I think its the combination thing regarding sales or a lack thereof.
Economy aside; The $300 knife crowd is a niche crowd in and of itself, and a picky one at that, (understandably so spending that kind of money on a blade).
Throw in the "steel snob" crowd who make up a large part of that expensive knife crowd, coupled with the "skull community" being a whole nother niche crowd all unto itself.
I think you guys did a fine job on the knife in general, but the problem faced is finding someone in the willing to spend $300+ on a knife crowd, (who can currently afford it), who likes/appreciates 154cm enough at that price and isn't a "snob" against it, who also happens to like skulls. Anyone of those would've been an easier sell, but put 'em all together you "thinned the herd" if you will...
Take me for example, I like the design, lanyard and all, (as i am a fan of well done skull designs), and as ex-military myself i think the cause is great.
I am not a huge fan of 154cm however especially for that price, so that part doesn't make me "ooo and ahh" over it, (ELMAX would be my "super steel" of choice for a folder and would make this knife exponentially more attractive, to me, and would have made it much closer to a "must have" item rather then an "if I could I would". Bit again, other folks won't like an ELMAX version as much. Tough crowd.)
I also can't financially justify $300 knife purchases at the moment. I would have no problem spending that much on a knife if I could reasonably "afford" it, but at the moment I can't, not without saving, (and my wife would kill me if she found out i spent that much on "one" knife). my typical knife purchase is roughly 3-5 knives at a time for under $200, (which i can convince her was a deal), as I usually get at least one good one at a good sale price, and then fill the cart from said "site" to get free shipping and to maximize my overall budget that week in one place, one package, and that's maybe every other paycheck on average at most, so we're talking once a month tops... Waiting 2 mos. To buy just 1 knife is hard for me to justify when I would A) have to answer to the wife for it, B) it's not even my own personal favorite steel, (tough crowd), and C) there are still so many far less expensive but quality knives out there from Kabars to Kershaws, Bucks to Victorinox, that I still don't own but wish I did. The design i like though, and the cause is what gives it the value IMO, (but If it was ELMAX it might have been enough to have dealt with the woman after the fact).
