cult brands: what knife brands are cults, and why?

I think what is 'best' in the knife world is too subjective to declare one over the other. What is best for one person is not going to even rate for another and it shouldn't necessarily have to.

Also, I don't think cult knives generally have to be the best in their class to qualify as a cult knife. The Spyderco Q is a cult knife and it was anything but the best knife they made. The Rolox I posted a pic of earlier is hardly condusive to every day carry or detailed use because of the blade movement when you cut with it but it is a cult knife nevertheless.

Carry this over to automobiles. The AMC Gremlin and Pacer, the VW Beatle, the VW Bus are cult vehicles. But were they anywhere near the best? Not hardly.

Cult is defined in Webster as a 'deep regard for a person or thing. Excessive admiration, and devotion to a particular belief, reverential honor, worship or way of life and devotion as in religious devotion'

I was born on may 14th of 1980! ....and I find it quite hilarious that you remember buying a knife on an exact date....haha...well done.....
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Redistripe. Actually I tend to keep pretty good records by keeping my reciepts and the original boxes or packages my knives came in. I didn't remember the date I bought the Rolox knife. My memory isn't that good. I found the original reciept in the box when I opened it to get the knife out and scan it for that pic.
 
Gentlemen,
I don't think Jimmy Buffet fans would consider themselves members of a cult.
I believe that the original poster only meant to use the word in a way that describes it's fans (which is short for fanatics) as being quite zealous.
Let's not split hairs, this is a fun thread, carry on, thanks.
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Oh, and to give the thinking men of the knife world their due credit IF we were actually cultists, we'd all be Cold Steel fans.
 
STR said:
The Spyderco Q is a cult knife and it was anything but the best knife they made.
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Oh really? How many other high quality lightweight skeletonized production folders have ever attained this quality. Outdoor edge's Krait? Maybe, but probably not. I'd have to say that this knife is this best of a very small, and apparently, undervalued niche.
 
hmm, my personal definition/impression of "cult brand" is a brand that, all at the same time is or was, a popular brand with loyal followers, and not always favored by the general public. also, i think the term cult usually adheres to things like classics, slight obscurity and certain era's in time of extreme popularity/exclusivity along with a modest 'insider-brand-underdog factor' :rolleyes: . hope i'm making any sense here.......

in that regard i would put the following brands, amongst many others, in the 'cult-category': outdoor edge, rekat, busse, blackjack, al mar, remington, ka-bar, tops, marbles, opinel, ek, laguiole, delta z, tinives, dalton, spyderco, randall, mission, leatherman, fallkniven, brkt, victorinox, lile, chris reeve, queen, hibben, aitor...............

does this make sense? :confused:
 
Don't mean to hijack the thread, but this stays online with the subject. OK everyone has their pick of what they think is a "cult" brand. Now my question is, what's makes this happen? Is it the advertising, a logo, the look of the knife or the history and real life situations the brand of knife was involved in? Does anyone have any theories on what causes this cult status to happen?
Scott
 
Yvsa said:
I don't know about tats but I have an HI sterling silver ring with two 24 carat gold crossed khukuris mounted on it as do several other HI Fans, that should count for something.:p ;) :D
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:) Me too!
 
Walking Man said:
Gentlemen,
I don't think Jimmy Buffet fans would consider themselves members of a cult.
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Let's define this term "cult brand" a little more precisely.

Cult brand isn't a negative term, at least to me. It means there are many *values* associated with the brand, and these have little or nothing to do with the actual product's features.

Cult brand fans have absolute faith in the product but more than that, they feel a sense of shared values, at least in regard to the product. They tend to be a "community".

(I think the web has fostered more of these communities than ever before because it is relatively easy for small numbers of geographically dispersed people to get together on a forum and communicate a set of shared values that ultimately becomes infectious.)

So as to the example I used of Buffett...I used to be somewhat of a Grateful Dead fan (hard to be nowadays) and I believe that was a cult brand and so is Jimmy Buffett. Buffett stands for a bunch of shared values that Parrotheads understand and that makes Buffet a cult brand. Most Buffett fans never fly or sail around the Carribean, or do any of the other things Buffett sings about and writes about, but Buffett fans feel an allegiance to these values nonetheless.

BTW, I used the example of Buffett recalling the book Cult Brands and I think it is a good example (as are the other ones in that excellent book).

Can we agree I think that Strider is the #1 example of a cult brand in the knife world?

There are other knives that their respective customers believe are "the best" but what shared values do these customers believe they have?

I'm not sure I'd put CRK in this category -- great knives, owners believe they are "the best" but what sense of shared values do CRK knives represent other than perhaps excellent knives that are "the best"? I don't think that's enough to make up a "cult brand".

With Strider, it's the folks behind the knives that appeal to its fans, not just the knife. It's the patriotic, hard core military, built tough to do anything, no-nonsense look and feel, let's get a tattoo and kick butt and drink beer, etc., many values that have nothing really to do with the physical knives themselves (and I'm not saying that Strider fans all have tattoos, are in the military, and drink beer...I am none of these things myself yet I have acquired two Strider knives).
 
