Most ridiculous price you've seen on a knife?

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by See2:
Some of us buy them to collect - a long-term, expensive hobby.

There's a mystique to Emerson knives... a knock off is just that.

For me it's like a status symbol (like the Rolex was for SpecOps personnel during Vietnam). Owning a custom Emerson gets you admittance to an exclusive club - one that I want to be a member of.</font>
Click to expand...

Hobbies and interests tend to change over time for many people. Monetary needs arise. Hard for me personally to collect something that I think has a good chance of being worth 1/3 of what I paid for it in 5, 10, 20 years. Hell, I said it before and will again, I could be wrong... Emerson could rise to the Loveless level and his customs could be forever climbing in value.

Some people find Casino's to be form of entertainment worth what it costs in long term guaranteed gambling losses. Others have had statistics & probabilities courses and don't.

Mystique? For some people, sure. For me, after handling a few Emerson's at a show, what little there was went away quickly when I saw how ordinarily decent they were in quality for a $400 to $500 knife.

Status symbol? Exclusive club? Well, at least See2 is honest about his motives and desires ...

Some people carry cell phones on their belts for the same reason... loud ringer in the restaurant, and blab blab blab loudly out in public. Others think that is ridiculous and superficial and inconsiderate. "Social Plumage" I believe is what Dennis Miller calls the belt-hung cell phone. Apropos.

One other thing to consider in a carry knife... if you ever have to use it in self defense, even if you are in the right, you'll probably never see the knife again, it'll be evidence and they don't like to return that stuff even to good guys.

 
Rd-

You seem to be missing the point entirely. Take the Ferrarri analogy to heart - they are not the fastest or most technologically advanced cars in the world, and today's versions are derivative in design. Yet, assuming you were in a position to do so, you'd pay tens of thousands more for one, just because of the prancing horse emblem. Your choice to make, but a poor one based on the criteria you outlined above.

When people spend hundreds of dollars on a knife, any knife, they are paying for more than it's intrinsic value; rather, they are declaiming is value to them. It is only a difference of degree to consider $500 a reasonable price for a CQC6 but $2,000 an unreasonable one. It is not a difference in the underlying principal, which your own comments clearly indicate you are in agreement with.

Instead, you aver that Emersons are a special case. That Emersons are in a price bubble, that sales of these knives in particular are proof only of the greater fool theory, and that when "the music stops", the last buyer will have been had. But you stopped your schooling too soon - learn about other economic concepts that include the utility of goods and the personal utility of money before you pontificate. In the world of many Emerson collectors, the utility of owning one far outstrips the effort required by them to buy it. Were you a part of that world, or able to enter it, your posts would be more persuasive and sound much much less like Aesop's sour grapes.
 
"rdangerer's" specific feelings regarding Ernest R. Emerson's Customs v. Ferrari's and other items "worth" their price not withstanding . . .

Back to the intended subject at hand. I had occasion to be at the local Mall today and made the required loop through the cutlery store. Imagine my surprise to see a forth generation LCC DA. This one had the Carbon Fiber scales, Stonewashed blade and black Bolsters. While I was fondling it, I looked at the backside, to which was affixed a price of $395.00! (yes, U.S. funds)

I was so stunned, I almost dropped it. That's twice what I paid for my last LCC DA!

John
 
http://cgi.ca.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1120272477

This has to be the most outrageous price for a knife I have ever seen.
eek.gif
I know most of you don't like e-bay, but this will make you shake your head.

------------------
Dale C. Tipert aka 'wyrm'
Learn. Apply. Share.
Visit Knifeforums
 
Double post- computer fart- sorry.

------------------
"Never give a sword to a man who can't dance" (Celtic Proverb)
AKTI# A000107

[This message has been edited by Rugger (edited 03-07-2001).]
 
