Inside Information

Kai Corp. said:
Well sure untill it turns out there is a wide variance with the actual production number, and the timing to get it out. Then what?
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Then, you gave us your best estimates and have a chance to revise that data in September if need be.
 
The things i find most valuable are as follows:

Production numbers (or estimated numbers) on LE's - this allows me to decide which knives to allocate my funds to in a timely manner. If i know for example you are estimating that only 1000 of an le is going to be made, I would focus my efforts
on getting that one first as opposed to one with an estimate of 2700 or more.

let me know when you are shipping to dealers - this helps me start to round up funds so when they are available Im not stuck scrambling for money, or worse miss out because I dont get paid for another week or more.

I dont care if your estimates or timeframes change. I have worked in manufacturing enviornments and understand how that goes...so i really dont care much about meeting the commitment dates, because you werent commiting to anything.

As far as other manufacturers, you are the best manufacturer by far when it comes to insider info (even with the new rules). As mentioned Spyderco does share some estimated production timeframes & numbers...but not much. Just whether its a sprint run and when it would be produced. this is nice though, as I then have an idea of when to have money ready if I want a sprint run (though I only go fore their mules lately;-)
 
I am not a serious collector, I am a user collector. When I see a knife that is coming out and I really like it, I want to know approximately when it is coming out. If it see "coming soon" for 5 months on a knife, I will just go buy something else. Just like the 0566 I want. I have decided I do not want to wait for it, because I have no idea when it will be released. Later, after it has been out for a while I will probably pick one up on bf exchange.
 
Jamboi said:
I am not a serious collector, I am a user collector. When I see a knife that is coming out and I really like it, I want to know approximately when it is coming out. If it see "coming soon" for 5 months on a knife, I will just go buy something else. Just like the 0566 I want. I have decided I do not want to wait for it, because I have no idea when it will be released. Later, after it has been out for a while I will probably pick one up on bf exchange.
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How do you feel when you get a target date, then we miss it by 3 months?
 
Kai Corp. said:
How do you feel when you get a target date, then we miss it by 3 months?
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That'd be unfortunate but we would just have to deal with it. A reasonable explanation would be nice in that case but we can't get everything. As long as KAI keeps pumping out rad blades we will keep buying them regardless of delays or controversy or production challenges.
 
oharal said:
That'd be unfortunate but we would just have to deal with it. A reasonable explanation would be nice in that case but we can't get everything. As long as KAI keeps pumping out rad blades we will keep buying them regardless of delays or controversy or production challenges.
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This is what a lot of people say, then when it happens, well you know what ensues unfortunately.
Not saying you specifically, mind you, just in general.
 
Kai Corp. said:
How do you feel when you get a target date, then we miss it by 3 months?
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Well if it's a LE we're talking about, I'd feel a whole lot better than if I wasn't given a target date and missed out on a cool LE because I didn't have funds ready.
 
bad_juju said:
See this is why I said what I did in the other thread! :)
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I understand where you're coming from.

However, a "best estimate" is just that with inherent variances. Estimates require updates as needed.

Personally, any estimate is better than none.
 
Under promise and over deliver. Much easier said than done, but it is a very good rule to practice.

I'm in construction and am always asked when we will be 100% done with the stone on the west side or whatever. If is three days they get told five just to cover the little problems that always pop up. The office figures told labor cost and divides that by the projected crew size and they give that deration to the GC for their master schedule. But...that doesn't cover startup time with a small crew or the wrap time with a small crew. We always run 20% or so over on time because of this, even if we are still good on labor dollars.

Time frame for delivery has to be very hard to project with all of your suppliers. With all of the parts made and on site it should be fairly easy to figure a completion date based on man power and average productions. Before all the parts are in hand and man power allocation any date would just be a guess. Just my 2 cents.
 
