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felixXJ

felixXJ

Joined
Jul 5, 2006
Messages
197
I just called Camillus to try to get a replacement sheath for a BK9 and the lady who answered the phone said they have NOTHING for Beckers. As in sheaths, micarta scales, knives etc....
 
I was thinking more like seized, if from what we've heard Ethan has not been paid and camillus has been in breach of contract then Ethan could have had a cease and desist order placed on camillus and had the remaining inventory of becker items seized as partial payment or evidence of some sort. At this point it's kinda like playing darts with a blindfold on trying to guess whats going on from the bits and pieces we keep hearing.
 
Well, this just adds more to the mash. If they have nothing to build Beckers with, all of the dealers waiting on knives to fill orders with, will be giving a lot of refunds.
 
I have a Becker Necker on order with a Co. that is refusing to refund(been over 30 days) saying 'it's coming'. We demanded a refund again yesterday, and it now has to go to their 'accounting dept.' Thankfully I got a necker for Christmas. I hope Ethan gets his due, and can begin to make his knives again.
 
cjpgeyer,

I hope you paid with your credit card. If so, call your credit card company and tell them the problem. They will get your refund for you. Dont wait, you only have a short time to report this and get your money back. I hate to see people get screwed like that. Good luck.
 
Response from the factory/main office is, and has for the longest time, been exceptionally slow. For instance, I made a couple of repeat written enquiries once, and finally got the product catalog in the span of 3 years. Nice catalog, But by which time, priorities had changed. It's a great pity that such lack lustre practices should have plagued them.
 
So what could this mean? I only very recently ordered my first Becker (BK7 from 1sks) and it's on its way. Haven't even touched the thing, and now I'm worried I won't be able to get more if I like it!

These beauties are as close to a Busse as I can practically get right now. So should I race to find some micarta scales, or is this a less serious problem than it sounds?
 
You may want to pick up a BK2 while they are still out there. It looks like they may be drying up too. I see a decline when I look around.

Tom
Chestnut Ridge Knife Shop
 
Psycho_Boy_Jack said:
These beauties are as close to a Busse as I can practically get right now. So should I race to find some micarta scales, or is this a less serious problem than it sounds?
Click to expand...

Scales are drying up. I bought the last set Tom had this morning.
 
felixXJ said:
I just called Camillus to try to get a replacement sheath for a BK9 and the lady who answered the phone said they have NOTHING for Beckers. As in sheaths, micarta scales, knives etc....
Click to expand...

Well that is it then. Looks like I will be waiting a long time for another new Becker. I got the last BK1 around here then phoned Camillus a few months ago. I was told by the lady answering the phone that production would start again in Jan.07. Now this info. Oh well, there is a definite demand for these knives and they will surface again. I just hope that they are not manufactured in some illiterate third world country by a guy with brown teeth named ramone.
 
ramone is my cousin. he likes coffee. what's it to you?















just kidding
 
felixXJ said:
I just called Camillus to try to get a replacement sheath for a BK9 and the lady who answered the phone said they have NOTHING for Beckers. As in sheaths, micarta scales, knives etc....
Click to expand...

I have thought about this for a few days now, and am wondering if nothing means, they have nothing in stock to sell, or if nothing is available to sell, because they need all available stock of parts to start the production again?
 
From the latest signs I've seen, Beckers will be going to another mfg.

Someone over in the Busse forum mentioned talking to Ethan at a knife show back in June. He intimated that he might go to K-Bar if things kept getting worse with Camillus.

Latest rumor is Ontario. Only Ethan really knows.
 
To add: As Beckers started to dry up during the strike, I started buying them up. Sometimes, not too often but sometimes, I paid a little more than the usual asking price because they were getting hard to find. Wound up with at least two (a user and a spare) in every model.

Then, when I thought that Camillus might actually start production again, I figured I really had overpaid on a few knives. That's no longer the case. I am pretty sure the days of Becker at Camillus are gone. See post below:

knifeworker said:
Well, the reality of the situation is that imports provide a higher profit margin. No labor or associated costs with them as opposed to stateside manufacturing. Basically, import, repackage, sell.

As far as the Beckers are concerned, the story is this. Camillus makes the Becker knives using Ethan Becker's name. In return, Camillus pays Mr. Becker a royalty for the knives sold. Guess what did not happen? We're probably talking numbers approaching 6 figures here. It was Ethan Becker who has pulled the plug on the line - and rightfully so - not Camillus. Look for another American manufacturer to take over that line. Add some other names with similar deals like Terzoula and Ralph, and you start seeing a bigger picture.

I really don't want to get into a "union vs. management" thing because I truly believe it was NEVER about that. The union would still be working there full strength trying whatever they could to make Camillus work if they could. Don't expect a lot from Camillus with only 10 people working in the plant. The future for Camillus is NOT in manufacturing.
Click to expand...
 
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