Talk of Benchmade availability problems?

Prices are rising, at knife center a kulgera costs $10 more than when it came out. :(
looks like i am not getting the benchmades on my list :(.
 
About 10 to 12 years ago Benchmade changed something in the way they dealt with wholesalers and many of them dropped the BM line. I guess they are taking the next step by dropping wholesalers. I don't really care too much. I have only bought 2 or 3 since that time. While I think they are a good knife maker, they are not worth what they retail for, if that's where they are headed.
 
A.P.F. said:
True enough, but when BM enters into a de facto agreement with one or more retailers to sell their product at a common price, under threat of having their BM dealerships revoked, it smells a lot like an offense under anti-trust laws, in spirit if not in fact.
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No, because Benchmade isn't even remotely the only maker of quality knives. The consumer can choose to buy a functionally equivalent product from dozens of other manufacturers. If BM disappeared tomorrow, only a few knife enthusiasts would be impacted. Nobody would have to pony up MSRP if they didn't want to.

It would only be anti-competitive if several major manufacturers all agreed to raise their prices and control the market. As long as Spyderco is still making equivalent knives that retail in the neighborhood $100 then who cares if BM charges twice as much for the same level of quality?
 
Lavan, troubles with BM and distributors/retailers started well before the bottom fell out of housing. Knifeoutlet dropped BM years ago because of issues.
 
guess I won't be picking up a 950 after all. :(
unless benchmade starts manufacturing an entirely new lineup of knives, they are not going to be considered an upscale manufacturer. putting a high price tag on a knife doesn't magically improve the quality of the knife. like others have said, I'd rather shell out a little bit more for a semi-custom or custom, or pick up another spydie. I have about half a dozen benchmades right now, and I wouldn't ever get rid of them, but I'll be damned if I'm gonna pay the manufacturer's SUGGESTED retail price for something that isn't close to being worth it. I seem to recall something about not biting the hand that feeds you...
 
elkins45 said:
No, because Benchmade isn't even remotely the only maker of quality knives. The consumer can choose to buy a functionally equivalent product from dozens of other manufacturers. If BM disappeared tomorrow, only a few knife enthusiasts would be impacted. Nobody would have to pony up MSRP if they didn't want to.

It would only be anti-competitive if several major manufacturers all agreed to raise their prices and control the market. As long as Spyderco is still making equivalent knives that retail in the neighborhood $100 then who cares if BM charges twice as much for the same level of quality?
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I see your point. I am a Spyderco lover, so BM can do what they want to their prices and I really couldn't care.

hardheart said:
Lavan, troubles with BM and distributors/retailers started well before the bottom fell out of housing. Knifeoutlet dropped BM years ago because of issues.
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You are quite right, Hardheart. I personally know of a major dealer of knives here in Canada that was considering a BM dealership. He found the rep so arrogant, that he said 'forget it'.
 
I guess all in all it really doesn't matter to me. I own one Griptilian that I can replace with a Spydie or Kershaw if it breaks or I lose it.

Plus if BM prices go up.....I am not really affected as I already buy mostly only Spyderco and Kershaw and Buck. Spyderco is raising prices too. About 10% across the board. With that said, my 2009 knife purchases will be going to Kershaw, Buck, Case, and GEC. Either that or I will buy nothing in 2009 and save up for a Sebenza. :)
 
David Lowry said:
I guess all in all it really doesn't matter to me. I own one Griptilian that I can replace with a Spydie or Kershaw if it breaks or I lose it.

Plus if BM prices go up.....I am not really affected as I already buy mostly only Spyderco and Kershaw and Buck. Spyderco is raising prices too. About 10% across the board. With that said, my 2009 knife purchases will be going to Kershaw, Buck, Case, and GEC. Either that or I will buy nothing in 2009 and save up for a Sebenza. :)
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I can live with a 10% bump from a reputable company with good ethics and integrity. :thumbup:
 
A.P.F. said:
I can live with a 10% bump from a reputable company with good ethics and integrity. :thumbup:
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I agree. I however am bored with what they offer. I have owned about 70 of their knives and I do like them. However the ones I kinda want or am interested in are waaaaay too much money for me. I'm not paying $160 for a Native IV or $150 for a Barong. Now the Military will be up to about $150 for a black blade version. No thanks. That's beyond my budget, and we all have to draw the line somewhere.

I guess in this economy the rich folks will keep buying ....and then folks like me will buy stuff from Kershaw, Boker, and Buck.....or save up and buy a Sebenza. Actually I think I'll just save all year and buy a Sebenza because I have plenty of knives to use for the next 5 years or more.

Regardless, Benchmade is really shooting themselves in both feet with this move.
 
Seems they care more about image than money in their pocket-----wonder what the image will be when they are shutting the doors and laying off workers.

You can only sell at what the market will bare---$110 Grips won't sell.
 
As I type this there is a 551 Grip. in my pocket.

My guess is that the brick and mortar stores account for more business than online stores. Fact is it cost more to run a store front. When those stores start gripping about being undercut, BM is going to react. Sure they will cost more but I have yet to see any at full MSRP.
 
This does not make sense in a resession

Drop prices
Keep sales
Keep customer base
Keep cash flow
Keep workers
Break even

Be ready for the next ramp up in the market
Then up your prices...
Make money
 
Les de Asis is not Matt Conable, and Benchmade ain't William Henry! They ought to stop trying to pretend they are. I mean, when's the last time William Henry put out a knife with something akin to "Nitrous Spring-Assist"? Maybe Benchmade plans on raising their prices so they can start sending their knives to Japan, to be hand-ground by Kikuo Matsuda?:rolleyes:

Regards,
3G
 
Personally there are a number of models from BM that I wouldn't mind paying MSRP for. That being said I too don't see the point in what they're doing. One of the best things about being high quality/low cost is that EVERYONE knows that you're a great company. Besides, they have the Gold Class line. That's upscale enough for me, and yet the Gold Class Presidio is an "unlimited limited" like the Prestigedges. Making the Gold Class more available and the everyday users less? What gives? They had a good formula already so why mess it up?
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
What gives? They had a good formula already so why mess it up?
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Well, we are talking about Benchmade here, the company that's been phasing out G-10 in favor of Aluminum for a while now. The same company that can't seem to build a knife with a hole-opener design of their own. The same company that has listed the incorrect Carbon percentage of 440C in their catalogs for three, consecutive years now (just look in the 09 catalog), despite it being brought to their attention (thanks, Knarfeng) several times. Can't say I'm surprised by anything they do anymore.:rolleyes:

Regards,
3G
 
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