RamZar said:
Personally, any estimate is better than none.
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Speaking from a personal perspective, I disagree. I put in my preorder and it shows up when it shows up. The "personal perspective" is important for this issue as I'm used to waiting years for custom orders from makers. I'm not going to run around pulling my hair out screaming "when oh when will it be here" for a LE production knife.
 
oharal said:
That'd be unfortunate but we would just have to deal with it. A reasonable explanation would be nice in that case but we can't get everything. As long as KAI keeps pumping out rad blades we will keep buying them regardless of delays or controversy or production challenges.
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Why do you feel we, a very small spec on the total knife buying radar, deserve a "reasonable explanation"? The last I looked, KAI seems to be doing just fine. I really like to see the WIP threads, and having some info is good, but I don't feel I deserve nor am entitled to it. I'm 100% certain KAI will do what's in their best interests. And as knife junkies, as long as they keep putting out award-winning designs, why sweat the details?
 
presz said:
Under promise and over deliver. Much easier said than done, but it is a very good rule to practice.

I'm in construction and am always asked when we will be 100% done with the stone on the west side or whatever. If is three days they get told five just to cover the little problems that always pop up. The office figures told labor cost and divides that by the projected crew size and they give that deration to the GC for their master schedule. But...that doesn't cover startup time with a small crew or the wrap time with a small crew. We always run 20% or so over on time because of this, even if we are still good on labor dollars.

Time frame for delivery has to be very hard to project with all of your suppliers. With all of the parts made and on site it should be fairly easy to figure a completion date based on man power and average productions. Before all the parts are in hand and man power allocation any date would just be a guess. Just my 2 cents.
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I totally subscribe to the "Under promise and over deliver" concept. In Software Engineering estimates are really tough. The biggest culprit is end-users constantly changing the specs! In their mind "it's a small change" but they forget cycles of coding and testing due to side effects.
 
Kai Corp. said:
Well sure untill it turns out there is a wide variance with the actual production number, and the timing to get it out. Then what?
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All we can do is deal with it. It's not like you guys do it on purpose. Given a small explanation of what happened (like what was said in the 0777M390 blog and because people will ask), and if people act like adults and not children, then everything should be fine. I understand it may be frustrating to consumers, especially if they've saved up for a particular piece, but they need realize that KAI doesn't need to give a time when the knife will be released in the first place. That's a privilege that needs to be respected, and if It's not respected, then no more estimated release dates.
Kai Corp. said:
How do you feel when you get a target date, then we miss it by 3 months?
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Speaking for myself, I don't really care all that much. How would people feel if an LE was released without ANY sort of target date, and they didn't have ANY funds saved up? I bet they would rather have you guys miss the target date by 3 months, than not give one out at all and them not prepared.
 
Kai Corp. said:
Well sure untill it turns out there is a wide variance with the actual production number, and the timing to get it out. Then what?
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1. Get axe to grind
2. Sharpen pitchfork
3. Eat a lot of fiber to facilitate diarrhea of the mouth.
5. Let it rip, as they say
6. Get knife
7. Apologize


In all seriousness Ive actually learned to enjoy the wait. Once the knife gets here I have a honeymoon phase of a bout a week until the next knife. Having a long wait helps me appreciate the day it comes more.
 
bad_juju said:
This is what a lot of people say, then when it happens, well you know what ensues unfortunately.
Not saying you specifically, mind you, just in general.
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Yeah a handful of people will find a way to ruin everything unfortunately. I wonder how they feel? They probably don't realize what a problem they are.

SPXTrader said:
Why do you feel we, a very small spec on the total knife buying radar, deserve a "reasonable explanation"? The last I looked, KAI seems to be doing just fine. I really like to see the WIP threads, and having some info is good, but I don't feel I deserve nor am entitled to it. I'm 100% certain KAI will do what's in their best interests. And as knife junkies, as long as they keep putting out award-winning designs, why sweat the details?
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I never suggested we deserve a reasonable explanation. In fact I said if we didn't get one we would just deal with it. Just it would be cool to have it if we could. Other than that point you basically echoed my sentiments...
 
Well, it would be nice as others have said to at least have a schedule of sorts so we know when to start expecting that certain products in the pipeline are about to have their turn, based on ones that have already started being assembled and shipped out. Then we will know it coming up and won't be as shocked when word is released on them. That being said I don't feel exact date estimates are needed. Really it is your decision KAI Corp and I for one will respect what you decide on regardless of the outcome.
 
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