What Production Knives Do You Consider To Be Over Priced?

straitr said:
Now you're talking about more complex purchases and purchasing scenarios. I'm not pitching a fast and hard rule about anything that has a price. Of course there are things that are overpriced (IMO), but we still buy them... healthcare, gas, utilities, etc. Wants vs needs. Take your Black vs Blue scale scenario, and think about how fast sprint runs and/or limited edition knives typically sell out. It's not the Blue scales that people are willing to "overpay" for, it's the exclusivity, but they do it happily. Again though, it's a personal perception of value.
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You might say that if a knife is a successful seller then it's not overpriced. I wouldn't argue with that. But it's difficult to know what is actually selling well until a knife is discontinued.
 
Of the knives that I own, Winkler takes the cake. Their edges are always buggered up out of the box. It isn't all that uncommon to see rough grinding marks on the finish product.
Dan needs to shoot whoever makes his kydex and who QC's them. Because the first thing I do with them is throw them out because some aren't even safe. Most are horribly wavy. One even had the tip sticking out of the sheath.

Emersons are a little more than what I think they're worth.
Striders-Well everyone offers an overpriced Ti/G10 framelock now with minimal work done to it.
Hinderer-makes flippers that can hardly flip.
Microtechs-I've never bought one that wasn't perfection out of the box. But their warranty/CS still needs a kick in the rear.
 
With the Spyderco line, one could make some judgements based on the chatter here on BF, but without sales information it can't be definitive. We know that the PM knife models are successful because so many recommend them. The same would go for the Native, Delica, Endura, and Sage models. I suspect one of my more favorite models isn't particularly successful (Kiwi 4) and it may well be a little overpriced even though I bought one. Somebody said some of the Seki produced Spydercos may be overpriced and I tend to agree. Still good knives; just a tad more expensive than I would think appropriate.

I think a lot of the Benchmades are overpriced. But I'm not a Benchmade fanboy. So, my opinion may be somewhat biased.
 
hudak said:
..I don't think anything is more ridiculous than the current fetish for Russian knives like the Shirogorov. Just like the Hinderer's from years ago, people are paying $700-$900 for knives that should cost $200-$400.
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I could not agree more. I used to be skeptical of Hinderers and was proven right when people who snapped them up for 700 could not sell them for 350.
Shirogorovs will face the same crash sooner or later. Shirogorovs are cnc made knives in a shop full of hired workers, how could they commend 1000 and more is beyond me. Most ruski do not make 1000 in a month some do not make that kind of money in a year. I am sure that shirigoriv pays his employees less than hinderer. Fit and finish of shiros are better than hindrerers but they (production models that is) should not cost more than $400 at the most. The main issue with shirogorov is supply only one dealer in US so far, however when they step up production (which is inevitable and hinderer is a case in point) there will be more distributors and the prices will be cut dramatically.
 
A big factor that plays in all of this is Income. A guy who makes $20,000 a year might think ZT and Benchmade knives are "Overpriced" while the other guy who makes $120,000 a year thinks they're "Beater" knives. It's all subjective.

Question is, how bad does one person want that knife? For example; Recently I found a Shirogorov that I wanted bad. REALLY BAD. I found one online new for $1,300. I didn't even think twice before adding it to my cart and purchasing it. Do I feel like the knife is worth that price? No, I dont. But I wanted it bad enough so I payed the inflated price.

Income and desire play a huge factor in this topic. It's subjective and responses will vary from one person to another. This of course is all my opinion. Take it as you will. :)
 
ridnovir said:
I could not agree more. I used to be skeptical of Hinderers and was proven right when people who snapped them up for 700 could not sell them for 350.
Shirogorovs will face the same crash sooner or later. Shirogorovs are cnc made knives in a shop full of hired workers, how could they commend 1000 and more is beyond me. Most ruski do not make 1000 in a month some do not make that kind of money in a year. I am sure that shirigoriv pays his employees less than hinderer. Fit and finish of shiros are better than hindrerers but they (production models that is) should not cost more than $400 at the most. The main issue with shirogorov is supply only one dealer in US so far, however when they step up production (which is inevitable and hinderer is a case in point) there will be more distributors and the prices will be cut dramatically.
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Oh,like the model 111 that's nothing more than 2 slabs of carbon fiber, a backspacer and a nested liner with a blade going for 950-1000.00 ? In my opinipon, as nice as it is , the model 111 and the field grade bodega are the ripoffs of the century. These 2 knives have such a low cost in materials compared to what they are going for.There is no way to justify the huge price of these two knives.
 
