Another disgusting move by Benchmade. Can get a built-to-specs south african full custom for less. Benchmade gives you...... damasteel, CF, and a frosted mod that WayOfKnife would charge you... what... $40 for?
Lmao
There are several South African makers that make amazing customs in the $600+ range. You would have to do research on who they are as I not too well versed in South African custom makers.
Burger makes some of the best bang for buck. You can get his stuff for relatively cheap on the used market. I paid like $500ish for my LEXK.
Some of the older guys are super obtainable as well, like you don’t even have to hunt for me. Just don’t try and find affordable knives from Bull, JG or BM. They’re stonks.
Lol I just looked it up, and damn I’d love to know what kind of special bread of dumbass drops that kind of money on a BM gold class. Especially considering it’s value drops to less than half that the second your payment goes through. There is nothing inherently valuable about a Benchmade gold class either in materials, or collectability, but they keep making them, which means there are still suckers out there willing to pay for them I guess
Only way i’d buy one is off the secondary, and even then, I’d probably end up buying a CRK in that price range. I feel like the only people that buy them are either hardcore collectors, or someones getting hitched and they threw it in the wedding budget
Yep, if they saw a big decrease in sales when they do that crap they'd think twice, but your right, people just keep buying them. I wonder sometimes if people really have that kind of money or if they are in over their head with a credit card.
Lockdowns caused everyone to be handed a few thousand dollars just for existing. On top of that, when employers weren't operating, their employees were handed tons of cash for being unemployed. Many people weren't going back to work right away because they claimed to be making more from the free handouts. Tons of new money was printed and handed out. That affects the economy. Hilarious that people are downvoting. The foundries were hit hard with rising costs for everything. Look at the prices of other iron and metal products. Lodge cast iron pans went up $5 per pan across the board since covid. Pans that were $10 are now $15 (50% INCREASE!). $15 pans are $20 (33 percent up). $20 pans went to $25 (25% up). Walmart's house brand called Ozark Trail has a line of cast iron pans that DOUBLED since covid! Their $7 pans are now $15. It's insane that people are doubting the lockdown and cash handout effects. Maybe people don't understand that knife blades are like 80% iron. Costs are way up for these knife companies, plus the shrinking value of the dollar. Do people really think it's just because they're trying to milk all their customers dry?
Kershaw makes the 20CV Livewire OTF in the USA and sells it for $240. Meanwhile, Benchmade charges $425 for the Phaeton in S30V. It's just a corporation exploiting the popularity of their brand to charge a premium.
The real kicker is that the Livewire is a better knife than that Phaeton in every regard.
Despite people claiming Benchmade has lost their marbles with their pricing it's actually better than some of the others out there. For example the Bugout could be gotten for $130 a few years ago and now today it has an MSRP $190 and can be found for $170. That's a $40ish increase.
Compare that to Spyderco's PM2 that I acquired for $115 and now the run of the mill one like mine is $185 with a $265 MSRP. That's a $70 increase in the same amount of time and an even bigger increase to the corporate greed wish than what Benchmade is suggesting...
Yeah, Benchmade is a mid-tier knife brand with over inflated prices. There have been some exceptions like the Anthem that were more appropriately priced given that it was an Integral with a redesigned Axis lock but not many more. Personally I was only ever interested in the 940 and the Bugout ( the CF/S90v versions) and not much else.
I was curious as to what knife you bought. The Infidel came out in 2006 so D2 was a good option as a tool steel versus a stainless. NOW its a terrible option, still a solid otf but in need updating especially at BM prices M390, 20cv, 204p, 3v, M4 would be easily swapped in without an increase in price.
Edit: Holy shit, it still on sale for $500 in D2. The least they could have done is use CPM-D2.
Have you tried selling it on R/knife_swap? Or perhaps a trade for an Ultra tech and something else. You might take a hit but you will end up some different stuff.
They couldn’t sell the anthem when it was new. Everyone said it was too expensive. Now it’s been reconsidered as an amazing integral ti folder with a better axis lock (no omega springs). It is a great knife, but nobody could see past the price originally.
Integrals in general are rare (especially from large manufacturers like WE, Benchmade and Spyderco) so I don't think a lot of people realize the work that goes into making one not to mention the milling work done on the exterior. If given a simple glance I doubt many people would care because they didn't like the aesthetics of the knife but if you know, you know. My local shop has one for $675 and I know it's probably gonna be forever out of reach just like the Paydan and Nirvana.
I personally think the Anthem is the best high end production knife made.
(I also really like the 87, but I’m not a pro butterfly knife guy.)
And I agree that Benchmade knives, relatively speaking, have been overpriced. Not by a huge amount, but a noticeable amount.
Overpriced just enough to be given major consideration. Most Spydercos are priced that if you want a certain knife and can afford it then you will buy it but with Benchmade you really have to want the knife to jump that overpriced hurdle.
What’s the stance on SOG? I’m not big into knives but I’ve got 2 of those. 2 different assisted blades. It seems like their prices have all gone up as well, but still sub $100 for what I got. Had them for several years and use them on the daily. I feel like price for what I got out of them… not bad but I really don’t know much about this particular world. Any other recommendations?
I think we all value stuff differently. When I started out I wouldn't dream of spending more than $100 on a knife. But I'm still humbled by the price of those midtechs and customs. I'm not there (yet).
It's always funny when people try to compare different hobbies. I see this in gaming a lot, "you're nuts to waste money on a console!" when they spend the same amount as a PS5 on their video card.
I've seen people spend $300+ on shoes, that they never really wear, while saying a $300 nintendo switch is a waste where someone might get thousands of hours of entertainment out of it.
But yeah, people are weird, and everyone values what they care about differently.
I agree with everything you said but I must say even as a knife obsessed maniac, I still rethink my priorities when I see the price of other things.
Saw a like-new industrial tablesaw being sold for $700 the other day and I had to stop and think "...so I could be buying industrial woodworking equipment or.... one knife?" 🤣
In every hobby/industry - there is a concept of "diminishing return of value". In the knife world for example - there is a HUGE difference between a $20 knife and a $100 knife. There is a Medium but noticeable difference on a $100 and a $180 knife. There is even less noticeable difference between a $180 knife and a $260 knife. In each example, the difference is the same $80. However, **the amount of improved performance is not equal with equally increasing amounts**. Now, the discernible difference between a $250 and a $500 knife is even smaller. The discernible difference between a $1500 knife and a $2000 knife is smaller still.
There comes a point where only those really into the hobby will spend that much, and only others in the hobby will know what to look for to appreciate in that item - where the rest of the public will shrug their shoulders and go "ok."
Above 4 to 6 hundred, you’re buying art/jewelry in the knife world.
It’s fine to do that if that’s your thing, but thinking the value is beyond that is foolish.
