500 dollar productions over customs?

If you can buy users, this forum and other knife forums are a great spot to pick up high quality knives in great condition at unbelievable prices!
 
BigJimSlade said:
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
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23 Obenaufs and counting......

I agree with a lot of what's been said here. I have three production knives- a Sebenza, a Strider and an Emerson. The rest are all custom/handmade. All my knives are folders. For what they are these are great production knives. It's true, the quality and fit and finish of the sebenza rivals- and in some cases surpasses that of many customs. Also, there's things I'd try with a Strider that I wouldn't even want to think about doing with most customs. For me though, in terms of everyday use and carry in the fairly innocous environment that is my life it's all about individuality and appreciation. I really appreciate the design, fit and finish and individuality of many of my customs. I know there not 1000 or 5000 or 10K or whatever of these knives out there. For whatever reason, that means something to me. Don't get me wrong, I don't think there's anything wrong with spending $500 on a production -it's your money, spend it your way. If you're a sebenza guy and want to collect as many variations of the sebenza as possible, go for it, they are nice. Again, for me I'm always going to go for the custom first- I can always buy a production. Like SpyderJohn, I've sold several sebenzas in the past, why? If funds are needed they are the first to go, I can always get another one- and truth be told, I usually have gotten another one (which is why I have one nice one now, it's a user and it's my "air-travel" knife- if lost/stolen- I can always get another!) I've noticed the prices of the higher-end production knives creeping up over the past few years. That's not to say the custom prices haven't gone up either, it just seems to me that they haven't risen as much or as fast. There are a lot of nice customs out there at the same price point, sometimes even less, as the higher priced productions. If you're lookng at spending $400-500 or more, I think it's definately worth at least looking at some custom/handmades knives.
 
Well, I'm kind of surprised noone mentioned Microtech's OTFs? Those are probably only production knives in this price range I would consider buying.
 
I will NEVER buy a Microtech!! I have my reasonsm one of which, their customer service is horrid. And I will leave it at that.
 
If I am going to spend $500.00 or more on a knife, it is going to be for a custom. The reason being that I would prefer to support the custom makers, not that I don't think the production knives are worth what is being asked for them.
 
TheKnifeCollector said:
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!!
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I've just gotta chime in here: I recently bought an all Ti Model 2 Obie with 3" blade. No wait time, no maker's list - on the aftermarket for $300 in mint+ shape. This is CHEAPER than a Seb by far and is a custom. And the man makes a decent knife.

There is no excuse for not owning a custom really.

Greg
 
I have gotten tired of the production lottery. I don't like to buy a knife and have to send it back for service less than a week after getting it, or finding little imperfections. The handmade market has the advantage of receiving exactly what you ordered, not what Quality control let slip through. Sebenza is one of the few exceptions, But I just find them to boring and I tend to like over built folders. The Sebenza has two thin of a blade for me so this years tax return is going on a XM-18 I found. However I feel any one who buys a Sebenza is getting their moneys worth (Damn fine quality knife)
 
NickZac said:
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.
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ever seen a darrel ralph knife?? or an emerson custom?? ever heard of a fellow named ron lake?? or tom mayo?? how about bob t?

imho the seb is a looong country mile from being the "best" which is an subjective term to begin with, dont make me lol.

good F&F?? sure i'll buy that. a good knife?? right again. but the best?? no.

as far as customs vs productions just depends on whatcha want, i will say for $500 a production had better be the shnizzle for me to buy it, lotsa nice stuff in that price range to look at.

if you want something you can find it, makes no diff how long a maker is backed up, i always wanted a emerson CQC6 & '8, and i looked till i found them, and found them at a price i could swallow.
 
the thing that gets me is a custom knife to me means made in house not cut or ground or heat treated some where else. a custom to me means made by one man not three or four totaly hand made by the maker and his employees. and most makers today have metal shops then farm out certain processes of their knife so that makes them semi custom.
 
My interest in knives only started recently, but you know what they say about opinions and a certain part of our anatomy ;).

If I was purchasing an expensive folder today I would probably choose to spend the extra for a sniper or XM-18. I didn't know about them when I purchased the Sebenza. But I see a lot of custom folders out there in the $500 and up range that I wouldn't take over the sebenza (if the prices were the same;) ) and I don't even like my sebenza that much anymore. Just because it's labeled a custom and costs more doesn't mean it's a "better" knife than a production knife.
 
no what a lot of guys hate is it says custom but it not a lot of maker have little knife companies look at moran loveless lile any number who were unique i saw two liles same design but were different because they were ground seperate so in reality they were custom and thats the core custom or production the price issue is them taking advantage of consumers and we all can relate look at the price of fuel.
 
cjpgeyer said:
As much as everyone wants to silently bash Busse
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Oh, come on… I was just trying to list $500 production knives (and Busse's Ak fits the bill but its not technically knife)
I've never owned a Busse and will not comment on its quality with no personal experience.
 
I agree about the Mike Obenauf's. I recently acquired 2 Small Model 2's; they are an all titanium framelock! Built like a tank too. Mine were $325 each. I traded to get my two. They were from a knife dealer, (NC Blades) who gets them straight from Mike Obenauf, and therefore minty fresh! His knives are amazing, and have a great price!
 
Hey L. Goofoff, I will be the first to say I think the aftermarket prices on Busses are out of control. I am just saying compare apples to apples, that's all. I understand you are trying to list $500+ production knives, but Busses are not $500+ from the company. Compare a $227 Badger TAC to any other knife at that price point, not $500+ customs. Yeah, once the Badger run is over, the price will go insane on the after market, but that has little to do with the company.
 
SIFU1A said:
ever seen a darrel ralph knife?? or an emerson custom?? ever heard of a fellow named ron lake?? or tom mayo?? how about bob t?

imho the seb is a looong country mile from being the "best" which is an subjective term to begin with, dont make me lol.

good F&F?? sure i'll buy that. a good knife?? right again. but the best?? no.

as far as customs vs productions just depends on whatcha want, i will say for $500 a production had better be the shnizzle for me to buy it, lotsa nice stuff in that price range to look at.

if you want something you can find it, makes no diff how long a maker is backed up, i always wanted a emerson CQC6 & '8, and i looked till i found them, and found them at a price i could swallow.
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Most custom folders I have owned have been liner locks...they will not perform as well as a Sebenza. The liner lock has too many flaws. There are plenty of people who will agree with me in the superiority of the Sebenza. I have had custom William Henry knives costing upwards of 2Gs...they were awesome!, but nowhere near as solid as a Sebenza. The custom Neil Blackwood I handled was great...but heavy, a liner lock, and pricey. The Sebenza is nowhere near as neat as customs (I think it is personally, but my buddies liked my custom WH more than anything else), but it uses:
1) tighter tolerances than most customs I have handled (blade play in a Sebenza will not occur initially nor after extended usage)
2) better materials and a locking mechanism that has proven itself to be the most reliable in the business
3) the IDEAL cutlery steel for a folding knife with the best heat treat in the business
4) practical handle design and blade design which is easy to sharpen
5) practical weight
6) easy to service yourself

This is just my opinion and I could be wrong, but none-the-less its how I feel :)
 
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