Masamoto price increase is coming to JCK near you

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schanop

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Just noticed this message at Koki's Masamoto pages a couple of days ago.

Notice for price increase
Due to the continuous devaluation of US Dollar against Japanese Yen, all of Masamoto knives’s prices will be increased from July 20th, 2012. Thank you for your understanding, and would suggest you to order before July 20th to ensure the current prices.

Not sure how much this is gonna go up.
 
Yeah, this is what we were discussing a while back here and elsewhere. The dollar has fallen against the yen over the last five years, and it did get a bit weaker since 2010, but it has been trading in a fairly narrow range for the last 21 months. It's just about 80 yen to the dollar today, same as it was in early May, same as it was in early February (when I bought my KS). Were Japanese knife prices more expensive for the latter half of last year, heading into this year, when the dollar was consistently wallowing at around 77 yen? Did prices drop along with the dollar's rise when it recovered from 77 to 83 yen in six weeks from early February to late March? Are they now returning to the levels they were at for most of last year? Or have J-knife prices not changed since the dollar bought 100 yen three years ago and are thus due for a major correction?

Once again (and I'll defer yet again to those with more direct involvement -- wholesale trade instead of my retail purchases), unless prices haven't corrected in at least a couple of years, I'm not convinced the dollar's more recent dip has all that much to do with it.
 
Guess we are just going to have to buy American.
 
They saw Misono get away with it so they are too.
 
Yeah, this is what we were discussing a while back here and elsewhere. The dollar has fallen against the yen over the last five years, and it did get a bit weaker since 2010, but it has been trading in a fairly narrow range for the last 21 months. It's just about 80 yen to the dollar today, same as it was in early May, same as it was in early February (when I bought my KS). Were Japanese knife prices more expensive for the latter half of last year, heading into this year, when the dollar was consistently wallowing at around 77 yen? Did prices drop along with the dollar's rise when it recovered from 77 to 83 yen in six weeks from early February to late March? Are they now returning to the levels they were at for most of last year? Or have J-knife prices not changed since the dollar bought 100 yen three years ago and are thus due for a major correction?

Once again (and I'll defer yet again to those with more direct involvement -- wholesale trade instead of my retail purchases), unless prices haven't corrected in at least a couple of years, I'm not convinced the dollar's more recent dip has all that much to do with it.

a lot of prices hadnt corrected in over 2 years (some had though). Many were set when the yen was trading at over 100 to the dollar.
 
I was hoping you'd set me straight again. :)

I honestly didn't know the history of Japanese knife prices sold here before I became more interested late last year, so there you go.
 
a lot of prices hadnt corrected in over 2 years (some had though). Many were set when the yen was trading at over 100 to the dollar.
Thanks! My questions about the pricing history were honest (see my post above) so I'm glad one of the situations I suggested may be the reason.

OT: How do I get to the shop from LAX? The bus? Or are cabs cheap in LA?
 
This bites, I like masamoto for off the shelf readily available knives of a decent price structure... oh well. Customs for the win... :D
 
Tristan, is Ya Kun Kaya at Far East Square open in the evening? I get in to Changi at around 7:30 and will need a fix.
 
I'm quite sure they close at around 1900, or 7pm. There is one at Changi Airport Terminal 3 itself that is open 24hours though. I can't imagine the quality differing enough to bother with that detour. I speak for eggs and Kaya toast. The coffee and tea is a different thing though
 
Was thinking of your purchase when I posted. Have you received your suji yet?
 
I keep an eye...

It came off of plane on friday and today from 0533 hours is at the substation, so today or tomorrow :EDance2::happy1:
 
Once again (and I'll defer yet again to those with more direct involvement -- wholesale trade instead of my retail purchases), unless prices haven't corrected in at least a couple of years, I'm not convinced the dollar's more recent dip has all that much to do with it.

A little birdy told me that it's not just the exchange rate that might cause price increases...

Local prices are going up due to two factors.

#1, steel prices have risen. Adds about 2% to the price of something, so very little and nobody would jack up the price over that.

#2, grinding wheel prices have risen by 40% over the past 5 years. If you've ever spent any time in workshop that makes Japanese blades, the one thing that stands out is that there are grinders and spare wheels EVERYWHERE, and they chew through them at a pretty brisk rate. If you need to place blame, that's where at least some of it lies.

Generally, prices remain fairly stable over here and increases are rare for stuff like this. The makers absorb a lot the yen-by-yen increases until it's just too much, and then there is a price jump and usually all folks in the same game follow suit all at about the same time. If you're really lucky, you get warning of the price hike before it arrives.

Now, I don't know that the two reasons I've written about there explain much or all of the above, but I'd bet a brown note (not what you think, unless you've spent money in Japan) that the two reasons there have at least some part to play in things.

(Likely, the local dealer has been able to cope with the yen/dollar difference, but after the yen price goes up, there's no way to avoid increasing the price in dollars. For reference, the plane maker I use had a price increase last week, one of the chisel makers will be September/October and I expect the rest of them to start increasing prices before the end of the year.)

Stu.
 
We been spoiled by Japanese handmade knife prices for some time now, if you look for Eu or Us handmade prices you will see a huge price difference. Even that Japanese taxes and salaries is quite high
So i think we will se a lot of price increases from Japanese side and i think its OK they have a lot more history behind sharp objects making :D
 
A little birdy told me that it's not just the exchange rate that might cause price increases...

Local prices are going up due to two factors.

#1, steel prices have risen. Adds about 2% to the price of something, so very little and nobody would jack up the price over that.

#2, grinding wheel prices have risen by 40% over the past 5 years. If you've ever spent any time in workshop that makes Japanese blades, the one thing that stands out is that there are grinders and spare wheels EVERYWHERE, and they chew through them at a pretty brisk rate. If you need to place blame, that's where at least some of it lies.

Generally, prices remain fairly stable over here and increases are rare for stuff like this. The makers absorb a lot the yen-by-yen increases until it's just too much, and then there is a price jump and usually all folks in the same game follow suit all at about the same time. If you're really lucky, you get warning of the price hike before it arrives.

Now, I don't know that the two reasons I've written about there explain much or all of the above, but I'd bet a brown note (not what you think, unless you've spent money in Japan) that the two reasons there have at least some part to play in things.

(Likely, the local dealer has been able to cope with the yen/dollar difference, but after the yen price goes up, there's no way to avoid increasing the price in dollars. For reference, the plane maker I use had a price increase last week, one of the chisel makers will be September/October and I expect the rest of them to start increasing prices before the end of the year.)

Stu.

also, shipping costs have increased (even since i stated this business). But i think you underestimate the power of the currecny exchange. When i started JKI a couple years ago, the price of yen was pretty close to 100 yen to the dollar. It took a bath and dropped even as low as 74 (which gives a trading rate worse than that). 100 to 74 is a huge difference and it made a huge impact on the way i had to do things.
 
Uh yeah! I organized a group buy for fingerstones, and several people overpaid to leave a generous tip---one guy took an extra two days to pitch in his money, and I just went through with it after 1 day, covering his part of the cost. Why? Cause the exchange rate moved so severely overnight that we almost didn't have enough!!
 
I will price a 165 KS petty next Tuesday in Tokyo...
 
Hmm what to buy... Gyuto, suji, petty, or all three....? Ha
 
Looks like 10% up, and KK now comes with saya with a bit of extra money built into pricing.

Not as bad as I thought.
 
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