An Inquiry Into Cheap Knives & Bowerbirds

[deo-pa]

Yesterday I spotted this ¼-page color ad in the Wall St. Journal (1st photo below) for a hunting knife with sheath and "free" binoculars for $79. Given the exorbitant cost of WSJ advertising I couldn't help but wonder about the true cost (and quality) of the knife. This is my take on the economics behind this knife.

First of all who is the company (Stauer) doing the advertising? As their website (www.stauer.com) reveals, they are a "lifestyles" company selling watches, jewelry, die cast models, apparel, fancy foods, stemware, "wellness" products, and collectibles… lots of collectibles. They sell a lot of pretty things that we might like to own but are not exactly essential.

They knife brand is Chipaway Cutlery with an Indian chief logo (not Chippewa as in the U.S. / Canada Indian tribe). Made me laugh as I'm thinking when you use this knife you don't cut the object but rather you sort of chip away at it. Chipaway Cutlery is a Frost Cutlery brand, so that tells you a lot right there. If you search here, on BF, as well as just Google around, the consensus seems to be that this brand is made in Pakistan.

Several websites indicate the average hourly rate in Pajkistan is about $3.50 USD. I couldn't find much in the way of detailed information from Pakistani wholesale cutlers but I suspect the economics are more or less like those of Chinese makers. You can learn a lot about Chinese costs from website like Alibaba, the Chinese Amazon. Their business-to-business website links Chinese suppliers to buyers around the world.

If you search their site for hunting knives there are 12,000+ hits and plenty of models you can buy for $3-$4 each if you buy 1,000. 1,000 knives would be nothing to Frost. I would not be surprised if they ordered 100,000+ of these knives and the cost with sheath, a custom box, and delivered to the U.S was on the order of $5 each from Pakistan or China or wherever.

They must order in huge quantities because you can buy almost the identical knife from eBay (2nd photo) for $15 or from Walmart (3rd photo) for $36 (it's $39 on Amazon). I surmise that Frost buys these in huge quantities and then resells to large customers like Walmart and to jobbers who move them to sporting goods stores, other retailers, and flea market sellers everywhere.

As for those free binoculars you get with the knife, the 4th photo shows a similar style on Alibaba. You can get them for $3.50 each if you buy a 1,000. Stauer also sells those identical "free" binoculars on another page of their website for $99! (Plus S&H of course.)

That WSJ ad (1st photo) is a ¼-page color ad. I have no idea what Stauer's cost is but no doubt they have an annual advertising contract with the WSJ so they get a hefty discount off the rate card. A one-time only, no contract full-page (not ¼-page) color ad currently costs $355,000 for the national edition (less for regional editions). So even with their large contract discount Stauer is paying many tens of thousands of $ for the ad. They are not dummies so you can bet they sell many thousands of knives via this ad.

I think the economics of high-volume knives (and many other products) is fascinating. I'll be the first to admit all of the above is largely guesswork, so if anyone here is clued into this subject through current or prior affiliation with low-end knife makers please chime in. I think the combination of cheap attractive goods and lifestyle advertising can be deadly. It causes us (me included) to covet objects of minimal practical utility. We are like bowerbirds decorating our nests with colorful, shiny objects.

Dennis

[OLDE CUTLER]

I have seen a couple of the "Chipaway" knives you mention and they were tang etched Pakistan. I think your comparison of humans to bowerbirds is hilarious, and correct. lol

[Mumbleypeg]

I see that sort of advertising and product from Stauer frequently, in various sorts of magazines. Watches, knives etc. pictures and descriptions always look and sound good. Too-good-to-be-true good in fact,,so I’ve never been tempted to buy anything.

Thanks for the analysis Dennis.

BTW, Chip-a-way was an old cutlery brand name belonging to E.C. Simmons Hardware, Goins’ says 1891 - 1920. Another old name exploited by Frost.

Ken

[tongueriver]

Stauer sells their crap through MANY national publications with large expensive color ads.
I lost my wedding band whilst hunting a few years ago and I suspect a magpie or crow eventually got it into its nest to enjoy. When I was a boy I found a packrat's cache of goodies; it was under a big prickly pear cactus forest and held mostly golf balls. I do confess to be something of a magpie (and a packrat) myself, but I would like to think I have a little better taste than that Stauer stuff.

[FRJ]

BTW, Chip-a-way was an old cutlery brand name belonging to E.C. Simmons Hardware, Goins’ says 1891 - 1920. Another old name exploited by Frost.

Ken

Here ya go.

Nice post, Dennis.

[kootenay joe]

The ad title tells all "Bad to the Bone". It is not a good knife or binoculars. They are bad, just as the ad says.
kj

[KLJ77]

Stauer is nothing but a high dollar rip off company when it comes to selling knives. imho. Here's what validates my opinion of them.

My wife, bless her heart and innocence, thought she would buy me a knife for my birthday from Stauer. It was a 'pretty' knife, attractive and unique. However, when I got it, it was very cheaply made and was NOT sharp or sharpened. I told her I appreciated it, but did not tell her to buy me any other knives from Stauer. Well, then came Christmas...and I got another 'pretty' knife...and it was worse than the first one. Both stamped Pakistan. That's when I told her to not spend money on advertised Stauer knives and showed her why. I told her she could have gotten me a really NICE Buck knife for the money she spent on these two. We constantly get their sale magazine...and it just goes into recycle. I would NOT recommend purchasing any knives from them.

And for 'chipaway' knives...yeah, I was foolish enough to get one. Again, they look attractive, pretty and all dressed up in a way that is 'appealing' to the eye, but I would NEVER rely on one in the woods or for survival.