Show Info

Show Topic: All about Dealers – Lee Tigner from Olde Towne Cutlery

Overview: Our guest is one of the owners of a dealer that sells both Dan and Kyle’s knives, Olde Towne Cutlery. Lee talks with us about his life, how the company came to be, and what rolls knife dealers play in the industry. He also gives a great deal of knowledge on how to approach some dealers if you are starting out in the industry. It was a great conversation and I hope you enjoy it as much as we did recording it!

Host: Dan Eastland of Dogwood Custom Knives

Co-host: Kyle Daily of KH Daily Knives

Knife Perspective Music: Tom the Brit

Dealers

Olde Towne Cutlery
- Address: 4320 Settendown Village Rd Suit 700, Cumming, GA, 30041
- Phone: 1 (833) GOT- KNIVES (1-833-468-5648)
- Dogwood Custom Knives
- KHDaily Knives

Knife Center
- Dogwood Custom Knives

Shout Outs and Reviews

Survival on purpose review of the Echo-7 available at olde town cutlery and maybe a few on the dogwood web site
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVO_As31ZaI&t=43s

Knife magazine online a great place for your daily knife news
- https://knifemagazine.com

Georgia Knife Makers Guild Meeting
- Saturday August 24, 2019 at 9 AM
- Fiddleback Forge / Pop’s Knife Supplies
  - 5450 Technology Parkway Suite 700, Braselton, GA 30517

Instagram guys that have been plugging us makers
- Harleywood.co
  - Received Kyles two damascus knives (7” Santoku / 3” Pairing Knife)
- Fletcher Knives
  - Kyle traded an HPI Baja 5b SS with Dylan and it conquered the rock pile!
  - Dylan stickered the car up with Knife Perspective / KHDaily Knives stickers

Knives in the News

B.C. man fights off grizzly with pocket knife.
- https://globalnews.ca/video/5716473/b-c-man-who-fought-off-grizzly-bear-with-pocket-knife-shares-survival-story
- Riding his mountain bike down a mountain and came across the Grizzly bear.
- Stabbed the bear in the neck with a folding knife while it was chewing on his thigh, and the bear let go!
- Cut the sleeve off his shirt to make a tourniquet.

Chick-Fil-A employee saves life of a 6 year old with a knife.
- https://kniferights.org/legislative-update/knife-rights-honors-young-georgia-hero/
- Climbing through the drive-in window, Simmons pulled out his pocket knife and cut the boy free, saving his life.

Interview Questions

Who is Olde Towne Cutlery?

Background
- Where did you live growing up
- How did you meet?
- What is it like working with your spouse?
- What was your first knife

Why a knife / supply store

How did it start
- Were there any problems setting up your company?
  - Would you do anything differently looking back
- What was the process to getting your store online
  - Your website is impressive, did you work with someone or do it yourself
- What pushed you to a store front
  - 4320 Settendown Village Rd Suit 700, Cumming, GA, 30041
- What was it like getting the store up and going?
  - How did you select the location
  - What would you do differently

What all do you sell

How do knife distributors work?

What is it like working with customer makers
- How do you make contacts with makers?
  - Do you go to shows to scout makers
    - If so what shows
- Do you have a process for selecting makers to work with?
  - If a maker wants to contact you other than great knives what do they need
    - proven sales, an online presence, a following
  - If a maker has all that how should they contact you
- Custom makers give the house a %, that is how you stay in business, what are some of the advantages for makers and buyers to shop threw a distributor store

What is it like working with Manufacturers / Production Companies

Shipping

One of our least favorite tasks
- Do you use a company for paying for shipping?
  - Stamps.com / UPS
- Do you buy boxes? Uline
- How do you package your items
- Any tricks for shipping sharp objects?