Building the Next Chapter at Colonial Knife October 11 2025, 0 Comments
Building the Next Chapter at Colonial Knife
Dears Friends and Supporters,
At 63, I had hoped to begin slowing things down- keeping a few classic items in production and gradually easing toward retirement. But sometimes the Lord has other plans. Over the past year, business has begun to surge again, and our customer base is growing stronger than ever.
The next six months will be extremely busy here at Colonial Knife Company as we work to produce a range of knives-some of our longstanding classics, and some new, proprietary designs. One of the major changes we're making involves several models that many of you have asked about, including the TL-29 Electrician's Knife (E2), the 2205 Military Scout Knife, and the 1757 Marlin Spike Knife.
While demand from the government contracts for these specific knives has slowed in the past year, requests from loyal customers have remained steady.
The Challenge is that producing these knives entirely in-house-in small batches of just a few thousand pieces-is no longer cost effective. Traditional blanking and stamping process only make sense when we're running 20,000 to 50,000 units or more. Anything below that simply drives the cost too high to offer a fair retail price.
To meet this challenge, we're implementing a new production strategy that keeps quality at the same standard while allowing us to stay competitive. Key components like blades, springs, and liners will be manufactured under our strict specifications and tolerances, with full material certification and Rockwell hardness documentation to confirm U.S standards for composition and performance.
Final assembly, inspection, and finishing will continue here in Rhode Island, allowing us to remain TAA compliant and to proudly state "Assembled in the U.S.A." We'll continue heat treating, testing and refining each knife by hand-because that's what Colonial has always stood for: quality, honesty, and craftsmanship that last.
The next six months well be extremely busy as we produce a mix of classic and new designs. many of you have asked about the TL-29 Electricians' Knife, 2205 Military scout knife, and the 1757 Marlin Spike Knife. While government demand has slowed, customer interest remains strong.
To keep these knives alive and affordable, we're transitioning to a hybrid US assembly process. Key components will be precision - made under our strict tolerances, while final assembly, inspection, and finishing will remain here in Rhode Island-ensuring full TAA compliance and authentic CKC quality.
This change lets us keep our prices fair, our craftsmanship true, and out legacy strong. We're proud to keep building smarter while honoring nearly a century of American knife -making.
Thank you for standing with us and believing in American Craftsmanship.
Steven Paolantonio
President, Colonial Cutlery International, Inc.
Colonial Knife Company-Est. 1926