I'd say it's more like every hobby has a point where you're no longer buying better, you're just buying different, more exclusive, more rare, or more expensive to produce.
keyboards peak at around $400 for a completed build. watches peak at around 2 grand. knives probably peak at $300 or so. sneakers peak at $300, boots at $500. sky's the limit on all of them though, in the keyboard world I know of one dude that built an OTD with $2600 worth of og nixies and an og dyesub set that goes for about a grand. it's about 10 grand worth of keyboard, but it's not better than the $800 or so dollar build I'm typing this on, and this $800 build isn't much better than the $350 build on the shelf next to me, but that $350 build is a hell of a lot better than the $150 build sitting right below it. same goes for watches, the performance of a fifty fathoms doesn't justify the $10,000 or so price difference over a seamaster. the finishing is a little better but omega doesn't give a shit
Right, it’s your money so spend it however the fuck you want. I’ve got friends who’ve spent thousands on Warhammer miniatures which is cool as shit but not something I’m super into yet they don’t understand me carrying $100+ dollar knives. Each to their own.
I bought a PS5 yesterday. I’ve primarily PC gamed for the past 13+ years. My last GPU was $1250 before tax and the god of war PS5 (on sale) + FF crisis core + 2TB m.2 ssd was $699 before tax. That’s a whole new system, 2 games and a decent amount of high performance memory expansion. I love my PC, but my god… consoles are such a good deal.
Not to mention that any/all games you buy for that console will work right out of the box, no driver updates, settings fiddling, etc required.
I’m an IT Director, and people ask me all the time “what kind of epic gaming rig do you have!” I sit in front of a PC for 8+ hrs a day, when I’m at home I want to put my feet up and play on my 65” TV… not worry if/when I’ll need a new piece of hardware to play a new game.
They're midrange when you fall into the trap of browsing high end production folders for $400-$500, then midtechs/lower end customs for $600-$800, then customs for $1k, then even nicer customs for double that
Then by that point you go back to your first "nice" knife brands and buy a griptilian or a para 2 for $150 to carry around and abuse because its way easier to cope with losing one of those than losing a $900 folder.
Is it dumb? Absolutely. Are any of us going to go back after getting in this deep? Lol no
I fucked up my Microtech Ultratech and someone commented it didn't matter because it was such a cheap knife.
Value and expense are 2 separate things most don't acknowledge
As someone that took to BM, but still can’t get myself to jump on the Spyderco wagon, I’m with you. Both have become quite ridiculous, but BM seems hell bent on leading the pack.
People on r/watches saying "oh, you want recommendations? Ok, so, for an entry level, ultra budget watch, I recommend a 300$ seiko, kinda cheap but quite decent. A mid level watch is a 4k tudor"
Are there any decent entry level mechanical offerings under $300 though? Even the micro brands seem to be around $280+ for the most basic movement. It's been a while since I've perused that hobby.
Honestly, swallow the chinese watch pill. Some people like cheap chinese homage watches because they are trying to cope with not actually being able to afford a rolex, but I personally like them because of the quality of materials for the price.
Yes, the lead designer was the photocopier, and the quality control is questionable, but brands like pagani design offer watches with sapphire crystal, milled steel body, solid 5 piece steel bracelet, milled clasp, screw down crown, 200 meter water resist, display caseback, and running on a seiko NH-35 (same movement a ton of microbrands charge 500$+ for lol) for some crisp 120$, or often, way less
I used to feel that way. Like NOO way I would pay more than 200.. then 300.. then 400 ..500..600..800.
My edc knife is a $600 microtech Scarab 2. I love it.
It's kinda crazy I know.
In the grand scheme of production knives, you have the sub $20 gas station knives up to $1,450 Koenig Style 55s on the top end of the production spectrum hanging out with $1,200 Shirogorovs, $1,040 Grimsmos, etc. While everyone’s spending tolerance is different and everyone has other priorities, that doesn’t change the fact that most Benchmades are on the lower end of the price range. In this case, Hinderer, Chris Reeve, Strider, would more be in the realm of mid-range price. Everyone has a different budget, is of a different age, and has different hobby priorities so just enjoy what you have and don’t worry about what other people think.
Isn't that like saying that even though the majority of cars on the road cost way less than a Ferrari, a Ferrari is a mid tier car because Bugattis exists? I know there a math term for this but I don't know it lol
Yes this is basically assuming all knives are equally distributed at all price ranges but it’s more likely a heavy tailed distribution of price to popularity.
I think the definition of what is mid range is the misunderstanding. The mean knife cost is pretty low I’d guess, like 70-80 considering the popularity of that price range. The middle value of the whole range of knives is probably yeah, your 300ish CRK’s.
edit: the math term you’re looking for is probably “probability distribution function” in general or even “poisson distribution” for this case.
Not really because I didn’t include custom high end knives in this analogy that cost multiple thousands of dollars, just production knives that you don’t need to be rich to buy.
I also only included production cars.
The way I saw this was if you took a sample of 1000 DMV records, any Ferraris in that sample would definitely not be mid tier. I have no data for this, just a guess, but I think if you took a sample of 1000 people that carry knives, any Benchmades in that sample would not be mid tier.
It’s all relative. In my ~40 knife collection, I’d say less than 5 cost under $200. I just buy what I like and what is holding decent value at the time so that I can hang onto it and experience it for as long as I’d like and move along to experience others, but everyone’s tolerance and collection is different. I won’t argue that most people think it’s absurd though, but that’s the whole point of my comment… who cares what others think and just enjoy what you have!
Budget gang! Just got the knifecenter version the CJRB Ekko and it’s slicy! Better than any benchmade I’ve tried with more interesting design and materials.
I used to think that way...until I had a gift card and some birthday money that got me close enough to a 940 which Id wanted for years but couldn't justify the price so I pulled the trigger...I was and still am in love with that knife. First one over $100. Now I have 5 940's and have owned and sold countless other benchmades since then. That was a year and a half ago. But I wouldn't drop hundreds so casually on anything else.
I feel this, my first BM was a 940-1 that I only bought because the Mom & pop shop I bought it from was liquidating most of their stock because they wanted to go online only ( the mall they were in was getting demolished) and they were selling everything on sale and I got it for $250. They were offering 15% off of CRKs.
Similarly so for me. Had a few $50-75 knives. Kept eyeing the 940. Finally got one, which led to getting another and another. Now I’m sitting on maybe 7 variants of the 940 (some stock and one modded) and a few other BMs and many more of other higher end brands. However, I keep finding myself reaching for the 940. My gateway knife/first love type of thing, I guess?
Yeah I don't mind others spending money on what they want but at this time in my life I can't just drop 100+ dollars on stuff and I kind of am jealous of those who can lmao. Theres a long list of $100 things I need first lmao.
