What makes TC barlows more expensive?

natchezz

natchezz

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Hello fellow knife friends,

Curiosity here, not complaining... I have a GEC #14 single clip, which I really like and don't see how it could be improved any (for me), except maybe offering it with a wharncliffe or sheepsfoot with a easy open cutout. :)

Anyway, what makes a #14 TC barlow more expensive than the regular #14?
 
Supply and demand. GEC stokes demand by limiting supply.

Economics 101

Supply is greater than demand = prices fall.
Demand is greater than supply = prices rise.

There are more people that want TC Barlows, than there are TC Barlows to be had. Except for those willing to pay premium prices.

For regular #14s, there is less demand, and possibly a greater number available.
 
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The tang stamp and thin blades I reckon. Otherwise they arent any better than most...
Except now that I say that.. I can't really think of modern batches of Barlows other than those that GEC has made, so maybe it's their cornering of the "American made Barlow" supply that causes the reality warping price tendency on the secondary market.

Why they claim as much or more as "better" (more personality, more expensive to make, more blades, etc) GEC model counterparts, I have no idea.
I can understand why the factory sells them for the same price as some of the others; it is a cheap way to increase profit margin by removing as many curves and minutes of shaping time as possible without changing the finished price to reflect that. Why that carries over to the secondary market is all in the collectors' heads.
 
So, GEC is kind of creating their own secondary market? When first sold, did the TC barlows sell (MSRP) at a higher price than a comparatively covered regular 14, or did the dealers jack up the price to start with?

Pardon my ignorance please, but I wasn't interested in this stuff when they had gone up for sale new in the past.
 
At the retail level they're not that much more expensive. The additional cost at retail is likely related to the manufacturing, design, delivery costs being built into the price. Just my assumptions, but if you break those down the manufacturing cost increases due to the TC Barlow die, they usually have unique art on the tube, and usually run different covers than the rest of the line. As far as the additional design costs, I'm sure there is collaboration between Charlie and the engineer at gec the does the CAD work. All that stuff takes time and productivity to collaborate. Guess it really just boils down to time really.. more time to put the project together is going to cost more. Just my assumptions.
 
cbr1000 said:
At the retail level they're not that much more expensive. The additional cost at retail is likely related to the manufacturing, design, delivery costs being built into the price. Just my assumptions, but if you break those down the manufacturing cost increases due to the TC Barlow die, they usually have unique art on the tube, and usually run different covers than the rest of the line. As far as the additional design costs, I'm sure there is collaboration between Charlie and the engineer at gec the does the CAD work. All that stuff takes time and productivity to collaborate. Guess it really just boils down to time really.. more time to put the project together is going to cost more. Just my assumptions.
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This makes sense to me.
 
AndreLinoge said:
The tang stamp and thin blades I reckon. Otherwise they arent any better than most...
Except now that I say that.. I can't really think of modern batches of Barlows other than those that GEC has made, so maybe it's their cornering of the "American made Barlow" supply that causes the reality warping price tendency on the secondary market.

Why they claim as much or more as "better" (more personality, more expensive to make, more blades, etc) GEC model counterparts, I have no idea.
I can understand why the factory sells them for the same price as some of the others; it is a cheap way to increase profit margin by removing as many curves and minutes of shaping time as possible without changing the finished price to reflect that. Why that carries over to the secondary market is all in the collectors' heads.
Click to expand...
GEC doesn't make any such claim, that I am aware of. The Barlows that GEC makes are all SFOs, not offered as part of their regular Tidioute or Northfield runs. So either Charlie or Mike have to make an order (and possibly front the cost? I honestly don't know the details of how it works)

There is more demand than supply for Barlow knives made in America, and GEC's are the only ones being made properly right now. (in my opinion, that is, with a bolster stamp, carbon steel, and no shield)
 
The TC’s were pretty much the fist ones to go for premium pricing on the secondary market. Now it seems that any GEC model is demanding out of this world pricing.

