In your opinion, what's the biggest money rip-off in terms of knife ?

[GronK]

You’re forgetting the G11 handle material AND it comes with a sheath

What? The G goes to eleven? In that case it's well worth the money!

 

[scott.livesey]

The biggest rip-off is the 'collectible' knife I had to sell for a loss. The best value knife is the one I am saving for and will buy when I have enough money.

 

[Jason Puckett]

I personally don't see the value in Medford. That said I've never had the opportunity to handle one. I just don't get what is so much better or nicer about them to warrant the price.

 

[Daedric Panther]

There are many things that I see as rip offs, but I’d still like to own. I’d absolutely love to own a custom Medford Praetorian, I certainly wouldn’t mind owning the latest and greatest Hoyt compound bow and I’d love a 2019 Dodge Laramie Longhorn.

Here’s the thing. My Spyderco does just as good of a job at cutting (if not better) than a Medford. That is the point of a knife right? To cut stuff.

Another example, my tradesman can haul just as well as a Laramie. Same engine, same transmission. I don’t need heated leather seats or a sun roof in my pickup. Especially not for $20k more.

 

[Jason Puckett]

There are many things that I see as rip offs, but I’d still like to own. I’d absolutely love to own a custom Medford Praetorian, I certainly wouldn’t mind owning the latest and greatest Hoyt compound bow and I’d love a 2019 Dodge Laramie Longhorn.

Here’s the thing. My Spyderco does just as good of a job at cutting (if not better) than a Medford. That is the point of a knife right? To cut stuff.

Another example, my tradesman can haul just as well as a Laramie. Same engine, same transmission. I don’t need heated leather seats or a sun roof in my pickup. Especially not for $20k more.

Shew, now if you want to talk about rip offs, truck prices are one of the worst. Or the automotive industry as a whole. My Buick that has less than 50k miles on it is in the shop and it's looking like it'll need a full valve replacement. It'll be cheaper to put a new engine in it so I'm probably going to go that route.

 

[Mo2]

I don't understand what you're saying

Agreed.

I mean if somebody donks up a knife sure it takes a hit.

But a skilled modifier is going to add value and add uniqueness to a knife.

Let's say a skilled scrimshander does his work. That lowers the vale of the knife?

Or custom engraving and/or inlay work on scales?

I don't where you claim is coming from.

I mean if your going to put aftermarket work into your knife and sell it later. Don't expect to sell it and get the full cost of the knife and what you put into it for the mods you decided to do.

Taking a dremel to it, stone washing, ano work, etc.

I can see some higher end aftermarket scales by a known great maker costing a bit more, but not the full price of the knife and scales together at full price. Maybe on a rare model that is discontinued, then maybe, if the original scales were included.

Generally regrinds are highly sought after by people who do them well and fairly expensive and often perform better than the OEM design. I can understand the value in this.

 

[marrenmiller]

I am tempted to say CRK because what they deliver isn't worth it to me personally, but I can see where the money goes so I suppose I can't really call their stuff a rip-off.

To me, Emerson represents the pinnacle of rip-off in the knife world. Their knives shouldn't cost what they do, period. If any other company made an Emerson design, they'd make it better and more affordable than EKI manages to, like we saw with ZT. There are modern designs that beat Emerson at their own game while doing it more affordably, like an EX-01 from Hogue.

Before you say that people buy them so the price must be there, I'd like to point out that people also buy Heeter knives (another serious contender for this question).

 

[Silent H]

I mean if your going to put aftermarket work into your knife and sell it later. Don't expect to sell it and get the full cost of the knife and what you put into it for the mods you decided to do.

Taking a dremel to it, stone washing, ano work, etc.

I can see some higher end aftermarket scales by a known great maker costing a bit more, but not the full price of the knife and scales together at full price. Maybe on a rare model that is discontinued, then maybe, if the original scales were included.

Generally regrinds are highly sought after by people who do them well and fairly expensive and often perform better than the OEM design. I can understand the value in this.

I think the confusion is coming from the fact that they might have been talking about the factory customization options and wide range of quality aftermarket parts available for the Griptillian.

But, yes you're absolutely right, I've seen a lot of cheaper Kershaws, CRKTs, and other brands that someone butchered with a dremel, belt sander, and/or angle grinder that people try to sell at twice retail because it's "customized." Sometimes they make the knives unsafe or just plain unusable and try to sell them. Aftermarket customization should only be done to a knife that you want to keep and use for a long time, not to try and add value to a knife you want to flip.

 

[Mo2]

I think the confusion is coming from the fact that they might have been talking about the factory customization options and wide range of quality aftermarket parts available for the Griptillian.

But, yes you're absolutely right, I've seen a lot of cheaper Kershaws, CRKTs, and other brands that someone butchered with a dremel, belt sander, and/or angle grinder that people try to sell at twice retail because it's "customized." Sometimes they make the knives unsafe or just plain unusable and try to sell them. Aftermarket customization should only be done to a knife that you want to keep and use for a long time, not to try and add value to a knife you want to flip.

Exactly!

 

[cbrstar]

When a knife says "made in China" but yet still costs as much or even more then a Knife made in the USA or somewhere like Japan. If they paid their workers a fair wage it wouldn't be an issue to me, but they don't. Not saying they aren't nice knives.

 

[b00n]

I usually agree with you but Bugout? lol

The Bugout is far from a rip off, I'd say it's the opposite. It's an absolute steal and to quote Shabazz, a gem! It kicks out much more expensive knives from my pocket all the time.

