Is this hobby becoming too expensive?

Buffalohump

Buffalohump

Joined
Sep 7, 2006
Messages
6,210
At the risk of sounding like a whiney old fart, I was wondering if anyone else if feeling that knives have become too expensive for words? Given that I have been collecting knives for half my life (I'm 53), it seems that prices of late are simply out of control. Kinda depressing to consider that this hobby might become too expensive to justify.

I used to be able to afford customs and then I had to drop that from consideration. Now even production knives are getting way up there. Hard to find productions under $200 these days, especially US or European companies which I prefer.

While I appreciate the use of high-end materials in knives, when it means they become much more expensive, who is winning here?

I'm kinda glad I bought what I did when I did and wish I hadn't sold so many off because there's no way I could afford to buy them now.

I should add that I live in South Africa so I'm also dealing with a weakened currency against the dollar and brutal shipping costs.
 
Last edited:
I don’t spend more than what my extra funds allow. But, then again, a few years ago I wasn’t paying $ 5.00 a gallon for gas either. Compared to everything else that’s gone up in the last couple of years, IMO, the hobby is proportional to the cost of everything else. The difference for me is that my extra funds are running low for
yet another knife. I just have to hold off until I do have the money to buy that knife that’s calling out to me. Thankfully, I’ve got more knives than I’ll ever need or use in this lifetime and I’m not selling anything due to the simple fact that I can’t replace one for the same price.
so, yeah it’s gotten out of hand in some areas.
 
The easiest thing to do is make a budget and add to it every paycheck. This works for me unless it's a sprint run knife then all hell has broken loose and I have to explain to my wife why it was so important for me to get these drops so I don't have to pay second-hand prices ☠️💀
 
Ajack60 said:
I don’t spend more than what my extra funds allow. But, then again, a few years ago I wasn’t paying $ 5.00 a gallon for gas either. Compared to everything else that’s gone up in the last couple of years, IMO, the hobby is proportional to the cost of everything else. The difference for me is that my extra funds are running low for
yet another knife. I just have to hold off until I do have the money to buy that knife that’s calling out to me. Thankfully, I’ve got more knives than I’ll ever need or use in this lifetime and I’m not selling anything due to the simple fact that I can’t replace one for the same price.
so, yeah it’s gotten out of hand in some areas.
Click to expand...
I mean you’re not wrong! I can say that the audiophile community can be a little more out of hand than knives sometimes. lol.
 
There are knives for everyone’s budget… so no, it isn’t “too expensive” unless subjectively one thinks $15 is too much for a knife. Not everyone can afford a Borka, but that doesn’t mean the hobby is too expensive… just means there are more options for people with a willingness to spend serious $$$.

I would argue that the amount of interest in the hobby has lowered prices, not increased them.. as a quality metric. For $150 you can buy a knife that will last the rest of your life. The bells and whistles are just marketing for people that demand SKU proliferation and change.
 
True

I see perspective, as the best way to explain any hobby unless one is not conscious of what they should or should not spend
 
Buffalohump Buffalohump If you've been collecting knives for half your life, you've got enough. I'm a couple years older than you; and I rarely give new knives a second glance (a lot don't even get the first). That said, I did buy one knife this year - a nice, reasonably priced piece from one of our makers.
Recently, I've been fighting the urge to buy/try binoculars. I did my homework and have a couple of mid-tiers; but I find myself wanting to try more... in the name of science, of course, so I can compare them. See which ones are better - or worse - in various situations. Luckily, I  KNOW I don't need more binoculars; and I DON'T WANT to end up with 6-10 pairs of $400-750 binoculars sitting around because I can't possibly use them all & don't want to sell them at a loss...but I'm afraid that I'll buy one late some night when I can't sleep (and maybe again some other night when I try tequila as a sleep aid and STILL can't sleep, lol).
 
Last edited:
Buffalohump said:
At the risk of sounding like a whiney old fart, I was wondering if anyone else if feeling that knives have become too expensive for words? Given that I have been collecting knives for half my life (I'm 53), it seems that prices of late are simply out of control. Kinda depressing to consider that this hobby might become too expensive to justify.

I used to be able to afford customs and then I had to drop that from consideration. Now even production knives are getting way up there. Hard to find productions under $200 these days, especially US or European companies which I prefer.

While I appreciate the use of high-end materials in knives, when it means they become much more expensive, who is winning here?

