Busse knives really worth the bux ?

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Actually he did say that "knives, generally speaking, are poor investments." Providing the "he" we're talking about is Codger, of course. :)

There's a reason why speculation in the knife world is not as prevalent as in some other industries. It's because the risk is high and the payout typically low. It's important to look at knives not as a financial investment but as a tool of certain intrinsic functional value that bears a cost of acquisition. It's not playing the stock market--it's buying something that cuts stuff.
 
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Here are the facts:
He had a Busse for free, simply by putting the money aside while he used it.
The mid-priced knives that you purchase and use up can only be categorized as an expense.
Now most knives last a long time, sometimes generations, and you may use a knife and recover perhaps 50% of its value on the used market.

But the argument can been put forth that the true cost of owning a Busse knife can't be assessed until after it is again sold,
a characteristic peculiar to the Busse brand.
 
The guy had and used the tool for a decade and then sold it for a profit even when adjusting for inflation. Bad investment...?:confused:

However, Scrapyards are where it's at IMO. Res-c is shock absorbing and insulating and feels awesome. It also lightens the blade up putting my 711 at the same weight as a BK2. 52100 is an awesome knife steel as well. I personally wont shell out the money for a Busse but a Scrapyard with res-c is one of the best buys I've made. With sheath and a thinned out compound edge put on by Gossman(really the only complaint is thick edges but easily remedied), it's half the price of a Busse all in and I'll bet is far superior in every way but corrosion resistance. Well worth the investment.
 
Maniacal Pete said:
The mid-priced knives that you purchase and use up can only be categorized as an expense.
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I don't know about you, but I have never once "used up" a knife. All of mine are still in phenomenal functional condition, as I avoid over-sharpening. They might have some cosmetic wear on them, but that's about it. :shrug:

Again, it all comes down to a case of "is it worth it to YOU." We all have our reasons for why or why not. I'm mostly playing devil's advocate here because this is an interesting discussion. :)

Shotgun said:
The guy had and used the tool for a decade and then sold it for a profit even when adjusting for inflation. Bad investment...?:confused:
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According to my quick off-the-cuff calculation it appreciated 1.82% per year. So a little better than a 10-year government bond at the present rate. But given the low investiture comparatively speaking it's a long time to wait to make about 50 bucks.
 
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Maniacal Pete said:
The mid-priced knives that you purchase and use up can only be categorized as an expense.
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FortyTwoBlades said:
I don't know about you, but I have never once "used up" a knife. All of mine are still in phenomenal functional condition, as I avoid over-sharpening. They might have some cosmetic wear on them, but that's about it. :shrug:
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Why are you quoting me out of context? :confused:

I also said in the next sentence:
Maniacal Pete said:
Now most knives last a long time, sometimes generations, and you may use a knife and recover perhaps 50% of its value on the used market.
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FortyTwoBlades said:
I'm mostly playing devil's advocate here because this is an interesting discussion. :)
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Ah, ok. ;)
 
Maniacal Pete said:
Why are you quoting me out of context? :confused:

I also said in the next sentence:
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Not quoting you out of context--just stating that I've personally never used up a knife and that I'm not even close to the point of doing so. I buy my stuff without the intention to resell because I'm investing in the utility of the tool, not the financial return it might provide me. It's a difference of perspective and intention. This gets back to my original point of how we all have our own reasons for buying what we buy. :)
 
Clearly this is a heated topic - 5 pages of meanderings. I hope it doesn't devolve into fan-boyism and name calling....
 
Things have stayed pretty civil so far, so I think it'll continue that way. At least I hope it will. :)

Another fun figure regarding the investment aspect. Glockboy was effectively paid $0.385 per month in today's dollars by his decade of Busse ownership.

