Why would I spend $300 on just a knife?

[kozak6]

Diminishing returns, meaning that quality increases more slowly than price. Not depreciation.

The whole Busse thing is something else altogether, just like the Atwood tools. It's artificial scarcity creating boutique collector's value.

 

[Meridian Blades]

It really doesnt matter what you call it, or whether or not you think it's aritificially created, or if you even like the Busse blades. Thats what the market bears right now. So I have a hard time seeing anything "diminished" with buying one of those blades. In fact, I have seen used blades selling for more than the original price from the factory, in the secondary market. Do I own any Busse blades...........No, but thats what is happening.

 

[stevek]

I buy knives that appeal to me, some are expensive, others not so much. I have a few Busse's, Chris Reeve, Hinderer, Strider etc. I also have some Spyderco, Benchmade, and Zero Tolerance.

I have Glocks, Kimbers, S&W, Sig, and Ed Brown pistols.

My guitars and amps tend to be Custom or Custom Shop/small boutique builds.

I notice and appreciate the differences between all my tools.

As a broad generalization though, I've found that buying quality from the beginning, ends up being less expensive than buying for less initially, and having to replace the cheaper product.

Just my .02

 

[hso]

It really doesnt matter what you call it,

Yes, it really does matter whether you're using the correct word.

Diminishing returns means that as you put more money and effort into improving an item the rate of improvement for the same amount of additional money/effort is less than the previous cost/effort step in improvement. Or put another way, what you gain takes more effort than the previous step as your continue to improve the item. It explains why something twice as good as another similar item is more than twice the price (because it took more than twice the effort/cost to make that improvement).

A lot of valuable items take more time to produce than can meet demand so the after market is higher, as you so cogently pointed out. You can invest in the expensive item to find it appreciate in value while watching the inexpensive item depreciate in value as time goes on until too few of them exist in good condition that they might become collectible in their own right as antiques (old advertising knives are a great example of this).

 

[wolf695]

I have found with knives the old saying is true(you get what you pay for) ! Most of the time anyway! Guys that use them everyday,will say the same! Myself I carry two folders everywhere,sometimes three! One for every little thing,one for serious work,and sometimes a backup! Mostly because I forget to sharpen them on a weekly time frame. Two of them are 10-30$ blades, then I have my baby and 80's buck 500! Granted not a 2or 3 hundred dollar blade, for life depending trips A good blade is a must!

 

[robinkevin]

The question has a very simple answer...

A person who buys a $300 knife does so cause they have the extra money to do so. Myself $300 is a week pay and half my house payment... Me my knives are working class knives Buck, SAK, Case, (old)Brokers that work just as good just as hard but for a lot less... kinda like myself I reckon.

 

[JTW Jr.]

The other day I sat there with my 1911 , a Blackwood Fixed Blade , Elishewitz folder and a John Lloyd trapper in front of me , I realized , this stuff is worth more than my car..... and I am purfectly ok with that.

Ya' puts yer $$$$ in what is important to you.

20 years ago , it was cars....and motorcycles and racing go-karts ( KT100 ).........now for me , its firepower , blades , pc and camera stuff first , cars last

 

[Gordon]

Why would somebody spend $3000 on THE original proto type Saxon Sword from Mad Dog Knives? This knife has been abused bymany folk before I got it, Kevin resharpened it hair popping sharp. You can shave your legs like a baby butt and not bend over! The hair is stuck in the XF& that covers it's slumber in my safe after I carved a few pumpkins last week


19" x 1.5" prehardened Starrett O1 hard chromed after differential hardening to a Rockwell C 63 edge. Ergonomic virtually indestrucable 2 handed grip. I am sure I can take off a head with one good whack.


Why would some moron wait 3 years and spend $900 on a carbon steel 4" skinner/processing knife? This one began it's carreer skinning this fall and is still shaving sharp ! I will be doing a few wild boar ect. before it gets re razored in July from Kevin when I visit. Use a skinning knife all year and get it sharpened in 15 minutes for free- for ever!

 

[hso]

Gordon,

How many of what type critters has the 4" knife reduced to meaty bits this season?

 

[Gordon]

Two Blacktail deer,one goat and two wild turkey. I received the Baby Rhino in July 2011 and only used it since. Here is a close up of the edge showing use and staining.

 

[Doug S]

Give me a good old Walmart, Buck 110 for $30.

 

[fixrspazz]

I would never spend $300 for A knife, but I fully understand why someone would. I have seen some GORGEOUS knives at outdoor shows. As I slobber over them the salesman/woman says, "Hey, you like that one? Hold it in your hand, see how it feels".....The finely polished surface reflects the lustful intent in my eyes. The light touch of the blade on the back of my hand sends a legion of tiny hairs cascading to the floor.....Ahhhhh!

"I can see you like that one! It fits your hand beautifully! You need a manly hand to wield that tool and YOU, sir, have manly hands!" The sellers voice slips down into an oily croon. "Tell ya what. I'll take another 10% off our 20% show markdown. Seeing as that's...YOUR KNIFE"...

I am mesmerized by this gleaming specimen of the cutler's art. "How much?" I whisper.

" Four sixty eight seventy five, including tax and a nylon holster....."

"GASP! 'Bye! Sorry I touched your stuff...."

Thing is, I would have no trouble laying out $300 for a set of good kitchen knives. A good knife is a joy to work with.

