Thinking of starting a Knife company

[toker]

I think you should connect with NathCustom (on Instagram) - he is a very well known Thai maker/modder.
Nath has no shortage of orders (multi year waitlist) for his custom mods and pure custom designs in the price points you are thinking of.

My priority is U.S. manufactured knives, but I do purchase a Japan made Spyderco from time to time.

The only Thai maker I would make an exception for is Nathawut. I had him convert a couple of Emersons a decade ago to framelocks. His work is impeccable. I could see someone like him justifying a premium.

 

[Smiling]

Heat treating is one process we will outsource initially. We could heat treat ourselves but have a company here in Thailand that we already use in aerospace and they are very good and can test each blade for hardness

I'm not a knife maker, but I'd still intentionally break few blades here and there to see the grain structure.

Want to make knives I would want to buy

If I wanted to just start a business, Aerospace has much more $$$

cheers

I see you on that point.

I would like to point out that as others said, to have someone spend $400 on your work - you'll have to build a name and reputation first.

If I was going into that business, first thing I'd do would be fixed blades in simple stainless and simple carbon steels, that's easy to heat treat, affordable and pretty much proven over the years, but I'd use different design to attract people to buy my product.

At the same time, you can hold a premium line too, where you're taking custom orders, using better steels, materials, better fit and finish and so on. Because if I'm about to pay over $400 for a single knife, I have to be sure that you know what you're doing. And that can't be made over night.

I get it that cheaper or entry level knives aren't your thing, and you aren't doing this for money, but you'll still need something to stay afloat.

My advice is to get some Sandvik (or even AUS), D2 and something in carbon (SK5, 1095 or 80CrV2) and make some knives out of that for start. Those aren't super steels, but that's what majority of people can afford, and that's what is a person on a market for a new knife most likely to buy. And these steels have been proven over years of use. For example D2 and 1095 have been around since WWII, they're affordable and people know what they're getting. Not to mention that there's lots of people praising these steels, and also - people are more likely to buy something familiar to them.

 

[Stickgunner]

We are looking at producing a range of production knives priced at 4 levels. Entry level would start around $400 and our production knives would top out at around $1200 if customers chose luxury options.

I don't think you are going to find the market supporting this price structure, especially if you mean street price of $400 to start.

I would suggest getting prototypes out into the hands of persons and companies who are heavily involved in MIL, LE, Tactical, Training, and collecting fields. Start stirring up interest before blades are hitting shelves.

For people who are aware of the AR15 and accessory manufacturers, think back to what Magpul did with the original UBR. They created an interest that turned into a felt need with the AR15 community as well as their base.

Lastly, good pictures sell product. Review videos are getting to the point where people are tuning out the talking heads, but buyers hit the forums and search long and hard, and pictures help create that need that I mentioned above.

Good luck, and if possible, think about trying to lower your price point with a entry level offering.

 

[dirc]

if you can do something along the lines that shakes up the industry - like this guy (Snecx Tan) - Please do it... I expect many of us would pay $500+ for a folder without screws... bonus points for the aerospace tie in, you'll need sub-mm precisions

 

[unwisefool]

For people who are aware of the AR15 and accessory manufacturers, think back to what Magpul did with the original UBR.

Ha I remember that, got a prototype one before almost anyone else. It was pretty awesome.

 

[Stickgunner]

Ha I remember that, got a prototype one before almost anyone else. It was pretty awesome.

Yup, I still have the prototype, and it’s mounted to a single digit serial number C series Magpul lower.

 

[unwisefool]

Yup, I still have the prototype, and it’s mounted to a single digit serial number C series Magpul lower.

Yeah I have mine also, been used a lot though

 

[Quiet]

I haven't read through the past pages, so I might be restating something others have already said, but my frank response to your plan would be: best of luck to you.

Your prices are sky-high based on what you bring to the table which, right now, is nothing. I don't know you, and I've never seen or held a knife you've made. There are very highly regarded makers here in the US who make excellent knives and charge in the ballpark of the money you're talking, which they get due to their status in the knife community. Also, you say you're in Thailand? That's going to be a big gap for a lot of people to cross, buying a $400+ knife made there by an unknown maker, when they could buy a $400 knife made here by a known maker. CNC made knives are thick on the ground these days, and "luxury" adornments on fixed blades are usually only ordered by people who plan to resell them. Once it's discovered that your knives have poor resale value (due to the factors I've outlined above), your customer base will dry up, unfortunately.

This just feels an awful lot like some of these guys you see on Instagram, a new guy popping up every other day with a machined Ti, framelock flipper with an M390 or 20CV blade, charging prices usually seen from established names in the business. Then guys who are always hoping to get in on the ground floor of the next Loveless, CRK, or Hinderer buy them up, only to discover that they can't resell them without taking a huge hit, then next thing you know, you have a "Will Moon" situation where these IG Instafame clout makers mark their books "Closed" on their IG bio and disappear.

I don't mean to sound mean, or to be unnecessarily negative here. I just think that if you're going to try to beat the Chinese manufacturers by making the exact same thing, your prices are...politely...exceptionally ambitious. Again, I wish you all the best, but it's probably best to remember something a lot of knifemakers with years and years of experience will tell you. "The best way to make a small fortune making knives? Start with a big one."

 

[Stickgunner]

Yeah I have mine also, been used a lot though

I mean I have THE prototype, I shot the pictures for Magpul.

 

[Stickgunner]

Your prices are sky-high based

Which is why I suggested creating an entry level blade series. Let people sample the knives at a mark they can afford, and use it as a gateway knife drug.

 

[Hackenslash]

Z Zodiac Bladeworks , if you show as much care making knives as you’ve shown answering some good (and not so good) feedback here, you’ll succeed whether you make knives or widgets; Total class act.

Best of luck to you and I hope to be in a place where I can pick up one of your first knives.

 

[Zodiac Bladeworks]

Z Zodiac Bladeworks , if you show as much care making knives as you’ve shown answering some good (and not so good) feedback here, you’ll succeed whether you make knives or widgets; Total class act.

Best of luck to you and I hope to be in a place where I can pick up one of your first knives.

Thanks mate

We do appreciate all the feedback and also realize we wont be for everyone with the level of product we will offer. We are excited by the design features we have and are pushing hard to get some prototypes ready by Blade show West for feedback from the community. I will share on the forum pics when we have the prototypes ready.

Based on the feedback, we are also designing a modular knife to be sold under a sub brand priced in the $200 - $250 range, still in Ti with a M390 blade.

We are hoping to start making knives for sale around the end of the year (maybe early next year if permits take too long) and will be giving priority access to those who have supported us on the journey including those that provided us with feedback on the community.

Cheers

 

[Quiet]

Thanks mate

We do appreciate all the feedback and also realize we wont be for everyone with the level of product we will offer. We are excited by the design features we have and are pushing hard to get some prototypes ready by Blade show West for feedback from the community. I will share on the forum pics when we have the prototypes ready.

Based on the feedback, we are also designing a modular knife to be sold under a sub brand priced in the $200 - $250 range, still in Ti with a M390 blade.

We are hoping to start making knives for sale around the end of the year (maybe early next year if permits take too long) and will be giving priority access to those who have supported us on the journey including those that provided us with feedback on the community.

Cheers

Perhaps at that time you'll consider purchasing a Knifemaker's membership.

 

[Zodiac Bladeworks]

Perhaps at that time you'll consider purchasing a Knifemaker's membership.

Definately

 

[Blues]

And when that happens, we'll reopen this thread. Send me a PM.