Skull or no Skull?

[Charr]

Skulls have also been used as death imagery for thousands of years as well. Just saying.

And as imagery for the invitation of the dead to rejoice with the living, and the vesel of the soul.
They have been used for a lot of different things for a long time, just like most symbols.

A certain Hindu/Buddhist symbol that got an extreme amount of bad press comes to mind in times like these...
Just because a symbol is used by one group to represent a particular idea or ideal does not mean that all people who ever utilize that symbol have the same intention. There are exceptions, but generally it is a case-by-case kind of thing.

 

[marcinek]

......You take me seriously when I say everyone who buys stuff with skulls on it is part of SEAL team 3? There's this thing called sarcasm. .

Really? I never heard of it. I'd love to hear more about it!

 

[GronK]

Wow, people are getting all philosophical and stuff. As was stated earlier for every person who hates the skull there are probably a few people who would buy it. Not necessarily the knife nuts on this forum but the general public. It's just a decor item, like it or don't, no voodoo included. It's certainly more fitting than butterflies or some other random object, to the genera. Skulls go along with guns and knives as well as any other decorative item I guess. Take the wide use of the punisher skull used in many areas of gun gear. From magazine floor plates, to AR dust covers, pistol grips to Chris Kyle's SEAL team spray painting it onto their hummers and body armor. I'm not going to be the one to tell SEAL team 3 or the Army's 24th infantry that they are being too "tacticool".

The main thing is that this is a product, meant to be purchased by someone. Protech puts out a model called the tactical response knife, and I just checked on blade hq, more than a couple of the SOLD ones have skulls on them, so someone's definitely buying them.
Personally the knife isn't my style, however skulls or not, I wish them the best of luck on this project.

Seal Team 3 gets a pass because they are for real bad asses. The Joe Kools at the mall just do it to look bad ass without putting their patootie on the line.

 

[Thomas Carey]

I have to say I am surprised as I would have thought there would have been more takers for the skull as they are supposed to be quite popular currently. =)

 

[Paka]

@NorthernSouthpaw the butterfly thing wasn't specifically directed at Benchmade, just the first silly item that came to mind. I've owned two infidels and they are ok knives..

@Killgar I am glad that you are willing to stand up and tell elite military units what they should put on their gear. As for me I am fine with whatever they want whether it be skulls or butterflies. I appreciate your opinion on how the military needs to be perceived. In fact, it's not just the military that faces hatred throughout the world, it's the U.S. in general. When our military is deployed into a combat zone to kill the enemy I doubt what insignia they paint onto their gun (or knife) is going to make any difference in public opinion of the military action. As far as negative imagery for propaganda purposes, we are talking about the same enemy that beheads innocent people on video right? You will have to excuse me though, I have never bought into the "we're here to win the hearts and minds" line of thinking. If it worked so well we wouldn't still be there.

However, we are getting way off topic. My point was to say that skulls are widely used in many areas of gun gear, and military gear was just one example i listed.

@Paka your post was a waste to read, Obviously everyone that buys a skull knife, or has a skull on the floor plate of their glock magazine isn't in some elite military unit. That was my point. The whole genra is very popular and this knife in question would probably sell very well with the skull on it as Marcinek posted.

Did you not even read the post directed at me? He clearly took what I said literally. And you're completely wrong, he's saying people like skulls because it makes them "feel" like they're part of a military unit. Really? I bet if you asked the majority of people who like skulls they wouldn't associate it with "SEAL team 3" or something of the like. Take the 30 seconds to read what I'm responding to before you say my post is "a waste to read".

Anyways I think you'd sell more if you had the option of both, it seems the skull lovers are in the minority though.

 

[Quiet]

Did you not even read the post directed at me? He clearly took what I said literally. And you're completely wrong, he's saying people like skulls because it makes them "feel" like they're part of a military unit. Really? I bet if you asked the majority of people who like skulls they wouldn't associate it with "SEAL team 3" or something of the like. Take the 30 seconds to read what I'm responding to before you say my post is "a waste to read".

Anyways I think you'd sell more if you had the option of both, it seems the skull lovers are in the minority though.

Ah, but come on now. People buy things with skulls all over them for the same reason that people tend to like bully breed dogs. They look tough, and some folks are always looking for things that make them look tough. :thumbup:

The funny thing, the absolute baddest of the bad-asses I've known in my life have all been guys who could be mistaken for mild-mannered librarian types. One of my friends is someone who's done something like four tours and has been in multiple live fire engagements, and if you walked past him in an aisle in a grocery store, you'd never know he was even a soldier, much less an grade-A operator. Is what it is.