 

[Valkman]

That's funny, and exactly what happened to me when I came upon a table of Loveless knives at the Blade Show a few years back. Being new to the custom knife game I had no idea what these were worth and asked if I could hold one. I was told yes and as I'm holding it I see the price. Instant heart attack, put knife down and slowly back away.

Now that Bob has left us I realize that price was a bargain (I think it was $3500 for a 4" Hunter) but that was my first experience with really expensive knives. I wish I had a video of my reaction to the price and the fact that I was holding one!

 

[fixrspazz]

Good idea, valkman. Next time I'll have someone take a picture of me holding a good custom knife!

 

[jbkebert]

I told my friend who is a custom knife maker that I was banned from talking to him after picking up my 11th custom knife last week. Man I need to go on a diet from knives. So what do I end up doing asking him to work me up a price quote for a custom hatchet. My lord I need help.

I will say one thing. Yes true custom knives can get expensive. I used to own a flat ton of production blades. I still own a few but sold most of them at swap meets and garage sales. To me the are worth each and every penny. In increased edge retention, looks, feel, and overall quality.

 

[Gordon]

" I used to own a flat ton of production blades. I still own a few but sold most of them at swap meets and garage sales."
Interesting! Now I am NOT gonna call a kettle black as I have my neurosis, but that approaches first level 'Hoarding'. Where as a moderate and expensive custom knife collection seems quite refined and urbane. Perhaps there is this 'knives for the masses and knives for the classes' type of thing going on. Tut-tut!

 

[Pete D.]

K.A.D.

Ah, yes.

I told my friend who is a custom knife maker that I was banned from talking to him after picking up my 11th custom knife last week. Man I need to go on a diet from knives. So what do I end up doing asking him to work me up a price quote for a custom hatchet. My lord I need help.

A very clear case of someone suffering from K.A.D (Knife Acquisition Disease, sometimes associated with B.A.D. or Blade Acquisition Disease).
A sad, sad affliction....it has been known to empty pockets with astonishing and inexplicable regularity.
Symptoms are....knives on the belt and in the pockets (tuxedos are no help), the reaching to touch, hold, caress when approaching even one new blade, a metallic glint in the eye, spots devoid of hair on either forearm, increased heart rate, and the thought "I can afford this one".
There is no cure.
You are doomed.
Pete

 

[jbkebert]

^^^

You could of left me with some hope of recovery.

My wife took my latest knife away from me and wrapped it for under the Christmas tree. I find myself wondering where she hid it so I can mess around with it. I know I am addicted is there at least a program for folks struggling with KAD.

You have to admit its hard not to get all tweaky over things like this.

 

[sixgunner455]

Pete - I simply call that G.A.S., or Gear Acquisition Syndrome, which occasionally, in my case, takes on a sub-form also known as G.A.S., but as Guitar Acquisition Syndrome. Quite a mess all of us have.

jb - your wife is sure giving you a pretty knife for Christmas.

 

[jbkebert]

One of the reasons I have gone to custom knives. Every knife that I buy gets used and not in a nice way. I carry a 3" fixed blade by the same maker as my new one above. I flat beat the hell out of that knife. Everything from cutting boxes,shingels,carpet,linoleum,shims,scraping caulking,marking onyx,marking steel. I will not use my knives as pry bars or screwdrivers but anything else. Your darn right I will.

I used to by gerber and buck and a few kershaws. None could stand up to the abuse I give to a knife. A $40-50 dollar knife was in pretty bad shape within a year. Some of my knives from Harvey i have owned for around three years and still look and perform like the day i bought them. A few of my knives from this maker are reserved for hunting/game processing. I hunt on average 100+ days a year. My family eats alot of game meat and I do all of my own processing. I need a knife that I don't have to touch up the edge every few minutes.

 

[Gordon]

bingo, we have a winner!

 

[jbkebert]

Well my custom hatchet that I ordered came in.

 

[sixgunner455]

schweeet!

 

[mdauben]

Since the local Walmart has a perfectly serviceable knife for $15.00, why would I spend the kind of money it takes to get these?

While I don't think you need to spend $300 for a good knife, I have to say that with the exception of Mora's, I've never seen a knife for less than $20 that wasn't a POS.

A good using knife does not need to be made of the latest particle-fusion-unobtainium steel, but it does need to be made of decent steel (carbon or stainless) which I have never seen in a $15 knife. Just as important, it had to be be well made with decent fit and finish so it is comfortable to use and does not break or wear out prematurely.

I have lots of knives, all users, that ranged in price from $50-150 (with one or two around $200 that are the closest I've ever come to collector's items). In this price range you can find lots of quality knives, both fixed and folders, with nice steel, good edges, robust construction and excellent handling.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Value Knives

While I won't imply that the knives represented in the "[thread=651224]Inexpensive Valuable Knife List[/thread]" thread compare with the customs and the up-market pieces, I think the point has been well established in that thread that there are decent knives that will do an honest day's work starting in the $10 range.

I have Opinels that cost me less than $12, and sodbusters starting from $10.

Down in that price range, you have to shop a bit more carefully.

I don't have many knives costing more than a hundred bucks, but I will assure you that you can't buy (retail) the same quality for $25 or $30.

I only have one knife that cost me more than $200.

I would happily pay that again for a knife of that quality.