Untitled by Caleb Bender, on Flickr

Ripoff might be a little strong of a word. It just seems a bit too pricey for what it is, the Para 3 LW is the same thing and is marginally heavier, slightly lesser steel for 30$ less, that's the cost of a RAT 1/2. But then again I freely admit I am moderately biased against FRN/LW style knives.

 

[Cscotttsss]

I'm gonna ruffle some feathers here but I say the Gen 6 XM-18s. Mine only worked properly on the bearings. It was way too tight on the washers to operate correctly.I could've had a Sebenza for that $425 I paid and had a perfect knife. Not to mention the off center blade, stop pin that wouldn't seat, terrible lockstick, and extremely poor customer service.

Man, I hate to see these posts because I'm torn on whether to buy my first RHK.
But these posts make me leary. I might just get another 0562 lol.

Ripoff might be a little strong of a word. It just seems a bit too pricey for what it is, the Para 3 LW is the same thing and is marginally heavier, slightly lesser steel for 30$ less, that's the cost of a RAT 1/2. But then again I freely admit I am moderately biased against FRN/LW style knives.

Yeah, I too am a huge fan of FRN knives from Spyderco and can't wait to get my Para 3 LW. But, it'll be tough taking that pocket space away from my Bugout.

 

[OrangeBlueOrangeBlue]

I never understood all the hate toward the plastic handles of the Grip. They're made of Noryl GTX, which is a very tough material. It's an inexpensive material that is stronger than steel or titanium per unit density (Specific Strength). When have you EVER heard of or seen pictures of them breaking or cracking? It's a rare occurrence. It lacks a solid feel, I agree. I prefer the feel and weight of metallic handles myself. I think it's a hi performance composite material that is more than capable as a knife handle and doesn't deserve all the criticism. How dare they use a strong, inexpensive, lightweight, textured/grippy, colorful/customizable & ergonomic material on a knife!? They're just trying to rip me off!!

While Noryl GTX has a high specific strength, it's still nylon, and has very low stiffness. The propensity to bend makes it feel less substantial than a stiffer material, and hence "cheap" feeling.

 

[Mo2]

When a knife says "made in China" but yet still costs as much or even more then a Knife made in the USA or somewhere like Japan. If they paid their workers a fair wage it wouldn't be an issue to me, but they don't. Not saying they aren't nice knives.

Its said that we knives employees are pretty happy with there positions and pay. I know that's not every company over there but... Yea. They do import materials from the USA and do spend hard work doing hand satin blades. They do make some intricate designs and have good engineers who know how to make a good cnc program for good flippers.

Generally low batches are going to cost more than a batch of 10,000.

So yea it's not bs that the prices are the way they are but...

One things for certain alot of these knives now have map pricing because the vendors like bladehq, knife center etc want to make more on each knife. They've even had these map prices raised. So they are marked up from what they used to be.

I don't think higher map prices are idea unless they are inspecting the knives before they leave... But they don't. But I can see if they use this extra money for paying for vendor sprint runs. Which do cost alot up front.

In anycase I can find Kizers from some vendors or direct from China for alot cheaper under map. It's more in line what they are worth. But I'm not interested in there quality etc overall.

 

[Insipid Moniker]

...

 

[Mo2]

Yeah. And people quite happily pay a premium for knives that have passed through the hands of Josh of Razor-Edge-Knives, and I would say it's more than worth it. Dude does some amazing work.

Yea if I'm gonna make it better, sure. For example I have a knife that's pretty beat up. I want to improve it so the next guy gets a good knife. I'll send it to a well know person known for quality like Josh. And get it so it doesn't have all the scratches and snail trails. Though I'm not gonna go crazy and add stupid compound grinds and add toxic earth ano crap all over it and sell it for what I put into it and or more. I'm gonna take a hit on it regardless. It's only fair.

 

[Insipid Moniker]

Yea if I'm gonna make it better, sure. For example I have a knife that's pretty beat up. I want to improve it so the next guy gets a good knife. I'll send it to a well know person known for quality like Josh. And get it so it doesn't have all the scratches and snail trails. Though I'm not gonna go crazy and add stupid compound grinds and add toxic earth ano crap all over it and sell it for what I put into it and or more. I'm gonna take a hit on it regardless. It's only fair.

If I pay Josh for a regrind and then decide to sell the knife, I would absolutely expect to get more for it than a stock model. Just like I would expect to pay more for a knife that has been reground.

 

[TomKoerts]

I think $400 for a microtech stitch is a rip off.. 275 for a ultratech, wow.. I paid 225 for mine in 2011.. not much has changed to warrant the $50 price hike

That is a 50$ raise in 8 years. There is also something called inflation, materials didn’t become cheaper in 8 years too.

 

[Mo2]

If I pay Josh for a regrind and then decide to sell the knife, I would absolutely expect to get more for it than a stock model. Just like I would expect to pay more for a knife that has been reground.

I mean if your giving it more performance hell yea. I've seen some pretty bad regrinds from some random modders. If you looked at one of my prior post I said...

I mean if your going to put aftermarket work into your knife and sell it later. Don't expect to sell it and get the full cost of the knife and what you put into it for the mods you decided to do.

Taking a dremel to it, stone washing, ano work, etc.

I can see some higher end aftermarket scales by a known great maker costing a bit more, but not the full price of the knife and scales together at full price. Maybe on a rare model that is discontinued, then maybe, if the original scales were included.

Generally regrinds are highly sought after by people who do them well and fairly expensive and often perform better than the OEM design. I can understand the value in this.

 

[rexromic]

Made in China “high end knives” are way to overpriced.