I'm kinda glad I bought what I did when I did and wish I hadn't sold so many off because there's no way I could afford to buy them now.
Click to expand...
Is it possible that knives are simply tracking inflation and your tastes are getting more expensive? It has happened to me. the knife equivalent of lifestyle creep.



I am a user, not a collector but I have knives that have been in my family for 70+ years that I rarely use.
 
who is winning here?
Click to expand...

As usual - the politicians - the ones that play us off against each other so they can stay in power and bleed us dry of our hard-earned wealth.
If they leave you anything, then the medical industry is more than happy to swoop in and grab whatever they can get away with.
Then, once they've reduced you to an empty shell with nothing left, they take the hoses off so you can just go away and let them concentrate on the next one - that has something left.
(sorry - I have a Doctor appointment today & I'm probably going to get "the long face" speech.)

There's plenty of decent knives out there for under $100 - if you just look for them. Admittedly, they are not "low hanging fruit" - that are there just for the pickings.
 
Buffalohump said:
At the risk of sounding like a whiney old fart, I was wondering if anyone else if feeling that knives have become too expensive for words?
Click to expand...

The answer is always subjective. I am glad I have more than necessary and no longer feel the need to make a purchase. Stagflation will make all hobbies more interesting. Note that other handle materials will also increase in price.
 
hhmoore said:
Buffalohump Buffalohump If you've been collecting knives for half your life, you've got enough. I'm a couple years older than you; and I rarely give new knives a second glance (a lot don't even get the first). That said, I did buy one knife this year - a nice, reasonably priced piece from one of our makers.
Recently, I've been fighting the urge to buy/try binoculars. I did my homework and have a couple of mid-tiers; but I find myself wanting to try more... in the name of science, of course, so I can compare them. See which ones are better - or worse - in various situations. Luckily, I  KNOW I don't need more binoculars; and I DON'T WANT to end up with 6-10 pairs of $400-750 binoculars sitting around because I can't possibly use them all & don't want to sell them at a loss...but I'm afraid that I'll buy one later some night when I can't sleep (and maybe again some other night when I try tequila as a sleep aid and STILL can't sleep, lol).
Click to expand...
I wish I could stay away! I kind of did for a year or two but then I thought I'd check back to see what's happening and of course I got caught up again... bought a couple of new knives from my favourites -- Spyderco, Benchmade and Cold Steel -- and now I'm hunting a fourth. But I was shocked to see how pricey stuff had gotten in the time I was away, especially customs. Time was you could get a good custom folder for $500! I won't buy anything from China so that's off the table.
 
I have found that there are Still more knives that I want.....

but either I can't find them for sale, nobody makes Them, or that I don't want to pay the Higher cost for them.
Pricing is hard to understand. Justifiably

So....... I decided to start making My Own.
Seems to be the right decision, for me. I'm Finally getting the knives that I want!
 
DMG said:
Is it possible that knives are simply tracking inflation and your tastes are getting more expensive? It has happened to me. the knife equivalent of lifestyle creep.



I am a user, not a collector but I have knives that have been in my family for 70+ years that I rarely use.
Click to expand...
I don't think so... I have owned a few high-end jobs from custom makers but anything from these guys is now strictly out of the question. Granted I had to do some fancy footwork to even land these knives to begin with but these were the days when it was possible to order direct from guys like RJ Martin and Andrew Demko. Nowadays I'm pretty much relegated to production folders and maybe a custom fixed blade once a year.
 
I’m still very new to this. But the way I see it, the highest cost seems to be in the newer, higher-end materials. But knives are still being made with yesterday’s materials, which are still as good today as they were yesterday. There’s still a lot to pick from in that range, and for a casual hobbyist like me, I don’t ever see myself exhausting that supply.
 
Everything has gone up in price. Booze had gone up a lot as well. Take a look at new cars, trucks and suv's. It's going to cost me a ridiculous amount to get another decent size SUV that has air conditioned and massaging seats. 🧐
 
I tend to think that this hobby has gotten too expensive for me at least. I have slowed down buying new knives greatly in the last couple of years. Partly because of price and partly because I look around and I have more knives than I will ever carry. I am just going to enjoy the ones that I have right now instead of acquiring more.
That is just me so have fun.

BTW: I am feeling the same way about my firearms; maybe I am just going through a phase?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top