Not trying to justify the prices of Shirogorovs cause they are Very expensive knives; Too expensive actually. But, people aren't paying those inflated prices for the material costs. They're paying for what that knife company does with those materials. They're paying for the end result. Sure you can go out and buy Carbon fiber, titanium, s30 steel for cheap. However, it's what you do with those materials that drives the price up.

I'm just using Shirogorov as an example. You can see this in any brand of knife manufacturer. It's never about material cost. It's the finished product.

Just my 2 cents. Not trying to stir up the pot. Just offering a different take on the subject.
 
CRK
Medford
Emerson
Spyderco
Hinderer
Strider
Rockstead
Microtech (Sadly)
KAI As a whole (ZT & Kershaw)
SOG
Benchmade (Sadly)
Curtiss (Does he count? (Guy who makes the F3))
 
Hi. This is an interesting topic. My 2 cents: I don’t think it’s possible to define brands or articles per se as “overpriced”. It’s instead interesting for me to analyse what really contributes in making up the selling price of an item and evaluate if I want to spend this kind of money on it. Though this is really not my field of expertise, I once run, for fun, a couple of folders of mine through a cost simulation tool I have access to where I work. Sure I missed the real costs components for those specific brands but I used the medium sized table cutlery industry value chain data and cost break down as a reference and considered an average retailer mark-up. Well the results were amazing, it looked like gross margin for these two brands was well over 85%.

I see it like this. I can use the espresso coffee example (a very Italian one :)). I can have my Pellini espresso at the cafeteria in the main square of the village where I live and it cost me 1 EUR at the counter. I can have exactly the same Pellini espresso in S.Marco square in Venice, sitting down on a set table with linen napkins, silver spoons, dressed-up waiters, scenery, etc. and I pay e.g. 5 EUR for this. The coffee as such is the same, the experience quite different. Is that coffee “overpriced”? It depends. If it’s only the coffee I’m looking/caring for to e.g. wake up, get a caffeine shot, etc., then in the S.Marco square scenario I’m “overpaying” it; on the other hand, if it’s the whole environment, history and experience I am interested in, I’ll be happy to pay for this. Same goes for knives.

This is very similar to the discussions about measurable quality features and the perceived quality. The Mora (10 EUR) and the Woodlore (600 EUR) example. Do they cut the same? Yes, sure. Are they “the same” thing? Not really. :)
 
Cost.... a little story from the past. Grew up in rural PA. When I was a kid (like 5) my parents took my aunt to NYC and I road along. We stayed in some city type hotel. I was in the lobby and wanted a pack of life savers. They cost $0.05 per pack where I lived. I asked for the lifesavers (candy) and was handed the flavor I selected and the man at the counter said $0.06 please. I blew up.... 6 cents!! What a gyp!!! I still chuckle about this. So things are relative depending on where you go. Try buying gas near the Grand Canyon and compare to prices in more populated areas. Knives are the same.
 
Never thought id see the day where a production knife like the benchmade anthem would be 425.00. That is just so unjustified to me,ive bought customs and midtechs for that price and less.good luck to them, I am not drinking their Kool-Aid....
 
Just because someone is rich does not mean he will think all knives of $400+ prices are not overpriced. In fact, many people become rich because they value their hard earned money and continue to do so.
 
Brules1 said:
This makes no sense...adorable???? What a stupid comment.
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No, the stupid comment was yours concerning Busse's proprietary steel, INFI.

In the future, I recommend you doing some research on Busse because ignorance isn't a good look on you. :)
 
..I don't think anything is more ridiculous than the current fetish for Russian knives like the Shirogorov. Just like the Hinderer's from years ago, people are paying $700-$900 for knives that should cost $200-$400.
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Yup.
I don't have one knife that costs more than $300
The quality of these knives are superior.
I can't even imagine carrying a Shiro and reaching for it in my pocket and..gone!
These are more investment knives and flippers IMO.
 