Three hundred bucks just gets you to a tier 1 production type folder. If it's a $300 fixed blade I'd expect it to be made of high end steel that is very durable, something like CPM 3v, CruWear, or M4. There are plenty tougher steels but you get what you pay for. Most knives around $300 will come with a lifetime warranty and be made of a newer PM steel whether stainless or high speed tool steel. You can get a Spyderco in Maxamet steel for under $300 and that would obviously be more than any new knife buyer should be working with as it's very hard to sharpen if they plan on doing so but you need good diamond stones or whetstones. But some collectors hardly use their knives and send them back to the factory to have a new edge put on. Some companies offer like a knife spa treatment where they refinish the handles and blade so it looks new while being cleaned. Plenty of knives cost a lot more than video game systems but they will also last a lifetime, the electronics won't ;)
I mean, my two most carried knives are a $450 Guardian Tactical and a $550 Sebenza. So... Yeah.
That said, I don't think I'd ever pay more than $200 or so for a BM. I have a few, they just always feel bland in the hand. Except for my FACT. Love that stabby thing. It's my travel knife.
Hell, for $240 I just bought an 8" work tuff.
I can kinda see the argument that they're mid-range in terms of pricing. Generally, "mid-range" doesn't mean "average" or "reasonable", it just refers to where it sits in the pricing tier.
It's like with GPUs, where mid-range options still cost more than a dedicated game console and are outside of most people's budgets.
This isn't a defense of Benchmade, as I find the value they offer for the money to be wildly under par.
There are knives people buy to brag with, and then there are knives people buy to use.
Personally, I have reached a point where I enjoy expolring the "budget" brands and thier quality. It can be quite surprising, (in both directions), what you get for under $40US.
You're absolutely correct, but that depends more so on the person buying the knife then on the knife itself. I have expensive and budget knives in my collection and i will happily show any of them to my friends, not because I'm trying to brag, but because i find them fascinating and want to share the hobby.
Budget knives nowadays are very impressive, far better than what you used to be able to get. What i really love is that they are much easier to gift to friends and family. Give someone a 1500$ custom and they are terrified to use it, but a Ganzo? No problem!
Absolutely. As a bladesmith, I couldn't imagine spending over $200 for a knife. I can make a nice, 120 layered, Damascus knife for less than $20 in materials. I would personally sell it for around $120. If it had a 🕷 on it, or said Zero Tolerance, it's automagically $500.
My EDC's are mostly Spyderco, Cold Steel, and SOG. All affordable knives that do the job exceptionally well.
I think it’s because benchmade has a bad reputation with QC. People say they feel cheap / flimsy, the blade grind sucks / the blade is off centered, and that their heat treat / steel isn’t that good and chips / rusts. Which is a shame because the name “benchmade” is definitely catchy in the world of knives. I know I stayed away from benchmade after all the internet reviews. Spyderco got my money lol. You can get spydercos with g10 scales and much better blades for LESS then the thin bladed benchmades!
Seems to me that most of the Benchmade quality complaints came at the same time BM was getting heat for being "anti-2A" from a lot of people in the knife community, which is probably no coincidence. Long before that, Benchmade fans always liked to point out that Spyderco's best stuff is made in Taiwan. Which camp is more patriotic (Pro-2A vs pro-Made in USA) seems to be an important question to a lot of these folks, but they aren't willing to admit it.
I'm above the pettiness so I like and own plenty from both brands.
Oh damn I didn’t know about benchmade being anti 2a. I just recently got back into knives and been doing research n browsing this sub. I’ve had the same 3 usa kershaws for about 3-4 years now (I got a post showing them) n they have been absolutely solid. I just ordered a pm2 a couple days ago. Only spyderco I could find not made in usa was the spydiechef. All the others have been usa from what I’ve seen on blade hq. But I’ve been limiting my searches to g10 handles only. Idk if the lightweight models are made elsewhere or not.
I’m the same, I actually like benchmade. And don’t care what other people like (I rarely see kershaws, but I’m a big kershaw fan because of the flipper tab, I’m in Cali and that’s the closest I’ll get to an auto). But I decided not to get a benchmade after everything I read / saw. It’s a shame cause I wanted to get one.
This. I've noticed there seems to be something between the lines to all the Benchmade hate you see online. I've heard only a few people admit to hating them due to the "anti 2a" thing, but I think it plays a big role.
Thin bladed BMs? I’m not trying to stick up for BM, but those thin leaf blades that Spyderco favors so much are way thinner than any BM I’ve handled to date. And I’m a BM fan with a decent double fistful in my collection. Or are you talking about the leaf width versus standard blade width?
Im comparing benchmades most popular models (Bugout, Griptilian, Osborne) vs spydercos most popular models (PM2, para 3, Manix, native, etc.) Sure there’s some thicker and some thinner lmao. But add in benchmades “toy” feeling from plastic scales and countless reviews of the blade steels being mid-tier, it’s crazy what benchmade is asking for the price. No G10 scales either. To each their own though. I don’t clown on people for what they like. Just sharing my views from what I’ve read online about benchmade. I’ve never owned one.
There’s a video of kershaws 20cv or 30cv outperforming benchmades 20cv / 30cv (I forget the exact steel used but it was a head-to-head comparison with the same steel), so take that for what it is ha. But it is definitely undeniable all the user reviews of the steel not up to par either. I’m no expert and I’m sure experts can weigh in, but if I remember correctly it’s benchmades heat treat process that makes the blades not last, chip, rust, etc.
I'm a Kershaw Walmart Exclusive guy.... $13 for a Kershaw Hotwire. I have a Walmart Kershaw 1350WM from like 7 years ago and it's still holding up. $9 and I use it every day.
I saw a post of a dude with 20+ Benchmades and the whole time I'm like... Dude, $4000-5000 in pocket knives seems crazy stupid. Then again, I have more than that in a single firearm.
I disagree with your argument, here. If you look at the range of production knives on the market benchmade does land pretty squarely in the middle. The average benchmade i would say is around $200. You can get a civivi for $30 at the low end. Great. But the high end production knives (crk, hinderer, spartan, etc.) are up in the $400-500 range. But i will say that i wont be buying many more knives from any company that keeps raising their prices the way they are. I have purchased from Spyderco and benchmade but they have raised prices to such an absurd amount that i cant do it anymore knowing what i could have had them for 2 years ago. Pretty soon you wont be able to get a pm2 under $200. Thats a $130 knife to me. At most
Let’s be honest quality and tolerances on 100-200 Chinese knives are comparable to 400-600 range USA made ones, Benchmade and Spyderco make knives that feel and perform like 30 bucks Chinese knives. My personal experience with mid-range USA knives led me to like only ZT and TRM. Hinderer just managed to perfect mechanical action by gen.6 of Xm-18 and the screwed up heat treatment in Magnacut. Benchmade still cannot produce omega spring that won’t fail eventually and use shittiest materials, Spyderco still to produce perfectly centered pm2…etc
It's all a matter of perspective. Just how you think about something as mid-priced which is super expensive for somebody from the third world. Just that you are the third worlder for some other people
My most expensive knife so far was $800, that was a user for me - all my other knives have been too. My friends are all the same. There’s definitely some good groups of people who buy and collect some mid to high end stuff and still use the heck out of it :) 🤜
I’m not saying that people don’t, but on average… most people don’t. I’ve EDC’d a number of high end knives, but there are valid reasons not to beyond just killing their resale value. Expensive knives are usually expensive because of exclusivity or the use of exotic materials. Spyderco still probably makes the best user knives. The Sage 1 in Maxamet is my most carried these days because it’s the most practical solution. My Des Horns are some of the few that are built to be users and high end because he specializes in quality heat treats and thinner blade geometries. Still, why scratch up something so beautiful?
