Why do people think knives are worth so much used ?

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welshstar

welshstar

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Ive never seen a hobby where people ask so much for used items.

Its common to see bought for $400 asking $375 or bought for $1000 asking $900, im not knocking any particular seller but most things in life are down 25% the scond they leave a shop. Why are knives the exception ?
 
welshstar said:
Ive never seen a hobby where people ask so much for used items.

Its common to see bought for $400 asking $375 or bought for $1000 asking $900, im not knocking any particular seller but most things in life are down 25% the scond they leave a shop. Why are knives the exception ?
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I guess you don't peruse the Rolex forums very often. New models especially the steel sports versions are so scarce new its driving up the price of used. In some cases eg Daytona, you'd probably be paying significantly more than MSRP. In the case of knives I think a lot of the same market forces are in effect. Supply and demand.
 
Corradobrit1 said:
I guess you don't peruse the Rolex forums very often. New models especially the steel sports versions are so scarce new its driving up the price of used. In some cases eg Daytona, you'd probably be paying significantly more than MSRP. In the case of knives I think a lot of the same market forces are in effect. Supply and demand.
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True of many things individually handmade.
 
Some Rolexes are rare. 90% of the knives sold here are NOT rare. I cringe every time I see the phrase "just trying to get back what I paid." Why should you get back what you paid? It's a USED item, or "certified pre-owned," as they say in the used car business.
 
rick_english said:
Some Rolexes are rare. 90% of the knives sold here are NOT rare. I cringe every time I see the phrase "just trying to get back what I paid." Why should you get back what you paid? It's a USED item, or "certified pre-owned," as they say in the used car business.
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You sound like someone who should buy a "new" knife.
 
A couple years ago the rule of thumb was 20 percent discount on your average knife from new to used in mint shape. Rarer knives were a different story. The whole knife market has changed and I’ve gone from buying 20 plus knives a year to just a couple. Pricing is a only a part of it, the knockoff and me too knives have me less interested as well.
 
swarth said:
True of many things individually handmade.
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You'd be surprised. Rolex churn out more than a million watches a year. Only a small percentage of the time to make those is in the hands of a human. Rolex have invested heavily in automated robotic manufacturing tech.
 
If a knife sells, then it was considered a reasonable price by the buyer. That's the only person whose opinion matters.
 
Corradobrit1 said:
You'd be surprised. Rolex churn out more than a million watches a year. Only a small percentage of the time to make those is in the hands of a human. Rolex have invested heavily in automated robotic manufacturing tech.
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OT: That's why you look for models like the Datejust 1603 and 5513 Maxi sub - Two I have on my list. The 5513 isn't realistic, but maybe someday!

However, the new subs are built like tanks. Not the nostalgia of a "handmade" movement, but still a helluva watch. I'm sure most will not agree, but there's something to be said about the longevity of the brand (it's not just that people think it's the "IT" brand).

It's all about supply and demand/hype. If demand/hype is high and supply is low, naturally people are willing to pay more for something.
 
Really only true for high end knives - $50 knives tend to end up as fleamarket grab box or ebay "kitchen tools lot" fill ...

Maybe it also has to do with the way some knives are never "new" and ready-to-use at the same time, given they are not fully sharpened OOTB?
 
Interapid101 said:
If a knife sells, then it was considered a reasonable price by the buyer. That's the only person whose opinion matters.
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This is only true insofar as much as it affects each particular transaction.

This does not mean that used knife pricing is not a legitmate topic of discussion.
 
Nemo said:
This is only true insofar as much as it affects each particular transaction.

This does not mean that used knife pricing is not a legitmate topic of discussion.
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If it came across that I was suggesting this is not a legitimate topic, I apologize for misleading you. I still, however, believe my statement that value depends on the buyer, but I don't intend for that belief to aggrieve anyone who has strong feelings on this subject.
 
Well, I guess it depends on your point of view, where the knife came from, where it is going and how it was used. I figure if it is one of the fellas/ladies around here that buy knives and run them through a single day of prep just to know what the knife has to offer then they are barely used at all. 10% + included shipping could mean some $50+ savings, which to some (me included) is a big enough savings for it to matter. Now if the knife was used in a pro kitchen for a few years and sharpened a few dozen times, or more, then I am not going to be as excited about a 10% savings.

I guess, in this case, I look at it more like a demo or a display model being sold at a few $$ off. I get the point but it does not really bother me.
 
Maybe there is a perception that a knife will have a very long life span? Obviously that life span is a function of actual amount/type of use as well as type/intensity of maintenance.

There is also the "art"/ rarity aspect. Used paintings (eg. Van Gogh's sunflowers) bring more and more each time they are sold despite being used more (viewed). There may be something to this concept with certain smiths. So perhaps there is some degree of speculative behavior going on.
 
