Knives Not What They Use To Be
Maybe Jason can answer this question. Ya Golds are fine Ho Hum, but. What happened to the limited editions that Benchmade used to do. Like in the awesome old silver tins. I know you do watered down dealer exclusives that aren't numbered,they really don't do anything for me and are just glorified EDC knives which is great for some people. How about getting back to the roots of true limited edition releases and not SO MANY Golds.
Limited editions that are distributed randomly amongst the dealers like they used to be, NOT DEALER EXCLUSIVES. And not runs of 400+ those aren't a limited edition. Runs of 25,50,75,100 not ones that everyone can get so they are actually a limited edition for us collectors?? I realize production runs of 500 pay the bills but throw us a bone here
Limited editions that are distributed randomly amongst the dealers like they used to be, NOT DEALER EXCLUSIVES. And not runs of 400+ those aren't a limited edition. Runs of 25,50,75,100 not ones that everyone can get so they are actually a limited edition for us collectors?? I realize production runs of 500 pay the bills but throw us a bone here
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I agree 0 -
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Exactly. +1 0 -
Sounds good at first BUT when I stop & look at what I have actually purchased I've bought more LE's in last couple of years then 10+ prior.
Maybe it just my tastes & the fact that I loaded up on 940D2CF's & 941D2CF's and IMHO nothing Benchmade or any other company has made comes close to those LE's.0 -
What models have you purchased in the last couple years Bill, were they new limiteds or older production?
The Carbon models you spoke of were the sweet old school releases in the silver tin with white slip covers. Now the 940 comes with unlimited carbon and kind of was a big kick to the groin for those of us with 940D2CF Limiteds.
I am saying bring back some sort of packaging just for the limiteds like the old tins but updated and offer true limited runs again. Maybe laser marked matching numbers on a presentation box of some fashion so people don't loose the slip covers or get them coffee stained!0 -
Well I also agree that the LE's and golds in smaller runs are more special and far more fun to collect, you gotta remember: Production company.
Obviously they've marketed themselves to high end buyers and collectors, hence the Gold class and LE concepts... Which I think are cool, yet I'd also prefer collecting some pieces done in small runs. But you said it yourself, Benchie... The runs of 400+ sell!
IMO, Benchmade Knife Company is special because they're not just in it to make money.
They're also not just here to please their customers.
They're here to do both.
Think about that.
I understand the need to collect truely limited items. Trust me on that.
I think Benchmade does too.
Honestly, I'm just happy knowing that the Benchmade Gold class and LE runs even exist.
For those times that I want something truely unique and special, I refrain from searching for it in a production knife company, and venture into the world of actual custom knives.
It always grinds my gears when I hear the old "you payed how much for that Gold class?! You know it's a glorified production knife, right?!" I disagree with that statement... I pay for what I like, thank you very much. If you don't like what Benchmade is producing, simply don't buy it. Let your money do the talking, I say. Plenty of high end custom makers to keep busy, who'll gladly take your hard earned dollars to make you whatever you like. Or 10 of whatever you like, just for you and your buddies...
Pony up the cash is my advice.0 -
I have had customs before, I have owned Marfiones that have a lot more meticulous machining and handwork in the blade finish than a gold class. Just saying to keep collectors in the game might have to step up the limited game. I am well aware that is not where the profits are and may not be feasible. 0 -
I'm with you Benchie.
I hear ya.
Benchmade battles the problem of $ vs. happiness, as we all do.
But there is definitely no better feeling than hunting for a rare knife to collect, and then finally getting it in hand. You're right about the abundance of Golds. Most are pretty awesome, but lots are easy to collect. No better feeling than when I finally got my 531-131. And then months later, a second. Wasn't easy, LOTS of hunting for those. And there's 70 of them.
The thrill of the hunt is half the fun for me, and true exclusivity helps with that.