Quiet said:
No, the stupid comment was yours concerning Busse's proprietary steel, INFI.

In the future, I recommend you doing some research on Busse because ignorance isn't a good look on you. :)
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Honestly, there's no way to defend INFI against a close-minded person without sounding like a fanboy or a non-user justifying his spending. Let me say this though: logically, you can rave about a company without being a fanboy. If it's deserving, there's no reason you should hold back your high opinions just because people will think you've donned rose-colored glasses.
To Brules1, I wholeheartedly believe that I've never come across a better hard-use steel. The general rule for steels is "toughness, edge-holding, corrosion resistance: pick two", isn't it? The thing that I find remarkable is that INFI doesn't chip, doesn't corrode, and holds an edge through heavy use. Don't misunderstand me— I do buy other knives. When I only bring one fixed blade, however, it's bound to be a Busse.
 
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JoshH said:
Honestly, there's no way to defend INFI against a close-minded person without sounding like a fanboy or a non-user justifying his spending. Let me say this though: logically, you can rave about a company without being a fanboy. If it's deserving, there's no reason you should hold back your high opinions just because people will think you've donned rose-colored glasses.
To Brules1, I wholeheartedly believe that I've never come across a better hard-use steel. The general rule for steels is "toughness, edge-holding, corrosion resistance: pick two", isn't it? The thing that I find remarkable is that INFI doesn't chip, doesn't corrode, and holds an edge through heavy use. Don't misunderstand me— I do buy other knives. When I only bring one fixed blade, however, it's bound to be a Busse.
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INFI is great, the only problem I have with it is Busse going all Cold Steel with the marketing. Take a knife that's relatively thick behind the edge, with a relatively wide angled bevel, and what you have is a long chisel. Sure you can hammer it through a cinder block, but you could do the same with plenty of other tool steels, couldn't you? Also, their breathy INFI page makes the stuff sound like the best steel for every use case, in every possible way. When a salesman tells you that something is amazing, in every possible way, and that nobody else has anything like it, they're usually peddling snake oil in my experience, so that page sets of my BS detector pretty quickly.
 
JoshH said:
Honestly, there's no way to defend INFI against a close-minded person without sounding like a fanboy or a non-user justifying his spending. Let me say this though: logically, you can rave about a company without being a fanboy. If it's deserving, there's no reason you should hold back your high opinions just because people will think you've donned rose-colored glasses.
To Brules1, I wholeheartedly believe that I've never come across a better hard-use steel. The general rule for steels is "toughness, edge-holding, corrosion resistance: pick two", isn't it? The thing that I find remarkable is that INFI doesn't chip, doesn't corrode, and holds an edge through heavy use. Don't misunderstand me— I do buy other knives. When I only bring one fixed blade, however, it's bound to be a Busse.
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Yep, more or less the same for me. INFI, and hell, their SR101 is amazing steel. And more to my point, it IS a proprietary steel created and protocol treated to Jerry's specs.

evilgreg said:
INFI is great, the only problem I have with it is Busse going all Cold Steel with the marketing. Take a knife that's relatively thick behind the edge, with a relatively wide angled bevel, and what you have is a long chisel. Sure you can hammer it through a cinder block, but you could do the same with plenty of other tool steels, couldn't you? Also, their breathy INFI page makes the stuff sound like the best steel for every use case, in every possible way. When a salesman tells you that something is amazing, in every possible way, and that nobody else has anything like it, they're usually peddling snake oil in my experience, so that page sets of my BS detector pretty quickly.
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Mine too, for the most part. As an example, I don't think I would ever buy a folding knife in INFI if it were to become available. It is my understanding that INFI is at its best in large choppers, where the overall toughness of the knife allows it to do some pretty awesome things. All that said, there are a few folks using CPM 3V and doing some flat out amazing things that would rival anything INFI can stand up to in most realworld applications.
 
^ Great knives,Busse,love my hellrazor,just wish they would come with a sheath,which is my only gripe with them, come on, for their prices at least add a sheath with it,i don't think any other company would be able to get away with that..
 
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