Production Recluse review

wardleather said:
man, i was really digging your stuff until you said that. You've got a couple of hit designs. Why don't you just run full production on those and figure out how to do it faster while keeping quality up? busse doesn't advertise 25 different knife models (fyi for someone studying the busse business model)
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I can not speak for anyone but myself, but personally hope he doesn't cut down to just two designs. I have two now, have two more planned for sure and hope for another one or two after that.
 
wardleather said:
man, i was really digging your stuff until you said that. You've got a couple of hit designs. Why don't you just run full production on those and figure out how to do it faster while keeping quality up? busse doesn't advertise 25 different knife models (fyi for someone studying the busse business model)
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I have no idea how or why that statement, factual, about demand turned you off, but I'm disapointed that it did. I'm not about to stop designing and making knives the way I want to though. I design and make knives by and from a passion for knives. I'm not trying to become a Busse clone either. Just see how he manages demand.
 
I for one, love it now that Andy has started working on new designs and making knives the way he wants to. I think creative people do their best work when they are allowed the freedom to work from what ever inspires them. I look at every knife that becomes available on this forum and when I see the one I want I'm gonna jump on it!

I think it was a great idea to have Bark River do the Recluse. It is a good design and I think Bark River makes great knives.I personly like the way Mike Stewart runs his company and that is one of the main reasons I own 3 knives from BRKT and will probably add to that number in the near future.
 
Yeah, not to mention the small fact that there is something about owning an original creation. I've owned production knives all my life, and it was Andy's style, designs, and method of producing the knives that made me want one. There are tons of production knives out there, a ton of custom knives as well, but what sets makers like Andy apart is the fact that they don't want to be Busse. They want to see their IDEAS come to life and be used and loved. Kinda like artists making art for the people or to sell. Keep up the good work, brother. Moose
 
Fiddleback said:
.... I'm not about to stop designing and making knives the way I want to though. I design and make knives by and from a passion for knives.....
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Glad to hear that. Your passion for knife making is clearly obvious and I always look forward to new batches. My one and only problem with it is that I am not independently wealthy... :)
 
mistwalker said:
Glad to hear that. Your passion for knife making is clearly obvious and I always look forward to new batches. My one and only problem with it is that I am not independently wealthy... :)
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Yeah, I hear ya. I'm poor and short on time, so, at least you get to get to the woods, LOL. Moose
 
The tips of my knives are designed for bushcrafting, which IMO includes drilling.

But prying is not the intended function.
 
Fiddleback said:
I have no idea how or why that statement, factual, about demand turned you off, but I'm disapointed that it did. I'm not about to stop designing and making knives the way I want to though. I design and make knives by and from a passion for knives. I'm not trying to become a Busse clone either. Just see how he manages demand.
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Very glad to hear it Andy - 5 and counting ( well it will be a while for the next one)
 
deltablade said:
how strong or thick is the tip?
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From all of them I have handled Andy obviously designs his tips with bushcraft in mind. Haven't had a chance to try out either Recluse yet...hope to remedy that soon :)...but if done in 5/32 I'm sure it's more than adequate to handle any normal field needs. The Bushfinger has a similar hi sabre convex grind and the tip on it is just fine for all my usual needs.

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Fiddleback said:
I have no idea how or why that statement, factual, about demand turned you off, but I'm disapointed that it did. I'm not about to stop designing and making knives the way I want to though. I design and make knives by and from a passion for knives. I'm not trying to become a Busse clone either. Just see how he manages demand.
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It's not really your statement about demand but how you are choosing to respond to it. I guess I'm just as frustrated as anyone else who logs in here and sees a great knife such as the bushfinger only to find out I can't even order one. Granted, no one here can tell you how to run your business and I know your marketing yourself a custom guy but you have to agree it's a bit of a tease to offer a "line" of knives and then not give anyone the ability to order them. Thus leading to the concept of producing a couple of popular models for a limited time and then moving on to a different model just as Busse has made painfully obvious with his business model. I'd be willing to bet you lose more business than you attract with your current structure. I'm only going to sit on $300 in knife funds for so long and who knows which knife from your line will pop up for sale. You gotta be some what predictable for your customers.
 
I think he's stopped taking orders so he can catch up. A lot of each batch is going to previously taken orders and he is back logged. Once those orders are caught up then it only stands to reason each batch finished will have more available knives of different styles. and he will have the freedom to adjust those styles from batch to batch to meet the current demand.

If people had just done straight ordering it like "I want this knife with these handle scales, and I need this diameter for comfort" it wouldn't have gone here but...it is a custom knife so people say things like "I want this knife but with that grind and the other handle" ...then "oh wait...I think I want that handle instead"..."or maybe that grind"...etc., etc., etc. Then when he gets them made just the way they want them if they can' afford it then he is stuck with it for a while until someone else wants exactly that design. I can see where that would get really old. I think he is trying to make it where he can take orders again but with some limitations on them.
 
