Skull or no Skull?

[Leftytwogunz]

I truly didn't understand what you meant in that one sentence. Wasn't sure whether you were referring to expensive knife buyers or cheap knife buyers. Now I understand what you meant.
I agree that there are probably many more cheap knives with skulls because they can be mass produced in china and only cost $12 as you say. That means it's easier for someone to pick up a cheap skull knife than a $300 protech. So they will be more common.

I disagree with your last statement. From my post where I listed some of the manufacturers of knives who use skulls in various ways did you read it? Are you even familiar with any of them? I posted a single example from multiple manufacturers so that it would be easy for someone to google search their work if they were not familiar. You are obviously not familiar with the price points of any of the items that I posted there.
I am not saying that this protech knife from this thread is going to cost $200 more if it has a skull on it. What I meant about the skull accessories is that the starlingear beads, the steel flame pocket clips, the hinderer skull filler tabs, the aftermarket paint jobs cost extra money. People buy them as aftermarket parts to add on to their knife, and they often cost a lot of money.

A common example where an identical knife costs extra due to skulls would be an average Strider SMF (approximately $550) put in the hands of Starlingear to do laser etching and add some skull motif and bead to it will make that same knife be more in the $1500 range.

 

[GronK]

Protech now has versions of several models available with and without the skulls with a higher price for the ones with. I would suggest talking to Dave at ProTech to get a feel for the percentage of skull vs no skull. The price difference for this model is $120, $400 with skull vs $280.

 

[Paka]

Well if there's say a 200$ knife without any skulls, and the same knife with skulls for 400$, I'm sure the 200$ will sell more. I don't understand what you're saying, I understand there's a market for skulls even in higher end knives, but that doesn't mean it's even close to the majority.

I also don't understand the relevance of bringing aftermarket parts into the discussion. That's a whole different thing.

And in reference to my first sentence of this post, I'll say that there's clearly some knives that are marketed specifically towards the type of people who like skulls. So that sentence may not be true in all circumstances, but for a knife like the one being designed it's certainly not appropriate in my opinion. You seem to have the mentality of "do whatever it takes to sell the most knives". That's fine, but I don't think putting skulls on this particular knife would boost sales.

 

[Leftytwogunz]

Paka lets have some skull pancakes together sometime k?

 

[Paka]

You're a funny guy, huh?

 

[Jens Schuetz]

@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

I like Busse knives and will buy one in some time but not because of skulls. In fact the same thing without skulls would be even more appealing to me.
So yes people could buy skull stuff even if they don't like skulls because other things are more important.
That Busse sells well and that Busse uses skulls might not have anything to do with each other. Maybe they might sell even more without skulls. Only speculating, just like you.

 

[Leftytwogunz]

I like Busse knives and will buy one in some time but not because of skulls. In fact the same thing without skulls would be even more appealing to me.
So yes people could buy skull stuff even if they don't like skulls because other things are more important.
That Busse sells well and that Busse uses skulls might not have anything to do with each other. Maybe they might sell even more without skulls. Only speculating, just like you.

You quoted a very long post and then said that I was speculating. It would have been more efficient had you just quoted the speculation part instead of
making a random blanket statement. I'm speculating that it has something to do with my mention of Busse since you mentioned them several times
during your story. They use a skull on their logo, that is a fact. It's on their T-shirts, coffee mugs and I phone cases.

 

[Jens Schuetz]

You quoted a very long post and then said that I was speculating. It would have been more efficient had you just quoted the speculation part instead of
making a random blanket statement. I'm speculating that it has something to do with my mention of Busse since you mentioned them several times
during your story. They use a skull on their logo, that is a fact. It's on their T-shirts, coffee mugs and I phone cases.

It's hard to do partial quotes on my phone. But you are right. At least deleting out the pics would have been possible and saved some space.

My only point was that knives with skulls sell doesn't prove that they sell because of these skulls.
Maybe they would sell the same number without skulls on blades and logos or even more.

I meant this for all knives and Busse is just one example since I'm interested in them even if I don't like their skull logo too much.

The only proper test would be for a company to produce the same knife with and without skulls and see which one sells more.
Until then we are just speculating if skulls increase sales, don't matter or even decrease sales.

Personally I'm less inclined to buy skull things but I'm probably not the absolute average guy and my one opinion is worthless without real numbers. Looking at the posts here however we can see a slight trend among knife nuts but are they the target customer?

 

[Leftytwogunz]

Ok, sorry I didn't realize that you were on your phone.

I guess that we will never know for sure if knife A will sell better than knife A with skulls as even if the knives
are the same model with the same grinds, steel and everything. The cost of applying whatever type of skulls there
are will still raise the price, so that will still have an effect on the sales.