I'd of course be down to try collecting ulta-limited runs if Benchmade decides to go that route.0 -
As a collector I love finding the small numbered runs that were produced in the past. There was actually one done this year, the 810-1601, but the people that initially got them immediately doubled the price on them. There seems to be too many people in the hobby that are just after a quick buck, so any of the small runs released these days will probably escalate to a price where it's not worth it to me. I can't really fault the dealers for gouging the prices because if they didn't, some flipper would just buy them all up and do the same thing. I'm all for BM putting out some more runs of 25-50 knives of something special, but I just don't think I'd be willing to pay the inflated price for it. After buying the gold class sequel and being disappointed with what I got at that price, it made me reevaluate my purchases and I plan to keep the price more in line with the actual product when I buy things in the future. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Corey:
As a collector I love finding the small numbered runs that were produced in the past. There was actually one done this year, the 810-1601, but the people that initially got them immediately doubled the price on them. There seems to be too many people in the hobby that are just after a quick buck, so any of the small runs released these days will probably escalate to a price where it's not worth it to me. I can't really fault the dealers for gouging the prices because if they didn't, some flipper would just buy them all up and do the same thing. I'm all for BM putting out some more runs of 25-50 knives of something special, but I just don't think I'd be willing to pay the inflated price for it. After buying the gold class sequel and being disappointed with what I got at that price, it made me reevaluate my purchases and I plan to keep the price more in line with the actual product when I buy things in the future.
I ended up with three of them I kept one and the others went to friends for right at cost. I only ended up with them because of friends. It is by far one of my favorite knives.0 -
It's definitely the coolest one that BM put out this year and hopefully they'll continue to do things like that in the future.
And I wasn't necessarily talking about anyone flipping that particular knife. I have no first hand knowledge of how everything played out on that knife, just internet gossip. I read that the dealers that got the knives to begin with were charging $800 for em. I really don't know any facts though.0 -
Right on Corey.
Well said.
In the end, price is a major factor in how we feel about a certain knife overall. Sometimes it's just not 'worth it'. Sometimes, however, I feel people throw caution to the wind and blow cash on exclusive cutlery simply because of the exclusivity, rather than for the love of the knife itself.
It's a big reason the current larger LE runs don't disappoint me too much at all - I love the knives. My last LE being the 15080-1601, I went after solely for my love of the Crooked River design, not to mention the handome upgrades it got. I liked the knife enough to buy it, and at the price I payed, I walked away totally happy, with a knife I love and a feeling of satisfaction. It's beautiful,special, and definitely not "EDC garb" as someone here once put it. Much more than a "glorified EDC". One thing I don't do is buy knives 'just because'. I have to love it first. In the end, it doesn't bother me in the slightest that I may own something that is also shared by 499 other people. I've taken a shining to collecting LE's and dealer exclusives because they're generally all awesome, easier to find, and much easier on the wallet. I only buy the Golds I love.0 -
I buy the ones I like but thinking about your statement Marty I have also bought ones I am not that fond of just because they were very scarce or hard to get, I guess I buy for exclusivity too. But also agree on the pricing that gets totally molested as soon as something drops. You have to get them first from the dealer or you are man handled by the pirates of Ebay. And yes have to give Benchmade props for the 810 Limited run of 30 that was over the top and I still don't have one YET. 0 -
Maybe I can help elaborate on this. In looking at older Benchmade products, I see a lot of folding tactical hunter designs such as the Eclipse, Ascent, and Monarch, and special knives like the Sentinel and then the bread and butter "traditional Benchmade Balisongs". While all the knives are great that are currently made, has BM changed from this or not so much?
Just wondering.0 -
I am speaking more of the middle years I guess, 705,960,690 there just use to be a bunch of wild small run limited editions. Probably just extra parts *******ized together into a limited edition but it was cool because there were very few of them. 0 -
I believe that the "Silver Class" as I call them started the beginning of the Gold Class. I have a couple of silver Ares that are xxx/500. So if they were to come out now they wouldn't meet your qualifications of a smaller number for Limited editions. What makes them rare now is to find mint copies that someone who was a collector and not a user kept as a safe queen. I love to keep an eye out for some of the older series that I love. Not just because they are rare but only if I like them to begin with. I recently tried to start collecting the LE ZT's that started coming out but the game of trying to get on the website before a thousand other people just didn't thrill me and then to see them on eBay for double to triple the original price just turned me off completely. I did buy a 810-1601 off eBay but that was robbery but then I had to have one. I love that knife but I don't know if I would do it again because of the high price. I do love LE's but the cost is just getting too crazy if you don't get lucky enough to get in on the initial offering. It's getting to be too much of a rich mans game. Good luck to those that can. 0 -
Exactly SharpEye
About the only time full retail from a dealer is a good deal is on the limited editions before everyone snaps them up and triples the price.
