Benchmade Narrows 748 WTF?

[BJE]

People seem pretty upset about the high price of a new model titanium-framed Benchmade with M390 blade and new style of Axis lock for $580 MSRP ($522 retail), but nobody seems to care too much that Buck has a new model of 110 with titanium frame and S45VN blade coming out for $590 MSRP ($475 retail). Why aren't people on this forum complaining more that Buck needs to stay in their lane and not approach Hinderer or CRK prices? Or do people here find the new Buck 110 Titanium Slim TRX somehow more worth the high price tag than the new Benchmade Narrows?

You seem a little hurt people are piling on your brand, most of bucks lineup is very affordable, that example is a collectors edition of a knife that is available in much more economical forms, albeit with less premium materials.
The benchmade in question isn’t a gold class knife, but a regular product marketed towards typical buyers.
I enjoy benchmade, or at least I used to really like them, before they priced themselves above my comfort level.
Rich people suck

 

[K.O.D.]

You seem a little hurt people are piling on your brand, most of bucks lineup is very affordable, that example is a collectors edition of a knife that is available in much more economical forms, albeit with less premium materials.
The benchmade in question isn’t a gold class knife, but a regular product marketed towards typical buyers.
I enjoy benchmade, or at least I used to really like them, before they priced themselves above my comfort level.
Rich people suck

While I am jealous of "rich" people, it more sucks when a company price gouges, knowing that enough people will still buy the product to justify it.

Even $250 for this knife would be pushing it IMO. Then again, I don't care for titanium handles in the first place.

 

[MadeOnABench]

You seem a little hurt people are piling on your brand, most of bucks lineup is very affordable, that example is a collectors edition of a knife that is available in much more economical forms, albeit with less premium materials.
The benchmade in question isn’t a gold class knife, but a regular product marketed towards typical buyers.
I enjoy benchmade, or at least I used to really like them, before they priced themselves above my comfort level.
Rich people suck

I just think it's interesting how some people give the pricing of one knife a pass because it's marketed more as a "collectable" while complaining about the pricing of another knife because it's a "regular product." Does the marketing of a product really make that big of a difference to the consumer that they look past the product itself and value it more based on its marketed purpose?

Let's take a brief hypothetical inverse view. If the Buck Titanium Slim TRX was a new, regular product and the Benchmade Narrows was marketed as a limited release, how would your opinion change? Would you find the pricing of the Narrows more acceptable and the pricing of the Titanium Slim TRX more reprehensible? Is your opinion on this matter really based on the materials and quality of the product, on the brands putting out the products, or on the marketing of each product?

 

[K.O.D.]

I just think it's interesting how some people give the pricing of one knife a pass because it's marketed more as a "collectable" while complaining about the pricing of another knife because it's a "regular product." Does the marketing of a product really make that big of a difference to the consumer that they look past the product itself and value it more based on its marketed purpose?

Let's take a brief hypothetical inverse view. If the Buck Titanium Slim TRX was a new, regular product and the Benchmade Narrows was marketed as a limited release, how would your opinion change? Would you find the pricing of the Narrows more acceptable and the pricing of the Titanium Slim TRX more reprehensible? Is your opinion on this matter really based on the materials and quality of the product, on the brands putting out the products, or on the marketing of each product?

Limited release meaning less supply, greater demand, higher price can be charged. Some people also for some reason think limited edition means it will have better quality control than standard products.

Part of the problem is that people are blindly brand loyal. I felt this way about the Spyderco drunken. I like the design, but $500? Ridiculous.

 

[tony281sc2]

People seem pretty upset about the high price of a new model titanium-framed Benchmade with M390 blade and new style of Axis lock for $580 MSRP ($522 retail), but nobody seems to care too much that Buck has a new model of 110 with titanium frame and S45VN blade coming out for $590 MSRP ($475 retail). Why aren't people on this forum complaining more that Buck needs to stay in their lane and not approach Hinderer or CRK prices? Or do people here find the new Buck 110 Titanium Slim TRX somehow more worth the high price tag than the new Benchmade Narrows?

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Those thumbstuds and pocket clip should be bronze on that 110, then I’d say it’s better. But still $200 overpriced

 

[John Phillips]

I just think it's interesting how some people give the pricing of one knife a pass because it's marketed more as a "collectable" while complaining about the pricing of another knife because it's a "regular product." Does the marketing of a product really make that big of a difference to the consumer that they look past the product itself and value it more based on its marketed purpose?

Let's take a brief hypothetical inverse view. If the Buck Titanium Slim TRX was a new, regular product and the Benchmade Narrows was marketed as a limited release, how would your opinion change? Would you find the pricing of the Narrows more acceptable and the pricing of the Titanium Slim TRX more reprehensible? Is your opinion on this matter really based on the materials and quality of the product, on the brands putting out the products, or on the marketing of each product?

