latest observation on RHKs

C

Clifford.L

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Sep 28, 2013
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I barely speaks English. Please forgive my mistakes in grammar and etc...

Not intend to pick a fight with someone. Just pure observation. I post the thread here instead of the sub forum, otherwise it will be deleted by the people there, I suspect (not absolutely sure). If it's not allowed here either, well...

I was told RHKs were known for their rarity, a big factor responsible for the $$$. One youtube channel owner claimed he spent $850 for his 3" slicer flipper, and he was happy about it. It was two years ago. Today, his model is priced at $599 on some popular dealer's website. (Sorry, not gonna spell out the name.) 3" wharnie for $549; 3.5" skinner for $599. I also noticed that these knives are not moving for weeks at the current price that would be considered ridiculously low two years ago I guess.

Is the hype finally over, or just the beginning? What's floor for XMs do you think?
 
There's no hype about Hinderer's, it's all about supply and demand. The market for Hinderer's has caught up and the pricing reflects that. There still in demand and still selling, but at reasonable prices now. Any market goes through cycles and it looks like Hinderer's is on the lower part of the cycle now. There will always be a demand for quality built knives, sometimes it seems to slow down a bit. Now is the time to take advantage of one if you want one.
 
Based on my casual observation, it does seem like RHKs have been going for lower prices vs. even a year ago. I don't have one, but I might like to get one, so I'll be keeping an eye out for the 3" XMs.
 
Ajack60 said:
There's no hype about Hinderer's, it's all about supply and demand. The market for Hinderer's has caught up and the pricing reflects that. There still in demand and still selling, but at reasonable prices now. Any market goes through cycles and it looks like Hinderer's is on the lower part of the cycle now. There will always be a demand for quality built knives, sometimes it seems to slow down a bit. Now is the time to take advantage of one if you want one.
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^^^ this. I was going to add something, but that's a great explanation.

They are exceptional knives, that are worth the money in relativity to other knives at the same price point.

Just one last thing, the prices right now reflect that there are basically only 'skinner' grinds available in 3.5, and not much other than slicer in 3 inch.

I think what's missing are 3.5 Spanto's and Slicers, and many people are waiting for more of those.
 
Thank you all for the input. I really appreciate that!

A couple more observations:

1. The price tags of CRKs and Striders are pretty solid to me. (People talk about these three together very often.) Sebenzas/SNGs have been $400ish for as long as I can recall.

2. Some of Hinderer designed ZTs are on sale too. That 0561 most of us paid for $260 is now $179. Coincidence?
 
Clifford.L said:
Thank you all for the input. I really appreciate that!

A couple more observations:

1. The price tags of CRKs and Striders are pretty solid to me. (People talk about these three together very often.) Sebenzas/SNGs have been $400ish for as long as I can recall.

2. Some of Hinderer designed ZTs are on sale too. That 0561 most of us paid for $260 is now $179. Coincidence?
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For #2, the reason for that is, ZT has released a lot of models since the 0561, it's not that new, and as production knives go, sometimes when the shine wears off the price can drop, especially if they aren't moving....
 
Strider and CRK sets the price limits to their distributors. That's why there's not a big difference in price, if any, with those two brands. Hinderer does not do that. That's why you've seen higher prices for Hinderer's in the past. Don't forget the ZT 506/561 is being discontinued, that could be the reason they're at lower prices now, although some stores are still asking the 260.00 for them
 
So... ten days after our little discussion, the price dropped again. $525 for 3" wharnie, and $549 for 3" everything else. I won't be surprised if these go $4xx in a couple weeks. Still no 3.5" models though, but probably on the way.

I understand the theories behind the posts above. It's just odd to see the price of a high end production knife on roller coaster like that of crude oil.
 
I think it's because of something more than his collaborations and that they've supplied enough knives to the market. I think it's a mixture of several things of which i won't go into because I'm tired of being on a soapbox concerning them.
 
Funny thing the $525 one is listed at $700 by another very reputable dealer. I'm not telling The Man how to do his business, but someone needs to sit down with the dealers before it's too late. While it may not affect his total margins, the chaos certainly destroyed the secondary market. For individuals who purchased these knives a while ago and tried to move them on the exchange, bad news. In the long run, it damages the brand too.
 
Clifford.L said:
Funny thing the $525 one is listed at $700 by another very reputable dealer. I'm not telling The Man how to do his business, but someone needs to sit down with the dealers before it's too late. While it may not affect his total margins, the chaos certainly destroyed the secondary market. For individuals who purchased these knives a while ago and tried to move them on the exchange, bad news. In the long run, it damages the brand too.
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I kindly disagree with this assessment.

Prices will always be determined by what people are willing to pay.
Right now RHK is going through some major growth, and availability is way above what it was even a year ago.

There are some adjustments that will continue to happen with pricing.
Right now, there isn't much out there in XM 3.5's besides the skinner grind.

As production of Spanto's and Slicers catches up later this year, the market should settle in at a more consistent price between all dealers.

You have to Remember what XM's used to cost a couple of years ago. There is still a ways to go before we stop seeing this fluctuation between dealers.....
 
They may have been more expensive in the past, but until they actually sell for msrp, i wouldnt say the market bottomed out. Also, some of the RHK authorized dealers' prices are more reasonable than others
side note- skinner grind is my absolute favorite from rhk :)
 
It makes you wonder how many people bought one of these knives simply as a way to make money. I wonder how pissed off they are seeing their investment take a plunge.
 
bodog said:
It makes you wonder how many people bought one of these knives simply as a way to make money. I wonder how pissed off they are seeing their investment take a plunge.
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Knives are like cars. Terrible investments. Anyone who "invests" in any production knife (and most customs also) expecting to make money down the road is living in a dream world. I don't include picking up currently highly sought after models and turning around immediately when Lady Luck runs your way.
 
I dont think it was hype honestly. You dont get a price bubble that big and for that long on hype alone. The hype laid with people who would pay that price, never put a scratch on it and claim it was worth every penny and that they would gladly pay double only to sell it a week later. I still think despite some of the BS people would spout from time to time that they are fine knives. And they earned their reputation as a good product. But it was only a matter of time before that bubble popped and we see a stabilization of not only the supply but the prices. With more options today than ever before on and better prices on custom and semi custom knives I think we are seeing a more even distribution of peoples spending.
 
In my eyes its a simple matter of increased production. If you qualify to buy direct you start at 385$. This is to make sure that people in the field would get their knives first, as supplies are limited. In the future those prices on the secondary market might move even closer to 385$ with production catching up.

I paid premium money for my 3" XM18 as in Germany you do not have that many options if you want a Hinderer. I bought it as I dig the design and wanted it as my daily EDC and user. I do not plan on selling it and the marks it received during my use and sharpening reflect that, which definitely impacts resale value.
 
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