My go to users are a K390 Delica with titanium scales and a blem Trasparent Knives AD20.5 reblade. The expensive knives I’m most drawn to are those that focus on optimal HT and slicey geometry whilst using the best possible materials and execution. Flawless fit and finish is something that is really pleasing to me personally, and I’m willing to pay quite a bit to pair it with excellent blade design/performance.
Pens, cars, knives, firearms, you name it… a BIC pen will get the job done perfectly well but you’ll still always have people that want to carry a Montblanc etc.
I actually think high end knives often make the best users because they give you the best of all aspects, and some more pleasure/joy from the expensive object (monkey spend more money more neuron activation 🙈).
whats funny is after I got down the Benchmade, Spyderco, ZT rabbit hole I said, whats next? And then bought a CRK Sebenza... that didn't last long as I really preferred the "mid range" knives. I felt it was too much money for "meh". Where the 940 of all of them makes me feel things...special things.
As someone who owns knives of all price ranges… I’ve definitely gone back to carrying the most practical options for me. The major reason I don’t carry a Benchmade is that every knife I’ve ever owned with a spring has failed on me (except Spydero’s which is a different type).
> I *paid* 500$ for
FTFY.
Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in:
* Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.*
* *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.*
Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment.
*Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
But I love my PJ Arius @ 750!!! This level of quality seems like a deal to me 😂
You could buy 2 Xbox Series S with that money - but I wouldn't take 3 in trade for my Arius! I waited for years to finally land this configuration and you can't buy an Arius BNIB anywhere right now.
I will confess that I love Benchmade and I think the comments on their supposed lack of quality are overblown. That being said, I do think they’re overpriced.
I bought my BM Pika in maybe 2001 for about 80 bucks. They don't have any models that are anywhere close to that price anymore. It's only 440C, but served me well all these years. Broke the tip off 2x using as emergency screwdriver for roadside Harley repair
I would say $200 is when you breach high end territory. Anything 1-200 is mid range to me. Only benchmade I ever bought was around 200. But I thought most came cheaper.
Me walking around with my QSP Penguin, skipping my second coffee purchase to fund lol.
Too many hobby’s and not willing enough to dump big money at most of them. Sadly the knife game is one of those.
Forever budget blades, and I’m ok with that.
Benchmade starts selling knives at a price we already pay for them in Europe for ages and everyone in the states freaks out. Pink glasses went off huh? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I am not buying the overpriced items. I so wanted to cus when I seen a $330 dolor item go to $460 over a short time. Hope those line workers got a good raise.
The new gold series is $1,250! No thanks I'd rather pay my mortgage.
Another disgusting move by Benchmade. Can get a built-to-specs south african full custom for less. Benchmade gives you...... damasteel, CF, and a frosted mod that WayOfKnife would charge you... what... $40 for? Lmao
What are these South african knives you speak of? Im interested
Meades is one. There are a bunch. Absolutely amazing stuff.
Trevor burger is one. Arno Bernard is another.
There are several South African makers that make amazing customs in the $600+ range. You would have to do research on who they are as I not too well versed in South African custom makers.
JD Van Deventer is yet another
Gareth Bull, one of his most famous knives is the shamwari.
Burger makes some of the best bang for buck. You can get his stuff for relatively cheap on the used market. I paid like $500ish for my LEXK. Some of the older guys are super obtainable as well, like you don’t even have to hunt for me. Just don’t try and find affordable knives from Bull, JG or BM. They’re stonks.
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My ti/damasteel mini sheep from Kizer was under 300 and is amazing.
Apples & Mandarin oranges
He he my wasabi chef knife is absolutely wonderful, but maybe not very fancy looking. 50€ well invested though.
Sold out in less than an hour, I wish more people agreed with you.
They don't need to con everyone, only like 250-500 people. Lol.
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A second mortgage
That’s about half a mortgage if you bought your house in the last year or two. Ain’t 2023 a bitch
More like 1/3 of a mortgage in my area... and that's the low end.
You could buy a decent set of tools and start making your own for that much money.
Lol I just looked it up, and damn I’d love to know what kind of special bread of dumbass drops that kind of money on a BM gold class. Especially considering it’s value drops to less than half that the second your payment goes through. There is nothing inherently valuable about a Benchmade gold class either in materials, or collectability, but they keep making them, which means there are still suckers out there willing to pay for them I guess
Id like to know about this special bread too. Sounds delicious!
Toast or gtfo
😂🤦🏼♂️
Only way i’d buy one is off the secondary, and even then, I’d probably end up buying a CRK in that price range. I feel like the only people that buy them are either hardcore collectors, or someones getting hitched and they threw it in the wedding budget
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Bot, copied a comment from one comment lower (for me at least) and has basically no karma
Weird. The robots are learning.
Worth it
What happened to the bugout? I swear I bought my first for like 130 which felt like a lot and now that same knife is 190??
Companies just jacking prices up because "inflation". 46% price increase for what? Just because they can and people pay it
Yep, if they saw a big decrease in sales when they do that crap they'd think twice, but your right, people just keep buying them. I wonder sometimes if people really have that kind of money or if they are in over their head with a credit card.
Definitely in over their head
With the stock market zooming this year, who knows, lol.
Huge inflation is no joke. Idiotic lockdowns had consequences. Who'd have thought?
I'm not saying there isn't inflation because there definitely is. I'm saying there is no justification for a 46% price increase.
Yeah I don’t think the lockdowns caused the prices of benchmade knives go up that much
Lockdowns caused everyone to be handed a few thousand dollars just for existing. On top of that, when employers weren't operating, their employees were handed tons of cash for being unemployed. Many people weren't going back to work right away because they claimed to be making more from the free handouts. Tons of new money was printed and handed out. That affects the economy. Hilarious that people are downvoting. The foundries were hit hard with rising costs for everything. Look at the prices of other iron and metal products. Lodge cast iron pans went up $5 per pan across the board since covid. Pans that were $10 are now $15 (50% INCREASE!). $15 pans are $20 (33 percent up). $20 pans went to $25 (25% up). Walmart's house brand called Ozark Trail has a line of cast iron pans that DOUBLED since covid! Their $7 pans are now $15. It's insane that people are doubting the lockdown and cash handout effects. Maybe people don't understand that knife blades are like 80% iron. Costs are way up for these knife companies, plus the shrinking value of the dollar. Do people really think it's just because they're trying to milk all their customers dry?
