From what I read, about 56 people will be losing their jobs when Ontario closes their current factory and moves to Virginia where Blue Ridge has their facilities.

If Blue Ridge keeps the same quality for Ontario as Ontario did, I'm fine with the sale.

Quote from: 12_Gauge_Chimp on July 15, 2023, 05:42:06 PMFrom what I read, about 56 people will be losing their jobs when Ontario closes their current factory and moves to Virginia where Blue Ridge has their facilities.

If Blue Ridge keeps the same quality for Ontario as Ontario did, I'm fine with the sale.

That's a decent-sized if. Believe Blue Ridge is a distributor but could be wrong... not exactly sure what production facilities they have.

Not that I'm saying it'll happen, but knives seem like a pretty easy match for outsourcing to China. If I had to roleplay an American MBA grad looking at Ontario, I'd be looking to do exactly that because all you really need are the IP rights and a supplier. Why bother with all the overhead? Not sure it'll gain you anything in that market.

Could be way off base, who knows.

There's a bunch of knives coming out of China these days that are pretty good and not too expensive.

If Blue Ridge does outsource the Ontario knives, which they likely will, I'm hoping the quality will stay the same and not slip too much.

Quote from: 12_Gauge_Chimp on July 15, 2023, 08:31:59 PMThere's a bunch of knives coming out of China these days that are pretty good and not too expensive.

If Blue Ridge does outsource the Ontario knives, which they likely will, I'm hoping the quality will stay the same and not slip too much.

Looks like you got one of the last NYS made ones then.

Quote from: NT2C on July 15, 2023, 11:54:47 PM

Quote from: 12_Gauge_Chimp on July 15, 2023, 08:31:59 PMThere's a bunch of knives coming out of China these days that are pretty good and not too expensive.

If Blue Ridge does outsource the Ontario knives, which they likely will, I'm hoping the quality will stay the same and not slip too much.

Looks like you got one of the last NYS made ones then.

Yep.

I wonder if this means the NYS made Ontario knives will now fetch a higher price on the secondary market.

Credible second-hand info / copy-pasting from a BCUSA member who called Blue Ridge:

1) They *did* buy the equipment, and they plan to sell that off. He said it's just not viable for BRK, a Virginia company, to learn the ins and outs of operating the NY factory.

2) They will continue producing BRK products, but now using OEM manufacturing partners. He said the military items in particular need to stay in the US, but he did acknowledge that there will probably be international sources for some items. That's not so different from the current production model, where some sheaths come from China, the RAT folder comes from Taiwan, etc.

3) He said it will probably be January at the earliest before new product starts hitting the shelves. So there will probably be a dry spell, and it probably already started.


So no, Blue Ridge isn't going to make anything in-house and yes, sounds like it's going to be 100% outsourced.

I'd rather not roll the dice on that one particular knife I want surviving both product rationalization and an outsourcing decision, so guess I'm glad I have an RTAK II coming.

Having been on both sides of the outsourcing thing I can't say doing it is inherently good or bad. At the peak of our deserved unpopularity, Remington was the OEM supplier for an upmarket / boutique-ish handgun company and nobody had a clue (because the OEM parts we made for them were good).

SKU rationalization is what I'd be more concerned with. Good time to kill off the lower-volume or lower-margin stuff, and which  products those are isn't always obvious.

Well, crap.

Quote from: Lodewijk on July 17, 2023, 06:24:29 PMCredible second-hand info / copy-pasting from a BCUSA member who called Blue Ridge:

1) They *did* buy the equipment, and they plan to sell that off. He said it's just not viable for BRK, a Virginia company, to learn the ins and outs of operating the NY factory.

2) They will continue producing BRK products, but now using OEM manufacturing partners. He said the military items in particular need to stay in the US, but he did acknowledge that there will probably be international sources for some items. That's not so different from the current production model, where some sheaths come from China, the RAT folder comes from Taiwan, etc.

3) He said it will probably be January at the earliest before new product starts hitting the shelves. So there will probably be a dry spell, and it probably already started.


So no, Blue Ridge isn't going to make anything in-house and yes, sounds like it's going to be 100% outsourced.

I'd rather not roll the dice on that one particular knife I want surviving both product rationalization and an outsourcing decision, so guess I'm glad I have an RTAK II coming.

Having been on both sides of the outsourcing thing I can't say doing it is inherently good or bad. At the peak of our deserved unpopularity, Remington was the OEM supplier for an upmarket / boutique-ish handgun company and nobody had a clue (because the OEM parts we made for them were good).

SKU rationalization is what I'd be more concerned with. Good time to kill off the lower-volume or lower-margin stuff, and which  products those are isn't always obvious.

I'd be curious which company Remington was making stuff for... 1911 stuff??

Quote from: JeeperCreeper on July 17, 2023, 10:35:03 PM

Quote from: Lodewijk on July 17, 2023, 06:24:29 PMCredible second-hand info / copy-pasting from a BCUSA member who called Blue Ridge:

1) They *did* buy the equipment, and they plan to sell that off. He said it's just not viable for BRK, a Virginia company, to learn the ins and outs of operating the NY factory.

2) They will continue producing BRK products, but now using OEM manufacturing partners. He said the military items in particular need to stay in the US, but he did acknowledge that there will probably be international sources for some items. That's not so different from the current production model, where some sheaths come from China, the RAT folder comes from Taiwan, etc.

3) He said it will probably be January at the earliest before new product starts hitting the shelves. So there will probably be a dry spell, and it probably already started.