 

[slorenzo]

When I see skull decor on knife or fob I imagine a scene like this:
LEO: "Is that a weapon in your pocket?"
Me: "No sir, it's a tool!"
LEO: "If you show me a hammer, saw, screwdriver or wrench with a skull on it you're free to go. If not, you are carrying a weapon!"

my fingers are tools in a way, and I have a skull on one of those ;-)

 

[onojoe]

No Skull, Probably should have made this a poll.

 

[slorenzo]

All joking aside I do like skulls, but not a fan of them on knives.

+1 on the poll!

 

[Leftytwogunz]

@Paka You attempted to troll my post where I listed four random examples of gun gear with skulls on it, out of the probably thousands, and latched onto one of the two military units that I listed use the emblem as well. That post contributed nothing to this thread but a bit of failed sarcasm. And I read your last post twice and you still aren't making much of a point, but I will continue..

As far as skull lovers being the minority, you have to remember most of the knife buying public aren't "knife nuts" who are on blade forums. Lots of people would still buy the knife, even if we knife nuts reading this forum don't particularly love it as a whole. As far as skull popularity on gear, let me get more specific for the point of this thread.
Skulls on knife gear:

Busse Combat. Most everyone on this forum is somewhere on the spectrum of at least familiar to fanatic about this company.

Emerson knives.

Strider.

Aftermarket skull accessories for knives.

Steel flame Emerson clips.

Hinderer accessories.

Starlingear.

Uparmored. A company who almost bases it's whole existence off of painting skulls on your knives, for a price.

I suppose I could find many more examples of skulls on knives or related gear but I believe that skulls on the logo of industry giants such as Busse and Emerson says a lot. Add into the mix that the stand up gentlemen at Steel Flame have found a huge market for skull related knife accessories, people put them on their Emerson's and Hinderers, then there are other industry giants coming into play with the Starlingear and Strider collaborations. As I mentioned Protech has a line of knives with skulls on them that I assume to be successful, as they are still in production, and if a company like up armored can exist because people ship knives to them to have skulls painted on I would have to say that the skull-on-knife industry has quite a following.

I am not trying to argue with anyone who doesn't particularly like skulls. I am saying that whether everyone may realize it or not there is actually a big market for people buying knives with skulls on them, or putting skulls on their knives, one way or another, after the fact.

I think this project from the OP is going to sell like hot cakes...shaped like skulls

 

[marcinek]

Did you not even read the post directed at me? He clearly took what I said literally. And you're completely wrong, he's saying people like skulls because it makes them "feel" like they're part of a military unit. Really? .

Yes, they do. One really don't understand knife marketing if one thinks otherwise. Much of it is driven by fantasy... giving people the feeling they are like spec ops folks, or Rambo, or Bear Grylss, etc etc etc.

 

[syco1138]

Skull. Definitely skull. Maybe some pro 2ndA options as well.

 

[ourgon]

Many knife people which I know, have opinion that skulls on knives or on lanyards are lame. I don't like big skulls on handles or pocket clips, and other things, which supposed to make knife or his owner more badass or cool or feeling like super commando. You want to be cool like SEAL Team 3? Lift your body, exercise. ;P

 

[Paka]

@Paka You attempted to troll my post where I listed four random examples of gun gear with skulls on it, out of the probably thousands, and latched onto one of the two military units that I listed use the emblem as well. That post contributed nothing to this thread but a bit of failed sarcasm. And I read your last post twice and you still aren't making much of a point, but I will continue..

As far as skull lovers being the minority, you have to remember most of the knife buying public aren't "knife nuts" who are on blade forums. Lots of people would still buy the knife, even if we knife nuts reading this forum don't particularly love it as a whole. As far as skull popularity on gear, let me get more specific for the point of this thread.
Skulls on knife gear:

Busse Combat. Most everyone on this forum is somewhere on the spectrum of at least familiar to fanatic about this company.

Emerson knives.

Strider.

Aftermarket skull accessories for knives.

Steel flame Emerson clips.

Hinderer accessories.

Starlingear.

Uparmored. A company who almost bases it's whole existence off of painting skulls on your knives, for a price.

I suppose I could find many more examples of skulls on knives or related gear but I believe that skulls on the logo of industry giants such as Busse and Emerson says a lot. Add into the mix that the stand up gentlemen at Steel Flame have found a huge market for skull related knife accessories, people put them on their Emerson's and Hinderers, then there are other industry giants coming into play with the Starlingear and Strider collaborations. As I mentioned Protech has a line of knives with skulls on them that I assume to be successful, as they are still in production, and if a company like up armored can exist because people ship knives to them to have skulls painted on I would have to say that the skull-on-knife industry has quite a following.

