Grad Student Doing a Paper on Disston Tools
I am a grad student doing a project on branding.
I’ve decided to focus on Disston Tools. Apparently, Disston is in a similar situation that Black and Decker was many years ago: Black and Decker owned the Dewalt brand name and decided to launch it so they could develop some professional notoriety, and they did.
It appears that Disston is in a similar situation with their Blu-Mol and Disston brands. They are thinking that Disston could be the next Dewalt, but do not have the notoriety issue in that the Blu-Mol brand is positioned well (I think) in the minds of bothconsumers and pros. I’m inclined to think that they should build on the Blu-Mol brand and maybe offer a sub brand in Blu-Mol Xtreme as they have done in the past due to the small but existing brand awareness.
My question is Who recognizes Disston? Do you? With enough time and money, one can launch any name as a brand, but why spend the money launching another brand (Disston) if you can make a power brand out of Blu-Mol?
I am very interested in hearing what do you think and thanks for your help.
Replies
Grad,
I've been working wood for a living for forty years now. Dissston was a well respected name for a hundred or more years before I made my first shaving.
I never heard of Blu-Mol.
Ray
are you sure that
it is not 38 or 39 years. that you have been working at it Ray?
ron
sid,
If memory serves, it was in the summer of '71, in the previous century, that I started down this road. Just a young pup, I was then, and dumb as a box of hammers. Fortunately, the cruel passage of time has only changed one of those conditions...
Ray
just checking
to see whether or not you were rounding the nbrs off. 37 years for me; 15 years automotive before that. the old man had a commercial boat shop when I was a kid and had to work for him after about the age of 11.
ron
Still a young pup then are you Ray? Slainte.
Richard,
I can't help getting older, but am staying immature for as long as possible.
Had a treat last evening, was invited to visit a local fellow who makes guitars, gives classes, and sells guitar wood. Saw some imported woods I'd never heard of before,as well as many that I was familiar with but not having the figure that guitar-builders select for. Stunning stuff.
Quilted mahogany, blistered bubinga, curly cocobolo, and much much more.
Ray
"I can't help getting older,
"I can't help getting older, but am staying immature for as long as possible."
That makes two of us Ray. I've seen a few of those exotics you mention, but not had chance to use many of them. It's always a pleasure to see unusual wood figure when it's used selectively and carefully, but it can get a bit too much if there's a lot of it in one large piece of furniture.
Anyway, I can't add much to the Diston discussion. We don't see many Disston tools over here in the UK. On a side note, I see the forum software over here at Knots has not improved. It's still pretty user unfriendly. Slainte.
I recognize Disston - a fine manufacturer of hand saws.
Perhaps this will be of some help
http://www.disstonianinstitute.com/
With enough time tools and money I can fix about anything
I recognize the name Disston and associate it with quality handsaws.
I never heard of Blue-Mol until now and do not like the way the name rattles around in my head.
That is, I would rather read the word Disston than Blue-Mol; let alone say it.
Sounds like a cold rodent. The kind that keep messing up Queenmasteroftheuniverseandbabybunnytrainer's lawn. Until the last couple of years I never even saw dirt tunnels across a lawn in my life, thought that sort of thing happened some other place in the world. Now we got'em (and can't get rid of em ).
I too recognise Disston and never heard of Blu-Mol. Most of us here on Knots are woodworkers and by the looks of the Disston web site they are now in the business of making tools for contractors, saw blades and hole cutters. I'm thinking you might find more folks over on the Fine Homebuilding site that would recognise the brand Blu-Mol. The tool catalog still had not downloaded by the time I got back here but from the looks of things I'm not sure that Disston even makes hand saws any more. I did see, however, that they had plants in China.
I too don't like the name Blu-Mol... wasn't that the name of something nasty in that dumb movie Avatar?
Good luck on your project on branding, hope this helps.
I have two Disston hand saws that I refurbed when my father died. I have a hard back Disston miter saw and 3 or 4 Disston hand card scrapers. The hand saws don't get used mush what with all my power tools but I still use the miter saw and I frequently use the scrapers.
I always considered Disston to be a producer of quality items.
I also have set of Blu-mol hole cutting bits which get some use and have always worked well.
Howie, the reason your Distons can't cut mush is you gotta sharpen 'em.
Ha Ha just fooling around.
You know this seems to be turning into an ad for Cold Rodent tool bits.
I wondered from the beginning if this was legit and now am fairly sure there IS NO " student " and our friend is a marketing guy.
Avatar a dumb movie ?
Hmmmm
You know I rented it to see what it was about, watched part of it and went to bed and sent it back to Net Flix to get my next vid, the one I really wanted for the weekend, without finishing Avatar.
I thought it was just me.
Cool monsters though.
I suppose I will rent it again some day. I have been desperate for a good science fiction movie lately. That one didn't seem to be it though. Or I got impatient to get the other movie for the weekend. I suppose if it was stellar I would have watched Avatar for the weekend. Too much motion and blood and guts for Queenmasteroftheuniverseandbabybunnytrainer.
Disston tools
Disston was a great American company that built high-quality handsaws in Philadelphia for many years. I would look at a product with the Disston name on it long enough to decide if was a piece of quality merchandise or just another name ripped off (no pun intended) to dress up a lousy product.
Renaming
What do you think of when I say. Rolls Royce, Bentley, Lica, BMW, Tiffany, Rolex, Browning, Ferrari, Sterritt ? I think quality !! Do you really thing any one of them would change their name ????
When one says Disston ! Anybody in the know will think quality saw.
"Change" is not always good.
Disston Saws
Check in with Matt at thesawblog.com - he has some opinions on quality.
Grad
Is there a regional bias in your thinking? I live in midwest and I can only recall seeing Blu-Mol hole cutting products. Disston I know as reputable saws ( I have two, and look for them at estate sales). But I don't think I would consider either as good brand name for a major tool line outside their niche, although Disston is a more masculine name.
Thank you, all, for taking the time to share your thoughts and impressions with me--I appreciate the fact you did. Your comments were helpful and informative.
Thanks again.
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