A very good start, they should be running by years end! I see the point with the sheath issue, they were included at Blade, but if it keeps the price down...so be it. Many of my sheaths are interchangable and I usually don't carry more than 2 6"+ knives on me at any given time.

Well, the topic of this thread was "What do you want ?". I want the BOWIE to be the next model released, preferably WITH a sheath.

Yeah yeah, me too....Bowie with sheath!

How is that? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

The sheath issue for one, rising prices for two, ridiculously long wait times for three, and apparently Quality Control for four (dull edges for that much money). These points might not mean anything to some people, but they do to me. Examples enough ? Keep in mind that I own 2 BattleRats, 3 Camp Tramps (the last one dull), 1 InfiCoot, 1 SAR Rat, and 1 desert Rat. I will praise them when they are right, and criticize them when they are wrong. Seems fair to me, after all I am a paying customer.

Can hardly blame them for raising the prices...look at what we as a collective pay on the secondary market.....they also eliminated the Res-c for the more expensive micarta...It is hit and miss for the sharpness....I have had some shaving sharp and others rip paper..so I can see your point there. But to ask for something for nothing about the sheaths....to me, it isn't a big deal....besides, they are generally nice sheaths compared to some of the other companies "included" sheaths....I wouldn't go as far as say they strayed, but somethings can be tightened up.....just my 2 cents.

They raised prices because they switched from Resiprene-C to micarta - why the switch ? They really touted the Res-C on their home page - why not just make micarta an option with an upcharge ? And the idea of making good knives at affordable prices - good when they started out, but now they are out of reach for so many of us "common folks". As far as the secondary market goes, if someone wants to pay too much for a knife because they feel like they just HAVE to have it, well, that's their problem. (Right GF ?)
The dull edges/QC problem speaks for itself. I know they have tried to solve the waiting problem, and hope that they have. And as you know, I feel that a SHEATH knife should be sold with a SHEATH included, not optional.
If you are PAYING for a Cadillac, you shouldn't receive a Chevy engine with it. Same for the knives. Just MY two cents!

Hey now......whats with the derogatory reference to chevy?!....I agree i like the Res-c more than Micarta....and I will only be purchasing the choppers from SW new line and maybe that Howling Rat ....due to the different handle configuration, but they see people paying 2x what they charge for the original line so the new line may cost 30% more....yeah I can see why someone would expect a sheath with it...but they are still nice sheaths and worth 20 easily.

I used the analogy with Cadillac/Chevy because it actually occured in the past.
When you go to a restaurant, would you prefer to buy a complete dinner for a set price, or buy the same dinner items ala carte and pay more ? That's the way I look at sheath knives and sheaths. I feel that the cost of a sheath is built into the knife price.

Once they start cranking out knives, when their profit goes up...they may include a sheath.....Some Swamps included a sheath others didn't. I can see why when somany people go to other sheath makers for something a bit more custom.

GF - I am quite familiar with the Swamp and its initial offerings. I became a member of the "Rat Patrol" over 4 years ago - my member number is 383, whereas they are now over 2000. I first bought a BattleRat, then a Howling Rat, Camp Tramp, and they all included sheaths. I also bought an InfiCoot, and paid for the optional sheath as the Coot was a SPECIAL RUN. Same for the SAR Rat and the Desert Rat. However, the STANDARD line included sheaths, as I feel they should.

Well when your right, you are right. Who can we ask about this...or who can we get an answer from.....