Price of Knives

N

ncpat

Joined
Feb 10, 2013
Messages
9
I haven't been in the market for an outdoor knife for a long time. The little I still manage to go fishing, I have an old K Mart Sharp brand belt knife and a couple of boning/fillet knives I bought from a fishing pier shop. Only knives I buy now are work knives. I'll post another entry on that.

I see knives in ads selling for $50 up to $400 and more. I realize any item in the world can be made pricier with extra features of all types, etc. But somehow, I cannot see myself paying $400 for a knife. Even if I were a full time hunter/trapper, etc. I don't think I could see that kind of $. In my mind, $50 to $75 would be my range, maybe $100 if I had it.

Am I on target or have knives gotten carried away by inflation like everything else? How many of you would pay hundreds of dollars for a knife? How many have paid that and regretted it? How many wish you had paid that much?
 
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Well, it really depends. There are alot of inexpensive knives out there that aren't worth the packaging they come in, and a few gems are worth 10x what the asking price is. It's really about doing a little research and sticking to well known and respected brands as oppose to home shopping and infomercial knives etc. But anyway, there are many choices of good quality knives in the $50 and under range. If you break through to ~$100 you'll have a huge offering(almost overwhelming at first) from most major companies. All in all, you get what you pay for like anything else :)
 
Of course, inflation has hit the blade industry like everything else. And the latest hot item always sells for more money than most of us wish to pay. But it's supply and demand, like anything else. There are $400 knives that are sold for well over $700 by the knife resellers. But there is also a real difference in quality and precision in some of these more expensive folders.
As was mentioned already, you can get a fine "hunting" or "trail" knife for about $100, with good steel and a great reputation. There is no NEED to spend lots of money for a knife. It's also a hobby, and many people don't object to paying more for what is perceived as better blade-steel or whatever.
 
ncpat said:
I see knives in ads selling for $50 up to $400 and more. I realize any item in the world can be made pricier with extra features of all types, etc. But somehow, I cannot see myself paying $400 for a knife. Even if I were a full time hunter/trapper, etc. I don't think I could see that kind of $. In my mind, $50 to $75 would be my range, maybe $100 if I had it.

Am I on target or have knives gotten carried away by inflation like everything else? How many of you would pay hundreds of dollars for a knife? How many have paid that and regretted it? How many wish you had paid that much?
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Just like with everything else, the prices on knives have increased (why wouldn't they?).

If you only want to spend 75 bucks max, then do that. Nobody's stopping you. If somebody else (like me) wants to spend more...nobody is stopping them either.

So I'm not really sure what you are asking. Can you still buy cheapo junk knives if you want? Sure? They are still out there. Can you buy a high-quality knife for 50 bucks? Yep. Ton of 'em.
 
Knives are expensive no one can argue that. It really pretty simple the market for knives is small the market for quality knives is minuscule. Quality costs more money to produce and when you have a smaller demand your economies of scale just aren't there- so you end up paying through the teeth.
 
I'm finding lots of great knives in every price range. Are you in the market for a new knife? I'm confident that if you listed your shopping budget you'd get lots of recommendations.

Curious as to the effects of inflation, I did a tiny bit of research. Those Sharp knives cost about $15 at KMart in 1980 as I recall (I own one). That's the equivalent of spending $41.80 on a knife today. http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/
Lots of great knives out there for forty bucks these days. :)
 
ncpat said:
I haven't been in the market for an outdoor knife for a long time. The little I still manage to go fishing, I have an old K Mart Sharp brand belt knife and a couple of boning/fillet knives I bought from a fishing pier shop. Only knives I buy now are work knives. I'll post another entry on that.

I see knives in ads selling for $50 up to $400 and more. I realize any item in the world can be made pricier with extra features of all types, etc. But somehow, I cannot see myself paying $400 for a knife. Even if I were a full time hunter/trapper, etc. I don't think I could see that kind of $. In my mind, $50 to $75 would be my range, maybe $100 if I had it.

Am I on target or have knives gotten carried away by inflation like everything else? How many of you would pay hundreds of dollars for a knife? How many have paid that and regretted it? How many wish you had paid that much?
Click to expand...

No, I don't think you are on target. Knife values have actually not changed much in a decade or more. I remember paying 300-700 or more for high end knives back in the late 90's and I pay those prices today as well. I also remember paying under $50 for many knives and I do today as well. In fact, I think the value to dollar of todays knives is much better than in the past. For example the Kershaw 1 ton is incredible value that could only be matched by customs 10 years ago.
 
I only have a couple of $350+ knives and I plan on looking to get 2 more at ECCKS but you have to be ready and make sure you really want to spend that kind of money. For me I decided it was good for me because I had used a good amount of lesser priced knives and I was ready for a step up but instead of buying a couple of $100 to $200 knives a month to $250 to $350 to now where I am now saving up for like 3 months to buy a $400 higher end knife. for the East Coast Custom Knife show I have been saving up for the past 3 months because I'm in college and can only work part time during the week and full time on weekends. Any way I would say just it matters for the indivdual or person might like to spend $5000 a month on customs and others one $100 dollar knife for the rest of their life.
 
If you talk to people who are laborers and use knives everday hardly any are using anything over 40$. Now I am sure the hard use knife users of this forum will say otherwise...
 
Depends on who made it and with what. Materials like Mokuti, damascus, high end steels, can cost several hundred dollars per pound. Custom makers have to get a certain amount per hour to keep the lights on and food on the family table. Knife makers have to factor in material cost, opportunity cost, litigation for IPR, liability, travel and show expenses, new machinery and machinery wear, employee salaries if they have a shop hand, forum dues so they can sell online, costs for external heat treat, waterjet or milling, and the cost of a new model that may just flop upon release. Bear in mind, in a custom shop it's one individual dealing with all of this stuff, bearing all of these costs, and to make sure everything's covered and have enough to save for the kid's education and home mortgage payments is extremely hard. That's why custom stuff is so pricey.

