Survey - Micarta over 3K?

Should Micarta be utilized on high-end Investment customs in the $3,000-$30,000 range

  • No Micarta for $3,000-$30,000 high-end customs.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Yes, Micarta is acceptable at any price if suits the knife.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
  • Poll closed .
Actually, that would be an interesting tally: makers who make / have made knives in the $3k+ range using micarta:

- Bob Loveless
- Walter Brend
- Jurgen Steinau

Who else? Velarde? Dietmar Kressler? Ken Onion? Ron Lake?
 
Hi Kevin,

As Joss pointed out there are very few 3K knives in the market place today. If you remove Loveless and Moran that amount shrinks exponentially.

With regards to micarta, if you remove Loveless the number falls to almost none.

What does amaze me is how many $1,000 knives there are out there.

WWG
 
WoodWorkGhost said:
Hi Kevin,

As Joss pointed out there are very few 3K knives in the market place today. If you remove Loveless and Moran that amount shrinks exponentially.

With regards to micarta, if you remove Loveless the number falls to almost none.

What does amaze me is how many $1,000 knives there are out there.

WWG
Click to expand...

WWG, I would not even attemp to imply I know more about any aspect of the customs market than you.
But I do track the 3K+ sector on a dailey basics and there are more being made than most think especially including folders.

Bill Moran didn't like micarta on his knives, will y'all at lease give me that? ;) :D :D
 
Kohai999 said:
Not generally speaking, from him directly.....this would be an aftermarket price.
Click to expand...

Wow - is this question only related to initial price? Then the market shrinks even more. I don't know what are Loveless' prices when dealing directly with him, but I suspect they're considerably less than in the aftermarket.
 
I don't think materials are what makes costly knives costly. No darn piece of knifemaking material on earth is worth that much. So... micarta or not, material is not really what makes a knife expensive. You pay for the bladesmith's ability to create THE knife for you. THAT is what is worth money.

So I think micarta or not is not really important.

That being said, I would never pay more than 300 bucks for a knife... and that is already WAAAAY beyond what the average joe is willing to pay for a piece of sharpened metal with a handle.

Cheers,

David
 
Moine said:
That being said, I would never pay more than 300 bucks for a knife... and that is already WAAAAY beyond what the average joe is willing to pay for a piece of sharpened metal with a handle.

Cheers,

David
Click to expand...

Than your knowledge of high end custom knives would be, charitably put, limited, no?

The Customs Forum does not remotely attempt to cater to the "average joe".

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Moine said:
I don't think materials are what makes costly knives costly. No darn piece of knifemaking material on earth is worth that much. So... micarta or not, material is not really what makes a knife expensive. You pay for the bladesmith's ability to create THE knife for you. THAT is what is worth money.

So I think micarta or not is not really important.

That being said, I would never pay more than 300 bucks for a knife... and that is already WAAAAY beyond what the average joe is willing to pay for a piece of sharpened metal with a handle.

Cheers,

David
Click to expand...

While he *might* not have a lot of experience in the custom market (let's not forget that there are quite a few custom knives that you could get for uner $300), I think he has a point. I personally would want something that was a little more exotic, but that's because of the preference I have for that material, not what I think should be on a knife of a certain value. If it were available, I'd want some nice ivory on my $350 knives. Higher end materials may help to determine the "local maxima" of the price, but when you get into the upper echelons, I think it is more about the maker and what they can do. Obviously, if you put any material on a knife that you don't typically find from that maker, it may be out of place and not fetch a good price. But, I would say that the maker is what puts it into that upper level and the material only helps to move the price in smaller increments around that point-unless it's extremely rare or highly sought after by a particular collector.

Kevin, I like your threads and can see what you want to do with this one, but that price level has so many fewer collectors, that the opinion of a few (and how it varies from year to year) can make a huge difference on the aftermarket value.
 
If Steve Johnson makes a Loveless style Bigbear with Micarta handles, will that knife be worth more than one in Ironwood because you don't see many in Micarta.

Just wondering

Charles
 
Why not?