I imagine most people care about materials and quality first and then will also consider if something is a limited run or special run of some sort for collectibility purposes. Not sure I’m answering your question but there are some knives I’ve only bought bc of their materials and quality, CRK, and others I’ve bought for collectibility first and thought of materials and quality secondarily, SHF Plague Doctor. Even though I know SHF are quality knives, I’m considering collectibility first with this specific model.

I do think if Benchmade announced they were only making 1,000 of these, it would create a sense of urgency with Benchmade collectors as well as flippers, and I do think they would probably sell out quickly just based on the sheer volume of Benchmade collectors with disposable cash. However, I assumed this was going to be an ongoing production knife and if so, they’ll have a very hard time selling these.

 

[DMG]

I just think it's interesting how some people give the pricing of one knife a pass because it's marketed more as a "collectable" while complaining about the pricing of another knife because it's a "regular product." Does the marketing of a product really make that big of a difference to the consumer that they look past the product itself and value it more based on its marketed purpose?

Let's take a brief hypothetical inverse view. If the Buck Titanium Slim TRX was a new, regular product and the Benchmade Narrows was marketed as a limited release, how would your opinion change? Would you find the pricing of the Narrows more acceptable and the pricing of the Titanium Slim TRX more reprehensible? Is your opinion on this matter really based on the materials and quality of the product, on the brands putting out the products, or on the marketing of each product?

Most of us give the price a pass because we arent forced to buy it. I a regularly annoyed with the way people on this site rant about the price of things that they wont buy anyway.


Also, overpricing a luxury coonsumer good is not gouging.

 

[SomebodySomewhere]

Let's take a brief hypothetical inverse view. If the Buck Titanium Slim TRX was a new, regular product and the Benchmade Narrows was marketed as a limited release, how would your opinion change? Would you find the pricing of the Narrows more acceptable and the pricing of the Titanium Slim TRX more reprehensible? Is your opinion on this matter really based on the materials and quality of the product, on the brands putting out the products, or on the marketing of each product?

To me that’s exactly the point … Buck knows most people aren’t going to see it as anything but a collectible. Buck wouldn’t be Buck if it only made knives that started at $142 or whatever. But it’s not just terminology … there is an actually affordable and perfectly usable version of this knife at a price a lot more humans can afford.

 

[SomebodySomewhere]

I do think if Benchmade announced they were only making 1,000 of these, it would create a sense of urgency with Benchmade collectors as well as flippers, and I do think they would probably sell out quickly just based on the sheer volume of Benchmade collectors with disposable cash. However, I assumed this was going to be an ongoing production knife and if so, they’ll have a very hard time selling these.

Or had even labeled it “Gold Class” or whatever …

 

[kafolarbear]

How did benchmade go against the 2nd amendment?

They didn't, the (Portland?) PD asked them to destroy some guns from a voluntary buyback. Since Benchmade was one of the only companies around with the equipment to do so. Benchmade obliged and a bunch of pro-2a people freaked out because if you support destroying guns for whatever reason, that makes you anti-2a apparently. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a fan of most gun control or buybacks and think they're such a stupid way to attempt to reduce gun crime, but to claim Benchmade is anti-2a for helping the local PD destroy voluntarily confiscated guns is asinine.

 

[Dadpool]

I think the price for the Narrows is silly, but it's the show-side clip holes that really grind my gears.

I understand why they're there; I'm all for lefty options. But there are other ways to make a knife ambidextrous: Make a butt-set clip like the ZT 0562, or mill out and insert a show-side clip tab like the TRM Shadow...but don't take a gorgeous slab of Ti, on a nifty-looking design, and drill two ugly holes in the show side.

 

[MolokaiRider]

I am aware of that but i am not aware of any examples of BM going against the 2nd amendment as the poster i quoted claims.

They didn't, the (Portland?) PD asked them to destroy some guns from a voluntary buyback. Since Benchmade was one of the only companies around with the equipment to do so. Benchmade obliged and a bunch of pro-2a people freaked out because if you support destroying guns for whatever reason, that makes you anti-2a apparently. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a fan of most gun control or buybacks and think they're such a stupid way to attempt to reduce gun crime, but to claim Benchmade is anti-2a for helping the local PD destroy voluntarily confiscated guns is asinine.

That's not entirely the whole story.

Benchmade made several political donations to candidates who do support stricter gun control.

Posting the destruction of guns set off quite a few people that added fuel to that hot mess.

At any rate, the price of this new release does seem too high, but will still likely sell. Benchmade has been around a while, and probably has enough business acumen to identify the benefits of marketing this model.

