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Whoa, hold your horses and refrain leveling accusations at me, please. I'm sticking up for Lynn and like Cold Steel products, like I said in the original post. Nothing more than that.
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Positive firsthand experience with Lynn Thompson
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Whoa, hold your horses and refrain leveling accusations at me, please. I'm sticking up for Lynn and like Cold Steel products, like I said in the original post. Nothing more than that.
afishhunter
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My main problem with Cold Steel is they market pretty much everything they make as a "weapon".
A prosecuting Attorney's dream come true ... I can hear it now, at your trial ... "You carried a Cold Steel ____ ; a ____ described as, and marketed as a weapon by the manufacturer. Thus, you had intent, which nullifies your claim of self defense ..."
A prosecuting Attorney's dream come true ... I can hear it now, at your trial ... "You carried a Cold Steel ____ ; a ____ described as, and marketed as a weapon by the manufacturer. Thus, you had intent, which nullifies your claim of self defense ..."
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He does, which motivated my original post. I feel like he gets more flak than accolades. Recognizing that, his critics are entitled to their opinions.
As is that any different than the "public" heads of any other knife makers get? Sal, Mick, Mike Stewart, the Quartermaster folks, etc etc etc. Do you feel he gets proportionally more somehow?
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Are you a paid representative of that company? If not, then it's a real shame that you felt so little of Lynn's capability for defending himself (or the need to) that you posted this thread up.
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Cold Steel is one of those crap magnet companies. Some of their knives are good, their production QC has gone up dramatically, and they have a lot of strengths, including a wide and nontraditional product offering and several good features, like the Triad lock.
But they're also at the confluence of eye-rolling where rabid fanboyism meets carnival showmanship meets questionable history and business practices.
You can get by with one or two of those things.
Busse, Emerson, and Strider all have ridiculous fanboys. Strider has questionable history. But only Lynn does Lynn...
Not Ernie, either. He's not on here nearly as much as Sal, but when someone from Emerson posts, it's "EmersonRep," not "Ernie Emerson."
But they're also at the confluence of eye-rolling where rabid fanboyism meets carnival showmanship meets questionable history and business practices.
You can get by with one or two of those things.
Busse, Emerson, and Strider all have ridiculous fanboys. Strider has questionable history. But only Lynn does Lynn...
Not Sal
Not Ernie, either. He's not on here nearly as much as Sal, but when someone from Emerson posts, it's "EmersonRep," not "Ernie Emerson."
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I look for certain qualities in a knife, regardless of the owner's attitude. Lynn is not a politician, and he does not make decisions that impact my life, so his personality does not equate into my knife buying decisions.
An example is with Emerson. I love his knives. Been to the shop and had perfect dealing with his staff. Even met him once. But, I do not care for him or his personality. But I do not care....I will still buy his knives.
If I vetted owners of companies I do business with and only bought from people that I liked and respected. I would own hardly anything.
An example is with Emerson. I love his knives. Been to the shop and had perfect dealing with his staff. Even met him once. But, I do not care for him or his personality. But I do not care....I will still buy his knives.
If I vetted owners of companies I do business with and only bought from people that I liked and respected. I would own hardly anything.
I've never met LT, and as such, I really have no opinion (or ill will) towards the man. But its good to hear that others have had good experiences meeting him in person.
The only Cold Steel product I own is one of their Trailhawks. Its fine, especially for the price. From an outsiders perspective, they do seem to have a lot of the things that people look for on a spec sheet, at a pretty decent price. I do find it somewhat interesting that some people frequently call them the "best", when that is just so hard to quantify/"prove", and then sometimes are offended when others don't agree. At least (again, as someone who doesn't own one of their knives) there doesn't seem to be any argument that their products are typically good quality.
To be clear, I do find their marketing silly/over the top, and most of their products on the more "tacticool" side of modern, but those things alone aren't really an issue for me. It does seem though that most people assume when you don't really like CS, that its because of one of those last two things ("tacticool/mall ninja" designs and/or their marketing). Not so in my case.
For me, the main sticking point is the company itself. I pretty much refuse to buy any more CS products. Seeing how the company is run (the CRKT lawsuit, GI Tanto design, etc), and how they handled those situations. I'm not interested in supporting them further.
