How Much ?

Blades. Knife-making, Flintknapping, sharpening broadheads, etc. A showcase for the talents of Cutlery and Artillery Artisans, and a place to sell and source wares, as well as materials, vendors etc.

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
Message
Author
Coach

How Much ?

#1 Post by Coach » Wed Aug 01, 2007 8:23 pm

How much would you ,or have you paid for a knife?

User avatar
Mick Smith
Posts: 4957
Joined: Mon Feb 21, 2005 9:09 pm
Location: Surf Coast Victoria

#2 Post by Mick Smith » Wed Aug 01, 2007 8:30 pm

Coach

By memory, I think the most I've paid for a knife was $190 and that was for a new Puma 'Bowie' I bought a few years back.

Mick
There is no use focusing on aiming if you don't execute the shot well enough to hit what your are aiming at.

The Gnome!

#3 Post by The Gnome! » Wed Aug 01, 2007 8:54 pm

$500 or less Just Purchased a Skinner from Paul Mayall at what I consider a very reasonable price my last knife purchased which I still have is an Uncle Henry $225 I now have a Pair the first one was my fathers he bought before I was born, he has handed it to me and I will hand them to my Daughter when she is ready for them.

User avatar
Stickbow Hunter
Supporter
Supporter
Posts: 11637
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2003 8:33 pm
Location: Maryborough Queensland

#4 Post by Stickbow Hunter » Wed Aug 01, 2007 9:11 pm

I haven't bought any for probably 15 years but I bought a custom made one that was approx $250.00 and one for my son that was $150.00. They came with their own custom made sheaths as well.

I also have one that was worth around $750.00 but I swaped the maker for one of my top of the range bows. The handle has scrimshaw on each side - me with a boar on one side and Jude with a billy on the other. The scrimshaw was done by the late Bill Hill. The knife just sits in my Bowhunting book case though. :?

Jeff

wysper
Posts: 25
Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2007 4:59 pm
Location: Hamilton, New Zealand

#5 Post by wysper » Thu Aug 02, 2007 5:23 am

I guess about 350 for a custom made kukri. It is a nice knife, but I should have had it made in heavier steel. Feels a bit light compared to the older "real" ones I have come across.

I can't wait to start making my own!

dawallace45
Posts: 352
Joined: Fri Aug 13, 2004 7:16 pm
Location: Miriam Vale Queensland Australia

#6 Post by dawallace45 » Thu Aug 02, 2007 8:54 am

Never having had a lot of spare cash handy for stuff like that the most I've ever paid for a knife was $30 and that was just for stuff like Mundial , Frost or Victornox , any Hunting or Camp type knifes I wanted I just made myself , started off making them using the stock removal method but soon went onto forging , I think that in many respects forging is some times easier than stock removal but I've stuffed up my shoulder and elbow some what and now the choices are that if I keep up hammering away at my anvil I can't use my bow and that is just not on , I never got into Damascus but always wanted to , used to use Desert Rosewood , Gidgee or Deadfinish for the handles , beautiful stuff , been doing leather work for over 30 years so sheaths weren't a problem either , but even if I had the spare cash I don't think I'd personally pay more than $30 for a knife even though I used to sell mine for about $150 or so , double standard I know but I can't help it I'm just tight with a dollar

David

User avatar
Hood
Posts: 1562
Joined: Mon Aug 16, 2004 11:39 pm
Location: Adelaide, South Australia

#7 Post by Hood » Thu Aug 02, 2007 8:45 pm

dawallace45 wrote:, but even if I had the spare cash I don't think I'd personally pay more than $30 for a knife even though I used to sell mine for about $150 or so , double standard I know but I can't help it I'm just tight with a dollar
David
Not Scottish by any chance are we lad :wink: :lol:
Bow Hunting is my Passion.

My wife says it's my Obsession.

Either way I'm happy.

Coach

#8 Post by Coach » Thu Aug 02, 2007 8:57 pm

Mick wrote:
dawallace45 wrote:, but even if I had the spare cash I don't think I'd personally pay more than $30 for a knife even though I used to sell mine for about $150 or so , double standard I know but I can't help it I'm just tight with a dollar
David
Not Scottish by any chance are we lad :wink: :lol:
Nothing to do with being Scottish ,, it's a fact most $30 knives will hold an edge as well as a $150 knife these days . We just seem to pay for "pretty " things

User avatar
gundy
Posts: 1602
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2003 8:10 pm
Location: VIC

#9 Post by gundy » Thu Aug 02, 2007 9:50 pm

Sitting down?

$1900

:?

dawallace45
Posts: 352
Joined: Fri Aug 13, 2004 7:16 pm
Location: Miriam Vale Queensland Australia

#10 Post by dawallace45 » Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:05 am

Not Scottish by any chance are we lad

Mick
With a name like Wallace we obviously came from Scotland originally but that was 150 years and 5 generations ago , but some traits breed true
David

User avatar
Mick Smith
Posts: 4957
Joined: Mon Feb 21, 2005 9:09 pm
Location: Surf Coast Victoria

#11 Post by Mick Smith » Fri Aug 03, 2007 1:47 pm

OK Gundy, we can't just leave it at that. :shock: What sort of knife was it? Have you got any piccys of it?

Mick
There is no use focusing on aiming if you don't execute the shot well enough to hit what your are aiming at.

