@Matt Jacobs In general I agree with you but you are off a bit.
A custom AEB-L B-grind from Dan will run you around 800-850$ shipped.
So these prices are quite moderate for eating tools. I know some of their margins.
I was really surprised about the pricing of his knives at EE. Super cheap, so they didnt make a lot of money with it and also Dan probs sold it cheaper to them than direct customer. He can benefit from this with increasing his circle of clientele.
Last year if I had bought a Magnacut B-grind he had available I would have paid way less than now getting a custom with it. It's so much more now that I opted for AEB-L, in general his prices increased. Overall he is a great maker and the experience working with him was absolutely great.
A custom is more work for the maker than something which he just makes in his own gusto. Some customers it's just 2 emails and done deal, others it's like 80. The 2 emails guys will still pay the same price as the 80 ones. I'm gonna get another Kamon and it was just 2 messages and done deal. Though I know him in person and he knows my preferences which makes it of course easier. I'm usually pretty certain what I want and do it in detail which makes it easier for makers. When I'm talking with them it's usually something I wanna know about their whys and hows and some chitchat if they are up to it. Don't wanna rob them their time.
I find it quite funny when you indict Eating tools but say Modern cooking are doing good in that regard. I know some of their margins and would put them slightly under ET. Just because they are more active here doesn't make them good. I'm not saying they are bad but I probaly won't buy from them. Also from what I have heard Abe from Eating Tools also isn't a bad guy. He went for full luxury and that's also his clients, so not really a lot of us who buy from him.
I don't have much against slight price increasements but some makers really went quite through their roof with their pricing. Also as long as the makers directly benefit from it it's fine.
I don't like to see Japanese makers upping their prices and Asian wholesalers even more upping them and profiting the most.
JKI, EE, Carbon... are great and their prices are still fair. Also wouldn't call them high end vendors.
If a maker sells his knife for 700, Vendor sells it for 1000. Maker increases his price to 800, suddenly it's 1200, that's not okay imo.
Also have to add that makers are also at fault with this. They actively go into exclusive contracts with such shops and decide that's okay. Some also deserve some blame.