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If Devin does his numbers and they come up higher, then that is what it is. Even at the new prices, I personally think they are worth it. There are always other custom makers and the many Japanese makers too if you want something less expensive.

At some point Dave and Marko will raise their prices too.

k.
 
Thats my concern

Everyone is saying that its OK for Devin to raise his prices to whatever he can get, I dont blame Devin for doing that at all I would probably do the same.

Now if all the other makers think hang on, why should i charge $350-$400 when Devin gets $500-$600, we have just rasied the price point of everything by 30%+

I know it sounds selfish but one of the things that atrracted me to high end knives was how affordable they are.In my other main hobby of hifi this approach of charging what you can get for a product has led to things like $20,000 speaker cables and $100,000 amplifiers, it is at a point where you have to be expensive or people think its lower quality.

All markets are the same, prices are set from the top down. Be prepared in a year or two that any good quality knife will be $600-$1000, the $300-$500 will be a fond memory.

As long as your cool with paying those prices then no problem.

Alan
 
welshstar said:
Thats my concern

Everyone is saying that its OK for Devin to raise his prices to whatever he can get, I dont blame Devin for doing that at all I would probably do the same.

Now if all the other makers think hang on, why should i charge $350-$400 when Devin gets $500-$600, we have just rasied the price point of everything by 30%+

I know it sounds selfish but one of the things that atrracted me to high end knives was how affordable they are.In my other main hobby of hifi this approach of charging what you can get for a product has led to things like $20,000 speaker cables and $100,000 amplifiers, it is at a point where you have to be expensive or people think its lower quality.

All markets are the same, prices are set from the top down. Be prepared in a year or two that any good quality knife will be $600-$1000, the $300-$500 will be a fond memory.

As long as your cool with paying those prices then no problem.

Alan
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Hoss raising his prices I think is something that was long over due. I suspect the problem you have with him doing so is that you can no longer buy them as easily as before (that is assuming they were in stock). I understand that also pissed me off, then I remembered if I want one I can just save money and buy it. The guy works hard, is probably the best pattern welded steal knife maker around, and does one hell of a good knife. I don't understand what the whole problem is, take it for what it is. Plus the market will dictate what can and can't be done, all this price increase can only mean that more people will be interested in making better knives since there is money in it and eventually there will be a market flood of people that make great knives and the prices WILL come down.

You go HOSS! make your paper by all means.
 
This thread is stupid. Pay what it cost or buy something else - very simple.
 
Peco said:
This thread is stupid. Pay what it cost or buy something else - very simple.
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Yeah, I really don't understand what all this ranting is about. Nenox charges a lot for their knives which are probably done by machine; the Suisin Inox Honyaki, which I think is comparable in terms of what it is, and probably machine made too, to the ITK knife costs about the same; the misonos I doubt aren't machine made cost about the same. Just pay up if you want one, if it is to pricey as simple as they probably won't be made anymore since Hoss can just make his Damy and be done with it.
 
PS: I now think I know why some makers don't appear on the forums, to much ranting about their hard work.
 
wsfarrell said:
I'm sure I'll be flamed to oblivion for this, but I've been looking at knives for sale by maker at bladeforums for a while now, and I've posted below some links to recently-sold kitchen knives. These were all hand-forged, ground, heat-treated and handled in-house. Some have hamons, some have bolsters, and all have "western" handles requiring considerably more fitting than wa handles. If these guys can make a profit selling these knives at these prices (and there are dozens more like these), it just isn't clear to me how DT was hurting at $340 for a pre-cut blank.

Ryan Weeks chef knife: $210
David Loukides santoku: $220
Phillip Patton chef knife: $300

What am I missing?
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They don't look as performance kitchen knives to me. Frankly, they don't look like kitchen knives at all the way we know it here. Obviously, these makers didn't do their homework. If you think their are a fair price, I would say they are overpriced for what they are - hunting knives with somewhat kitchen knives looking profiles. If you got fooled by the last one, scroll down to see a spine shot.

I think Mike Davis mentioned in one of his posts that grinding a good kitchen knife is much harder than a hunting knife. Never ground a hunting knife, so I will take his word for it.

