Hi Tinwiskers,
To bring a new model to the marketplace requires a very large inestment in design, engineering, prototyping, tooling, production prototyping, production, inventory, promotion, marketing, etc.
We always try to bring new models, new materials and new concepts to our customers. The investment in time and money to make a new Lava is like making a new Chokwe or a new Manix.
We'll usually test a design with a high quality variation. That way we know it's the design that is desired rather than just a low price. It also attracts afi's, that will spend more money on a design and often have the experience and knowldege to evalute the design in a way that is more meaningful to us.
We recognize that we work for the End Line User (ELU). We need to create designs that you like, but enough of you have to like it to support the design.
Decisions on "What" model to make from the many posibilities is always challenging. We have many new models as well as variations coming out this year. We are well into working on next year. We normally don't go "retro" on a model unless we're; making a sprint run which does not require all of the pre-production investment, or we're trying to improve an existing model that we feel has a better possibility of greater success, preferably long term.
We're planning on a "retro" to a Lil'Temperance2" design because of customer requests.
It is not likely that we would create a "new" model of the Lava. We will probably do some type of sprint down the road, but with little or no new tooling requirement.
Sometimes I'll produce a design "just because", like the new fixed blade Temperance2. It's expensive and it's not likely that we'll sell a lot of them, but with a production run, we get to put out a very special product that maybe only a few will want, appreciate, and get to enjoy. For knife chores (no hammer, no prybar), it's quite the performer. I don't take a hike in the wild without one.
Then, we have to more on to serve our customers.
sal
