What's your main source for buying knives?

needler420

needler420

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After pretty much going to every authorized dealer, pawn shop, gun store, and tactical store in my area I am realizing they are all middle men and virtually all of their inventory can be gotten online for cheaper.

In the comic book and video game industry I see many similarities. I don't want to divulge too much into other industries but I seen very similar aspects in all forms from creation, sales, and collectible market.

I saw a youtube video of a young guy probably my age in his mid twenties do a unboxing of knives and then talks about good places to buy them. He basically states how buying online is better. They don't have nearly as much overhead as a shop will and therefore can charge much less.

There is this whole stigma I see that people think that they should support their local shops. Then I have to sit and ponder and ask myself why. The shop owner doesn't know me and I don't know him. He has items selling for MSRP something he wants $50 for I know I can get same model shipped online for $30. So you can see he's price gouging to make up for overhead.

What I don't get is why do I want to support that? It's not like if I make a few sales with any of these local shops that all of a sudden they will match online retailers. The most that will happen is they see you as a regular and they cut you some small deals. And that has nothing to do with you being a regular and them trying to be friendly . They are business men and they know how overhead and MSRP works.

In fact many of them would make comments to me about certain knives and the MSRP price and they will make comments where they can tell I know about online retailers.
It puts a sad face on both of us because seller knows online is becoming fierce competition for his business and I know I can't afford to pay his 35% mark up to contribute to his overhead just because I want to support locally. That's not how it works to me.


I see similar things with comics like oh don't buy digital comic books save the printing industry. While in reality I would love to save physical copies I know we are entering a digital world. Todays generations wants it as fast as they can for as cheap as they can.
 
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Most of mine come from online, with the rest coming from 2 gun and knife shows a year that are within decent driving distance. And about once a year I run up to Grand Prairie Knives, which is about 2 hours each way for me.
 
Living in Colorado most of my life I was fortunate that I purchased many of my Spydercos from their store in Golden. However buying other brands I would have to go to places like Cabelas, Bass Pro, etc. if I wanted to actually get a feel for the knife before buying. For the most part going to these big box stores the people working the knife counter have little knowledge beyond what can be found on the box or looking at the blade of the knife (like knife steel). If you are lucky enough to live in an area where there is a dedicated knife store I personally would try my best to support them if they were friendly and helpful/knowledgeable. I have been to several dedicated knife shops around the country and have found their prices to be slightly higher but nothing over the top and certainly not MSRP. Also, when I receive advice or information from the workers at these shops I can tell it is a passion to them as well. So when I am deciding on a knife that may cost $250 online and the store is charging $275 for it, the time spent talking and information provided to me by the employee is worth the extra $25 to me. If this is something you do not support that is fine, just please don't be one of those people who goes to these places, finds the knife you want, then go order it elsewhere. If you're going to do that do it at Cabelas or Sportsmans Warehouse or other big box chains. My favorite place to buy/sell/trade knives currently is right here on BF, it is extremely easy and all the sellers, buyers and traders I've dealt with so far have been awesome!
 
Seneca18 said:
Living in Colorado most of my life I was fortunate that I purchased many of my Spydercos from their store in Golden. However buying other brands I would have to go to places like Cabelas, Bass Pro, etc. if I wanted to actually get a feel for the knife before buying. For the most part going to these big box stores the people working the knife counter have little knowledge beyond what can be found on the box or looking at the blade of the knife (like knife steel). If you are lucky enough to live in an area where there is a dedicated knife store I personally would try my best to support them if they were friendly and helpful/knowledgeable. I have been to several dedicated knife shops around the country and have found their prices to be slightly higher but nothing over the top and certainly not MSRP. Also, when I receive advice or information from the workers at these shops I can tell it is a passion to them as well. So when I am deciding on a knife that may cost $250 online and the store is charging $275 for it, the time spent talking and information provided to me by the employee is worth the extra $25 to me. If this is something you do not support that is fine, just please don't be one of those people who goes to these places, finds the knife you want, then go order it elsewhere. If you're going to do that do it at Cabelas or Sportsmans Warehouse or other big box chains. My favorite place to buy/sell/trade knives currently is right here on BF, it is extremely easy and all the sellers, buyers and traders I've dealt with so far have been awesome!
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I was doing the exact opposite. I find the knives I want online first. Reading reviews, watching youtube videos using this site etc. Then once I know what I want I try to go find it locally. Which never goes any where because my original research starts online so I normally end up finding out the best deal to begin with was online. Basically I end up driving all around town burning gas and wasting time.

Which is why I'm about to give up for local purchases. I think for me its either going to be a flea market, yard sale, craigslist, the 2nd hand market in general or last resort online. I don't even think I will make attempts to even browse locally any more.
 
Almost entirely online for me. Either ebay, the forums, or ksf/agrussell.

There is a locally owned sporting goods store not far from my apartment that I used to buy knives and bike parts from but unfortunately these days all they carry is cheap china crap, I was told because the nicer things they used to stock were too expensive for the majority of their customers. I use them for propane and the occasional CO2/Nitro fill, and my knife money goes to other knife nuts. I hate MAP policies, but they do tend to give physical stores a shot the problem is that the stores almost always charge way over the MAP to get as much as they can from that one sale which is a very poorly thought out policy.
 
