07-05-2018, 09:07 PM
I suppose that there are some folks who would understand the CATRA result data set if it was presented, however I agree that most people would not.
Years ago I went in search of edge sharpness/testing equipment. The CATRA equipment was the first, and really only product that I found. At the time I thought they were about the only game in town as far as sharpness testing went. When I researched it, it didn’t take very long to realize that the cost was totally prohibitive for me and due to the size and complexity of the equipment it was clearly targeting the industrial market and not home users like me.
The same is true for the CATRA knife sharpener. In the CATRA store they say, “One of the best commercial sharpener for butchers, restaurants and small food processors/ factories…”. Again, clearly not aimed at the home user. The thing looks like it is built like a tank and would probably survive well in commercial environments with heavy everyday use. It carries an $1100.00+ price tag which, like their sharpness tester, puts it out of reach for anyone other than the most serious home user. In some ways it reminds me of the Tormek.
The marketing problem with knife sharpeners is that most people are not into knives and so they have no understanding. So how to describe sharpness and sharpening to the uninformed masses? If we were talking to Exchange members we could talk about BESS numbers, toothy, polished, bevel angles, etc. But mention that stuff to someone who is not into knives and generally the reaction is a dumbfounded stare and the sound of crickets because you are talking about the deeply mysterious world of knife sharpening.
When marketing this stuff there are really two options; educate folks (who probably don’t care and wouldn’t take the time to learn it anyway), all about edges from scratch so they can make a really informed purchase decision, or resort to terms like scary sharp, Gothic arch, wicked sharp or hair splitting sharp, etc.
All that said, I suspect the CATRA folks really aren't that concerned with marketing lingo and don't need to be. They have been around for a long time and still are. Apparently what they are doing works well for their target industrial/commercial market, and all they really need to say is, "One of the best commercial sharpener for butchers, restaurants and small food processors/ factories… "
Years ago I went in search of edge sharpness/testing equipment. The CATRA equipment was the first, and really only product that I found. At the time I thought they were about the only game in town as far as sharpness testing went. When I researched it, it didn’t take very long to realize that the cost was totally prohibitive for me and due to the size and complexity of the equipment it was clearly targeting the industrial market and not home users like me.
The same is true for the CATRA knife sharpener. In the CATRA store they say, “One of the best commercial sharpener for butchers, restaurants and small food processors/ factories…”. Again, clearly not aimed at the home user. The thing looks like it is built like a tank and would probably survive well in commercial environments with heavy everyday use. It carries an $1100.00+ price tag which, like their sharpness tester, puts it out of reach for anyone other than the most serious home user. In some ways it reminds me of the Tormek.
The marketing problem with knife sharpeners is that most people are not into knives and so they have no understanding. So how to describe sharpness and sharpening to the uninformed masses? If we were talking to Exchange members we could talk about BESS numbers, toothy, polished, bevel angles, etc. But mention that stuff to someone who is not into knives and generally the reaction is a dumbfounded stare and the sound of crickets because you are talking about the deeply mysterious world of knife sharpening.
When marketing this stuff there are really two options; educate folks (who probably don’t care and wouldn’t take the time to learn it anyway), all about edges from scratch so they can make a really informed purchase decision, or resort to terms like scary sharp, Gothic arch, wicked sharp or hair splitting sharp, etc.
All that said, I suspect the CATRA folks really aren't that concerned with marketing lingo and don't need to be. They have been around for a long time and still are. Apparently what they are doing works well for their target industrial/commercial market, and all they really need to say is, "One of the best commercial sharpener for butchers, restaurants and small food processors/ factories… "