M
 
Ryan Weeks chef knife: $210
David Loukides santoku: $220
Phillip Patton chef knife: $300


They look like ****. **** I hate people comparing to different things, and demanding same price.
Its like complaining on the price on this:
http://www.motortrend.com/cars/2011/ferrari/599/
Going insane and arguing about a cars price on 410 000 USD, and comparing it to this:
http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTG5aR-UwnEZgEuXrGx3DhYXEKvK1CMkVLOMuMqyb6zW77jU2alW0t_UQwL

I hate cheap mfs, they keep destroying the market for the real makers.
I demand the best and compare the knives to no other. I pay for the best, and its a reason why I bought 2 more itk after my first one.
 
Easy now Ø, you were on a budget regarding straightrazors right :D
 
2 different things :)

And you don't see me hanging on a razor forum comparing sh!t to high end razors...

;)
 
lol Ø, anyways ... there are many good makers, also Japanese, it's not just a few like you make it sound like ;)
 
There are many makers indeed :)

However the top in US are
Burke
Kramer
Devin
Carter (would be better if he started to use better steel)

Soon to be followed by Marko


Candian maker
Rodrigues

I stopped buying japanese, cause the high end us makers make the japanese makers look like clowns
 
Marko didn't even sell a knife yet, how would you know - by looks? Howcome you all of a sudden changed opinion on Carter? A few weeks back you were asking to buy one used. Sorry to say but sometimes it seems like somebody tells you odd stories. I would rather claim that a guy who made 20.000 or more knifes have more knowledge than most of the makers you refer to - even if you add all their experience together. I think it's time to be realistic ;)
 
OK guys, why don't you get on PM if you want to throw jabs at each other?
Also, please keep my name out of this. You are way out of topic. Both.
 
It's all cool M, I just gave an answer (or asked a question) to the above. Won't mention you again!!
 
Peco said:
Marko didn't even sell a knife yet, how would you know - by looks? Howcome you all of a sudden changed opinion on Carter? A few weeks back you were asking to buy one used. Sorry to say but sometimes it seems like somebody tells you odd stories. I would rather claim that a guy who made 20.000 or more knifes have more knowledge than most of the makers you refer to - even if you add all their experience together. I think it's time to be realistic ;)
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I have inside information and I know what kind of person Marko is = Hell of a knife (last word on Marko from me in this thread)

I just said Carter was one of the best makers in US - I haven't changed opinion (or have you thought I disliked his knives before)?
I just said Carter should use better steel. White and Blue are not the best steels around, thats why most japanese makers is out of my interest.
 
Well if you dislike white and blue I understand your point. That being said, it's good that there's something for everybody: Bill, Carter, Devin, Shig, Heiji etc. It's just a matter of personal preference and needs - thank god for that :D
 
oivind_dahle said:
2 different things :)

And you don't see me hanging on a razor forum comparing sh!t to high end razors...

;)
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it is because the sh!t ones are known and no one buys them.
Comparing knives to razors is not right, completely different animals.
 
Oivind

Why not support the Norwegian economy and pay 3x extra for a knife in Norway ?

Its hardly fair for you to comment on the prices that us US consumers have to pay when we are paid in US dollars and Norwegians have one of the highest per capita incomes in the world.

Of course you dont care what stuff costs over here because its still 50-80% cheaper than in Norway.

Go down to the local Sur La table in Stavanger and pay the going Norwegian rate for a knife like we are discussing which would be i bet 10-15,000 NOK as a minimum

Alan
 
I don't mind OD spending his money here. I used to be a wine guy until the prices shot up due to a lot of things one of which was the rise of Japanese and later Chinese buyers. I don't buy the same brands anymore but I wouldn't say I'm hurting, lol. As for Americans putting Japanese to shame, that statement so ridiculous I don't even know how to respond. Clearly you haven't used too many high end Japanese knives. If I recall correctly, even the great DarkHoek declared Shigefusa the cutting champ over your precious DTITK. My own DT-ITK is similar in performance to a Shig, I would say. Furthermore, In my experience, Shigs aren't the incredible cutters everyone says they are. Based on my experience and preferences, 99.9% of the best kitchen knives on this planet are still made in Japan. Just a few western makers can hang with the Japanese in terms of performance no matter you cut it.
 