I have a few knives that I've bought on-line from BF dealers...generally a few favorites that I bought new and will never carry.
But 95% of my folders are bought right here on the BF Exchange...generally, of course from this link:...
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/892-For-Sale-Production-Folders-(Individual)

As I try to gift a fair amount of folders to deployed military and LEO's, I have found that I can often find ANIB folders for 20% less than I can find at an on-line store. Generally, these BF folders have been unwrapped, photographed, and boxed back up for sale. You need to be careful and selective, but you can find them on occasion...and return them for a refund if somebody tried to mess you up.
The few knife-stores available to me are all MSRP, and that's a bit nuts for my financial position...or lack of it...
 
Knifecenter is the most consistent for me. Good stock and good ship times and price is usually on point.
 
Sonnydaze said:
I have a few knives that I've bought on-line from BF dealers...generally a few favorites that I bought new and will never carry.
But 95% of my folders are bought right here on the BF Exchange...generally, of course from this link:...
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/892-For-Sale-Production-Folders-(Individual)

As I try to gift a fair amount of folders to deployed military and LEO's, I have found that I can often find ANIB folders for 20% less than I can find at an on-line store. Generally, these BF folders have been unwrapped, photographed, and boxed back up for sale. You need to be careful and selective, but you can find them on occasion...and return them for a refund if somebody tried to mess you up.
The few knife-stores available to me are all MSRP, and that's a bit nuts for my financial position...or lack of it...
Click to expand...

I'm in the central FL area too. So whatever you have as options is same for me.
 
I call Darrel Ralph and ask him if he can make this... he says yeah, it will cost $****... and I say... I'll mail the cashiers check out tomorrow.
 
I think much of buying has to do with the kind of knife you're looking for. If you want a knife that any store can carry, buying online and finding the cheapest price has it's advantages. Although I think a simple phone call to your local shops would save you the drive time and gas.

We sell the vast majority of our items online but we also have retail walk in traffic. We sell for the same price regardless of a call in/online order or if you walk in. Many of the walk in customers want to see and feel the knife in person, which gives the customer the satisfaction of knowing how it fits in their hand before spending their hard earned money. Sure they could always return the item but that can be a pain for some people too.

Some people are impatient too. I know I have spent a little more money to buy locally just to have a product in hand sooner. That can be said for many things and not just knives. At a local gun store I wanted a new sling for one of my rifles, rather than complaining about a $5 increase I just bought it so I could take it home with me.
 
When discussing where people buy knives/where to buy those threads belong in feedback.
General Knife discussion is for discussing the knives themselves.
 
needler420 said:
What's your main source for buying knives?
Click to expand...

One of our supporting dealers, but mostly on the exchange here at bfc.


needler420 said:
After pretty much going to every authorized dealer, pawn shop, gun store, and tactical store in my area I am realizing they are all middle men and virtually all of their inventory can be gotten online for cheaper.

In the comic book and video game industry I see many similarities. I don't want to divulge too much into other industries but I seen very similar aspects in all forms from creation, sales, and collectible market.

I saw a youtube video of a young guy probably my age in his mid twenties do a unboxing of knives and then talks about good places to buy them. He basically states how buying online is better. They don't have nearly as much overhead as a shop will and therefore can charge much less.

There is this whole stigma I see that people think that they should support their local shops. Then I have to sit and ponder and ask myself why. The shop owner doesn't know me and I don't know him. He has items selling for MSRP something he wants $50 for I know I can get same model shipped online for $30. So you can see he's price gouging to make up for overhead.

What I don't get is why do I want to support that? It's not like if I make a few sales with any of these local shops that all of a sudden they will match online retailers. The most that will happen is they see you as a regular and they cut you some small deals. And that has nothing to do with you being a regular and them trying to be friendly . They are business men and they know how overhead and MSRP works.

In fact many of them would make comments to me about certain knives and the MSRP price and they will make comments where they can tell I know about online retailers.
It puts a sad face on both of us because seller knows online is becoming fierce competition for his business and I know I can't afford to pay his 35% mark up to contribute to his overhead just because I want to support locally. That's not how it works to me.


I see similar things with comics like oh don't buy digital comic books save the printing industry. While in reality I would love to save physical copies I know we are entering a digital world. Todays generations wants it as fast as they can for as cheap as they can.
Click to expand...

Um, okay I guess.....
 
It used to be from online dealers, but since I joined the forum, I purchase just about everything on the exchange.

If there was a good brick and mortar store near me that sold more interesting knives (Mid-Tech's/Customs) I would be there right now!
 
Online and mostly from Bladeforums. I like the secondary market because I can verify the blade is centered etc....
 
bladeforums, and bladeforums-supporting dealers typically. I "imagine" a knife and buy it online. If it doesn't work out for me, I sell it on the exchange here. Has worked beautifully, with additional advantage of getting to know some of the best folks here. What more can one ask for?
 
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