As far as pricing goes- we've all decided somehow what we are prepared to pay for whatever it is we want to buy. I had a friend who paid multiples of his monthly mortgage for stereo equipment that just looked & sounded silly to me. But I respected his knowledge and his passion. I have friends (and a soon to be ex-girlfriend) who lose their minds at the idea of spending $100.00 for a knife. I spent over 70,00 Deutschmark (over $50.00 then) in 1995 for a Spyderco Delica when I was living in Berlin. I had the money- I wanted the knife. I spend a minimum of $400.00 to $500.00 per year on cleats, shorts, jerseys, team dues, travel, etc. for the opportunity to let 250 lb. guys step on my face in the mud on cold, rainy Saturdays. Reasonable people would avoid that and to actually pay money for such can be rightly perceived as stupid. No arguments from me. But to me, Rugby is fun- and knives are fun. And fun isn't cheap. Simple as that. Perceived value. Period. Buy it if you want it & can afford it. Why the rancor? Folks, we're all on the same team here.
regards-
Mike

------------------
"Never give a sword to a man who can't dance" (Celtic Proverb)
AKTI# A000107
 
On the individual sale forum right now, probably a couple pages from the front, for a "JSP Prototype." However much a premium his knives get, just look at the piece for what it is. Just think about taking it to a quality manufacturer and trying to persuade them to buy your design. Think about using it to defend yourself.Calling it a knife is a major stretch of the definition in my mind. Can't believe the seller is asking $200.

redface.gif
Sorry.
redface.gif
I read the first page yesterday, but have lost my memory somewhere. Thought I was the first to point out a high Piorek (sp?). I do think some of his neck knives have a real cachet of ugliness. Liked some of his fixed blades.

Bugs

[This message has been edited by Bugs3x (edited 03-08-2001).]
 
The most ridiculous price I've seen on a knife was made by a maker already mentioned in this thread. It was a khukuri styled knife. Guess how much it cost? $2995! It didn't sell and the price got knocked down to $2495. It's still there though. It seems you guys are right, some makers creations are way too overpriced.
 
Where to begin...

First, That OJ machete is some funny stuff!

"Authentic"? What does THAT mean ?

Notice, they don't say WHAT car it was taken from, just "a car" "after the murders". So, some joker engraved a piece of junk machete as a joke, and some other loser got busted with it in his car, probably years after the murders.

On the collecting issue...

I agree with Clayton & Rdanger in a lot of respects. I would not pay $190 for a knife. I buy them to carry, admire, use, tinker with. I enjoy owning a large quantity of different styles of basic, decent production quality, like one for every pocket, every occasion kind of thing. My family & social circle (not counting BFC) is entirely unimpressed, if not creeped out, by my knife 'thing', and spending $40 on a knife would amaze a lot of people.

For a user, I think the quality of cutlery reaches a point of diminishing returns at about $50 - $75. Up to that point, you can make big gains in quality by spending more. After that, I think it's aesthetics, snobbery, just buying what makes you feel good, whatever, and I guess that's fine for whoever wants to spend the $.
 
RH, no offense but are you on crack? You can't possibly believe the highest quality is attained at less than $70. Quality continues on with price. My $140 dollar LCC is definitely higher quality than my $40 Cold Steel Voyager. It also looks better and will definitely last longer. In fact, in terms of quality $100 is just getting started.
 
Let's not get down on RH...
Give him time...
He'll see the light
wink.gif

When I first came here I used the $100 figure.
I still only buy users, though.

BTW didja see what I've got on the way
wink.gif


I remain,
Ebbtide The Reformed
 
I think the Price on a Ken Onion Custom is crazy. Not from ken himself, but from people that have them. I think Ken is almost uo there with the Emerson prices. Did you see what the Onion went for on the Arizona Custom Knives Auction. It was a $500 knife that sold for $1100. And now everone has jacked up the price. Some someone that wants a custom Ken but doesnt have alot of $$$ has to keep on dreaming.

Matt

------------------
Pain was made for the weak!
 
Nenofury, i believe his point was that after around $75 the practical quality of the knife doesn't rise in proportion to the amount of money you'd have to sink into it. Not that I don't love to sink money.
smile.gif

Take paying a mortgage on a house for instance, sometimes its worth throwing extra money in, and sometimes it won't really help you.

------------------
You could put nacho cheese sauce on it...
 
RJ-you seem a bit touchy on this subject-strike a nerve, did it?

------------------
Although it does not mindfully keep guard in the small mountain fields, the scarecrow does not stand in vain
Bukkoku
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top