I don’t buy them because I don’t perceive the quality as high as other makers at that price. Some of this is admittedly driven by the lack of board hype as I see them sit.
Perception based on experience?
Each person listed below has used or owns work from the best Western and Japanese makers on Earth.
@tylerleach says his 250 HF is one of the top-3 knives he's ever owned, aesthetically and performance-wise.
@enrico says a Halcyon honyaki he owned a couple years ago might be the best knife he's ever used.
@Chang has always included him in his list of top-10 makers performance-wise, and I bet still has at least one Halcyon (ironwood scales, domed bronze pins, san mai kasumi) that I imagine he will likely never sell nor trade.
@Prajwal recently sold me a HF ground much lighter than what he typically does. He felt it was a much better performer than his recent Yanick(s). After receiving then testing it on a carrot, the only knives I own that are better pure cutters might be my Bidingers, a Birgersson, and MAYBE my Bazeses and an Antzenberger that is only its superior when push-cutting.
I own and have owned some pretty decent steel. I was beginning to make a list of other top makers' work his performs better then, but I don't think that'd be fair to them, and maybe it's also unfair that I mentioned Yanick, in particular, above (apparently his older grinds were more performant than his current).
As far as why I don't think his knives aren't (allegedly) reselling on BST? Could be for many reasons. Given that he's an American maker, I imagine most of his work in circulation is in the States and most States-side sellers don't want to ship abroad and many abroad buyers don't want to pay, in some cases, high import fees (and more for shipping), but I imagine if he were instead manufacturing over there, he'd do well. Also, a lot of BST favors wrought iron and a lot of Joe's work isn't that. The fact that it's not (relatively) hard to get a hold of his work likely doesn't do him any favors. If he only produced what BST particularly loves from him (wrought iron san mai kasumis, esp. those between 230-250mm) and dropped them on a release schedule of, say, a Xerxes . . . he'd sell out instantly every drop. Lastly, money. His work is not the most expensive, but it is not cheap. I've had people remark that there are never that have sat on BST the last year or two that would've vanished immediately in years prior. That people aren't being as free with their money, either because they don't have it or choose not to part with it for who knows how many plausible reasons. But I wouldn't let how long (
some of) his work sits on BST fool anyone into thinking for a second that he is not one of the best makers out there.
