- Joined
- Mar 22, 2013
- Messages
- 322
Because people are willing to pay it.
-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Why so much money?
- Thread starter Chadentwistle
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2014
- Messages
- 4,120
If people were willing to pay $300-400 for a knife from my company that is the same as a $100 knife from another company, I'm selling that idiot a $400 knife! (I Don't sell knives, just hypothetical).
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2014
- Messages
- 4,120
I agree, though not on the particular brands. If you need a decent knife without a premium steel you can always find one around or under $30.
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2013
- Messages
- 22,256
Its not like you could impress anyone outside of BF with your expensive knives anyway. Most people cannot understand spending more than say 50 bucks for a knife.
"You paid WHAT for THAT ?"
Absolutely awesome (and spot-on) point. That was more or less the point I was trying to make with my response. It's easy to sit here and talk smack about the money people spend on whatever they're interested in, but the fact is, it's disingenuous to claim it's just because they want to show off for others. In fact, in MY experience, many people tend to fall under one, or a combination of the following (and these are just basics, this list could easily be much longer based on the fact that everyone's decision-making factors on something different):
1. They appreciate fine craftsmanship. Fine craftsmanship counts. Always has. Whether it's a Porsche 911 GT3, a fine aged Padron '64 anniversary, a custom Wilson Combat 1911, a rare bottle of cellared 3F Dark Lord, an Omega Seamaster, or even a $1,000 custom knife. All of those things have one thing in common: they're made for people who recognize the finer things in life.
2. They will pay more for quality. Quality is why people pay more for luxury items. It's also why those companies charge more. Companies that charge more, without providing that quality tend not to be around for long (though I know there are always exceptions).
3. They want others to know they have money and/or good taste. Yes, there are people who buy things so that others are aware of their status. Here's the thing: that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's only seen as a bad thing by jealous people*.
Because, some of the posts Ankerson was making, that struck me as some sour grapes going on. Problem with that is, no one in the Knife Community is really in a place to throw stones here. Ankerson was talking about "nose in the air wine snobs". Oh? Snobs? We have plenty of "nose in the air" steel/maker/blade shape/etc. snobs right here. So what was the point of bagging on people whose main crime seems to be that they are merely interested in something you clearly aren't interested in? Oh, oh right, we get THIS poor logic, concerning marketing as a field of study:
So many things people spend money on are ego driven purchases, cars, houses, Watches, clothes, Guns, latest gadget..... Heck even that $5 cup of coffee people walk into work with is some kind of status symbol supposedly etc... Or the Grocery Store that people shop, I went to XXX Store like that really means something instead of YYY Store....... Like "HEY LOOK AT ME I AM SO AWESOME"........ Cough, choke...... LOL
Most of that has to do with marketing and how the products are marketed and people buy into that....... Companies spend a lot of money on advertising and marketing along with research and Psychiatrists on how to separate you from your money.....
Knives not so much usually as they more more of a tool really.
If he typed that tripe with a straight face, the man deserves a medal (and some therapy). The knife industry as we know it exists PRIMARILY due to marketing!!! LOL I mean, are you serious? If it's not one company making claims like "Super Spec-Ops Delta SEAL SWAT commandos use our knives, you should too!", it's another company talking about how you're going to die out in the woods after five minutes unless you have one of their Bushcraft (TM!) knives made of some boutique super-steel. I mean, come on now.
At the end of the day, how about we knife guys just enjoy what we enjoy and let others enjoy what they enjoy, and just skip the judgement, eh?
*My opinion, not a statement of fact.
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2005
- Messages
- 16,379
Do you have an example of a companies $300-$400 knife that is "the same" as a $100 knife from another company ?
People aren't going to pay $400 for a knife thats "the same" as a $100 knife.
Your hypothetical company would never make it.
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2014
- Messages
- 4,120
An point well made. My knives have not left the $100 range so I cannot truly make that statement. But I can say I've seen knives with the same materials (s30v, g10) with that price difference. I will also say when I only had $30 knives I was skeptical of how much more you can get for $100. After I could afford to "pay to play" I found they were worth the cash to me. When I can get some $300 knives I'll find out more. Until then I will be skeptical. Maybe I'm a Lil jelly of all y'all with those knives and its effecting my judgment.
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2006
- Messages
- 8,250
It's a bad thing IMO because it denotes a personality type that I just don't mesh with. They either have their priorities messed up or they're uncomfortable in their own skin. I have no problems with people who appreciate nice things(I do myself) but feeling the need to flaunt it is very much a bad thing.
Relating back to this thread;
Although most on here just want a nice tool because they like knives, I've seen too many threads where people are talking smack about people who use sak's and lower end knives to believe that it's NOT a judgemental status symbol worship thing. They want the best so they can feel better than others. That's not true with the majority of people on here but it does happen.
Those old Camillus, Schrade, Ulster, etc had excellent steels. Good enough even for 99.99% of daily knife toters/users who need (your word, not mine) a knife today. That's just the simple truth of it, and trust me, our fathers and grandfathers were not "under knifed".
Last edited:
stabman
Gold Member
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2007
- Messages
- 21,327
I think for the most part people flaunt other items far more than knives.
People brag about cars, high end electronics and clothing WAY more often, probably because it's easier to find others who actually care about the things they're bragging about.
This site and a couple of others are the only places people care at all, and even here many don't appreciate the bragging.
Hell, I still like Swiss Army Knives.
