Emberleaf Cael vs Ventari

[SussexSteve]

Another that arrived today will be getting used

 

[Stalker62]

.. I have had plenty of good knives and the only problem is loosing them.

In the field I use Opinel and a Swiss Army Vitorinox.
Both these knives are replacements for identical models lost in the English Countryside and the Highlands & Islands. Annoying but not the end of the world.

If I lost both knives together (and I will) it's less than £100.

My "posh" knife is just that.
A thing of beauty that I will never use in anger.
Something that it the fullness of time can be bequeathed and then inevitably lost in the Highlands & Islands by my ungrateful offspring.

 

[sikamalc]

Ok normally would not wade into this but feel the speculation should be put to bed. Aside of whether people like the product or not as I am fully aware you will never keep everyone happy although we do try! However, I can honestly tell you that these numbers are remarkably close to the mark.


Consumable costs are the thing missing here, we use the best abrasive belts, foils, and polishing compounds available to name but a few consumables. For example, our custom-made heat treat foil alone is £6 a packet (per knife) used only once. Some of the belts are £20 each and will do 8-10 knives then go in the bin. Menzerna polishing compound is £30 a bar and will do 10-14 knives dependant on steel type, and that is just one polishing stage of 3. We mirror polish a lot of our knives and all the initial work is done by hand, 2 hours of the total build time, a further 45 mins on a polishing wheel. Even shipping a knife through a secure courier is £8 not to mention the £10 worth of custom packaging and the £15 a square foot leather we use to sheath it, these are just some of the costs to consider.

There are multiple videos of us working in the shop and if you still do not believe it you are more than welcome to visit, and I will give you a detailed tour. As a limited company our accounts are a matter of public record so also feel free to look us up on companies’ house.

We started Emberleaf because it is what we wanted to do with our lives, we will never be rich men but we endeavour to be happy ones doing a profession that started as a hobby making the best possible tools we are able, Money has never been a big part of our lives, we wouldn’t have spent 10 years in the Army if it were wealth we were after! More often than not we spend money on more tools to make new and better products or mainly because it looks interesting or fun!

For the record, until Feb this year we used no computer aided tools, we invested in a laser engraver (I am of the opinion that it’s the best solution for marking steel to avoid stresses in the metals and offers a better finish) anyway this is the only piece of kit that has any computer functions and it only engraves the logos. Someone mentioned that we use a pantograph to cut out handles... well a pantograph is used for engraving or for scaling images, we bought it to make folding knives as they require a high degree of accuracy to mark out the part.... its 50 years old and we are yet to even plug it in.

Yes we do supply to the trade to a number of well known gun brands as well as a few private dealers, Last year we made 623 knives, 90 of which were the Ray Mear Bushcraft knife, a further 163 were to the trade, these trade accounts enable us to make in much larger batches and they are mostly all the same models/materials but also allow us to work in longer time frames.

We are not some evil faceless corporation out to squeeze pennies from unwary buyers. No smoke and mirrors if you want to know something about Emberleaf Workshops then please just ask, or arrange a day and pop down for a brew.

Best Regards to you all.

Dean - Bladesmith Emberleaf Workshops

Well if thats not an advert I dont know what is. If you want to promote your business please take out trade membership.

 

[Boydie]

Well if thats not an advert I dont know what is. If you want to promote your business please take out trade membership

It is an attempt to put striaght the speculation and rumour, I have not promoted any product , quoted any item prices nor offered any services just addressed the other posts raised in this thread.

 

[sikamalc]

Removed.

 

[Bluey]

I have one or two knives One is a hand made knife by a famous Finnish knife maker. I have use it twice and then put it back in its wooden box. I have had plenty of good knives and the only problem is loosing them.

One can argue all day long about emberleef or any other expensive knife, but a cheap knife does the same job, and you wont burst into tears if you loose it either. I have to smile slightly when we have a host of people who have been stalking not that long, and yet they seem to think that having a £500 knife makes it right.

