Statement on the prices of Xerxes Knives.

Japanese Knives - by Tokushu Knife
Advertise with us
Kitchen Knife Forums

Help Support Kitchen Knife Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
I just came back from the adventure ranch btw - they synergy was incredible - I was able to hammer some knives, shoot some game, and then relax with some Budo archery.

But CM, now I Get it. the grating function on the CM knives - come on, pure innovation.

Now I know why they are $800/knife. Think about it, you can cut that tomato, and put garlic zest on top - the flavor is going to be unbelievable.
 
valdim said:
Good evening.
I also apreciate the openness of Jannis. Nobody is obliged to make such a deep vertical cut of his business, including personal details. Respect for that.
I commented in the other thread that I am angry. Yes, I am. I still am. But this has nothing to do with Jannis craftmanship and his business.
I am angry with frustration that my government fuc*ed up my country's present and as a result I dont feel as an average european, with a decent income to afford the great craftmanship of this German knife-maker.
You saw Jannis salary. It is fair and I am sure he deserves it and even more. The average gross salary in Bulgaria at the moment is appr. 670 euro. Deduct 10-20% for taxes (direct and if indirect are added the % becomes significant)... Corruption, lack of suprimacy of law...
I blame my government for that.

Good luck Jannis.

Edit: Sorry to comment some political issues. But inevitable.
Click to expand...

Let me ask you this question. If he had lived in your country, would he still charge same for his knives? Assuming that cost of living, raw materials and the rest is much less? Then the question becomes if he now charges $3000 for knife X to fit within his requirements of cost of living that he outlined in post #1, would he charge $1200 for the same knife if it met exact same requirements by living in your country? #'s are just hypothetical, obviously...

As for the major discussion here is simple: A craftsman may charge whatever he or she like. The market will sort that out. If the rasp seller can make a lot of $ to sell her low cost products for high markup, then good for her. Whoever is buying it, might be buying it for brand name, or because she had charmed them, or some other reason, which, whatever it is... is in the eye of the beholder.

I have no issue with Jannis charging what he charges for any of his goods. That is his call and his call alone. I have many opinions about the rest though, such as month off, 45hrs weeks for 1 person business, etc, but that's neither here or there as he should live his life how he wants not how others want him to.
 
ptolemy said:
Let me ask you this question. If he had lived in your country, would he still charge same for his knives? Assuming that cost of living, raw materials and the rest is much less? Then the question becomes if he now charges $3000 for knife X to fit within his requirements of cost of living that he outlined in post #1, would he charge $1200 for the same knife if it met exact same requirements by living in your country? #'s are just hypothetical, obviously...

As for the major discussion here is simple: A craftsman may charge whatever he or she like. The market will sort that out. If the rasp seller can make a lot of $ to sell her low cost products for high markup, then good for her. Whoever is buying it, might be buying it for brand name, or because she had charmed them, or some other reason, which, whatever it is... is in the eye of the beholder.

I have no issue with Jannis charging what he charges for any of his goods. That is his call and his call alone. I have many opinions about the rest though, such as month off, 45hrs weeks for 1 person business, etc, but that's neither here or there as he should live his life how he wants not how others want him to.
Click to expand...

Amen!
 
tchan001 said:
That's a sword masquerading as a kitchen knife.
Click to expand...
Or Australian EDC?
7afc2d9a5bff8ccf7fe2cd7c973ef2b1.jpg
 
It’s funny how, first time I heard of custom knifemaker, I knew it’d be out of my league. I could very well imagine that a single man doing a full knife with a level of craftmanship to those I could sometimes see around here, it was at least worth 2K - USD obviously. Like 2700$ CAD I thought was a start. With a finish of very common nature mind you. Shop and tools are profit eating by nature.

I didn’t really try to have a price ballpark. I saw a couple of ones with prices according to my impressions... but I also saw the works of very good custom makers go under 1K, well under 1K, for a full Guyto or slicer or butcher. I even saw a couple of ones within my price range. And I knew the guys that did those weren’t getting appropriate income at that price. I mean most of the time just the level of finishing of handles - and a great deal of Yo’s with full bolster in there - was most probably worth my most expensive knives. I’d like to have a chance to jump on such an occasion one day. But I think from here on the truth is just that I shouldn’t be able to afford one - good sense applying - and I’ll feel better for these guys when they’ll sell out of my league and still be selling fast.
 
