SwissBianco

[marduk]

As already mentioned in another thread, +B will soon announce a new round of SAK alox. From what I gather on his FB page, there will be no new alox colors but variations on previous issues &  new models.
Summer Lavender (some w/red shield some w/o key ring): Bantam, Farmer, Pruner, Pioneer, Cadet.
All Black: Pruner & Farmer w & w/o key ring.
All Red: Soldier & Electrician.

This may not be a complete list since some models did not show up well on his FB page.

[tjfarrington2000]

Ooh, sounds expensive


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[Smaug]

It seems like that guy has made his living by buying Victorinox parts and an anodizing machine, then convinced people the resulting SAKs are worth lots more because of the different pretty colors.

The reason escapes me. Nothing against him; his service is good. But Wow.

[Toolslinger]

It seems like that guy has made his living by buying Victorinox parts and an anodizing machine, then convinced people the resulting SAKs are worth lots more because of the different pretty colors.

The reason escapes me. Nothing against him; his service is good. But Wow.

I thought he just resold the coloured runs that Victorinox sent him

I don't think he actually does any mod or anodising work.

[toolguy]

It seems like that guy has made his living by buying Victorinox parts and an anodizing machine, then convinced people the resulting SAKs are worth lots more because of the different pretty colors.

The reason escapes me. Nothing against him; his service is good. But Wow.

He charges twice the price at which CS sells their special color Alox knives.

There are no sales if there is no market.The people willing to pay his price are his targeted market.

[Smaug]

It seems like that guy has made his living by buying Victorinox parts and an anodizing machine, then convinced people the resulting SAKs are worth lots more because of the different pretty colors.

The reason escapes me. Nothing against him; his service is good. But Wow.

I thought he just resold the coloured runs that Victorinox sent him

I don't think he actually does any mod or anodising work.

Nah, he gets non-standard colors and tool sets. Sometimes creates new model names too.

[Vinjints]

Outside of +B who's selling SAK parts?  Who or what is CS?


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[zoidberg]

Outside of +B who's selling SAK parts?  Who or what is CS?


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Cutlery Shoppe

[Smaug]

Outside of +B who's selling SAK parts?  Who or what is CS?

eBay of course. (usually in the form of cheap used SAKs)

[toolguy]

Outside of +B who's selling SAK parts?  Who or what is CS?

Cutlery Shoppe

Thanks ZB for picking up the slack.I often forget that everyone is not aware of some of the acronyms we often take for granted.

[Aloha]

So wait, +B gets parts then is authorized by Victorinox to color and assemble then sale? 

[MWDP]

Roger gets Victorinox knives directly from Ibach, assembled in Ibach and shipped to him. Yes, the prices are slightly higher (sometimes even double) from the other retailers, but there are always exclusive +B models (marlin spike series, Lumberjack, Cadet+ etc.) and exclusive colors and you are guaranteed that there are only 100 made of each. If you follow the alox collecting scene you will see that the +B models from only a couple of years ago are now extremely collectible, and in any case buying these is a good investment, in terms of fun and potential future resale.

[Aloha]

Is this guy a relative? Kinda neat how he has this exclusive deal. 

I dont follow Alox collectables but I've definitely seen these shoot up in price after the run is gone.  So many beautiful colors.   

[MWDP]

I think his only affiliation with Victorinox is by business, and him being Swiss probably does help a little bit. There's lots to read about Roger, here and elsewhere, good and bad stuff, but in the end he provides collectors with a unique product that is unavailable anywhere else

[Halberdier]

So wait, +B gets parts then is authorized by Victorinox to color and assemble then sale?

As stated, he buys fully assembled knives only which he special orders. I have a feeling that these smaller, 50-100 piece batches, carry a higher per-piece cost than the larger orders from Cutlery Shoppe, hence at least some of the price difference.

[cbl51]

I have to confess, I don't really understand it either. Paying a lot of extra money for a non standard color that will look like s--t after a while in a pocket with keys and change. My 15 year old Wenger SI still looks good after a zillion miles travel all over in my pocket.

[detron]

and I think he hates modders,  though to me, he is just a modder that does not do the work himself.

[captain spaulding]

I just do not like that Victorinox stopped doing limited runs (X/50), but still make (non-numbered) limited runs for him which do not meet the minimal order requirement set by Victorinox while leaving all the other dealers like Felinevet out in the cold. Why does Roger get exclusive rights to Victorinox making him and only one getting limited runs under the minimum order requirements? That's how I see it at least. Please correct me if I am wrong about any of this info.

[marduk]

One of the reasons +B gets special deals from Vic might be related to the fact that he was the one who was instrumental in convincing the company to produce their Damast knives.

[MWDP]

and I think he hates modders,  though to me, he is just a modder that does not do the work himself.

I see him as a retailer with exclusive access to limited edition products. If I recall correctly, I think his reasoning is that it's wrong to bust apart a SAK that's 1/100 just to make a mod to your desires. On the one hand, yes, he's wrong, but on the other hand, it makes you think...

I don't think collecting SAKs/alox will go out of fashion for another couple decades, imagine explaining to someone in 2025 that you had your hands on one of 100 pieces of a unique model from 2015, and you took it apart.

[raistlin65]

I have no doubt that Swiss Bianco has an extremely high markup--at least as much as that of full MSRP standard alox SAKs. But obviously they are not over priced for the market or he wouldn't be able to stay in business.

