Custom knife dealers ...why do we need them???

Well we're talking about apples and oranges, then.

I'd rather buy from a knifemaker that puts his quality and effort into his art; if I end up making the slightest bit of effort - so be it. I don't want to buy from only knifemakers that stand on the side of the road and shout for my attention until I stop, then hurriedly make a knife on the table behind them.

You can like your apples, and I'll like my oranges.
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+1 Dishcore...great observation.

Not all makers can provide a beautiful storefront for their prodcts. I know I cant right now....hopefully someday I can form a relationship with dealers like BHQ for my wares and thats fine too. Dealers provide benefits to both customers and makers. And as another member mentioned, if you want to skip a long wait time for a custom maker, that option comes at a premium. Yes, some can get pricey, but customers are in the market to get a good deal, dealers & makers are in it to make a profit to support our families. somewhere along the line we have to make business decisions as to how we get our products out to the consumer. I for one hope to go the dealer route in the future, as it would allow me time to focus on my skillset, craft and quality. Perhaps someday I will have a direct storefront or site as well...

Dealers are an essential part of the community for makers and consumers. Some are better than others, just like in every other industry.
 
Big_E said:
There are many dealers that provide stock photos of wood grain...many. Not sure why you thought it was directed at you based on the post. You may want to reconsider singling yourself out...odd to do.
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You sent email to us yesterday evening essentially accusing us of price gouging and suggesting that we don't help develop or promote products. So when a thread with the same topic popped up this morning I thought it might have something to do with us.

You are entitled to your opinions. But stick with opinions and skip the accusations. At any rate, I have been too aggressive and I apologize.

I'm sure this thread isn't going to sit right with many
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You called it! ;)
 
We live in a free market!
Where money can be made and honest money I will add, by maker & dealer if said parties chose to enter into such an agreement? Why does this stick in some folks throat so badly?

Some makers are just not people type personalities and might not play well with others? Dealers are the perfect avenue for them to sell their knives at what every price they and the dealer agree on. Period!

I have a site with an address, telephone number and a email, so when folks are truly interested in one of my custom knives or sharpening service they can, stop by, call me or email. If they can't do that I guess they really aren't that interested?

I personally think a shopping cart setup is for production products, custom knife dealers and other custom makers that chose to use one.
Its just not my idea of how I personally want to sell my custom work.
 
BladeHQ said:
You sent email to us yesterday evening essentially accusing us of price gouging and suggesting that we don't help develop or promote products. So when a thread with the same topic popped up this morning I thought it might have something to do with us.

You are entitled to your opinions. But stick with opinions and skip the accusations. At any rate, I have been too aggressive and I apologize.


You called it! ;)
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And that is why I sent you the email directly, and didn't post or single you out specifically in a thread. I tried to vent my frustration in general terms, and didn't want to single out any one business. I have even sent people to your site to buy knives that i knew you had, and were reasonably priced. Heck, I've bought from you too. Seeing the pricing on one specific maker (knowing how hard they, and one other dealer worked to develop their name) just set me off and the wheels in motion. There was a time everyone walked past their table and bought nothing, and one dealer bought everything they had. In any case, cooler heads prevail.

And to quote Forest Gump...."that's all I have to say about that".
 
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Hey, we all make livings one way or another. In life, we all try to make money, because everyone else is trying to take our money.

Buying and reselling knives as a "Dealer" is just one of many ways a person or company can make money. Period. They do it because they can.

If you have a problem with it, don't buy it.
 
"10?...lol....we are talking "custom" knives. Don't know of any custom maker providing 10 of any one model to one dealer, let alone 10 each to multiple dealers. If there were that many "customs" available from one maker, there wouldn't be a need for lottery at a show, would there? Don't know if dealers are even buying 10 of any one specific model of a production knife, let alone a custom"

Maybe if you could give an example of what makers you are talking about? And yea, I can think of a few makers that do 10 or 100 of the same pattern and materials. There may be some confusion with what is considered a "custom". There needs to be a term other than "custom" to designate a knife/maker that is handmade in limited quantities.

I was looking online the other day and found a Bowie being sold by Wilson Combat from a well known maker. 10 made so there is just one example. I think the selling price was 1900 or so.

I agree that if what you say is true(?, or someone) about the shows and lottery then that is not ethical. Or maybe the dealer just had an extremely good run of luck:)?
 
sirupatespecial said:
"10?...lol....we are talking "custom" knives. Don't know of any custom maker providing 10 of any one model to one dealer, let alone 10 each to multiple dealers. If there were that many "customs" available from one maker, there wouldn't be a need for lottery at a show, would there? Don't know if dealers are even buying 10 of any one specific model of a production knife, let alone a custom"

Maybe if you could give an example of what makers you are talking about? And yea, I can think of a few makers that do 10 or 100 of the same pattern and materials. There may be some confusion with what is considered a "custom". There needs to be a term other than "custom" to designate a knife/maker that is handmade in limited quantities.

I was looking online the other day and found a Bowie being sold by Wilson Combat from a well known maker. 10 made so there is just one example. I think the selling price was 1900 or so.

I agree that if what you say is true(?, or someone) about the shows and lottery then that is not ethical. Or maybe the dealer just had an extremely good run of luck:)?
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The guy that posted all of that garbage is banned. No need to even think about it now. ;)
 
spydercobenchmadekai said:
The guy that posted all of that garbage is banned. No need to even think about it now. ;)
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Dang, really. Yea, I see. Shoot, I thought they kissed and made up? Musta been something I missed....Is it a full moon or something? Folks seem a little edgy today.

