The Myth of the Overpriced Knife

[sharp_edge]

I get it. At one point bicycles were the best transportation vehicle so all automobiles are overpriced.

 

[Danke42]

Cellphones are poor examples of value when comparing to knives. Most wind up as subsidized giveaways to lock you into a network.

A bicycle is a pretty good comparison since both are more expensive than the sum of their parts. Have a huge range of types and intended uses. And a wide spectrum of prices that just scream for the non-enthusiast to look in and say "you paid $5000 for a bike when I can get something with 2 wheels at a big box for $50. You're a fool".

 

[GermanyChris]

Cellphones are poor examples of value when comparing to knives. Most wind up as subsidized giveaways to lock you into a network.

A bicycle is a pretty good comparison since both are more expensive than the sum of their parts. Have a huge range of types and intended uses. And a wide spectrum of prices that just scream for the non-enthusiast to look in and say "you paid $5000 for a bike when I can get something with 2 wheels at a big box for $50. You're a fool".

And some of us fools have more then 5K just in the frame

 

[bt93]

But Samsung isn't the only maker of high end Android devices and to top it Samsungs Android is an abortion and they actively work against you fixing it. Then there is security updates whenever they feel like it and the creation of their own ecosystem. Apple actually has some things going for it Samsung on the other hand doesn't and is greatly OVERPRICED. [emoji6]

I have a Samsung Galaxy Style, 70 bucks with my prepay. It does what I want, news, texting and maps. Get this, I can also make phone calls with it. I have never posted here with it, but I could. Anyway, if you don't like paying too much for a Samsung, don't. Of course the camera on mine kind of sucks.

 

[deltaboy]

"You paid how much for that knife?!"

Those who lack appreciation for knives certainly don't get it. Many people who do appreciate knives (as tools) might think you're nuts for spending anything north of two-hundred bucks for one. But consider; if the knife maker priced their product "too high," the knife maker wouldn't still be making knives. That's the beauty of a free market system. And correct me if I'm wrong, but outside of a few big names, knife makers aren't getting rich plying their trade.

My personal take is, it has nothing to do with price and everything to do with subjective value. Many people will spend enormous sums of money on jewelry, entertainment, cars and weddings and nobody even blinks - or if they do, they mostly keep it to themselves.

Nobody should get in over their head, which is another side-topic of knife collecting, but expensive knives aren't overpriced. They are, in fact, priced just right.

That is fine for you and your correct with your free market statement. But the reality is with my life and budget I might buy one $200:00 bucks knife but I doubt it cause my 1980 era Sharpfiger and Woodsman can do all I need cause I still carry an Ax, bow saw, machete and shovel camping etc.
Enjoy and I will.enjoy looking at them.

 

[stabman]

I agree, but there is nothing you can do about it if you want an Iphone or one of the higher end Samsungs (at least for now).

I have a crappy old flip phone that I only got because the radios at work weren't working one weekend back in 2011.

I do carry the stupid thing more often now than in the past, but when I realize I left it at home, I am much happier.

 

[22-rimfire]

The thing with the flipper phones is that texting is a pain in the butt. I have really learned that texting is super convenient for brief messages. That is what I got rid of when I got the Samsung Galaxy S3 back when the first came out.... no, I didn't stand in line, but almost. Wife has the Apple stuff.

 

[sabre cat]

The thing with the flipper phones is that texting is a pain in the butt.....

Agreed but, the battery life is much better with a flipper (at least for me) than a smart phone.

A good friend of mine has pictures of his Randall knife collection on his phone. That is a knife that I think is over priced.

 

[stabman]

The thing with the flipper phones is that texting is a pain in the butt.

I just don't text.
If I had a bunch of people I had to keep in contact all the time, then I guess it might be handy.
As it is, I find answering the phone at home to be annoying enough.

 

[cchu518]

We are humam though. As an existentialist it's always a battle fighting for what I believe has value.

But to be human is to be imperfect and in my old age there are some things here and there, things I'm talking about that put a little bit of pep in my step and a glimpse of fun and entertainment. In very much the same way that perhaps illegal substances did in the past for me or scooting 100mph down an embankment in a W Virginia racetrack on a motorcycle when I should have been doing 80.

It's not rational to desire objects, or to pay alot of money for that, but at least in this little part of my existence I've surrendered to not having to always have control of my impulse to like a knife and buy it. Eg I still need a Loveless, Dozier and Mayo. I want to have in hand something made by these gents. Simple as that. And it's ok by me.

Which isn't to say that this $10 knife my most recent purchase didn't put a big smile on my face. I subsequently just sent it out to get rehandled, about $6 in materials and the labor will probably cost about 4 times the knife. Worth it? To me, heck yeah!

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[martsumoto]

Every single collecting item is subjective to the interest of the collector. I used to collect watches, now I'm extremely happy not doing it anymore because that was a very expensive hobby. With knives is the same, but its all measured in the joy it brings. And at least, I'm expending a lot less.