Did Kershaw jump the shark with OCC?

This thread has lost it's focus. I'm pretty sure the discussion was never "what do you think of OCC and the chopper fad?" We have pretty much determined that it is good that the OCC folks decided to use a quality American made knife for their knife tie-in instead of junk. We have also come to consensus that knife companies have done logo knives for about as long as there have been factory made knives with little or no ill effect.

Just thought we needed a little recap for those not reading the first 3 pages.... :p:D
 
Thomas W said:
This thread is quite confusing to me, and quotes like the above don't assist in making it any clearer.

First off, with Kai USA being a Japanese company, I'm borderline offended with the quote.

Are you saying that we wouldn't brand with another organization because they're not an American made brand?

Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Shimano, Diawa, Nintendo, Suzuki etc. are all off the table because why again?
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I did not mean it to be offensive. I just meant it is not likely you are going to make a branded knife for a japanese motorcycle company. I have not seen it done yet by any knife company. Harley Davidson is the extent of what I have ever seen. I used the word jap because in all of my 30+ years riding bikes, all harley riders refer to my prefered bikes as jap bikes.

OCC bikes are basically glorified harleys. They use the S and S motor, which is a harley motor built by someone else.

Congrats on doing one for OCC. If I had an OCC bike I would buy one.

BTW, there are a lot of M109 riders out there, myself included. I am willing to bet you could sell thousands of them to these guys, who generally, even in these trying economic times, spend too much of their money on parts that say M109R on them.
I am not holding my breath here though.
http://www.m109riders.com/forums/forums.php

Despite the fact I had some bad things to say about Kershaw some time ago, and despite the fact I am currently unemployed (6 months now), I would still find the cash to buy one somewhere, somehow.
 
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In truth, I think a manufacturer would be very successful with a Suzuki co-brand relationship. Possibly better than with OCC. We considered moving in that direction.

Actually when it comes to co-branding, I'm unsure any company is off the table. A manufacturer would be short sided to take that approach.
 
Thomas W said:
In truth, I think a manufacturer would be very successful with a Suzuki co-brand relationship. Possibly better than with OCC. We considered moving in that direction.

Actually when it comes to co-branding, I'm unsure any company is off the table. A manufacturer would be short sided to take that approach.
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Give that website a once-over, look at the spending habits therein, and make your move. It would be a bold, industry first type move, that is for sure.:thumbup:
These are guys that are willing to drop $3000 dollars to put a 300 mm back tire on a bike that comes with a 240. 10 inch rims cost around $2000 +, and the dang tire cost over $300.

Sorry, I'll stop with the off-topic now.
 
Obviously it's a good business move. Look how successful the Buck 110 connection is with bikers and that's not even a specific company branded relationship.
 
I've never seen anyone complain about the HK Benchmade Knives. Heckler and Koch is a company like any other. They want to extend their brand recognition. I know a few guys that Carry USPs and have a Benchmade/HK knife in their pocket. I'm sure there are HD and OCC guys riding those bikes that would like a pocket knife to match. You pay a knife maker to make a batch of knives with your logo on it and you become a customer. The customer is always right if you want a successful business.
 
Slightly off topic: Kawasaki and Yamaha make great ATVs. It's a good assumption that outdoor-oriented ATV crowd are knife users. Co-branding with them makes perfect sense.
 
LOL
Pretty soon were gonna have everyone and their mother wanting branded Kershaw knives.:cool:

Poor Thomas.:)
 
Sep said:
Slightly off topic: Kawasaki and Yamaha make great ATVs. It's a good assumption that outdoor-oriented ATV crowd are knife users. Co-branding with them makes perfect sense.
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Insanely good idea..... Heck, the way these ATV companies run promotions and give away hundreds of dollars worth of add ons, gear and such around hunting season they should contract w/ Kershaw to make Kawasaki and Yamaha branded $200 Zero Tolerances just to give away :eek::D

Thomas, you writing all this down? :p
 
cbxer55 said:
I did not mean it to be offensive. I just meant it is not likely you are going to make a branded knife for a japanese motorcycle company. I have not seen it done yet by any knife company. Harley Davidson is the extent of what I have ever seen. I used the word jap because in all of my 30+ years riding bikes, all harley riders refer to my prefered bikes as jap bikes.

OCC bikes are basically glorified harleys. They use the S and S motor, which is a harley motor built by someone else.

Congrats on doing one for OCC. If I had an OCC bike I would buy one.

BTW, there are a lot of M109 riders out there, myself included. I am willing to bet you could sell thousands of them to these guys, who generally, even in these trying economic times, spend too much of their money on parts that say M109R on them.
I am not holding my breath here though.
http://www.m109riders.com/forums/forums.php

Despite the fact I had some bad things to say about Kershaw some time ago, and despite the fact I am currently unemployed (6 months now), I would still find the cash to buy one somewhere, somehow.
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You are falling prey to bike snobbery much as a segment of the Harley crowd does regarding foreign motorcycles.

