Behind The Brand: The James Brand with Founder Ryan Coulter
Вставка
- Опубліковано 26 лип 2024
- For our first Behind The Brand feature, founder Ryan Coulter talks us through the origins of his Portland-based EDC company, The James Brand. Since its inception in 2012, The James Brand has consistently pushed the boundaries of pocket knife design, eschewing traditional tactical and hunting aesthetics in favor of a sleek, understated minimalism. It’s filled a long-underserved gap in the market, catering to those who want something simple, design-conscious, and fuss-free.
Shop The James Brand EDC Gear:
fave.co/3rlOG5a
Affiliate Disclosure:
Clicking on these links to purchase products may earn HICONSUMPTION a small percentage of the purchase price as a referral fee.
Follow HICONSUMPTION:
hiconsumption.com/
/ hiconsumption
/ hiconsumption
/ hiconsumption
#edc #everydaycarry #gear - Навчання та стиль
![Hamilton Boulton Vintage 1941 Wristwatch Review, Hamilton 982 Watch Movement [ Vintage Unboxing]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/eJF6RreZAhU/mqdefault.jpg)
Hell yeah, Coulter! Loved seeing all the "behind the scenes" shots! TJBxDDC in my heart, FOREVER.
I was so hesitant to buy from price until I seen the new Ellis. Black on black with pocket clip. I pulled the trigger and once I finally got it I always had a Benchmade and a victorinox compact on me. This replaced both and I love it. Foot in mouth I’ll say this was the knife I always looked for without even knowing it. Side note: if it was Ryan brand I wouldn’t be mad lol then my name would be on the knife
James Brand = gas station quality knife packaged for hipsters who shop at Whole Foods.
James Brand = MVMT watches to the real watch collectors.
Real knife collectors won’t touch James Brand with a 10-ft pole.
Really cool interview. I respect him for acknowledging the backlash of the knife community and how he approached the negative feedback to learn and improve. even though I do a lot of edc and bag reviews I am very novice when it comes down to knife knowledge. I like the James Brand products and I like their design approach to bring something fresh to the table. Maybe not everyone's taste, but we need to admit that their designs bring new enthusiasts to the niche. And more people and fans in the space of edc can only be a good thing imho.
Thanks for the great video!
“Let me complain about a knife being made in China, on my Chinese manufactured phone/laptop.”
Man so much respect to you to the brand and to the great work! and love that you share with us behind the brand and all the story is very inspiring
great interview! I have tons of James Brand Products , the pens, and so many other items and a couple of the knives!
This guy and team works their collective a$$es off to innovate and create. He has always had major ideas, intense passion for design and a major love of enjoying life and adventure. He is my hero and one of my best friends!! Go Colt-Air!!
Must be hard work buying oem's as part of their "original" knife designs right oh wait...whitby knives has exact copies of the elko hmmm also must be hard work overcharging for materials when they aren't even domestically made either such a good company totally not preying on inexperienced consumers who don't ask questions.
That Ryan guy is awesome, he really has it going on.
Thank you. I appreciate that.
Man I need to get my hands on that timex!
Ryan is such an awesome dude!
Outstanding! Love the building, love their products, love their design ethos! And that he finally answered the mystery of “James”!
Three days ago I misplaced my Ellis in the house. I could not believe how uncomfortable I felt without it. I use it every day for so many things. I’ve since found it, but last night I ordered another one so I would feel whole again if I lose or misplace it. There is no other item other than my iPhone that I rely on as much. It’s always clipped onto my clothing. Good job. Oh, can you have more options in scales for the straight blade please?!
James Brand = gas station quality knife packaged for hipsters who shop at Whole Foods.
James Brand = MVMT watches to the real watch collectors.
Real knife collectors won’t touch James Brand with a 10-ft pole.
Legend. Go James!
I wish more critics of the TJB would watch this. Thank you.
I watched it. I still would never buy one of these. I have hundreds of knives. From protechs to medfords to brk and lt wrights. I have almost 45k into knives and I will still never drop the 699 dollars they want for the Barnes. Tjb can eat shit.
James Brand = gas station quality knife packaged for hipsters who shop at Whole Foods.
James Brand = MVMT watches to the real watch collectors.
Real knife collectors won’t touch James Brand with a 10-ft pole.
Just ordered the Carter but I love the vision behind your company
I’ve always wondered why the price vs materials you get are so high. The tiny stainless Elko is $60+ and has less utility then a victorinox sd or folders with budget steels for high cost. The new Ellis which I bought is a scissors and sandvik steel blade for $119 when an entire Swiss champ loaded is $70. I just don’t understand.
