Where have they gone?

E

excranium

Joined
Feb 24, 2006
Messages
83
I must admit that the fascination started in a Hoffritz store. (Yes, I know I just dated myself.) All those shiny, engraved Gentleman's knives and clippers. From there it was the rotating displays of Buck and Schrade products that fed the desire. That fascination had long ago turned into an obsession. Now the stakes are higher: Busse, Simonich, CRK, DMK, Spyderco, Benchmade.... on and on and on.

The problem is I can't find those dedicated, knives only stores. Is that it, has the internet taken over? There is something about drooling over the gleaming knives in those glass cases, being able to touch the products, talk to the dealer, look through the catalogues. I bought my first Randall in a shop in Mass., long since closed.

I have thought about opening such a store, always trying to figure out whose products I would carry (besides the rotating cases with swiss army and Leatherman tools). What would appeal to the avid collector and knowledgeable user? Any suggestions about a line to carry?
 
What would appeal to the avid collector and knowledgeable user? Any suggestions about a line to carry?

Busse, Simonich, CRK, DMK, Spyderco, Benchmade.... the rotating cases with swiss army and Leatherman tools, .... rotating displays of Buck and Schrade products.

I think you picked some pretty good stuff.

The problem is I can't find those dedicated, knives only stores. Is that it, has the internet taken over?

A real brick store will need a large metro that is supportive, i.e., in an area not so PC the idea of everyday carry is anathema. Obviously leaves out urban coastal states - the store you used to shop in obviously didn't make it because Massachussetts is no longer a habitable place for sportsmen (as a Mid-westerner, I gotta ask, is Mass. an viable environment for anything? :) )

We have just such a shop here in the neighboring town - the proprietor knows the market and charges Walmart level pricing for BM, Spy, etc. He has a long history, is a fair dealer, and has bargains like boxes of slipjoints for $5 each he's picked up in trades.

What can be more fun than looking in the cases, handling new introductions, and sorting through dozens of loose folders for a nice collector or stocking stuffer on a rainy Saturday? Doing it on Tuesday 'cause you're both at the gun show on the weekend!
 
In my area, most of the mall cutlery shops are gone. But I live near the Culinary Institute of America and the students shop at a local store specializing in gourmet cook-ware. This shop also has a huge cutlery dept. They sell both kitchen knives and have several display cases filled with personal carry knives, I bought my Grohmann Belt knife there.

The staff is also very nice.

If you're ever in Rhinebeck NY look up Warren Cutlery, they have a wood worker's shop on 9G, the Gourmet Shop is on Route 9.

So I guess if you were to open a shop with several product lines it could work....
 
JPD1998 said:
In my area, most of the mall cutlery shops are gone. But I live near the Culinary Institute of America and the students shop at a local store specializing in gourmet cook-ware. This shop also has a huge cutlery dept. They sell both kitchen knives and have several display cases filled with personal carry knives, I bought my Grohmann Belt knife there.

The staff is also very nice.

If you're ever in Rhinebeck NY look up Warren Cutlery, they have a wood worker's shop on 9G, the Gourmet Shop is on Route 9.

So I guess if you were to open a shop with several product lines it could work....
Click to expand...
Thanks for the heads-up, I'm on route 9 and 9G all the time but somehow I missed those.
 
If your in or near Raleigh NC we have a great shop round us. http://www.davisguns.com/

They have Striders, customs Striders, Sebbies, customs from Lightfoot, Lambert, Darrel Ralph, Allen Elishewitz, lots of William Henrys, Boat loads of Spydercos, Kershaw/ZTs, and other lower end stuff too.

Very cool guys behind the counter. I think they are getting ready to set up shop on the web also.........:D They will sharpen your knife for free on their edge pro, I think they also sell them too. (So-Lo just remembered that he forgot to look, as he has been wanting one :cool:)

Its very nice to be able to hold a knife before you buy it. Even better when you can look at 5 different SNGs and pick the best one to take home.;) Go with another knife knut because nobody else will understand, why you can look at knives for hours.
 
Im lucky. Two or three places in town still have the Glass counters. lights inside, reflections gleeming off the knives inside. Nice hard wood floors and big bright windows. Mind you I pay almost double what you americans pay, but I can still go in and see the knives, look at them. Though not everyone knows what I do, one fella thinks Buck still make their knives with 440C, ;)
 
TorzJohnson said:
Thanks for the heads-up, I'm on route 9 and 9G all the time but somehow I missed those.
Click to expand...

The cookware store on route 9 has the knife shop.

It's north of the 9G intersection heading towards Redhook on the right hand side, it comes up quick.
 
Thanks JPD, I'm over the river in Saugerties and will most definitely check out that store this weekend.
Dave
 
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