500 dollar productions over customs?

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When I think of the makers who sell incredible folders in this price range (Hinderer, RJ Martin, Tighe, Lightfoot, Duncan, Lambert, Terzuola and Dozier if you add 50 bucks and that is just to name a few) why do people flock to production knives that cost as much? Is it the hassle of tracking down something like a Lambert Sniper, or that the productions are better advertised? Everytime I see someone recomend a Sebenez or simillar knife I cringe to think of buying one over a Dozier that cost 50 dollars more. First they lack the artistry of a Knife by a small maker. Not in design but in execution. If we do not value the people that can still do things by hand better than machines can acomplish they will diminish in numbers. Now I know that the makers in the folder field are not doing every part of the folder by hand, but they do alot. This comes across in fit and finish that a nice factory tries to emulate but will always fall short of in some respects. When you save $300 by buying a factory knife, I understand. When they are the same price, why on earth would you choose the factory piece? I bought a ZT302 recently and at $250 is the highest I have ever paid for a factory knife and I am very satisfied. But at $500 I would have gone after a HAVOC or even better saved $100 and got a XM-18. A Strider I can understand a bit as they are overbuilt but the XM-18 I just mentioned is a rugged work horse and costs less. So.... if you would choose the factory knife, please give some insight to why? (This topic came to mind reading a letter in Blade stating that the authore thought midtech was robbing new makers of there target market. I both agree and disagree with that article but I wondered about my stated topic for awhile.)
 
For me, I'd love to have a custom Hinderer or Munroe or Mayo or many others, but the names above aren't taking orders for the time-being. And based on reading the forums, I understand there are very long waiting lists for many custom knives. I could handle being on a waiting list ,but I can't even get makers whom I've contacted to respond just to put me on a list...Sorry , but I'm not holding my breath just to get put on a list when I can get a fine knife today. I'd buy one on the secondary market, but not at prices well above the makers price. Just not worth it to me. I could be dead in two years for all I know waiting for a knife!?!? Not this chap.
And it still comes down to designs that appeal to me, regardless of price or name of maker. Some makers knives just aren't for me while many production knives fit my needs/wants.
 
I like my knives based on the model itself. Many of the higher end production knives are proven designs in terms of performance, quality and they have their own style that they bring to the table. So why get a Sebenza? Because it appeals to the ELU. Both the model AND the maker/company have proven track records. A custom Dozier couldn't be an exact copy of a Sebeza. And what if I want a Sebenza? I can't go to Darrel Ralph for it. It simply comes down to what the ELU is looking for, whether it's a custom or not.
 
You know, I no longer buy production knives; I am a Custom knife buyer now. There are some awesome custom knife dealers, that you CAN find the customs at great prices. I love knife trading, as I have been able to get some of my amazing customs that way. I am also on lists for some customs that I REALLY want; such as a Scott Cook Lochsa, Sean O'Hare, and DB Fraley. It is totally worth it to me. Great thread.
 
Ultimately you buy what you like. It really has nothing to do with custom or production.
 
Definition of custom is knife made by one person entirely, right?

So that includes the Heat Treat, which is the single most important factor in edge performance, right?

Have you ever asked your knifemaker how much he knows about HT? What about compared to a professional in the business like Paul Bos.

I research how knowledgeable the knifemaker is before I buy. Whether it be custom or production.
 
Good points. I dont dislike the sebenez shape or anything, it's a great looking knife and I'm shure it cuts well. I do understand the waiting list thing, especially the long ones. I have found that by bookmarking the best custom knife traders and watching them I see alot of knives that are supposed to be hard to get sit for a week before someone snatches them up. That doesnt always work though. I saw 2 Lambert Snipers sell off TNK 20 minutes after bieng posted. Not knocking anyones taste in knife design, I've just always been suprised that these knives can compete in what is basicly a custom knife price range. None the less, the fact that they have says alot about there quality, branding or both.
 
The Sebenza stands in a class by itself. I LOVE CRK knives. They are OUTSTANDING knives. I consider them semi-custom.
 
Custom, semi-custom, or production, the Sebenza is the best folding knife ever...better than my customs. Reeve churns a quality that even custom makers have not been able to match.
 
TheKnifeCollector said:
You know, I no longer buy production knives; I am a Custom knife buyer now. There are some awesome custom knife dealers, that you CAN find the customs at great prices.
Click to expand...


True. I have lost my eye for production knives. I own plenty and also plenty of custom handmade knives that I paid to be made for me and me alone. There is a special feeling when you order your blade the way YOU want it to be. Then the thrill of opening the box and seeing what you bought. Then of course using it at last. That to me is the real thrill in collecting knives now.
I just don't get that excited about bubble packed knives. Looking at my customs each day I have a hard time deciding who will be in my pocket and who will be on my hip when I leave the house. They are all beautiful and like kids to me. Polished and razor sharp as they wait for their turn in the sun with Dad.
 
