Victorinox to end alox special runs

[nsa-x-file]

Have just found out from my good friends in Switzerland that Victorinox are to end production of the small limited alox runs. Seems they are uneconomical to continue in the future.
This info is 100% reliable and direct from the source.
A sad day for collectors.

[burnside]

That is not the greatest news. I might have to reconsider selling the few that I have now. I hope they do not discontinue the whole Alox line altogether. Maybe they can make colored Alox part of the regular production line, or at least switch up the color being used every year or so. I like variety.

[Chako]

I always viewed these as money grabbing personally. Reason why I only have a few.

[sticktodrum]

Noooooo!

[Syph007]

I got an email yesterday with the news.  If that juat means those numbered ones of 50 each im ok with that I never liked the numbered runs.  If they killed off all alox though id be sad!

[Mr. Whippy]

I am pretty sad about this.  The limited run items (mostly Farmers in my case) are like a throwback to earlier times of personal craftsmanship.  Silly I know, but that's how they felt to me.  If this ends for straight up mass production, it is another blow to individual craftsmanship.

[nsa-x-file]

I got an email yesterday with the news.  If that juat means those numbered ones of 50 each im ok with that I never liked the numbered runs.  If they killed off all alox though id be sad!

I wouldn't be surprised if they start shutting down the alox runs altogether at some point.
Especially as there a very small part of their product range now.
Although I hope i'm wrong.

[enki_ck]

This connected with the info Ulli gave about them bringing back marlin spike models due to popular demand and the standard production line ALOX Mini Champs leads me to think they saw the potential of doing these full scale. So I'm thinking they decided not to do the limited 50 runs anymore and rather make them a production standard. This could in fact be good news. Even if it's not 20 limited runs per year anymore I'd be more happy with 5 regular production runs per year, lets say a few thousand colored farmers in standard colors (red, blue, green, orange, black) for 2014, a few thousand of the colored Pioneers for the following year, Solos, Ranchers, Harvesters, ...

Sounds much more reasonable to me. And I doubt they would get rid of the ALOX line. You have to remember that only the north American market has limited acces to that line. Europe and Asia still has Even the Solos, Bantams and other models that were disco'd in the US easily available and still in production. Still makes me go when I see Bantams and Solos sell for $40+ on US eBay.

[microbe]

hmm. now no-one will probably trade those anymore 

[Mr. Whippy]

I would never trade a Farmer anyway.

HOWEVER:  If someone has a copper colored Farmer, (from that limited VSAKS run a few years ago), I have some First Mates, etc that could be traded...

[Marius]

It was good while it lasted. Thanks to the people who made them possible

Shall be interesting to see what will Victorinox do next. The new alox MiniChamp was a surprise.

[crackout]

Hopefully, the red shields will find their way into the production line.

[papercut]

So +B is going to be out of business?

[Mr. Whippy]

So +B is going to be out of business?

Good point.

[sawman]

Vic listen up: Crank up that machine and produce enough for everyone and quit jerking people around with only 50 copies of a given colour. I'm getting sick of your practices to the point I'm considering boycotting your products. 

[Mr. Whippy]

Vic listen up: Crank up that machine and produce enough for everyone and quit jerking people around with only 50 copies of a given colour. I'm getting sick of your practices to the point I'm considering boycotting your products. 

You know, this is true too.

If I could buy all the colors of Alox at the same price as the standard Silver ones, I'd probably decorate my Christmas tree with them!
 

[Syph007]

Vic listen up: Crank up that machine and produce enough for everyone and quit jerking people around with only 50 copies of a given colour. I'm getting sick of your practices to the point I'm considering boycotting your products. 

You know, this is true too.

If I could buy all the colors of Alox at the same price as the standard Silver ones, I'd probably decorate my Christmas tree with them!
 

Yup!

The orange and blue alox pioneers I traded a Ti urban pioneer to get.  Its not like blue or orange dye costs more than black or red!

[tosh]

I always viewed these as money grabbing personally. Reason why I only have a few.

My view exactly Chako, although I have none!
However, all you guys holding them can expect a handsome return from the next generation of collectors

[mtngoat]

I hope it doesnt mean the end of alox. 