Which, as it turns out, isn't all that difficult for me. I don't find lock strength a meaningful part of what I find useful/helpful in a folder. I also right rear pocket carry, which works best tip down. And, I've not checked closely, but it appears that all of their folders are tip up only (could be wrong on the "all", but it seems that at least "most" of them are tip up only). And in the fixed blade area that I honestly have more interest in, there are plenty of other competitors at pretty much every price point that I'd rather support.
Guess for my next hawk I'll have to find another maker
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The only Cold Steel product I own is one of their Trailhawks. Its fine, especially for the price. From an outsiders perspective, they do seem to have a lot of the things that people look for on a spec sheet, at a pretty decent price. I do find it somewhat interesting that some people frequently call them the "best", when that is just so hard to quantify/"prove", and then sometimes are offended when others don't agree. At least (again, as someone who doesn't own one of their knives) there doesn't seem to be any argument that their products are typically good quality.
To be clear, I do find their marketing silly/over the top, and most of their products on the more "tacticool" side of modern, but those things alone aren't really an issue for me. It does seem though that most people assume when you don't really like CS, that its because of one of those last two things ("tacticool/mall ninja" designs and/or their marketing). Not so in my case.
For me, the main sticking point is the company itself. I pretty much refuse to buy any more CS products. Seeing how the company is run (the CRKT lawsuit, GI Tanto design, etc), and how they handled those situations. I'm not interested in supporting them further.
Which, as it turns out, isn't all that difficult for me. I don't find lock strength a meaningful part of what I find useful/helpful in a folder. I also right rear pocket carry, which works best tip down. And, I've not checked closely, but it appears that all of their folders are tip up only (could be wrong on the "all", but it seems that at least "most" of them are tip up only). And in the fixed blade area that I honestly have more interest in, there are plenty of other competitors at pretty much every price point that I'd rather support.
Guess for my next hawk I'll have to find another maker
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I roll my eyes at Lynn Thompson's antics sometimes... Stabbing through 15 leather jackets, hacking a boot full of pork chops, hanging from a folder...
I generally have a low opinion of this marketing style. Is that "attacking" Lynn, or "giving him flak"? I tend to think not.
I've never met Lynn, and don't know him, so I'm not qualified to comment on what sort of human or person he is. I won't even venture an opinion on such.
But if he's going to put stuff out there that is specifically geared toward me as a potential consumer, I'll react to it. Maybe positively, maybe negatively.
And if fanbois decide to have a problem with it? Well, it's their problem, not mine.
OP has just as much right to jump in here and say something positive. And that's cool with me.
I generally have a low opinion of this marketing style. Is that "attacking" Lynn, or "giving him flak"? I tend to think not.
I've never met Lynn, and don't know him, so I'm not qualified to comment on what sort of human or person he is. I won't even venture an opinion on such.
But if he's going to put stuff out there that is specifically geared toward me as a potential consumer, I'll react to it. Maybe positively, maybe negatively.
And if fanbois decide to have a problem with it? Well, it's their problem, not mine.
OP has just as much right to jump in here and say something positive. And that's cool with me.
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The checkout lady at the local gas station was nice enough to serve me and my buddy lunch this morning because the food attendant was outside smoking a cigarette. She surely didn't have to do this, but it was a nice gesture and much appreciated. By your definition I guess her and I are now "pals", I need to go back and hit her up for her good book info so we can make it official on the book of faces....
You ate at the same place as some dude one time and he was nice to people who were fans, that seems like pretty much all that happened here, unless there is SIGNIFICANTLY more that you just flat out aren't telling us. You had a great experience with the guy one time back in the day and based on that think he's swell. That's great and all, but my cashier lady this morning while nice may have swiped my credit card info with one of those reader thingies and I'd never know it.
You ate at the same place as some dude one time and he was nice to people who were fans, that seems like pretty much all that happened here, unless there is SIGNIFICANTLY more that you just flat out aren't telling us. You had a great experience with the guy one time back in the day and based on that think he's swell. That's great and all, but my cashier lady this morning while nice may have swiped my credit card info with one of those reader thingies and I'd never know it.
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Lynn is controversial to be sure. As someone else posted, I'm not that interested in vetting him like say a Trump appointee seeking Senate confirmation. I judge the knives and they're pretty good.
I'm glad that Cold Steel exists. I think they contribute a lot to the knife landscape, if you will.
I'm glad that Cold Steel exists. I think they contribute a lot to the knife landscape, if you will.
