Woodlore Knives update

[Marts]

Just received this from Woodlore

Thank you for registering to receive mail shots for the Woodlore Knife and for your continued
patience with potential availablity.

The Woodlore Knife was originally due back in stock this October. Unfortunately we have just
learnt from Alan Wood that this is now not the case. 100 knives were sent for heat treatment but
only 15 met the required standard. These 15 knives have already been allocated to pending
orders that we were unable to fulfil before our order books closed.

At this time we are unable to say when we will be receiving our next batch of knives but if you
would like to be considered for the next available batch please contact us by email with your
full contact details and we will keep you updated. Please do not call us at the office.

We are extremely sorry for this disappointment and would like to offer our sincere apologies for
this unforeseeable problem.

 

[Doc]

The Woodlore knife has also disappeared from Woodlore's website.

I suppose this will only stoke the evilbay price even higher. Currently there is an Alan Wood Woodlore at £440 with an hour or two to go.

I often wonder what Ray Mears thinks about this? He must surely shake his head at it.

Having been on BCUk for a while, I have noticed a change in what knife people are going for. Two years ago, when a Woodlore knife was a bit more available, it was a very popular choice, as was the Bison and the Mora.

Nowadays I get the impression that BCUK people are forsaking the overpriced Woodlores on ebay, and going for Bearclaw Field Knife, Helle, EKA, Stewart Marsh, Alan Blade and other custom makers.

 

[scruff]

15 outta 100!!!

thats pretty low aint it?

the quality contol must be really harsh!

ps. doc u seem to echo my thoughts and indeed my previous statement that the Woodlore is not as economically viable for the company to produce given all the competition.

 

[Kane]

Or the heat treatment people dropped a bo****k!

There must be a price point where people will start to go for a true custom knife or a cheaper production model, especially seeing the sort of thing turned out by the BB folks.

Kane

 

[gregorach]

Or the heat treatment people dropped a bo****k!

There must be a price point where people will start to go for a true custom knife or a cheaper production model, especially seeing the sort of thing turned out by the BB folks.

Kane

You can already get a full custom cheaper than a woody. People buy woodies for their association with Ray, or because they don't realise what else is available. As soon as you start looking around, they become much less attractive.

 

[Nod]

I just got that e-mail too. To be honest I can't remember registering to receive info on the Woodlore knife......maybe they sent it to everyone on the mailing list.

I'm afraid to say though, that I succumbed to the temptation on e-bay and have "released the equity" in my Micarta Woody this week.

It cost me £75 direct from WS a couple of years ago and I managed to get £225 for it this week......although I saw that one unused Micarta went for £410!!!!

I now have my new GB SFA on order and have spoken to Ben Orford about a Woodlander.

It may be evilbay.....but in order to get new kit I'm happy to dance with the devil for a while

 

[Doc]

I got the email too, so I guess it went out to everyone.

Custom knives are great if you have a clear idea of what you want. But I can also understand how newcomers, particularly, would seek out the tried and tested woodlore. What was the old advertising slogan? 'Nobody got sacked for buying IBM'?

I suspect many Woodlores are going to collectors however.

I've got a Micarta wilkie that I use a lot, and an unused Alan Wood. In retrospect, the wilkinson may prove to be the rarer model, and I should have used the Alan wood and saved the Wilkie.

 

[Graham_S]

time to get the waterstones out and start polishing the WS micarta

 

[AndyP]

Wilkie worth more than a Woodlore, maybe , but which Wilkie.? surely a handmade birdeye maple will command a higher value than the mass produced micarta version , or will it.? as metioned on a different thread a micarta version recently went for £410 on ebay, not seen a maple version go for that price... yet..

 

[JonathanD]

Woodlore still havn't sourced a supplier for their knives, they also have not decided whether they will be the same as the WS version, very interesting.