Mr Whimpy, pm sent

Sent from my SCH-I605 using

[gardenvalley]

From my own experience, albeit limited, and from reading about other Swiss companies, they
 appear to have a frustrating way of doing business. I wouldn`t like to see them end the production
of the alox models, I hope they continue with them and increase the numbers of colours available, rather than do limited runs. It seems to be a bit of a paradox that they would cease making the
"luxury" alox models which are held in much regard and yet continue to offer the standard 91mm
models which are much of a muchness and, frankly, pretty boring.
I didn`t know that North America had limited access to the alox range and that may explain why
+B has been successful in this particular niche. Victorinox are in the knife-selling business yet to
do a limited run is akin to saying "we`re going to make something but we really don`t want to sell it.

[Marius]

To me there is no question that the 93 mm alox line will be killed. The question is when. Even if they will do a few special models in the near future (aka colored and/or marlinspike models, which I tend to doubt personally, I will believe it when I will see it) I personally expect that the end of the line is not far.

As for Europe still having lots of 93 mm alox: as I see it, not really. Sure, couple of models such as the Harvester are still available there and no longer sold in NA. But there are more models that dissapeard from all markets, Europe included, such as the Electrician Plus, the Apprentice, the Settler, etc. 

Regarding the new alox MiniChamp my guess would be that this may be a nice way to consume from the leftover cuticle pushers and similar parts before killing what appears to be -relatively speaking- a complex and unprofitable model.

Just guesses. I may be wrong.

[Mr. Whippy]

To me there is no question that the 93 mm alox line will be killed. The question is when. Even if they will do a few special models in the near future (aka colored and/or marlinspike models, which I tend to doubt personally, I will believe it when I will see it) I personally expect that the end of the line is not far.

As for Europe still having lots of 93 mm alox: as I see it, not really. Sure, couple of models such as the Harvester are still available there and no longer sold in NA. But there are more models that dissapeard from all markets, Europe included, such as the Electrician Plus, the Apprentice, the Settler, etc. 

Regarding the new alox MiniChamp my guess would be that this may be a nice way to consume from the leftover cuticle pushers and similar parts before killing what appears to be -relatively speaking- a complex and unprofitable model.

Just guesses. I may be wrong.

I hope so. 

[enki_ck]

I prefer to view it the glass half full kind of way.

If they make new models and bring back the old ones I view it as them deciding to take that profit for themselves instead of leaving it to the dealers to collect all the profit. Them doing all the work and others collecting the money and praise never made sense to me.

[Marius]

If it would be this way, why wouldn't they align the retail price of the new standard alox MiniChamps to be close to what was already estabilished on the market for the model? Not to be exactly the same, but something close. If what they were after was profit. Some strange things going on there.

Interesting SAK times ahead. This is the half full side for me: what will happen next? After the curious alox MC release and the sudden kill of the short LE series.

[enki_ck]

If they are doing it on a larger scale, they can reduce the price, making it more available to the potential buyers. More sales = more profit. Selling a couple thousand MCs compaired to a few hundred at best.

[Marius]

Could be. But the new ones do not seem to really fly from shelves even at this lower price that is almost what regular Cellidor MiniChamps sell for. And from what I see in general the MiniChamp is far from the best seller in the 58 mm line, au contraire, I think it may compete for the position of the worst seller overall among these models.

For example: why make the MiniChamp in alox and not the Rambler? Which model is likely to sell faster and in larger numbers?

Anyway, what do I know Time will tell.

[enki_ck]

Yes, I'm not a big fan of the MC either but then if they released the ALOX Rambler first or at the same time as the MiniChamp, that would REALLY cut into the sales of the MiniChamp. Hopefully they will also make the ALOX Rambler a production model too soon. Maybe at around $30 price point. Those would be must have for most of us here. I'd buy a couple for sure.

Interesting times.

[Spatha]

Vic listen up: Crank up that machine and produce enough for everyone and quit jerking people around with only 50 copies of a given colour. I'm getting sick of your practices to the point I'm considering boycotting your products. 

   I think I have to agree. I can't see who this current strategy is benefitting apart from perhaps a few collectors.  I would very much like to see wider availability of alox models.  I believe there is an untapped market for alox.  It has always been my alox SAKs that have won over the hearts of my non-knife/multitool carrying friends.  I've seen a rapid change in attitude from,"Why would you want to carry around a penknife all the time?"  Then, when they see the alox they say, "Ooo, that thing's pretty cool actually.  Where did you get it?"   

[tosh]

So, what's everyone's guess??

Do you reckon Vic are intending to steal the limelight at SHOT??

To me, everything's pointing to something BIG's about to happen!   

Or maybe that's just wishful thinking 

[ducttapetech]

So +B is going to be out of business?

Good point.

I wouldn't think so with his other knivies he makes.


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