. Past the generic Winchester and Remington blades, any current great makers that didn't start in blade making and what did they make first?
 
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Wilson Combat is another previously-just-gun-stuff company.

Beretta has made some good knives.

Surefire (primarily a flashlight company) dipped their toes into the knife world for a bit, but that didn't pan out for them.

Winchester, Glock, Smith and Wesson, and Colt have made things that are deceptively shaped like knives.

Although, realistically, almost none of these actually manufactured the knives that carry their brand names - they hired third parties that make the knives for them.
 
I forgot also about H&K, went from solid guns, to solid blades (build by Benchmade and then obscenely discontinued!)
 
There are not that many production facilities making knives so many of these answers will be brands of knives that are made under contract.

5.11 which is a clothing company has their own line of knives.

LA Police Gear is a retailer selling their own brand.
 
Comeuppance said:
Wilson Combat is another previously-just-gun-stuff company.

Beretta has made some good knives.

Surefire (primarily a flashlight company) dipped their toes into the knife world for a bit, but that didn't pan out for them.

Winchester, Glock, Smith and Wesson, and Colt have made things that are deceptively shaped like knives.

Although, realistically, almost none of these actually manufactured the knives that carry their brand names - they hired third parties that make the knives for them.
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Colt, Winchester, and S&W may have their name on mostly cheap knives now, but their knives used to be good.
And while I'm not positive Winchester may have actually made the knives themselves back in the 1920's and 30's.

Btw what about Gerber ?
They started in the knife business when they had some knives contracted as company gifts and these knives with their name on them were so popular they decided to start making knives.
 
Keep in mind Syderco made The Spyder before the sharpening equip.
Hence the name.;)
 
Browning is the first one I think of - one of the first pocket-clipped, one-hand opening knives I ever handled was the Browning Ice Storm, made for them by Mcusta.

~Chris
 
Yo Mama said:
I forgot also about H&K, went from solid guns, to solid blades (build by Benchmade and then obscenely discontinued!)
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I miss and yearn for the BM-HK 14255 tanto. It may have been a "reverse" tanto. Either way , I loved that blade shape.
 
017 said:
F. Dick. First made files.
Swiza. First made clocks.
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They still make files, I've never seen a dick knife before ( I've seen a dick lighter but that was in Spencers :D )

Seriously though, did F dick start making pocket knives at some point or something ?
 
How about Marbles?
I believe they started with the safety axe and rifle sights.
 
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