 

[Quiet]

I won't be buying either.... but I also never bought a 500+ knife, it's just too much and I have my sub 200 grail already - the gb2 from spydy

They're after the 'extreme' collectors I guess, and surely understand that bumping that price means many fewer units sold. They can all do as they wish of course, business should be free to set prices always

it would seem, they've done their calculations and decided to make a 400% profit on a few thousand sales, instead of a 50% profit on 10's of thousands
each company can do that calculus however they want

Speaking candidly, actual "extreme collectors" are those who are spending four and five digit numbers on knives made by guys most folks here haven't even heard of, whose knives are considered artistic enough to warrant the price. Those guys probably don't bother buying Benchmades in general.

I think this knife is priced the way it is because Benchmade sees all of the tons of other M390 (or other supersteel) knives with Ti scales going for similar money. They are gambling on their new crossbar lock being a big enough draw to get some of those folks who spend that sort of money on knives from guys like Medford, CRK, and Hinderer to buy a Benchmade instead. I expect it's going to work out for them just fine.

 

[V-1]

They didn't, the (Portland?) PD asked them to destroy some guns from a voluntary buyback. Since Benchmade was one of the only companies around with the equipment to do so. Benchmade obliged and a bunch of pro-2a people freaked out because if you support destroying guns for whatever reason, that makes you anti-2a apparently. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a fan of most gun control or buybacks and think they're such a stupid way to attempt to reduce gun crime, but to claim Benchmade is anti-2a for helping the local PD destroy voluntarily confiscated guns is asinine.

There is much more to the story then just some cut up guns. Benchmade supports politicians who are against the 2nd Amendment. https://gununiversity.com/is-benchmade-knife-company-anti-gun/

 

[MadeOnABench]

There is much more to the story then just some cut up guns. Benchmade supports politicians who are against the 2nd Amendment. https://gununiversity.com/is-benchmade-knife-company-anti-gun/

And there is more to the story than just "Benchmade supports politicians who are against the 2nd Amendment."

Benchmade Anti-Gun? We Ask Them to Explain

Read: Benchmade Anti-Gun? We Ask Them to Explain from Patrick Roberts on February 23, 2019 for Recoil.

www.recoilweb.com

Oregon is a hotbed of knife makers, but also is a heavily Democrat-leaning state making most of the politicians with an interest in introducing legislation that is pro-knife often Democratic. When the donations were made to pro-knife politicians, it was about knife rights.
Gun owners are protected when traveling through states by the Firearm Owners Protection act; knife owners don’t enjoy that kind of protection. The Interstate Transport Act was a very important piece of legislation that Benchmade has been working to get passed for over five years, alongside the American Knife and Tool Institute.
This bill had co-sponsors from both sides of the aisle. The effort requires bi-partisan support and we need to ensure we are reaching across the aisle and bringing both parties to the table. I don’t think most people are aware of how serious the penalties can be for certain types of knives in certain states, though less now than in the past, and it is the knife companies that have to carry the torch, as these issues generally have very low visibility.

 

[V-1]

So Benchmade is willing to put fellow Americans Constitutional gun rights at risk to support politicians that will back and benefit their own company. Hardly a stand up company. Hardly a reason to support them. Our Constitutional rights are more important then any one knife company.

 

[MadeOnABench]

So Benchmade is willing to put fellow Americans Constitutional gun rights at risk to support politicians that will back and benefit their own company. Hardly a stand up company. Hardly a reason to support them. My Constitutional rights are more important then any one knife company.

No, Benchmade made campaign contributions to both sides to further knife rights. When an issue requires bipartisanship, you have to appeal to both sides.
Take a hard look at the voting record of any politician you like. I guarantee you they will have voted on an issue in a manner that you will disagree with.
That's how politics works - nothing is simply black and white. Politicians often have to make concessions in one area to make progress elsewhere.
It's easy for a regular citizen to take a hard stance on one issue. But companies and politicians are forced to deal with all of the issues, including the ones you feel strongly about. And often they will have to use their money or their vote to lose one battle while winning another.

 

[Synov]

So Benchmade is willing to put fellow Americans Constitutional gun rights at risk to support politicians that will back and benefit their own company. Hardly a stand up company. Hardly a reason to support them. Our Constitutional rights are more important then any one knife company.

In a politically divided society, I doubt there is any politician that is not supportive of some measure that one side would consider a violation of their rights. So any donation to any politician in order to further a specific cause you care about is wrong? And I guess gun companies especially can't donate to further expand gun rights because that would benefit themselves?

 

[DMG]

So Benchmade is willing to put fellow Americans Constitutional gun rights at risk to support politicians that will back and benefit their own company. Hardly a stand up company. Hardly a reason to support them. Our Constitutional rights are more important then any one knife company.

How exactly did they put constitutional rights at risk?

 

[V-1]

That's the beauty of having your own opinion and principles. If you guys feel good supporting Benchmade, please do. I don't and I won't. There are too many other stand-up knife companies out there who are not financially supporting gun control politicians to drop a dime on Benchmade.