The price of knives

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MacLaren
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Re: The price of knives

#21

Post by MacLaren »

benben wrote:
Sun Oct 02, 2022 7:19 pm
MacLaren wrote:
Sun Oct 02, 2022 7:02 pm
benben wrote:
Sun Oct 02, 2022 6:52 pm
MacLaren wrote:
Fri Sep 30, 2022 6:30 pm
If I buy anything it'll be kitchen knives.
I’m with you on this, there’s a forum member on Glocktalk I’m thinking about letting him make me a kitchen knife out of 80crv2 and desert ironwood.

My last purchase was the Ayoob sprint, I almost feel I bought it out of obligation after two years of posts, 130+ pages, and tons of anticipation, of course I know that’s not true. Is it worth $210.00, guess that’s up to who’s buying it? It’s a fantastic knife but it’s more than I wanted to pay…but I’m glad I got one!
Nice. I hear ya benebn.
Of course, I as you, trust Spyderco. So, whatever they charge, it is what it is.
But, I really wanna get one if those Spyderco Murray Carter Super Blue Blades
I handled 5 or 6 different ones at SMKW, they’re so super nice, almost walked out with a Santoku…
Oh really? Wow!
I need to get down there. It's only a little over 2 hours away for me.
Please keep me posted on on your kitchen knife too
twinboysdad
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Re: The price of knives

#22

Post by twinboysdad »

benben wrote:
Sun Oct 02, 2022 6:52 pm
MacLaren wrote:
Fri Sep 30, 2022 6:30 pm
If I buy anything it'll be kitchen knives.
I’m with you on this, there’s a forum member on Glocktalk I’m thinking about letting him make me a kitchen knife out of 80crv2 and desert ironwood.

My last purchase was the Ayoob sprint, I almost feel I bought it out of obligation after two years of posts, 130+ pages, and tons of anticipation, of course I know that’s not true. Is it worth $210.00, guess that’s up to who’s buying it? It’s a fantastic knife but it’s more than I wanted to pay…but I’m glad I got one!
When I realized that was the only reason I got the Ayoob, I returned it unused to my shop for store credit.
JRinFL
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Re: The price of knives

#23

Post by JRinFL »

twinboysdad wrote:
Mon Oct 03, 2022 7:09 am
benben wrote:
Sun Oct 02, 2022 6:52 pm
MacLaren wrote:
Fri Sep 30, 2022 6:30 pm
If I buy anything it'll be kitchen knives.
I’m with you on this, there’s a forum member on Glocktalk I’m thinking about letting him make me a kitchen knife out of 80crv2 and desert ironwood.

My last purchase was the Ayoob sprint, I almost feel I bought it out of obligation after two years of posts, 130+ pages, and tons of anticipation, of course I know that’s not true. Is it worth $210.00, guess that’s up to who’s buying it? It’s a fantastic knife but it’s more than I wanted to pay…but I’m glad I got one!
When I realized that was the only reason I got the Ayoob, I returned it unused to my shop for store credit.
I bought one of each to support Spyderco, the maker, and the designer. Dare I express a concern over prices and/or quality however, I will get the bad wolf appellation.
"...it costs nothing to be polite." - Winston Churchill
“Maybe the cheese in the mousetrap is an artificially created cheaper price?” -Sal
Friends call me Jim. As do my foes.
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Brock O Lee
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Re: The price of knives

#24

Post by Brock O Lee »

Yes I feel the squeeze too... I have slowed down quite a bit, and this will continue to be the case going forward as the noose tightens.

I feel fortunate to have build up a nice collection over the last 10 years. Most bases are covered, which makes it harder to justify any new purchase, and I am fine with that.

The trick is to enjoy what you have! I see so many pictures of brand new knives with factory edges being posted, I sometimes wonder where the users are...

Anyway, I think Sheryl Crow said it best: “It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you have!”
Hans

Favourite Spydies: Military, PM2, Shaman, UKPK
Others: Victorinox Pioneer, CRK L Sebenza 31, CRK L Inkosi
MacLaren
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Re: The price of knives

#25

Post by MacLaren »

Brock O Lee wrote:
Tue Oct 04, 2022 5:33 am
Yes I feel the squeeze too... I have slowed down quite a bit, and this will continue to be the case going forward as the noose tightens.

I feel fortunate to have build up a nice collection over the last 10 years. Most bases are covered, which makes it harder to justify any new purchase, and I am fine with that.

