Why do Emersons/Striders/Hinderers etc. cost so much more?

[moonwilson]

In my opinion , M390 is significantly better steel then S30V
I never been very impressed with S30V , maybe its was a bad luck and I just had lemons , but the steel never impressed me
Chip too easily and doesn't hold a razor edge for very long at all.

I don't care how well tuned and fancy is your 600$ frame lock , an AXIS lock will be stronger and much more reliable most of the time
I had beefy frame lock bars slipping and accidentally dissengaging on me more then once , but never had any issues with AXIS locks , and I was beating some AXIS knives to death during my service , even ones with only single omega spring , and while they developed good wiggle , they never gave up
These AXIS locks are brutally strong

I'm not a "diehard" fan of any company , definitely not BM , just calling it like it is according to my decently extensive personal experience and common sense

The axis lock is certainly not superior to a Chris Reeve or Hinderer frame lock. It just isn't. It's just different. And the materials something is made up of has little to do with craftsmanship or value. A Van Gogh painting is made from exactly the same materials as any number of lesser works made during the same period, that have long since been relegated to the dustbin of history. A Ferrari 250 GTO is mostly made of steel, glass, rubber and leather. So is a 1984 Volvo. Does this mean the two cars are equally good? Some might say "yes", others would disagree. If you hold a Benchmade in one hand, and a Chris Reeve made from identical materials in the other, you can definitely tell the difference. With a higher-end knife, you are paying for design, craftsmanship and attention to detail. If you value those things, then you will think the Chris Reeve is a nicer knife. If you don't, then you won't.

 

[jossta]

I thought this wasn't the case per their new repair/warranty policy (modifications/abuse are no longer covered)?

From what I have seen with other's warranty experiences, they have a strict definition of modification and a VERY loose definition of abuse. If you didn't put it in a vise and hit it with a hammer I think they'll fix it for cost of shipping. Unless it's pimped...

A Van Gogh painting is made from exactly the same materials as any number of lesser works made during the same period, that have long since been relegated to the dustbin of history. A Ferrari 250 GTO is mostly made of steel, glass, rubber and leather. So is a 1984 Volvo.

/Thread

I would take any one of my customs over all the Benchmades ever made. I also like to buy based on the person/people behind the knives.

 

[ec9]

To each there own, this argument is the same as Bob drives a Civic and Steve drives a BMW. Both will get you there but the BMW is just hands down more fun to drive.

 

[kritik]

Its all about prestige...in my opinion....american knives makers should learn from our competitors AKA CHINA.....LOWER PRICE= more sales=more profit in the long run.....:encouragement:

 

[Maddogg774]

It's like my 2010 Subaru Forester vs. my friends 2010 BMW X5. His cost 3x as much and has a prettier seats, but mine gets you there every time without fail and has a better AWD. His has been in the shop 3 times mine hasn't once. You pay more for luxury than for reliability.

 

[klute]

Cachet and nichemanship.

Nichemanship being the successful production and marketing of a product which does not have mass appeal, for a well-informed consumer base.

 

[Sonnydaze]

Would you rather drive a Porsche or a VW?

Definitely a Porsche. I had three VW's...all were junk. It took me a while to learn.
Sonny

 

[jossta]

Its all about prestige...in my opinion....american knives makers should learn from our competitors AKA CHINA.....LOWER PRICE= more sales=more profit in the long run.....:encouragement:

That only works if they start paying people less. It's not like US made knives have ridiculously high margins b/c the makers want more profits. Time and materials cost more, so does the end result.

It's like my 2010 Subaru Forester vs. my friends 2010 BMW X5. His cost 3x as much and has a prettier seats, but mine gets you there every time without fail and has a better AWD. His has been in the shop 3 times mine hasn't once. You pay more for luxury than for reliability.

This isn't really a fair comparison IMO. Calling a Hinderer less reliable than a Benchmade isn't exactly correct. The X5 is in the shop more b/c it's got more shit on it to break. XMs aren't more expensive b/c they have electronically controlled locks that adjust tension based in the tasks of the user. Same tech, just built to more exacting tolerances on a smaller scale.

 

[nicklovesknives]

Emerson raised the price of his customs, they now start at $650.00

Fair enough my point still stands, that one reason they cost so much more is due to secondary market pricings.

 

[djjonny]

It's worse in SA. An Emerson commander costs almost $415 (with Rand / Dollar exchange rate)
A ZT 0200 cost under 2 thirds the price (R2000 as apposed to R3470) yet opens more smooth, feels more solid and uses the same blade steel

 

[alliuse]

The reason to spend more money on any item boils down to two things, more durability and/or an increase in the enjoyment of use. Durability generally increases noticeably from the low end to the mid-range of a product category. From the mid-range to the high end durability increases are much less noticeable and in some cases diminish, however enjoyment should increase (thus justify the higher price of the product).