We Appreciate You, and We Need You

[Brian77]

I also like the posting of stats idea. I have looked at a lot. But always wonder about size, length, thickness, weight, etc... And then went searching for comparison pics... Not always available. Thanks, Andy. Hope to visit again sometime.... Appreciate your business model...

 

[eli1o]

Andy,

Just an observation.....

It seems as though you guys may be spreading yourselves too thin. You are making knives for sale here, and at multiple dealers and trying to balance all of them. As a new/small manufacturer of knives (or whatever) this seems like a good way to build the brand, but, is it sustainable? People (customers) don't always know where to find what they want and usually have a hard time actually purchasing product. As we get more acquainted with E-commerce and the brand grows, it may be better to go solo, consolidate, one site with all product. Your own site, a dealers site or? Advertise wherever, but, sell through one vehicle only.

Ultimately, you can't be everything to everyone. It's best to choose what/where/who is most beneficial to whatever you are trying to accomplish. Stay small, medium, large, 80 hours a week, go global, outsource, control 100%, craft brew, balance???

I've taken our electronics company from 500k/year to 25Mil/year...It's tough to figure out where you want to be and balance that with WHO YOU WANT TO BE.

Are you making knives because that is your passion, or, do you want to make some dough $$$....? There is probably somewhere in between that you wish to be...

Never focus on the drama/haters,they will never pay your bills. Bad customers are worse than no customers (gotta fire some customers now and then)...

Good luck!

I've collected Morseth, Busse, Randall and Etc over the years....Your product has been on par or better every time (sharpest for sure). It's not a matter of quality, it's a matter of keeping the quality and improving the distribution/availability....

while keeping your sanity...can't kill yourself working forever....


Rambling over...

 

[okbohn]

My .02 worth...

You are an amazing guy, make amazing knives, care a lot.

Just like me. (hahahaha)

I have seen a tick down in sales the last little bit and it is troubling. I don't know if it is a trend or something up. We are just trying to keep our head down and trusting it will get better.

Call me and vent any time.

 

[Mistwalker]

I have seen a tick down in sales the last little bit and it is troubling. I don't know if it is a trend or something up. We are just trying to keep our head down and trusting it will get better.

Isn't there often a tick down in sales at the end of one year and very beginning of the next?



Not to dwell on negative, but just to throw it out there... if someone is annoying you, you can (as a gold member or higher anyway I know for sure) go to their profile and add that person to your "ignore list" in the same area where you can send them a PM. I'm told this keeps the text of their posts from showing up for your view unless you want to see it and you click on a button to see it. I'm also told by mods they think it keeps that person from being able to PM you as well.

 

[TxSportsman]

Great job on the sale today!! Not many left!

 

[navin74]

Hello Andy. Keep your chin up. You and the crew make incredible functional knives. You help and better yet encourage new knifemakers. You help with charities. You take care of your family and your employees. Most people would settle to be happy to do one of the above well. Keep up the great work and nevermind the naysayers and assclowns. Thank you for all your help and encouragement along the way.
Nathan

 

[Marl71]

I also like the posting of stats idea. I have looked at a lot. But always wonder about size, length, thickness, weight, etc... And then went searching for comparison pics... Not always available. Thanks, Andy. Hope to visit again sometime.... Appreciate your business model...

I want to third this. Although I am newer around here, I have learned the models and relative sizes no problem. But the variation WITHIN models is tricky to anticipate. I think it is hands down one of the coolest things about your work. But without knowing the usual details before you buy (especially if you are like me where each knife is a huge investment), it can be tough to make a confident purchase. Just my experience so far.

 

[spyken]

I don't know about the drama, but I am still waiting to get my first fiddleback custom knife since all these years - I wish makers would allow the order and wait method instead of just raffles, lotteries, forum lists etc. I miss the good old days.

 

[TxSportsman]

I don't know about the drama, but I am still waiting to get my first fiddleback custom knife since all these years - I wish makers would allow the order and wait method instead of just raffles, lotteries, forum lists etc. I miss the good old days.

If you do indeed want a Fiddleback, there are many many many avenues in which you can purchase one. It can take time, but with a little homework and patience it's not too difficult to pickup something very close if not exactly what you are looking for. I encourage you to post a WTB in the Fiddleback Flee Market, peruse all of the dealer websites, ask for assistance in sharking a specific knife (there are many members here, including myself, that would be happy to help), and on Monday morning call Andy or Phillip and tell them what you are looking for. If you do these four things, I think you will be surprised how quickly you will come across the knife you are looking for! Good luck in your search.

I'll 4th the "stats" with an idea. It may be a little more consumer friendly to just add them into the Fiddleback Friday sales thread. When you list the model, just put the blade length and OAL length next to it (don't measure every specific knife, just the general model)? Maybe some sort of copy and paste template so it's easy for you Phillip. An example - I was anticipating purchasing multiple knives of the "new models" but couldn't get stats on them anywhere... I did end up with one (thanks Phillip for the quick response), but it was because I was familiar with other Fiddlebacks in a similar size... something that a new customer may not have the convenience of. Something small that may help the cause.