Because they shoot for a market that doesn't know or care that they could find better options. They push their stuff through websites that cater to middle class desk jockies that want to have some "cool EDC" stuff.
@@charbum Agree with what you say and who is catered towards I don't have anything against the brand and some of the knives do look cool. They do seem overpriced for what they are which keeps me from buying them (though I wish I could at least try them). But to add on an answer for @ryanlavallee6342. You mentioned the price of an ellis vs a swiss army knife of comparable capabilities. Here is the thing..... the Ellis is going to grab more attention or be a conversation started then a swiss army knife. No one even turns an eye when they see a swiss army knife, we all grew up with them as kids. I have some swiss army knives they are great but the fact of the matter is, the kind of person who wants a knife, but also for it to be aesthetically pleasing, is going to pay extra for that, and james brand is smartly filling that niche. That extra cost for better or worse is the brand and style. I was born in the 80's with my formative years in the 90's. The era of the highest engagement with sports and sports brands. You COULD go to the store and get a t-shirt, and basket ball shorts for a little money. But what EVERYONE did was pay five times more for chinese made Nike products and no one thought this was odd. I am shocked to read how crazy knife people get about james brand simply using the same play book that has been done with clothes, phones, computers, and so on. If anyone is commenting on here with an iphone (I am ) its chinese made. Hell im sure most androids are as well.
So who actually makes your titanium folders
Reate made the Barnes
Interesting. But where are the knives actually made ?
Made in china and priced at a premium as if they were made in the states this company is the typical type that preys on inexperienced consumers and on top of that charge absurd inflated prices for subpar materials and poor qc.
C-H-I-N-A>>>>>>>>🙄
Made in China. Knife community really doesn't like his knives at all, bad reviews from people that know best.
@@jimmycricket7946 I like the look of his knife, overpriced for sure. I caved in and bought The Ellis, it came with uneven sharpening, end up returning it.
They're starting to make knives in the US also
These knives are average quality, made in China. You can buy both the Elko and the Pike here in the UK under the Whitby Brand (the Sprint and Kent) for ONE SIXTH of the price. They're exactly the same knife, made in the same factory, from the same materials. But Whitby don't try to pretend they are not made in China.
You’ve got it twisted my friend. Not only are the blade designs pretty different, but TJB uses markedly nicer handle and blade constructions, plus all of their knives predate Whitby’s. TJB very much does design its own stuff and then Whitby shamelessly knocks them off. The most basic amount of digging online will prove this. The James Brand overall produces a far nicer product.
@@timhuber2814 Like I said they're from the same factory. All with Sandvik 12C27 blades. OEM. The same knife. TJB are made in China not the USA. In the same factory as Whitby. TJB designs them yes but as the Whitby (and there's one for the Australian market with another brand name) ones don't go on the US market TJB can't stop them selling the OEMs on other markets. Another US ''manufacturer'' got called out recently for doing the same i.e. producing knives in China and selling that at high prices which would have been justified if they were really made in the US. They are just slapping on massive 3 figure profit margins.
@@simonh6371 Where has TJB claimed their knives are made in the USA?
@@telemarktumalo6978 They obviously don't directly claim it as for example in the UK that would be an offence under the Trades Descriptions Act...but they successfully fool a lot of people into thinking they are. On their website the blurb only mentions that the company is from Portland, Oregon, USA, it doesn't mention the country they're made in anywhere...neither does it mention the hardness in HRC of the blades so people who know a bit about knives steer well clear. Also the ridiculously high prices are misleading. If I want to pay that kind of money I'll go for Benchmade which is made in the US.
@@simonh6371 I agree that they never state that their products are 100% built in the USA. For the Barnes in particular, they state clearly that the knife is made in China. Like many manufacturers, they have sought overseas OEM's to build their knives. Much as Apple, Ford, Chevrolet and Levi's (very American brands) seek overseas help to make their goods. Regarding the HRC.... I don't think the average buyer of a TJB would base a buying decision on this parameter. For a knife collector, absolutely it is an issue. That said, Reate has a good reputation for their heat treat for Bohler M390. If you look at their website, they are tailoring their goods to an end user such as hikers, campers, recreational fisher men and women and folks who just want a knife to carry for EDC. Overpriced.... that is up to the buyer. Poor quality? I disagree. Great design? Yes. To each their own.
