Is it me or is Cold Steel GSM Lynn Thompson signed edition knives not selling good?

Also, I would never pay more for a billboarded knife. And if one came into my possession, I'd use it. After I modded it to function more how I want it to, and removed the billboard with the good ol' scotchbrite satin finishing belt (if the regrind didn't remove it first).
 
David Mary said:
Would like to hear examples of this please.
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The use of the words blood groove to describe fullers is one I remember and really stands out to me concerning the direction of their marketing. I get the sense that they are mocking tragic situations in which a kinfe is used for self defense. Lynn Thompson was always serious about self defense.

Lynn Thompson’s detailed explanations of the knife designs along with examples of their use with videos of rigorous testing backed by real world use for example when he hunts. He manages to convey all this in a very entertaining manner without insulting deceitful hype.

I find Lynn’s principles to be missing in these new GSM ads. I am not wowed nor amused by the new ads in contrast Lynn Thompson ads are both amusing and educational whether people want to admit it or not. Come to think of maybe that should pay him the big dollars for marketing.
 
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Chuck Buck engraved his signature on my plain Jane Buck 110 when he was in Calgary setting up the Buck display at the opening of the new Bass Pro at CrossIron Mills in 2009, but while it's neat to have, it didn't really add to the value of the knife, except maybe to me. Can't see why "special edition" merchandise is special.
 
greater said:
The use of the words blood groove to describe fullers is one I remember and really stands out to me concerning the direction of their marketing. I get the sense that they are mocking tragic situations in which a kinfe is used for self defense. Lynn Thompson was always serious about self defense.

Lynn Thompson’s detailed explanations of the knife designs along with examples of their use with videos of rigorous testing backed by real world use for example when he hunts. He manages to convey all this in a very entertaining manner without insulting deceitful hype.

I find Lynn’s principles to be missing in these new GSM ads. I am not wowed nor amused by the new ads in contrast Lynn Thompson ads are both amusing and educational whether people want to admit it or not. Come to think of maybe that should pay him the big dollars for marketing.
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Well, I know up until 2006-2008 it was pretty common to see many brick and mortar stores sell Cold Steel.
At least in my state.
I know a few stores who quit selling their products and it can now be pretty challenging to find a brick and mortar business that sells Cold Steel.
Don't get me wrong. I have bought Cold Steel since 1998.
But I am truly convinced their marketing and videos such as what I showed rubbed many people the wrong way.
Including a good portion of brick and mortar stores.
I walked into an army and navy surplus store who use to sell mostly Cold Steel, Spyderco, and Benchmade.
The Cold Steel that used to take up a glass display case were down to a few machetes, Broken Skulls, and some Pro Lites and 2 recons.
I asked the owner who I shopped with was he going to get more Cold Steel?
His reply was I quote. Hell No, They have alienated many of my customers. (This was in 2015)
Some who serve in the government and law enforcement.
Due to some of their videos and Lynns comments.
Not my words.
I was really disappointed to hear this. As I can't afford Benchmade. And Spyderco I only like the Endura, Byrd Line, and Bow River.
Perhaps people are too sensitive compared to my youth of the 1990's grunge rock days.
But, you either got to roll with the times. Or get left behind.
Lynn Thompson I respect his contributions in the knife industry.
But he lost a lot of business due to his marketing strategy.
His proof videos were enough. When he started making comments about how his Chaos skull buster could fracture a skull or how his knives can lay a 12 inch deep gash.
And had clowns like Buck making videos spearing fish and slinging them on the river bank flexing and screaming like a cave man.
He started losing sellers and vendors.
Even Walmart would not sell Cold Steel pre GSM during Lynns run.
And to top it off.
Knife reviewers and folks like Nick Shabazz and Backyard Samurai. Now known as Backyard Knife Dude.
Along with other knife reviewers.
Took a witch hunt out on Cold Steel. And their influence on buying and even driving businesses into more or less sales is very strong.
Then the old school Cold Steel fans like myself are dying off.
Or switching to other brands due to GSM acquiring the company.
I for one wish pre GSM Cold Steel was aroound.
For the simple reason that you could spend $20 to $75 and have a quality workhorse knife.
Now we got a Cold Steel charging $130 to $250 for 4034SS.
The same Steel companies like Ozark Trail, Camillus, Smith And Wesson and Mossy Oak use on their knives that run $10 to $30 on their Wal Mart branded knives.
I own a few GSM era knives and the ones I got are ok for their use.Like the SR1 Lite.
Let's also remember the horrible customer service and non existant shipping times that still plague GSM to this day.
Which is why I won't order from that company. As I don't feel like having my money taken And forgotten about.
In some cases people have waited over 2 or 3 years or still waiting for their knife they ordered.
It takes years to build a solid loyal customer base. It only takes a few days and bad decisions to lose that customer base.
I do not even think Lynn Thompson is as well off financially as many think he is.
Sure he has more money than me.
But, Businesses generally don't sell off or go bankrupt unless they are losing more money than they are making.
Just an opinion and pondering on why Cold Steel sold out.
Nothing more.
 