 

[swonut]

I've struggled with identifying models and I love the pictures that Thrin is doing, but I've always struggled to match the name to the knife. I've tried to crack it a few times, but with this thread, I put a little more effort into it. Is this sort of what you guys are looking for: (Thurin-- I shamelessly stole your picture from this thread http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1357064-Comparison-Photos-Round-Three-25-Different-Models Let me know if you want me to delete it or change it in any way.)

Photo by Thurin!!!!

 

[ndmiller]

Tried to name the handles, but not as easy as I thought, some are guesses.

Runt - Maroon Linen
2 Finger Karda - Bocote
Esquire - Orange something canvas/linen
3 Finger Karda - Blackwood
EDKarda - Blackwood
Patch - Blackwood
Hiking Buddy - Bocote
EDC II - Maroon Linen
Handyman - Black Canvas bolstered Lime Burlap
Shank - Terracota Burlap
Bear Cub - Evergreen Burlap
Carver - Brown Canvas
Arete - Brown Canvas
Bush crafter - Emerald Burlap
Bushfinger - Maroon Linen

 

[Guhul]

I think what you call maroon is actually black canvas.....

 

[VANCE]

Tried to name the handles, but not as easy as I thought, some are guesses.

Runt - black canvas
2 Finger Karda - Bocote
Esquire - Orange natural canvas
3 Finger Karda - Blackwood
EDKarda - Blackwood
Patch - Blackwood
Hiking Buddy - Bocote
EDC II - black canvas
Handyman - Black Canvas bolstered emerald burlap
Shank - Terracota Burlap
Bear Cub - Evergreen Burlap
Carver - Brown Canvas~~~~~can' t tell for sure from the pic
Arete - Brown Canvas~~~~~can' t tell for sure from the pic but that might be maroon
Bush crafter - Emerald Burlap
Bushfinger - black canvas

hopefully thurin will chime in and clarify

 

[thurin]

I've struggled with identifying models and I love the pictures that Thrin is doing, but I've always struggled to match the name to the knife. I've tried to crack it a few times, but with this thread, I put a little more effort into it. Is this sort of what you guys are looking for: (Thurin-- I shamelessly stole your picture from this thread http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1357064-Comparison-Photos-Round-Three-25-Different-Models Let me know if you want me to delete it or change it in any way.)

Photo by Thurin!!!!

That is cool! Great idea and thanks for putting it together.

Tried to name the handles, but not as easy as I thought, some are guesses.

Runt - Maroon Linen Black Micarta (Tuxedo)
2 Finger Karda - Bocote
Esquire - Orange something canvas/linen Sandblasted Natural Micarta
3 Finger Karda - Blackwood
EDKarda - Blackwood
Patch - Blackwood
Hiking Buddy - Bocote
EDC II - Maroon Linen Black Micarta (Tuxedo)
Handyman - Black Canvas bolstered Lime Emerald Burlap
Shank - Terracota Burlap Drunken Burlap
Bear Cub - Evergreen Burlap
Carver - Brown Canvas OD
Arete - Brown Canvas OD
Bush crafter - Emerald Burlap
Bushfinger - Maroon Linen Black Micarta

I made updates to the color list above^

I've been thinking about starting a thread about handle materials taking examples from Phillips Friday pics and listing each type out separately to be able to use as a reference.

 

[Nathan the Machinist]

It's fine that people collect pretty knives. Your knives are both beautiful and have a soul. But to me, the value in your work is the quality of the design, materials and execution. You have it all nailed.

In my view, a problem that all makers of quality knives face is the public lack of understanding what a quality knife can really do. Most everybody has experience using low quality knives, they're everywhere, but a lot of folks don't understand what a good knife is all about. It is incumbent upon the better makers to demonstrate their product is different.

There are so many half-ass makers out there with mediocre quality and no concept for geometry making "custom knives" that aren't better than Walmart. Go look around a knife show, the knives on half the tables are sub-par. A buyer with no experience with your work is making a leap of faith. For this reason, I think that youtube demonstrations about cutting ability, edge retention and discussion about ergonomics, steel and HT are necessary, not only to show that your work is good, but helps the buyer see that you understand and care about these things.

If you, Andy Roy, are not on youtube demonstrating your work, you're missing an opportunity to help the people who might be interested in your work to understand it better before pulling the trigger. Your stuff is better. It deserves to sell well. Get it out there for more people to see. :thumbup:

 

[TomR2]

Andy,

Just an observation.....

It seems as though you guys may be spreading yourselves too thin. You are making knives for sale here, and at multiple dealers and trying to balance all of them. As a new/small manufacturer of knives (or whatever) this seems like a good way to build the brand, but, is it sustainable? People (customers) don't always know where to find what they want and usually have a hard time actually purchasing product. As we get more acquainted with E-commerce and the brand grows, it may be better to go solo, consolidate, one site with all product. Your own site, a dealers site or? Advertise wherever, but, sell through one vehicle only.

Ultimately, you can't be everything to everyone. It's best to choose what/where/who is most beneficial to whatever you are trying to accomplish. Stay small, medium, large, 80 hours a week, go global, outsource, control 100%, craft brew, balance???