That's what I collect , Mint examples with boxes in the best shape possible. If it's not original packaging and un used I pass on them0 -
I disagree with your idea that they are "not what they used to be" or the golds being "ho hum".
The designs and materials have done nothing but get better.
The gold 707 and 51 this year are both fantastic!
They actually did a Forum knife!
The 3D machined clips are a major improvement on the gold/le.
When the gold class was new very few dealers had websites capable of showing current inventory and when most of the silver box LEs came out none of them did and that made the hunt more of a challenge but I see no difference in the knives just how you get them.
Dealer exclusive knives have been around for almost 20 years.
They used to have a list or collectors that automatically got certain numbers (I would guess a select few still do) so I remember people wanting to just to get low numbers.
If anything they are better, we used to have maybe two or three blade steels and now they will try almost anything.
You seem to hate the -1 knives but both the 940 and grips are two of the best knives you can buy for the money and are a direct result of what we asked for!0 -
Grips are for poor people and 940's just aren't my thing. I am talking about the lack limited editions and the multiple reruns of the same model of gold knives.
The forum knife was a killer run and the carbon blade 810 even better. That was a sweet little run of 30 but less in circulation. And yes how you get them sucks because everyone has a phone stuck to them and are on it "like flies in a rib roast" it was awesome to actually have to hunt them and find huge honey holes of untouched benchmade gold for 40 percent off before the internet wrecked it. Now you find something old in a store and the price is tripled with a discontinued rare sticker on it or a print out of a ebay sale price under the box lmao0 -
I mostly need to use my knives to appreciate them. Some of the very limited production Gold Class knives can be carried and used, but not all of them. That's due to both materials and cost. So I have always been in favor of "silver" class limiteds, like the 531-131, and the 908-161.
I don't begrudge the high-liner collectors their sub-100 piece editions though. Those things are the ultimate...Seems to me Benchmade has been doing a pretty good job recently of producing both ultra exclusive Gold Class releases and "silver" class LEs and dealer exclusives.0 -
quote:Originally posted by benchieking:
Grips are for poor people
Didn't you say you just ordered 20 of them?0 -
Rhetorical Much? 0 -
I think the business model just changed.
Dealer exclusives are now huge. Min. order 1000 plus.
Gold class has become too expensive for most.
And are too nice for most to use.
Just not enough money in small runs I guess.
And BM tried to capture/tap into some of that with there "custom" program.
So here we are. Collectors with little to collect.
That pretty much took me out of it over the past couple yrs. Unlike you though, I liked the smaller dealer exclusive runs. But now there is little to get exited about. Unless you want to spend $$$ on GC models. Just my opinion. Worth what you paid for it.0 -
quote:Originally posted by MCM:
I think the business model just changed.
Dealer exclusives are now huge. Min. order 1000 plus.
Gold class has become too expensive for most.
And are too nice for most to use.
Just not enough money in small runs I guess.
And BM tried to capture/tap into some of that with there "custom" program.
So here we are. Collectors with little to collect.
That pretty much took me out of it over the past couple yrs. Unlike you though, I liked the smaller dealer exclusive runs. But now there is little to get exited about. Unless you want to spend $$$ on GC models. Just my opinion. Worth what you paid for it.
I think that is the perfect answer and exactly my feelings on the matter as well. Small collectible runs! 90 percent of the Gold class can be had anytime and are expensive so overall aren't that desirable to me. It's the dealer network and Ebay black internet market that makes Benchmades expensive. If limiteds and golds were sold factory direct the price could be cut 50% right out of the gate. Of course the dealers have to load up on all the other stuff to make premium dealer so they can get those money making pieces. Thanks MCM0 -
So its not just me? Might be going to Blade in a few weeks. Will mention it to BM if I go. 
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They only seem to chime in with a response for compliments or if you have your sniffer stuck in their backside, any adverse concerns get brushed over to the next posting to talk with Marty to receive more showering of compliments lol.
Still be nice to hear what the overall thought is on the limited edition situation for 2017. If they aren't doing them because they financially don't make sense perfect understood0
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