Why Are Sebenzas So Popular?

On a personal note ...

Shortly after I joined Bladeforums, and before I knew much about the Sebenza, other than that it was a respected product -- I hadn't even seen a picture of one -- I won first prize in a giveaway contest and had my choice of 12 different knives. (Roger of www.knifeworks.com was very generous to us!)

I actually did consider taking the MicroTech LLC but decided on the Sebenza instead. It arrived, I was very happy, but not overwhelmed. Then I began playing with it, and then using it in the kitchen, around the house, and in the woods. Still use it. :)

I did follow up by buying a few othe CRK folders and fixed blades. The quality is there and I like the style. As a number of us have already said, it's an individual decision. But for me, at first, it was not a financial decision. The only CRK I have ever paid full price for was the Umfaan I bought directly from Chris Reeve himself at a knife show. The rest have been at nice discounts on the Exchange forums here.
 
hardheart said:
the idea that a knife, with what did someone count, 22 parts (including washers) has more labor involved than a revolver makes me not want to touch a S&W.
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I don't think the revolver has less labor involved, it's just that the labor is now automated, while the CRK operation still has a great deal of work done by hand.

(I count 18 parts on the Sebenza.)
 
hardheart said:
something to notice is how retailers cannot sell the sebenza below msrp, most other knives are sold well below, and several have an msrp very, very close to the sebbie.
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This I think is an important point. Nowhere that I've seen is anyone selling a Sebbie for less than the prices on the CR website, excluding individuals on ebay or the exchange. I'll bet that decision has served him well and has kept the secondary market very stable and reliable. I too would prefer to charge more and make less product than the reverse, assuming you come out even in the end. It could end up hurting him though if competition heats up by making it next to impossible for him to lower prices without alienating a lot of people. Business isn't easy.
 
The old saying applies, "Apples and Oranges". Why does a fine custom shotgun cost more than the average car? Why does the top of the line Mercedes or Lambo cost more than the average house? Why does a little KingAir turboprop cost more than the average cul-de-sac full of houses?

Pete
 
Oh come on guys... now I'm really insulted!
AV8R said:
The old saying applies, "Apples and Oranges". Why does a fine custom shotgun cost more than the average car? Why does the top of the line Mercedes or Lambo cost more than the average house? Why does a little KingAir turboprop cost more than the average cul-de-sac full of houses?

Pete
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DaveH said:
AT least the OP didn't ask "Why are striders so popular, I just don't get it?" Then we'd have people comparing mercedes to oranges to hummer's to AK47's to M1 tanks. ;)
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Shotguns to cars? Cars to houses? Planes to Cul-de-sacs? Mercedes to oranges to hummers to AK47's to M1 tanks? Where is your imagination! With only the exception of the house and cul-de-sac, all of those are mechanical devices! That's an obvious and easy to understand comparison! Wait till I relate how guns and knives are in relation to the epic of gilgamesh original mud bricks, the government in pakistan, bodybuilder's supplements and amway/quixtar marketing! Come on. Someone dare me. :D Though I probably will need to throw in some other things to make it airtight logic, like humpback whales and ball bearings.
;)
Zero
 
Originally Posted by hardheart: Something to notice is how retailers cannot sell the Sebenza below MSRP, most other knives are sold well below, and several have an MSRP very, very close to the Sebbie.
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I've always viewed this practice as an artificial attempt to keep prices more than a product is worth. In short, what does a policy like this do? If a retailer wants to curb his own profits and sell the knife for less than the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price, then the prices aren't really "suggested," are they? No matter how well made a Sebenza is, what valid reason could there be for sparing it from market variables?

Actually, how foolish of me. Because CR can, that's why. But then why not call it the Manufacturer's Mandatory Retail Price (MMRP)? Of course, Sebbie owners can say, hey, if you don't like it, don't buy one!

Good point. For a knife that only has 18 parts, why can't the blade at least be hand polished to mirror brightness?

