All of the following is just my Theory (?????):
Busse's and INFI sell at Premium top dollar. For some reason, investors snatch them up and resale them for more on the secondary market - High demand.
Most INFI pieces are apparently just queens and trade commodities. Granted, they could be ultimate users and some people clearly use them, but at such high prices and high appreciation, I think most/many people feel they are better served for buying and selling than using. So, OFTEN on the secondary market.
The fact that they are so frequently selling on the secondary market at marked up prices supports demand AND the fact that many purchases are clearly made with intent to resale in mind.
Rats are priced lower and are GREAT users. The temptation to use Rats seems more common and used Rats don't command as much secondary market price. So, I think people tend to keep their Rats and use them more.
Since the creation of Scrap Yard, the Bang-for-the-Buck that Swamp Rat used to have with SR-101 combined with Res-C is now not an option.
I think Swamp Rat has lost a lot of Bang-for-the-Buck customers and sales to Scrap Yard.
I personally, strongly feel Swamp Rat should still offer many knives with Res-C! - Or allow Scrap Yard to use SR-101 on certain knives with Res-C.
Scrap Yard knives are selling out within hours. Bigger savings in price and value, I feel is filling the demand for those who want high performance AND Great value.
Scrap Yard knives with Res-C are selling for $50 - $90 less than comparable Swamp Rats with not so nicely finished micarta.
Swamp Rat still has VERY high performance. And I personally prefer SR-101 over SR-77. But, the costs have gone up considerably with micarta and I (personally - even if a minority) don't think the micarta is finished up to industry standards let alone for knives costing $150 - $200+ or so.
Bottom line: INFI is the number one item for Jerry to maximize profits - regardless the reason. So, naturally, he puts more effort into INFI.
I would and do recommend a few tweeks to the Swamp Rat line-up including: bring Res-C back, improve micarta finish quality - I personally would like smaller guards and closer in choils especially on smaller knives, but that is another story.
But, even with these changes, these might increase demand for Swamp Rat, but I don't know that these changes would maximize profits (dollar return vs. Jerry's investment) as well for Jerry as the high demand and VERY high prices of INFI.
None of this helps me as I would rather have the most knife for the least amount of money - I wish I could buy INFI at $100 - $150 prices!
But, I understand why Jerry would focus on high demand, Fast selling, HIGH dollar and HIGH profit INFI. There are LOTS of people lined up and willing to pay what I consider VERY high prices for some of the best knife steel on the planet - INFI. Clearly other people consider the investment differently than I. Many for the potential return on their investment and some just clearly are willing to pay VERY high dollar to have the best.... even if the best is only a small percentage better than SR-101 and at multiple times the cost. Human nature to some degree.
It is no stretch to call the HIGH demand of people willing to pay such HIGH prices for a knife a phenomenon. Simple blanks of steel, sharpened and shaped into a nice functional tool. But, still - A Knife - selling for more than pretty high dollar guns, electronics and many other impressively more complex items. Best steel, Great steel, sure, but still - a knife and people foaming to pay many hundreds of dollars for them!
Impressive!
Congrats to Jerry.
Just my theory.....
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