Benchmade.
Because like all good cults, they have a tiered system of indoctrination represented by a color coded system that means nothing to outsiders. Red being for the initiated, gold being available to only those with the highest degree of membership/sickness :D
 
SethMurdoc said:
i would probably classify myself as a cult follower, but im a cult follower of certain aspects of the brand i follow, what i cant get there, i get elsewhere. a hardcore "cult follower" in the negative aspects of it would probably say that s/he can get everything you need from brand x, but its rarely the case.

."
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Agreed. I own Striders, Busses, Doziers, and love 'em all for certain tasks.

(not a fan of sebbies however. own one and can't warm up to it.)
 
Razorback - interesting question. My opinion is that followers in these Cults are there for many different reasons. I think these reasons (and more) may apply;

- Quality - Fans of a particular brand/maker feel they have found the very best Quality from a knife for their intended purpose. They like to support this brand/maker so often share their admiration with zeal. There is no problem with "being on Fire" for a particular Maker or Brand in my opinion.

- Living Life Vicariously - Many want to experience that rush of excitement by associating with (or supporting) an elite group (Military, Law enforcement, Knife Fighters, Martial Artists, Fire Fighters). Buying a combat or Fighting blade or a Hunting knife (even if you are not a Hunter) is not a bad thing, our masculine nature cannot be ignored. We are Hunter Gatherers, protectors, aggressors, top of the food chain. However, some feel that by associating with these folks they themselves will be thought of as "part of the inner circle" and regarded in a more masculine role. They love to talk the talk and own the equipment to go along with it.

- Being part of a group - It is important for most people whether at work or in their hobby to feel approval so they seek out a group of like minded individuals with which to associate. However, the problem comes in when a group adopts elitist attitudes and supports and encourages condescending behaviour toward other groups. This elitist attitude could come from many sources, my knife is better than yours because of the Super Steel, the application it is to be used (Combat or Law Enforcment duty) or simply the cost. There have even been problems between members of different groups that came down to "my favorite Maker can kick your favorite Maker's a**" (sic).


I am not a psychologist (nor do I play one on TV). ;) These are just some thoughts I have as to why there are Cults within the knife industry.
 
Razorback - Knives said:
Now my question is, what's makes this happen? Is it the advertising, a logo, the look of the knife or the history and real life situations the brand of knife was involved in? Does anyone have any theories on what causes this cult status to happen?
Scott
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Yup, just like the Grateful Dead, a cult is more often characterized by a lack of advertising, not a source of it. Benchmade and Spyderco seems to me to be less cultish because they produce much more. It's interesting if you look at Busse and Strider knives that both produce limited editions, but unlike Spydie/BM, they don't use special material, rather, they just produce limited edition designs, which I think is pretty cool, because they don't focus on sales, and they respect the rights of the collectors.
 
Based on some of these posts then the Buck 110 Folding Hunter is a cult knife because of the number of avid users being that it is one of the biggest sellers of all time.

I don't agree but if numbers are all it takes for you guys count it I guess.

I've never owned a Strider, Busse or a Chris Reeve so I can't argue one way or the other for any of these brands.

But it seems that Ken Onion is getting a pretty good start on his way to a 'Cult' following with his assisted openers. Speaking of that some of the Microtec guys seem to be pretty fanatical about their autos too.

Great thread BTW.
 
Razorback - Knives said:
Don't mean to hijack the thread, but this stays online with the subject. OK everyone has their pick of what they think is a "cult" brand. Now my question is, what's makes this happen? Is it the advertising, a logo, the look of the knife or the history and real life situations the brand of knife was involved in? Does anyone have any theories on what causes this cult status to happen?
Scott
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Good question!! Here is my buck fifties worth. First I would guess that the "cult like" following that some of these knives have has something to do with the way they are made (meaning quality) and of course the price. For me the overall look of a knife is not always inportant because I know what I want and what I want it to do. So an ugly knife like the busse (joke) would not bother me because I know what it will do in my hand. As for the price, we are all wal-mart shoppers at heart so if we feel it is a "good deal" then wow we now have a following of crazed, candle burning, chia pet havin, mushroom eating cult type people. How's that? ;)
 
bishop85gt said:
... so if we feel it is a "good deal" then wow we now have a following of crazed, candle burning, chia pet havin, mushroom eating cult type people. How's that? ;)
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Hey! Show some respect! The mushroom is SACRED. :grumpy:
 
bishop85gt said:
...if we feel it is a "good deal" then wow we now have a following of crazed, candle burning, chia pet havin, mushroom eating cult type people. How's that? ;)
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Is there a problem with Chia Pets? :mad: ? :D
How do ya think we grow the mushrooms?
Excuse me, I have to go replace the candles..............

Paul
 
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