Bummer.

Sebenzas (all supplied with pocket clip)

Large Plain, $325
Large Decorated, $425
Small Plain, $290
Small Decorated, $390
Leather pouch for Large Sebenza, $30
Nylon pouch for Large or Small Sebenza, $10
Teflon Lubricant, $10
 
Confederate said:
If a retailer wants to curb his own profits and sell the knife for less than the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price, then the prices aren't really "suggested," are they?

But then why not call it the Manufacturer's Mandatory Retail Price (MMRP)?
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Just out of curiosity, does CRK refer to MSRP, or is that just the term we are used to using for the price at which the manufacturer sells to the public, which becomes the base the dealers work from?

In other words, does CRK actually have an MSRP?
 
Confederate said:
I've always viewed this practice as an artificial attempt to keep prices more than a product is worth. In short, what does a policy like this do? If a retailer wants to curb his own profits and sell the knife for less than the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price, then the prices aren't really "suggested," are they? No matter how well made a Sebenza is, what valid reason could there be for sparing it from market variables?

Actually, how foolish of me. Because CR can, that's why. But then why not call it the Manufacturer's Mandatory Retail Price (MMRP)? Of course, Sebbie owners can say, hey, if you don't like it, don't buy one!

Good point. For a knife that only has 18 parts, why can't the blade at least be hand polished to mirror brightness?

Bummer.

Sebenzas (all supplied with pocket clip)

Large Plain, $325
Large Decorated, $425
Small Plain, $290
Small Decorated, $390
Leather pouch for Large Sebenza, $30
Nylon pouch for Large or Small Sebenza, $10
Teflon Lubricant, $10
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Where did you get those prices?

Thanks,
Rich
 
Interesting thought, I have never seen a sebenza for sale that listed a MRSP then the actual price, something most sites do to make it look as if they are doing you a favor by buying from them...lol..listing a MRSPO always makes the stors actual price seem much better, sometiems it is, and other tiems it is not...
 
"I've always viewed this practice as an artificial attempt to keep prices more than a product is worth. In short, what does a policy like this do? If a retailer wants to curb his own profits and sell the knife for less than the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price, then the prices aren't really "suggested," are they? No matter how well made a Sebenza is, what valid reason could there be for sparing it from market variables?

Actually, how foolish of me. Because CR can, that's why. But then why not call it the Manufacturer's Mandatory Retail Price (MMRP)? Of course, Sebbie owners can say, hey, if you don't like it, don't buy one!
Bummer."

As I understand it, it's illegal for a manufacturer to cut off a dealer or distributor because of low pricing. It is, however, perfectly legal to not ship someone product for no reason at all. ;)
 
GronK said:
As I understand it, it's illegal for a manufacturer to cut off a dealer or distributor because of low pricing. It is, however, perfectly legal to not ship someone product for no reason at all. ;)
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Sometimes ORDERs just get LOSSED from dealers that don't follow the rules :eek:
 
DaveH said:
AT least the OP didn't ask "Why are striders so popular, I just don't get it?" Then we'd have people comparing mercedes to oranges to hummer's to AK47's to M1 tanks. ;)
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Dave I love your opinions!
 
Confederate said:
Hi, Rich.

Right here. Scroll down.

Cheers.
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Those are old prices. They're a bit more now. I don't think CRK is not the only company that has its dealers selling at the same price as they do. Are Striders typically discounted? How about Busse, Swamp Rat, & Junk Yards? In fact, the Busse trio is worse, IMHO, about artificially driving up prices. I have no clue what the profit margin is on CRKs, but for all we know, the company could be guaranteeing their dealers a very good profit by selling their product at the price they set.

Either way, the market dictates what a company can charge for their product. If CRK was charging "too much", as some have said, they wouldn't be selling all they can make, now would they?
 
Just out of curiosity does anyone know the retail price of a large plain sebenza in 1998?
 
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