CONTEST: win a FireSteel just by answering a question...

Which would you prefer?

  • Higher quality at a higher price?

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • User-grade at a lower price?

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
This is how I do it: both!

If I want a real nice piece, I wait and pay for it.

If I want a user, I want it quick and inexpensive (not cheap).

Then some fall in between.

Ex:

Koster Bushcraft: $100 great user for the price, quick delivery.
K9 Dingo: $300 will be an awesome blade to use and show off, slightly longer than anticipated wait.
Krein Custom: unique, cherished and worth the wait and every penny.


All that really matters is that it does what I need it to without fear of failing.
 
I like to use my knives , so less finish /more cutting . It was great to meet you at blade Dan , great show .
 
I like user grade. Seems more real to me. Kind of like the difference between a military Hummer and a fully pimped Hummer. Give me the work hard look every time.
 
User please, Many here can't wait to tweak the knife to their prefered edge or mod the handle to give the knife that personel touch , better this done to the user.
 
I'd rather quality for a custom knife. There are plenty of great value production knives available if you want an affordable user. (ie. RAT) I buy custom knives for the better workmanship and greater choice of design and materials.
 
I voted #2. The expertise of the maker is going to be there in the knife whether it has a high polished finish or not. I didn't read this as do I want:
1) A Koster knife in all it's high quality glory
or
2) Some user grade knife from a less quality maker

I read it as do I want:
1) A Koster knife in all it's high quality glory, with bells and whistles
2) A Koster knife in all it's high quality glory without bells and whistles

If I could save a little dough and have my Koster with a rougher finish, sure why not.
 
I would rather have a higher quality knife at a reasonably higher cost. There are a lot of user grade comercial knives on the market for cheaper prices. I equate higher quality with better performance and duribility. When I'm on the farm or in the field I need something that will perform and not fail. It is worth the extra money. I've had some knives to fail; it's really a pain.
 
Cheap, Good, & Fast...

If its cheap and good, it aint Fast...
If its cheap and Fast, it aint Good...
If its Good and Fast, IT AINT CHEAP!

#1 for me, you get what you pay for.
 
Noshtero said:
I voted #2. The expertise of the maker is going to be there in the knife whether it has a high polished finish or not. I didn't read this as do I want:
1) A Koster knife in all it's high quality glory
or
2) Some user grade knife from a less quality maker

I read it as do I want:
1) A Koster knife in all it's high quality glory, with bells and whistles
2) A Koster knife in all it's high quality glory without bells and whistles

If I could save a little dough and have my Koster with a rougher finish, sure why not.
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly. This is how I took the intent of the question, I also like the analogy with the military hummer. I don't want a knife made by a factory but I'll sacrifice some expensive handle materials or take a rougher finish vs. a polished one to save a little money. But it must be reliable and function as well as the one with the pretty finish. I will admit that you might sacrifice some ergonomics as stated by someone earlier and I think that might be the biggest noticeable difference.
 
After much deliberation, I had to go for option #1. Functionality is the most important thing, BUT I want to look sexy at the same time:cool:
That said, I have a $100 Nessmuk and Bushcraft from Dan and the F&F is perfect and the materials appear to be top grade.
So, would a lower-price user grade model run at $50?:D
 
What happened at Blade to make you rethink your marketing strategy?

There will always be collecters/users that want sanded/polished flats vs. leaving the rough forged/heat treating finish. I think if you want to appeal to a broad base of consumers, you should have options for all those "little extras" that add to the time required, which means costs go up. A few options can mean the difference between a $125 bushcraft vs. a $225 bushcraft (same steel, same grind, same handle material). If there is a market for that extra labor, then it is up to you if you want to target your product for their business.

You also might find that there are more "collectors" at the big shows, and us beer budget guys (users) are left to our online forums.
 
I think I voted wrong....oh well. I have a couple of knives on order. I chose as forged flats. To me that is much better looking than a polished knife. I think canvas micarta is the end all be all of handle materials (nice looking, feeling and performing). And, all other options I would choose tend in that direction. The weird part is that I'm more of a collector than a user. I think those things mentioned above are part of the charm and character of your knives. That might be the identity you would want to embrace.

I think maybe the way to go here is to put out user grade knives 10 months out of the year and highly polished knives 2 months out of the year... or something like that.

I'm sure whatever you decide we will still all covet to your knives, and want one of each of whatever they may be. Talent transcends the genre you chose to operate in:thumbup:
 
I picked option one.I'd rather wait & pay more,than accept the standard.I have so many of option two as it is.
 
High Quality at a Higher Price.

When buying a custom I want it all. Form, function and bells and whistles.

Of course I consider the forged flats a bell and the custom sheath a whistle....


fat lotta help i been...:grumpy:




:D



.
 
I voted before I read your clarifications in the thread, dan. I'm fine with paying more for better materials, 200-300 dollars is fine. but while I'm totally cool with paying for better steel, well shaped handles, and a good finish, I don't have any interest in things like liners and mosaic pins that add to the cost and busy up the knife but don't do anything for the functionality. so somewhere in the middle.
 
For a knifemaker?

Here's my point as a noob in Custom knives.

When you are a beginner, you might like the style of a knifemaker but can't afford to pay much. So like for productions, there should be some cheaper knives as an "entry level". But it's natural that the entry level for handmade knives will be higher than for prods. So I think models around 100$ should be offered for people that don't feel ready to use expensive knives.

And there are the collectors that can afford to pay more, and want to pay more. So I guess since knifemaking is a buisness, higner end knives should be offered too.


Personally. I want users. When I'll get my k-tusk I sure won't abuse it like I do with my Ranger or HI, but it will be carried and used. I got my hand on a MaxxQ first prod that appears to worth way more than I paid and I relaly hesitate to use it.
 
I will go with option #1.

I have plenty of quality users. When I buy a knife today it is because it makes me happy/proud to own it. I would rather buy a few quality knives a year than fill a drawer with more users. I mean, how much can you actually cut in a day/week/year! :) Keep up the great work!

Joel
 
I prefer user-grade when it comes to things I know will get beat up in the woods or used in a survival situation. The most basic, stripped down item can be the one single thing that saves your life.
 
High quality steel, good form and function. Hamons are cool, I don't need engraving, fileworked spines, or other embellishments. If it cost more because of quality, then I'd be willing to pay for it. If it cost more because of the art work, then I won't buy it.
 
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