UPDATED: BladeForums Special Edition Skyline interest thread

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Spark

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Thomas replied to my inquiry about the chances of a Special Edition Skyline and commented that it would be no problem to do one with an S30V blade and colored G10 handles. If it was S30V, it would have a full flat grind.

He did nix the idea of a framelock, but is investigating the possibility of a deep pocket clip. I have asked him about multiple colors of G10 for variants and am waiting on responses, or whether it has to be a single color for the entire run.

He has given me a tentative price on this which would wind up being $110 per knife to you guys. There is a 600 knife requirement, which would mean that this would have to be open to the entire forum itself.
UPDATE 4/4/2012: Revised estimate from Thomas now puts the cost per knife down to $90 each! Can I get a "Hell Yeah!" and "Thank you Thomas!" from the audience? Plus, new minimum requirement is 500 pieces, also a bonus.

Tentative delivery time would be 3rd Quarter this year, which would put is at July at the earliest, Sept at the latest.

There's a couple things that need to be addressed regarding the brouhaha from the last thread.

  • Kershawguy has contacted me and as far as I'm concerned, he's a good guy and there is no problem between us. He understands where I was coming from, and I understand him; he's a class act in my book.
  • Where things ran afoul was that I needed to be contacted prior to any dealers becoming involved. This isn't an indictment or accusation, it was a simple mistake that nobody really thought about.
  • I have a general impression that it would not be desirable for you guys to have a huge BladeForums logo plastered on the knife when it's made. I'm fine with that, but I feel there should be some marking on it identifying it as a special edition, even if it only says BFC 2012 on it somewhere.


I'd like to open this thread up for discussion on how things should move forward, or if they should move forward. If there's enough interest, I'm going to move forward with a site wide forum knife based on this. If there isn't, so be it.

To address questions before they are asked:
  • Shipping would be via USPS to save you guys money. Figure on $5-6 per box for CONUS customers. Internationals, I have no idea how much it'd cost.
  • Kershaw Forum members would have first crack. Ideally I'd like you guys to have some sort of Kershaw Mafia marking on it, but it's not a requirement.
  • I'm not going to set a limit on the number of knives people purchase unless people just blow through all 600 by buying multiples and others can't get them. Then again, I'm pretty sure Thomas wouldn't mind expanding the run but let's not count our chickens.
  • I'm personally against serial numbers as they turn into a giant pain in the ass, especially with cancellations, but the door is not shut.

With that, let's have ideas. I am open to alternative steels, but let's not go crazy. I am open to handle colors, blade finishes, laser markings, handle designs, however the more complex the knife is, the more expensive it will be. As Thomas starts nailing down pricing, I will start taking deposits on this; you will not be forced to make a deposit to get one, but putting a deposit down will guarantee your place in line, and your serial number should we have them.

I'm also open to other additional things to add in to make this more attractive, such as a special patch and year's membership but that'd probably raise the end price a bit depending.

Please feel free to add commentary, ask questions, make suggestions.

EDIT: Common question so far -
I see [Skyline model X] with a street price of [$2 over cost]. Why is this more?
Special Edition means that I have to order 600 500 pieces. I am committed to those 600 500 even if I only sell 1. Standard production run items, however, are spread out through various distributors, through multiple retailers. This means that Joe Bubba selling out of his garage can price a standard model at $1 over cost, order it from his distributor, and never have to physically stock the item. The free market at work.

I will get this project as low priced as possible. This does not mean I will sell it at below cost, at cost, or at just over cost. If I can sell all 600 500 pieces before we take delivery, I have no problem dropping the final delivered price. Seriously! I'll be happy to do so. Until that happens, however, the price is $90.
Updated info post:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...yline-interest-thread?p=10703588#post10703588
 
1-steel xhp or something else besides s30v ,just for a change

2-OD green or CF

it would be alright to keep 14c28n,but if we want something special xhp would be nice
 
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Honestly I'd be fine with the normal 14C28N with a different color G10 and perhaps a BFC marking on the blade. IMO $110 is too much for a skyline.
 
I think we will have a better chance getting this done if we can keep the price down.

I'm fine with Sandvik steel in that regard.
 
Stonewashed, Purple G-10! Or blue g-10! Or silver twill g-10.