I am not trying to argue with anyone who doesn't particularly like skulls. I am saying that whether everyone may realize it or not there is actually a big market for people buying knives with skulls on them, or putting skulls on their knives, one way or another, after the fact.

I think this project from the OP is going to sell like hot cakes...shaped like skulls

Alright are you just trying to piss me off or what? I said it before and I'll say it again, that post was directed at maricnek and was in regards to him saying people like skulls because it makes them feel like a they're part of "SEAL team 3". And I find it funny how you say the point of putting skulls on the knives would be because it sells better to the general public, yet the OP is specifically posting on a knife forum because he wants to know the opinions of people who actually care about knives. Not this mass of people you speak of who buy expensive knives..sure maybe a lot of guys who buy knives sub 50$ like skulls, but that's another story. I think it's clear from this thread the majority of people don't like skulls on this particular knife.


Regardless of skull or not, it'll probably sell well. I think you should keep your mouth shut if you're just going to tell me I'm attempting to "troll your post" when in reality it's the exact opposite.

 

[arrowhd]

No skull for me.

 

[Inazone]

I have to say I am surprised as I would have thought there would have been more takers for the skull as they are supposed to be quite popular currently. =)

Well, you have to look the audience for your question and consider that a lot of BFC members are discerning enough about their knife purchasing to have "graduated" past some of the brands or styles that are popular. While it's true that some respected names in the industry feature skulls either prominently in their designs or as a branding image, there are also a lot of low-end knives that are plastered with skulls and other graphics in almost exactly the same place as your design. Even if it seems a little silly, I think that there is a certain degree of perceived prestige associated with choosing a truly high-quality knife, and seeing such a knife decked out like a $10 gun show POS overshadows things like workmanship, quality materials, etc.

Here are a couple of images courtesy of Google, hopefully not a no-no for not being from BFC supporters . . . thank God.

I'm all for people liking whatever appeals to them, but if I was trying to come up with something appropriate for a classy, quality knife intended for a good cause and representing my company, I'd skip the skulls.

 

[Leftytwogunz]

Alright are you just trying to piss me off or what?
... the OP is specifically posting on a knife forum because he wants to know the opinions of people who actually care about knives. Not this mass of people you speak of who buy expensive knives..sure maybe a lot of guys who buy knives sub 50$ like skulls, but that's another story. I think it's clear from this thread the majority of people don't like skulls on this particular knife.
Regardless of skull or not, it'll probably sell well. I think you should keep your mouth shut if you're just going to tell me I'm attempting to "troll your post" when in reality it's the exact opposite.

Paka,
Yes he was asking us on the knife forum, but I doubt blade forum members will be the only ones who will be able to purchase the knife, right? I imagine it will be for sale on some public website somewhere, where others can purchase it too. Therefore, to achieve maximum sales those buyers will have to be taken into consideration too.

As far as your next confusing sentence goes, are we talking about guys who buy expensive knives or sub $50 knives? Because I illustrated that some people who buy expensive knives are into skulls. None of the makers I listed are sub $50 knives. Hell, most of these skull add-ons cost a couple of hundred dollars. Then you state that people in the sub $50 category like skulls so I guess that covers everybody.

I agree, not many people on this thread are pro-skulls. Thanks for clearing that up again. You seem to be getting worked up really easily. Chill out, go and have a skull pancake.
Or maybe one of these:

Only joking Paka. Don't freak out or anything.

 

[Sonnydaze]

I just don't see anything "attractive" about the skull. I would lose it.
Thanks for your charitable work.

 

[Paka]

Well if you're just going to twist what I'm saying and somehow misinterpret what I'm trying to get across I guess there's not much I can do. I'll try one more time to help you understand what I'm saying. Obviously other people can and will be able to buy this knife, other then the people on this thread. But I ask you why you're so sure that a knife with a skull would sell better, there's obviously a market for it, but again the people buying these more expensive knives prefer no skull.

And as for taking me out of context, "you state that people in the sub 50$ Category like skulls so I guess that covers everybody." At first I thought you were lazy and didn't fully read or comprehend my posts, now I know you're just purposefully trying to get at me to feel some sense of fulfillment. Did I ever say that everybody in the sub 50$ range likes skulls? My post is right there, point it out why don't yea? I was saying most of the people who like skulls are mall-ninjas who spend 12$ on a Chinese made knife covered in skulls. That would put them in the sub 50$ range.


And Most skull add-ons are expensive? I doubt someone would spend 200$ more on he EXACT same knife just because it has a skull on it. And if they do good for them but I highly doubt they're even close to in the majority..again what I'm saying is most of the people who shell out the big money aren't into skulls. Agree or disagree?

 

[Bludgeon]

Everyone has skull on their shoulders....learn to like it.