Cold Steel Sold To GSM Outdoors

[TrappedinCalifornia]

I'm not seeing a thread on this. Did I simply miss the lead-up to it or is this something which 'quietly' happened and still isn't 'general knowledge?'



GSM Outdoors now lists Cold Steel as one of "Our Brands" on their website.

From December... New Cold Steel Owners GSM Outdoors Talk Acquisition, Future

...First and foremost, the GSM deal means that Cold Steel’s California-based operation has been shut down. This means that, yes, Cold Steel employees lost their jobs. “Operations were relocated to our headquarters in Irving, TX,” Mann explains. He goes on to say that some personnel was retained. “Employment offers were extended to several people, some accepted while others did not. The lead sharpener and designer were among those that have either relocated or accepted new jobs with the company. Unfortunately some positions were eliminated.”

Mann also told us what Thompson himself already confirmed: that both he and Andrew Demko are staying with the company...

Thoughts?

[slamfire1]

Originally Posted by TrappedinCalifornia

I'm not seeing a thread on this. Did I simply miss the lead-up to it or is this something which 'quietly' happened and still isn't 'general knowledge?'

GSM Outdoors now lists Cold Steel as one of "Our Brands" on their website.

From December... New Cold Steel Owners GSM Outdoors Talk Acquisition, Future



Thoughts?

This has been bashed about before.

Lynn Thompson is a knife enthusiast, his company has brought out numbers of forward leaning and sector pushing designs, without a doubt due to his interests. He really understood the fantasies of Mall Ninja's with all the cutting and bashing videos, and helped expand the market on historical replica weapons. I also noticed a real planned obsolesce, as knife steels were changed for popular models, just to juice the market. Each new steel, is of course, much better than those old nasty steels, and the herd always went in the direction of the new, new. (I miss Carbon V)






He has done well and cashed out. If this take over is the usual Corporate one, Cold Steel will stop innovating, as the money counting types are not into experimentation or risk.

What Cold Steel has is interesting designs, and if they lost their interesting designers, the future is not going to be one of growth. The business model of marketeers is based on monopolies, (such as WD40, all the company has is a formula, but they don't make the stuff) or innovation. Marketeers, such as Apple, those guys don't build the things, they come up with new designs for things, and have others build it. Lose the designers, loose the innovators, and lose the ability to take risks, and the company enters a death spiral. I predict a long, boring, death spiral for Cold Steel.

Lynn is doing the right thing for the company, claiming to stay on as a force, but the fact of the matter is, by the end of this year, the new company officers will be saying "Lynn Who?", if he calls. And they probably won't answer the phone. Lynn will have about as much influence on the day to day operations as an ex Governor or President has on politics.

[TrappedinCalifornia]

Originally Posted by slamfire1

This has been bashed about before...

Thanks. As I said, I wondered if I'd, somehow, missed the run-up to this. Evidently, I did...

12/6/20 - Ahh Cold Steel Co. sold I feel so sad

I'm not that big a fan of Cold Steel. I could never afford their Tanto blades when they were 'the thing' and still can't justify the expense for what they are geared toward. I do have an SRK and a Master Hunter in Carbon V and a Mini Pendleton in AUS 8 from before they lengthened the handle. I particularly like the Mini Pendleton; but, the other two are good for what they are and what I paid.

I liked the Carbon V. I was never under the impression that the changes in steel were to 'juice the market' so much as they were about availability and cost. One of the crucial elements to Cold Steel's success was in keeping the prices consistent and not overshooting the market; i.e., their market niche included some 'expensive' blades, but appeared to be, primarily, one geared toward 'value.' (Which isn't necessarily synonymous with 'cheap;' but, neither is it broadly open to 'expensive.')

Going forward, I'm not sure how GSM Outdoors is going to 'support' them. I suspect, however, that they are going to be viewed along the lines as a competitor for Buck/Gerber/Kershaw in terms of price and complimentary in terms of offerings. But, that's just a guess since I've never seen the Cold Steel offerings in the league of BHK/LTWK, Bark River, etc. which are a bit more expensive and quite a bit more 'tailored' to their market niches in terms of use.