looking good brother...very good.
And priced like art too! Problem with a $795 dollar knife is that I couldn't bare to use it for anything for fear of damaging or losing it. At that point, it's no longer functional as a cutting tool. As has been said - art.
I'd use the hell out of that knife no matter the price. I'd love to see a smaller one though - I don't generally carry folders that large (love the pocket-clip - that's just an extra awesome touch on an already uber-nice folder).
[Broken External Image]
[Broken External Image]
Good. I'm glad we got the "your knives are too expensive to use" comment out of the way. I get that a lot. I heard that repeatedly with the Ridgeback when it was $150.00 in 2009 and it's twice that now. So what I heard you say was at that price point it no longer becomes a functional tool for.....you. What do you say to the guy that carries a $800.00 custom pistol and a $600.00 custom knife?
Why not carry a stock $300.00 pistol? Why not carry a stock $30.00 knife? When looking at performance would the $800.00 customized pistol have something to offer over the $300.00 pistol? I would hope so. What about the knife?
Custom knives aren't for everyone but everyone has an opinion.
BC
Good. I'm glad we got the "your knives are too expensive to use" comment out of the way. I get that a lot. I heard that repeatedly with the Ridgeback when it was $150.00 in 2009 and it's twice that now. So what I heard you say was at that price point it no longer becomes a functional tool for.....you. What do you say to the guy that carries a $800.00 custom pistol and a $600.00 custom knife?
Why not carry a stock $300.00 pistol? Why not carry a stock $30.00 knife? When looking at performance would the $800.00 customized pistol have something to offer over the $300.00 pistol? I would hope so. What about the knife?
Custom knives aren't for everyone but everyone has an opinion.
BC
What would I say? Simple. A handgun is carried to defend yourself and those you love against aggressors. When it is un-holstered, it has one job. Protect. spend whatever you're comfortable with because there is no price on defending your life that is too high.
I knife plays many more roles, the vast majority of which have much lower stakes (unless that gouda cheese you are about to slice makes you feel threatened, then it's game on) and therefore can be achieved with a more common device. Frankly, my SOG and my Gerber have never let me down (though I have lost one of each - I can't imagine the heartbreak of losing an $800 knife). BUT: if they do, I can replace each ten times over for the cost of one of your knifes. I am sure that your warranty is great and all, and I am sure your knives are top notch.
That being said, being in the middle of the Colorado Rockies with a broken $300-$800 custom knife that has a great warranty does me zero good. Being in the Colorado Rockies with a broken $50 knife and an additional, replacement $50 knife in my pack not only keeps me going on my trip, but leaves at least $200 more in my pocket for other things, while still achieving the same goal of skinning my kill, cooking my dinner, cutting cordage to keep my tent secure, making tent stakes, and a whole SLEW of other uses. None of which, by the by, would my handgun have come in handy for. Still, $800 for a handgun - no problem.
Like I said, your work is beautiful, but at the price points you have listed, they can't be used by the common man as the tool they're supposed to be. You get the "too expensive" remark a lot for a reason. They're too expensive for the common man, and not sought after enough to be considered collectors pieces or investment grade.
Beautiful? absolutely. I would gawk at them all day long. Just like I'd do to a Ferrari. Then I'd go get in my truck, with my SOG or my Spyderco in my pocket and remain content with both purchases. I guess we can both conclude that I am not your target market.
I do appreciate the quality of the product - I just don't think it justifies the cost for me. If it makes any difference, I don't own any fine art either. I'm your average Joe.
So did you buy one?
Gotcha. You are not my target market. I view knives and guns in the same category when it comes to personal defense. Edge retention being important. If I'd actually been able to get an edge on any of those production knives in that shoe box under the desk, I probably wouldn't have started making my own. This is a multifaceted subject and we've only hit a few sides. A guy has the financial means, understands and values the work that goes into a handmade knife or he doesn't. I'll leave you with a "copy and paste" from my website.
Why purchase a custom knife?
Between cooking for a living, hunting and fishing I’ve had a knife in my hand since the age of 12. At that time my grandfather gave me a two-bladed pocket knife and the rest is history.
I've got a box full of production knives that I was never able to get an edge back on. Even with 10+ years experience sharpening knives in the kitchen that still didn't help. The steel is typically too hard and can be very frustrating to try to sharpen. Many guys will avoid the hassle and throw a production knife away just to buy a new one once it’s dull.
When I started in 2009, several of my knives were seriously abused to learn more about the heat treating process and ultimately, performance. Adjustments were made as needed and I continue to learn more as I grow.
You don't just buy the knife, you “buy’ the maker.
Are they willing to stand behind their product 100%?
Will they take care of any warranty issues right away?
What is the drive behind their knife making passion?
Does it appear that they know what they're talking about?
Why are custom knives more expensive than production knives?
A big part of the premium you pay for with a custom knife is time: the knife maker’s time to make a product by hand, versus a production knife that is not made by hand. Even with some parts waterjet cut, all blades are hand ground and hand finished. “Hand-made in America” are words we don’t see very often in the marketplace anymore. Coye knives are made with pride one at a time here in my shop in Tulsa, Oklahoma: hand-made in America.
Similar threads
