The knife industry for the most part has been off their rockers with how much they are charging for knives. It's time they got a reality check.
@palerider7171
3 ай бұрын
You said what I came to say. Knives are no longer tools, they fashion statements. It’s a competition of which makers can come up with the latest super steel, which most average user can’t tell the difference between a good solid steel, yet those good steels are declared obsolete for marketing purposes! The result is knives are out reach of the masses combined with a slumping economy and there you go!
@lynnjr457
3 ай бұрын
@@palerider7171 I could not agree with you more. It is interesting how so many things in our lives have become fashion statements (I call it grown up Barbie Doll time). I have been a huge fan on D2 since the 1990s when Bob Dozier was making some amazing fixed blades. The best thing that ever happened for me was when overseas companies starting bringing in D2 for the budget knives they were making for themselves and for others brands.
@kpfagerberg
3 ай бұрын
So true. I appreciate a beautiful knife but most people buy stuff to post on their instagram and KZitem channels. I think the companies are figuring that out and making 💰
@tacticalcenter8658
3 ай бұрын
@@palerider7171they can't tell the difference because the heat treats are all soft.
@tacticalcenter8658
3 ай бұрын
@@lynnjr457big difference in performance between doizer USA d2 and China d2 due to heat treat differences.
@NG_Ark
3 ай бұрын
Love y’all are discussing this. The knife market is saturated with inflated pricing. That combo along with what you all discussed is a huge factor.
@echosierra9990
3 ай бұрын
Knife collecting has become A LOT more expensive over the last few years, so most of us cut WAY back on what we buy.
@Leftyotism
3 ай бұрын
@@echosierra9990 Not my problem people scream for premium materials to feel fancy. As if 440C is a bad steel or something, or aluminium not worthy simply because there is more expensive titanium. People are always weird like that, but thank goodness not everyone is like that. I personally don't like brands that only do fancy stuff, because for one many do it only to generate more profit, and for another they don't really care about "the little man" who doesn't spend over 100 or 200 bucks just for a knife. But then again, they don't really affect me personally, other than not making a design with normally great materials just to not "devalue" their sales of the same designs with premium materials. Anyone saying 440C or even 440A is not good, or even bad, those people I don't listen to, also not on other matters, when they are like that on a simple thing like knife steel. In my opinion the knife world would be much better if designers and makers wouldn't focus so much on premium materials as it comes across. You can make the same knife designs with less expensive but still great materials. But then where would be the profit in that. Maybe we need more knife nerds to make knives, and not just those profit oriented fancy feeling expensive materials wannahavers. Okay, sorry for going off on a tangent, but you see I am also thinking about these things sometimes.
@echosierra9990
3 ай бұрын
@@Leftyotism I usually go for budget tier knives, but I DO have a couple of mid range knives (between $100-$200). A couple of Benchmade knives bought 5-6 years ago, and a couple of Kansept straight up left handed knives recently, as well as a lefty button lock Pyrite from CJRB. Any more, I just scour the sale/discontinued section on websites. I basically have all the knives I’ll ever need, as I have work friendly ones, and then my regular carry ones. The one factor that separates a $50 knife vs a $150 knife is quality of knife steel and build materials.
@mrchiefbs
3 ай бұрын
People can't afford food on their tables. I can't afford a new knife past what I need right now.
@JustGiverEHD1
3 ай бұрын
No doubt, priorities first "the way out is forward" laughable, sounds like at democrat talking points, build back better. How old is this dude, " never seen anything like this before" what did you expect when you have a demented old fool ruining the country
@jeffrey-ye9qv
3 ай бұрын
enough said well put
@tjpighin
3 ай бұрын
Bidenomics baabbbyyyyyy!
@mdubb4855
3 ай бұрын
lol. $5.39 for In n Out in late 2019, $9.35 now.
@bandito_dino
3 ай бұрын
@@tjpighinit’s actually a result of trumps tax code but incorrectly pop off!
@BrianMiller1973
2 ай бұрын
$95 for a Spyderco Delica in VG-10 steel and FRN scales feels ridiculous.
@zman8340
2 ай бұрын
It’s my favorite all time edc, but I have to agree .
@abandonedotter4270
2 ай бұрын
That ash handled mora was a good example of why the knife industry is failing. They're ridiculous.
