So how should the forum handle re-sellers or "flippers"?

[tgfencer]

I think everyone needs to be more polite to Mr. Panda, he’s always a gentleman and super respectful.

I don't think anyone was intending on being disrespectful. Certainly it wasn't the case for me. I simply think people are being humorous because the situation is one of endless debate and largely zero progress one way or the other.

 

[Jville]

I'm sensing there was a little sarcasm in his comment

 

[Jville]

I don't think anyone was intending on being disrespectful. Certainly it wasn't the case for me. I simply think people are being humorous because the situation is one of endless debate and largely zero progress one way or the other.

I'm sensing there was a little sarcasm in his comment

 

[panda]

dave, my next goal is to obtain a 1st gen nsx hopefully in black to match my s2k.

 

[WildBoar]

 

[brainsausage]

If it wasn't for the collectors, we wouldn't have the choices we have today. If it was all performance and need based, how many knives and choices do you really need. The reason we have so many makers, artists, etc is because of the collectors not the professionals in the industry. Also, you can't pay way above market for something rare, if it is truly rare there is no market and the price is whatever someone is willing to pay for it. If it is somewhat rare, then the market is what it is, because there are enough people that pay the price. It might not be the price I can or want to pay, but that doesn't make it overpriced, just overpriced for me

I’d highly disagree with your collectors vs pros stance. It’s quite the opposite. Without the pros there’s be no need for the fine tuned instruments available. Now if we’re talking fit and finish, yes I’d agree. This market doesn’t exist as it stands now without the pros using these tools day in and day out. Period. The market isn’t that simple. There’s many factors that come into play beyond rareness. Perceived value being a big one.

 

[Matus]

I tend to agree with Brainsausage. On top what he said - collecting is first and foremost about possession it does not create any value and is not necessarily centered around quality of the items being collected. Rarity does play a role. Collectors will notice given item usually after it starts to become ‘desirable’ and hyped.

 

[Barmoley]

I am not saying that pros are not important. I would guess that most pros that are on these forums are also collectors whether they admit it to themselves or not. Once you have more than a few knives of the same type and size you are a collector. I am simply pointing out that without collectors there would not be all the choices and makers we have today. These forums would likely not exist if the membership included only pro cooks. Of course collectors increase the average prices of things because they increase the demand for them, but this also allows more makers to come in and sell their creations. Do you honestly think that we would have the number of makers we have if the market was only composed of pros?

Stepping away from knives, many markets would not exist if it wasn't for the collectors. Mechanical watch market, classic car market, and many others.

As far as not creating value, I would disagree. Collectors don't just buy rare or hyped objects to hold on to and not use. They buy all sorts of things and buy a lot of them and in that they create value. They are passionate about whatever it is they are collecting, they spend time and money researching the smallest details and differences, finding new examples. To take a recently "hyped" maker as an example, would Mazaki be able to sell as many knives as he did if only pros bought his knives?