Looks like Lynn Thompson started a new knife company "never unarmed'

needler420

needler420

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Apr 29, 2011
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Looks like he's bringing an adaptation to the arc angels balisong.

https://www.neverunarmed.com/shop


Cold steel knives are getting dupped by GSM now.

I thought Lynn Thompson was going to work with GSM but if he's just making a new company the triad lock patent expires in a few years.


I feel like everyone is just going to abandon GSM now and follow Lynn Thompsons new work.
 
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I vote for a new showroom and old staff. I assumed there would be an iron clad non compete for the product categories Lynn didn't retain, but balis are large folders with strong locks, and he's selling swords... So will this be CS vs LT? That's hard for me to wrap my head around, especially if LT really stays on at CS. Who knows, but I can only see this in a positive way as of this moment... Maybe the GSM/CS/LT sale is a little more symbiotic than it appears. No idea, but I never had any desire to own a spear until this moment, so something is working.
 
He also posted a video under the new Never Unarmed YouTube channel about this.

IMO based on what LCT is saying, it doesn’t look like he’s retiring. Selling to GSM is probably more of a career/pivot for him. This way GSM can focus on making the knives and outdoor stuff while Lynn can keep making other stuff he like, mainly the weapons and other related item that may not fit the GSM product lines.

It’s probably a win-win for him, where the knives can be produced and kept in stock with more funding, while he work on the more “fringe” “weapon” related stuff that may not fit GSM product portfolio.

 
According to LCT, the product categories he retained include:

Blowguns
Spears
Pole arms
Great axes
Balisongs
Switch blades
Cutlasses
Gun accessories

He’s planning on making lots of new stuff for these categories, including 8rd 1911 stainless steel magazine. He also mentioned there are new product categories he’s planning on making.

A couple of category that’s conspicuously missing here are the swords and axes. GSM announced new swords and axes as part of 2021 lineups, so I suspect they chose to retain that product line. Perhaps swords are selling better, and axes can be marketed as tool which fits GSM portfolio better.

But it’s clear that this is more of a refocus/pivot on Lynn’s part as he wanna venture more into making weapons and weapon accessories.

I personally always thought that CS has spread themselves too thin by having too diverse product line that have taken resources away from knives development. Perhaps this CS/GSM and Never Unarmed split would benefit both the knives fans and the weapons fans of CS as their respective product lines now have appropriate level of focus by different owners.

At least that’s how i hope it’ll work, in theory.
 
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I would have to guess and say this was all worked out in the deal this GSM and Lynn. Theory, GSM takes over the main stream product line of cold steel. Lynn is funded by and working with GSM in the off shoot line.
 
I’ve always been interested in a switchblade, so I’ll keep my eyes open on the Cold Steel offerings. Got 3 questions about them: 1) can they be accidentally deployed during pocket carry/or are they generally safe? 2)what sort of lock system do they use? 3) where is a good source to find about carry laws pertaining to switchblades? Thanks in advance
 
This is the first good news I have heard in 2021. I am looking forward to seeing what Lynn is offering.
 
So IMO, Lynn is not cashing out, he's not retiring. He just decided to focus more on what he likes and be more fun without having to spend the rest of his life managing a large knife company.

You can slowly see the change in direction in recent years with CS starting to make more and more sword, axes and polearms. Also notice CS's Youtube channel last year, only 1-2 knife videos out of dozens of upload. You can see where Lynn's true passions are in the video where he was showing his ranch, with weapon training ground.

I personally don't care for all the niche products that his new company is selling, but I'm glad Lynn is able to keep these alive instead of having these product line smothered to death by GSM. Hopefully GSM can bring a renewed focus on producing more & better knife designs.
 
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