@freeheelin1
2 ай бұрын
Inflation is definitely a limiting factor, on the other hand I bought 4 used knives today ($350 ish value) for $100…so there’s deals to be had
@michaelcope2329
3 ай бұрын
Also, I hate to be the one to say it, as far as the knife market being soft, you haven't seen anything yet. It will be interesting to see which brands/companies are left when its over and the dust settles. Hope I'm wrong but from an economic standpoint there are some HUGE shoes (plural) yet to drop
@Silence-and-Violence
Ай бұрын
You're not wrong. This depression has been on the way for a long time. We've had two years of recession. We just hit the Sahm rule for unemployment rate to recession, which has a 100% accurate prediction rate. Look up the Sahm rule and go look at unemployment. Knives are a luxury that will go quickly by the wayside. I know the big boys will find a way to survive and the only one I'd feel bad for if they couldn't would be Spyderco. I will laugh if Benchmade falls in the coming depression. All these midtech guys are going away and only the most desirable custom guys will have a wait list for the truly ultra wealthy who won't be hurting in the coming recession. The average man who's income, overtime, and work demand is highly dependent on the overall market won't be buying even Chinese OEM knives much less integrated handles with timascus.
@michaelcope2329
Ай бұрын
@@Silence-and-Violence Glad I'm not alone, and get ready with the BOJ (Bank of Japan) think Japan Fed, totally and completely backing off raising rates and now publicly saying they will NOT raise rates. The choice has been made, as it was either deflation or HYPER inflation, and Hyper inflation it is. Buckle up kids this is gonna get real, and when it happens its gonna be really quick. Like an all at once type deal and nothing will ever be the same or it will takes years for a return to anything remotely close of what we deem as "normal" now. Good luck everyone.
@bamabladez
3 ай бұрын
I was #1000 like 👍 BTW Ben is the absolute best. He has helped me numerous times with knafsale and every time he meets and exceeds customer service.
@momouppa
2 ай бұрын
I stopped collecting knives probably 5 years ago now, my edc is now a Milwaukee fastback, way more useful and cheaper than a spyderco, benchmade etc.
@Mo.89.
3 ай бұрын
Worst seller of the week could be the “best underachiever of the week!” - keep it positive for Athena!
@stephenmartin7907
3 ай бұрын
This 🙂👆🏻🙂
@jlogue751
3 ай бұрын
I would call it no man left behind
@fredf9562
3 ай бұрын
Enjoy this show and your knives. Looking forward to celebrating your 100th show. 🤞🏻
@XRKNIFEANDTOOL
2 ай бұрын
IM HOPING the fact that custom knife makers are ALSO people who can’t afford much can resonate with people. The one thing we can do that large company’s can’t is scale our materials down to match budgets.
@rson451
3 ай бұрын
Subbed because of this show. Keep it up. Waiting for more Lander 2s to come back in stock and I’ll have my first Knaf on the way.
@tacticalcenter8658
3 ай бұрын
These influencers convinced you to buy their Garbo? Lol
@tacticalcenter8658
3 ай бұрын
Its like home shipping network episode.
@kyleburton7394
2 ай бұрын
Subscribed. This is the content we missed dudes.
@psymare6646
2 ай бұрын
When people ask me about knives or express interest in knives it hard to talk about. I cant justify recommend starting point knives that are now double to triple the price from when I origonal bought them.
@LegionTacticoolCutlery
2 ай бұрын
Knife companies have totally lost their minds with their pricing. Yet I have seen people still spend the money on high end knives. As long as people are stupid enough to pay the ridicules prices the knife prices will not go down.
@michaelsantoro170
2 ай бұрын
I remember when an ontario rat 5 was 65$ and a spyderco paramiltary 2 digicam/black blade was 140 new. Im looking to pick up a second one now, ten years later, and its 220$. Its the reason Ive been giving these companies like vosteed a chance, and they knock it out of the park for 55$. If anyone has a used pm2 lmk 😅
@ST-ue5fb
3 ай бұрын
I really enjoyed this. The two of you are just down to earth, nice and friendly guys. That's so refreshing to watch. And I'm thrilled that you don't have music in your videos. Please don't put any in. It's way too distracting in most videos. Thanks for doing what you do.
@tacticalcenter8658
3 ай бұрын
They are not down to earth. They are marketing and advertising like home shipping network
@couchsurferdude3873
2 ай бұрын
Call it Underdog of the Week instead of worst seller
@ChrisMcClure-n5d
3 ай бұрын
Yes, it is failing, and one of the biggest reasons in my opinion is an introduction of super steel, which have put the cost of knives out of the reach of most blue-collar, hard-working men and women until we get the thought out of peoples heads that they have to have a knife that is hard as a diamondfor it to be a good knife we’re gonna have this problem
@EnriqueScott-se3vp
3 ай бұрын
Thank you thank you for discussing this and bringing this topic up , every two weeks new knives companies put out I've already seen knife companies trying to get rid of their knives and half price and when they came out they were like they must ! I have already I bought my Grail knife in the beginning of the year ProTech TR 2 Auto in Magnacut the first one was TR 2 Auto 15 anniversary in 2015 l will purchase Vaster Titanium from Kaiser for my Birthday and that's it for 2024 we in the knife community have to be careful not to be brainwashed Knife companies but out new version same design ask your do I really need this knife for my work or just another trophy? knife I show to my drinking buddies then put back in the glass case ! ?
