Custom maker prices

I think there is MUCH wisdom in this thread. I think some opinions are relevant to how much time people actually spend USING thier knives. I know i don't use mine as much as would like to because life happens. Most people just want a good Heavy Duty knife that will NOT fail when they need it most. Most of us are on a blue collar budget or less. Therefore we tend to want a blue collar knife-car-house- ect... We all pretty much envy those that can drive Ferrari's & such, it's just that we all don't, but we sure wish we could.
 
That is a good observation Twinstick.
I have never understood people buying a million dollar car either ..lol
I look at some of those cars and say " Holy crap that's nice" but even if I had the money the expense seems crazy to me.
Don't get me wrong I have my things that if I were rich people would probably look at me and say "why does he buy that crap?" so I guess that I do understand ..lol
 
Yeah no flame fest here....Im all smiles today suprisingly....:)

Alot of factors go into these things and its hard to lump em in together. When we try, you are gonna ruffle some feathers. Especially when its what "art" is worth in dollars. Thats up to the artist. I know nobody here is really doggin custom makers prices, but Ive seen it go that way before, and I think that isnt classy. My wife is an oil painter and sculpter, and i do woodworking and leather. So Im a bit biased in the judging art conversations. Ask my kiddos art teacher........;)

Good stuff guys.
 
I enjoyed reading what you all had to say. Very valid points from all.

This can be summed up by saying: "Shit is worth what people will pay for it."
 
TwinStick said:
I think there is MUCH wisdom in this thread. I think some opinions are relevant to how much time people actually spend USING thier knives. .
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Ok, so if you buy an expensive custom knife you dont use it? Or is it the other way.....Im confused.....

One could say, well with that cheap knife you must not use it enough or it would shatter, or one could say If you spend that much on a knife you must not spend enough time using it to know its not worth it.

No flaming, im just interested in your thoughts...
 
I've been reading this thread since the beginning and finally realized what I could add to it. I think the availability of the knife maker adds to the value. hear me out, I have had only a handful of customs, bought from makers here with my most expensive being $200 from bill akers. Since that is on the low side price wise compared to what your talking about I may be wrong, but I think that the fact that you can actually talk to the guy who made your knife, that adds a huge increase in the value in my book. Productions have people behind desks that answer your questions, not the guy grinding your knife. That sort of personal experience can be priceless when it comes to getting your knife the way you want it. Whether it be $100 or $1000. The problem we all see with productions is there is ALWAYS a flaw, something we wished that would be different, but with a custom order that's not the case. Forget per hour rates and materials cost, a good custom is only worth it because it EXACTLY what your looking for, whether you use it or not.

Now I wouldn't spend that much on a knife ever, but if its what the people want, and someones willing to pay for it, well the maker earned his dinner.
 
DerekH said:
I don't think I have even seen a $2,000 knife before. Even online. I suppose there are some that are covered in crystals and diamonds and weird stuff, in which case the materials would make up the cost. Materials can cost a lot. Crazy old mammoth tooth/bone/boogers coupled with gold and silver and rubies and such, and then toss some hardcore engraving on top of it, that would jack the price up pretty good I would think. Anyone got a link to a $2,000 knife? I would like to see one.
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http://arizonacustomknives.com/products/index.php?id=16857


strider has some very pricey knifes in the custom class, i dont see it anymore but he had a like 4k dagger that was supposedly machine gun turret damascus or made from barrel steel or something? LOL
 
j williams said:
Ok, so if you buy an expensive custom knife you dont use it? Or is it the other way.....Im confused.....

One could say, well with that cheap knife you must not use it enough or it would shatter, or one could say If you spend that much on a knife you must not spend enough time using it to know its not worth it.

No flaming, im just interested in your thoughts...
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First off, i think you are reading too much into what i said but:

My thought at that moment was, someone who is using thier knife, as a tool (working, cutting, chopping, batoning), everyday, in the great outdoors, would have a MUCH more acurate opinion/description of said knife, (whether it be a production mass produced one or a custom, one of a kind megabuck one). Most of us are just "weekend warriors" so to speak, when it comes to useing the hell outta our knives. So we can only give a description of a knife based on our limited use. During extreme or extended use, is when you really learn what works & what don't & what's better & what's not & why. So, maybe a production knife is plenty good for most of us, but someone who uses thiers day in & day out in a hard manner, MAY---& i do mean MAY, benefit more from & be able to actually see/feel/tell the difference of a high dollar custom. Most of us can not. For most of us, if it shaves hair & paper then it is plenty sharp enough & if the edge lasts the weekend/outing, then it holds an edge well enough. My knives are users, with the exception of 1---so far, & i think that too will change, to all users soon. My income/lifestyle does not allow me to buy knives as art & my wife is probably thankfull for that ! In my mind, a knife has a purpose, to cut/chop/stab/slash things. Mine seem to do all of that well enough for me. A "cheap knife" is a relative term. My Beckers/KaBars/Tops-Buck/Ontario/Gerber knives are not a "cheap knife" to me. They may be to others. There are "cheap knives", & then there are excellent inexpensive knives. I try to get the latter not the former.

