Ever heard of GSM Outdoors? They just bought Cold steel.

Take a look @ gsmoutdoors.com. And scroll thru their incredible number of brands. Take a good look at the LAST brand name on the list. It’s not a “story” it’s a done deal.

That wasn't on there when I first posted this morning so they just added it. Formal announcement should be along shortly...
 
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Take a look @ gsmoutdoors.com. And scroll thru their incredible number of brands. Take a good look at the LAST brand name on the list. It’s not a “story” it’s a done deal.

All I see is a collection of B-grade brands, big box sales bins (think Cabela's), made in China crap. The exact kind of stuff I do my best to avoid.
I think we gonna miss the old school Cold Steel...
Sad, sad news.
 
For a long time I didn't like Cold Steel because I found the advertising a bit over the top. But last year I finally bought a used one and I was a instant convert. I found that things like their customer service was simply amazing and Lynn's personality really started to grow on me. This is really sad news.
 
I just looked at Cold Steel s company website and the address , which had been listed in California and Arizona, is now listed as Irving, Texas.

I looked at the GSM web site, and at the end of there product list is Cold Steel. Address in Irving, Texas.

I believe Cold Steel is now part of GSM Outdoors. I hope the company direction of high value stays in place.

I applaud Lynn Thompson for turning over the company 40 years after starting it. I hope his care for quality products is continued.
 
GMS is out of the picture. It was owned by a hedge fund, and that fund -- Sentinel Capital Partners -- has sold GMS.

NEW YORK, November 17, 2020 – Sentinel Capital Partners, a private equity firm that invests in promising lower midmarket companies, today announced the sale of GSM Outdoors, a leading provider of technologically-advanced, branded accessories for the hunting, sport shooting, and outdoor enthusiast markets. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
secondary.asp
 
GMS is out of the picture. It was owned by a hedge fund, and that fund -- Sentinel Capital Partners -- has sold GMS.

NEW YORK, November 17, 2020 – Sentinel Capital Partners, a private equity firm that invests in promising lower midmarket companies, today announced the sale of GSM Outdoors, a leading provider of technologically-advanced, branded accessories for the hunting, sport shooting, and outdoor enthusiast markets. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
secondary.asp

They were sold to Gridiron Investments. Still in the picture just a new daddy at the top.

I don't think this turns out well.
 
Here's the announcement -- the sale to another hedge fund.

NEW CANAAN, CT, November 17, 2020 – Gridiron Capital, LLC (“Gridiron Capital”), an investment firm focused on partnering with founders, entrepreneurs, and management teams, is pleased to announce an investment in Good Sportsman Marketing Outdoors (“GSM Outdoors” or the “Company”), a leader in the enthusiast sportsman and rugged outdoor industry that supplies a wide range of branded consumables, accessories and gear. Gridiron Capital is partnering with the Company’s management team to drive the next stage in GSM Outdoors’ growth as the leader in the outdoor enthusiast industry.
gridiron-capital-invests-in-partnership-with-gsm-outdoors
 
Can't say I'm shocked given the recent direction with the A2 steel choice cancellation. Makes sense now. It was a sell out to cash in on the brand name for the new owners. I feel bad for all the Cold Steel fans (well, most of them) and I get why people are praising what Lynn has done for the knife industry in the past. That said, this is not a fine moment for him and the fans who crassly heaped praise over the years, often putting down the competition in order to make CS look better (even suing). Karma and all...
 

Switching steel is supply chain issue, not really a policy. I thought you were referring to something like the various warranty suspensions/shutdowns that have happened in the last few months (or Benchmade's "political issues" from last year).

Take a look @ gsmoutdoors.com. And scroll thru their incredible number of brands. Take a good look at the LAST brand name on the list. It’s not a “story” it’s a done deal.

I just looked at Cold Steel s company website and the address , which had been listed in California and Arizona, is now listed as Irving, Texas.

I looked at the GSM web site, and at the end of there product list is Cold Steel. Address in Irving, Texas.

I believe Cold Steel is now part of GSM Outdoors. I hope the company direction of high value stays in place.

I applaud Lynn Thompson for turning over the company 40 years after starting it. I hope his care for quality products is continued.

GMS is out of the picture. It was owned by a hedge fund, and that fund -- Sentinel Capital Partners -- has sold GMS.