Back to the question. If makers want to sell to dealers that is their business. And as for the dealers, no I don't need them. I brought them up earlier, kinda as an example and didn't get much feedback. But it seems if someone wants a Randall then it's either buy from a dealer, buy pre-owned, or wait a good, long time. I don't but does anyone think that a standard Randall piece is "custom". Is that a bad example of a "custom" maker selling to dealers?
 
Dealers also get a large amount of customs from other sources than the makers. Shows, consignment and even they are on makers lists. So if they choose to sell at the current secondary market price then it's there business.

Example Dealer travels to a knife show, pays all the expenses and wins a top makers blade. He's not required to list it for table price......He can list it for whatever they want based on the market value.

Also dealers can buy many knives from makers all at once and sometimes makers need cash fast and can't wait to sell to individuals.
 
I think custom knife dealers are needed for just starting out knife makers and for established ones as well. They are the ones traveling to shows and footing the expense so we don't have to. So if I need to pay a little more to get a knife I want.......then it's the way it is.

Also Dealers have placed long standing orders with makers before the maker became big. So Makers are still obligated to fill those orders. Just because a maker is big now doesn't mean that at one point they where not and dealers were there buying the knives and placing orders for future pick ups.

So I think custom dealers are needed. Help young makers and old makers as well.
 
waldizal said:
I think custom knife dealers are needed for just starting out knife makers and for established ones as well. They are the ones traveling to shows and footing the expense so we don't have to. So if I need to pay a little more to get a knife I want.......then it's the way it is.

Also Dealers have placed long standing orders with makers before the maker became big. So Makers are still obligated to fill those orders. Just because a maker is big now doesn't mean that at one point they where not and dealers were there buying the knives and placing orders for future pick ups.

So I think custom dealers are needed. Help young makers and old makers as well.
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Yeah, I agree, but there could be, and most likely, are some issues there as well. Like, there are several custom dealers buying several knives from several custom makers just to resell them; I wonder how much of the waiting period for custom makers is caused by the resellers? It's understandable that up and comers need to sell to custom makers to get noticed and such, but does Todd Begg, Ken Onion, Rich Hinderer, Strider, etc. and the likes really need to?
 
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jac_solar said:
Yeah, I agree, but there could be, and most likely, are some issues there as well. Like, there are several custom dealers buying several knives from several custom makers just to resell them; I wonder how much of the waiting period for custom makers is caused by the resellers? It's understandable that up and comers need to sell to custom makers to get noticed and such, but does Todd Begg, Ken Onion, Rich Hinderer, Strider, etc. and the likes really need to?
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I would like to know what dealers have inventory directly from Ken Onion or Custom makers like that.

As for Rick Hinderer, Strider and Todd Begg they sell to dealers there "midtech" not full customs.
 
Let's just use the Hinderer XM for the example. How does a person get a Hinderer XM without being a first responder or Military......they have to attend shows. Hinderer Knives does not sell directly to the public. So these dealers with XM inventory must have footed the bill to fly to these shows and purchase the knives. So for them to mark it up is understandable. Right?

Others non dealer people do the same thing. Fly to shows and try and buy or win an auction with the sole purpose to flip for cash. So why is what they do different than a dealer?


Also official price is set by the maker. Only way to get that price is to get it directly or at a show. But the mass amount of us have to buy on the secondary market and those prices are set by us the consumer.
 
I just think that Custom dealers are needed to keep the flow of knives available to the masses. If I don't like the price of there product I will just not buy.

But I truly think they are needed to keep us informed of new makers and to supply us with knives that are normally unattainable unless I fly to every show.
 
waldizal said:
But I truly think they are needed to keep us informed of new makers and to supply us with knives that are normally unattainable unless I fly to every show.
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:thumbup:

Somewhere out there on some dealers site is your Grail, that you won't have to wait for.
I have zero problems with someone that happens to deal knives.

Doug
 
Frankly I think people underestimate how much effort is required to create a functional AND slick website, and maintain it, and interact with customers, all while running the production of a business. I'm definitely not saying it's impossible--some very talented individuals do so! but I do not begrudge any artisan (of any product to be clear, not just knives) who finds it more convenient to have an intermediary do the work of selling their product. Some people enjoy interacting with customers and coming up with a truly "custom" product. Some people just enjoy the process of making things and want somebody else to deal with the business end. As dishcore said, apples and oranges.
 
Hey Charlie Mike, you are getting good!!!!

I am getting confused. Is this discussion about Dealers or Dealer's websites? I for one appreciate a well stocked dealer, especially one who has invested alot in order to have a wide variety of customs and several of the higher end brands of production knives.

Matter of fact I would be lost without knife Dealers!!!
 
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The reason custom knife dealers stick around is because custom knife makers don't want to deal with you. Customer service for single person shops is a nightmare, it can take hours of a maker's day to deal with customers, who can sometimes be a royal pain in the rear. Customers want knives made a specific way, they don't give a maker much freedom artistically or give the maker enough freedom to make the models they want to. Makers also just don't like dealing with asshats on Bladeforums, so they'd rather let the dealers take the fall.
 
waldizal said:
I just think that Custom dealers are needed to keep the flow of knives available to the masses. If I don't like the price of there product I will just not buy.

But I truly think they are needed to keep us informed of new makers and to supply us with knives that are normally unattainable unless I fly to every show.
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Yeah, I agree. I said something similar in an earlier post as well. And the Mid-techs are being sold at a higher than MSRP price, or the price given on their site or whatever. It's, of course, fair to set a slightly higher than MSRP price if they bought them at shows or something similar, but I don't think twice the "official" price is fair. A slight increase would be fair. Hinderer's cost 380$ or so, right? But they usually cost 800$ at these sites.
 
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