@EnriqueScott-se3vp
3 ай бұрын
I have to add something to this I waited 2 months for Spyderco Maxin 2 in G10 over $200 and it was defective lock work I believe this company has gotten so big that it does not have quality control I got a full refund but that's not the point that means they lost the sale and a customer goodbye Spyderco.
@knate44
2 ай бұрын
I already have a huge knife collection, I’m focusing on paring it down to what I actually use. Like if 90% of the time, I cycle between my Baby Banter, my Kwaiken Air, and my Delica do I really need all these others?
@1xayekim
2 ай бұрын
Inflation is a huge part of it but demand is at an all time low. The "collectors" industry exploded during covid. People bought knives like crazy. People were going outside more and now they arent. People got upset that outdoor companies were not keeping pace and now that they are caught up demand went down.
@trava4156
2 ай бұрын
It’s money Straight up
@stefthorman8548
2 ай бұрын
just get the cold steel essentials, voyages(30-70), recon1s(90-100), and espada xl(130-150), you don't need anything else for folders, there's enough variety, the price is reasonable, the steel is durable, the size is big, and the lock is one of the best in the knife world for reliability.
@ryanallen2132
3 ай бұрын
Please keep this up. This is giving me the old Friday afternoon vibes that Knife Banter used to back in the day. But you forgot to say WUIG! 😊
@TacticalCivilianHeadquarters
3 ай бұрын
Great episode gentlemen! I just order a Lander 3 and baby banter, can't wait to get them in and review them both. I'm interested in swapping the scales and showing people how easy it is. Will you be releasing any more scales for the lander 3 in other option rather than just g10? I would love to see micarta scales for it. Keep up the awesome videos!!
@frankthespank
2 ай бұрын
I buy Chinese counterfeit knives. $40 and I have a damn nice “Microtech” Ultratech knife and I love it! I had a “real” real one and this fake one comes 99% of the real thing. $40 vs $300+ is an easy decision, the economy is down right now and people are pinching their money a lot harder these days.
@AxionXIII
2 ай бұрын
The price of a BM Bugout was off the chart 4 years ago, I haven’t even looked what they’re going for now but they’re not worth it in any case.
@thefrenchkaddict
3 ай бұрын
Thank you so much for your spirit and humanity ❤❤❤
@Benroe-yz1nz
2 ай бұрын
A nice knife is a luxury purchase. Most of us don't have the money now. Our household operating margins are too thin.
@matthewreddin1477
3 ай бұрын
Always love your videos Ben I started collecting because of all the stuff I watched when you were at BladeHQ. Awesome to see Knafs grow and looking forward to buying more Knafs!
@geraldroberts4721
2 ай бұрын
First Sgt. (Top) Congrats on your promotion and thank you for your service.
@2371Anita
2 ай бұрын
Yes,big time. Who in their right mind asks so much money for a not even so special knive. Knive makers are big time failing the normal guy or woman. I rather buy a good but much cheaper victorinox ,or even a opinel for a few bucks. They slice and dice just as good, and lets be honost, maybe better then the expensive brands. A good knive doesnt need all those magic steels,that will be old news next year. A good knive doesnt need a mild pocketclip. A good knive doesnt need all the fancy handles. A good knive has to cut for the purpose you need it. I rather get me a new victorinox and have a good meal for my family.
@JiraiyaJaJuice-dp8kl
3 ай бұрын
I am now in need of a carrot katana and a corn on the cobb light saber. It would be super awesome and insane if you guys can sell some stuff like that but with a sprinkle of knafs into it.
@hhiimmddoo
2 ай бұрын
Thats my issue. I dont have the extra money to blow on a new knife often
@tedkang6562
3 ай бұрын
Will you do Lander 3 scales anytime soon?
@dmw3086
2 ай бұрын
Price of everything is so high it’s hard to want to buy knives. I also feel as though new designs the last couple years have been pretty bland
@mj1653
3 ай бұрын
Fingers crossed for some unlocked composites Lander 3 scales!!
@RABBIT-EDC
3 ай бұрын
What was in the knife burrito?
@richardvirchow3390
3 ай бұрын
I love your show!! Please keep it up.
