Benchmade Prices

I have been buying Benchmades for 20 years, and agree sometime QC can be hit or miss when it comes to sharpening and blade centering/play. Those things are pretty easily fixed if you are a DIY sort, but there shouldn't be any issues with a knife above a certain price point.
That being said, recently the best BM's I have owned have been those at the lower price point, or with standard steel. I still am of the opinion that BM S30V is just about as good as that formula can get.
 
Knives&Lint said:
Benchmade is the company that got me into the hobby and I still dig them though I do not buy new ones very often. I'm not discounting what others have experienced, but quality control was always fine for me. With the AXIS lock I prioritize a free action and don't mind a slight bit of side to side play. IMO, I think alot of the hate comes from a loud minority rather than Benchmade not making quality products. As far as prices, they have got to a point that keeps me from purchasing them new unless I am really in love with a particular design. When knives in this category start to creep above $200 I start to consider the opportunity cost vs. saving up for a more expensive knife that I want more.
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I am kind of in the same boat. I find myself hesitate more with buying knives in the $240 - $350 range because by adding a bit more $ I can get a Hinderer or CRK. I guess that's the main reason that I have not bought any ZTs in recent couple of years (or if I did, I usually sold them quickly).
 
Murphjd25 said:
Buy a CRK and you won’t have to worry about it.
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That's funny!
See my recent post in the CRK forum.
And over 70 pages in the forum about the Sebenza 31 Lock Rock problem.
CRK isn't what it was when Chris was there.
 
Like anything else, in some ways the market dictates the price. How much their knives are worth is dependent on how much people will spend on them. That being said, for years up until very recently, they have been the sole legal user of the axis lock for which they owned the patent. If you wanted to get access to a knife that was running an axis lock, you had to buy BM. Additionally, they have done a good job partnering with brands like REI and others to get their knives into more hands and for new knife owners, they were kind of that "next step up" knife other than the 20-30 $ Kershaws that were in the display case.

I have several Benchmade knives and overall have been very happy with them. Right now you can pick up a bugout in S30v for about 130$ new. At the same time you can get a para 3 lightweight for around 110$. The para 3 lightweight however, sports BD1N which while performing admirably in EDC roles, is not nearly as abrasive resistant as S30V. I would suppose if you got a Para 3 in something like S35vn or (hopefully soon) their proprietary SPY27 you are looking at a price of 120-130.

So in short, you do pay a bit of a butterfly tax on BM models but their evergreen models (Griptillian, Bugout, etc) are not that far off from competitors when you consider materials.
 
I have many Benchmades and agree they can be overpriced. As much as I have ragged on ZT their value is much better than Spyderco or Benchmade IMO.
 
The best customer service is the one you never need.

To quote BF member @mqqn

"If you make it right, you won't have to 'make it right.'"

Sold all my benchmade 6 years ago. I'd already had issues with them. Ex-wife caused me to sell a lot of knives to pay bills. With MAP pricing set so high, they lost my interest. The gun melting down thing lost my business, forever.
 
I started this journey when I took a plunge and spent $4 on a Kabar toothpick. That was a lot of dough. Fast forward and I took a deep breath before the first time I paid $100 for a knife. Now a hundred bucks won't get you a seat at the table. When I get through the day just fine with a Case Sodbuster, I think about all the money I spent on knives that really didn't do anything all that special.
 
Hackenslash said:
Benchmade is at a little bit of a disadvantage as they have no low-cost imported knives to lower the average price of their catalogue.
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I think this bears repeating. If they outsourced some of their production, like Spyderco, their prices would probably be at least slightly more competitive. Of course that would be a major reversal of when they shifted all production to the U.S. some years ago, so it’s not going to happen—but still something to consider.
 
I have 8 Benchmades, and only one has problems (blade rub). I have gotten every single one on 'sale'. Most are pre-MAP.
I also think they are too expensive for what you get. $150 is my upper limit.
Spyderco has something for everyone, and the quality control has been very good, IME.

That being said, I understand why Benchmade has a big fan base. They are very nice knives. The Gold Class knives are pretty amazing. I think my Grizzly Ridge is Gold Class.
 
Jesse B. said:
I think this bears repeating. If they outsourced some of their production, like Spyderco, their prices would probably be at least slightly more competitive. Of course that would be a major reversal of when they shifted all production to the U.S. some years ago, so it’s not going to happen—but still something to consider.
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Bull!
It's entirely possible to make a quality folder in the US for less than $200. Look at Kershaw, with several USA models under $100! Even with BM a few years ago, you could get into one for under $150. This new pricing is pure cash grab, and it seems to keep going up every year (Spyderco too, and most of them are not even US models). I hope sales start dropping until they reverse their pricing strategy.
 
Reswob said:
Bull!
It's entirely possible to make a quality folder in the US for less than $200. Look at Kershaw, with several USA models under $100! Even with BM a few years ago, you could get into one for under $150. This new pricing is pure cash grab, and it seems to keep going up every year (Spyderco too, and most of them are not even US models). I hope sales start dropping until they reverse their pricing strategy.
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I call “bull” on your “bull”! See how opinions work?

You can still get a Benchmade for less than $150. Do some homework before you offer bad takes.

Do you honestly think Kershaw could make any knife in the US for less than $100 without the lion’s share of their line imported? Why are they shifting their US production to non-importable auto knives? What does that indicate about US production costs?

I’m not defending either Benchmade or Spyderco, but to perpetuate the concept that they’re getting fat rich by raping Knife Knuts is ridiculous.
 
or even look at buck, many of their usa made knives are under $100...

even the vantage pro with s30v steel is under $100 and usa made
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Benchmade knives - sold by Blade HQ on closeout - are priced pretty fair.

I don't see that as supporting Benchmade since Blade HQ has already paid for the knives.
 
Reswob said:
Bull!
It's entirely possible to make a quality folder in the US for less than $200. Look at Kershaw, with several USA models under $100! Even with BM a few years ago, you could get into one for under $150. This new pricing is pure cash grab, and it seems to keep going up every year (Spyderco too, and most of them are not even US models). I hope sales start dropping until they reverse their pricing strategy.
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Kershaws line is mostly imported, not to mention they are a much bigger company that includes Zero Tolerance and Shun. That allows them to offer lower priced USA made knives in the Kershaw line. However Zero Tolerance knives are almost all north of $200.

The fact of the matter is that some people like Benchmade knives and don't mind paying the prices. Today I'm going to have my custom crooked river in my pocket, along with a spyderco Gayle Bradley 2. It's going to be a good day.
 
I haven't had any issues with Benchmade in quite a while. Every BM I bought in the last year and a half has been perfect.

And the Presidio 2 CF Elite is the best bargain I’ve gotten in years. $124 brand new. Insane.
 
The value of a product is set on what your willing to pay for it.
I recently broke my Limit of 50$ ... less than a year ago. Almost ashamed how addicted to knives I've been.

I've paid these premium prices for knives.
I don't think they are going down either.
If you want it for the $ it's fair game.

I don't see the advantage of spending 2xs the price for Hinder or another maker. They offer the same type of product for significantly more of this price issue.

Good luck
 
For better or worse Benchmade should keep doing what their doing for as a long as they can. There only a handful of good ones (US knife companies) left.
 
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