Customization that costs more than the knife? Why?

Comeuppance

Comeuppance

Fixed Blade EDC Emisssary
Joined
Jan 12, 2013
Messages
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This is something I keep seeing on forums and eBay - customized knives or custom scales for knives that cost more than the knife itself. Custom G10 scales for the Cryo or Tenacious... At $40+ for the scales alone? I've seen customized versions of both of those models go for over 80 bucks. Seriously? I could get a S30V Spyderco for that much.

I don't get it. People are dropping 70+ on 8Cr13MoV knives. To me, that's like buying a regular toothbrush for 100 bucks just because someone put a custom handle on it. Yeah, it looks nice, but you could get a really nice electric one that will last longer for the same price.
 
Easiest way to sum it up is "To each his own".

Look at it this way too.. Take the Benchmade Griptillian. Some guys spend $200 plus dollars on a knife with a premium steel blade (M4, 390, etc) over the $80 154CM blade. Same knife, different blade steel. Then they use it to cut tape on boxes or open envelopes. So why do they need a super tough steel to do that? Well, because that's what they want to do. I think lots of guys put way too much emphasis on blade steel sometimes for normal EDC stuff, but hey, to each their own.

If you have a $40 blade and want to put a $60 scale on it to make it "yours".. go for it.
 
It makes it a semi-custom knife, customized to your liking but still relatively affordable. I have not done this yet, but could see doing it with a Benchmade mini-Grip or Sequel 707.
 
I don't do folder customization, but I do it on fixed blades.
It's for fun and for my own use.
I don't sell them at all.

In my most recent customization I used a Mora blank, the laminated #311 huntingblade at rc61.
The core steel is similiar to O1 and the outher sides are lowcarbon steel, wich means it both hold the edge great and can take a bend without snapping.
That's a lot for a $10 package!

As I like Sambar Stag handles I always keep an eye on whats availible in finished knives, but the quotes start at around $220 + shipping and EU taxes.

Highland Horn in Scotland sells small Sambar Crowns for £15 each and that was too good a deal to pass.
So, with some hobbywork of my own, I made me a knife for a total of around $45 including the sheath, instead of $300.

It was fun to do and as I can carry it daily at work, the work has become a little more fun as well.

IMGP5098.jpg


Regards
Mikael
 
Customization that costs more than the knife... You mean like this?

Wilkins_Grips_551_558_800x439.jpg


Practical? No.
Cost effective? No.
Why'd I do it? Paraphrasing Mr. Wilkins -- it's taking a great knife and making it even better.
Do I regret it? Not at all. :)
 
Same reason some folks buy a $1,000 car and put $3,000 of wheels & tires on it. Would I do it? No, but to each his own.

Now I have spent an entire weekend working up nice wooden handles for a couple knives that cost less than $50 combined - so I guess I have done it, and I enjoyed it too.
 
Don't look at it as spending too much for the upgrade. Look at it as having gotten a good deal on the base knife. The alternative is to buy a custom knife with the furniture you could get, but exactly to your liking and for less money by customizing a blade you already like.

Money has nothing to do with it.
 
I suppose I hadn't considered something: Although the cheaper knife will wear faster, one can just replace it when necessary and put the custom scales on the new one.

This whole thing is based on my Tenacious - the lock is starting to wear in pretty noticeably despite not being used or opened that much. I wouldn't dream of putting custom scales on something that might wear out relatively soon, but I could just transfer scales from an old one to a new one...
 
Soetims a lock can look like it's wearing in pretty fast, but it's really just wearing in to its optimum position, and will stay there a long time.
 
Some of the carved Opinel handles are pretty cool. If you look at the hours put in to that on a cheapie blade it doesn't make sense, but then you look at them and realize you would love to have them.

Sometimes a knife is great but is just that much better with a little tweak.
 
Comeuppance said:
I suppose I hadn't considered something: Although the cheaper knife will wear faster, one can just replace it when necessary and put the custom scales on the new one.

This whole thing is based on my Tenacious - the lock is starting to wear in pretty noticeably despite not being used or opened that much. I wouldn't dream of putting custom scales on something that might wear out relatively soon, but I could just transfer scales from an old one to a new one...
Click to expand...

I agree. It is smarter to customize lower end knives. You can replace the base knife easily. Now, when you get into higher end knives, it tends to detract from the value, mainly due to warranty being void.

Take a hinderer or a sebenza, anodize it yourself, hand rub the blade? you just lost at least 20% off the regular market value.
 
Desire+money=reason

Some people really like a particular production knife but want to change something about it, either to improve it based on their personal needs or desires, or they just want to change it's appearance to suit their personal taste (like custom handle scales).

And many people simply enjoy "customizing" their knives just for the fun of it.

The knife "hobby" takes many forms. Personal finances, taste, and desire are often what fuels peoples actions regarding their "hobbies". Though I've never spent much to change a knife it makes sense to me.
 
It costs me $4 plus an hour of my time to make scales I can't see paying $80 on custom scales it's not that hard to make but finding is pretty hard with four kids.
 
The other thing is that whether the knife costs $40 or $400, the guy making the scales or whatever mod has to make a profit. That's how business works, and there's nothing wrong with that. I'm sure most of us would love to play with knives all the time and not worry about the money, but if the guy is operating at a loss just because a particular knife doesn't cost much money, he's not going to stay in business very long.
 
Well, if you know the knife is THE knife you prefer to use, then if you ever have to replace it you can transfer the scales over to a brand new knife. Same applies with sheaths and such. I like the idea of being able to immediately have what I want for present and future knives. Plus, sometimes you feel like a knife isn't quite yours until you customize it.
 
It is said a fool and his money are soon parted. some people spend way too much money on there knifes and some don't. it is there choice. people put it out there so they can sell the knife at a higher price. good for them.
 
A lot of people care more about the looks than anything else. I put custom scales on my Tenacious, but I made them myself with materials that cost me less than $4. I think it looks a little cooler now, and for $4 I'm more than happy with it. (especially for it being my first attempt :))

Custom_Tenacious.jpg


For some people, a one of a kind 8Cr13MoV knife means more than a one of a million VG-10 knife.
 
I do it because there are sometimes where to me a knife is perfect other than one small thing I dont like about it. Examples my ESEE 3 for me is the perfect backpacking knife but I didnt like the blocky feeling of the scales or the coating so I stripped the coating on the blade only and had a set of custom scales made for it. Also love the Grips but hate the scales so I had new scales made for mine.
 
The time, materials, and labor involved in the work is and should be covered financially. G10, files, sanding belts, Dremel tools, adhesive all cost money so...if there is a market for something people will supply products and try to earn money from it. Some scales are much better than others, and some people have notable skill.
 
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