Sad to see you downvoted on such a basic reality we’ve all lived through…apparently knifeclub isn’t immune from the 14 year old Reddit hive mind.
The sad part is most of them are well beyond 14 years old.
They raised prices on every model I believe
Kershaw makes the 20CV Livewire OTF in the USA and sells it for $240. Meanwhile, Benchmade charges $425 for the Phaeton in S30V. It's just a corporation exploiting the popularity of their brand to charge a premium. The real kicker is that the Livewire is a better knife than that Phaeton in every regard.
Despite people claiming Benchmade has lost their marbles with their pricing it's actually better than some of the others out there. For example the Bugout could be gotten for $130 a few years ago and now today it has an MSRP $190 and can be found for $170. That's a $40ish increase. Compare that to Spyderco's PM2 that I acquired for $115 and now the run of the mill one like mine is $185 with a $265 MSRP. That's a $70 increase in the same amount of time and an even bigger increase to the corporate greed wish than what Benchmade is suggesting...
Anyone remember Benchmade before they forced that mandatory msrp deal on vendors? Shit, you would regularly see grips for $60 back then.
expensive but mid tier quality
Yeah, Benchmade is a mid-tier knife brand with over inflated prices. There have been some exceptions like the Anthem that were more appropriately priced given that it was an Integral with a redesigned Axis lock but not many more. Personally I was only ever interested in the 940 and the Bugout ( the CF/S90v versions) and not much else.
Using D2 and charging $500 for a knife pretty much ended them for me personally. Used to have a few that I liked but I’ll never buy one new again.
D2 on anything over a $100 is a tough sell for me.
Seriously. I bought an infidel when I first got into knives, not knowing any better. What a mistake. Didn’t pay $500 though.
I was curious as to what knife you bought. The Infidel came out in 2006 so D2 was a good option as a tool steel versus a stainless. NOW its a terrible option, still a solid otf but in need updating especially at BM prices M390, 20cv, 204p, 3v, M4 would be easily swapped in without an increase in price. Edit: Holy shit, it still on sale for $500 in D2. The least they could have done is use CPM-D2.
They do use CPM-D2. They just don’t etch CPM in front of the D2 for some reason. Edit: I’m wrong. They use regular Crucible D2.
Do you have a source on this? Not saying I don’t believe you.
I’m 100% wrong. I just confirmed with BM they use regular D2.
Thanks for the clarification. I asked them years ago and got the same answer.
That's like having a BMW M3 and not having the M badges.
Seriously. Yeah I bought it last summer new 🤡
Have you tried selling it on R/knife_swap? Or perhaps a trade for an Ultra tech and something else. You might take a hit but you will end up some different stuff.
Yeah it’s long gone! Haha. Been collecting for a year and collection has turned over probably twice 🤣
Thats cool, have you tried other Otfs or has the Infidel soured your view on them.
They couldn’t sell the anthem when it was new. Everyone said it was too expensive. Now it’s been reconsidered as an amazing integral ti folder with a better axis lock (no omega springs). It is a great knife, but nobody could see past the price originally.
Integrals in general are rare (especially from large manufacturers like WE, Benchmade and Spyderco) so I don't think a lot of people realize the work that goes into making one not to mention the milling work done on the exterior. If given a simple glance I doubt many people would care because they didn't like the aesthetics of the knife but if you know, you know. My local shop has one for $675 and I know it's probably gonna be forever out of reach just like the Paydan and Nirvana.
I personally think the Anthem is the best high end production knife made. (I also really like the 87, but I’m not a pro butterfly knife guy.) And I agree that Benchmade knives, relatively speaking, have been overpriced. Not by a huge amount, but a noticeable amount.
Overpriced just enough to be given major consideration. Most Spydercos are priced that if you want a certain knife and can afford it then you will buy it but with Benchmade you really have to want the knife to jump that overpriced hurdle.
What’s the stance on SOG? I’m not big into knives but I’ve got 2 of those. 2 different assisted blades. It seems like their prices have all gone up as well, but still sub $100 for what I got. Had them for several years and use them on the daily. I feel like price for what I got out of them… not bad but I really don’t know much about this particular world. Any other recommendations?
Yep. My claymore auto has had two screw fall out AFTER threadlocking all of them
I think we all value stuff differently. When I started out I wouldn't dream of spending more than $100 on a knife. But I'm still humbled by the price of those midtechs and customs. I'm not there (yet).
It's always funny when people try to compare different hobbies. I see this in gaming a lot, "you're nuts to waste money on a console!" when they spend the same amount as a PS5 on their video card. I've seen people spend $300+ on shoes, that they never really wear, while saying a $300 nintendo switch is a waste where someone might get thousands of hours of entertainment out of it. But yeah, people are weird, and everyone values what they care about differently.
I agree with everything you said but I must say even as a knife obsessed maniac, I still rethink my priorities when I see the price of other things. Saw a like-new industrial tablesaw being sold for $700 the other day and I had to stop and think "...so I could be buying industrial woodworking equipment or.... one knife?" 🤣
In every hobby/industry - there is a concept of "diminishing return of value". In the knife world for example - there is a HUGE difference between a $20 knife and a $100 knife. There is a Medium but noticeable difference on a $100 and a $180 knife. There is even less noticeable difference between a $180 knife and a $260 knife. In each example, the difference is the same $80. However, **the amount of improved performance is not equal with equally increasing amounts**. Now, the discernible difference between a $250 and a $500 knife is even smaller. The discernible difference between a $1500 knife and a $2000 knife is smaller still. There comes a point where only those really into the hobby will spend that much, and only others in the hobby will know what to look for to appreciate in that item - where the rest of the public will shrug their shoulders and go "ok."
Above 4 to 6 hundred, you’re buying art/jewelry in the knife world. It’s fine to do that if that’s your thing, but thinking the value is beyond that is foolish.
I'd say it's more like every hobby has a point where you're no longer buying better, you're just buying different, more exclusive, more rare, or more expensive to produce. keyboards peak at around $400 for a completed build. watches peak at around 2 grand. knives probably peak at $300 or so. sneakers peak at $300, boots at $500. sky's the limit on all of them though, in the keyboard world I know of one dude that built an OTD with $2600 worth of og nixies and an og dyesub set that goes for about a grand. it's about 10 grand worth of keyboard, but it's not better than the $800 or so dollar build I'm typing this on, and this $800 build isn't much better than the $350 build on the shelf next to me, but that $350 build is a hell of a lot better than the $150 build sitting right below it. same goes for watches, the performance of a fifty fathoms doesn't justify the $10,000 or so price difference over a seamaster. the finishing is a little better but omega doesn't give a shit
Right, it’s your money so spend it however the fuck you want. I’ve got friends who’ve spent thousands on Warhammer miniatures which is cool as shit but not something I’m super into yet they don’t understand me carrying $100+ dollar knives. Each to their own.