The main point I was trying to make was that whether 100 knife nuts reply on this thread "no skulls" there is still
a huge population outside of blade forums that actively and specifically buy gear with skulls on it. My first example
was of one particular skull used on tons and tons of gun gear. My second and probably more pertinent example was
about major knife makers using skulls on their logos and very specific and expensive skull decor frequently purchased
for high end knives like Emerson, Strider and Hinderer. I guess the real takeaway here, for me, is that I now know that
pirate skull pancake griddles exist and if I ever decide to make pancakes I'm buying that Sh!t.

 

[mqqn]

I love it with the skull, but I think that you should offer the knife with the option of skull or no - as has been presented previously.

Not all of us, but some, might carry the knife for self defense purposes, and the thinking man or woman does not carry self defense pieces with "smile and wait for flash" or death's heads on their equipment.

That said, it looks awesome with the skull and that is the version I would want. Nice knife!

being the smart-ass that I am, I had to edit to say that I only use the blood of virgins as syrup on my death's head pancakes, otherwise I would be thought a poseur. :thumbup:

best

mqqn

 

[Jens Schuetz]

Ok, sorry I didn't realize that you were on your phone.

I guess that we will never know for sure if knife A will sell better than knife A with skulls as even if the knives
are the same model with the same grinds, steel and everything. The cost of applying whatever type of skulls there
are will still raise the price, so that will still have an effect on the sales.

The main point I was trying to make was that whether 100 knife nuts reply on this thread "no skulls" there is still
a huge population outside of blade forums that actively and specifically buy gear with skulls on it. My first example
was of one particular skull used on tons and tons of gun gear. My second and probably more pertinent example was
about major knife makers using skulls on their logos and very specific and expensive skull decor frequently purchased
for high end knives like Emerson, Strider and Hinderer. I guess the real takeaway here, for me, is that I now know that
pirate skull pancake griddles exist and if I ever decide to make pancakes I'm buying that Sh!t.

Well said and I loled because of your takeaway.
Now on my computer I can even see your avatar better. :thumbup:

 

[Paka]

I love it with the skull, but I think that you should offer the knife with the option of skull or no - as has been presented previously.

Not all of us, but some, might carry the knife for self defense purposes, and the thinking man or woman does not carry self defense pieces with "smile and wait for flash" or death's heads on their equipment.

That said, it looks awesome with the skull and that is the version I would want. Nice knife!

being the smart-ass that I am, I had to edit to say that I only use the blood of virgins as syrup on my death's head pancakes, otherwise I would be thought a poseur. :thumbup:

best

mqqn

Well, Luca, its cool if you have skulls on your stuff. Don't hurt me.

 

[ebidis]

...Not all of us, but some, might carry the knife for self defense purposes, and the thinking man or woman does not carry self defense pieces with "smile and wait for flash" or death's heads on their equipment..





best

mqqn

I have to agree with this.

Also, I believe that a lot of people will not buy a knife, however nice it may be, with a skull on it. However, even people who like skulls will buy a nice knife without a skull.

I vote no skull.

 

[GronK]

I have to agree with this.

Also, I believe that a lot of people will not buy a knife, however nice it may be, with a skull on it. However, even people who like skulls will buy a nice knife without a skull.

I vote no skull.

Skull lovers can always add a lanyard with a skull bead, wear a skull bandana and get skulls tattooed on the back of their stabbing hand.

 

[The Zieg]

No skull. It looks positively cheesy. Reminds me of that old Fury spiked-knuckle knife with the skull on the blade. You could offer it as an accessory or gee-gaw that fans of the skull could affix to their knives using epoxy. But it just looks, well, unprofessional.

Than again, I am a non-logo kind of guy, so my vehemence here has a cause. I don't even like the "camping" logo on my old SAK.

I also agree with other arguments here in favor of leaving the logo off.

Zieg

 

[HOKIE_FAN]

I say "without". Looks a little "posery", if that's a word.

 

[GIRLYmann]

About current skull trends in tactitols,
So Unless we know the true peculiar reasons for the use of skull symbolism by certain military elite units,
We are doomed to being mislead into glorifying the skull for all the wrong tactitol reasons now chiefly being manipulated, masterminded, made, marketed and exploited to the masses with no foreseeable end by some shrewdly flag waving tactitol gear makers. One might say it is almost a most clever death or glory strategy to win greater profits,

 

[Jim85IROC]

Putting all of this subjective crap aside, let's look at this from a sales perspective. What would likely sell more knives? Skulls or no skulls? Based on the number of quality knives that come with skulls vs. the number of quality knives that come without them, my guess is that vastly more would sell if skulls were not present. Those who would like to have skulls could still accessorize with as much of that stuff as they wanted, but making them an integral part of the knife is going to immediately turn off a large percentage of possible buyers.

 

[SURVIVAL&WEAPONS]

Both. You should offer one without, and one with, at a higher price.

I agree with this, what doesnt go well for one is awesome for the next. So offering both will appeal to the people that like and do not like skulls.

 

[sechip]

Lemme think about that....