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My only thought on this is I miss when Cold Steel was more of that kind of rough around the edges company that while it was still a solid product you might have to hit the corners and edges with sandpaper to really make it nice. Ruger has become a similar kind of company in that they used to be much more budget friendly but lacked the refinement you might get from Colt or S&W. And yet you still got a fully functional bad to the bone product. Now both Cold Steel and Ruger have upped prices and maybe/maybe not the quality control and final finishing and I feel like they've kind of lost their place to their bread and butter customers.
 
Alberta Ed said:
Chuck Buck engraved his signature on my plain Jane Buck 110 when he was in Calgary setting up the Buck display at the opening of the new Bass Pro at CrossIron Mills in 2009, but while it's neat to have, it didn't really add to the value of the knife, except maybe to me. Can't see why "special edition" merchandise is special.
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Well, Some people may want to pay more for that. I mean not all knife users and collectors think the same.
Not disagreeing with you.
Just saying the members on blade forums do not make up 0.0000001% of the knife buying public and population.
I can remember buying knives that I got taken on. In hopes they would go up in value.
And now all I got is stuff I will probably never be able to resell and break even. Or even get half of what I paid.
Just a $4000 debt and $5000 in knives I was lucky to make $1,500 on
That is my own fault and my inexperience in knife collecting and flipping.
Even as far as 12 months ago.
I guess I was one of those suckers born every minute.
Ah well, I only live once. At least it was fun.
 
Maximumbob54 said:
The minute that goes away I find a new hobby.
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I would never be able to replace knives as my dominant interest, over the years other hobbies have come and gone, some I still maintain interest in though to a lesser degree than I did in its peak, but I have been enamored with blades since I was a child, a young child at that.
They still turn my head and capture my enthusiasm all these years later.

Sure, I might go a year or so without too much in the way of buying or drooling, but the very second I see a knife display I have to check it out.

My collection at this point is complete enough and funds limited enough that I don’t actively buy much in a given year, but I sure do still fidget and fondle with what I do have on a daily basis, and not a day has gone by in recent memory when I haven’t carried at least more than one blade on my person.

This hobby is my life’s hobby, I can’t imagine it ever changing as so many other interests have.
 
BJE said:
This hobby is my life’s hobby, I can’t imagine it ever changing as so many other interests have.
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I bounce around too much. I've dumped money into fishing, hunting, camping, motorcycles, firearms, ammo reloading, and more besides the knives. If I could do it all over again I would tell myself a little bit of all the above was enough instead of the borderline hoarder I've become over such things.
 
Maximumbob54 said:
I bounce around too much. I've dumped money into fishing, hunting, camping, motorcycles, firearms, ammo reloading, and more besides the knives. If I could do it all over again I would tell myself a little bit of all the above was enough instead of the borderline hoarder I've become over such things.
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I have likewise invested more time and money into all the above, except for camping and reloading, than I am happy about. Wish I would have kept my last bike and all the guns that passed through my hands, all except for that hi-point, I don’t miss that one lol.
 
