Had fun at the Kershaw sale yet again!

So you're the one who bought all the Elmax Leeks, except the one I got. Is that an Elmax Blur I see in the lower right? I picked one up last year, but didn't see any this year.
 
kornphlake said:
So you're the one who bought all the Elmax Leeks, except the one I got. Is that an Elmax Blur I see in the lower right? I picked one up last year, but didn't see any this year.
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hahaha I was indeed that guy! That is not an elmax blur but I did pick two up last year!
 
I was inside at 9:15 friday. I had wanted to go for years, and finally got to this year. I'll never go back. Some employees said no ZT's this year, others said they had them but sold out quick, i was told no Shields, but they magically appeared on Sunday, same with autos. I wanted a Leek but after going through at least 20, i couldn't find a single one without blade play and solid lockup, that was also the case with several other knives. I ended up getting 2 Kershaw/ Emersons and a diamond rod. Not really worth standing in the rain for 3 hours, and 1 hour in line to pay.
 
It was posted all over that there wouldn't be any ZT's at the warehouse sale this year and going forward.
 
nwmetalbug said:
It was posted all over that there wouldn't be any ZT's at the warehouse sale this year and going forward.
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Yeah I started a thread about two weeks ago asking if it was worth a 6 hour drive to snag just one or two ZT models. Glad I got the information beforehand and didn't go.

I'm wondering if they've just stepped up the ZT game or just don't want to let them go for so cheap when hardly anybody can tell why it's a blem
 
highestpoint said:
Yeah I started a thread about two weeks ago asking if it was worth a 6 hour drive to snag just one or two ZT models. Glad I got the information beforehand and didn't go.

I'm wondering if they've just stepped up the ZT game or just don't want to let them go for so cheap when hardly anybody can tell why it's a blem
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They told me it was because their quality control was to good nowadays... :rolleyes:
 
I'm very curious what the Camber, Blurs and the Knockouts went for? Can't read the tags in the pic.
 
(jeff) said:
I was inside at 9:15 friday. I had wanted to go for years, and finally got to this year. I'll never go back. Some employees said no ZT's this year, others said they had them but sold out quick, i was told no Shields, but they magically appeared on Sunday, same with autos. I wanted a Leek but after going through at least 20, i couldn't find a single one without blade play and solid lockup, that was also the case with several other knives. I ended up getting 2 Kershaw/ Emersons and a diamond rod. Not really worth standing in the rain for 3 hours, and 1 hour in line to pay.
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All the kershaws I handled were perfect.. or near perfect. I spent the night with a buddy and drove 6 hours and still had fun.
 
knives_in_nature said:
They told me it was because their quality control was to good nowadays... :rolleyes:
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.... Hmm We need someone to infiltrate the company and get a job there to start making sure there are blems coming out lol.

I would've driven the 6 hours but didn't want to leave the wife behind with the kid. She would think it would be a mini vacation for me. I do want one of those elmax leeks though.... .....
 
(jeff) said:
so their quality control is great on some knives, and terrible on others? In the same factory? I wonder what the real reason was.
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The real reason is that a handle or blade for a Leek cost maybe 20 cents in material and another 20 cents in labor, the cost of assembling a knife is a couple bucks. When a blem is discovered after assembly, the cost to rework the knife is likely greater than the value of the components in the knife, so dumping blems into a warehouse sale pile makes sense. If Kershaw can sell the knife as a blem, why put any more labor into the knife to salvage a dollar or two worth of parts when the knife could be sold in the warehouse sale for a dollar or two profit as-is.

Because of the material and labor costs in ZT components the economics are somewhat different, a 3d machined carbon fiber handle might cost 3-4 dollars in material and 10 dollars in machine time and labor to process it into a finished handle, the cost of assembly labor is marginal compared to upstream costs, so reworking ZTs makes sense instead of selling the knife for just above cost in the warehouse sale.

If Kai was in the business of selling knives for really good deals just because customers asked for really good deals, they wouldn't be in business very long. Even at normal street prices ZT knives are a pretty good value, of course I'd like to get one cheaper, but paying a fair price is better than not being able to get ZT knives at any cost.
 
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