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

Arathol said:
....snip.... You don't need 3 people in California to answer the phone when one in Texas will do fine. However, if you have operational facilities like a warehouse in California, you can't very well run that without somebody on site.
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Actually, easily taken care of with a few 18 wheelers. Cost of transporting the contents of a warehouse (especially one depleted of stock due to reduced imports due to covid and sell down of existing stock - many items have gone OOS at several online sellers) is a lot less than paying California warehouse rental rates. A Texas warehouse can be rented for 1/4 to 1/3 California prices. Rent savings easily offset transportation costs.
 
some of you guys should try the cold steel bush ranger, looks like a lot of dealers have a lot of these for a good price because they arent selling too well, its actually an awesome knife that is very underrated and for just a little over $100 its a great deal in my opinion
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zzyzzogeton said:
The California WARN Act applies to companies with 75+ employees.

The California WARN Act is triggered with the closing of a facility or the layoff of 50+ employees in a 30 day period.

https://edd.ca.gov/Jobs_and_Training/Layoff_Services_WARN.htm

So if CS had fewer than 50 California employees, the provisions of the California WARN Act do not apply to the closing of their facilities - no notification of the highest elected city and county official, no 60 day notice, nothing.

From personal experience here in TEXAS, the 60 day notice was legally bypassed by the company simply paying all terminated employees 60 days pay. By simply paying each terminated employee 2 months pay, boom, done deal.

Also, the notification requirements are waived when a 60 day notice would adversely affect the company attempting to gain capital or business - a sale would most likely fall under this exemption.
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Like I said, we weren't sure they hit the threshold for having to do WARN notices. Later in the thread, I posted that they reported 36 employees for their PPA application, so they likely came in below the threshold (or paid the employees for the time, which would soften the blow of being laid-off right before the holidays). I doubt they'd have been able to use the exception, since the layoff happened post-acquisition; GSM was unlikely to be trying to acquire capital or business that a WARN notice in California would've affected.

The exception is really for situations where an employer is negotiating for either financing or a sale of goods/services to a prospective customer that would "keep the lights on" (actual wording from Cal. Labor Code: The capital or business sought, if obtained, would have enabled the employer to avoid or postpone the relocation or termination"). So, if manufacturing plant loses contract and goes idle, they don't have to do a WARN notice if it would hinder their ability to negotiate a contract with a new customer that would keep the plant open. That's not the scenario CS was looking at (even if you could argue that the sale of the company itself could've averted the layoff, the fact that the layoff still happened after the transaction sinks it).
 
I have been a cold steel fan since the early 90's. I have purchased many blades over the years and put them through the test. (Cleared an entire acre of weeds with an emperor katana..no kidding.) Huge fan, but not so much lately.
Gsm I don't know who you are, but for the first time in cs history you broke me. I ordered a wakasashi trainer for my 8yr old son, graduating his first bushido class. It was a Christmas present due dec 2nd. Not only did i wait 3 days to get through, they didnt even have my order in the computer. After i provided reciept and proof money was exchanged, I am still waiting all month and no call back. gsm you ruined it for me. ...p.s. I just bought the last immortal ctx, and you screw me with a trainer,..Bad form.
 
craytab said:
I was using it earlier to move wood around. Worked great. I get what you are saying though. Don't want to brain yourself.
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The verb "to brain" has always disturbed me. It doesn't help that I'm currently reading a book about the 1565 siege of Malta. Lots of braining took place!

So that I don't take the thread too far off track, here is a Knife News article from yesterday about the GSM acquisition, in case people haven't seen it:

https://knifenews.com/new-cold-steel-owners-gsm-outdoors-talk-acquisition-future/
 
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goldie said:
Everyones speculating that Cold Steel is going to wind up as gas station knives;instead of jumping the gun, wouldnt it be better to just wait and see what happens? this 46 pages of crap might all be for nothing.....
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That's such a good description of the forum as a whole lately :D
 
It only makes sense they will say that...

And LCT did not announce sale of Sold Steel, he just sold it...
They won't say "We're gonna cash in on brand name"...

We have seen warranty dance and switch to new "superior" 4034 steel... actions speak more than words. And so far their actions aren't good...
 
Ive been seeing a lot of talk about Cold Steel... Im new to them Im just wanting all info on whats going on with them and some thing called GSM??? Anything Cold Steel related like whats good and what to look for before its gone is good too!
 
got bought by gsm who got bought by gridiron capital not long after.

stuff coming this year and out was already in the works pre sale. prices shown as mostly crazy high so far but a lot not here yet so guess we'll find out.

there many good items. the recon 1s. the Bush Ranger s35vn is a great knife on sale in some spots. the recons and srk fixed blades I like. also the tanto magnums in San mai and 3v. lots of good picks still available.
 
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SDknifeguy said:
So is stuff thats say at Blade HQ Lyn Thompson made or gsm made? and who is GSM
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Lynn Thompson was the owner of cold steel. cold steel never made any production lines of products. they designed and innovated products and had factories around the world make it to their specs. they were never a manufacturer themselves. gsm isnt a manufacturer either. gsm is good sportsman marketing. a company that owns a collaboration of brands in the outdoors market. Google will find this stuff for ya pretty easily if ya want lots of in depth details.

the stuff at bladehq or whatever dealer was made in the factories cold steel had contracts with and that gsm now has the contracts with....one in the same so far at this point in the game until gsm changes things. which they may.
 
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