Benchmades are actually not overpriced

I'll start by staying two things;

1. I'm always surprised at how many people are shocked that something costs more than it did 15 years ago.

2. Markets set prices. Something may seem overpriced to me, or overpriced to you, or overpriced in relation to the quality and materials, or overpriced in comparison to similar items from other manufacturers; but in the end if a company makes a product and keeps a business going selling it then I don't really feel like I am the one to say that it's overpriced.


Like many, Benchmade is the company that really got me in to the hobby. I still dig the AXIS lock, and I like the Benchmades that I own, but I don't often buy Benchmade knives these days. The problem for me comes when knives in this range start creeping well above $200. It's not that I think that $200 + is too much for a knife, it's just that as they get above that price I start thinking about it as being halfway towards a $400+ knife that I will enjoy more. That's not to say that I'll never buy a Benchmade again, it just has to be a knife that "WOW"s me, and nothing much from Benchmade has in a while.
 
Benchmade and spyderco prices are all over the place.

120 for puukko? Hell yes. 180 for super freek? Hell yes. 300 for cf940? Hmm...260 for lil'freek? Hmm...

120 for 20CV manix? Hell yes. 130 for para3? Not bad. 400 for bowie? Comon now...
Also, shaman are getting up there huh?
 
Yo Mama said:
Right, but lets compare to Spyderco Para 2. A strong competition debated for all time. But at the entry level have identical prices.
Click to expand...
I do agree with you Benchmades aren't super overpriced relative others in the market. However, I also consider Spydercos overpriced since implementing MAP. Just like with Benchmade, the Endura and Delica were $50-55ish before map and now sit at almost $90. 55% of MSRP was standard before forcing prices up. If you want to talk Para, the pre-MAP price was maybe $95-100(? I'm a little fuzzy on this one tbh because I wasn't interested in it back then). Now it's $150 now? It's been a decade to be fair, but costs aren't up 50%.
 
simple6 said:
Benchmade QC has gone to shit while their prices climb.
Click to expand...
Honestly, wouldn't you think that someone from Benchmade would read this , have employee meetings , inform them that a goal of reducing these comments is first and foremost, And if not , they should look for employment elsewhere.;)
 
I think some of their prices are high (940-1, mini super Freek) but some are just fine (cruwear adamas, crooked river). Are they high? Yea, a bit, but their warranty is pretty sweet. I've got 11 and I haven't had any real problems from my knives, and they're all centered or close to centered, including my 20cv Grip and custom m4 Grip. I like my hogue ritter, but it's not centered and I can't get it centered, it's action isn't as good (although still really good), and it has lock stick. It's a fine knife, but I feel the benchmades are higher quality. That ritter blade is so fine though.

Spyderco are going up too, but you know what? They're worth every penny. Have 4 shamans, I'd buy them all again. I just picked up a stretch 2 (my first Seki knife) and it's pretty damn awesome. Also got a Kapara, and Taichung again nails high quality and excellent fit and finish.

Im still waiting on someone to get a cruwear adamas 275gy-1 in stock. I will have one when they come back.
 
This thread has been very interesting for me and has caused me to reflect on my spending habits. Quite frankly this activity has gotten too expensive for me so I think I will just quit buying knives. I have more than enough to last my lifetime.
 
Don't have any experience with Benchmade, don't know much about their products, but the one thing I continually see mentioned time and time again is "Poor QA". One anecdotal experience, I seen a video on Youtube of a reviewer and their partner opening two brand new, identical Benchmade knives, one opened like butter, with a perfectly centered blade, the other was super rough opening with a horribly off center blade.

Of course in this day and age, it seems hard to find a company who's quality control hasn't gone to crap.
 
DMG said:
Prices have gone up in the past 20 years.
Click to expand...
You're absolutely right, except Benchmade enacted MAP pricing in 2009 IIRC, and the CPI buying power of $65 in January 2009 is ~$83 today, so going off that, again you're looking at about a 50% bump from where it should be relative average price increases over that period ($120ish instead of $83) because of MAP and BM's MSRP price increases, not because all prices have gone up.

Any proof that price increases correspond to the level of price increase would be helpful for your argument. Maybe the knife related industries (steel, etc.) have overshot CPI during that period?


Edit: MAP came in January 1, 2010 rather than 2009 as I originally said. They just announced it was happening in 2009.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top