using lone wolf as an example,the harsey T1 is listed at $130, the T2 is slightly larger and $200, the T3, larger again and $300. all 3 are of the same materials and construction. the amount of addtional materials (steel, etc.) can only account for a few dollars, so why the increase in price of $70 for the T2 and $170 for the T3 as the amount of time and skill in making and finishing is the same ? are the smaller knives not as well made, or the larger ones "over priced" ? similar examples exist with other manufacturers.
-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is available! Price is $250 ea (shipped within CONUS).
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/
folder size vs. price
- Thread starter rprocter
- Start date
Well, according to the Lone Wolf website the T-1 in G-10 and the T-2 with zytel scales both go for the same MSRP of 129.99. The T-2 that goes for 240 dollars MSRP isn't just bigger in size. It has Titanium liners where the T-1 and the other T-2 have stainless steel liners. That's a difference in material that is going to cause a bit of a price jump. According to the website all T-3s come with Ti liners as well. I'm not sure of the 60 dollar jump in the MSRP of the T-3 versus the T-2 with Ti liners but the reason for the jump between the T-1 and the more expensive version of the T-2 is the different liner material.
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2005
- Messages
- 2,150
Nobody is holding a gun to anyones head making them buy any particular knife.I am not a knife maker so I don't know if it is harder to do grinds or whatever on a larger knife.If I like and want a certain knife,if I can afford it I will buy it.It all depends on how much you want something IMHO.
my reason for the question is that i am somewhat obssesed with knives and want to understand everything about them. i do not choose a knife on price but on style, size, steel, blade shape, etc. that i think will suit certain functions. ergonomics is important too, then aesthetics. basically i was looking for reassurance that a smaller knife in a series, if significantly cheaper, is still just as well made and finished.
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2006
- Messages
- 20,593
Online you can get all of those models well under 200 shipped, if you look about a bit. So, the retail price is vastly inflated and I'd say the knives go out the factory to the distributors for well less than half that.
It's been explained to me that longer blades, with their corresponding higher labor time, are harder to get right without flaws than a short blade.
In other words, for the maker, getting 4 inches of blade perfect is twice as hard as two inches, and double the loss. So he works the longer blades with more care than a two inch. More labor.
So they are higher.
In other words, for the maker, getting 4 inches of blade perfect is twice as hard as two inches, and double the loss. So he works the longer blades with more care than a two inch. More labor.
So they are higher.
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2007
- Messages
- 24
A liner sized piece of titanium would cost about 5 bucks. I have a square foot of it I got for $40. And the difficulty in manufacturing titanium comes in when you do anything with it that will create titanium dust (I don't know how they cut knives out of steel sheets so I don't know if this actually proves titanium isn't hard for them to use, as it probably is) but titanium isn't magical or anything. I cut it with tin snips.
- Joined
- Sep 5, 2006
- Messages
- 20,593
Physical
A metallic element, titanium is recognized for its high strength-to-weight ratio.[6] It is a light, strong metal with low density that, when pure, is quite ductile (especially in an oxygen-free environment),[18] lustrous, and metallic-white in color. The relatively high melting point (over 1,649 °C or 3,000 °F) makes it useful as a refractory metal.
Commercial (99.2% pure) grades of titanium have ultimate tensile strengths of about 63,000 psi, equal to that of steels alloys, but are 45% lighter.[5] Titanium is 60% heavier than aluminium, but more than twice as strong[5] as the most commonly used 6061-T6 aluminum alloy. Certain titanium alloys (e.g., Beta C) achieve tensile strengths of over 200,000 psi (1.4 GPa). [19] However, titanium loses strength when heated above 430 °C (800 °F)[5]
It is fairly hard (although by no means as hard as some grades of heat-treated steel) and can be tricky to machine due to the fact that it will gall if sharp tools and proper cooling methods are not used. Like those made from steel, titanium structures have a fatigue limit which guarantees longevity in some applications.[20]
The metal is a dimorphic allotrope with the hexagonal alpha form changing into the body-centered cubic (lattice) beta form at 882 °C (1,619 °F).[5] The heat capacity of the alpha form increases dramatically as it is heated to this transition temperature but then falls and remains fairly constant for the beta form regardless of temperature.[5]
A metallic element, titanium is recognized for its high strength-to-weight ratio.[6] It is a light, strong metal with low density that, when pure, is quite ductile (especially in an oxygen-free environment),[18] lustrous, and metallic-white in color. The relatively high melting point (over 1,649 °C or 3,000 °F) makes it useful as a refractory metal.
Commercial (99.2% pure) grades of titanium have ultimate tensile strengths of about 63,000 psi, equal to that of steels alloys, but are 45% lighter.[5] Titanium is 60% heavier than aluminium, but more than twice as strong[5] as the most commonly used 6061-T6 aluminum alloy. Certain titanium alloys (e.g., Beta C) achieve tensile strengths of over 200,000 psi (1.4 GPa). [19] However, titanium loses strength when heated above 430 °C (800 °F)[5]
It is fairly hard (although by no means as hard as some grades of heat-treated steel) and can be tricky to machine due to the fact that it will gall if sharp tools and proper cooling methods are not used. Like those made from steel, titanium structures have a fatigue limit which guarantees longevity in some applications.[20]
The metal is a dimorphic allotrope with the hexagonal alpha form changing into the body-centered cubic (lattice) beta form at 882 °C (1,619 °F).[5] The heat capacity of the alpha form increases dramatically as it is heated to this transition temperature but then falls and remains fairly constant for the beta form regardless of temperature.[5]
- Joined
- Mar 19, 1999
- Messages
- 2,278
Supply also figure into some of the cost as well. Some of the more high end steels are produced in certain quantities to supply all of industry, not just the small cutlery industry. So, if a particluar steel is in high demand, it will drive the cost up, especially for smaller demand industry like knives. Titanium was recently being bought up in massive quantities by China and other nations, thus impacting the cost knife companies have to pay to get it in the dimensions they want.
Example - When Camillus first started making the Madd Maxx, the first knives had Ti that was .150" thick. However, due to the lack of supply of that dimension, they produced the Maxx in .125". They just couldn't get enough .150 for their production needs.
Example - When Camillus first started making the Madd Maxx, the first knives had Ti that was .150" thick. However, due to the lack of supply of that dimension, they produced the Maxx in .125". They just couldn't get enough .150 for their production needs.
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2006
- Messages
- 44,492
Ti is a bit scarce these days. Boeing and Airbus both have big new build programs (787 & A380) plus all their ongoing production. Aircraft manufacturers are qualifying mill sources in China and Russia because domestic sources of Ti cannot keep up with demand. (Go tell that to the threaders who won't buy Chinese knives. 
)
So supplies are scarce and prices are high.
) So supplies are scarce and prices are high.