Cutting Edge Cutlery

What Cutting Edge Cutlery does

Cutting Edge Cutlery is a consignment-based knife marketplace headquartered in Rogers, Arkansas, that has operated continuously since 1968 as a service line of A.G. Russell Knives. The company specializes in selling pre-owned, discontinued, and handmade knives on behalf of individual knife owners, handling the full consignment workflow — cleaning, research, photography, valuation, listing, shipping, and customer service. Its buyer base consists of knife collectors and enthusiasts seeking rare, vintage, or handmade pieces from a network of more than 800 knife makers and brands represented on the platform.

The business operates two primary sales channels: a printed catalog distributed six times per year (January, March, May, July, September, November) featuring high-value knives (typically $500+), and a WordPress-based e-commerce website (cuttingedge.com) updated one to two times per month with a broader selection of knives valued at $100 or more. Pricing follows a Dutch Auction model in which the company sets an initial price that decreases by 10% every 30 days (or per catalog cycle) until the item sells or falls below a $30 threshold, at which point it is auto-returned. Orders are completed exclusively by phone due to the one-of-a-kind nature of each consigned knife.

The company earns a 25% consignment fee on each sale, paying the consignor 75% of the selling price 40–60 days after the transaction. It is a micro-entity with 6 employees, no disclosed external funding, and an operating footprint limited to the United States. Distribution is direct (own storefront and phone) with no wholesale, marketplace, or third-party retail channels. The company has no public AI, technology, or digital infrastructure disclosures beyond its catalog and website presence.

Name

Cutting Edge Cutlery

Legal name

Cutting Edge

Website

https://cuttingedge.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cutting Edge Cutlery is a consignment marketplace based in Rogers, Arkansas that sells pre-owned, discontinued, and handmade knives on behalf of individual owners. Operating since 1968 under A.G. Russell Knives, it serves knife collectors and sellers via six yearly printed catalogs and a website using a Dutch Auction pricing model with a 25% consignment fee.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Rogers

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Consignment Sales Commission: The company operates on a consignment model where it sells pre-owned knives on behalf of knife owners. The company retains 25% of the selling price as a consignment fee and pays the seller 75% of the selling price. Payment is issued 40-60 days after the sale (on or before the 10th of the month, 40-60 days after the sale).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cutting Edge Cutlery sells pre-owned, antique, discontinued, and handmade knives on consignment from third-party knife owners. The company handles cleaning, research, photography, valuation, pricing, shipping, and customer service for each knife, with sales executed through a website, printed catalog, and phone-based ordering. The company retains a 25% consignment fee and pays the seller 75% of the final sale price.

Product overview

Cutting Edge Cutlery operates as a knife consignment marketplace with two primary sales channels: a printed catalog (6x yearly) featuring high-value knives ($500+) and a website (cuttingedge.com) offering a broader selection of pre-owned, handmade, antique, and production knives ($100+). The company was founded in 1968 and operates as a service provided by A.G. Russell Knives, handling consignment sales, photography, research, pricing, shipping, and customer service for knife collectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pre-Owned Knife Consignment Marketplace A consignment sales service where knife owners send in their knives and Cutting Edge handles cleaning, research, photography, valuation, listing, shipping, inquiries, and returns on their behalf. Open to knife owners consigning quality pre-owned, discontinued, antique, or handmade knives.
• Cutting Edge Printed Catalog A printed catalog mailed six times per year (January, March, May, July, September, November) featuring higher-value consigned knives (typically $500+), handmade one-of-a-kind pieces, and antique knives. Knives not sold are repriced by approximately 10% per subsequent catalog for up to three additional listings until the value reaches $300.
• Cutting Edge Website (cuttingedge.com) An online marketplace at cuttingedge.com featuring pre-owned, handmade, antique, and production knives with a minimum consigned value of $100. New knives are uploaded one to two times per month, prices are reduced by 10% every 30 days if unsold, and unsold knives are automatically returned to the consignor once the price falls below $30.

Quantifiable outcome

• 14-day buyer preview period with full refund guarantee
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• A.G. Russell KnivescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Cutting Edge is a consignment service that was originally provided by A.G. Russell Knives starting in 1968. The company maintains close ties with A.G. Russell Knives, which operates the related website agrussell.com. Kyle Cherry manages The Cutting Edge at A.G. Russell Knives.
• Russell's for MenminorOthersRelated website (russellsformen.com) operated as part of the A.G. Russell Knives family of businesses.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves4 records

Emerging players

• BladeForums: Large knife enthusiast community with classifieds and marketplace functionality. Comparable as a discovery and peer-to-peer transaction venue for collectors seeking rare, discontinued, and handmade knives.
• TrueNorth Knives: Specialty retailer focused on handmade and custom knives from independent makers. Comparable because it curates handmade and limited-edition pieces for collectors, mirroring Cutting Edge's higher-end catalog offerings.

Broad incumbents

• eBay: Global online marketplace where many collectors buy and sell pre-owned and vintage knives. Comparable as a transactional channel and competitive alternative to consignment for the same buyer segment.
• Heritage Auctions: Large collectibles auction house with a dedicated knives and edged weapons category. Comparable as a venue for high-value collectible cutlery sales targeting enthusiast buyers.
• A.G. Russell Knives: Parent operator and related knife retailer founded by A.G. Russell; runs the consignment service and shares customer overlap in the handmade/vintage knife community. Highly comparable as the umbrella brand and direct operational parent.

Others

• Etsy: Online marketplace for handmade and vintage goods, including handmade knives and accessories. Comparable as a discovery channel for handmade and vintage edged tools competing for the same maker/seller relationships.

Direct peers

• Smoky Mountain Knife Works: Large US knife retailer offering production, custom, and collector knives through both physical superstore and online channels. Comparable as a multi-brand knife retailer serving the same enthusiast buyer base.
• Rock Island Auction Company: Auction house specializing in firearms, knives, and collectibles. Comparable because it serves collectors of high-value, rare, and handmade edged tools through a catalog/auction format similar to Cutting Edge's printed catalog.
• Blade HQ: Major online knife retailer focused on folding, fixed-blade, and collectible cutlery from 100+ brands. Comparable as a multi-brand knife marketplace targeting the same enthusiast and collector segment.
• KnifeCenter: One of the largest US online knife retailers offering new production, custom, and collector knives. Comparable because it serves the same collector and enthusiast buyer with a wide catalog of cutlery brands.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cutting-edge-cutlery

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cutting Edge Cutlery