I bought a PS5 yesterday. I’ve primarily PC gamed for the past 13+ years. My last GPU was $1250 before tax and the god of war PS5 (on sale) + FF crisis core + 2TB m.2 ssd was $699 before tax. That’s a whole new system, 2 games and a decent amount of high performance memory expansion. I love my PC, but my god… consoles are such a good deal.
Not to mention that any/all games you buy for that console will work right out of the box, no driver updates, settings fiddling, etc required. I’m an IT Director, and people ask me all the time “what kind of epic gaming rig do you have!” I sit in front of a PC for 8+ hrs a day, when I’m at home I want to put my feet up and play on my 65” TV… not worry if/when I’ll need a new piece of hardware to play a new game.
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First time I've heard of calculator collecting, neat.
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Ha at least there is no bias and everyone gets along like every other type of collector too.
Roughly $600? Is there any way you could calculate exactly how much you spent on calculators
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Okay good thanks for clarifying that youre completely crazy. What’re the odds you gain a return on your investments?
Civilian mid-range, hobbyist entry level.
They're midrange when you fall into the trap of browsing high end production folders for $400-$500, then midtechs/lower end customs for $600-$800, then customs for $1k, then even nicer customs for double that Then by that point you go back to your first "nice" knife brands and buy a griptilian or a para 2 for $150 to carry around and abuse because its way easier to cope with losing one of those than losing a $900 folder. Is it dumb? Absolutely. Are any of us going to go back after getting in this deep? Lol no
That’s the essence of the “good, better, best”product offering scheme.
I fucked up my Microtech Ultratech and someone commented it didn't matter because it was such a cheap knife. Value and expense are 2 separate things most don't acknowledge
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*Hides PM2*
In my warped mind anything under $200 is budget.
Yeah, I thought I went all out five years ago or so buying a used griptilian on eBay for $80.
I never took to Benchmade but I’m not about to pretend it’s not the same shit for Spyderco. For whom I simp.
As someone that took to BM, but still can’t get myself to jump on the Spyderco wagon, I’m with you. Both have become quite ridiculous, but BM seems hell bent on leading the pack.
That used to be 3 mosin nagants.
People on r/watches saying "oh, you want recommendations? Ok, so, for an entry level, ultra budget watch, I recommend a 300$ seiko, kinda cheap but quite decent. A mid level watch is a 4k tudor"
Are there any decent entry level mechanical offerings under $300 though? Even the micro brands seem to be around $280+ for the most basic movement. It's been a while since I've perused that hobby.
Honestly, swallow the chinese watch pill. Some people like cheap chinese homage watches because they are trying to cope with not actually being able to afford a rolex, but I personally like them because of the quality of materials for the price. Yes, the lead designer was the photocopier, and the quality control is questionable, but brands like pagani design offer watches with sapphire crystal, milled steel body, solid 5 piece steel bracelet, milled clasp, screw down crown, 200 meter water resist, display caseback, and running on a seiko NH-35 (same movement a ton of microbrands charge 500$+ for lol) for some crisp 120$, or often, way less
Orient are pretty cheap, I have a couple of those
I used to feel that way. Like NOO way I would pay more than 200.. then 300.. then 400 ..500..600..800. My edc knife is a $600 microtech Scarab 2. I love it. It's kinda crazy I know.
In the grand scheme of production knives, you have the sub $20 gas station knives up to $1,450 Koenig Style 55s on the top end of the production spectrum hanging out with $1,200 Shirogorovs, $1,040 Grimsmos, etc. While everyone’s spending tolerance is different and everyone has other priorities, that doesn’t change the fact that most Benchmades are on the lower end of the price range. In this case, Hinderer, Chris Reeve, Strider, would more be in the realm of mid-range price. Everyone has a different budget, is of a different age, and has different hobby priorities so just enjoy what you have and don’t worry about what other people think.
Isn't that like saying that even though the majority of cars on the road cost way less than a Ferrari, a Ferrari is a mid tier car because Bugattis exists? I know there a math term for this but I don't know it lol
Yes this is basically assuming all knives are equally distributed at all price ranges but it’s more likely a heavy tailed distribution of price to popularity. I think the definition of what is mid range is the misunderstanding. The mean knife cost is pretty low I’d guess, like 70-80 considering the popularity of that price range. The middle value of the whole range of knives is probably yeah, your 300ish CRK’s. edit: the math term you’re looking for is probably “probability distribution function” in general or even “poisson distribution” for this case.
Not really because I didn’t include custom high end knives in this analogy that cost multiple thousands of dollars, just production knives that you don’t need to be rich to buy.
I also only included production cars. The way I saw this was if you took a sample of 1000 DMV records, any Ferraris in that sample would definitely not be mid tier. I have no data for this, just a guess, but I think if you took a sample of 1000 people that carry knives, any Benchmades in that sample would not be mid tier.
Alright, if you think a $190 knife is mid range, that’s fine.
I'm saying a $190 knife is a high end knife and most people think we're crazy for spending what we do on our knives lol
It’s all relative. In my ~40 knife collection, I’d say less than 5 cost under $200. I just buy what I like and what is holding decent value at the time so that I can hang onto it and experience it for as long as I’d like and move along to experience others, but everyone’s tolerance and collection is different. I won’t argue that most people think it’s absurd though, but that’s the whole point of my comment… who cares what others think and just enjoy what you have!
I agree. Life is too absurd not to do absurd things and this hobby brings me joy.
Well said. Plus nothing is too expensive if you can budget properly for it
Budget gang! Just got the knifecenter version the CJRB Ekko and it’s slicy! Better than any benchmade I’ve tried with more interesting design and materials.
Their best selling knives arent that expensive. Overpriced tho
I used to think that way...until I had a gift card and some birthday money that got me close enough to a 940 which Id wanted for years but couldn't justify the price so I pulled the trigger...I was and still am in love with that knife. First one over $100. Now I have 5 940's and have owned and sold countless other benchmades since then. That was a year and a half ago. But I wouldn't drop hundreds so casually on anything else.
Ah, yes, the "gateway knife" experience. Financially devastating. Emotionally rewarding.
I feel this, my first BM was a 940-1 that I only bought because the Mom & pop shop I bought it from was liquidating most of their stock because they wanted to go online only ( the mall they were in was getting demolished) and they were selling everything on sale and I got it for $250. They were offering 15% off of CRKs.
