Consumer manipulation is what you're talking about, right?
No, not at all. It's simply that different manufacturers have different equipment, operate at different scales, and have differing design philosophies, and the market similarly has certain biases that can also force the hand of manufacturers. For instance, Condor's 420HC is pretty much as good as their 1075 is, but people have such an overwhelming bias for carbon over stainless that they've switched almost all of their machetes to 1075 at this point, despite the fact that when they first entered the market ALL of their machetes were in 420HC. The Matt Graham Primitive Bush Knife was done in 420HC specifically by the designer's request because he liked the performance in his original modified knife and insisted that it be kept in stainless, but the first thing the market whinged about when it came out was "I really like it, but I wish it was carbon steel".
Now, that being said, what goes into the cost of a product is very complex, and even in a theoretically perfectly efficient production scenario, depending on how a company is positioned in terms of their production model, location, and equipment can have a huge impact on the cost of the same product if you were to have it produced by different companies. 1095 has a strong reputation and recognition that is to a certain degree elevated above what it deserves, but even though it's an inexpensive steel that doesn't mean that all companies are overcharging for it, and it's VERY easy to make a knife that
costs $200 to make regardless of the steel choice. Steel is still steel, and even if you used mild steel and didn't heat treat it there'd still be the costs of blanking, machining, making the handle, assembly, sheath (for fixed blades) overall fit and finish tuning, packaging, wages, etc. etc. Different manufacturers produce products they think people will want to buy. Sometimes they're on the money, sometimes they're not. And even when they're spot on, they're only hitting the mark for a certain group of individuals, not EVERYONE in a given market.
It's a matter of nuance and fine differentiation. You can say that two fellows need to turn a nut and so they both need a wrench. You could cast a broad net and sell both of them an adjustable. Or you could produce a range of combination wrenches in different sizes that offer superior performance at the cost of versatility. In such a setting, one fellow may opt for the adjustable wrench because he's often dealing with various sizes of nuts in situations that don't require high precision. The other fellow may opt for the correct size of combination wrench for his particular application because he needs the greater security and lower risk of rounding the nut that the combination wrench offers, even though he will need other wrenches for different sized nuts. That does not mean that either option is an intrinsically bad one, but the tool may be better or less suited for the needs of a given individual and it's not so simple a matter as just making a quality tool. Efficient task completion is the result of using the right tool for the task, and doing so in the correct way. It's a marriage of matching tool to task, and technique to tool. And this is all merely addressing form factor, let alone the materials and manufacturing processes involved.
No, I believe what he is saying is that you are free to not like it and not buy it, but that doesnt mean people whose opinions of it dont match yours are wrong, or, as you put it, "unenlightened."
I thought he did so with great tact.
Thanks. That's a large part of what I'm getting at, for sure, but it goes beyond that as well. There's a lot of complex dynamics at work that impact the original design of a tool in the first place, through to getting it into the hands of an end line user, and the job of the consumer is ultimately the least complicated (though it can still be pretty complex depending on how much they care to optimize their purchases.) The end user thought process can usually be grossly boiled down to "I like that ________ and I am willing to spend $_______. It costs $________. I (will/will not) buy it." But what the blanks are and the reasons for what goes in those blanks can vary
a lot, for a wide range of reasons.
Mora is a perfect example of a company that has high-volume low-variation manufacturing down to a precise science. Not only is nearly their entire operation automated, but the designs even take into account how the knives interlock during bulk packing to minimize empty space. Multiple knives use the same handle or sheath molds, same blade blanking dies, etc. etc. and a lot of models are made by just mixing/matching combinations of blades and handles. This is all done at a massive volume that drastically allows them to reduce per-unit cost by harnessing economies of scale. However, that's also why there's such a significant jump in price on their lower volume production models like some of the premium ones they've been coming out with lately.
Hi all,
I kinda/sorta understand (maybe) what is upsetting Dave. I very much like my 1095 Carbon Steel knives. In fact, I'd have to say that my 1095's are THE sharpest knives I own.
Truthfully, I can't believe (for instance) that "Old Hickory" has not come out with a line of Bushcraft/Hunting type Knives (with updated handles and blade shapes) that look something like this
modified (once broken/snapped in half/found in junk pile) "Old Hickory" Butcher Knife as modified by JKL Knives. I dear say, I bet "Old Hickory" would sell a ton of these knives in the fifty to
seventy five dollar price range.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dtZhlUNuzOI/UxN6iAqkADI/AAAAAAAADxQ/p3Y8EZqqAp8/s1600/IMG_7766.jpg My modified "Old Hickory" 1095 Butcher Knife to Kephart style.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QDKQbV5G4SM/UxN6zJXD68I/AAAAAAAADyE/Dq0a3djJA8Q/s1600/IMG_7775.jpg
HARDBALL
I, too, think it's silly that Ontario hasn't come out with an Old Hickory outdoors line. But part of the problem is they'd be tempted to gussy it up and make it a premium product and it'd quickly jump out of the typical Old Hickory price range. I similarly think that Opinel and Victorinox should consider making outdoor fixed blades. But they'd have to resist that urge as well, in order to do it right. Perfect is the enemy of good, and so to is complexity the enemy of value.