Russell
 
r8shell said:
GEC doesn't make any such claim, that I am aware of. The Barlows that GEC makes are all SFOs, not offered as part of their regular Tidioute or Northfield runs. So either Charlie or Mike have to make an order (and possibly front the cost? I honestly don't know the details of how it works)

There is more demand than supply for Barlow knives made in America, and GEC's are the only ones being made properly right now. (in my opinion, that is, with a bolster stamp, carbon steel, and no shield)
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The way that's written, its clear that the knives we're talking about do the claiming (of the price on the market). Also, the price reference is indeed accurate, most barlow runs are about the same price as any of their contemporary pieces produced alongside even if they are "SFOs".
 
AndreLinoge said:
The way that's written, its clear that the knives we're talking about do the claiming (of the price on the market). Also, the price reference is indeed accurate, most barlow runs are about the same price as any of their contemporary pieces produced alongside even if they are "SFOs".
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Ah, sorry. I guess I misunderstood. I thought you meant that GEC and the resellers were claiming them to be better made. And, yes, most Barlows retail for roughly the same price as the standard runs, but the fact they are SFOs means they are made in smaller numbers, hence the higher resale prices. It's not because GEC is deliberately trying to create a market scarcity.
 
rje58 said:
...There are more people that want TC Barlows, than there are TC Barlows to be had. Except for those willing to pay premium prices.
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This is the correct answer. In the case of the recent run of 14s we’re talking about here, the TC Barlows were produced in larger numbers than any other variant, yet they command a hefty premium on the secondary market. Rarity per se isn’t the culprit.

I consider myself lucky, as to my eye the Barlow configuration that works so well on larger knives doesn’t suit the small 14 frame. Clearly, I am in the minority. If we all liked the same things the market would be more insane than it already is.
 
cbr1000 said:
At the retail level they're not that much more expensive. The additional cost at retail is likely related to the manufacturing, design, delivery costs being built into the price. Just my assumptions, but if you break those down the manufacturing cost increases due to the TC Barlow die, they usually have unique art on the tube, and usually run different covers than the rest of the line. As far as the additional design costs, I'm sure there is collaboration between Charlie and the engineer at gec the does the CAD work. All that stuff takes time and productivity to collaborate. Guess it really just boils down to time really.. more time to put the project together is going to cost more. Just my assumptions.
Click to expand...
Perhaps the cost of the TC Barlows and the more common models have been close in the past, but this is not currently the case. The recent 14 TC Barlows are definitely more expensive at the retail level than the corresponding 14's. The recent ebony and white bone versions were approximately $140 at most dealers. The single blade 14 Tidioute versions were in the $75-$85 range. The really nice single blade SFO's were in the $85-$95 range.
 
Travman said:
The recent 14 TC Barlows are definitely more expensive at the retail level.
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As they should be. Why should flippers, who have nothing to do with the manufacturing of the knives, and probably don't even care about the knives make all the profit. If we all appreciate GEC, then we should be happy for them to succeed, and good margins are the way to do it.
 
With all due respect, I do understand your reasoning but the margins don't make it to GEC as a company or help them succeed. imo.
They probably affect the margins of the dealer and more likely the one commissioning the sfo, though. Not that there is anything wrong with that.
 
The supply is fine. The demand is the issue. There are some with the ability to "score" more than they need. Knowing the demand is there they flip them to the wanton and those people who are willing to pay propagate this behavior because they just have to have it. Case in point. The recent ancient barlow. Still plenty of those popping up daily "plenty of supply". Manufactured demand at $180+ asking price and those who are willing to just pay rather then negotiate against the other 5 or six available from other sellers, thus propagating flipper behavior.
 
While I understand those who are annoyed with “flippers,” I don’t have an issue with it.

I’ve reached the age where I’m not going to play silly games. I refuse to re-arrange my life so I can be logged on to a dealer’s website and poised to pounce when the shiny new things appear. Those who want to go through that hassle for the opportunity to make a few bucks...more power to them.

If there’s something I *really* want I’ll pay the flipper’s markup. If they want more than I’m willing to pay, I’ll pass. In the final analysis it’s just a knife, and I already have plenty of them.

To those who are offended by the fact that GEC doesn’t get a cut of the profits: a strong secondary market is good for a brand. Flippers don’t hurt GEC’s business one iota. While it may *seem* as if they are taking money from GEC’s pockets, this simply isn’t the case.

Edited to add: I don’t wish to imply that I *support* flippers. IMHO the activity has a dishonorable air about it. Nevertheless, it is neither immoral nor illegal, and everybody has to make a living.
 
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