I can understand that some folks might be frustrated with the price increase - heck, I'm half kicking myself for not picking up a DT 52100 beforehand - but Devin's got to do what's right for himself and his business. As others have said, we as consumer have a simple choice: buy it at the new price or not.

The 3 other knives linked earlier in the thread look really unappealing and honestly I wouldn't want them if someone gave them to me.

Prices across the board for limited-production and custom knives may go up, that's true. We still have other good choices out there, though, even amongst the higher-volume production offerings.

I know from some of my previous lines of work how hard it can be to raise prices or even set them at a reasonable level when buyers don't truly know the skill and labor that goes into what they're asking for. Devin's got to do what's right for his business, and though I'm not jumping for joy to pay more, I *am* happy that Devin has the skills & reputation to enable him to raise his prices to where he feels they need to be. Honestly, not everyone can do that, and I'm glad that he can.
 
DevinT said:
Sorry about the price increase.

We just couldn't make any money at the old price. I was trying to keep the price down. I found that the expectation was too high for the price and decided to put more work into them and charge more money.

We have never upped the price since we started making them two years ago. A full custom is 1 1/2 times what these are.

They are thinner, straighter, and over all cleaner.

Hoss
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Devin, no need to appologize. They sold out so darm fast, supply and demand can justify the increase. I am just mad at myself for not getting one BEFORE it went up. Had I known and one was for sale, I would have grabbed it. At that new point, now I need to save more and the extra bit to get a custom or hope u put out some of the wierd ones like u did a while back that were semi custom experiments that got grabbed up super fast before I could get to a computer that would have allowed me to buy it. I liked those even better than the midtech.
 
tk59 said:
As for Americans putting Japanese to shame, that statement so ridiculous I don't even know how to respond. Clearly you haven't used too many high end Japanese knives...Based on my experience and preferences, 99.9% of the best kitchen knives on this planet are still made in Japan. Just a few western makers can hang with the Japanese in terms of performance no matter you cut it.
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Thank god someone addressed Oivind's ignorant comment...its not the first time something he's said has set me off a bit.
 
Cadillac J said:
Thank god someone addressed Oivind's ignorant comment...its not the first time something he's said has set me off a bit.
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Øivind likes to provoke! That said, sometimes it gets a little out of hand. I just hope that his custom orders are as great as he claim them to be - when they arrive. If not he would have to go back to clowns knifes = Japanese ... that would be a good laugh since most are made in white or blue ...
 
I dont think anyone is taking the Japanese being put to shame comment seriously !!!
 
But any Carter/Devin/Pierre etc is now already there for 240 gyuto

After getting feedback from the newer makers, they are basically subsidzing their work as a learning curve. So they will ultimately have to raise prices to sustain the business

So for anything from a small bespoke maker I think this price point is going be a reality very quickly.

After listening to the comments I am going to withdraw my negativity towards the Devin increase and just make sure that I take advantage of what now appear appear to even better than i thought deals from the up and coming makers.

Alan
 
welshstar said:
But any Carter/Devin/Pierre etc is now already there for 240 gyuto

After getting feedback from the newer makers, they are basically subsidzing their work as a learning curve. So they will ultimately have to raise prices to sustain the business

So for anything from a small bespoke maker I think this price point is going be a reality very quickly.

After listening to the comments I am going to withdraw my negativity towards the Devin increase and just make sure that I take advantage of what now appear appear to even better than i thought deals from the up and coming makers.

Alan
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If price is such a big deal - then why go custom?
 
I don't know about rest of you, but I am getting pretty disgusted with this thread.

I think there is as much of putting down US makers as Japanese, and neither side being truly objective - some make statements that contradict the next things they say or have said in the past.

Here is something for you. Here is a finish on a very expensive knife from a maker everybody reveres here.
http://www.knifeforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attid/157537/

If I leave a similar finish on my knife, even if it's at a fraction of a price, this would be considered a crappy finish.

So, charge what you like Devin. Those who appreciate your work will buy at any price, and those who don't, you will be better off not selling to them at all, as they will find a fault with any work you do.

M
 
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