2 similar knives(strider, ZT) worlds apart in price...why?

joeyza

joeyza

Joined
Feb 27, 2013
Messages
916
Strider Smf and ZT 0300 blackwash.
Both G10, both titanium, both s30v, not too different in size. Is there any justifiable reason that the strider costs almost exactly double the ZT? Or is it just hype for strider knives? Just to be clear I love my strider:D, just curious about the insanely high cost of it for what you get compared to the ZT!

20130908_015545_zps21c0bfc8.jpg


[video=youtube;nAR9tCJBqOc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAR9tCJBqOc[/video]
 
Last edited:
There is some price for the name, but the GG versions have a crap ton of machining going on. I assume all the machining on the titanium would do a number on their tools. Thats what I tell myself anywhys... ZT and Strider both produce knives that I'm not afraid to beat on, so to me they are worth the price.
 
majigy said:
There is some price for the name, but the GG versions have a crap ton of machining going on. I assume all the machining on the titanium would do a number on their tools. Thats what I tell myself anywhys... ZT and Strider both produce knives that I'm not afraid to beat on, so to me they are worth the price.
Click to expand...

But the CC versions cost the same as the GG versions so I don't think machining costs are really valid here as the CC requires way way less machining.
 
Because Strider can sell them for the price he asks. ;) Why is a Audi A4 more expensive than a VW Passat ?

To be fair, I'd daresay that the Strider has a lot more manual labor into it than the ZT.
And Strider produces lower numbers, so he has to divide his fix costs (rent, machines, electric bill etc) into less units- that makes each unit more expensive.

That said, ZT probably produces the best "hard-use" folding knives for the money.
 
Sure there is the name/little shop thing going on here, but I'd like to mention the weight. That DGG weighs nearly half of the 0300 and likely gives up no toughness.
 
RetiredGuns said:
Sure there is the name/little shop thing going on here, but I'd like to mention the weight. That DGG weighs nearly half of the 0300 and likely gives up no toughness.
Click to expand...

That's the biggest factor from my observations as well. First time I picked up my Strider SNG GG it felt so light I couldn't believe it! It's still a beast.
 
RetiredGuns said:
Sure there is the name/little shop thing going on here, but I'd like to mention the weight. That DGG weighs nearly half of the 0300 and likely gives up no toughness.
Click to expand...

Yea the wight difference is quite signification, I was a little surprised at the wight of the ZT when I first took it out of the box. I really like the super chunky solid feel of it but the strider is definitely easier to carry. Also, the strider has quite a significantly thicker blade stock even with being so much lighter. I guess that extra chunk of S30V adds a little to the costs as well
 
Size matters.
KAI is a much larger company than Strider knives. When you have the financial backing of an international company, you can afford to buy things in bulk (steel, G10, Titanium) for possibly a lower cost. A smaller company (Strider) will likely not purchase tons of steel at a time, or other materials and may often pay more for the materials. A business cannot thrive when it has money tied up in materials sitting on a shelf.
 
I would like to know if there is more handwork going into the Strider.

You can watch the CRK factory tour on youtube and see all of the extra work that going into a 'production' knife and why it costs a bit more.
 
Price is largely correlated to production costs, but not completely so. I remember when the Toyota Tundra pickup was going to be released. Toyota chose to price it in the upper end of the truck segment, and to market it as such. So they made the choice to sell fewer units at a higher margin per unit, vs. selling more units at lower margins. Thats just a marketing strategy. Often when we see spendy knives, we automatically think they must be "better" because they are so expensive. Makers know this. Look at Microtech and Busse. Busse has a killer marketing apparatus. But spendy does not always mean better. Spendy just means spendy. Is a Strider SNG twice as "good" as a similar ZT? Eh, not objectively better, no. At least I don't think so. But it may have tiger stripes, and a company owner with a dubious, quasi military background, and a mystique of being a tough guy knife, and so guys will drop big bucks to get one. But no, I don't think they are tougher or sharper or better in any objective sense.
 
+1 on this. And I LOL'ed a little there toward the end.



powernoodle said:
Price is largely correlated to production costs, but not completely so. I remember when the Toyota Tundra pickup was going to be released. Toyota chose to price it in the upper end of the truck segment, and to market it as such. So they made the choice to sell fewer units at a higher margin per unit, vs. selling more units at lower margins. Thats just a marketing strategy. Often when we see spendy knives, we automatically think they must be "better" because they are so expensive. Makers know this. Look at Microtech and Busse. Busse has a killer marketing apparatus. But spendy does not always mean better. Spendy just means spendy. Is a Strider SNG twice as "good" as a similar ZT? Eh, not objectively better, no. At least I don't think so. But it may have tiger stripes, and a company owner with a dubious, quasi military background, and a mystique of being a tough guy knife, and so guys will drop big bucks to get one. But no, I don't think they are tougher or sharper or better in any objective sense.
Click to expand...
 
NeverMore1701 said:
And the more expensive knife has fewer issues and better after-sale factory support.

Right?

Guys?


:confused:
Click to expand...

I've had about eight Strider's, none have needed to be sent back. I've had four Kershaw/ZT's. I had to send one back immediately. I'm sure people's experience's vary. How many Strider's have you sent back?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top