User avatar
jindydiver
Posts: 1333
Joined: Thu Jun 24, 2004 3:06 pm
Location: ACT

#12 Post by jindydiver » Fri Aug 03, 2007 7:48 pm

Coach wrote:
Nothing to do with being Scottish ,, it's a fact most $30 knives will hold an edge as well as a $150 knife these days . We just seem to pay for "pretty " things
If you pay $150 for a knife and it doesn't hold an edge you have been ripped off. Far from "most" I don't think you could find a hand full of $30 knives that could gut, hock and quarter even one deer before needing sharpening and if you pay $150 for a knife that can't you obviously paid too much.
Mick


Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.

Abraham Lincoln

Coach

#13 Post by Coach » Fri Aug 03, 2007 7:55 pm

OK Jindy , I may have exaggerated there ,, but still,, a handful of $30 knives that will do the job is still far better than a hundred $150 knives :wink:
Maybe those in the know should help compile a list of those $30 knives that do the job :)

trash one
Posts: 259
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2003 8:49 pm
Location: mount isa

#14 Post by trash one » Fri Aug 03, 2007 9:17 pm

I was a slaughterman for 11 years and our $30 dollar knives did a whole lot more than dress one deer before needing sharpening. I'm by no means an expert, but I sure get some laughs when I read some things that are written about sharpening and the use of knives.
CATCH YA
BUTCH

Al Kidner

#15 Post by Al Kidner » Sun Aug 05, 2007 1:28 pm

Ahhhh my mate Butcho, telling it how it is. Keeping it real mate... :wink: ... see you when I see you next buddy.

A.K.

User avatar
gundy
Posts: 1602
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2003 8:10 pm
Location: VIC

#16 Post by gundy » Sun Aug 05, 2007 10:16 pm

Here you go Mick.

An original Tracker by Dave Beck. Not many people will know of him or what is behind 'his' story, but it is one popular and searched out for knife.

These sell nowadays for in excess of $4000 USD as a set.

I should have kept it a bit longer....
Attachments
wsk 004.jpg
wsk 004.jpg (126.17 KiB) Viewed 4685 times

Coach

#17 Post by Coach » Mon Aug 06, 2007 7:46 pm

Maybe you would like to share this story . It must be a hell of a story for it to be worth that much :shock:

User avatar
gundy
Posts: 1602
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2003 8:10 pm
Location: VIC

#18 Post by gundy » Mon Aug 06, 2007 7:58 pm

Coach, its a long one!

I have just got back from hunting...will have a shower and start typing if you want to hear it....

Coach

#19 Post by Coach » Mon Aug 06, 2007 8:05 pm

Yeah ,, I'll listen , am really curious to know why people pay so much .

User avatar
gundy
Posts: 1602
Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2003 8:10 pm
Location: VIC

#20 Post by gundy » Mon Aug 06, 2007 8:56 pm

Coach, there are 2 types of people in the 'knife' world. Collectors and users. A rare thing to have both in the one person.

I use to be a collector, therefore searched high and low for knives that I knew would appreciate in value (these were usually expensive), sold them off, made a profit and went shopping again. It was a buzz I got out of it I guess. Once the 5 minute of handling the new arrival was over, it was shelved to 'value up' and then I kept seaching for others.

I have turned into (out of boredome with collecting - not to mention the price war these days) a user, and now only search for best value for money. I will admit, I am still searching for a knife that will do it all (does it exist?), and I think I am close...I still like the Randalls however, from a history point of view.

So, The Tracker;

It was designed by a man named Dave Beck, who had help with Tom Brown, one of the worlds apparent famed 'man trackers' that use to work with the FBI etc to find missing persons and prisoners etc.

Tom runs one of the largest (if not THE largest) survival bush craft schools in the world where you can go and learn to live from the land and this knife was built from a concept of a 'do it all' knife.

In reality, it was heavy and combersome. It did work and felt great in the hand (this was my second one), but the old hunting style/woodlore knives of old could do the same job if used correctly, for the most part.

Anyway, when the movie "The Hunted" came out, the knife was displayed throughout using it for a survival style knife and ofcourse the knife became popluar overnight, similar to the Rambo knife of the 80's.

Dave Beck was basically left out of the lime light for helping design and even make the knife that was used in the film, therefore missing out on massive royalties, so, long long long story short.....

It got dirty, probably went to court and the original Trackers price went through the roof for collectors.

Onlyu in America....

Grab the movie Coach, it is not bad, but could have been better.

He focuses on what Tom Brown did and the actual knife used in a couple of the scenes was his that Beck made.

Phew........basically, it became a movie knife and the USA thrive on that stuff, as do collectors.

User avatar
Shadow
Posts: 74
Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 12:07 pm
Location: Redcliffe, QLD

#21 Post by Shadow » Fri Aug 10, 2007 7:48 pm

I've paid up to about $150 for a knife, I don't think I've ever paid more than that anyway. I know my Gerber Guardian wasn't cheap when I first bought it, but I think they're over the 150 mark these days. I also have a 'Western' bowie from the Camillus company that are quite pricey here in Australia, though it was about $75 in the U.S where I bought it. Mostly these days if I want a knife I just make it myself. At least I know what sort of quality the materials are and it is by far cheaper to buy the materials and do the work yourself. I also do my own leather work, my story is similar to dawallace45, though he sounds like he has a few years up on me :wink: .
I will get into forging when I can afford the forge.


Mick

Post Reply