Knives and Time Pieces

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PSUJoe

Joined
Mar 17, 2005
Messages
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Greetings all, I've been a member here for a while now and don't post much, well mainly because my questions and thirst for good info is usually found via search. But last night I started thinking about some of my hobbies, or addictions as some might say...specifically mechanical watches and knives.

I thought, until last night that I had an appreciation for knives and the difference between a kmart special and say a Microtech. But alas there is a new tier of luxury knives that I was completely unaware of. I found myself salivating over a direware solo v4 with the bronze anodized frame, but at over 2k...I need to think about it. This is when I started rationalizing that kind of expense with what I spend on watches. So here is the question finally.... The craftsmanship, technology, time to create fine time pieces, in my mind easily justifies spending a few thousand. What is it about some custom knives that warrants that kind of price? Educate me please.
 
My BM585, Silver Pocket Watch...wedding gift from wife back in '77...Gold "Elgin" pocket watch was my grand fathers, he carried it forever or so it seemed. Both keep good time but are drawer queens and for good reason.
Craftsmanship and quality of materials. A good knife will always work better than a cheap, crappy knife but you can always find out the time and a cheap time piece that works does the same job as an expensive time piece...can't say the same about a knife.
BM585ampPocketWatches_zpsc856d425.jpg
 
Damn, my post didn't go through. General gist:

A) 2k is an inflated secondary market price, they are under $1000 direct from the maker

B) A $2k watch is mass produced in a factory. A custom knife is built buy one guy with little to no outside help at all. To buy a hand crafted watch (not just assembled) made by one guy from scratch is going to be WAY WAY WAY more than $2000...
 
Very cool Kai! Do they still keep time? I couldn't agree more. I someday will hopefully pass along my love of knives and watches and eventually my collections down to my kids. For me, I enjoy all of my knives and watches and try to give them all time in the rotation. Carrying/wearing them is something I enjoy. I guess I wonder if I would be able to carry and use a knife that exceeded $2000 or shoot maybe even $1000. I wonder if owners of those ever let them see the light of day. Here is what has been getting the most love from me the past two weeks...

Limited Edition DOXA sub 300 T-Graph with my SNG

e23d65b3a47379aa317e0fddd4383000_zpse4c42e64.jpg
 
Both watches work perfectly and keep good time. I do not wear them but wind them now and then to keep them in good working condition.
I'm not a watch guy...plenty of ways to check the time...more than you can shake a stick at.
 
Both tell time.... same as a $20 SOG and a Sebenza (or whatever you like) which both are design as a cutting tool (even though one has better edge retention, among other things).

With watches the issue is not that they tell time (because your iphone does that), its the design and craftsmanship that goes into a mechanical movement (even if it is a watch that is not made by hand), the complications, etc. If the issue is only telling time, just use your phone or a timex or g-shock.
 
Aww yeah I know what time it is. It's Wednesday night, conditions are perfect....image.jpg
 
Scurvy092 said:
Damn, my post didn't go through. General gist:

A) 2k is an inflated secondary market price, they are under $1000 direct from the maker

B) A $2k watch is mass produced in a factory. A custom knife is built buy one guy with little to no outside help at all. To buy a hand crafted watch (not just assembled) made by one guy from scratch is going to be WAY WAY WAY more than $2000...
Click to expand...


This sums it up very well. The price you found was the secondary market price and even the secondary market prices are lower (closer to $1500-1600 for those specifications), but yes less than $1000 from Direware. A custom knife is hand crafted and hand made with many hours of hand work into making the knife. You know that knife was made by 1 or two people (depends on maker) and that the money is going to them. The invested their time into it and they usually are much better quality wise and material wise. Makers make products to precision and make it for you, it is custom. I do have a hard time carrying some of the custom knives, but I appreciate the craftsmanship and work that goes into them.
 
PSUJoe said:
(...)So here is the question finally.... The craftsmanship, technology, time to create fine time pieces, in my mind easily justifies spending a few thousand. What is it about some custom knives that warrants that kind of price? Educate me please.
Click to expand...

I own nothing like what you speak of, Joe. But it is my understanding that the same qualities in a timepiece that you've justified paying top-dollar for are the exact same in a quality knife... or anything else for that matter. There are craftmen who have dedicated their entire lives to their work and have become exceptionally skilled--they will charge accordingly.

"Legend has it that Pablo Picasso was sketching in the park when a bold woman approached him.

“It’s you — Picasso, the great artist! Oh, you must sketch my portrait! I insist.”

So Picasso agreed to sketch her. After studying her for a moment, he used a single pencil stroke to create her portrait. He handed the women his work of art.

“It’s perfect!” she gushed. “You managed to capture my essence with one stroke, in one moment. Thank you! How much do I owe you?”

“Five thousand dollars,” the artist replied.

“B-b-but, what?” the woman sputtered. “How could you want so much money for this picture? It only took you a second to draw it!”

To which Picasso responded, “Madame, it took me my entire life.”

http://37signals.com/svn/archives2/picasso_paula_scher_and_the_lifetime_behind_every_second.php

Hope this helps! :)

-Brett
 
All great responses, and I can definitely appreciate good craftsmanship. I know so little about what it takes to craft a well made knife and probably ignorantly assumed that the difference between say a Sebenza and one of these pricey customs is nominal.

I guess it is time to learn more about the innovation, process and materials instead of just enjoying the finished product.
 
PSUJoe said:
All great responses, and I can definitely appreciate good craftsmanship. I know so little about what it takes to craft a well made knife and probably ignorantly assumed that the difference between say a Sebenza and one of these pricey customs is nominal.

I guess it is time to learn more about the innovation, process and materials instead of just enjoying the finished product.
Click to expand...

One's a production knife built buy a factory, the other is made by one or two people.

The problem with custom knivese these days is they can range from one dude in his shop using nothing but a grinder, bandsaw and manual mill to a small groupd of guys CNCing almost every single piece of the knife.
 
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