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Oh I've hung out with Lynn a lot more than just once at the prime rib place. We've hung out at a variety of eateries, since I'm out west for work a lot (not exactly a knife/tool related field.) I admit, I've never gone hunting with Lynn even one single time. (I'm not a hunter myself). So I have to go on his stories, which have been partially corroborated by the YouTube video I posted up thread. Good thing I have the kind of rapport with Lynn to where I can mention this thread when I see him soon.
Ernie/EKI has come up a few times in this thread, and I have something to say about him with respect to Lynn and Cold Steel, but I want to keep it knife-related (and keep it positive), so I have to collect my thoughts first. Don't get me wrong - EKI is one of my favorites, too, but things seem a bit delicate around here, so I want to be careful.
Ernie/EKI has come up a few times in this thread, and I have something to say about him with respect to Lynn and Cold Steel, but I want to keep it knife-related (and keep it positive), so I have to collect my thoughts first. Don't get me wrong - EKI is one of my favorites, too, but things seem a bit delicate around here, so I want to be careful.
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This info IMHO provides much much more information then you met the guy once and he was nice to some fans. You legitimately know the guy and think he's a great fellow. If anything, since you guys are kind of buddies, maybe you can tell him you started a thread about him on bladeforums and everybody's #1 complaint was terrible customer service. Maybe he'll look into it, or maybe he'll tell you how we're all a bunch of whack-a-moles with keyboard that wouldn't know a good knife from a magic eraser.
1) Good for you and your rapport with Lynn. Many here have a similar rapport with major figures in the industry. (Actually many here ARE major figures in the industry.)
2) Nothing you have said about Lynn has been knife related. Its all been about how nice a guy he is. You said it yourself. So I'm not really sure what that your whole Emerson thing is supposed to mean.
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But you are speaking in a manner that eludes to you having insider information. When you say most companies talk to its fans by proxy and you state that as a fact i am not making any accusations when i ask if you work for a knife company. That is me asking a question. The fact you are immediately defensive is odd.
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Thats great. He is your friend. If I was your friend and you made this thread about me I would personally ask you to mind your business and let me fight my own battles as doing what you are doing usually ends up with the opposite of its desired effect. Especially when its a brand new member trying to advocate for someone else and we dont know you from adam. Im not trying to tell you what to do. But many join the forum and their first interaction is a rally cry for some injustice they feel has been bestowed upon them or someone they know. And in those times many will recommend getting to know the locals before trying to shift the tides.
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I met Lynn Thompson as he was mingling with the crowd at a Parking Lot Sale maybe 5 years ago. He was gracious and polite and chatted with me about knives -and hinted at what was to be an upcoming release [Lone Star Hunter] after I told him I had missed out on their traditional folder line. I had only ever seen him before that in the dvds I got with Cold Steel catalogs. He was a genuinely cool guy.
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I own several Emersons, and EKI is my second favorite company after Cold Steel (and CS only narrowly edges out EKI due to the Tri-Ad).
Maybe it's just me, but I always thought Ernie Emerson's politics were pretty campy, more or less on the level of Lynn's campy performance art. Maybe even more so. The only real difference is that Lynn's is physically choreographed, while Emerson has a more academic song and dance, expounding his theories in "The Way I See It", etc, to sell knives.
Now, that does not mean Emerson is wrong, or even that I always disagree with the way he sees it. But in a perfect world where forums were even-handed, we would be either much more charitable toward Lynn, or equally more critical of Emerson if we're stilling piling up on Lynn.
It's just the way I see it (lol). It's a thought experiment. You can't lose with either companies' products, so criticism and negativity on a forum removed from the marketplace doesn't effect Emerson (and especially not Lynn). I'm just glad we have both CS and EKI.
Maybe it's just me, but I always thought Ernie Emerson's politics were pretty campy, more or less on the level of Lynn's campy performance art. Maybe even more so. The only real difference is that Lynn's is physically choreographed, while Emerson has a more academic song and dance, expounding his theories in "The Way I See It", etc, to sell knives.
Now, that does not mean Emerson is wrong, or even that I always disagree with the way he sees it. But in a perfect world where forums were even-handed, we would be either much more charitable toward Lynn, or equally more critical of Emerson if we're stilling piling up on Lynn.
It's just the way I see it (lol). It's a thought experiment. You can't lose with either companies' products, so criticism and negativity on a forum removed from the marketplace doesn't effect Emerson (and especially not Lynn). I'm just glad we have both CS and EKI.
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