Not an accusation, hell it's normal seeing as how lots of guys get shunned by the HD purists who have owned a bike for like oh a year or so. They are trying to live a magazine Image.

For petes sake, Goldwings are built here in Ohio now, that makes em American made right?

I own A HD because that's what I grew up with, and they have come a long ways since the AMF days, but I also own a 1978 KZ-1000.

I occasionally ride the KZ because it is flat out marbles to the wall fun to ride. The only people who deride it are the NEWCOMERS to the bike scene on their store bought fancy HDs. Most guys who have been around bikes for awhile see the KZ and are all shivery remembering the first time they rode one, or got blown away by one on the street.

It's all about two wheels and having fun folks, well that and buying Kershaw knives while you are out and about.

Brand loyalty is one thing, offhanded dismissal based on conjecture or lemming mentality is another.

And by the way, the pics of that Zuk are cool man, way cool. There are several custom built Yamaha warriors and Suzuki Boulevards running around up here and they still get me all a gawking.

Be safe on the road

Chuck
 
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I don't see how a folding pocketknife with a recurved blade in 13C26 with a machined aluminum handle could ever be considered "jumping the shark." If the Fonz gutted that shark with a Kershaw Blur, Happy Days would still be making new episodes.
 
I thought the OP reconsidered his view on the first page. Why is everyone still criticizing him? Truthfully i kinda skipped the last two page and I could have easily misread something.
 
spiralarchitect said:
This thread has lost it's focus. I'm pretty sure the discussion was never "what do you think of OCC and the chopper fad?" We have pretty much determined that it is good that the OCC folks decided to use a quality American made knife for their knife tie-in instead of junk. We have also come to consensus that knife companies have done logo knives for about as long as there have been factory made knives with little or no ill effect.

Just thought we needed a little recap for those not reading the first 3 pages.... :p:D
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Look at the first thread. No where did I state that hate Kershaw or OCC. It was more of a question-what did the knife community think of the partnership.

While I don't "Hate" OCC, I just think that the brand is a flash in the pan, it has gained tremendous publicity through it's TV show. That's it. A popular show on Discovery Channel and now syndicated everywhere.

So a bunch of people, including a Kershaw employee, start jumping down my throat, twisting my words, saying "What's your problem man, if you don't like 'em, don't buy 'em!" and other jewels of wisdom.

Well, you know what, I guess certain questions can't be asked here, which I though was a free and unbiased knife forum. I didn't realize company employees were here, trying to quash anyone who dare ask the question.
 
OCC may be a flash-in-the -pan, but you gotta admit they have had a good run so far.

I have nothing against Kershaw, or OCC. I think Kershaw is doing a good thing here. Hope they consider doing one for the M109R riders. I'll buy one, no matter what the knife they use.

Thanks for the thread.:thumbup:
 
DeckardB26354 said:
So a bunch of people, including a Kershaw employee, start jumping down my throat, twisting my words, saying "What's your problem man, if you don't like 'em, don't buy 'em!" and other jewels of wisdom.

Well, you know what, I guess certain questions can't be asked here, which I though was a free and unbiased knife forum. I didn't realize company employees were here, trying to quash anyone who dare ask the question.
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Don't go all 'little orphan Annie' now, as you definitely had a hand in the type of treatment you received. Does the following post of yours ring a bell?

DeckardB26354 said:
You know what, it's great. I'm sure your market share increased 6.57%. You sold an additional 60,000 units. Awesome!

Since you apparently work for Kershaw as you keep saying "WE", you are going to see any decision through that lens.

After all, exposure is what matters, not what is being exposed.
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DeckardB26354 said:
Look at the first thread. No where did I state that hate Kershaw or OCC. It was more of a question-what did the knife community think of the partnership.

While I don't "Hate" OCC, I just think that the brand is a flash in the pan, it has gained tremendous publicity through it's TV show. That's it. A popular show on Discovery Channel and now syndicated everywhere.

So a bunch of people, including a Kershaw employee, start jumping down my throat, twisting my words, saying "What's your problem man, if you don't like 'em, don't buy 'em!" and other jewels of wisdom.

Well, you know what, I guess certain questions can't be asked here, which I though was a free and unbiased knife forum. I didn't realize company employees were here, trying to quash anyone who dare ask the question.
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If Kershaw is co-branding with, say, Kotex, then I would totally question their marketing sense. But since this is OCC then it's still in the realm of typical knife marketing. Nobody knows beforehand how successful it's going to be with OCC, but anybody with a shred of business sense knows how unsuccessful it's going to be with Kotex.

You asked the question, and the forum gave our answers. Because you don't like the answers, you cry collusion. How childish.
 
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