Price Determination: Beauty or Construction, or Both?

C

Confederate

Joined
Sep 5, 2005
Messages
2,826
I don't know if this has been addressed before, but how much of the cost of a knife (folding or fixed) is the result of beauty rather than functionality? If Moras can be made of excellent, or even outstanding steel at a bargain price, why does Gerber, CRKT and other companies make fairly good knives with JUNK steel?

CRKT has one knife that has good steel, but much of the handles look as though they've been melted off the frame. It appeals to a number of people and it's an assisted opener, but it's also clearly a designer knife of sorts. And Zytel scales are Zytel scales

I can't help but think of the Mazda Miata. Years ago it was the "answer" to expensive sports cars, but at a reasonable price. Well, we saw how long that reasonable price philosophy hung around. Now it's priced like all the other sports cars.

So it appears to me that ugly, well made and constructed knives can often be sold for reasonable prices while sleek, well made knives with poorer steel often are sold for an arm and a leg. (Another example is CRKT's S-2; titanium frame and ATS-34 steel blade, yet I picked up a number of them for $25 apiece. I often admire this knife, but it ain't what you would call a beauty.)

Comments?

CR1090.jpg


I'm melting!...melting! There's no denying that
CRKT's My Tighe Assisted Opener is a designer knife.
 
Anyone?

Many have purchased knives that they admittedly knew were junk, or at least low quality, because they just liked the looks or the feel.
 
The single-most important factor for determining a knife's price, the name on the box, and demand and marketability of said name on the box.

... Now it's priced like all the other sports cars.
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Not hardly. Miata models start at $13,000 below the most similar competitor. But that's a topic for Gadgets and Gear...

-Bob
 
Many have purchased knives that they admittedly knew were junk, or at least low quality, because they just liked the looks or the feel.
Click to expand...
Sure. Out of curiosity, a unique action or design, or just trying to find a bargain. Sometimes it works out, sometimes not.

-Bob
 
name, not beauty. Ugly knives can be expensive as hell, and aesthetically pleasing ones can be considered cheap crap completely on the brand/maker name. Materials and construction are taken completely for granted, and it looks the way it does because someone smarter than the unwashed masses decided that was the perfect design and level of fit & finish.
 
Not sure I'd put CRKT in the same bracket as Gerber, at least CRKT tell you what the steel is, not just '400 series steel' which could be any old cr@p.
Design and Quality in about equal measures for me, Spyderco's are excellent knives but the designs don't over appeal, so only 2 in the collection. CS prefer the designs so 10 in the collection and was ok with the quailty. Not so much now as the last Spike a bought was made in China, and not as good as the Taiwan models.
 
Archer26 I would have to second liking a lot of CS designs. I used to be a CRKT fan, but had two separate models locks fail . I had a Gerber hunter with a great shaped blade for skinning, but it would not stay sharp, have no idea what kind of steel it was.....
 
Hi Confederate,

That's a very big question. Probably bigger than you realize.

The first most important factor governing the cost of a knife (or most any product) is the country in which it was made. Labor costs and money value differ greatly from country to country.

The second factor will be materials. Some steels are $3.00 per lb and some are $24 per lb. In addition, the costs to process a better steel could be 5 times the cost of processing a lesser steel.

Unless "looks" involve exotic materials, they will have little effect on the cost.

Then you add in the cost of running the business, marketing, and profit margin. Then dealer and distributor margins, shipping, etc.

In Sports cars, you often pay for horsepower to wieght ratio and handling (which cost more to make). But it will still be governed by the above factors. A Lotus Elise cost far more than a Mazda Mitata. While they might be similar in size, the performance of the Lotus costs more to create.

sal
 
While the S-2 are fantastic knives when they were released they were poor sellers.

The reason the cost, only once they were discontinued did they become a screaming deal.
 
Sal Glesser said:
Hi Confederate,

That's a very big question. Probably bigger than you realize.

The first most important factor governing the cost of a knife (or most any product) is the country in which it was made. Labor costs and money value differ greatly from country to country.

The second factor will be materials. Some steels are $3.00 per lb and some are $24 per lb. In addition, the costs to process a better steel could be 5 times the cost of processing a lesser steel.

Unless "looks" involve exotic materials, they will have little effect on the cost.

Then you add in the cost of running the business, marketing, and profit margin. Then dealer and distributor margins, shipping, etc.

In Sports cars, you often pay for horsepower to wieght ratio and handling (which cost more to make). But it will still be governed by the above factors. A Lotus Elise cost far more than a Mazda Mitata. While they might be similar in size, the performance of the Lotus costs more to create.sal
Click to expand...


Not really a good comparision, the Elise is only 45k, try a Saleen or something..
 
Is AUS 8 junk steel?
Is 420 HC junk?
Is 440 A junk?

Just lots of companies use these steels.
 
I think that "fashion" plays a huge role in desireability and price. To me many of the whacked out super tactical knives look like crap, but people seem to love them as there seems more and more of them to coming out.

Meanwhile well put together thoughtful knives languish (to some extent).

I think the reality is most people buy with their eyes, rather then their brain.
 
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