@rnkmode1876
2 ай бұрын
The Knife industry has been getting worse each year that goes by. I have been commenting for years about my observations of different knife companies making major mistakes and going down, from a consumer's pov. I won't spend much time with this but for example, Cold Steel, SOG, and Gerber were Giants and very competitive, they had awesome knives. Before GSM bought Cold Steel and SOG, i noticed that both companies stopped making some of their awesome knives. Same thing with Gerber. Gerber must be doing well enough with their contracts with Corporate monsters to care about the actual classic staples they used to make that are still in demand but they don't seem to care. Like the Gerber Mark II... they could upgrade that blade and put it back into production and would make a killing off sales. But they don't unfortunately, and don't get me started on Benchmade, that company has been dropping the ball for years & years with their beyond ridiculous prices and boring blades.
@jasonbeatty9269
3 ай бұрын
Love the show, Fellas!
@Leftyotism
3 ай бұрын
Knafs in the dark needs some glow in the dark stuff! (Maybe you could even use some triga stuff, for not needing the sun or other light sources. )
@JonJon-ey8ns
3 ай бұрын
Everybody is struggling financially, that and the cost are surging! I’ve got $250 knives that I can’t sell for $100, these are top tier knives, not cheap stuff!
@christianmcbride9905
3 ай бұрын
Great stuff fellas, see you next week :D
@cintage
2 ай бұрын
I guess due to the explosive development in the last years there is a kind of saturation. Many users and collectors have all they need and want.
@EDCwDBD
3 ай бұрын
I need an Ultem or Unlocked Composites Lander 2
@profesorEDC
3 ай бұрын
Great show guys👌
@jeffee1933
2 ай бұрын
When peoples homes are growing in value they are much more likely to frivolously spend money. This is a fact that blankets all consumption including knives. Plain and simple. There I solved it for you
@Chaosgoat
3 ай бұрын
Knife industry would grow a bit if they weren't so damn picky when shipping to other countries like Mexico. I mean, what's the deal? Sales are sales!
@Paulinthewyld
3 ай бұрын
There are waaaaaaayyyyy too many people making knives. Far too flooded for a non consumable product.
@abdulkhaliedkariem8538
3 ай бұрын
Knice knife stand... does it scratch the surface of the scales?
@BLdontM
2 ай бұрын
The knife market has been soft for a long time. 2012-2014 was probably the peak - everything sold quickly and for high prices. It's been a very soft market for the last 7-8 years at this point. New knife makers mostly suck. The good makers are getting old and are starting to quit making or dying.
@latindoggy8059
2 ай бұрын
I’ll be honest my limit is $30 on a really nice knife and $50 if it has like a super steel usually I find them on clearance but I am not paying a dollar more especially since the icon knife I paid $30 and it’s a lifetime warranty knife with D2 steel super sharp I love economics and I could replace it for free whenever I want
@gregmartinez6235
3 ай бұрын
It doesn't help that knives are sometimes the same price of a firearm
@reaperjoe6701
3 ай бұрын
Yall gotta find a way to get Danny Divito on the show, also can yall make some Danny Divito scales for the Lander 3, hahaha. Also where can I get the carrot-katana?
@CuttingBoardRx
3 ай бұрын
Hey, guys! Love your show! I do have a major request and you may not like the gist of it, but I believe the 300 pound gorilla in the room needs to be addressed! I reviewed the Yipper on my channel and gave it a raving rating, something I don’t often do. Imagine my surprise when several viewers reported having issues with the blade striking the back spacer when closing! Especially because mine ran like a champ! I didn’t take anything for granted and requested pictures of the issue. These I received from 2 subscribers. I also heard that MKM was planning to address the issue and even replaced some hardware. Could you please address this concern? This clearly being a manufacturing problem, Your credibility is not in question, but sometimes it’s good to nip these issues at the bud.
@benbanters
2 ай бұрын
Adding it to a future show. Great callout.
@CuttingBoardRx
2 ай бұрын
@@benbanters Thank you! KZitem is weird about posting links in comments or I would share my video with your audience. That was my favorite out of all “Bugout killers” as knifetubers were calling them that came out in the last couple of years. I think you designed a solid and happy knife. I look at any knife as a system, that’s my “schtick” and your design is definitely much cleaner than Bel Air and dare I say stronger than Hogue Deka?
@CuttingBoardRx
2 ай бұрын
@@benbanterswhat happened?
@benbanters
2 ай бұрын
@@CuttingBoardRx we recorded an update that will come out in the next few weeks. MKM has fixed the problems. A new batch of Yippers drops early August.
@CuttingBoardRx
2 ай бұрын
@@benbanters Could I please venture an educated guess? Was it tolerance stack up? Murphy’s Law for manufacturing engineering: “tolerances will always stack up in the least favourable direction” Can’t wait to see that video. And as I said: mine was perfect. Thanks for responding!