The trick is to enjoy what you have! I see so many pictures of brand new knives with factory edges being posted, I sometimes wonder where the users are...

Anyway, I think Sheryl Crow said it best: “It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you have!”
Man, you nailed it. Enjoy what ya already have.
Which really for me ties directly into wanting one more kitchen knife, the Spydie/Murray Carter Series. I get a lot of enjoyment using my kitchen knives - which ain't very many.....a few Tojiro DP with VG10, (when sharpened up properly will give you new respect for VG10!!) and a Murray Carter Muteki Slicer with Hitachi White #1
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wrdwrght
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Re: The price of knives

#26

Post by wrdwrght »

JRinFL wrote:
Fri Sep 30, 2022 4:28 pm
I’m not going to go too deep here for a list of reasons, many of which you can guess. I will say that I have a few short years where I can continue this hobby, at least in the acquiring phase. But at the rate prices are increasing, that few years will likely turn to months.

At the end of the day, a knife is a very simple tool that is now approaching (and exceeding in some case) the cost of highly complex and sophisticated electronic gear. Even firearms are more intricate and complex mechanisms, but many cost less. I firmly believe the collectible cutlery market has gone insane.*

I’m US based, so I am not hurting anywhere near as bad as our overseas friends.

*Industry apologists will be along shortly to set us straight and explain why we should pay so much for so little.
It pains me, Jim, to read that pricing is pinching you, like others here, such that your collecting days are numbered.

I’m certainly not happy with the trend in pricing, whatever its causes, and can well understand your disappointment.

There are certainly Spydercos I have not bought on their drop because their price exceeded my tolerance. In fact, the fury I felt when MJ tried to justify the high price of the stealth Ti Chaparral prompted me to keep an eye on the secondary market.

There, I learned two things. A tolerable price can, in fact, be had for even NIB models you want if you’re patient (I actually got the stealth Ti Chap last year for about $50 more than I paid for its CF predecessor; the Rassenti remains otherworldly high, however, so you don’t win all the time). And if you are not patient, there are oodles of used but refurbishable models to be had. Indeed, I’ve discovered serious satisfaction in making old knives new again.

And if, like me, you’re drawn to Glesser designs as art, the secondary market makes virtually every Spyderco model available to anyone wanting to study Glesser art and how it’s changed or not over the years.

Indeed, I backed into a gen1 Harpy a few months ago after swearing off SS and pinned handles years ago. The find was made sweeter when I solved the blade’s lateral play. Sal was as brilliant then as now.

All to say, it ain’t over ‘til it’s over.
-Marc (pocketing an M4 Sage5 today)

“When science changes its opinion, it didn’t lie to you. It learned more.”
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ChrisinHove
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Re: The price of knives

#27

Post by ChrisinHove »

Spare a thought for us overseas brethren! :')

We have the base cost, importers margins, the government’s extra slice of sales and import taxes, and now the high $ hammering the exchange rates.

I have to manage my expectations, and try to keep off the expensive “newest model is best” bandwagon. I do try to buy some proportion of new knives to support the industry, but really enjoy snapping up the great models that the bandwagon has moved on from, at considerably lower price.

Like Marc, I find that rejuvenating knives is rewarding. My recently acquired and barely used 1st gen. Domino has new ceramic bearings and thicker thrust washers, and is now fantastic. Learning to adjust my fairly recently acquired original Starmate was a hobby in itself…
JRinFL
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Re: The price of knives

#28

Post by JRinFL »

I have been grabbing a few older Spyderco models to fill out the collection, but even those have gotten to untenable prices. High MSRP+MAP also cause a rise in the secondary market prices.

When I got my Sebenza and later my Inkosi, I knew I had reached the end of the journey. Not that they are the pinnacle of cutlery, but more as a marker of how high I was willing to go for a knife. Not tempted by the custom or low production market, but I do love to look at the designs.

Traditional cutlery is still fun, but the dark cloud of flippers has pretty much ruined GEC collecting. A few gatekeepers sell to the flippers and the market becomes artificially inflated. I stick to some fun Case models and a few older brands (or US made versions of current brands) where you can get some fully functional examples for little money. A little elbow grease and they look pretty good!

Eh, if this is my only problem, then I am blessed.
"...it costs nothing to be polite." - Winston Churchill
“Maybe the cheese in the mousetrap is an artificially created cheaper price?” -Sal
Friends call me Jim. As do my foes.
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JRinFL
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Re: The price of knives

#29

Post by JRinFL »

ChrisinHove wrote:
Tue Oct 04, 2022 2:43 pm
Spare a thought for us overseas brethren! :')

We have the base cost, importers margins, the government’s extra slice of sales and import taxes, and now the high $ hammering the exchange rates.

