When will Hinderer go Emerson?

O

OrangeJoe

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Jul 13, 2004
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Well respected member of the community.

Builds custom knives. Highly desired because of their excelent build quality and toughness.

High demand leads to ever rising prices, backlogs. Custom builder shuts down order taking thou still makes a few extras to sell at shows.

Custom builder steps up to the plate and launches a production facility to sell his most popular models at more 'popular' prices while retaining the build philosopy that made his initial efforts so succesfull.

I'm pretty sure that's not exactly how the E. Emerson story goes, but I think it's close enough. I see Hinderer at a similar point in the road.

I wonder if Hinderer will make the leap into a production knife maker. Does anyone have any info regarding this? I'm pretty sure there are more than a few blade-forumites with deep enough pockets (or access to commercial credit) AND faith in the product to start such an operation.

Has anyone asked the man? Would you buy such a knife?

If this happens, maybe then I will be able to afford one. :)

PS,
If this moves someone to start such an operation with Mr. Hinderer, feel free to PM so you can get my addy and send me a custom X-18 for my 'vision' :eek:.
 
I hope not. Keeping quality high is the whole point.

With the exception of CRK, going production means lower prices yes, but also lower quality.
 
Moving to that level is not for everyone. I wouldn't hold my breath.

STR
 
Strider did, and they kept they're prices the same. I'm not sure if Hinderer would do that, since he licenses out some designs to gerber and others already. But it would be nice for many folks if he did!
 
I wish I wish . . . . love the XM-18 but I'm really not in a position to pay $550 or so for a user, & most people, even knifenuts, are in the same boat.
 
Rick has to do what is best for Rick. Going solo limits the amount of knives he can sell versus the demand for his knives. Training a few people to help him and keeping a close eye on QC might do wonders for his bottom line without having a negative impact on quality. From what I hear, making knives is hard work and not easy on the wrists. Or he may license his design to a large manufacturing company like Buck similar to what Tom Mayo, Ken Onion and other knife makers have done. Again, I don't think this is a bad thing. Rick needs to make enough money to live on plus save for retirement just like everyone else and sometimes this can be hard to do solo. Simple economics suggest that he has priced his XM-18 way too low.:)
 
By the same token, I don't think there would have been such a frenzy if the knife had been priced at a similar level to other custom folders...

It certainly made my decision to place an order for one that much easier :D

I think the demand is also driven by the lack of supply - people want what they cannot have.
 
I think if Rick were able to keep the production quality as high as it is now and still go semi production I personally feel he could give CRK a run for the money. It would be quite an ordeal to make the transition though. Rick has been at this for a while. he started out making art knives many moons ago well before he tactical oriented folders. he did not get tho where he is by mistake. If he feels going production is the way to go I certainly am not one to question.

in the mean time I will sit here flippin' my Hinderer and consider myself one of the lucky ones.:D:D:D:foot:
 
Yup, I have my XM-18 in my pocket as I type this!! I don't want Rick to go semi-production!! He already does designs for Gerber & Benchmade.....I want him to keep making the awesome custom knives that he does!!
 
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