@quinnpickard5899
3 ай бұрын
Not to be that guy but he promoted to First Sergeant which is an E-8 but a Sergeant is an E-5… an E-8 is the second highest pay grade as an enlisted soldier
@eskee1
2 ай бұрын
The knife industry stinks because knives are tools and all the accouterments and all that have all been done at this point so theres nothing exciting anymore about a sharpened piece of metal.
@johnj.baranski6553
2 ай бұрын
Yes. The influencers are even struggling to make new knives sound interesting.
@NeilTheKnifeGuy
3 ай бұрын
Maybe not failing but its at the point where affordable knives are now to expensive. First good knife I got was a PM2 it cost 165 CAD. Now same knife... $260 CAD. So now I can't participate in this hobby any more than maybe 1 knife every 2 years.
@rrampage36
2 ай бұрын
🚫The knife industry is over saturated with way too many similar designs from too many manufacturers
@Leftyotism
3 ай бұрын
16:23 This weeks under-represented sale! In short: Twus! Easy. Or: Least sold of the week! Or: What people skipped out on this week! Hit me up for more suggestions, if you want.
@calebklyne6406
3 ай бұрын
I personally think that the industry pivoting to expensive pocket jewelry and away from knives meant to be used for things has been a huge contributor.
@dongkhamet1351
3 ай бұрын
Good point! I get the impression knife design has become so specialised, the designers don't have any time to use knives. They're on the computer all day.
@tacticalcenter8658
3 ай бұрын
No users and soft heat treats at huge costs.
@aurelianobuendia5360
3 ай бұрын
Couldnt agree more. The grinds are super thick and heat treatment below average at best.
@aurelianobuendia5360
3 ай бұрын
@@tacticalcenter8658 and thick grinds too
@gregkis
2 ай бұрын
Yeah and every knife channel is trying to push this crap, like that dork from neeves knives
@twatmunro
3 ай бұрын
When I first started buying knives, the average price of a Benchmade was about £100. A Griptilian was about £70, a Freek or an Osborne about £120 or £130. A Manix was £70, a Paramilitary in G10 and S35VN was a little over £100. Average Benchmade today -- well, I guess the Bugout would be the Griptilian's equivalent. About £180. Osborne is over £200. Paramilitary about the same. Prices have more than doubled. Wages are the same.
@aurelianobuendia5360
3 ай бұрын
I remember when i paid my knifeworks exclusive benchmade 710 in m390 170 dollars. Now seeing newly released Benchmade 710 for 400 dollars makes laugh. We can argue but chinese knives getting better and better and they are priced just right.
@Leftyotism
3 ай бұрын
That's what you get for wanting expensive materials, sadly.
@Herpetile
2 ай бұрын
I got a condor knife for $65 in 2015 … same knife is $100 now and it did not improve by any means.
@talisikid1618
2 ай бұрын
It’s called inflation. Get used to it. It’s barely started.
@Blanderr
2 ай бұрын
@aurelianobuendia5360 prices increase as materials and price of labor increases. The unfortunate thing about Chinese knives is they can afford to keep their knives cheap because they have an endless supply of dirt cheap labor who doesn't need competitive pay, benefits, health insurance, ect. And it benefits china to hurt the American economy
@homeofinventions
3 ай бұрын
Yes. Too expensive for USA knives, too many that look the same and too many designs trying to be different so they end up looking like gas-station or carnival knives.
@DanBrando
2 ай бұрын
Completely agreed
@rockymountainoutdoorsman
3 ай бұрын
It isn't a slump. We are just literally not able to buy stuff because everything is so expensive. It will pick back up
@jonathanscott5932
3 ай бұрын
what you just described is a slump in the market, You okay bro?
@phdcinnabar5754
2 ай бұрын
@@jonathanscott5932as slump in the market can be caused by many different things, everybody being ooor because Biden and Democrats have destroyed our economy is something different
@christopherwallace826
3 ай бұрын
Everything is to expensive. I have enough knifes so unless I see something super cool for a great price im not buying anymore.
@miguellodeiro9671
2 ай бұрын
Constructive suggestion. Please don't do the click bait. The thumbnail suggest I'm gonna watch content about the knife industry and it's just a small comment at the beginning followed by a product showing.
@richardhenry1969
3 ай бұрын
I believe the knife industry has lost it's way. Things are ridiculously overpriced. Yet quality has gotten worse. With the high prices what do you get. In many cases just marketing. When it comes to food gas or a knife. Guess who wins. It's a shame no American companies make budget knives anymore.