I have to manage my expectations, and try to keep off the expensive “newest model is best” bandwagon. I do try to buy some proportion of new knives to support the industry, but really enjoy snapping up the great models that the bandwagon has moved on from, at considerably lower price.

Like Marc, I find that rejuvenating knives is rewarding. My recently acquired and barely used 1st gen. Domino has new ceramic bearings and thicker thrust washers, and is now fantastic. Learning to adjust my fairly recently acquired original Starmate was a hobby in itself…
I often think about our friends overseas. The death by a thousand cuts is very real for overseas consumers in every aspect of life, not just knife collecting.
"...it costs nothing to be polite." - Winston Churchill
“Maybe the cheese in the mousetrap is an artificially created cheaper price?” -Sal
Friends call me Jim. As do my foes.
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nerdlock
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Re: The price of knives

#30

Post by nerdlock »

ChrisinHove wrote:
Tue Oct 04, 2022 2:43 pm
Spare a thought for us overseas brethren! :')

We have the base cost, importers margins, the government’s extra slice of sales and import taxes, and now the high $ hammering the exchange rates.

I have to manage my expectations, and try to keep off the expensive “newest model is best” bandwagon. I do try to buy some proportion of new knives to support the industry, but really enjoy snapping up the great models that the bandwagon has moved on from, at considerably lower price.

Like Marc, I find that rejuvenating knives is rewarding. My recently acquired and barely used 1st gen. Domino has new ceramic bearings and thicker thrust washers, and is now fantastic. Learning to adjust my fairly recently acquired original Starmate was a hobby in itself…

True, true! No currency existing today can stand up against the US Dollar. So I guess folks beyond the seven seas like us could get a wee bit more grumpy at the prices these days.
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nerdlock
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Re: The price of knives

#31

Post by nerdlock »

JRinFL wrote:
Mon Oct 03, 2022 12:08 pm
twinboysdad wrote:
Mon Oct 03, 2022 7:09 am
benben wrote:
Sun Oct 02, 2022 6:52 pm
MacLaren wrote:
Fri Sep 30, 2022 6:30 pm
If I buy anything it'll be kitchen knives.
I’m with you on this, there’s a forum member on Glocktalk I’m thinking about letting him make me a kitchen knife out of 80crv2 and desert ironwood.

My last purchase was the Ayoob sprint, I almost feel I bought it out of obligation after two years of posts, 130+ pages, and tons of anticipation, of course I know that’s not true. Is it worth $210.00, guess that’s up to who’s buying it? It’s a fantastic knife but it’s more than I wanted to pay…but I’m glad I got one!
When I realized that was the only reason I got the Ayoob, I returned it unused to my shop for store credit.
I bought one of each to support Spyderco, the maker, and the designer. Dare I express a concern over prices and/or quality however, I will get the bad wolf appellation.

That's why it's not worth sometimes to be vocal about your opinions these days, something I'm learning in these pages.
😂
8Cr13MoV:N690Co:VG10:S30V:S35VN:S45VN:Elmax:SPY27:H1:LC200N:4V:MagnaCut:CTS-XHP:204P:M390:20CV:Cru-Wear:Z-Wear:M4:Rex-45:10V:K390:15V:S90V:Z-Max:Maxamet
JRinFL
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Re: The price of knives

#32

Post by JRinFL »

Sad, but true.
"...it costs nothing to be polite." - Winston Churchill
“Maybe the cheese in the mousetrap is an artificially created cheaper price?” -Sal
Friends call me Jim. As do my foes.
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Roefisher
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Re: The price of knives

#33

Post by Roefisher »

It's a sign of the times when people who love following and carrying new knives are in a position where they just can't afford to buy them. For my own most recent example, I longed after the new Drop Point penknife from HH but I decided it's too close to the Leaf model I already have to not buy one. I saw the time I'd have bought one without a second thought. And this example was really well priced too, to be fair, but times are putting serious pressure on everyday essential things, never mind more knives than I need.

Still, I'll enjoy following the new stuff and admiring. But to buy more? Sadly, no more for me... I have my knives for life now.

Mark
“You just made me have a bowel movement in my britches, Garrett. I ain't gonna never forgive you for this.”
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