Corradobrit1 said:
Trey @Comet went through this process 6 months ago and couldn't make the numbers work that would allow him to raise his young family with a degree of financial security that made sense to him. The knife community is poorer as a result of him stepping away. Carter decided, many years ago, to take a different route which allowed him to grow his business. Jannis should be commended for starting this thread as most if us I think are ignorant of the costs involved in singlehandedly creating works of art in knife form, a process that can take decades to master.
Click to expand...
I'm a little different in that I'm 51, have older kids, no debt, and no other real desires except to spend time in France. But nevertheless It's good to reflect on where you are and where you want to be. And that's what I intend to do while I'm here in France with some "time off"

If I wanted to "grow" my business a little bit, I would probably investigate an apprentice helper.
Right now I like my freedom
 
Nobody needs a Xerxes. Or an Ashi Honyaki, Shig, Kato, TF etc. But lots of people want them. This forum exists because all you knife nerds obsess about things a normal person has never heard of. Nobody needs a Monet or a Caravaggio but I sure as hell want one. Xerxes knives are as much art as function and reflect years spent learning and perfecting a craft to the point he's mastered it. You're paying for the decades of experience as well as all the costs outlined in the OP. I spent a decade in school and got a PhD and made pennies, lived on instant noodles. I loved what I did, and had no family, no house, no expenses. People have to make an income that makes sense for their situation- I do well enough now, and if I was making knives they would be a whole lot more than Xerxes based on hourly incomes.

I can't justify spending that much on a knife. It might cut better than my Maz or my Hinoura or my Kemadi (maybe not, that thing is fire) but do i want one? Hell yes. They're awesome. If I had the disposable income instead of 3 kids and a mortgage I'd own several.

Good luck, Jannis. Your work is impeccable and worth every penny. Your time is valued and valuable, charge whatever you feel is appropriate.
 
HSC /// Knives said:
I'm a little different in that I'm 51, have older kids, no debt, and no other real desires except to spend time in France. But nevertheless It's good to reflect on where you are and where you want to be. And that's what I intend to do while I'm here in France with some "time off"

If I wanted to "grow" my business a little bit, I would probably investigate an apprentice helper.
Right now I like my freedom
Click to expand...
I'm heading to France next Fall when my current contract ends. Aim is to retire there. I totally get it.
 
AFKitchenknivesguy said:
I agree with everything you wrote, though you need a raise with a PhD. I only have a Masters and I have enough expendable funds for those things. Then again, I have no kids lol.
Click to expand...

unfortunately, depending in what field you have a PhD in it’s almost necessity/minimum requirement just to get a decent job...

the richest person I personally know doesn’t even have a Highschool degree 🤷🏼‍♂️🙈
 
If you can sell all your knifes at the current price point, perhaps you can raise the price for the next batch. If people are willing to pay for your craft more, take it.
 
AFKitchenknivesguy said:
Yeah, I know. I'm just being hopeful and supportive. :)
Click to expand...
Ha, thanks. Specialized myself into a niche with few jobs. Yay academia! Genetics of mesoderm specification and skeletal development, made decent money in Nth America working in biotech before moving back to Australia where there is zero biotech industry basically.
 
ExistentialHero said:
Making more money with a PhD 😂😂😭😭😭
Click to expand...
It does open a few doors though. I don't think I could have moved around the globe as much as I have without those 3 letters behind my name.

And as Geigs says the renumeration for PhD's in NA is unparalleled. I laugh and commiserate when I see how the UK values its PhD level scientists. No wonder there's a brain drain.
 
Geigs said:
Nobody needs a Xerxes. Or an Ashi Honyaki, Shig, Kato, TF etc. But lots of people want them. This forum exists because all you knife nerds obsess about things a normal person has never heard of. Nobody needs a Monet or a Caravaggio but I sure as hell want one. Xerxes knives are as much art as function and reflect years spent learning and perfecting a craft to the point he's mastered it. You're paying for the decades of experience as well as all the costs outlined in the OP. I spent a decade in school and got a PhD and made pennies, lived on instant noodles. I loved what I did, and had no family, no house, no expenses. People have to make an income that makes sense for their situation- I do well enough now, and if I was making knives they would be a whole lot more than Xerxes based on hourly incomes.

I can't justify spending that much on a knife. It might cut better than my Maz or my Hinoura or my Kemadi (maybe not, that thing is fire) but do i want one? Hell yes. They're awesome. If I had the disposable income instead of 3 kids and a mortgage I'd own several.

Good luck, Jannis. Your work is impeccable and worth every penny. Your time is valued and valuable, charge whatever you feel is appropriate.
Click to expand...
+1
 
alterwisser said:
unfortunately, depending in what field you have a PhD in it’s almost necessity/minimum requirement just to get a decent job...

the richest person I personally know doesn’t even have a Highschool degree 🤷🏼‍♂️🙈
Click to expand...
Plenty of plumbers and electricians can make $100k+ here with a high school diploma and few certifications... oh you can have s Ph.D in ancient greek history and make 1/2 that teaching in a CC... it all depends...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top