NEW YORK, November 17, 2020 – Sentinel Capital Partners, a private equity firm that invests in promising lower midmarket companies, today announced the sale of GSM Outdoors, a leading provider of technologically-advanced, branded accessories for the hunting, sport shooting, and outdoor enthusiast markets. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
secondary.asp

The fact that GSM's new owners, Gridiron Capital, are already spending money to bring in a new brand in a new product segment, is probably a good sign. On the other hand, if Cold Steel is just going to move forward by doubling-down on the mall ninja market, as some have suggested with their choices in blade steel, it may not matter to the BF crowd.
 
Whatever the case, there is no character in the knife world like Lynn Thompson. I would hate to see him go. But he's got that awesome ranch, and enough money to last him a few lifetimes, so maybe he thinks its time. But this is all speculation.

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The Cold Steel drawer.

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After watching the film you posted of Lynn Thompson on his Texas ranch, I realized that Cold Steel is a bigger company financially than I had thought. And that Lynn Thompson is a very good businessman. For him to sell the company now sounds like a good business move for some one his age. (He started the company in 1980.)
 
This is what the "About Us" page says today:

Cold Steel, Incorporated was founded in 1980, a company dedicated to making the strongest, sharpest knives in the world. Over the last three decades, Cold Steel has been at the forefront of the many innovations that have helped to define the knife industry as a whole. Progressive accomplishment, including the introduction of the checked Kraton® handles, and the tanto point blade styles have gone from curiously interesting features to industry-wide hallmarks of quality and sophistication. New ground was also broken with the introduction of unique new blade steels like San Mai III® and Tri-Ad™ Lock & locking mechanism for folding knives. Tri-Ad™ Lock for example, has never been equaled by any of Cold Steel's competitors and nothing they have produced yet has been proven to outperform it. Of course Cold Steel will always look to the future, constantly striving to make the world's strongest, sharpest knives. That goal as elusive and difficult to achieve as it is, has been the same for the past forty years.

Cold Steel Inc. is a knife and tool company dedicated to creating the world's strongest, sharpest knives, swords, tomahawks, machetes, cutlery, tools for every day carry: EDC. Quickly adopted by Military, Law Enforcement Special units, Emergency Services Personnel, Self Defense professionals as well as members of the Martial Arts community, Cold Steel quickly became renowned for quality, strength, reliability and dependability in every day carry (EDC). Our diverse and varied line-up quickly grew to include not only a massive selection of folding knives (from smaller "EDC" blades, to our iconic giant “mega-folders”) but fixed blades, swords, sabers, pole-arms and halberds, as well as hunting gear, spears, blowguns, axes, machetes, tomahawks and tools!

Over the decades, Cold Steel has introduced pioneering new materials and designs that have helped to shape the world of the modern knife, edged weapons and tools. From the introduction of the checkered Kraton® handles, and the “Americanized” Tanto blade, to the inclusion of innovative new blade steels like San Mai III® and game-changing locking mechanisms (like our Tri-Ad™ Lock). As we look to the future, Cold Steel continues to bring new levels of strength, safety and performance to the market, providing tried and tested products that you can rely on – Anytime, Anywhere!


I thought it might be good to have it archived and see if and how it changes.
 
Can't say I'm shocked given the recent direction with the A2 steel choice cancellation. Makes sense now. It was a sell out to cash in on the brand name for the new owners. I feel bad for all the Cold Steel fans (well, most of them) and I get why people are praising what Lynn has done for the knife industry in the past. That said, this is not a fine moment for him and the fans who crassly heaped praise over the years, often putting down the competition in order to make CS look better (even suing). Karma and all...

It's pretty bold to suggest that Lynn straight lied to everyone on BF about Cold Steel's ability to source A2 at the requisite price/cost levels, and that the decision was really made to make the company more marketable for buyers. Compared with a lot of the sketchy characters in the industry, Lynn has always seemed like an honest guy. If that was the reason, why draw attention to the change at all? If you're selling, it's somebody else's problem anyway. To go out of your way to say they went to two steel suppliers and couldn't get something that met their requirements in testing is entirely unnecessary, and it doesn't make any sense to go that route if you don't need to.

After watching the film you posted of Lynn Thompson on his Texas ranch, I realized that Cold Steel is a bigger company financially than I had thought. And that Lynn Thompson is a very good businessman. For him to sell the company now sounds like a good business move for some one his age. (He started the company in 1980.)

Lynn lives in California (IIRC, Ventura County), not Texas. The phone number for "Rancho Royale" has an 805 area code, which includes Ventura County.
 
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