I've taken our electronics company from 500k/year to 25Mil/year...It's tough to figure out where you want to be and balance that with WHO YOU WANT TO BE.

Are you making knives because that is your passion, or, do you want to make some dough $$$....? There is probably somewhere in between that you wish to be...

Never focus on the drama/haters,they will never pay your bills. Bad customers are worse than no customers (gotta fire some customers now and then)...

Good luck!

I've collected Morseth, Busse, Randall and Etc over the years....Your product has been on par or better every time (sharpest for sure). It's not a matter of quality, it's a matter of keeping the quality and improving the distribution/availability....

while keeping your sanity...can't kill yourself working forever....


Rambling over...

I tend to think you're onto something here eli10. As many have said or implied, to this point, its a challenge to buy Fiddleback Knives - find the one you want to buy. How many buy a second, or third, choice just because its the only one they can find, then end up selling it because it wasn't the ONE? Those of us who are hooked, will hang in, (at least for awhile), and try to find a way to skin the cat, but at some point the frustration overcomes the zeal. A couple months back many here applauded the announcement of a new dealer in Scandinavia. With all do respect to that dealer, I wondered whaaa...?? Between Fiddleback Friday and a few domestic dealers inventory is spread out and thin. Stuff wasn't/isn't moving, Turnover to get to some new items with more promise, was not happening. why dilute access with another dealer? This may have been viewed as a way in to another market as the existing one is slowing, for whatever reason, but without knowing why the latter is so, adding distribution, especially to a market entity that takes product away from existing markets, reduces supply even more.

This is 1 part of the story.

 

[TomR2]

My .02 worth...

You are an amazing guy, make amazing knives, care a lot.

Just like me. (hahahaha)

I have seen a tick down in sales the last little bit and it is troubling. I don't know if it is a trend or something up. We are just trying to keep our head down and trusting it will get better.

Call me and vent any time.

There is some rumbling about this tick down in the market, I'm hearing from others. KSF, selling as many different brands as they do should be able to comment as to whether this seems a general trend or is effecting some segments or individual makers more than others..

Its important to know why a business is going one way or another, before making adjustments. Here's an example. I come from the gun industry, now long retired. One of my associates at Remington was charged with a special project to figure out why commercial, sporting gun sales were halved in the 10 years after Vietnam. We went from selling almost 1 million rifles and shotguns in a year, to just over 450,000 between '73 and '83. Ammo sales tracked gun sales in roughly equal dollar amounts. What was discovered was that there was a neat correlation between domestic gun sales and the ends of wars. After each modern war there was an uptick in domestic sporting gun sales, presumably fed by returnees, vets, who had some level of comfort with guns, target shooting and hunting. Then those guys got married, had families, careers and were otherwise occupied, not to be replaced immediately by their sons, or daughters. Point? I bet many here also play with guns. The SHOT Show hosts gun and knife makers. The gun industry is off the hook and once again having a banner year do to politics. Is there a correlation here? If guys are buying guns, do they still buy knives? What has been the experience of you folks who sell knives over the past 7 to 8 years as we've gone in and out of some really loopy gun/ammo sales??

 

[TomR2]

I've struggled with identifying models and I love the pictures that Thrin is doing, but I've always struggled to match the name to the knife. I've tried to crack it a few times, but with this thread, I put a little more effort into it. Is this sort of what you guys are looking for: (Thurin-- I shamelessly stole your picture from this thread http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1357064-Comparison-Photos-Round-Three-25-Different-Models Let me know if you want me to delete it or change it in any way.)

Photo by Thurin!!!!

I have struggled with this and completely agree. We newbies need more than pics. Its often said "no pic it didn't happen" and "a picture's worth a thousand words," but sometimes a picture without words isn't enough.

And its even more complicated then just the labeling, or lack thereof. I recently had a BC Jr in my hands. I like my Bushcrafter and thought a smaller version would be cool. In "pictures" The BC jR was visually nearly identical to the BC. Andy/FF did a nice job of scaling down, blade and handle length AND trimming blade height so that in pictures the BC and BC Jr maintained the same esthetic. But in the hand, Whoa! Not the same knife. I see why some have written the Monarch and Handyman work better for them, (and me), in this size knife. Pics alone don't tell the tale.

Prevailing on Fiddleback Fridays is difficult to impossible, for some of us, (me), without labels and descriptions. Even then the 15 minutes afforded is not perfect.

There is a learning curve required to understand the way The Forge markets and then figure out the differences between the models. Ive managed to climb a ways up the curve, but I was motivated by what I saw and had the time. But if business is slipping, helping new arrivals, is important wouldn't we think?

 

[Skystorm]

I think a sticky with the general specs of each model is a great idea, granted they differ week to week in some respects but it gives people an excellent place to start. I did something similar on our site recently and it has cut down on a lot of the needless emails, what size, how big, how much etc. Homework????? Took me 6 months of night study to learn the Busse acronym encyclopedia, Fiddleback is a piece of cake by comparison.

 

[TxSportsman]

Possibly an updated website in regards to models would help also.