Love the styling just wish it wasn’t made in China
Chad Brand
It's a Hipster brand. Their knives are made in China and you can get the same knives, from the same factory, for a fraction of the price, from other companies who don't pretend the knives are not made in China.
@@simonh6371 no, you definitely can’t. You can buy cheap, poorly made knives that have shamelessly copied some of the handle designs of The James Brand and then been crafted with inferior handle and blade steel constructions. You’re flat out wrong here.
@@timhuber2814 12C27 blade steel on TJB and Whitby. Same factory in China.
@@timhuber2814 Weird how the two are the exact same its almost as if they're mass produced oem china made knives seems like james brand is pulling a Tekto and trying to inflate their prices for their hipster brand...
@@timhuber2814 shilling hard here.
Just another designer brand of stuff. They could be selling upscale bicycle pedals, it’s all the same.
But they just buy the knives from China?
Where’s your products made?
C-H-I-N-A>>>>>>
Way too expensive, and for the same price there’s way more brands that are wayyyy better for the price
While I have ZERO interest in any James brand products, I also can’t fault him for exploiting the “lifestyle” market/Pete’s pirate life crowd. These folks will gladly overpay for Ti pry bars, zirc pens, tacti-dad topo sling bags and other douche chill-inducing products. If he wants to separate them from their money, more power to him.
Overpriced Chinese made knives with terrible action. Highly suggest you stay clear of this brand they're really bad. Better off with kizer as a foriegn OEM, hogue or spyderco if you want American made. $150 for g10 micarta and vg10 steel you gotta be kidding me.
Made in SHENZHEN, CHINA. 🤦
Terrible china knives for a price that should make this Ryan coulter be ashamed of himself. I can find a dozen or more American made knives with better quality with the same materials for less than half the price of the Barnes. I’m going to put James brand right up there with crkt on the do not buy list.
Reate hardly has a reputation of making terrible knives. I have several Reate built knives designed by excellent designers (Brian Brown Knives, Something Obscene Knives, Chaves, Pena and Liong Mah,..... well you get the idea. Their quality control is excellent and comparable to almost anything out there. Don't buy if you don't like TJB design, style or business practices. Don't buy if you find them too expensive. TJB will be just fine if you choose to purchase elsewhere. But, to call them "terrible china knives".... I can't believe you have tried The Barnes. If you had, you would know it is an excellent knife. Integrals are not for everyone, I would agree with that. But, The Barnes will be around for decades and is a true heirloom piece to pass down to future generations.
@@telemarktumalo6978 if I have 699 dollars I’m not giving it to communist china for anything that I have a choice in purchasing. I don’t care if it’s designed by Jesus. And I’d never buy a reate anything for the very same reasons. In now way am I against foreign knives. Just none coming from china.
@@telemarktumalo6978 I’m going to venture a guess that my collection (which is a large 20% down payment on a house) is considerably larger than 99% of people who collect knives. I do have some shitty china knives. But live and learn. Also I have knives worth more than the Barnes which is the knife from tjb I was talking about. Most of my striders are more than 699. But nothing from the James brand is worth 699. Especially some Chinese m390 lol.
@@gordonbombay6627 And you know that from handling or using the knife? Or, because you don't like the specs and what you have read from other reviews? I've read many negative comments about The Barnes and TJB in general. I've found very few of those were written with experience. With that said, I too am guilty of not buying some knives based on reputation and my own perception. However, I choose not to criticize those brands publicly. I understand that I could be wrong. A human condition.
@@telemarktumalo6978 no I’ve held many reate and James brand knives. I’ve owned some James brand knives. I helped renovate the shinola hotel in Detroit and they gave me a James brand knife. When I walked through their shop and seen what it sold for I gave it as a gift to one of my friends who doesn’t have any knives. I’m going to hold strong with they are like crkt. Sometimes they use better materials and sometimes they don’t. I’ve also never seen a James brand knife that was centered without it being either way to loose or to tight. Not worth that money. Now having said that. I own cheap knives that have blown me away and expensive knives that shock me with how underbuilt they are (talking to you William Henry). But the James brand has been over pricing their Luke warm run of the mill knives for years. Same as crkt. Have a great day. Good luck with that human condition garbage.
Pure junk.
James Brand = gas station quality knife packaged for hipsters who shop at Whole Foods.
James Brand = MVMT watches to the real watch collectors.
Real knife collectors won’t touch James Brand with a 10-ft pole.