game (whats it take to make a knife $3k)

butcher_block

butcher_block

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Dec 6, 2004
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so it was brought up on a different forum about a SS blades knife that sold for $3500 MSRP

so a MS and i joked about who could sell a 3k$ knife first


so that has me thinking
what would some one be looking for in a knife that was 2k$ +
fit and finish would have to be spot on (thats a given )

so i have my brake down in my head of what all the knife needs to do and be made of but call thins a chalange in think ing

(no Kevin no blades over 15 inch ) both i and the smith agreed that it would be easy to make a sword in the 3 k range
 
exotic materials. mosaic patterened damascus steel blade, gold inlays, stuff like that.

Or just do like Mr. Bump and make it shoot bullets too!
 
It depends on the maker. Some makers get two to three thousand dollars (or more) for basic knives, while other makers would have to use premium materials to be able to charge those kinds of prices.
 
I agree with Keith. You have to have the name recognition and the reputation to back it. No one will pay somebody $3000 for a knife if they've no idea who the maker is or their quality of work unless there is substantial materials cost invested and a well documented build process with high quality photos.

That's not to say that there aren't smiths with much much less name recognition who can dance circles around fellas selling $3000 knives. But, without that recognition, they likely won't be selling knives for the same price.

If you wanted to sell a knife for that much without going through the trouble of building a brand recognition, I'd recommend getting a bunch of people with too much money together and too big of egos, serving entirely too much alcohol, and then try auctioning the knife. ;)

--nathan
 
I have seen a Loveless knife go for $15k on ebay. I think the buyer was from Japan, which implies the demand in foreign markets. The Japanese are facinated with American culture and Robert Loveless is an american icon. If you want to talk materials , Many of Phil Hartsfields knives have sold in the $2-3 k price range. He uses A-2 tool steel ,single bevel grind , rarely goes beyond a 60 grit finish and cord wrapped handles. The knives are crude looking compared to a Loveless( but equally effective for their use) . Differant strokes for differant folks ?
 
Making a $3,000 knife, and SELLING one are two different things eh? ;) :)

I feel it's much more about name recognition and style than anything else. For an example Steve Johnson can easily sell a fairly simple piece for $3k.

The demographic for a $3k knife is quite narrow. If you go to a big, quality knife show, there are probably a couple hundred people that come through the doors willing to buy a $300 knife...maybe a hundred willing to drop a thousand... and maybe 1 or 2 that would spend $3k on a single knife.

I could not sell a $3k knife at this point...$2k would be a stretch for something with damascus blade and fittings, presentation ivory, etc..... $1k would be fairly average for my bigger stuff.

Interesting post Butch! :)
 
NickWheeler said:
Making a $3,000 knife, and SELLING one are two different things eh? ;) :)

I feel it's much more about name recognition and style.

The demographic for a $3k knife is quite narrow. If you go to a big, quality knife show, there are probably a couple hundred people that come through the doors willing to buy a $300 knife...maybe a hundred willing to drop a thousand... and maybe 1 or 2 that would spend $3k on a single knife.

I could not sell a $3k knife at this point...$2k would be a stretch for something with damascus blade and fittings, presentation ivory, etc..... $1k would be fairly average for my bigger stuff.

Interesting post Butch! :)
Click to expand...

agreed its a a name game or at least thats a big part
as i said i got my knife planned out but wanted to see what all other makers / collectors thought were warranting of that price point
sure i could get gold and make a 'wooden sword "
or inlay gem stones to make it easer but what fun is that
as i said its a game
after all we see knives sell for any place tween $65 and 10k
 
here is another thought
i can sell a straight razor for 300-800 bucks but cant sell a bowie for 600
how much is stule a factor for the maker

not overly hard to make a gents slippy for 1k if you are known for that type work right ?
 
butcher_block said:
here is another thought
i can sell a straight razor for 300-800 bucks but cant sell a bowie for 600
how much is stule a factor for the maker

not overly hard to make a gents slippy for 1k if you are known for that type work right ?
Click to expand...