@usernameisusername
3 ай бұрын
Ive got more knives than i could ever use. I realized its dumb and I am now selling most. The surge driven by social media is starting to die. At the end of the day a knife is a knife and the small market is over saturated
@mdubb4855
3 ай бұрын
Except that Ben does some nice designs. Much nicer designs than the in-house designers at the brands that do the work for him. I think the cross-bar lock addition was huge - I'm not a fan of liner locks (despite flipping really nicely). I'm waiting for the original TriAd lock patent to expire so Ben can add some beauty to the inherent ruggedness of a generic, cloned TriAd (don't feel sorry for Cold Steel, Demko briefly mentioned some upcoming tweaks to the original TriAd design which clone makers won't be able to implement until THAT new patent expires). Still, setting aside the "fun factor" - JoeX had some nice things to say about the utility oriented Dozier Kabar - it's hard to catch a share of marketplace without some fans.
@lynnjr457
3 ай бұрын
@@mdubb4855 The problem is that there is always another designer with some "nice designs". I think that was the OP's point. It is certainly how I see it as well. I think a lot of folks are waking up to the fact that very few "new" knife designs actually improve on the basic knife and even fewer of them are justified in their pricing. I think that is the reality that the knife industry is now struggling with as people are waking up.
@lightwishatnight
3 ай бұрын
@@mdubb4855 I like Ben as much as the next guy, but his designs are derivative, the banter doesn't even have a choil, and the proportions are way off. There are plenty of models that are cheaper and better designed than those of Ben. I still like his models, and I like that he is improving, but a knife for most of us is a once in 20 years expense, not 20 knives in a year. People in the knives industry are delusional.
@Leftyotism
3 ай бұрын
Technically you could a different one every day, and end up using all your knives. Or maybe you meant something like "using them until they are beyond repair". 🤔
@usernameisusername
3 ай бұрын
@@Leftyotism definitely 😁
@Tony_Seed
2 ай бұрын
Everything is failing, we can’t afford anything much less fancy pocket knives
@jonathanklein7875
3 ай бұрын
I think the knife industry is oversaturated and there's a glut of excellent designs for little money. It's a victim of its own success. Knife collecting is a niche hobby and many of us have more than we can use. For everyone else, a $30 Pyrite Light is about all they would need, full stop.
@maydayredparade
3 ай бұрын
The knife market is definitely ready for some change. The American manufacturers (Benchmade and Spyderco in particular) have kind of been resting in their laurels the last few while dramatically increasing their prices. Many Chinese manufacturers aren't as competitive as they once were - Reate, WE, Bestech, etc. are pumping out cool collaborations with American designers...but their prices are now nearly in the same range as smaller American-made brands like Mcnees. There is some innovation going on at the edges, but it's gotten a little stale and a little pricey lately I love what Knafs is doing with user-serviceable, customizable, budget-friendly designs. Now I just need Ben to let go of the finger rule and release some knives with 3.5"+ blades! 😀
@tacticalcenter8658
3 ай бұрын
And other than Spyderco most of them are soft heat treats for the steels they use. Meaning low value.
@tundra0883
2 ай бұрын
I gave up on buying name brand Knives about 10 years ago. The explanation is simple. We are seeing custom maker price points on production made knives. Just my opinion. when a company collaborates with a reputable maker, should we be forced to pay maker price points? The problem I’ve seen is the content creators have tried to force feed us that the price point is what is normal.
@dennishenderson4226
2 ай бұрын
Yes. $240+ knives at REI. Yikes. Expensive knives are over priced for use as a tools. Mostly status objects IMHO.
@Nickyboy8888
2 ай бұрын
EXACTLY
@TRONABORON
2 ай бұрын
Recently retired trucker, cant tell you how many knive i have lost, throughout the years-never paid more than 40 dollars for a knive (tool). Could not imagine paying the prices they are asking today!
@TheMillieSmalls
2 ай бұрын
Some of them are worth it
@shadowthedark7801
3 ай бұрын
80% of designs and materials being used are all almost identical and that gets boring
@abandonedotter4270
2 ай бұрын
These expensive knife companies are the knife version of pavement princess trucks. The same kind of people buy both for the same reasons.
@BLdontM
2 ай бұрын
Oh brother. A "soft hands" post I see
@abandonedotter4270
2 ай бұрын
@BLdontM Not really, its a difference between a high dollar collector, which is fine, and the common middle class or lower blue collar bushcrafter, which is fine. The knife industry decided to gear their outdoor blades towards collectors but the common man will buy more knives in the long run given that they are affordable. Thats why they are failing. The 'ol tryna get rich off one knife vendor.
@mikenormandy9250
2 ай бұрын
Yea, I mean I only started buying decently priced knives ($100-$200) recently, when honestly, the majority of my edc and knives are $40-$65, folders from Kizer, QSP, SRM, SOG, Vosteed, Civivi, etc….and when times are at a low, people have less to spend on wants and just scrap by for needs…😢
@mangobadger
3 ай бұрын
Very fun show! Most knife purchases are luxury buys, even sub-$100 ones, and there’s less extra money available for those these days. The only segment of the market that has really adapted is the budget category.
