Gun company knives - The Firearms Forum

lead · 08-18-2004, 05:43 AM

Do any of you collect knives from gun manufacturers? I have seen old catalogs from Mossberg, Savage, Marlin, etc. that list promotional knives, but have found them hard to find. I do have knives from the biggies(Remington, S&W, etc), but I'm always looking through flea markets and the auction sites for more. I know a guy who has an old pocket folder with the Mauser name on it, but he won't part with it. Just wondering.

pickenup · 08-18-2004, 11:13 AM

I do.
Like you, I have some from the "biggies" but few from anyone else.
I am always on the lookout though.

frodo · 08-23-2004, 07:11 AM

Does anyone ever see the book "Knives of Smith & Wesson" by Carl Rinke
that are for sale. They printed 1000 of them in the 80's. Thanks

ameriskin · 02-21-2005, 10:25 PM

i avoid most of these knives. colt uses united cutlery, and s&w uses taylor. neither of these are worth the ridiculous prices they charge. i here the hk knives are pretty good, but i haven't seen one up close yet.

cody

offeror · 02-21-2005, 11:29 PM

I have worked in merchandising in the past, so I know a lot about product licensing. My impression is that the recent run of gun company-licensed knives are coming over from China, with some exceptions.

When a name has value, product makers will often pay for the right to use the name on some of its products because they know they can charge more for the inscribed logo, or a patch or an imprint. If the gun company is too anxious to take the sometimes significant money being offered with these contracts merely for the use of their name, they may not look closely enough at the product, or be smart enough to insist that ONLY fine quality knives be decorated with their logo. If they don't, well, you can guess the rest.

A good merchandising exec can actually go out and contact likely manufacturers to sell license contracts to -- like makers of knives, mugs, gloves, hats, t-shirts, and so on. These licenses will give rights to use the name for maybe 3 years on certain products and collect a percentage on every product sold with that logo on it. A GOOD merchandising exec will follow the design of the product every step of the way, and maintain the right to approve prototypes before they go to production, to assure that the finished product, which will carry their company name, will uphold their name's high standards and reputation. A BAD merchandising exec will take the money and run, and possibly leave a trail of inferior products with the company name on them - which cannot reflect positively on his own company's name in the long run.

I don't consider a gun company knife for purchase at all unless the manufacturer or country of manufacture is disclosed in the ad. Then I look to see if the maker is worth considering. Then I look at the price to see if it's a good value. As a result, I rarely buy a gunmaker logo knife.

I understand the Glock knife is an Austrian military import, and I would own one of those, for the price. But I would be wary of the licensed logo stuff because you're likely to pay for a collectible logo and not a first rate knife. If that's all you want, of course, go for it.

If a gun company is smart, it will do what Gunsite did -- make a deal for a logo knife that must be at least as good as the Cold Steel Voyager, no worse. If they all did that, we'd be seeing great gun logo knives made by Benchmade, Spyderco, Kershaw, Camillus, Ontario, or Ka-Bar, and so on.

And this is my 500th post on TFF...

BlueTic · 02-22-2005, 08:02 AM

I agree that it depends on who makes the knife, and not the logo. I looked at some "Browning" folders at a gun show and almost bought one for $40.00 - then looking closer - they are no better than the $2.95 jobs you get at the hardware store, next to the cash register, in a bucket!!! Same with S&W( maybe a little better - not much)... .02

pickenup · 02-22-2005, 08:18 AM

There is a difference between old and new knives.
The price means everything.
With what I am "willing to pay" I never get burned.

I just gave away a Browning, that was made in Japan.
It didn't hurt at all.

marioncollier · 02-16-2009, 01:22 PM

I have a Colt folding knife purchased in the 70's. Wonderful knife, no complaints.

dge479 · 02-16-2009, 07:06 PM

I have a S&W Homeland Defense Camo Knife. Got it at a gun show for $15 and a set of Remington knives from the Wallymart.
Other than that I have my Dads WWII Kabar? and the sheath he made for it. Other than that Not to much, but I have started to gain an interest.