Would'nt your mind be blown if you made two identical knives except one had a 60 grit finish ant the other mirror polished, and the 60 grit got more $
 
You may increase the price of a knife by using a steel you made yourself (reduction in a bloomery), or wootz. Everything that makes the fabrication process more difficult increase the price, it can be historical methods, like using no electric machinery but just saws, files and stones. Files working, inlayings, precious materials, etching, engraving are also way to justify a higher price.

I guess that if you do Tamahagane yourself, forge the knife in the same manner than the purest ancient katanas, make the grind on stones, engrave a dragon on the blade, inlay complex patterns in mother of pearl, gold and silver in rare burl or mamouth scales, your knife will certainly already cost a lot more than 3500$.

There's a french knifemaker whose goal seems to be making the most expensive knives. He makes his own steel, he's a master in damas, and use sometimes very rare materials. A remember 7000E knife (more than 10000$) that had a meteroite as butt pommel, with carved mamouth scales.
 
we had also agreeed thatn scrim and or ingravign would not have to be done in house
but the steel making (dammy in this case was by hand )

that last part kills me cause i have to steel time at dekers shop to build the blade steel bar for the planed knife (that part myst be forged by the maker

truely all but a little bit must be done in house to count ( while no hard rules have been set ) its a gents game :)
 
butcher_block said:
that last part kills me cause i have to steel time at dekers shop to build the blade steel bar for the planed knife (that part myst be forged by the maker
Click to expand...

You know you're always welcome here Butch....especially if I get to laugh at your grit-eater attempts at forging :D

I agree that name recognition comes into play, as does having an established customer base who are collecting your knives. For all but the most recognized makers, premium materials and finish will be required to hit the kind of prices we're talking about.

Butch does bring up an interesting point in his comparison of straight razors to Bowies though. How much does a niche market play into premium pricing?

-d
 
But making straight razor requires experience and savoir-faire. Here, in Thiers, where i live, there is still a factory that make traditionnal straight razors, the last carbon steel straight razors factory in Europe in fact, each one is hand ground on small wheels, and then polished. And though there is much hand work, they're not so expensive, about 150$ for the cheaper with nylon "handle". Many industrial knives without any handcraft are sold this price.
 
I think straight razors go for much more, in the case of Thiers-Issard and yours Butch, because of the simple rule of supply and demand.

How many straight razor makers do you know? I don't think I can name 10.
How many Bowie makers do you know?
 
Some Mammoth Ivory, a little German Silver, about 5 pounds of 15N20 and 5 pounds of 1080 with a lot of time.
 
JBS TOOLMAKER said:
Would'nt your mind be blown if you made two identical knives except one had a 60 grit finish ant the other mirror polished, and the 60 grit got more $
Click to expand...

If those knive were made identical in every way except one had the maker's mark and one didn't I would be the marked knife would sell for more 99.999 times out of 100.
 
Interesting question. What does it take?

Premium materials,

Top notch fit and finish,

Very good design,

And many years for knifemaking, promotion and slowly raising your prices.

Can't be done overnight....
 
Don Hanson III said:
Interesting question. What does it take?

Premium materials,

Top notch fit and finish,

Very good design,

And many years for knifemaking, promotion and slowly raising your prices.

Can't be done overnight....
Click to expand...

the not overnight being the key i think
but the style of blade for that maker
be it what the maker is well known for or maybe a one off that that maker might make jsut a handful of in there life time

i know for me i would best be served making a kitchen knife or razor with all top of the line parts
a flagship of sorts (other way to put it is table candy for a show)
 
Hello:

Ok I am a more or less "no body" and quite a few of my knives go for 2500 to 3500 in the laminated stuff.. I do not do any "knife shows" per sey and only one "craft show" per year and that keeps me very, very busy coupled with the orders and other things I do through my website.

If you put out a good product, then folks will pay what THEY think it is worth. It really comes down to educating the public and what they percieve is "value for their $$$"...

NVHammerHead
 
Interesting question. What does it take?

Premium materials,

Top notch fit and finish,

Very good design,

And many years for knifemaking, promotion and slowly raising your prices.

Can't be done overnight....
__________________
Don Hanson III
Click to expand...

I agree that all of the above are necessary, but I think that name recognition is the key. In general when you spend $3k and up on a knife, you are usually buying from one of the better known makers.

Jim Treacy
 
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