I am not knocking anyone who wants to own one or does own one. But please dont tell me that when you are gralloching a beast that it makes any difference whether you have a £10 plastic handled knife or a £500 one, because it makes NO difference what so ever. But each to their own and if it makes you feel better so be it.

Also it hurts just as much when you cut yourself with a cheap knife or an expensive one

Just because I have recently joined this forum it doesn't mean that I have just started stalking. I have been stalking for many years using a cheap knife

 

[sikamalc]

Just because I have recently joined this forum it doesn't mean that I have just started stalking. I have been stalking for many years using a cheap knife

No ones pointing a finger at you, calm down. I use a cheap knife so I cant see what your gripping about?

 

[Overlay]

Did not know that!
Thank you. On it now.

Done.

That knife is absolutely stunning, I can see why you don’t use it.

 

[Mr B]

Well if thats not an advert I dont know what is. If you want to promote your business please take out trade membership.

Give the guy a break! Everyone is slating his product, he's given a full and comprehensive description of the build process, much more than most companies would give, then you jump on his back for doing so. Damned if he does, Damned if he doesnt. Get a grip and a sense of pragmatism. If he was wanting to blatantly promote his business, I'm sure he'd have done it before now.

Most poeple wouldn't think twice at the thought of paying £40+ per hour for a tradesman, before materials, but complain about the costs involved in making such a bespoke item from scratch. An item, viewed by many as a piece of art.

And for your future understanding, an advert is when someone says " I have this, it's for sale, this is what I want for it." Plenty of examples in the classifieds.

In summary, very nice knives, not to everyone's taste or budget, but now you know the facts behind the company, instead of the speculation.

 

[sikamalc]

If people want to mention their products on here that's fine by us providing they pay for it.
So if this was a magazine you wouldn't be allowed to without paying so why should fit be any different on here.
Do you think it cost nothing to run this site then? Or does if run on fresh air.
£10 a month, try finding that to advertise or promote a product in a magazine.
The site rules are there for everyone to read along with the now 23000 members let alone all th others that look in on the site everyday who are not members.

 

[75]

Got to agree with Mr B - didn’t come across as an advert in any way - just responding to several posters that were slagging the product.

Are you going to charge a well known gun shop for their response the the slagging they were getting in another thread too??

 

[Sjambok]

I am going back to Pigeon Watch.

 

[delta wolf]

Give the guy a break! Everyone is slating his product, he's given a full and comprehensive description of the build process, much more than most companies would give, then you jump on his back for doing so. Damned if he does, Damned if he doesnt. Get a grip and a sense of pragmatism. If he was wanting to blatantly promote his business, I'm sure he'd have done it before now.

Most poeple wouldn't think twice at the thought of paying £40+ per hour for a tradesman, before materials, but complain about the costs involved in making such a bespoke item from scratch. An item, viewed by many as a piece of art.

And for your future understanding, an advert is when someone says " I have this, it's for sale, this is what I want for it." Plenty of examples in the classifieds.

In summary, very nice knives, not to everyone's taste or budget, but now you know the facts behind the company, instead of the speculation.

Well said, it seems at times that the rules are enforced only when they suit.
How that could be described as advertising is beyond me.

 

[Stalker62]

l fully respect your opinion mate but object to having the effing dictionary quoted at me.
Tusker

Just checked my OED.
That's not how you spell it...

 

[Klenchblaize]

I've had a cael for a couple of years. Absolutely love it. Does everything you ask on the deer you mention. Yes you could do it with a cheaper knife but I enjoy it as the work of art it is as well as what it does.
Why drive a lada if you can afford and enjoy a Bentley! Both do the same job!

Some considerable way from being the Bentley of knives in my opinion. More like a Mk1 Cortina with curvy & wide arches!

K

 

[delta wolf]

Some considerable way from being the Bentley of knives in my opinion. More like a Mk1 Cortina with curvy & wide arches!

K

Wouldn't fall out with that, MK1 cortina is a true classic and extremely expensive!