What a knife is made of or with is only slightly influences the price, especially when they are custom knives.

What if someone used stabilzed burl wood on a > $3K knife, the wood may be even cheaper AND less durable the micarta, would you demand a discount given the inferior material?
 
Charles Vestal said:
If Steve Johnson makes a Loveless style Bigbear with Micarta handles, will that knife be worth more than one in Ironwood because you don't see many in Micarta.

Just wondering

Charles
Click to expand...

Charles, Were you asking that of me? If so, my answer would be I don't know. It may fetch more because it is more rare, or less because collectors don't think it fits the knife as well. My point is that either is possible, so while I don't personally prefer it, I would have to vote that micarta can be used on a high-end knife where appropriate (appropriate being dictated by the collector buying...which is influenced, among other things, by what materials similar knives have been offered with).
Plus, what is worth? Is worth what one individual would pay? Is it what a population of collectors of that maker's work would pay?

Nick
 
Hi Kevin,

I didn't take it that way???

Im sure that some of those folders can really get up there in price. I was judging at the Blade Show last year and there was a folder in there for $45,000.00 (no micarta) :D BTW...it lost.

I was speaking of the entire knife market there are very few $3K knives.

WWG
 
custombuff said:
Charles, Were you asking that of me? If so, my answer would be I don't know. It may fetch more because it is more rare, or less because collectors don't think it fits the knife as well. My point is that either is possible, so while I don't personally prefer it, I would have to vote that micarta can be used on a high-end knife where appropriate (appropriate being dictated by the collector buying...which is influenced, among other things, by what materials similar knives have been offered with).
Plus, what is worth? Is worth what one individual would pay? Is it what a population of collectors of that maker's work would pay?

Nick
Click to expand...

Nick, I was asking the question to everyone, thanks for your answer.

Take Care
Charles
 
Kevin Jones said:
You may not be concerned with how knives should be, but there are makers
trying to determine what collectors want to buy now and in the future.
Their are collectors trying to decide what to buy or commission based on
what the current trends are and will be in the future.

Who is to say what's right? Definitely the buyer, as he/she should buy
what's pleases them. But don't whine and bitch when it's time to sell and
there's no buyers. IMO, that's what we are trying to avoid here along with
helping makers make what the market wants.
Click to expand...

Kevin, I understand your point.
And I really expected the responses to be heavily slanted against micarta. Interesting to see it split evenly at this time.

My knee-jerk response is to allow for the makers' full range of aesthetic choices. (Even if that means micarta!)
And, I see a lot of boring stag and wood.

The way that a material is used is far more important, IMHO.
 
Besides custom folders, my preference is custom forged fixed blades. Loveless knives are in a catagory of their own. And some high-end tactical fixed blades I can see with micarta. But, I have no interest in custom forged fixed blades over $300 to $400 with micarta handles. Only users less than this amount would be a consideration for me.
So, no on high-end micarta use.

- Joe
 
I must admit, I'm blown away by the closeness of the poll :confused:

Joss, have you found a way to manipulate the votes? I think I heard you work in the programming field? ;) :D :D

Twice now, I have used a poll to prove a theory and both times it has disproved them. :foot: Must be a lesson to be learned there somewhere :confused:

Here's the other example;
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=478416
 
Kevin,
Based on your apparent disappointment in the poll, I feel it necessary to explain my vote for "yes" to micarta. I don't really like the stuff except in rare instances. And I would almost always opt for a different material given the choice.

When you started this poll, I was actually looking forward to seeing micarta go down in a big way. However, I think there are instances (like on the Loveless) where it is appropriate and that seemed to be the question.

I am not looking to see micarta take over other favorites (like stag, ivory, etc), because frankly I don't like it as much and I don't find it appropriate on knives from certain makers or on certain style knives. But I think it does have it's place-if rarely-even on 3k+ knives.

I guess what I am saying is that I find myself in your camp more than not, even though my vote and the poll doesn't show it.
Hopefully that gives you some consolation (perhaps others voted similarly and have similar views).

Great thread.
Nick
 
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