Oil Stone Guru. I'm Not. said:
I have been following knives a bit in the last 12 years. And I am not trying to start a flame war or call anyone out.
I have just noticed that prior to the GSM buy out that any Lynn Thompson signed edition knife sold out really quick.
As in 6 months. And 3000 limited edition pieces.
Ever since GSM has taken over.
I have noticed the GSM ere Lynn Thompson signed editions are still available and in many cases. Easily found.
Despite being limited to 2000 to 3000 pieces.
Some of these were released over 2 years ago. And still available. Anyways, Maybe I am wrong.
It was just an observation I made.Has anyone else noticed similar observations such as mine?
I guess it is safe to assume that any suck future releases under the GSM/Lynn Thompson union are not going to be worth collecting.
Like I said, Correct me if I am wrong. Share your thoughts.
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I do buy them when I find a great deal on a model I like . Liked the Spartan enough to buy a 2nd one .








Much as I respect LCT , I'm not buying a knife just for his sig .
 
2000-3000 pieces isn't very "limited" when it comes to this sort of thing. I'm sure there were people who snagged a bunch thinking they were making a wise investment, and now are realizing that, while they're not losing money, they're not exactly buying Amazon stock in 1997.
 
My impression is Cold Steel is still one of if not the best values out there when it comes to knives. I have yet to handle a Cold Steel lemon. Every single Cold Steel knife that I have handled has been absolutely defect free and it's quite a few over the years. not one, both before and after GSM has been defective.

Cold steel still sells inexpensive knives that are way better than more expensive knives from some of our most popular knife manufacturers. In fact some if not a lot of Cold Steel AUS-8 knives are less expensive now than they were when AUS-8 was considered a quality steel. Cold Steel seems to make just about every knife design under the sun or just plain a lot and then some.

Everyone want's super steel at bargain prices especially if it has a Cold Steel brand logo.

I love the triad lock Finn Wolf and it's not expensive.

I just found a Zytel Ti-Lite 6 serrated kriss in AUS-10 for $64.00. For it's purpose it's great and AUS-10 is fine for this kind of knife that no one else makes because they don't want to offend the fudd crowd.

Is it as pretty (Ti-Lite 6) as an Italian stiletto no way but it is absolutely true to to the function and form of a stiletto and unlike a lot of other stilettos it would actually work really well. Unlike other stilettos this thing will cut like a laser, I generally don't like liner locks but I make an exception with Cold Steel because I find that they make all their locks good.

Whether you like the products or not and the same goes for me, I have to admit that Cold Steel does not put out BS products. They do what they are made to do.

I think the fudds have big problems coming to terms with Lynn Thompson's self defense products and his willingness to not hold back in their design and in the way he markets them.

I learned from watching one of Lynn Thompson's videos that the US military almost exclusively uses guns for almost all their forms of combat and does not dispute the advantages. This is coming from a man who designs and sells knives for a living. This must infuriate all those other companies that spew out claims of their products being tough military knives (with garbage locks and designs) made for taking out sentries.

Like him or not I have to respect Lynn Thompson.

I do agree from what I read that GSM has bad (OK terrible) customer service but I think the odds are you will get a good one and chances slim that you get a defective product for now.

Like I said before I really don't like GSM's bean counter marketing but for now the products seem to be just as good as always.

No matter who the manufacturer is I for one never gave a hoot about "exclusive special" "limited runs." Some people like that but i don't particularly care either way.
 
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"I do not even think Lynn Thompson is as well off financially as many think he is" He has a huge ranch in California,bought a c8 corvette i think he made out well selling the company,not to mention how much he made over all these years as the owner. I just think his signature doesnt seem to mean as much now that he no longer owns the company...
 
Maybe if he actually set up a table and stenciled his name on the blades in front of his customers they could be valued collector pieces long after (50 to 100 plus years ?) Lynn Thompson and we are gone.
 
goldie (above post) states my take on things as well. A stamped ‘signature’ from someone no longer with the company means nothing to me. I like many of the CS products and am pleased with the ones I have purchased after GSM bought the company.
 
I was never big on signature knives.It means nothing to me whatsoever! Does anyone remember that knife Kershaw had called the Steven Segal and it had his signature on the blade >Ugh !
 
It's inflation and the economy... I love knives, but it's hard enough to just make ends meet for me right now.
 
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