So what's up with Olamic?

Ozmose

Ozmose

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Jul 7, 2022
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I don't have any personal experience with them, but they look to be pretty nice. The thing I don't get, is that there seems to be some weird vibe I get around them. Maybe it's all in my head, but I regularly see them for sale WAY below what you would expect from a custom/semi-custom, and people still aren't buying them at that even. I watched a full custom Wayfarer with Zircuti hardware listed for $375 that sat for almost a month before the seller pulled the listing. Nobody ever really seems to talk about them, at all. No Bladeshow coverage, no people waiting for drops, nothing.
Did they pull something that managed to piss everyone off years ago or something? I've only got back into collecting seriously in the last couple of years, so I missed a lot of the drama (the Hoback mess for example). I feel like a jackass not buying any of their stuff just because nobody else is. I just don't want to get burned by my own ignorance. Feel free to call me an idiot. I just might be doing the same depending on your responses.
 
They’re ugly.


All the color combos and holes drilled everywhere, weird finishes, it all looks like what a Gypsy would sell at a free use campground. You’d have to pay me to own one so if anyone sends me one for free as a joke, I will immediately list it for sale!
 
I was wondering the same thing. My buddy has one and it’s pretty nice. I heard what I’d consider a rumor that they get all their parts from overseas and assemble them in house but I don’t know that to be true, maybe someone can confirm. Even if that’s the case I don’t know why that would be a problem unless they got caught lying or misrepresenting. Not to mention there’s a
lot of knives from overseas selling in their price range these days. I’d like to hear what’s up with them as well cause I noticed the exact same thing.
 
Jsega51 said:
They’re ugly.


All the color combos and holes drilled everywhere, weird finishes, it all looks like what a Gypsy would sell at a free use campground. You’d have to pay me to own one so if anyone sends me one for free as a joke, I will immediately list it for sale!
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Well that’s like, just your opinion man?

Not too mention you can go to their website and design a model anyway you want including as plain and colorless as you like which I think is pretty cool. I still think the wayfarer is a good looking knife and it feels excellent in the hand.
 
Ozmose said:
I don't have any personal experience with them, but they look to be pretty nice. The thing I don't get, is that there seems to be some weird vibe I get around them. Maybe it's all in my head, but I regularly see them for sale WAY below what you would expect from a custom/semi-custom, and people still aren't buying them at that even. I watched a full custom Wayfarer with Zircuti hardware listed for $375 that sat for almost a month before the seller pulled the listing. Nobody ever really seems to talk about them, at all. No Bladeshow coverage, no people waiting for drops, nothing.
Did they pull something that managed to piss everyone off years ago or something? I've only got back into collecting seriously in the last couple of years, so I missed a lot of the drama (the Hoback mess for example). I feel like a jackass not buying any of their stuff just because nobody else is. I just don't want to get burned by my own ignorance. Feel free to call me an idiot. I just might be doing the same depending on your responses.
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Olamic has way too many options for their handle flair, blade shape, finishes and materials. Makes it customizable to what you want exactly, but it reduces its appeal to a larger audience. I like Olamic a lot, I have often wondered why others don't seem to like them.
 
Jsega51 said:
Yep! With all the options people choose, the chances of finding someone who wants the exact combo ordered is slim, that’s why they sit for sale or go for way under the original price.
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Well the idea is you design and buy one too keep, not for resale. But they certainly don’t hold their value regardless of design but at the same time they’re not up for sale everyday like some of the “hot” brands that do get their money back and then some. Maybe people get em, like em and keep em.
 
I've sold a Wayfarer with a Timascus clip that I lost $50 on the sale. It sold the very next day after I posted it. As far as their quality, I've never owned one with flaws. I think Olamic is in their own league of midtech, because they offer so many options. But there are plenty of models which I would never buy because I think they look hideous. But that's every company, there are a lot of Pro-Techs I would never buy. Spydercos are ugly with the exception of the collabs, but I buy ugly knives too. In my experience, Olamic has had better QC than Spartan even though both companies have an ironclad return policy, I've owned three of both brands and so far Olamic has sharper and better blade grinders than Spartan. But I'm just one guy. Someone may have just the opposite experience, though I've never heard of anyone complaining about Olamics quality.
 
I haven't read anything negative about them, other than how they look and that is purely subjective. If I was in the market for a semi custom ti framelock(I'm not, I despise ti framelock)they would be my first stop. Were I going to spend over 700+ bucks on a folder, I wouldn't want it to blend in a sea of grey and generic looking products, I'd want it to stand out a little bit, and their design certainly do that, while still being completely and perfectly functional.
 
"Our fixed blades going back to 2010 have been made in Russia, and that is still the case. We forge our own Damascus steel there in-house, from a proprietary mix of alloys designed as HCVD or High Carbon Vanadium Damascus. You will occasionally see HCVD used on our folders, and for that we use blanks forged in Russia and brought over to California for finishing."


Hand carved only $8.95.

KtCoZRR.jpg



In all seriosity, I don't know much about them. Their early fixed blades, especially some of the small ones, were intriguing. Anyway, at those prices and times being what they are, well..........................
 
I almost pulled the trigger on a swish but ended buying a custom Alan Davis. I like the Swish look the best.
 
I have two and EDC both. Eugene is very up front where all his knife parts are made and is very helpful what finish would hold up best for my use. Both will be given to my adult sons if I can keep them out of my pocket.
 
K.O.D. said:
I almost pulled the trigger on a swish but ended buying a custom Alan Davis. I like the Swish look the best.
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AZCK had a gray and purple one I badly wanted but I waited too long.
 
Wild Bill 1 said:
I have two and EDC both. Eugene is very up front where all his knife parts are made and is very helpful what finish would hold up best for my use. Both will be given to my adult sons if I can keep them out of my pocket.
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Just curious, where are his parts made?
 
I had a plain Jane Swish which I sent back to Olamic for some stonewashing. That's one of the cool things about Olamic, you can always send it back for additional and/or new work.

Unfortunately it was intercepted in transit and stolen....3.5 weeks later I'm still trying to get my claim approved. I may put it tword a Wayfarer Classic if everything works out but for some reason I'm not very hopeful.
 
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