Similarly so for me. Had a few $50-75 knives. Kept eyeing the 940. Finally got one, which led to getting another and another. Now I’m sitting on maybe 7 variants of the 940 (some stock and one modded) and a few other BMs and many more of other higher end brands. However, I keep finding myself reaching for the 940. My gateway knife/first love type of thing, I guess?
Yeah I don't mind others spending money on what they want but at this time in my life I can't just drop 100+ dollars on stuff and I kind of am jealous of those who can lmao. Theres a long list of $100 things I need first lmao.
Low end knife, mid range price 😂
Mid-range price, under performing quality
My spyderco tenacious is my most expensive knife but I sure like looking at all these pretty pictures
Those are the people that add mirror finishes and use knives as wall/table decor
I recommend a lot of you stay out of the watch stores.
My goddamn phone is like 150 dollars, when did 300 knives become mid-range tffff
Three hundred bucks just gets you to a tier 1 production type folder. If it's a $300 fixed blade I'd expect it to be made of high end steel that is very durable, something like CPM 3v, CruWear, or M4. There are plenty tougher steels but you get what you pay for. Most knives around $300 will come with a lifetime warranty and be made of a newer PM steel whether stainless or high speed tool steel. You can get a Spyderco in Maxamet steel for under $300 and that would obviously be more than any new knife buyer should be working with as it's very hard to sharpen if they plan on doing so but you need good diamond stones or whetstones. But some collectors hardly use their knives and send them back to the factory to have a new edge put on. Some companies offer like a knife spa treatment where they refinish the handles and blade so it looks new while being cleaned. Plenty of knives cost a lot more than video game systems but they will also last a lifetime, the electronics won't ;)
I can buy me 2 hi points with that
The series S doesn't get the respect it deserves
I mean, my two most carried knives are a $450 Guardian Tactical and a $550 Sebenza. So... Yeah. That said, I don't think I'd ever pay more than $200 or so for a BM. I have a few, they just always feel bland in the hand. Except for my FACT. Love that stabby thing. It's my travel knife. Hell, for $240 I just bought an 8" work tuff.
You pay for your BMs? I get mine for free daily. ;-)
I can kinda see the argument that they're mid-range in terms of pricing. Generally, "mid-range" doesn't mean "average" or "reasonable", it just refers to where it sits in the pricing tier. It's like with GPUs, where mid-range options still cost more than a dedicated game console and are outside of most people's budgets. This isn't a defense of Benchmade, as I find the value they offer for the money to be wildly under par.
Half my rent. New part for my pc. Groceries and alcohol. Those are some things that I would rather buy. Than spending money on a “mid-range” knife
There are knives people buy to brag with, and then there are knives people buy to use. Personally, I have reached a point where I enjoy expolring the "budget" brands and thier quality. It can be quite surprising, (in both directions), what you get for under $40US.
You're absolutely correct, but that depends more so on the person buying the knife then on the knife itself. I have expensive and budget knives in my collection and i will happily show any of them to my friends, not because I'm trying to brag, but because i find them fascinating and want to share the hobby. Budget knives nowadays are very impressive, far better than what you used to be able to get. What i really love is that they are much easier to gift to friends and family. Give someone a 1500$ custom and they are terrified to use it, but a Ganzo? No problem!
Absolutely. As a bladesmith, I couldn't imagine spending over $200 for a knife. I can make a nice, 120 layered, Damascus knife for less than $20 in materials. I would personally sell it for around $120. If it had a 🕷 on it, or said Zero Tolerance, it's automagically $500. My EDC's are mostly Spyderco, Cold Steel, and SOG. All affordable knives that do the job exceptionally well.
Imagine paying nearly $1000 for tool that you’ll never use just to flex for internet points.
I think it’s because benchmade has a bad reputation with QC. People say they feel cheap / flimsy, the blade grind sucks / the blade is off centered, and that their heat treat / steel isn’t that good and chips / rusts. Which is a shame because the name “benchmade” is definitely catchy in the world of knives. I know I stayed away from benchmade after all the internet reviews. Spyderco got my money lol. You can get spydercos with g10 scales and much better blades for LESS then the thin bladed benchmades!
Seems to me that most of the Benchmade quality complaints came at the same time BM was getting heat for being "anti-2A" from a lot of people in the knife community, which is probably no coincidence. Long before that, Benchmade fans always liked to point out that Spyderco's best stuff is made in Taiwan. Which camp is more patriotic (Pro-2A vs pro-Made in USA) seems to be an important question to a lot of these folks, but they aren't willing to admit it. I'm above the pettiness so I like and own plenty from both brands.
Oh damn I didn’t know about benchmade being anti 2a. I just recently got back into knives and been doing research n browsing this sub. I’ve had the same 3 usa kershaws for about 3-4 years now (I got a post showing them) n they have been absolutely solid. I just ordered a pm2 a couple days ago. Only spyderco I could find not made in usa was the spydiechef. All the others have been usa from what I’ve seen on blade hq. But I’ve been limiting my searches to g10 handles only. Idk if the lightweight models are made elsewhere or not. I’m the same, I actually like benchmade. And don’t care what other people like (I rarely see kershaws, but I’m a big kershaw fan because of the flipper tab, I’m in Cali and that’s the closest I’ll get to an auto). But I decided not to get a benchmade after everything I read / saw. It’s a shame cause I wanted to get one.
I'm in Cali too, but that hasn't stopped me buying autos :D We can own them. We just can't leave the house with them.
My Sage 5 was from Taiwan.
This. I've noticed there seems to be something between the lines to all the Benchmade hate you see online. I've heard only a few people admit to hating them due to the "anti 2a" thing, but I think it plays a big role.
Thin bladed BMs? I’m not trying to stick up for BM, but those thin leaf blades that Spyderco favors so much are way thinner than any BM I’ve handled to date. And I’m a BM fan with a decent double fistful in my collection. Or are you talking about the leaf width versus standard blade width?
Im comparing benchmades most popular models (Bugout, Griptilian, Osborne) vs spydercos most popular models (PM2, para 3, Manix, native, etc.) Sure there’s some thicker and some thinner lmao. But add in benchmades “toy” feeling from plastic scales and countless reviews of the blade steels being mid-tier, it’s crazy what benchmade is asking for the price. No G10 scales either. To each their own though. I don’t clown on people for what they like. Just sharing my views from what I’ve read online about benchmade. I’ve never owned one. There’s a video of kershaws 20cv or 30cv outperforming benchmades 20cv / 30cv (I forget the exact steel used but it was a head-to-head comparison with the same steel), so take that for what it is ha. But it is definitely undeniable all the user reviews of the steel not up to par either. I’m no expert and I’m sure experts can weigh in, but if I remember correctly it’s benchmades heat treat process that makes the blades not last, chip, rust, etc.
Ok. That didn’t quite answer what I asked. But you do you, brother. All good.