They were actually my very first "bragging knives", and kids on the playground actually did care...because of MacGyver!
He could make a cannon that shot bombs out of an old muffler with his SAK.
I still carry a Swisschamp in the bag because those extra tools are so handy. Not so keen on the knife blade itself, though.
But that's a good thing; it's a great reason to carry another knife with a kick-ass single blade. :thumbup:
But yes, snobs abound in all avenues of life. I just see them less often here than in other circles.
Except with knives, you can get cheap ones that will last beyond your generation or from a generation past that'll last you your generation. Tires are a terrible analogy.
stabman
Gold Member
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2007
- Messages
- 21,327
Maybe not.
I swear my first (extremely crappy) car had tires from a previous generation.
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2014
- Messages
- 4,120
I was talking about camillus. Got a crap knife from them for $80. Never knew vg10 and carbon fiber could feel so cheap. Was a recent one. I do hear they used to be good.
You replied to this ---
"I buy mostly old USA made Camillus, Schrade, Ulster, etc. The prices represent a great value, and the knives are excellent. Most often I spend less than 30 bucks per knife.
These are cases of getting more than you pay for."
"...old..."
Last edited:
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2014
- Messages
- 4,120
If only we spoke before I got that crap China made one...smh.
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2013
- Messages
- 8,331
I hate to break it to some folks. But us knife nuts are a sub-culture and we're just as geeky as folks who go to Star Trek convention.
Sometimes the exorbitant prices are just a symptom of supply and demand. Look at Loveless. His knives were crafted so well that they turned into works of art. Basically iconic in design. That wasn't his fault and it wasn't anyone's fault that the limited supply of them drove prices up.
I recently traded out of a $100 GEC slippie and in return got back a Spyderco Delica and a Salt. The person getting the GEC has actually been to the GEC factory for a tour. Which I love! Its geeky as hell but so what!
That said I EDC $9 slipjoint and a $28 Sak mon-friday. I don't think we should be so hard on those who like the rarer more expensive knives. At the end of the day everyone is a geek for being on a BF to begin with lmao. I personally like all knives at various price ranges.
I love the fact that steel's can have different qualities, blade grind and shape can affect the balance of edge retention, strength and slicing ability.
The fact that there are soany different ways to engineer what surmounts to a cutting instrument and the fact that a human being came up with a design keeps me interested in knives.
Its geeky but I don't care.
Sometimes the exorbitant prices are just a symptom of supply and demand. Look at Loveless. His knives were crafted so well that they turned into works of art. Basically iconic in design. That wasn't his fault and it wasn't anyone's fault that the limited supply of them drove prices up.
I recently traded out of a $100 GEC slippie and in return got back a Spyderco Delica and a Salt. The person getting the GEC has actually been to the GEC factory for a tour. Which I love! Its geeky as hell but so what!
That said I EDC $9 slipjoint and a $28 Sak mon-friday. I don't think we should be so hard on those who like the rarer more expensive knives. At the end of the day everyone is a geek for being on a BF to begin with lmao. I personally like all knives at various price ranges.
I love the fact that steel's can have different qualities, blade grind and shape can affect the balance of edge retention, strength and slicing ability.
The fact that there are soany different ways to engineer what surmounts to a cutting instrument and the fact that a human being came up with a design keeps me interested in knives.
Its geeky but I don't care.
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2013
- Messages
- 22,256
Once you come to the understanding that this statement also applies to the majority of people who have nice cars, clothes, etc., there's going to be a real breakthrough for you. :thumbup:
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2013
- Messages
- 22,256
I think for the most part people flaunt other items far more than knives.
People brag about cars, high end electronics and clothing WAY more often, probably because it's easier to find others who actually care about the things they're bragging about.
This site and a couple of others are the only places people care at all, and even here many don't appreciate the bragging.
Hell, I still like Swiss Army Knives.
They were actually my very first "bragging knives", and kids on the playground actually did care...because of MacGyver!
He could make a cannon that shot bombs out of an old muffler with his SAK.
I still carry a Swisschamp in the bag because those extra tools are so handy. Not so keen on the knife blade itself, though.
But that's a good thing; it's a great reason to carry another knife with a kick-ass single blade. :thumbup:
But yes, snobs abound in all avenues of life. I just see them less often here than in other circles.
I can't find any argument or fault with this entire post. :thumbup:
What's amusing to me is that since I have so many expensive hobbies, I actually tend to get a lot of cross-chatter from various friends who are interested primarily in the hobbies we might share, but not others. For example, one of my close friends shares my love of craft beer, and like me, wouldn't think twice about spending a lot of money on rare bottles. But, he can't understand why I carry a knife every day that I paid nearly $200 for. Another buddy of mine has a brand new BMW M4. He says the highlight of his day is getting flipped off in traffic because he thinks people who hate all BMW drivers for whatever reason are clownshoes. My buddy's got a sweet car (that I can't afford*), and yet, my bud can't understand why I have no issue spending a couple hundos on a night out with my wife and friends, and he especially can't understand my cigar enthusiasm. All of the guy's discretionary income goes towards the car, modifications, racing, and so on. That's cool, I've been where he's at. We all have different hobbies.
*Clarification, I can't afford a brand new M4 AND the continuance of, well pretty much all of my other interests.
Last edited:
I don't think anyone is being hard on "knife nuts", but I think the whole purpose of this thread is that "knife nuts" are over paying for their knifes.. That is, for example, they're paying $60 for something that cost $5 to make.
