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BM's Red Class to be dc'ed!
- Thread starter PropThePolecat
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Find a skilled bladesmith willing to work for that! maybe a young shop assistant or apprentice but no skilled worker is getting out of bed for $8-$9 an hour...I sure know I dont get out of bed for under $23 an hour.
You get what you pay for, that includes skills and labor!
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- Mar 21, 2006
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I´ve handeled some really good Red Class knifes. The Vex, The Nagara and The Rant. Hope they are upgraded to Blue Class. I would love a Vex with S30V and Axis lock!!! And from a european point of view... I buy all my knives from overseas... it´s not that bad 
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Howdy,
I think it was a wise decision to have the Benchmade name only on US products. I feel it does improve the name branding image of Benchmade.
Like many others, the Blue or Black Class USA manufactured knives are the only ones I am interested in.
Per the article, some of the Red class knives that are already made in the USA, could be moved to the Blue Class.
I think it was a wise decision to have the Benchmade name only on US products. I feel it does improve the name branding image of Benchmade.
Like many others, the Blue or Black Class USA manufactured knives are the only ones I am interested in.
Per the article, some of the Red class knives that are already made in the USA, could be moved to the Blue Class.
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- Mar 8, 2008
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- 26,193
I have one of the old oval-hole Taiwanese Pika, and it's seen duty as a travel knife. I picked it up just because it was cheap and didn't suck so I wouldn't feel bad using it OR losing it. It actually surprisingly nice! Took a real keen edge and handled everything I threw at it!
mongomondo
SUPPRESSING FIRE
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- Sep 17, 2006
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Most of the Red class was junk anyway. It's good that they are keeping some of the popular models though.
I actually wonder if some of them will live on with cheaper domestic or imported steels. For instance, the Vex with 13c26 or 12c27m. I could also see the Monochome being manufactured here with the same steel, as Benchmade seems to be using another Bohler steel in one of their new domestic folders. The Rant and the Aphid were already being made here with 440C - wonder what else could be made here with 440C - Pika III anyone?
DallasSTB
Gold Member
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It boils down to competing with a gazillion manufactures in the sub-$50 range, or relatively few in the ~$100 range. You just can't be everything to everyone all the time. Focus, and then re-focus, on what you are good at and you will succeed over time.
And I think that a skilled $23/hr smith will work for $8/hr if he has to feed his family. A lot of folks are doing things now that they wouldn't do a year ago out of necessity. We can't give each other $40 haircuts forever as a country and survive in a global market for long.
And I think that a skilled $23/hr smith will work for $8/hr if he has to feed his family. A lot of folks are doing things now that they wouldn't do a year ago out of necessity. We can't give each other $40 haircuts forever as a country and survive in a global market for long.
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I'm hoping for less. We've sucked the life out of the economy with job exportation and a huge trade deficit. Hate to tell you but the economic misery we have currently wasn't caused by selling real estate derivatives. It was caused by 30 years of exporting jobs and transferring our wealth to other countries. All the things they say caused the recession were symptoms, in my opinion, not causes. You can't survive being a consumer nation. You have make or grow something to trade or else you drain the wealth. I don't believe we'll recover fully until the trade deficit is under control and we start manufacturing again in the U.S.
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Thanks for your post, KO, you saved me the trouble of making it! I agree with you 100%.
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- Mar 1, 2009
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Agreed. I feel we are kicking dirt in the faces of the generations that came before us by selling out our own county one cheap china import at a time. I honestly believe the 15 years prior to '08 will be viewed as the height of american prosperity, maybe forever...
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I think it is a great choice. I really hope they keep making the Nagara though, as I haven't gotten to try one yet.
