Knife Values

[jerryd6818]

I posted this in another thread and got no response so decided maybe it needed it's own thread.

I read a comment in another thread that prompted this question. What makes a knife worth the asking price? Rarity of the knife, quality of workmanship and perceived quality of materials would have been my response had I been asked a few years ago. After hanging around on AAKP for a while, it seems pattern and brand name are taken into consideration as well as country of origin.

Example: GEC Tidioute knives go for less than GEC Northfield (sometimes as much as 50% less). Same factory. Same craftsmen. Same materials. (unless once again from a position of ignorance, I am talking through my a$$ because my mouth knows better)

http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/aap ... ore_id=848

http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/aap ... ore_id=848

Yes, I know the Tidioute is bone and the Northfield is stag but stag doesn't cost that much more than bone.

No, this is not intended to reflect on the seller. It's only a comment on the perceived value of the knives themselves.

Any comments or opinions?

[deanmm56]

Jerry,

Read your post ...... interesting. I think it all boils down to supply and demand. Just how bad does someone want a particular knife? I'm a Case Classic collector needing just 3 or 4 knives to finish my complete stag collection. I'm sure there are others like me, collecting a particular brand or model that would pay " book price", but then reality sets in and I know what I can afford. David Scott from Blue Grass Cutlery gave me some great advice years ago when I started collecting Case Classics ..... be patient.

Dean

[Precise]

I have no clue. All I know is I have a peculiar taste for lockback whittler's and that it is *really* going to hurt my wallet. I know why their expensive. Not to many people make them. And those that do, don't do so very often. So their hard to find. I want them...even though my total collection of them is uh...zero so far. But everyone has to start somewhere!

[Roush428r]

It's been my experience that handle material generally has a large impact regardless of whether you're talking about customs, factory knives, folders, or fixed blades. Even though stag may not be much costlier than bone, it seems to be more desirable to collectors.

[knifemaker3]

I'd like to know where you guys are finding stag that is as cheap or not much higher priced than bone.

Jigged bone slabe last I checked were $15-$18.

India stag @ $45-$60 for slabs or rounds.

Therefore there is a big difference in value between a bone and a stag handled knife when good quality Sambar stag is used.

As for value...In my opinion (which isn't worth much) it is like the difference between a Yugo and a Cadillac. Both cars will get you from point A to point B. One has more bells and whistles to make the ride sweeter, but the consumer has to decide if those bells and whistles are worth the added price. In the middle of the Yugo and Cadillac are many other brands of cars, all varying in different ways.

Now, most people can only afford a Yugo, so that is what they buy. Others will perceive them to be of no value, so they will opt for one of the many middle cars which to their eyes have more perceived value. Then the rest will only settle for nothing less than a Cadillac and look down their noses at at the rest of the cars because they perceive Cadillac as being the best out there.

It's the same with knife buyers. You have everything from the china imports (yugo) to custom high end handmades (Cadillac). Then you have all the other brands in between ( Case, Buck, Queen, GEC, etc. etc.)

The general knife buying public will settle for the china imports either because of that being all they can afford, or they perceive the value to be good enough to satisfy their need. Then there will be those who perceive the imports of no value and they will opt for the middle brands. Then the last group will settle only for the custom handmades.

Each knife will get each user to the same point, point A to B (in this case having a knife that will cut) The imports will do the job, the middle brands will do their's, and the customs their's. Some will do better, cut longer, look better, etc., but all will do the job the user started out to do, get from point A to B.

It just depends on your personal preference as to rather you want to drive a yugo, ford, chevy, or Caddy.

Just like cars, knife buyers/collectors all have different ideas as to which knives have more perceived value than others. Some will think the only knives of any value are the mid brands, others the Custom, and others will be satisfied with the imports.

Just my opinions.

[rawhide_rgp]

Well, here goes. My first time to post on here. After viewing the two knives, I think it is because of the stag vs. jigged bone. The price diff. in stag vs. bone I wouldn't know about, but just from the visual appearance the stag to me is more appealing. 'Looks' more expensive therefore is. I'm sure plenty of people appreciate jigged bone, but most jigged has a sameness look rather than unique. Hope I didn't offend anyone:)

[Gunsmoke47]

Hey Craig, Great analogy! I concur whole heartedly! I have had a Caddy or 2 in my life, but I really am a Ford and Chevy man. Be Dam#ed if I'll ever drive a Yugo though!

[Aimus Moses]

Craig I have a lock back Chevy and an easy open Ford, where does that put me, somewhere in the middle?

Aimus

[Roush428r]

Hey Craig, Great analogy! I concur whole heartedly! I have had a Caddy or 2 in my life, but I really am a Ford and Chevy man. Be Dam#ed if I'll ever drive a Yugo though!

I think the Chinese and Pakistanis have bought all the trashed Yugos, melted them down, and blanked them into knife blades!

[Syztems Rety]

I think the prices on GECs is fairly consistent across the line. The Northfields use a lot of stag and that pushes it above a comparable Tidioute. Also the Northfields usually have more done to them. Higher polished blades, blade swedges, sometimes bolster treatments, sometimes long blade pulls. Also you may be comparing a serialized blade to a non-serialized. That adds $5-$10 dollars to the price.

Ex.
Tidioute Congress - Smooth bone, jigged bone or micarta, non-serialized $88-$100 (sometimes smooth is more expensive than jigged, though, and micarta is cheaper than both)

Northfield Congress - Stag, genuine stag, abalone +$60, Bolster treatment +$5, serialized +$5, polished blades +$5, blade swedges +$5, long pull +$5. Total $185.

These numbers are just estimates, and the add-on prices could be more or less depending on the knive and # of blades and such, but you can see how two of the "same" knife can be priced differently from GEC.

Now, whether you think these things justify the higher prices, that is up to each person. Also how these prices compare to Germany, Japan, China, etc. is another can of worms.