If you ever watch the CRK DVD The Exquisite Blade,you will have more of an appreciation for the knives and the maker.I bought my brand new Large Sebenza for $335 delivered from a Auth. Dealer. I priced out a Dozier and I was quoted over $500 for one of the Ti handled knives.The Hinderer I have on order will also be closer to the $500 mark and thats fine.The CRK Knives actually started out custom and as the demand grew,he had to adapt and CNC and send his heat treating out of house,no biggie! I love the Sebenzas fit and finish,its durability and its edge.I have also noticed much customizing of the Sebenza going on and some customs that look similar to the Sebenza.Must be doing something right for all the fuss made over them,the longevity and the loyalty of owners/users/collectors.

MPE
 
I can only speak of my personal experience but I have had many custom knives from makers like Hinderer, Mayo, Lambert, Tighe, Obenauf, JW Smith, CJ Smith, Lightfoot, DDR, and plenty more. All were great knives and some of them were truly outstanding (the Lamberts have been my personal favorites, his fit and finish is simply amazing!). That being said, none offer me what the small Sebenza does. I love the blade pivot bushing that lets me dissasemble the knife and put it back together perfectly every time without worrying about loctite or the blade loosening up. I also love the pocket clip with that extra little hump that just grips the seam of my pants pocket with a security that no other clip can match. Also, in some cases there just isn't a knife of the right size from a given maker (I keep hoping Kirby Lambert will come up with a 3" bladed folder!!!).

If I had plenty of money to just collect a bunch of knives I would have a lot of customs, but probably still cary my Sebenza the most because the thing just works for me. I don't though and to be honest I'm not much of a collector, I prefer just to have one good using knife. My Sebenza fills that need for me quite well.
 
TheKnifeCollector said:
You know, I no longer buy production knives; I am a Custom knife buyer now. There are some awesome custom knife dealers, that you CAN find the customs at great prices. I love knife trading, as I have been able to get some of my amazing customs that way. I am also on lists for some customs that I REALLY want; such as a Scott Cook Lochsa, Sean O'Hare, and DB Fraley. It is totally worth it to me. Great thread.
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I'm kind of leaning the same way. Even cooler is to actually acquire the knife directly from the maker. There's something really meaningful about meeting the knifemaker face to face, and shaking hands with the person who actually made your knife. It just seems like an experience you could never replicate with a production knife.
 
Production knife for $500? (striders and sebbies aside)
Is there such a thing?
Oh you mean Bu… fear to say it aloud ;)
 
I just lost my eye for productions. I love my custom knives. There is something about having a one of a kind knife. I also like getting to know the makers too. I like supporting friends. I just do not have any interest in production knives anymore.
 
I've tried out (many times) production knives, everything from Sebenza's, Spyderco's, BM's, MT's to Kershaws and I usually end up selling, trading or giving them away. I'm now back to almost strictly customs, except for a LE BM 710 and a Buck 111 that I bought for sentimental reasons and I don't really see myself going back to productions. I use the hell out of my knives and just adds something when I'm cutting something when I know the individual that made my knife and the quality, the materials and the time that was put into it. For some people thats not that important, they just want to cut something and be done with it and thats fine. Some people can't afford or don't have the patience to wait or hunt something down and thats fine too. Each person here has the option to use what they feel best suits their needs and the knife industry has progressed to the point where there are options for every person out there. There's a multi-billionaire living where I work thats hooked on the HSN knife show and buys boxes of knives from them. He could easily afford to buy one of the major knife companys or "hire" a major custom maker to do nothing but make knives for him, but he buys what he enjoys. I really have to scrape to buy my customs, but its what I enjoy using, so I'm happy and thats whats important.
 
I think it depends. Like others have said, you end up buying what you like. I've had Sebenzas before, and ended up selling them (got my first Obenauf that way :D ). For production knives, I've settled on the Buck/Mayo 172. Other than that, its not worth shelling out a lot of money on knives if I don't know the person making the knife. If I'm going to spend $500+ on a knife, its going to be purchased directly from the maker. I only have one of those knives, however, and I'd never sell it.

As far as the Sebenza- or even Strider for that matter (though why you'd pay retail for the Strider when they're readily available at a GREAT price on the secondary market)- I understand why they cost as much as they do. The Ti alone is a huge investment. SO, I understand the pricing (and I think with their dealer networks its great that they can get that much for them), but I will say that with their prices creeping up you can get some REALLY great customs for the same price or cheaper. THAT is generally my issue with so-called "$500 productions."
 
SpyderJon thanks for bringing up Obernauf. Talk about great value in a handmade knife. Get his while they are so cheap or regret it later. :D
 
I just recently acquired 2 of Mike Obenauf's knives; 2 small model 2 framelocks! One has a clip point, the other has a drop point. GREAT knives!!
 
As much as everyone wants to silently bash Busse, if you go on their site, their current knives are $227 and $397. Maybe you should seperate the after market prices from the company's prices.
 
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