End of the line for AW Woodlore?

[JonathanD]

So people are waiting for knives they have ordered that are over due and you receive yours ahead of schedule and thats a good thing.

The logic is lost on me.

Who's knife is overdue? On all the orders that I know about he has delivered before the quoted time. If you are talking about Woodlore knives, people have a contract with Woodlore and not Alan Wood, he is contracted by them to deliver so many units per year, to them - he does.

If you are talking about Alans own custom orders, you do not pay up front and he gives a rough estimate on time, he takes no money off you until the knife is ready and due for delivery. The only time he got behind on orders was last year when he had a bad injury to his back.

I remember last year when Woodlore quoted six months for delivery on their knives and asked for payment up front, and THEN failed to deliver for 12 months plus. Now that is bad.

As far as your comment on my orders being ahead of schedule over those orders that are late being a good thing, I think you are mis-interpreting my post severely. I merely stated that I have had good service off Alan, and all my orders fulfilled ahead of schedule. I doubt very much if he puts my order above anyone elses, he doesn't know me, and I don't spend a great deal compared to some people.

I'm sorry you had a bad experience with your Alan Wood Woodlore knife not meeting your expectations, but at least you could flog it for £450 plus

 

[Bushwacker]

for my 2 pennorth worth, if you are not happy with waiting times/quality, make your own knife. I did, and the satisfaction it gave me making it and each time I use it, far outwieghs the privelige of owning an asset to be bought and sold for profit. admitedly, the blade came from the goodstuff shop in denmark by post within 7 days, but what a beauty to hold when it`s personally shaped for your own grubby digits.

 

[Tony]

OK, the rumour is just that, he is making them so ignore anyone that says otherwise. If people have an issue with the delivery times then I’d suggest contacting Woodlore directly, if anyone has an issue with the standard of finish then contact Woodlore directly, it’s their knife, made for them and sold by them.

I think that if there’s an issue between how many knife orders are taken and how many are delivered it’s an issue for them to sort out, it’s very easy to sit back here and pass judgment. I know that if I order a Woodlore I’ve got to wait ages, I know that if I got a Woodlore that was substandard I’d return it, just the same as any other shop. We don’t know what’s going on, and I’m not walking in their shoes, for all we know a certain number have been committed too and that’s how it’s working out, if there’s more ordered then they wait…Who knows?

This has gone from a “Does anyone know what’s going on with the Woodlore” to let’s get stuck into Alan, I don’t really understand that. I’ve just answered the question – No, he’s not stopping making them.

 

[Tony]

for my 2 pennorth worth, if you are not happy with waiting times/quality, make your own knife. I did, and the satisfaction it gave me making it and each time I use it, far outwieghs the privelige of owning an asset to be bought and sold for profit. admitedly, the blade came from the goodstuff shop in denmark by post within 7 days, but what a beauty to hold when it`s personally shaped for your own grubby digits.

Yep, there's something special about a creation of ones own

 

[C_Claycomb]

On the matter of Alan ceasing to make Woodlore Knives, this is an unfounded rumour and one can only speculate at how it got started, and who it would benefit the most.

It happened that I had to contact Alan about another, minor, matter and asked whether it were true. I have spoken with him a number of times over the last few years and as has been said, the volume of Woodlore knives has worn him down somewhat. That kind of work is not why people become craftsmen. I am sure that if quantity that Woodlore want him to make were to be cut significantly he would not be upset, however, he has no plan to stop making that model.

As leon1 suggested, there is an exclusivity agreement, that combination of blade and handle can only be sold via Woodlore.

As a design, it is an interesting combination. When I first saw it I did not like it, I was still strongly influenced by the style, and writing, of another knife maker. Since spending more time handling it, and disecting the design a bit more, I have come to appreciate it. It does what it was intended to do, if it happens not to suit you, that is no fault of the knife, just that it isn't for you. The same can be said of many, many, knives out there. There are certain features which Alan would not have chosen had it been all his own design, some of these changes can be seen on the bushcraft knives that Alan sell under his mark alone. There were a couple of features that Ray wanted which proved impractical, so there have been compromises in both directions.

For those of you who get the BCUK magazine, you will have seen that there was a piece on Alan Wood in the second issue. That was the first of two parts, and the second part, to come out next month, talks about bushcraft knives in general and the Woodlore in particular.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Darn you Tony...I know my typing speed is okay...it must be that I think too slow

 

[ArkAngel]

My thanks to our "people on the inside" who have once again dispelled rumour to give us the answer 'straight from the horse' (so to speak!) :You_Rock_

This is good news, i like my WS woody and would hate to see the knife go out of production and to watch as 'mint'<never used> examples continued to change hands on evil-bay for ever increasing prices.

I still only consider it a tool....but a good one. These knives were meant to be used, so use 'em!

 

[Tony]

I still only consider it a tool....but a good one. These knives were meant to be used, so use 'em!

Totally agree with this, mine is a tool through and through and I use it like one.

 

[JonathanD]

Well at least I finally got an answer to my original question - thanks Tony et al. Painful journey but it was worth it.

I for one will continue using my original Woody and keep the other two nicely preserved and safe from harm, good tools they are, but also valuable

Time will tell then, if Woodlore are still sourcing a factory version (d'ya know the answer to this ). Wish they'd hurry up though.

 

[wizard]

A few more comments, first off, glad to hear the AW/WL is alive and well. I wish I owned one. I once tried to buy a micarta WS/RM knife but my bank killed the sale because they didn't like to do business with Woodlore's credit card service company. That was a bad deal, I never got to order one.
Next, if you think there is a long wait for an AW Woodlore, try 56 months for a handforged Randall knife from the USA. They make mostly military style knives, very highly regarded in the US military. If you order one now, to your specifications, you pay $50 up front and the balance before the knife is shipped. 56 months is just short of 5 years wait! At my age, I am not sure I will even be breathing in 5 years!
They are a good investment though, always worth more as time goes on. I have seen old Vietnam era, well used knives sell for close to $2000 on ebay. New ones sell for about 30% more than retail because there is no wait to get it when bought from someone that has it in hand.
I feel lucky to own some excellent military and bushcraft knives, I still would like to own a genuine Alan Wood Woodlore, maybe someday.
BTW, I recently sent Woodlore an email asking a few sheath option questions and asked to be added to the wait list, no response yet.
Cheers!

 

[Graham_S]

Totally agree with this, mine is a tool through and through and I use it like one.

was it you that had the video of the "woodlore throwing contest"?

 

[Simon E]

I'm a bit surprised to be honest that someone has not said 'ho-hum' and had 1000 peices jet cut, CNC'd and Heat treated in one batch and then do the final finishing themselves.

Look what happened with the Tom Brown thingy.

 

[bambodoggy]

was it you that had the video of the "woodlore throwing contest"?

Lol...no it was me and I don't even own one (horrid chunky things they are too in my opinion).

Bam.

 

[CM Burns]

i was on the phone to woodlore a couple of weeks ago so i asked them what the waiting time was for a woodlore knife (have no plan to order one by the way) and was advised that the waiting list is now OVER 3 YEARS

 

[JonathanD]

Three years!!!!! If the figures quoted previously are accurate, that would mean a backlog of over 900 knives

 

[CM Burns]

Three years!!!!! If the figures quoted previously are accurate, that would mean a backlog of over 900 knives

lets hope Alan Wood doesnt think of it in those terms.....

 

[Klenchblaize]

PLENTY of time to save for one then!!

Cheers