So no, Blue Ridge isn't going to make anything in-house and yes, sounds like it's going to be 100% outsourced.

I'd rather not roll the dice on that one particular knife I want surviving both product rationalization and an outsourcing decision, so guess I'm glad I have an RTAK II coming.

Having been on both sides of the outsourcing thing I can't say doing it is inherently good or bad. At the peak of our deserved unpopularity, Remington was the OEM supplier for an upmarket / boutique-ish handgun company and nobody had a clue (because the OEM parts we made for them were good).

SKU rationalization is what I'd be more concerned with. Good time to kill off the lower-volume or lower-margin stuff, and which  products those are isn't always obvious.

I'd be curious which company Remington was making stuff for... 1911 stuff??

We actually OEM'd for multiple gun companies, but only one was a fancypants outfit... there were 1911 parts in there, yes. I remember some pistol sights and other small stuff too, but that was out of the MIM shop and those went to other large gun manufacturers.

Remington Outdoor Company is dead and gone as a legal entity but the people we supplied are still in business, so I should probably stop short of naming names. You could piece it together if you Google hard enough.

I've got to stop looking at Knife Center's site. I've already saved a bunch of knives from there on my wishlist and every time I visit the site, I end up adding like five or six more.

My wallet still hates me from the last MidwayUSA order I made.

As promised, here's a pic of the knife I picked up yesterday during my trip to Midland with NT2C.

It's a B'Yond EDC Slim flipper with tan micarta scales and 14C28N blade steel.

Here's the knife.
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ETA: The blade is actually shinier than the pic shows, but there was a bit of overcast when I took the pic.

For a size comparison, here's a pic of the B'Yond EDC Slim next to a CRKT/Ruger Hollowpoint +P.
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Got an early birthday gift from my mother today.

It's a CJRB Pyrite button lock folder from Knife Center.

This is my first knife from CJRB and my first button lock knife.

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I am searching for something that don't exist. A single sheep's foot blade 2 3/4 to 3 inch's long, with finger flipper , and a linerlock. Thin handle scales would be better, and a handle that fits my hand, even with a shorter blade.

Quote from: Rednex on August 16, 2023, 06:00:14 PMI am searching for something that don't exist. A single sheep's foot blade 2 3/4 to 3 inch's long, with finger flipper , and a linerlock. Thin handle scales would be better, and a handle that fits my hand, even with a shorter blade.

If I were a smarter man and knew how to make knives, I'd make something like that.

But since I'm not, I'll try my best to find something similar for you, Rednex. There's bound to be something out there like that.

ETA: Found this over on Knife Center, Rednex.

https://www.knifecenter.com/item/KUV3488C2/kizer-cutlery-vanguard-mini-sheepdog-c01c-flipper-knife-154cm-satin-blade-od-green-g10-handles

If that don't work, here's some more results for you.

https://www.knifecenter.com/find-the-best/Sheepsfoot%20liner%20lock%20flipper

Thank ya Chimp butIi handled one of them and the handle is short for my hand. I got these for nephews for Christmas last year and handled one of them. handles to wide,
https://www.smkw.com/smith-wesson-exec-barlow-linerlock

If ya know what the Kershaw Chill is that but with inch sheeps foot blade I envision. I'm picky I know.

Quote from: Rednex on August 16, 2023, 06:12:35 PMThank ya Chimp butIi handled one of them and the handle is short for my hand. I got these for nephews for Christmas last year and handled one of them. handles to wide,
https://www.smkw.com/smith-wesson-exec-barlow-linerlock

If ya know what the Kershaw Chill is that but with inch sheeps foot blade I envision. I'm picky I know.

No worries on the picky thing, Rednex. I can be the same way sometimes. 

Check those blades on Knife Center I linked to and maybe you'll find something like you're envisioning. I put in "sheepsfoot liner lock flipper" and a bunch of options popped up.

Also, Civivi now makes a version of their Elementum flipper with a Wharnecliffe blade (which is pretty similar to a sheepsfoot from what I've seen) for about 55 bucks. I might pick up one of those at some point as well.

Quote from: Rednex on August 16, 2023, 06:00:14 PMI am searching for something that don't exist. A single sheep's foot blade 2 3/4 to 3 inch's long, with finger flipper , and a linerlock. Thin handle scales would be better, and a handle that fits my hand, even with a shorter blade.

Don't know about the length but you can get ideas.

Thanks Mac i forgot about the QSP Penguin knives.

Y'all remember those Swiss-Tech knives I mentioned a few pages back ?

Well, they're now appearing on the shelves at Walmart.

Prior to this past week they were an online-only deal, but now they're available in stores as well as online.

I picked up one of Swiss-Tech's "Stahlern" fixed blades today at a local Walmart and it's pretty nice. AUS-8 steel, green canvas Micarta scales, multi position sheath (well, the belt clip rotates 360 degrees, so I guess it can be called a multi position sheath.) and a bonus ferro rod that fits into the sheath. I don't have the ferro rod in my sheath mostly because it kind of makes the bit that holds the ferro rod expand a bit and I'm thinking that'll cause problems with retention. So I leave it out and keep it in the rather nice box the Stahlern comes in.

For 40 bucks, it's not a bad buy. At least not to ne.

Walmart's getting five models of Swiss-Tech's new line, which are as follows: the Gerundet, Wurdig, Praktisch (which is a Leatherman Wave clone), Stahlern and the new Listig (which appears to be a copy of the Victorinox SD Swiss Army knife).

There's two other knives (well, one knife and one multitool), but as far as I can tell those are staying online-only for the time being.