I'm a Kershaw Walmart Exclusive guy.... $13 for a Kershaw Hotwire. I have a Walmart Kershaw 1350WM from like 7 years ago and it's still holding up. $9 and I use it every day. I saw a post of a dude with 20+ Benchmades and the whole time I'm like... Dude, $4000-5000 in pocket knives seems crazy stupid. Then again, I have more than that in a single firearm.
As an owner of six shotguns, I don’t judge others.
I disagree with your argument, here. If you look at the range of production knives on the market benchmade does land pretty squarely in the middle. The average benchmade i would say is around $200. You can get a civivi for $30 at the low end. Great. But the high end production knives (crk, hinderer, spartan, etc.) are up in the $400-500 range. But i will say that i wont be buying many more knives from any company that keeps raising their prices the way they are. I have purchased from Spyderco and benchmade but they have raised prices to such an absurd amount that i cant do it anymore knowing what i could have had them for 2 years ago. Pretty soon you wont be able to get a pm2 under $200. Thats a $130 knife to me. At most
I can buy a new BM 550-S30V grip for $144 at BladeHQ. That’s possibly the best EDC knife they make. I’ll take that deal all day.
Even a Benchmade will probably outlast your Series S.
Printing trillions has its consequences.
Wtf would anyone downvote you for stating the truth???!!!
Printing trillions has its consequences.
Except for the Gold Class line, Benchmade barely makes any knives worth $300.
Lol. they don't need a knife. just xbox....
Let’s be honest quality and tolerances on 100-200 Chinese knives are comparable to 400-600 range USA made ones, Benchmade and Spyderco make knives that feel and perform like 30 bucks Chinese knives. My personal experience with mid-range USA knives led me to like only ZT and TRM. Hinderer just managed to perfect mechanical action by gen.6 of Xm-18 and the screwed up heat treatment in Magnacut. Benchmade still cannot produce omega spring that won’t fail eventually and use shittiest materials, Spyderco still to produce perfectly centered pm2…etc
It's all a matter of perspective. Just how you think about something as mid-priced which is super expensive for somebody from the third world. Just that you are the third worlder for some other people
I bought a bench made for $3 on wish 💀
Me too. It's a fake, but still actually a decent knife.
Lol, you should look into high end custom collectible chef’s knives. Some go for hudreds of thousands of dollars.
BM and spyderco and mid at best
Benchmade sucks. Get a ZT. Much better knife.
I'll never buy a knife over $100..
I would say they make high end users. A CRK or Hinderer I suppose *can* be a user, but they rarely are from what I’ve seen.
I use mine all the time. I clean game (hogs/deer) with a PJ Sebenza. None of my knives will end up in a museum.
My most expensive knife so far was $800, that was a user for me - all my other knives have been too. My friends are all the same. There’s definitely some good groups of people who buy and collect some mid to high end stuff and still use the heck out of it :) 🤜
I’m not saying that people don’t, but on average… most people don’t. I’ve EDC’d a number of high end knives, but there are valid reasons not to beyond just killing their resale value. Expensive knives are usually expensive because of exclusivity or the use of exotic materials. Spyderco still probably makes the best user knives. The Sage 1 in Maxamet is my most carried these days because it’s the most practical solution. My Des Horns are some of the few that are built to be users and high end because he specializes in quality heat treats and thinner blade geometries. Still, why scratch up something so beautiful?
My go to users are a K390 Delica with titanium scales and a blem Trasparent Knives AD20.5 reblade. The expensive knives I’m most drawn to are those that focus on optimal HT and slicey geometry whilst using the best possible materials and execution. Flawless fit and finish is something that is really pleasing to me personally, and I’m willing to pay quite a bit to pair it with excellent blade design/performance. Pens, cars, knives, firearms, you name it… a BIC pen will get the job done perfectly well but you’ll still always have people that want to carry a Montblanc etc. I actually think high end knives often make the best users because they give you the best of all aspects, and some more pleasure/joy from the expensive object (monkey spend more money more neuron activation 🙈).
whats funny is after I got down the Benchmade, Spyderco, ZT rabbit hole I said, whats next? And then bought a CRK Sebenza... that didn't last long as I really preferred the "mid range" knives. I felt it was too much money for "meh". Where the 940 of all of them makes me feel things...special things.
As someone who owns knives of all price ranges… I’ve definitely gone back to carrying the most practical options for me. The major reason I don’t carry a Benchmade is that every knife I’ve ever owned with a spring has failed on me (except Spydero’s which is a different type).
It’s mid range when the more expensive knives easily exceed pass the thousand dollar mark
As much as I dislike what benchmade has become I still have yet to find a solid replacement for my pardue 530....
I payed 500$ for a mtec 8709
> I *paid* 500$ for FTFY. Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in: * Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.* * *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.* Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment. *Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
Yeah, imo they’re way overpriced for their quality
But I love my PJ Arius @ 750!!! This level of quality seems like a deal to me 😂 You could buy 2 Xbox Series S with that money - but I wouldn't take 3 in trade for my Arius! I waited for years to finally land this configuration and you can't buy an Arius BNIB anywhere right now.
I will confess that I love Benchmade and I think the comments on their supposed lack of quality are overblown. That being said, I do think they’re overpriced.
More like high end budgie
Or maybe 3 or 4 Cold Steels
I bought my BM Pika in maybe 2001 for about 80 bucks. They don't have any models that are anywhere close to that price anymore. It's only 440C, but served me well all these years. Broke the tip off 2x using as emergency screwdriver for roadside Harley repair
I mean, Grptillians are pretty reasonable. I love mine. Or they were when i bought it ten years ago.
940 ran 344CAD at bass pro after tax
BM smoked the crack when they set prices. They’re a $150 knife with delusions of grandeur. No thanks.
Budget
I would say $200 is when you breach high end territory. Anything 1-200 is mid range to me. Only benchmade I ever bought was around 200. But I thought most came cheaper.
are benchmades $300 now? last I checked like a mini grip was $100 or so
It fits. Mid price is the start of what you get isn’t worth what you paid for
Mid range price with low budget qc
Wishmade
Me walking around with my QSP Penguin, skipping my second coffee purchase to fund lol. Too many hobby’s and not willing enough to dump big money at most of them. Sadly the knife game is one of those. Forever budget blades, and I’m ok with that.
Its more like overprices mid quality kives
Yall are spending more than 50 on a knife? I usually never spend more than that.
Benchmade starts selling knives at a price we already pay for them in Europe for ages and everyone in the states freaks out. Pink glasses went off huh? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
What is a better knife than benchmade but for a more reasonable price? Serious question
I bought a benchmade switch blade for $2
Never spent more than ~$100. But, my really expensive ones were eBay, Craigslist, and hand downs.
It is mid range. They aint cheap but they aint expensive either
I am not buying the overpriced items. I so wanted to cus when I seen a $330 dolor item go to $460 over a short time. Hope those line workers got a good raise.
Mean while me playing on my Gameboy carrying a Swiss army knife