My hopeful steel choices would be M4 or hitachi super blue!

But I'd be happy with standard sandvik and just make it a full flat grind! As long as the handle material was different.
 
s30v and maybe a Green G-10, I would be in for one at $110. I would be more interested in M390 if it could be done for under $130.
 
I'm interested. Orange G-10 as an option. Would be great to keep the price less than $75. I'd be open to other steel options to lower the cost.
 
I would buy in as long as there is a black finished blade and black scales option. Sorry for being so shallow but that's how I want my Skyline. :)
 
Seeing that most would have this knife as Collectors Blade an not a EDC I think Damascus Would be a great choice since the Damascus skyline sold for around $50-$60. But labeling over Damascus also creates a problem...so what about Sandvik with A Tiger Stripe DLC?
 
I'd pay for Elmax. It all depends on availability, but Elmax doesn't seem to be any more expensive than S30V and outperforms it. Not sure if treating and machining it would cost more, though.
 
IMO...

-Keep S30V
-Light Blue or Blue G10 handles
-Black or Dark Grey liners
-Stonewash or Black DLC blade
-Laser engraving specifying the special edition-ness and #
-Comes with a lanyard??? Blue & white or blue & green???

:confused:
 
I agree with 5.56 that it is more important to keep the price in check than to have a higher end steel.

I am ok with whatever in that regard, but I know that not everyone can spend $110 for a knife.

I would prefer a more muted color, and I love the DLC coating, so I would like to see a digi-cam with DLC coating.

I would like to see something on the knife recognizing the Kershaw Forum, and I like serial numbers just to give a knife identity. You can eliminate the problems with a serial by not allowing someone to pick a specific number - you get what you get.

I am not big into the blues and showy colors, but for a Kershaw forum BF Knife - I am in either way.

Thanks Spark for working this out - Understand your brand identity concerns, and also like the gentlemanly way that you and Dave worked things out.

I concur that Dave is a top-shelf individual, and thank you for understanding the nature in which this project came about.

best

mqqn
 
110 is too much for a Skyline, even with S30V.

+1

I'm a little taken aback by the pricing. How are the S30v Blurs and Leeks so much cheaper? I am interested in seeing what the FFG would look like though.
 
$55 I think is the max I would pay for a Sandvik one. $85 is probably the max I would pay for S30v.

If you are going to crest over $100, it's going to have to be Elmax or something else fairly new/exotic.
 
+1

I'm a little taken aback by the pricing. How are the S30v Blurs and Leeks so much cheaper? I am interested in seeing what the FFG would look like though.

Part of that is that they are wide release runs, available through wide distribution. This allows everyone and their brother to carry them, which means that the street price goes down to rock bottom in order to compete with stores that have zero overhead and maintain zero stock.

That is not the case with a limited special edition. A limited special edition means I am on the hook for all 600 whether I sell 1 or all 600.

If I can get all 600 sold before the first one lands, I have ZERO problem dropping the price down. Seriously, I'd take it down significantly immediately if I could be guaranteed that all 600 would be paid for. However, right now we can't even get you guys agreeing on handle colors, steel choices, and we are in discussion stages, but this project has to break even at the very least, and ideally would further support the forums. Hence, the tentative price tag of $110. If you can't stomach that price, forget the knife altogether because it's a nice round figure that isn't out of most people's reach. But, I'm not going to price these below my cost, or at my cost, or just over my cost either... especially when I have to take 600 of them.

So, a lot of this depends on you guys and the choices you make. With the choices mentioned, that is the price I'm quoting. I'll ask Thomas about Elmax and see what that does to pricing.
 
I would almost certainly buy one. Thank you.

I would like to see blue G10 handles. If that isn't available, any color other than black would be okay.

I would also like to see some BladeForums stamp or branding, but nothing too gaudy.

Don't care about the clip. It could be clip less for me.

Damascus steel would be great -- I have never heard of a Forum knife with Damascus. If not, any premium steel would do. I would really prefer no bead blasted Sandvik. In fact, I probably wouldn't buy one, especially if it had black G10 scales.

(I think the Forum Knife should be special beyond just some markings -- different color scales, different steel...)

Thanks again, Spark. Also, thank you Thomas.
 
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