However, I have a dream that Amazon will realize there is a market for colored alox, and with their buying clout, negotiate a deal with Victorinox to make more models in different colors available at more reasonable prices.

[MWDP]

I was discussing with a friend, the last time CutleryShoppe had alox in stock, if they could sell Farmers for 40$, and +B sells them at 80$, the markup must be big. But CS orders 300-400 3 models and +B orders ten different models, only 100 of each

[cbl51]

I have no doubt that Swiss Bianco has an extremely high markup--at least as much as that of full MSRP standard alox SAKs. But obviously they are not over priced for the market or he wouldn't be able to stay in business.

However, I have a dream that Amazon will realize there is a market for colored alox, and with their buying clout, negotiate a deal with Victorinox to make more models in different colors available at more reasonable prices.

If you handle the advertising and hype right, you can sell silver plated dog turds. Never under estimate the gullibility and lack of thought of the consumer. Some of the worst products are the highly hyped and over priced. Look at Harley Davidson motorcycles. For 40 years I rode HOnda. BMW motorcycles and Vespa motor scooters. I never had to call a tow for any of them, inspire of taking some very long trips on them. But in 1997 the better half wanted  Harley. She got her way and we got Harleys. Multiple times we had to wait for a tow from the local Harley dealer because the over priced pile of chrome crapper out. Not good, considering that I put way more miles on a Honda and BMW than on the Harley. Yet, these over priced piles of chrome plated dog turds are very popular for the image. Never mind they have the worst quality of any two wheel motor vehicle.

I've been around ling enough to become a senior citizen with a white beard, and I've seen all kinds of things. One of them is; if you convince people that they are getting a "special" item that will set them apart from the peasant masses, you can ask way more money of fit than it's really worth. Human nature is well known to commercial marketers.

[SAK Guy]

Well, as a special member of the gullible peasant masses, I hope SB comes out with some new colors soon.   

 

[Viking]

I guess I'm a complete idiot.  I've riding Harley's for over thirty years and never had to tow one.

Thanks for letting me know that I'm a gullible fool.

[raistlin65]

I have no doubt that Swiss Bianco has an extremely high markup--at least as much as that of full MSRP standard alox SAKs. But obviously they are not over priced for the market or he wouldn't be able to stay in business.

However, I have a dream that Amazon will realize there is a market for colored alox, and with their buying clout, negotiate a deal with Victorinox to make more models in different colors available at more reasonable prices.

If you handle the advertising and hype right, you can sell silver plated dog turds. Never under estimate the gullibility and lack of thought of the consumer. Some of the worst products are the highly hyped and over priced. Look at Harley Davidson motorcycles. For 40 years I rode HOnda. BMW motorcycles and Vespa motor scooters. I never had to call a tow for any of them, inspire of taking some very long trips on them. But in 1997 the better half wanted  Harley. She got her way and we got Harleys. Multiple times we had to wait for a tow from the local Harley dealer because the over priced pile of chrome crapper out. Not good, considering that I put way more miles on a Honda and BMW than on the Harley. Yet, these over priced piles of chrome plated dog turds are very popular for the image. Never mind they have the worst quality of any two wheel motor vehicle.

I've been around ling enough to become a senior citizen with a white beard, and I've seen all kinds of things. One of them is; if you convince people that they are getting a "special" item that will set them apart from the peasant masses, you can ask way more money of fit than it's really worth. Human nature is well known to commercial marketers.

I think that's a bit different, though. People buy SB's SAK models because they are collectors. Most people that buy Harleys are buying them for other reasons.  How many Harley owners do you think have 10 motorcycles? I'd bet almost all of the SB SAK owners have at least 10 SAKs.

And there's no "hype" associated with the SB SAKs. The models don't claim to do more than they are. They are just not available. So your analogy doesn't seem relevant.

It seems SB serves a niche in SAK collecting. I'm just disappointed that there aren't more colored Alox models more widely available at a lower price, like CS provides. I'm guessing Victorinox marketing decided to keep them more exclusive, if we want someone to blame. Victorinox could easily release more colors in larger quantities, just like they do with the Classic SDs. They just choose not to.

[comis]

I think it is each to his own when it comes to the matter of pricing and collecting colored Alox.  But considering how large the quantity is Victorinox producing each year(millions of knives a year, IIRC), I for one am grateful at least they do entertain the idea of making very small quantity of colored alox or limited edition tools for us fans to collect.

[Halberdier]

I like all these extra colors, so please spare me all the lessons in economics. 

[red_rider_1979]

I ride an old honda XR4 which has never given me any problems which I cant handle by myself so I can attest the reliability of honda motorcycles. Honda rawks!

But apart from clever marketing, I believe SB's success is how he sets his pricing... I remember reading a moderator's post here that SB's pricing is

- is not high enough that would drive away alox collectors
- is high enough to significantly reduce the profit margin of opportunists who buy and resell on ebay
- is high enough to drive away potential buyers buying them for casual use, hence maintaining the "exclusivity"

Or something like that...

[nsa-x-file]

I think it is each to his own when it comes to the matter of pricing and collecting colored Alox.  But considering how large the quantity is Victorinox producing each year(millions of knives a year, IIRC), I for one am grateful at least they do entertain the idea of making very small quantity of colored alox or limited edition tools for us fans to collect.

Totally agree with that.