I really, really like my Production Recluse, but I'm a huge BRKT fan also. The Recluse fits nicely between my BRKT Gunny and Bravo-1 and I like the different profile for bushcraft. Its a very nice knife and quickly becoming one of my favorites.
 
mistwalker said:
I think he's stopped taking orders so he can catch up. A lot of each batch is going to previously taken orders and he is back logged. Once those orders are caught up then it only stands to reason each batch finished will have more available knives of different styles. and he will have the freedom to adjust those styles from batch to batch to meet the current demand.

If people had just done straight ordering it like "I want this knife with these handle scales, and I need this diameter for comfort" it wouldn't have gone here but...it is a custom knife so people say things like "I want this knife but with that grind and the other handle" ...then "oh wait...I think I want that handle instead"..."or maybe that grind"...etc., etc., etc. Then when he gets them made just the way they want them if they can' afford it then he is stuck with it for a while until someone else wants exactly that design. I can see where that would get really old. I think he is trying to make it where he can take orders again but with some limitations on them.
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I guess I agree with needing to clean up the ordering process and totally understand the struggle to fill back logged orders. I just don't see how you're going to do any better with 20 different knife designs. Do you? Like I suggested, and i'm sure a lot of guys who like his work would disagree, i think the best approach for a one man shop is to offer a limited number of models and be able to produce a bunch of them. Build and sell until you've saturated the market then move onto hyping another model. As weird as this sounds, it's like a drug dealer with a pocket full of everything you can imagine who won't sell you anything. The dealers approach to a successful long term business is to feed you just enough to keep you hooked (and to make sure he never gets caught :) ) Tell us what you have and actually come through with it. We'll keep coming back.

...and sorry for grossly hijacking this thread...it happens.
 
IMO, you either support the new wave of American craftsmanship, or you don't. I can't be a production company all to myself, and don't intend to try. Hopefully the production line blossoms and you'll have a few/several avail at all times. Until then, for the customs will be produced and sold as I make them. Orders don't pay.
 
Pilot1 said:
I really, really like my Production Recluse, but I'm a huge BRKT fan also. The Recluse fits nicely between my BRKT Gunny and Bravo-1 and I like the different profile for bushcraft. Its a very nice knife and quickly becoming one of my favorites.
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I hear a lot of good said about the production model, and I have to admit I have been closely eyeing it too lately while I wait. I am really looking forward to getting the custom version and maybe even a production model later, I do like the looks of a lot of BRKT knives. I have a lot of production knives so I'm not really a custom snob or anything like that. It's that along with the great aesthetics and awesome grind Andy's passion for the knives he makes leaves a strong energy behind, they have a great soul which is something all of my production knives are lacking.
 
wardleather said:
Snip.
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I apologize for the further threadjack, and I apologize if this has already been covered (I read the thread on my phone)--but why not e-mail Andy and ask him when he might have such-and-such available?

He knows better than anyone what blanks he has, what model knives are selling the best, and when he's thinking about doing more of that model. He might even be kind enough to give you advance notice that the model is going up for sale. That way if he says 4 months, you can plan and save accordingly--if he doesn't have one in 4 months either wait a little longer or buy something else. If you're no longer interested; well, he was making it anyway.

I'm not trying to come across in a negative way; this is just how I've learned to do things whenever possible after being burned twice by custom makers.
 
Fiddleback said:
IMO, you either support the new wave of American craftsmanship, or you don't. I can't be a production company all to myself, and don't intend to try. Hopefully the production line blossoms and you'll have a few/several avail at all times. Until then, for the customs will be produced and sold as I make them. Orders don't pay.
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While the production Recluse appears to be a very nice knife. I'll wait in hopes I can score a custom :thumbup::cool:

I understand not wanting to take orders, as other makers have also gone this route. Somehow they still manage to stay in business. ;)

Based on the progression of your designs and skills, I may even end up with something better than the Recluse.

Keep up the great work!
 
Pilot1 said:
I really, really like my Production Recluse, but I'm a huge BRKT fan also. The Recluse fits nicely between my BRKT Gunny and Bravo-1 and I like the different profile for bushcraft. Its a very nice knife and quickly becoming one of my favorites.
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Excellent news. Thanks!

RedbeAR15 said:
While the production Recluse appears to be a very nice knife. I'll wait in hopes I can score a custom :thumbup::cool:

I understand not wanting to take orders, as other makers have also gone this route. Somehow they still manage to stay in business. ;)

Based on the progression of your designs and skills, I may even end up with something better than the Recluse.

Keep up the great work!
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No problem there. I'll be making a LOT of knives to sell here.
 
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