I tend to cruise the bay for old European carbon blades every week or two. Some of the knives I'm interested in often stay up for sale months or even years at a time. I would say those are priced too high if no potential buyer will pay it. And I don't care how the seller justifies his pricing.
 
Interapid101 said:
If it came across that I was suggesting this is not a legitimate topic, I apologize for misleading you. I still, however, believe my statement that value depends on the buyer, but I don't intend for that belief to aggrieve anyone who has strong feelings on this subject.
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No aggrevation was experienced or intended.

I guess my point was that while the price that the the buyer is prepared to pay is crucial in the transaction, there are many things which can affect that variable. Including, for example, discussions around whether people think that used knife prices are reasonable.
 
prime example mizuno honyaki on bst right now being sold for more than it was brand new and i think he is the 2nd owner? granted the prices have gone up but not less than a year ago i bought a new one through jck for $850 and asking price is 1000 at the moment.
 
If a knife or most things on the used market for that matter is overpriced it will sit.
 
panda said:
prime example mizuno honyaki on bst right now being sold for more than it was brand new and i think he is the 2nd owner? granted the prices have gone up but not less than a year ago i bought a new one through jck for $850 and asking price is 1000 at the moment.
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That one also has a beautiful bog oak and mammoth custom handle installed by a very good maker(mario) if you told me the wa handle was 150-200 bucks I'd believe you, I'm guessing that is were his asking price came from 850+200.

As for the opening statement, knives aren't the exception, anything highly collectable, scotch, high end watches, paintings and basically anything artisinal will have a decent enough resale, you also have to take in to effect, this forum is the perfect selling ground as most of us have larger collections and many of us(not me) have a fair bit of disposable income and are willing to pay more for the best/rarest item. Many of the customs being sold also allow the buyer to skip the wait list which in many cases is 2+ years(this is one of the reasons blood roots, andersons and billips are able to sell so high, in many cases higher then the original sale price), I won't go into the whole shig/kato thing(It's basically a joke at this point), the knife resale value also defiantly benefits both parties as 1) the original user can sell knife xyz for near new value making them more opt to sell(the oh well I lost 20-50 bucks, would be way better then the if I sell this 1000 knife, im only going to get $600), increasing the number of blades on the market and person 2, gets a new/virtually new blade at a discount and if he chooses to sell it after recently acquiring will lose little to no money.
 
welshstar said:
Ive never seen a hobby where people ask so much for used items.

Its common to see bought for $400 asking $375 or bought for $1000 asking $900, im not knocking any particular seller but most things in life are down 25% the scond they leave a shop. Why are knives the exception ?
Click to expand...

Unless you know how to wheel and deal and you charge 100-200% More than what you bought. Friends and family of course get discount. But anything else if I can sell it for more than what I paid then I will
 
Corradobrit1 said:
I guess you don't peruse the Rolex forums very often. New models especially the steel sports versions are so scarce new its driving up the price of used. In some cases eg Daytona, you'd probably be paying significantly more than MSRP. In the case of knives I think a lot of the same market forces are in effect. Supply and demand.
Click to expand...

Exactly supply and demand rules everything
 
panda said:
prime example mizuno honyaki on bst right now being sold for more than it was brand new and i think he is the 2nd owner? granted the prices have gone up but not less than a year ago i bought a new one through jck for $850 and asking price is 1000 at the moment.
Click to expand...

I think we all have to consider the explosion in Honyaki popularity right now. Once this fad dies off prices will fall back into line. Personally I don’t find them so great and think that a good San Mai knife is far more useful. But, hear you though.
 
ashy2classy said:
OT: That's why you look for models like the Datejust 1603 and 5513 Maxi sub - Two I have on my list. The 5513 isn't realistic, but maybe someday!

However, the new subs are built like tanks. Not the nostalgia of a "handmade" movement, but still a helluva watch. I'm sure most will not agree, but there's something to be said about the longevity of the brand (it's not just that people think it's the "IT" brand).

It's all about supply and demand/hype. If demand/hype is high and supply is low, naturally people are willing to pay more for something.
Click to expand...

Forget Rolex go with Patek Philippe https://www.truefacet.com/patek-phi...tdTmUMFY9gVKMjyHypZXJAFCorFkbUzRoCHygQAvD_BwE $2Million!
 
New influx of people more interested in 'market forces' than knives...
 
i roll eyes at people who make purchase decisions based on resale value. i dont care that its perfectly normal thing to consider, i think its really asinine reasoning.
 
Have bought 3 knives of BST in 6 yrs. All were well below original purchase price. Two had never been sharpened or used if at all. A small Carter with no handle put custom handles on it and the Takeda. I can't see why anyone would pay top coin for a "used" knife. Good deals are few & far between, but then if they sell at high cost the demand is there from somebody.
 
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