The big question for me, though, is whether or not the eventual sale of the item in question then means a "functional loss" to the individual. Since I usually make my tool purchases in a way that complement or rounds out what I already have, expanding my range of possible accomplishable tasks, a loss of a tool means that I've also lost that niche aspect of function. If I no longer require that tool's function then maybe that's a good thing to sell it--but I like to keep growth in that aspect positive.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Not quoting you out of context--just stating that I've personally never used up a knife and that I'm not even close to the point of doing so. I buy my stuff without the intention to resell because I'm investing in the utility of the tool, not the financial return it might provide me. It's a difference of perspective and intention. This gets back to my original point of how we all have our own reasons for buying what we buy. :)
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Agreed, for example, I and my staff have "used up" countless knives.

Just like any other knife that I buy for personal pleasure, and there have been many;
I purchase Busses because I am ultimately compelled from my heart to do so, and for no other reason.

Also, about collecting; you don't do it with some investment goal in mind, you collect
what you love. If you are lucky you will come out even in the end, big deal.

That said, Busses are still worth the bux, even used, because they hold their value.


.
 
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Maniacal Pete said:
Agreed, for example, I and my staff have "used up" countless knives.

Just like any other knife that I buy for personal pleasure, and there have been many;
I purchase Busses because I am ultimately compelled from my heart to do so, and for no other reason.


.
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Ah... a compulsion. This I understand. :) Is there a reason you don't equip yourself and your staff with Infi knives to end the "use-up-and-replace" cycle?
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
According to my quick off-the-cuff calculation it appreciated 1.82% per year. So a little better than a 10-year government bond at the present rate. But given the low investiture comparatively speaking it's a long time to wait to make about 50 bucks.
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The thread is about a brand of knives being worth it. A decade of use to sell it at a profit? In 10 years how much will a used 40 dollar condor be worth? 10 bucks maybe? In the realm of knives, it's a good investment.
 
This is my personal take on it. Are Busses worth the cost no in my eyes they are not. Are Swamp Rats worth the cost yes in my eyes they are. I do not think a Busse is worth the cost difference over a Swamp Rat. I feel this way for one reason and one reason only in my eyes Swamp Rats are geared toward working knives and Busses are ment to look cool. For me I would take 52100 (SR101) over INFI any day of the week.


Again this is only the way I look at Busse knives.
 
I have quite a few knives that originally sold fo $20 as much as 46 years ago that I could sell today for over ten times that tomorrow. They are not Infi, by the way. Can anyone show me their 46 year old Infi knife? No? Didn't think so!

Yes, I am going to pick and nudge and pull chains. All in good fun I hope you know. Buy what you like because you like it. Not because someone else does and not because you expect it to be a good investment. Use it or don't, however you like.
 
If you like the designs, go for it.:)
My Busse didn't sell me on the suposed super steel, but the handle erginomics were spot on (Game Warden).
My dad carries it every so often now, and he sure liked getting it as a gift.:thumbup:
 
stabman said:
If you like the designs, go for it.:)
My Busse didn't sell me on the suposed super steel, but the handle erginomics were spot on (Game Warden).
My dad carries it every so often now, and he sure liked getting it as a gift.:thumbup:
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You... had one and liked it so well you gave it away? Wait... :D
 
Codger_64 said:
I have quite a few knives that originally sold fo $20 as much as 46 years ago that I could sell today for over ten times that tomorrow. They are not Infi, by the way. Can anyone show me their 46 year old Infi knife? No? Didn't think so!

Yes, I am going to pick and nudge and pull chains. All in good fun I hope you know. Buy what you like because you like it. Not because someone else does and not because you expect it to be a good investment. Use it or don't, however you like.
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I think that many of us old codgers have stuff like that. I bought a used Randall #1 in 1967 for $25. I sold it 5 years ago for $900. I bought a lot of Randalls for $20 to $25. That was a lot of money in the 1960s.

However, I am wondering what the point of this thread is. I suspect that it's purpose is to bash Busse knives and I don't really understand that kind of thinking. No one HAS to buy a Busse or any other
brand of knife. I bought an Esee 4 and didn't like it. I bought a Becker BKT-2 and didn't like it. I bought Busse Ergos and didn't like them. So what?
 
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