@olvera6710
3 ай бұрын
Yup the Chinese knife brands. Because American budget knives use 8cr13mov which most people don’t want. It’s rough out here. lol
@jwdory
3 ай бұрын
Thank Bidenomics and the Dementiacrats.
@Snaggums
3 ай бұрын
My absolute favorite thing about you guys is this philosophy of sharing and fostering the knife hobbyist community.
@JackShen
2 ай бұрын
The whole pocket jewelry trend with people taking pics for their instagram has messed the industry up for us, who use our knives. I can understand a steeper price for a hand made knife, that performs it's function and looks nice, but first and foremost, knives are tools that get dropped, dirty, and beat up a bit. A $500 folder with a blade that chips if it hits a staple cutting a box, lock slippages, and tips that break off from a drop is unacceptable.
@craigwhitman1527
2 ай бұрын
I have been collecting knives for over 30 years. I have lots and lots of knives I carry a knife every day. I stay in the 20 -50 dollar price range if I lose it I can replace it. It's said when knifes are called budget knifes when they cost les the a 100 dollars. Company's like benchmade is ridiculous with their prices. I can sharpening a knife like a razor so what if I have to sharpen my 30 dollar knife sooner then I would you 200 dollar knife I will stick with brands like civivi,sentcut,kershaw, kizer, miguron, petrified fish, qsp,cjrb. They make great products ,
@The_RC_Guru
2 ай бұрын
Only a couple knife companies like Kizer has gotten realistic with the profit margin ratio to be ahead of the downward curve coming. Hopefully others follow because I am no longer buying stuff that’s 200% marked up because of the stamped company name.
@rymic72
2 ай бұрын
Brands like Civivi are knocking it out of the park with quality, affordability and good designs. It’s become difficult for western makers to compete especially with the cost of living increasing so rapidly.
@ix8750
2 ай бұрын
As a knife collector that tries very hard to responsibly budget out monthly and make sure I save and always have money for all my purchases I have noticed almost all my excess spending or investing money each month has been re-diverted to grocery, gasoline costs and the increase in all the miscellaneous expenses over time this year since last year. I know what im about to say is basing my opinion off the conspiracy of planned obsolescence but since I think It does not run rampant in the knife market unless you are appealing to the collectors market which has the capacity to remain evergreen with buyers then eventually the standard users will have enough knives and the people selling knives will hit a slump and have to wait until a new generation of users pops up. Budget knives tend to appeal to the user crowd so I imagine companies that don't offer products for users, collectors and everyone in between will hit sale deadzones when this occurs. But yeah inflation, wages stay the same and despite that people are now starting to get laid off due to corporate greed. Even as a knofe lover its hard to justify even one new purchase right now.
@ChrisMcClure-n5d
3 ай бұрын
I think there is a much in the market for makers who make simple knives from high carbon steel with simple handles with basic wood scales I think they would take off like a rocket
@dlcknives_and_leather
2 ай бұрын
I hope so
@jasonh.8362
Ай бұрын
Yes please! Thank you
@Silence-and-Violence
Ай бұрын
There have always been, and continue to be, custom makers who aren't famous and who regularly produce HIGH quality knives for good prices. There's a group of guys who have been chasing every ounce of performance out of 52100 steel and have done amazing things with it. The famous one is Ed Fowler and his knives are very expensive but he's a cool guy who has shared his knowledge with many other guys and there's a whole network of dudes loosely connected to Ed around 52100 steel and many of them produce affordable custom knives with ELITE heat treatment. I have a 52100 custom trout and fish knife with perfect stag scales, Westinghouse micarte liners, and an insane differential heat treat on the 52100 that leaves a beautiful hamon line like a legitimate samurai sword. I got it for under $225. The leather sheath was handmade as well by the maker and his wife. There's still a bunch of guys like this in almost every hobby, you just gotta find them. Once you learn about what makes something good, you can find makers who do those things who aren't charging for their name brand yet. This is how I have acquired very nice knives, fountain pens, and even mechanical watches for very good prices. Once you get over brand hype and xenophobia and only care about the best materials implemented in the best ways, you can find makers all over the place who can do that for you without exploiting you. No one knows the guy who made my trout and fish knife, but I also promise very few dudes would be able to track down a true 64 HRC carbon steel custom fixed blade with sambar and old stock micarta because most casuals in these hobbies care more about branding and hype than real quality.
@elizabeththompson4424
3 ай бұрын
I know stuff is getting so expensive I can't afford it anymore
@michaelnieter990
3 ай бұрын
Man, it’s like I’m watching the og knife banter and I LOVE IT!
