Shop Visit Recommendations

highestpoint

highestpoint

Joined
Aug 13, 2014
Messages
1,267
Hello all! I'm looking to get a little insight on what you guys think about visiting knife company factories or manufacturing warehouses (if I'm using the term correctly).

I recently got PCS (for you military guys) moved to upstate Washington on Whidbey Island and on the trip out I stopped at Blade HQ (always a good place to visit from watching everyones videos on youtube) and CRK in Boise. My short stay in Washington then sent me to Lemoore, Cali for a trade school and on the way down I stopped at KnivesShipFree (an amazing showroom they have). My question is on the way back north (if anybody has stopped at these places) are they worth the visit? Such as ZT/Kershaw, Benchmade, CRKT, World Knives LTD., SOG, or Blade Gallery. I would love to stop at several of these places but most are out of my way considering its already a 16+ hour trip. I would like to make it a two day trip so I can stop at as many as possible but from my experience stopping at CRK, it wasn't what I expected (luckily my wife wanted to stop and eat so I made her go :D) but all I got from it was that I could say I stopped there (and a think twice cut once t-shirt in italian) the lady at the desk said it was an accident so I got one anyway lol. I'm just looking for some thoughts about what you guys would do and if you've visited and think they're worth it. I could use a deep carry BM pocket clip or two though :cool:
 
Also took a trip to Oregon last year.

Link: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1223513-My-trip-to-Benchmade-and-a-new-knife-(LONG-POST)?highlight=vacation%2C+benchmade

Kershaw is nothing special, you can look at some display cases in the lobby for 10 min and that's all you get. I

Benchmade was much better, you can buy knives (at msrp), and other gift shop items. I got myself a mug and some blue lube. we also got to go upstairs and look out over the shop floor from the balcony, which was cool. You can also handle all of the knives they have available. See my link for more pics.

Funny story in my thread, when I went to visit BM, I did not have a benchmade knife to show off, so I just bought some small items. Later that day I walked into a pawn shop and found a discontinued BM lum tanto that had no clip and needed a new edge. Walked in the next morning with my new purchase and had a fresh edge put on and a brand new pocket clip. Sort of completed the experience for me lol.
 
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