Factory production is the same way, although given horizontal and vertical integration, economies of scale, often times costs are far, far lower and the knives are being sold at volume, hence the lower prices. When you don't have a lot of hand labor involved in a process, it becomes feasible to do business that way. The lower the volume of the shop, the more markup they need to have to make the shop profitable. When you have a certain sized operation, like Strider, producing maybe a few thousand knives per year, they need to make more money per knife to keep that shop open than Benchmade or Kershaw, who are selling several thousand each of a dozen different models.

Whether or not a knife is "worth it" is another story. Again that all comes down to who made it and with what. Is it limited production and therefor collectable? Was it made by Shane Sibert or Neil Blackwood or Allen Elishewitz or was it built by someone less known? Does it have titanium and high end steels? The list goes on... every individual does their own calculus in the "worth it" mathematik, so it's going to vary. A lot of it comes down to reputation and pedigree.
 
Honestly, you don't need to spend more than $100 for a good knife. Spending more is a luxury. Spending more gets you special materials, attention to detail, and maybe some collectors value. I tend to think spending more than $200 definitely puts you in the collector's territory. There are some really really nice looking hand made traditional folders that fetch $800+.... they really are special knives, but more for a collector.
 
ncpat said:
I haven't been in the market for an outdoor knife for a long time. The little I still manage to go fishing, I have an old K Mart Sharp brand belt knife and a couple of boning/fillet knives I bought from a fishing pier shop. Only knives I buy now are work knives. I'll post another entry on that.

I see knives in ads selling for $50 up to $400 and more. I realize any item in the world can be made pricier with extra features of all types, etc. But somehow, I cannot see myself paying $400 for a knife. Even if I were a full time hunter/trapper, etc. I don't think I could see that kind of $. In my mind, $50 to $75 would be my range, maybe $100 if I had it.

Am I on target or have knives gotten carried away by inflation like everything else? How many of you would pay hundreds of dollars for a knife? How many have paid that and regretted it? How many wish you had paid that much?
Click to expand...
I paid about $100 or so for my Spyderco Paramilitary 2. I paid that amount for the combination of amazing steel, well thought out, tough design, and because the name has integrity. In that order. I am like yourself, I work hard, want a dependable tool, and don't see the point of knives costing above a certain limit. I paid that much because it gets carried and used every single day and takes it all like a champ. Normally, I'm into Opinel, Victorinox SAKs, Svord, Mora, and especially Condor Tool and Knife. They're all "bang for your buck" knives that take and keep an edge, which is my main requirement for a work knife. As for folders that fall into that category, I've heard good things about the Sanrenmu knives, and Enlan. I've had good experiences with Kershaws, Buck makes a Vantage Force Pro that comes in under $60 I believe, and the Ontario RAT 1 is a great user knife. Research steels, find your price range with that steel, then look for reviews of the knives you like. Best way to do it if you can't actually handle it.
 
Really depends...I would grab my $20 Kershaw just for everyday work. Weekends going out, I'll carry my Benchmade or Spyderco. There ain't much guys can spend money on...for me it's my motorcycle or my blades. I've seen friend spend $500 on a Lebron James sneakers..my wife spent $2800 on a handbag???? I really rather be spending money buying knives which gives me a natural high, verse drinking & smoking or whatever social drugs that is out there...I've seen friend gamble thousands of dollars away, and would not spend a few buck on their own mother.

Weird world but everyone price their own value differently....
 
Honestly a Kershaw Asset will do the same task my TiLT will. You pay extra for things like, handle material, steel (edge retention), locking mechanism, opening mechanism, and even bragging rights. Sometimes it's more fun to buy a Ferrari, than a Ford Focus. Or in knives case, the Asset over the TiLT.
And plus, they just look SO COOL!
CAM00424_zpsde740d2f.jpg
 
Inflation has raised prices about 30-40% in the last ten years, but the market has developed a taste for high end at the same time. $200 is the new $100, and I think high demand for Titanium handles has a lot to do with it.
 
Joshua J. said:
Inflation has raised prices about 30-40% in the last ten years, but the market has developed a taste for high end at the same time. $200 is the new $100, and I think high demand for Titanium handles has a lot to do with it.
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Yea, Ti, and Carbon Fibre.
 
Bob W said:
Curious as to the effects of inflation, I did a tiny bit of research. Those Sharp knives cost about $15 at KMart in 1980 as I recall (I own one). That's the equivalent of spending $41.80 on a knife today. http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/
Lots of great knives out there for forty bucks these days. :)
Click to expand...

That's a pretty great link you found. And some useful information, now I don't feel bad to what I just paid for most of the knives I just bought, considering that I've crossed over to purchasing customs.

TotalDbag said:
And plus, they just look SO COOL!
CAM00424_zpsde740d2f.jpg
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Did you shave that little guy with that kershaw? lol
 
theHobbyist said:
That's a pretty great link you found. And some useful information, now I don't feel bad to what I just paid for most of the knives I just bought, considering that I've crossed over to purchasing customs.



Did you shave that little guy with that kershaw? lol
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No that's how he came. 15 years ago in Jerusalem. It's as old as I am.
 
Smokinape said:
If you talk to people who are laborers and use knives everday hardly any are using anything over 40$. Now I am sure the hard use knife users of this forum will say otherwise...
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I don't think anyone will argue that a laborer, who most likely does not have the cash to buy expensive will be buying cheaper. Honestly, nothing wrong with that and there are many excellent knives in that range. If I was cutting carpet or just generally beating on knives daily for a regular job, why would I use an expensive blade.
 
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