No flaming intended, those were my thoughts.
 
To answer your clarified question, from a pure performance perspective, I think you can get all the performance you need for $200-$300. Less, if you don't mind small differences in performance. Above $300, I think you can increase performance but it's not a big deal relative to the rising cost of the knife. That's for a typical camp knife. For a bigger knife, you might pay more. So, in my book, you can get a decent knife for $75, and an excellent knife for $200-$300.
 
TwinStick said:
First off, i think you are reading too much into what i said but:

My thought at that moment was, someone who is using thier knife, as a tool (working, cutting, chopping, batoning), everyday, in the great outdoors, would have a MUCH more acurate opinion/description of said knife, (whether it be a production mass produced one or a custom, one of a kind megabuck one). Most of us are just "weekend warriors" so to speak, when it comes to useing the hell outta our knives. So we can only give a description of a knife based on our limited use. During extreme or extended use, is when you really learn what works & what don't & what's better & what's not & why. So, maybe a production knife is plenty good for most of us, but someone who uses thiers day in & day out in a hard manner, MAY---& i do mean MAY, benefit more from & be able to actually see/feel/tell the difference of a high dollar custom. Most of us can not. For most of us, if it shaves hair & paper then it is plenty sharp enough & if the edge lasts the weekend/outing, then it holds an edge well enough. My knives are users, with the exception of 1---so far, & i think that too will change, to all users soon. My income/lifestyle does not allow me to buy knives as art & my wife is probably thankfull for that ! In my mind, a knife has a purpose, to cut/chop/stab/slash things. Mine seem to do all of that well enough for me. A "cheap knife" is a relative term. My Beckers/KaBars/Tops-Buck/Ontario/Gerber knives are not a "cheap knife" to me. They may be to others. There are "cheap knives", & then there are excellent inexpensive knives. I try to get the latter not the former.

No flaming intended, those were my thoughts.
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Awesome. Great post man. I totally agree with ya.
 
Silverthorn,

Normally I would not try and justify the cost of one of my products in comparison to a production model with similar design features. But since you mentioned me personally I’ll jump in. The Estwing hatchet is a fine product and I am certain many are put to good use in the field. I have one strapped to my tractor roll bar that comes in handy when needed. The construction is tough and I don’t worry about it breaking like I do with a traditional “through the eye” wood handle style axe. It’s a little heavy to carry on a belt for me and is one of the reasons I make my axes the way I do. So why do mine cost 10 times more? I can’t say how Estwing arrives at their selling price. I don’t even know if they are American made or imported. I do know how much it takes to make my axes and I price them accordingly. I do not price items based on what the market will bear.
When I set up a new product I do time studies on each production operation. I was a production supervisor in industry prior to moving to making knives full time in 1988. There are about 31 individual steps in making one of my axes and I know the time, material and the major supplies it takes to do each step. To each step I add overhead based on past years profit and loss statements, a percentage to cover unavoidable delays (machine break downs, material problems, etc.) Then I add the percentage of profit I feel is necessary to make a living and stay in business.
I am a small business with very limited production. Most of the work that goes into my products is from my hands. I have 2 part time employees with Winkler Knives II that help a lot and I hope develop the skills necessary to take on more responsibilities so I can move to new products and my one of a kind forged knives.
So are Winkler Knives II axes enough better to justify the cost? That is up to the individual and how much balance, weight reduction, materials, style and custom features are worth to them. For me, to carry on the tractor or throw under the seat of my truck, no. But to carry and at times if I had to stake my life on the performance, yes.
Please let me know if you have any specific questions. I’ll do my best to help.

