* What: Customized collectible knives
* Company: Frost Cutlery
* Address: 6861 Mountain View Road, Ooltewah
* Website: www.frostcutlery.com
* Telephone: 894-6079
* Owner: Jim Frost
* What’s special: Frost Cutlery ships a million knives a month for seven months of the year. Its catalog includes 25 brands privately owned by Frost as well as many other recognized industry leaders. The knives can be personalized further for the customer at the Frost factory.
* The origin story: Owner Jim Frost began collecting knives as a hobby in 1969. In 2002, after graduating from several smaller facilities, he moved into a 150,000-square-foot plant.
* How long does it take to make a knife: Before arriving at Frost Cutlery, the knives go through about 200 hand operations, which can take three to six months per shipment. Knives can be personalized in less than a minute, although some processes require seven to 10 minutes.
* Where knives sold: Frost has a small, walk-in store at its factory. It also sells through several subscriber cable TV services via the Cutlery Corner Network shown on Ion Television (Dish Network channel 216/Direct Channel 227).
* How long has the company existed: Frost Cutlery began in 1972 as Frost Distribution. Mr. Frost founded Frost Cutlery after dissolving a two-year partnership with Jim Parker in 1978.
* Future expansion: Frost’s newest product line, which will debut in late summer is a line of knives dipped into a liquid that puts a unique camouflage pattern on each knife handle.
* Lessons of the trade: “Being innovative and constantly changing with new and exciting processes helps keep you in the forefront of the industry,” said Frost Cutlery Vice President Jeff Daniel.