Why do popular Benchmade models get discontinued?

I

Incahiker

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Oct 2, 2009
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Just curious why the ares model was discontinued? From all the research and reading I have done about this knife it was perhaps one of the most popular models benchmade had. It came out in a ton of different configurations.. which no model has even come close too. They would not do this with a crappy model which has crappy sales. I think it is one of the best benchmades ever made.. other then the 710.

Seems like they love to discontinue pretty popular models and then re-introduce them as limited editions... AFCK or TSEK anyone?? Maybe I am wrong and the models didn't sell as much as I thought it did..

Really just curious is all..... what is the business plan behind it?
 
Models get discontinued for two reasons. because they stop selling enough to make it worth while to manufacture them. the second reason would be so they can bring out the occasional special edition of the discontinued model and drive up demand for it because the regular version isn't available.
 
Something I noticed on the AFCK
mini-AFCK_350.jpg

afck.jpg


The hole went from being round to oval.
I suspect that either the licensing agreement they had with Spyderco ended, or they made to change to reduce costs by not paying the royalty.
 
freedoom said:
Models get discontinued for two reasons. because they stop selling enough to make it worth while to manufacture them. the second reason would be so they can bring out the occasional special edition of the discontinued model and drive up demand for it because the regular version isn't available.
Click to expand...


That is what I thought. I knew that if a model wasn't selling good enough that would be good enough reason to stop making it.. if you are not making a prophet there is no reason to keep the model around.

But the thing that perplexes me is coming out with limited editions. I figure that if they keep models consistent they will continue selling far more then the limited models that are made and receive more money from it. And gold editions are nice and all... but I don't see that as bringing them a ton of money because the price will keep away most people as they can then start digging into the custom territory at that price.

Perhaps the slowing sales of a certain model did not warrant it to be totally discontinued. But they do discontinue it enough so that new people will see the old discontinued model.. demand begins to build.. then they release a limited model which satisfies current demand enough to where they have no models sitting stagnating on dealers shelves? Sounds like a wise plan to me I guess.
 
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12345678910 said:
Something I noticed on the AFCK
mini-AFCK_350.jpg

afck.jpg


The hole went from being round to oval.
I suspect that either the licensing agreement they had with Spyderco ended, or they made to change to reduce costs by not paying the royalty.
Click to expand...


I did not like the oval hole.. and I didn't like the original hole because both models had chamfered edges which didn't work out really well to deploy. I like a straight 90 degree cut where your thumb got a really good purchase on the hole to flick out the knife.
 
The most recent re-releases of it have been with a round hole, actually.
 
The first Spyderco I EDU'd - I took sandpaper to the hole edge and very slightly rounded it off. I was all prepared to really like the Benchmade's with holes - then tried a few out and realized pretty quickly that Sal wasn't just skipping a manufacturing step by leaving the "edge" on the Spydie hole. The smooth edge on some of the Benchmades simply isn't very positive in my old hands.
I do find the hole on the mini-griptilian I have is pretty close to a 90 Deg. and is as functional as any Spyderco I own.
 
Incahiker said:
That is what I thought. I knew that if a model wasn't selling good enough that would be good enough reason to stop making it.. if you are not making a prophet there is no reason to keep the model around.
Click to expand...

1. Talk to burning bush
2. Climb to top of mountain
3. ???
4. Prophet!

In all seriousness though, I'm not sure that BM actually makes more profit when they make sprint runs. Don't they sell to the middle men, the dealers?

If so, they would make a lot more money selling a higher volume by keeping the model in production.
 
Cynic2701 said:
1. Talk to burning bush
2. Climb to top of mountain
3. ???
4. Prophet!

In all seriousness though, I'm not sure that BM actually makes more profit when they make sprint runs. Don't they sell to the middle men, the dealers?

If so, they would make a lot more money selling a higher volume by keeping the model in production.
Click to expand...

Hahahaha... lol... whoops.. :rolleyes:. I did not know that benchmade were making prophets either... :D.. yes I meant profit..
 
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Benchmade is a business first and they do what they do to make money. If they discontinue a model it is because they aren't selling well enough. They don't discontinue a knife just to drive up demand so they can then sell a couple hundred knives. They make limited edition knives when they have had enough people express interest in them.

But just because a knife is popular on these forums does not mean that the knife sold well. The average person is responsible for a lot more sales than the "AFIs" that frequent these forums. So while a knife might be popular on the forums, out in the rest of the world they might not be. I think the same thing happens with Spyderco as well. In the end it is purely how well a knife sells that dictates whether it stays in production or not.
 
FlaMtnBkr said:
Benchmade is a business first and they do what they do to make money. If they discontinue a model it is because they aren't selling well enough. They don't discontinue a knife just to drive up demand so they can then sell a couple hundred knives. They make limited edition knives when they have had enough people express interest in them.
Click to expand...

This would seem a bit odd because of having to re-tool everything just for a limited amount of runs... But perhaps with their set up there really is no need to "Re-Tool" as I have so often heard.... maybe they make enough to make a "profit" out if it.. lol.

I don't really see any other company do it as much as benchmade does.. but perhaps they are cool like that and know that some people still love the classics. I love the fact they are re-releasing the TSEK with M-390... that is probably the ultimate knife that I have always wanted from benchmade. The 440C version was not that alluring, meaning that I loved the knife but not the steel. This new one with the contoured handles and M-390 takes the cake.
 
freedoom said:
Models get discontinued for two reasons. because they stop selling enough to make it worth while to manufacture them. the second reason would be so they can bring out the occasional special edition of the discontinued model and drive up demand for it because the regular version isn't available.
Click to expand...

:thumbup:
I kind of like the LE and Sprint Runs. It renews interest in a knife, allows us that get one to try a new steel, and keeps enthusiasts interested. Some companies really listen to the ELUs when it comes to a specific run of knives, it's nice to know that they want to give us what we ask for (within reason) and they can still make a profit.
 
I'll never understand why they discontinued the Rukus and Mini-Rukus. Those were some of the best Benchmades ever I thought.
 
It was too bad that they didn't bring more of the red class knives over to the us. The Nagara was beautiful and a good value.
 
Of course it has to do with economics. Everyone here with jobs understands how you need to prioritize everything based-on maximizing revenue/profits.

Remember that manufacturing involves factory space and production lines. You only have so many lines to use for production, so you need to phase-out one line of knives if you want to introduce a new knife.
 
Its too bad the didn't bring the Nagara over when they discontinued the red class. It looked great
 
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A lot of their higher end knives appeal to knifeknuts like us who willingly pay the high price because we know what we are getting. The regular public often dosen't see the value of the high price and settle with the low priced knife such as the Grip series. Just look how many different models of the Grip series there are! So when the high dollar knives run their course and begin to prove unprofitable, they get discontinued, and we begin to moan and groan and kick ourselves for not getting that knife in the first place!!;)
 
Who said the Ares was/is popular? How many people actually carry an Ares? I have never met a person carrying one - except the person I sold one to.


Notice that the Leopold versions still show up and haven't gained in value. Even the regular versions of the Ares have yet to see a big increase in value.
 
I think it's just to add to the prestige. As other people have said Benchmade tries to figure out ways to seem more special, more elite, more precious. The people they are targeting are more collectors than users, likely spend $500-1,500 on knives every year, and don't want the same thing over and over again.
 
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