@shortstraw4
2 ай бұрын
Civivi and sencut have been doing amazing budget knives
@p.t.benzinger2179
3 ай бұрын
00:50 I speculate the softness of the knife industry is due to a lack of really good knife content. You guys are getting into it, so it may help. Most of those we followed, aren't doing much content as they use too. Maybe it's burnout, maybe it is life changes. The majority of us knife nerds were and still are Ben, Zac, and Taylor fans. With Zac stepping away, that is nearly 1/3 of the industry leading market salesmen to excite products. This does not discredit other knife influencers, but what he brought to the table, was backed by you- Ben and Taylor. Love em' or hate em' it was true. The zac influence, I believe helped because he has a degree that relates to PR if I remember correctly. That being said, any man who has the capacity to invite himself to a hangout and skateboard home with a whole pizza, and then bring that energy to the knife world says something. Unfortunately, it makes it readily difficult to do what Zac and Jamie had as a team. That being said, I am really REALLY excited about this content, b/c the level of knife related videos has plummeted, which I can see as a corelation to sales. Y.t. is the Hotspot for knife marketing. Thank you Knafs and especially you Ben for providing what we long for. It may not be WOW or Banter which i know you created, but your videos are still really good. I have fond memories in those few years of looking forward to be home from work, or from bible study to sit and watch WEEK ONE WEDNESDAYS. Thank you for those times. I am grateful that you are still bringing the same energy you did back then.
@yesh3
3 ай бұрын
In the 70s and 80s I had one or two small pocket knives that I made last for years. I've seen the knife hobby rise and fall a few times. Add to it being a luxury item in a historically bad world economy, and huge oversaturation, there is the fact that besides legality most "normal" people and all law enforcement still don't like pocket knives in the hands of the public.
@Kyle_Sentz
3 ай бұрын
With my gear, I'm only buying new knives and flashlights with money I make on ebay selling stuff from the collection and it's slow af right now. I have a Fenix LD30R, brand new but the box got messed up during shipping so I removed it. It's a 70 dollar light I have up on ebay for 50 bucks. I also have a Fenix E28R V2 up for like 43 bucks that was carried for 3 days and has one small mark. Can't sell either of them. They're the lowest price for those lights on Ebay and I can't get them sold. This inflation is killing the market majorly
@alfredjarry503
2 ай бұрын
I paid $500 for a Benchmade a few years back. It was straight junk. Never buy another. And they want $650 for The Narrows?😆 I wouldn't buy that gimmick if it was a quarter of that.😐
@CowboyNameOfJoeBanger
2 ай бұрын
You guys are way too old for all the “cringe worthy” lingo. Talk like adults… unless you are aiming for the post-hip millennial market that isn’t buying expensive knives.
@Patriot0578
2 ай бұрын
100% Agree!
@framusburns-hagstromiii808
3 ай бұрын
Prices have gotten out of control....stupid Mall-ninja droolers, hoarders and speculators paying and asking ridiculous $$ for fashion over function junk that serves nothing but to provide an ego boost ....hey folks its just a knife..it doesnt make you taller,smarter more attactive, impart marshall skills or improve your prospects for the future. Grow up.
@thewhitegarveytwg8912
3 ай бұрын
Market oversaturation. And a lot of stuff looks the same, or a brand has a design ethos that reflects through most of their lines. Boring. How many companies have a premium brand, a more affordable sub brand and in some instances a sub sub brand? Most of the designs are shared across their verticals. And that’s not even considering the other “edc” items that have saturated the market and are competing for dollars.
@artenox7579
2 ай бұрын
I believe part of the problem from sales is that nowadays companies like you guys make the best product you can achieve so it ends up been a last longing (if not eternal with proper care) product that doesn't need to be changed by obsolesce every couple of years, I know there is people that like to buy a new knife every week but its not as prevalent for the everyday joe out there in my opinion.
@CB-wq4eu
2 ай бұрын
I have no use for an expensive knife that is too pretty to use. Whether I'm at work, hunting, camping, SAR, my knives get used. They must be durable, usable, and affordable.
@countskippy
2 ай бұрын
I actually skipped Blade this year due to the fact I just didn't see myself being able to afford it. It's not far for me (so the drive cost isn't expensive...literally a tank for the entire trip), but it's the fact everything is so expensive now. With that, and the fact work for me has slowed down quite a bit over the summer...I felt it was smarter to skip. Kinda sucks since the only time I've missed between this year and when I started going about a decade ago was COVID when Blade wasn't even happening. On another, brighter note...it's so cool the 3D printing files that y'all offer up for someone like me with a printer available. Even more reason I've always loved what y'all do...except being sold out of the five-panel hats right now...kinda sad about that one...
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