Daniel
 
I've been following this thread for a while, and I've been wanting a winkler 2 tomohawk since I first laid eyes on one. I can't justify the purchase personally, but I would like to own one. After reading Mr. Winkler's post it hit me like a ton of bricks.....
Winkler/Becker collaboration tomohawk!!!!pretty please

Pardon the yelling, but I just got really excited.
 
slapper said:
I've been following this thread for a while, and I've been wanting a winkler 2 tomohawk since I first laid eyes on one. I can't justify the purchase personally, but I would like to own one. After reading Mr. Winkler's post it hit me like a ton of bricks.....
Winkler/Becker collaboration tomohawk!!!!pretty please

Pardon the yelling, but I just got really excited.
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That would be AEWSOME for sure. I'd have to save up for a whole year for one, but i bet it would be awesome.
 
I'm really contemplating a Gossman 5" Tusker.

great looking knife with great quality. all for around $400.00 thats not a high price for a custom like that
 
LMAO, just a thought & a question: are we all at different spots on the same road to knife nirvanna ? It seems that sometimes we are, does'nt it. See you down the road ! LOL
 
@ DWinkler

I think your knives and axes are absolutely beautiful, and I have never heard a bad thing about your work, only rave reviews.
I really shouldn't have used one of your axes as an example because your work isn't really what I was referring to, It was just one of the easiest examples to know that people would recognize the name and have experience with your work.
I used one of your axes because I want one ..lol and I was trying to find out if I could talk myself into the expense.
As I have said in a few posts on this thread there are a few things that If I had the money I would buy, your work, Fallkniven, and Busse as well are 3 of the high end brands that I think are priced based on how fine they are and If I could afford to buy them and use them I would.

Thank you for your post and the offer to talk, I may take you up on it.
Your post reflects a clear understanding of what my thread intended, but I do hope you didn't take anything that I posted in the wrong way.
I am a big fan, BIG FAN.

Silverthorn
 
mrdavidross321 said:
http://arizonacustomknives.com/products/index.php?id=16857


strider has some very pricey knifes in the custom class, i dont see it anymore but he had a like 4k dagger that was supposedly machine gun turret damascus or made from barrel steel or something? LOL
Click to expand...

Here - go to this site. This guy must be loaded to stock this stuff...he's also got some VERY nice watches...

http://www.ebosshoss.com/

Here's a 44,000.00 audmar-piget dive watch: http://www.ebosshoss.com/tradewatches/ap/ap-royal-oak-offshore-survivor-chronograph-927


Here's one of his "regular" priced knives - 2500.00 kit Carson cross lock: http://www.ebosshoss.com/tradeknives/carson/kit-carson-deluxe-crosslock-1168
 
j williams said:
Have you ever made a custom knife? Alot more work and time and skill goes into it then you would think. Nothing compares to building a knife, except for building a knife. Untill youve spent the hours hand sanding and finishing you arent qualified to make any judgement on what a maker charges. I see people say, Its just a knife....A sharp piece of metal. Well, if it was just a knife, this community wouldnt be here, and you wouldnt be involved with it. A craftsman puts a ton of himself into his product. They arent just a knife. Well, PRODUCTION knives are. They lack the soul and attention to detail that a custom brings. If you dont believe me, strip a Becker or Busse and check out the attention to detail finishing the grinds. You pay more for these things to be done right. There isnt a huge or even big market of 1000 dollar plus custom blades. They are about 95% in the 200-300 dollar range. Are those too much money in your opinion too? Just curious to what you think is acceptable, and not acceptable. I laugh when people scoff at spending 300 bucks on a knife, but drive a 35000.00 truck they pay 500.00 a month for. While watching tv that costs 100+ a month on a huge 1000.00 flat panel tv. Then they wanna act high and mighty cause their blades and gear are on the cheap, and just as good(so they say)...I just think its pretty disrespectfull to be critical of a makers prices when you have no time in with the blade, have no idea how much went into the work, and have never made a knife. Its been my experiance on these forums in the past years that people like to trash whatever they dont like or understand, or cant afford. Just because you are happy with your sub 100.00 mass produced knife, doesnt mean its the same as a handmade custom from a good friend. Just as that custom will not make you a good woodsman, it sure does help when they are made by the hands of someone who knows what a good blade will do in the woods, takes pride in his name, and not some 9-5 grinder boy with a hangover from the night before, just watching the clock till its time to go home. Or worse yet a foriegn guy making next to nothing to slave away at a grinder.
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I've made a few knives and it is WORK. I totally agree with that. I just can't pay say, $300 for a custom in 10XX steel (just an example) when I can get a production in 1095 that will give 95% of the performance for 30% of the price.

My truck is 10 years old.
I don't have cable or satellite.
Oh yeah, it's a converter box on my 13 year old TV.

I spend extra money on knives. :thumbup:

When I can get away with it! LOL.
 
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