 

[CM Burns]

batches of Woodlores have been delayed previously due to heat treating problems

 

[Klenchblaize]

Nice things are to have and I fully understand the attraction of owning a bit of the Woodlore mystique. However, I also feel sorry for the winning bidder if they actually intend using it - even more so if he/she feels they can't possibly take to the woods with anything less in their kit bag. The knife is of a good design but far from perfect (my view only) and certainly not the finest all-round tool I've seen it billed as. A little more 'meat' in the handle is one small improvement as the variation I own has demonstrated to my total satisfaction. Pic may follow in "gallery" if I can reduce file size.

Cheers

K
Ps: No tree that I've ever hugged or deer who's stomach I've emptied onto a hillside has commented upon the make & model of knife I carry!

 

[Squidders]

Since when was bushcraft chosen as a passtime / way of life because of its "good economic sense"?

I would love to own a woodlore, I have used one and found it to be most agreeable with my technique and hand shape. It remained comfortable and cut well.

However, if you use one and it gives you blisters or doesn't cut too well for you, nobody's going to knock you for it.

Yes it is expensive but in perspective, I don't think it's that bad value, when you think that it's desireable, (I think) rather good looking and very functional, compared to an average painting or a fossil fish etc it represents fantastic value.

I know other makers can produce similar results and in some instances better results for less money but it's everyones right as a consumer to shop around... If it's not your thing just pass it by.

I'm currently saving for one and when I have enough, I'll probably spend the required £450 on one... it's a small price to pay for something I really want.

I find it amusing that people care so much about this knife being expensive and care so much about how much people pay for them.

A ferrari GTO once sold for £13million don't forget

 

[dtalbot]

Woodlore still havn't sourced a supplier for their knives, they also have not decided whether they will be the same as the WS version, very interesting.

They should go over to British Blades, plenty of makers every bit as good in their own way as WS and AW (and they are both top makers in my book) Shing, Lord F and Guycep spring to mind from personal experience. All capable of the fit and finish of the hand made woodies (and then some)!
Cheers
David

 

[Squidders]

They should go over to British Blades, plenty of makers every bit as good in their own way as WS and AW (and they are both top makers in my book) Shing, Lord F and Guycep spring to mind from personal experience. All capable of the fit and finish of the hand made woodies (and then some)!
Cheers
David

Obviously I don't have the figures but I think poor ol' Shing would keel over if he came close to supplying the demand for woodies

 

[AndyP]

I tend to agree with Squidders, When used in the field it prob wont perform any better than bushcraft knives made from other makers, however it does have desire attached to it, and yes I agree its prob due to Mr Mears, but whats with that,,? Alan does produce top class knives, very top class and the woodlore is one of them, The ferrari GTO mentioned by Squidders earlier that sold for 13 million is not as fast, wont handle as well as a new ferrari 355, however it has more appeal, more mystique and more desirability...

Andy.

 

[Shing]

Funny you should say that Squidders, I was debating whever to buy enough steel, desert ironwood and leather for 12 or 24 bushcraft knives. Looks like it should be 24! One advantage of being jobless is you can make more knives!

 

[dtalbot]

Funny you should say that Squidders, I was debating whever to buy enough steel, desert ironwood and leather for 12 or 24 bushcraft knives. Looks like it should be 24! One advantage of being jobless is you can make more knives!

And looks like you may have a place on here to sell them soon!

 

[fa11en ange1]

I'd definately recommend a Shing knife any day, I'm chuffed to bits with my tufnol woody. It fits my hand far better than my wife's micarta woodlore and it is incredibly solid. Plus, despite my incompetence, it produces the best feather sticks of all the knives I've used. I just need to find a nice piece of wood and I'll test the spoon carving ability, but I suspect it will be great.

 

[magicaltrevor]

Interestingly, I spoke to Mr Mears about the Woodlore knife (I was admiring his own knife at the time) and he was saying that he can't really understand why people don't just buy the Micarta one. I preferred the Maple handle one but having had the wood split on mine, I wish I'd bought the Micarta one also.