What is your point of diminishing return?

To me, $300 seems like the cutoff point with diminishing returns on materials and build quality for folders while $200 seems like the cutoff for diminishing returns on materials and build quality for fixed blades. For those price points, you can find most any super steel, mechanism, or handle material you want built very solidly by any of the competent production companies. After that you stop spending money purely for utilitarian tangibles and start spending money for unique design styles, greater attention to minute details, more "perfect" fit and finish, and more exotic elements. Personally, I love custom and high end knives that cost well over my figures listed, but if all I was left with tomorrow was my old favorite ZT0561, my utility wouldn't suffer any for it.
 
$100-$200 for folders. $400 for fixed.
With most folders over $200, I feel like I'm paying for the name, or maybe a slightly higher degree of finishing. Neither are important to me, so that's my line in the sand. Same thing with fixed blades. As long as I can get excellent performance from a knife less than $400, there is no point in going over that. Those figures are where MY diminishing returns start to kick in. YMMV
 
Charlie Mike said:
For me... $1500/folders and $400/fixed... not that I haven't spent over this figure.

I was just browsing AZCK and PVK. Many 4 figure knives there. It's my opinion that many of them are priced so high only because someone will pay that much. I love high end everything but I can't afford to buy something that I'm afraid to use (or unwilling to modify).
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For a folder, I wouldnt go over 200$. Theres far too many amazing production knives around that price range for me to justify doubling or tripling that to "meet the same ends".

I love fixed blades, but I havent gone over 150$ on one. Same thing with folders, too many amazing options for around a hundred bucks for me to justify spending a bunch more cash to meet the same ends.

Balisongs, however.... Id just about give a testicle for certain models
 
stonproject said:
For a folder, I wouldnt go over 200$. Theres far too many amazing production knives around that price range for me to justify doubling or tripling that to "meet the same ends".

I love fixed blades, but I havent gone over 150$ on one. Same thing with folders, too many amazing options for around a hundred bucks for me to justify spending a bunch more cash to meet the same ends.

Balisongs, however.... Id just about give a testicle for certain models
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There are some professional athletes desperately in need of them. Give 'em a teste and they'll probably buy you whatever knife you want.
 
Charlie Mike said:
I sold both my damascus DDR folders (at a significant loss) because I no longer carried them... my most recent DDR is most tailored to my needs than any previous. This is the only tactical folder I own at the moment.

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I know my opinion has exactly zero relevance (I'm just a random guy in Oregon, and we'll probably never meet), but the one you kept has always been my favorite in the posts I've seen from you. Not a fan of the Damascus look, and I always felt like the others were so busy looking that they robbed a bit of ability to appreciate the lines of the overall design. The one you kept is awesome in its simple, purposeful brilliance.

And now, back to the shadows...

/smoke bomb
 
K.O.D. said:
There are some professional athletes desperately in need of them. Give 'em a teste and they'll probably buy you whatever knife you want.
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No reason to get testy about it.

If I spend over $60-$70 on a knife I don't feel that comfortable carrying it at work. Sunday go to meeting knives don't get used as much.
 
It depends on the brand I guess... Some brands/makers have better value retention so I'm more apt to spend on some than others, knowing they'll depreciate less. As an example, I'd rather have one Todd Begg folder or Busse fixed blade than 10 Benchmades for the same price.

There are exceptions where I see something I really want in my collection and throw caution to the wind as far as resale price- but that is a rare occurrence. I don't often sell off my knives, but I like to know when it's time to refresh the collection I'm only losing a minimal amount.
 
Charlie Mike said:
I sold both my damascus DDR folders (at a significant loss) because I no longer carried them... my most recent DDR is most tailored to my needs than any previous. This is the only tactical folder I own at the moment.

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This shocked me. I am sad to see them go. But I understand that if you're gonna pay that kind of money, there should be input from you on exactly what you want.
 
K.O.D. said:
This shocked me. I am sad to see them go. But I understand that if you're gonna pay that kind of money, there should be input from you on exactly what you want.
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I also wanted to pay off a credit card :D
 
grownstar said:
Yeah, debt will always straighten us out haha.
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Buying knives without being able to handle them is a losing proposition 9/10. They get sold off (almost always at a loss) quickly and this is bad for the bottom line. Still... nothing ventured nothing gained. At least I further refined my notions of what I don't want!
 
30 for pocket, 15 for fixed,10 dollar chopper, 5 dollar kitchen knife. SAK/Mora/Imacasa/Kiwi. After that I'm not getting more utility, I'm just getting something fancy that I want.
 
$100 for a folder because it will get carried/used. $200 for a fixed that will also get carried/used. If either the folder or fixed gets lost/broken I'll get another. $1,000 for a safe queen/investment Busse FFBM that I want.
 
$200 max unless it's something I have to have, like a custom or certain production design "Diminishing returns" to me means when a knife starts to lose any drastic performance/design edge, not what I would be willing to spend before it is no longer "worth it". Certain steels demand certain prices. Same for lock types and designs. After that point, every purchase becomes a matter of want rather than need.
 
Since I am not into mid-techs or customs $100- $200 range is my sweet spot.

Production folders in this range offer quality materials and build, IMHO.
 
I don't have a point of diminishing return.

There are vast ways to calculate the value of a knife.

A top tier collector is a close friend of mine. Many of the knives that he purchased 20 or 30 years ago for the neighborhood of $15,000.00 are selling at $60,000.00 now.

It all depends upon what you want the knife for and how much of a collector/accumulator or user you are.

I have using knives that cost less than $100.00, and some cost a couple grand...but for the most part, I am a collector and that is what I do.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
I don't have a set price point but I don't believe I have broke the $500 mark. I'm a blue collar worker and I buy knives I use. I have no problem paying for quality but can't understand spending cash on knife strictly as an investment. No safe queens here. I can appreciate the quality and workmanship of blades that cost more than I'm willing to spend but see no reason to buy a knife I won't use. I've been fighting the urge for a larger Busse, I will eventually loose that battle and my price point will increase.
 
Point of diminishing returns is about $120 or so for a folder, because that is what I managed to buy many of my favorites for.

Price limit is a different thing. My price limit is around $200. What this means is that there is something about the $200 knife that I like more than the $120 knife, enough to make me buy it, but I don't consider that it is better in proportion to its price.

I used to buy a lot of custom fixed blades and would buy them up to about $300. I have bought very few fixed blade knives in recent years, and the ones that I did buy were low priced knives bought for function and value more than anything else.
 
I'm not a collector so $400 for a folder and $200 for a fixed blade. At that price point I'll use them and not care too much about making them up.
 
My personal max for a knife may be the $435 I spent on a Sebenza 25. And though I enjoy the knife, I still feel about half stupid for paying that much for a dang knife that doesn't actually do anything better than a Buck 110 - except maybe make me feel good.

But, I also dropped $1800 on a Les Baer 1911 a few months ago, and all it does is shoot .45 just like a $550 Glock. With fewer rounds between reloads. And I don't carry the Les Baer everyday because its too big and heavy, whereas you cats who drop $2000 on a knife can carry and enjoy it everyday.

So we each have our own demons. The ones we are fleeing from, and the ones we are buying to mask the train wrecks between our ears.

CM, I quite enjoy seeing that $10K watch on your wrist, and a $2K folder in your pocket. You have some serious style. It would be a sad day indeed to see you with a G-Shock, a Kershaw and a Kia.
 
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