Not getting the pricing

A

average gimp

Joined
Jun 5, 2009
Messages
1,126
The 16 and 17 currently run fairly close in price to the 2, 10, and 22 at retail. Why aren't they priced closer to the 15's closeout price? While they're handier and easier to carry, given the price difference the larger blade makes more sense for its increased capability. My 15 is a great knife for the price I got it for. I'd like to get a 16 as well, but I don't want to pay $70 or so for what strikes me as a $45-50 knife. I'm not trying to start a flame war, but I really don't get this.
 
Prices on the entire lineup have increased (and, truthfully, knives in general).
Why should currently popular knives knives be marked down to closeout prices? That would make no sense whatsoever from a business standpoint. I mean, I get that you want a good knife for as little money as possible...but the 16 is still a bargain at it's current price.
 
Supply and demand. A few years back when Harley's were the hot thing and they had waiting lists many dealers were charging more than msrp. Now that supply caught up with demand they are more willing to deal. I paid market price for my nine and still feel it's a great value. The 4,5, and 15 are incredible values now. The only problem is now I'm thinking I need a 16. Where is that Beckers anonymous thread?
 
The 15 is a steal at the closeout prices lately. The 16 and 17 are not being closed out. I'm not sure why they're devalued simply because the other knife in the series has been clearanced. Given the materials and performance, Beckers sit at competitive price points as far as street amounts.
 
Get a pre-loved one. While you're searching and waiting to spot a deal, you'll notice how fast they resell and retain their value.

If you're persistent, you will find a deal but you'll have to move on it fast.
 
The 5, 4 and 15 are a freaking steal at the close out price.
The reason the tweeners arent sooo much cheaper than the standard line is because pricing is more about production value than materials. Yes the tweeners are smaller, but they require an equal amount of work to create, so the difference in price reflects the difference in cost of materials, but similar cost in machining and labor to craft.
 
I only have Becker's I can pick up for $45-65 ish because I've found I can get a knife from Ontario that does everything a $90 Becker does for $45-65. I'm glad that they are lowering msrp on the close outs, which is really Kabars doing and effects the JAS Potbelly and others to. The fact that the 15 and 5 are on the list is GREAT! Because others failed to see the awesomeness we get some savings!
 
I haven't purchased any full price Beckers in a while actually, as I am a somewhat price sensitive consumer, and haven't felt the need to expand my lineup.

However, compared to their competition, I don't feel that Becker knives offer poor value.

I guess I can say that I feel like they are priced fairly. Would I rather have them priced like the close-outs? Yes, yes for sure I would. Do I feel like the street value for a Becker is highway robbery? No... no I don't (MSRP... yes).

Now, housing prices, those I feel like I'm getting ripped off on, but thats an entire other ball of wax :(.
 
Longneck said:
That thread makes me feel a little better about my latest binge. I'm not sure how I went from getting one Becker to three, but I'm starting to understand why my wife has so many shoes.
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That totally cracked me up. I annoy my wife and daughter when they bring home more shoes. I say "ya know, just the other day I was thinking...you need more shoes..."

The whole Knife to shoe analogy is so true. Except every Knife I have is useful in some way, some of those shoes are just...what were you thinking?
 
so there's no much difference between a mercedes, a volvo, and a honda, but they have different price points...

you buy the honda because while you want a mercedes, the honda offers great value.

you don't get a lot of extra from buying a knife that's 10x the cost of a Becker, but people do it all the time without a care...

i often wonder why people are so obsessed with buying the good value leaders at rock bottom prices?

or maybe the phrase "closeout" is misleading?
 
The upswept blades of the 5 and 15 are great for what I use them for. For whatever reason, that style is not visually appealing to some and therefore their popularity and sales numbers apparently suffered. The blade shapes of the 5 and 15 suit many of my purposes superbly!
 
i love me some 5 and 15. have lots.

could use more. esp in stainless :D
 
SALTY said:
The upswept blades of the 5 and 15 are great for what I use them for. For whatever reason, that style is not visually appealing to some and therefore their popularity and sales numbers apparently suffered. The blade shapes of the 5 and 15 suit many of my purposes superbly!
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Because they're not trendy...
I bet if you put a big doofy hump with a giant hole in it and write "made in Japan" on the side..they'd fly out the door.
 
Don't leak out all the secrets like that! People have to figure some things out for themselves by reading these threads :D

Love me some 5 and 15. So slicey!
 
Longneck said:
That thread makes me feel a little better about my latest binge. I'm not sure how I went from getting one Becker to three, but I'm starting to understand why my wife has so many shoes.
Click to expand...




If you're anything like me you just bought all 3 and are considering duplicating that order to have a spare one of each... Yea I think I'm past the point of no return
 
Having done some research since I first posted, I remain unconvinced. The best I saw a BK16 going for was the low $60s, but at least one of Ka-Bar's listed dealers was selling the BK7 for $76, only $6 more than I was seeing the BK16 on the bookstore site. Given such small price differentials I'm surprised any BK16s or BK17s are selling at all (for the record, Guyon, I know those two aren't being closed out). I just don't see the design and performance level matching the pricing when the larger, more widely capable knives can be had for so little more.

Of course, I also saw one of Ka-Bar's listed dealers demanding $60 for tweener micarta scales, and something like $160 for a BK3. Apparently they really don't wanna sell any Beckers, or only bought one set and are too busy using them.
 
Labor, tooling, marketing, shipping are the things that determine the cost of a knife. A few extra inches of steel and grivory make little difference in cost, probably much less than $7. That is the way the world works or a honda would cost "billions". Mwuhahaha.
 
average gimp said:
Having done some research since I first posted, I remain unconvinced. The best I saw a BK16 going for was the low $60s, but at least one of Ka-Bar's listed dealers was selling the BK7 for $76, only $6 more than I was seeing the BK16 on the bookstore site. Given such small price differentials I'm surprised any BK16s or BK17s are selling at all (for the record, Guyon, I know those two aren't being closed out). I just don't see the design and performance level matching the pricing when the larger, more widely capable knives can be had for so little more.

Of course, I also saw one of Ka-Bar's listed dealers demanding $60 for tweener micarta scales, and something like $160 for a BK3. Apparently they really don't wanna sell any Beckers, or only bought one set and are too busy using them.
Click to expand...
People want different knives for different tasks. Most of us HAVE a BK-9 and use it when out in the sticks. But when we are around town we can't carry it. However a BK-16 gives us the same peace of mind that the BK-9 give us for being more than capable to handle anything we throw at it while still being made in the USA and that is worth the it being more than the BK-15.

Honestly, the BK-15 is worth more than it's being sold for.
 
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