Tactical Knives Getting Out of Control?

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J85909266

J85909266

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Until recently, there were a few high end production companies commanding prices of around 500 USD for their knives. Those companies had long-standing reputations for quality and performance.

Nowadays, I pull up the new knives list at, say, Knifecenter, and I see a veritable barrage of atrocious, tiger striped, over built insanity from 10 different brands that I've never heard of asking five or six hundred dollars a pop for these monstrosities.

I just want to know: are people buying this stuff? I never see anything about these companies here. How does the knife community feel about all of these high priced knives?

I'm sitting here scratching my head for about 50 different reasons.
 
I think it is case of companies thinking if they charge $500 for a knife then people will assume it is of the same quality as Hinderers, CRKs, etc.
 
MERICA!!!

merica.jpg


That's why...
 
I agree with you. Some of them are hideous! They are basically fancy stabbing weapons. I seriously doubt the utility of many blade designs. A simple drop point is just as dangerous as some toothy overly obtuse tanto shaped thingy that someone called a knife, and the drop point can be used to actually cut stuff!

Some of the blades are clearly strider ripoffs.
 
If it's a heavy piece of steel with a sharp edge, the manufacturer adds grips and charges $800...and sell them. I look at folders that come in at seven ounces or more.
I have my own personal rule that tells me to ignore any folder greater than five ounces. That allows me the entire line of "common" models of CRK and Strider, with very few exceptions, along with many other fine knives. The SMF runs at ~5.8 ounces, but with that 0.190" thick blade, I don't find it to be useful for my daily carry.
 
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I've wondered this same thing many times.

I don't get it, but I guess then again I've never really understood the mall ninja crowd, which it seems like most of the knives you're talking about are focused on.
 
My viewpoint is its quite ridiculous. Not only is the stupidly overbuilt craze annoying but so are the prices. Back in the day $500 got you an amazing knife. Something that was hand ground and hand finished. These days you are lucky if you can get a maker to dip a blade in acid before they toss your "custom" in a tumbler. There is way too much corner cutting and easy way outs being labeled as "custom". There is nothing wrong with acid washed blades or stonewashing. There is some really cool things being done in terms of rustic finishes. But when that is ALL the maker will do it gives me the impression they either dont aspire to create anything more than that or worse they simply cant. These days knife makers have more tools at their disposal than ever before and we should be seeing people push the envelope of what is possible rather than dumbing it down. Dont get me wrong not all makers are doing this. There are some guys out there that quite frankly under price their knives to the point one might question its quality its so cheap. It bothers me though when i see a sexy sleek hand rubbed satin folder with a ti bolster and hand fitted scales with some nice file work and a huge amount of blood sweat and tears dripping from the knife struggle to sell at $500 but some hack with a CNC is taking slabs of flat titanium he just got back from water jet mating it with a bead blasted blade he had the grind and heat treat outsourced with a stock pivot from knifekits selling them hand over fist as a "custom". To me its an insult to the true makers with real talent. Again random, rustic and overbuilt simplicity has its place. But only when it furthers the art of knife making. Not when it is used as a crutch because the "maker" (more like assembler or glorified pimper) lacks the know how or desire to do anything more. If people want and will buy what I refer to as prison shank customs thats all fine and well. Buy whatever you like. But some of these BS prices are simply insulting. And really when I see some of these makers designs being ripped of and sold at a 1/8 of the price in china I cant help but feel they brought it on themselves.
 
What I find funny is the built in excuse for poor QC on some of those expensive knives. "So what, it's not a safe queen it's meant to be used by macho men for bad ass stuff."
 
I am not very interested in tactical knives. I don't really mind that some like and buy them as I sort of liked stuff like that 20 years ago. I decided I am no knife fighter and have little interest in knives that are designed for fighting in general. But if I see something that I like, I have no problem buying them.

As far as price goes, I honestly don't know who can afford these "$500" knives. I guess, there are enough people or customers to justify the manufacture. Unless it's a custom or a fixed blade, I'll seldom even take two looks at one of these.
 
I had to go visit knifecenter to see how bad it was. While I did see some examples of what the OP mentioned, the new Marfione (of Microtech fame) quasi-knockoff of the Lochsa caught my attention more.
 
It's something I've been noticing over the last few months. Today just drove it home. This crap just keeps coming.

That said, I noticed the Lochsa lookalike, as well.
 
J85909266 said:
...Nowadays, I pull up the new knives list at, say, Knifecenter, and I see a veritable barrage of atrocious, tiger striped, over built insanity....
Click to expand...

Some might say that describes knives like the ZT 0301 or 0350, so I guess its one of those de gustibus non est disputandum things.
 
What I find often now as I browse my certain online knife stores is a menagerie of some of the ugliest knife like objects I have ever seen. Some pieces are just ridiculous in their design, execution, dimensions, geometry, and marketing claims. There are so many companies making "knives" now that it makes your head spin. People have seeming come out from the woodwork, under rocks, and landed on Earth from deep space wanting to get a piece of the knife buyers money.
I was looking at one particular store recently, and in the "New Releases" section I saw literally page after page of what I feel are some of the most gimmicky, hideously designed, awkwardly ground, and poorly thought out folders and fixed blades in the history of knives. I can deal with a lot of it, but some companies are showing their complete desperation in their designs. If we make everything you can think of, someone will buy something.
I've also seen the prices of some knives skyrocket with no particular improvements or changes to account for the increased cost. I have no idea why someone would want to pay the prices that some of these pieces cost. Same knife, exactly the same knife as 2, 3, 5 years ago. Now a 25% price hike out of the wild blue? Really? It's a bubble and it will soon burst and only the ones that provide consistent quality, value, and excellent customer service will survive. Should be a fun ride, glad Ill be on the sidelines when it pops. ;)
 
People play Warcraft. Why would they not buy these knives?

I still get a hoot out of watching about five minutes of the cable knife shows now and then. Yes, I believe they sell. I think they hang on a lot of walls; pawn shop shelves too.

The folders are in the pockets of a lot of the walkers.
 
so when I was speaking I wasnt even really calling out one specific maker but more of a new "genre" of maker that utilizes the distressed look as a means to call something custom. But after going to knifecenter and seeing the new "duane Dwyer" customs? Those knives are the very definition of an underachieving effort disguised as true art work. I would point out everything wrong with the knife but pointing out the right things will take less time and they are as follows...................... Yeah Im done.
 
marcinek said:
Some might say that describes knives like the ZT 0301 or 0350, so I guess its one of those de gustibus non est disputandum things.
Click to expand...

Some might, I'm not a fan of those knives, personally. But at least KAI are established makers with a history of performance and quality.

I am talking about something else, entirely.
 
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