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Great move on Benchmade's part. Following Buck's lead. I think the Buck Vantage line proves Americans can still make affordable knives out of high grade materials that can stand up to any import for quality and price. I'm sure Benchmade will come out with low cost domestic winners too. Heck, look at Kershaw, they have already done it! The Skyline, OD-1, Storm, NRG ect. all are economical knives made in the USA with excellent Sandvik steel. I mean, who can't afford one of those, or the Buck Vantage Select? I for one won't lament the loss of the Red Class too much, I think it just makes sense to me (and Benchmade it would seem) considering how cheap you can make knives right here in the USA. It also is a lot easier for a company to design something and put it into production quick when its being made right here in their own factory, instead of thousands of miles away by a team of workers that speak a different language using different equipment and materials ect. I don't think people consider what a pain it must be to coordinate production of your product in China. That isn't to say all Chinese knives are bad (the Buck slippies are very nice knives for example) or even that I won't buy them if there isn't an alternative (if you want a Buck brand Canoe for example, its the only option now) but I think its great we are seeing a surge in US production by some major knife manufacturers.
I'm surprised so many people on here are against free trade and capitalism.
I'm sure Benchmade crunched the numbers and the ONLY reason they are doing this is because it makes them more money. I guess Red Class just wasn't selling in sufficient quantities.
I have the Nagara, and I am not pleased with it. Plan on selling it soon as I can.
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I really like the knives I have from BM, but have decided that they are not a company that I want to support, for my reasons. Personally I have little stake in the made in USA support, but understand those who do. I don't think that taking their products away from the low end market is a good idea, as most of us (I would guess) began our knife collecting habits on good quality cheap knives like the red class. In the end I think that those of us on here will feel little effect, but new collectors/ users will not be exposed to BM and instead buy Spyderco/Kershaw... and continue more with those companies as people like the familiar and usually stick with what they know they like.
Just curious if you feel that the import duties should include raw materials as well, as then it will (IMO) continue to increase prices for those products that are now made in USA with imported raw materials, and if you feel that the USA should not honor trade agreements already in place, or renegotiate new ones with the understanding that US products could face the same tariffs that you want for your own country? (Not being argumentative, I honestly want to know what your opinions are).
Just curious if you feel that the import duties should include raw materials as well, as then it will (IMO) continue to increase prices for those products that are now made in USA with imported raw materials, and if you feel that the USA should not honor trade agreements already in place, or renegotiate new ones with the understanding that US products could face the same tariffs that you want for your own country? (Not being argumentative, I honestly want to know what your opinions are).
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I'm sure you're right. I'm not against capitalism and free trade. I'm against low import duties. I'd like to see all or some income tax replaced by import duties. Have all the free trade you want. But free should mean freedom from restriction, not from cost. Our trading partners all charge duties on our exports. We would all benefit from higher import duties. In fact it could possibly save our economy.
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- Joined
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Yes, all imports, including oil. No, we should not honor the trade agreements. They were made by people without our best interests in mind - namely the government. They need to be renegotiated now. Understand that the winners in the free trade arena are the importers, distributors and dealers, (and the government, of course) not the public. Everybody wants cheap. There is a huge price to pay for cheap. It costs us our jobs, our manufacturing industries and our wealth as a nation. It is a very poor trade.
I've heard people say "why make anything when so and so will make it for us cheaper." Think about that statement. It is just plain nuts. What's he going to use to pay for the stuff in the future.
I don't think it is too late to turn it around. But we need to turn it around. We can't survive as a consumer nation. We need a neutral or positive balance of trade or we will eventually become a third world country. Sorry. It's the truth. There is no logical argument against what I'm saying. Only emotional ones. There are no facts to support the value of what we are doing to ourselves now. Argue away if you like. I always appreciate a good debate.
If I apply your suggestion to my European situation, do you agree that I should NOT be buying Spydercos, ZTs, Benchmades etc anymore but rather focus all my knife budget on European brands like EKA, Böker, Klötzli, Fontenille-Pataud, FKMD, Maserin etc who after all also make great knives? Because that's the flipside of the protectionist/free trade coin.
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