08-18-2004, 05:43 AM	#1
lead Advanced Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,522	Gun company knives Do any of you collect knives from gun manufacturers? I have seen old catalogs from Mossberg, Savage, Marlin, etc. that list promotional knives, but have found them hard to find. I do have knives from the biggies(Remington, S&W, etc), but I'm always looking through flea markets and the auction sites for more. I know a guy who has an old pocket folder with the Mauser name on it, but he won't part with it. Just wondering. __________________ The best things in life, are not things. -->

08-18-2004, 11:13 AM	#2
pickenup Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains Posts: 6,837	Re: Gun company knives I do. Like you, I have some from the "biggies" but few from anyone else. I am always on the lookout though. __________________ The gene pool needs chlorine

08-23-2004, 07:11 AM	#3
frodo Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: arkansas Posts: 1	Re: Gun company knives Does anyone ever see the book "Knives of Smith & Wesson" by Carl Rinke that are for sale. They printed 1000 of them in the 80's. Thanks

02-21-2005, 10:25 PM	#4
ameriskin Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: wisconsin Posts: 21	Re: Gun company knives i avoid most of these knives. colt uses united cutlery, and s&w uses taylor. neither of these are worth the ridiculous prices they charge. i here the hk knives are pretty good, but i haven't seen one up close yet. cody __________________ "ain't got time for politics, i'm too busy downloadin porno flicks. pain and sufferin, struggle and strife, i'm living the good life!" -brass tacks

02-21-2005, 11:29 PM	#5
offeror Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: NE Indiana Posts: 586	Re: Gun company knives (MY 500TH POST on TFF) I have worked in merchandising in the past, so I know a lot about product licensing. My impression is that the recent run of gun company-licensed knives are coming over from China, with some exceptions. When a name has value, product makers will often pay for the right to use the name on some of its products because they know they can charge more for the inscribed logo, or a patch or an imprint. If the gun company is too anxious to take the sometimes significant money being offered with these contracts merely for the use of their name, they may not look closely enough at the product, or be smart enough to insist that ONLY fine quality knives be decorated with their logo. If they don't, well, you can guess the rest. A good merchandising exec can actually go out and contact likely manufacturers to sell license contracts to -- like makers of knives, mugs, gloves, hats, t-shirts, and so on. These licenses will give rights to use the name for maybe 3 years on certain products and collect a percentage on every product sold with that logo on it. A GOOD merchandising exec will follow the design of the product every step of the way, and maintain the right to approve prototypes before they go to production, to assure that the finished product, which will carry their company name, will uphold their name's high standards and reputation. A BAD merchandising exec will take the money and run, and possibly leave a trail of inferior products with the company name on them - which cannot reflect positively on his own company's name in the long run. I don't consider a gun company knife for purchase at all unless the manufacturer or country of manufacture is disclosed in the ad. Then I look to see if the maker is worth considering. Then I look at the price to see if it's a good value. As a result, I rarely buy a gunmaker logo knife. I understand the Glock knife is an Austrian military import, and I would own one of those, for the price. But I would be wary of the licensed logo stuff because you're likely to pay for a collectible logo and not a first rate knife. If that's all you want, of course, go for it. If a gun company is smart, it will do what Gunsite did -- make a deal for a logo knife that must be at least as good as the Cold Steel Voyager, no worse. If they all did that, we'd be seeing great gun logo knives made by Benchmade, Spyderco, Kershaw, Camillus, Ontario, or Ka-Bar, and so on. And this is my 500th post on TFF... __________________ The Second Amendment does not exist to protect the gun rights you like. It exists to protect the gun rights you hate. Last edited by offeror; 02-21-2005 at 11:45 PM..

02-22-2005, 08:02 AM	#6
BlueTic Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: WA Posts: 652	Re: Gun company knives I agree that it depends on who makes the knife, and not the logo. I looked at some "Browning" folders at a gun show and almost bought one for $40.00 - then looking closer - they are no better than the $2.95 jobs you get at the hardware store, next to the cash register, in a bucket!!! Same with S&W( maybe a little better - not much)... .02 __________________ If you don't like my rights - please leave my country!

02-22-2005, 08:18 AM	#7
pickenup Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains Posts: 6,837	Re: Gun company knives There is a difference between old and new knives. The price means everything. With what I am "willing to pay" I never get burned. I just gave away a Browning, that was made in Japan. It didn't hurt at all. __________________ The gene pool needs chlorine

02-16-2009, 01:22 PM	#8
marioncollier Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1	Re: Gun company knives I have a Colt folding knife purchased in the 70's. Wonderful knife, no complaints.

02-16-2009, 07:06 PM	#9
dge479 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Haskell NJ Posts: 618	Re: Gun company knives I have a S&W Homeland Defense Camo Knife. Got it at a gun show for $15 and a set of Remington knives from the Wallymart. Other than that I have my Dads WWII Kabar? and the sheath he made for it. Other than that Not to much, but I have started to gain an interest. __________________ Proud GOA and NRA member. Old Mopars and Guns, About as good as it gets. Guns Dont Kill, Socialized Healthcare does