The unofficial, non binding, carries no weight, 2020 forum knife possibility discussion thread

Fixed blade, eh? Buck can do some pretty amazing things with their handles - custom quality at our price point! OH
Buck-105-Pathfinder-2014-BPS-SFO.jpg
 
I don't know if anybody would find this appealing, if it's logistically possible, or if the company would be interested in (and have the capacity for) an order of this size, but I am just trying to think outside the box a little bit. How about a Navette from Renaud Aubry's Artisan Coutelier? It's a nice shadow pattern, medium-sized (9cm/3.5") knife. Lots of potential votes here, including handle material (a broad array of woods, horn, bone, and others are possible), file-work on the spring, colored spacers, chiseled liners, and matte or polished blade. Since they offer both stainless and carbon, that would also be a choice; it might even be possible that they could manufacture some of each so that we could make that decision on an individual level. They offer a laser engraving option, so perhaps a Blade Forums logo on the blade?

This one in ironwood, with a file-worked spring and red spacers, for example, goes for €88 ($97 at the moment). Bear in mind that is a retail price and includes a value-added tax of ~20%. Since VAT shouldn't be included for U.S. orders and there may be wholesale pricing and discounts due to bulk material purchases, it should be possible to keep the price around $100.

The "configurator" on their website (http://www.artisancoutelier.com/modules/konfigurator/customisation.php) gives a pretty good idea about some of the possibilities. Actually, even if you don't think this is an interesting option for a forum knife, you should check out the configurator. Very cool and well implemented!

Anyway, just a thought...

@Peregrin and @knarfeng: I hope it is OK to post the URLs. I checked the rules, and, as I read them, it is alright since they are direct to the manufacturer. If not, please let me know!
 
A forum knife by Renaud Aubrey would be great, but I think he is a very small operation and making 500 knives for no profit would not seem feasible or a reasonable request, I wonder how long he would need to make 500 knives!?
 
^ As far as I understand it, there is no requirement for the manufacturer to produce forum knives at cost. If he can make a decent profit retailing a knife for €88 (which includes VAT), he can make a good profit making our knives for $100. But, yeah, the real question is whether or not he has the capacity to handle such a large order and any interest in doing so.

Anyway, I was just tossing the idea out there. Something to think about other than another GEC frame number (nothing against GEC; I would be happy if they make this year's knife).
 
Talk of Renaud Aubry earlier on is interesting but I think unlikely, an ARTISAN maker is not geared up for 500 knife run as he will have other customers to serve. Maintaining homogeneity and warranty issues could be difficult, I would say.

Here, one of his fine Laguioles

RCBxQaX.jpg
 
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Will Power said:
Talk of Renaud Aubry earlier on is interesting but I think unlikely, an ARTISAN maker is not geared up for 500 knife run as he will have other customers to serve. Maintaining homogeneity and warranty issues could be difficult, I would say.

Here, one of his fine Laguioles

RCBxQaX.jpg
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I did the "build your knife" thing on his website last night, and am seriously considering ordering one of these. I really like that file work on the spring... I chose a different one on my "dream" laguiole, but I could certainly be swayed by this one. That black horn is just classic...
 
I am sure Opinel has been suggested in one form or another, but blade forums might be a large enough buyer to convince them to make a knife with carbon steel and a different handle material, olive wood woul be my choice.
 
Will Power said:
hornetguy hornetguy Thanks, an interesting experience. It's actually ebony not dark horn.
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Really? Wow... that's a lot more solid black than the "sample" looked to be. I like it. Gabon ebony has always been a favorite of mine.. I like Macassar, too, but the Gabon is nearly always "blacker/blackest"... very nice knife. My credit card is getting warm.... starting to burn a hole...
 
btb01 said:
My favorite thing about these early let's-just-unofficially-chat-about-next-year's-forum-knife-that-may-or-may-not-happen threads are the oddly specific and incredibly unlikely suggestions for knives that probably only appeal to the person posting them. :D

Anyways, I'd like to see a GEC #25 Barlow with a stylized version my own initials stamped on the bolsters, endcaps, bail, glitter gold acrylic on the mark side, purple giraffe bone on the pile side, hotdog shield, saber-ground one-arm main blade with a BladeForums etch (font: Comic Sans), cap lifter secondary. :thumbsup:
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Barrett, early on in the thread I had a similar thought to yours, although I was thinking of a TC Barlow with the buyer's initials on the bolster ("GT Barlow" for me, thanks :p), which might have the added benefit of discouraging flippers by drastically reducing the size of the group of the flipper's potential buyers. :rolleyes::thumbsup::thumbsup::D

(ETA: Mini canoe)

- GT
 
5K Qs said:
Barrett, early on in the thread I had a similar thought to yours, although I was thinking of a TC Barlow with the buyer's initials on the bolster ("GT Barlow" for me, thanks :p), which might have the added benefit of discouraging flippers by drastically reducing the size of the group of the flipper's potential buyers. :rolleyes::thumbsup::thumbsup::D

(ETA: Mini canoe)

- GT
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As a canoeaisseur take a look at the single blade canoe by Ray Cover that Rick @Railsplitter posted. That might be an interesting forum knife. It would be a readily available pattern with enough individuality to make it ours.
Edit: Photo courtesy of Rick @RailsplitterIMG_5244.JPG.jpg
 
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