Hmm, another massdrop email... Hmm. Those knives look kinda cool, how much are th... HOLY CANNOLI BATMAN, 235?!?!
Call me dense or uncultured, but anything above 100 is a bit much for a simple flip knife; even if it is an intriguing design like this one.
GolfenYeah, can definitely see where you're coming from.
This is compelling since it's a mass production run off a custom that usually runs about 1500$
In terms of steel quality you're getting one of the best in the business and the design obviously took some engineering to achieve.
That being said a schrade in D2 will do 98%of what this can do and maybe a bit that it cannot since you're only paying 12$ for it.
GolfenThis same thing happens in the mechanical keyboards department. People are willing to pay upwards of $300 (sometimes upward of $800 or even more!) for something that performs just as well as a sub-$100 unit. There's simply an inexplicable enthusiast-grade interest in paying a shitload of money for something so that you can satisfy a weird aesthetic desire which doesn't have anything to do with how well the item performs its primary function.
GolfenI get the sticker shock, but $225 isn't as far into the stratosphere as you might think.
High end designer teamed up with one of the best production companies in existence and using a boutique blade steel that's basically not available at all in production knives, this is very much a fair price for this knife.
High end knives are about craftsmanship as much as performance, they're a cross between jewelry and the functional object of a knife.
There are lots of knives that cost over $100 that are purely utilitarian in design and materials, and more importantly, the majority of knives under $150 are not constructed to the same objet d'art standard that this knife achieves.
You cannot compare this to a low cost contractor built knife designed with the sole purpose of 'being' a knife at a budget price. There are lots of good or even great low-cost knives, but they don't perform the same role in the life of their owner as a knife like this. You would never use this with the same pure tool mindset that is appropriate for a $25 Kershaw or Sanrenmu, they're simply not the same object even though they are both nominally 'just a knife'.
NotsurewhyibotherWatches are the ultimate example of Expense without additional functionality. Most basic electronic watches keep time better than high grade mechanical. A $20 full digital Casio keeps time better than my quartz Tag Heuer for example. However, if I show up to a big meeting with the higher-ups in my company, it pays to have a nice showpiece watch.
So you're talking aesthetics, social impression, and functionality. Knives have much the same reaction. Sure a $10 Walmart brand knife will cut things, but not as well as it's $80 counterpart with better steel. And that counterpart won't look as nice as it's $200 midtech counterpart from a noted designer. And so on.
MaxwellDemonicThere's a great video on YouTube which is along the line of 1$ knife 1200$ whetstone which really shows that the end user's care and maintenance adds more value than any amount of upfront investment.
GolfenI've somehow managed to stay below the $200 threshold for pocket knives so far........but man, this one is testing my resolve.
Which is funny, because my initial reaction was "omg, that design is way over the top, no way, not for me". But then it grew on me every time I saw it on the screen again, till I finally started reading the comments, and eventually watching the reviews to see it from all angles and in actual hands. And now I'm really intrigued by it.
The hardest part is that it's not more than I can afford, it's just more than I think is practical. At least if it was a hardship, I'd have an argument for the little devil on my shoulder that keeps telling me to hit the button lol
1 more day in the drop..... I can stay strong that long, right??
GolfenDesign and aesthetics can have functional value: in environments where people are likely to panic and call the police if they see someone using a knife, they're less likely to panic if the knife is pretty. It can be difference between a knife that's tolerated at the office versus one that isn't, one that is regarded as jewellery instead of as a weapon. Of course, that can be achieved at lower price points.
The value proposition here is going to depend on what you want from the knife. If you're looking for interesting materials and design combined with a very high level of fit and finish, well those things are expensive, and the price is good compared to other knives offering those things. On the other hand if you expect to clean game animals or break down cardboard boxes all day, this knife will do the job but probably isn't ideal.
wickettLol I posted the following last night....I guess I accidentally put it as a new post instead of a reply down here:
F*** me..... Just came to a sickening realization....
I don't have to hold out one more day to keep from joining this drop, because it will just be back later to taunt me lol
At a higher price, and without the limited serialization and certification..... Dammit
wickettBronze and satin. I think it's the only one I wouldn't end up wanting to anodize or polish later, and probably best to avoid that temptation on this sort of a collector piece.
You?
wickettBlue was my second choice, but I tend to find stonewashed less appealing and cheaper looking. If that one was satin it woulda been a harder choice
Lol yeah, they seemed fitting
DougFLA123That seems to be a common guess as to the "mystery manufacturer"
I don't own anything Reate yet, so that's one more reason to be glad to be in on this 👍
KavikNick Shabazz was saying that MD couldn't disclose the manufacturer because in order to use their name, they'd have to raise the price. Sounds like a Reate move.
KavikYes, I agree. Reate being the likely manufacturer and the Church and the Baby Machine knives looking so similar to this knife and being so much more expensive than this knife convinced me that this knife wasn’t overpriced.
wickettThese animals released a completely fresh Ferrum Forge/WE collab when I was expecting the Crux to come back with an embellished option.
Mayhem, absolute mayhem.
OmniseedSo, yeah this site is amazing. I mean, women control the economy, that is to say they control the majority of purchasing decisions and traditionally our economy has oriented around that. However, massdrop somehow has figured out how to tap into the economy of men.
It really has made me think about this. In an age of fast shipping, low prices and user-generated reviews, massdrop completely throws out all that. It really is curated. slow, and discussion oriented among enthusiasts--I would venture to say this is intellectual shopping.
All this to say, why can I not stop clicking on that 'join drop' button? Why do I keep checking this site daily?
I agree, this is mayhem.
OmniseedYes, I’ve seen it. Very cool. It should be called The Cleaver!
I have a month to talk myself out of it.
I still have 4 other Massdrop knives I have to wait several months for.
DougFLA12323 items ordered since my first drop on Jan 3rd (plus 1 for an items bought off another member who decided not to keep his Bestech Goblin)
🤣/😭
And now seriously eyeing the new MDxFF colab after just deciding this was my last knife purchase this month lol
SlobloI understand that you're disappointed in some service you've received here....but do you really only hang around this often to bad-mouth this place now?
I don't understand how that's worth the time/energy.
KavikI've been saving for the Crux 2.0, Skaha II, and the (rumored M390) next run of the Smoke.
But I had to order a bronze Buc. Too cool and it reminds me of a Bean clone cleaver I had that was shockingly useful.
OmniseedNot familiar with the Skaha or Smoke, and the Crux didn't interest me much (luckily! Lol)
I think I'll go with the plain grey for the Buc, so that I can play with the anodizing and still be able to put it back to original if I don't like how it turns out.
I've bought all these knives with the intention of doing that, and all the supplies needed.... But still haven't found the time to try the first one yet 🙄
(my power supply for it is over at a friend's house, we work on projects together over there, and timing just hasn't worked out lately)
DougFLA123Lol no, only 14 of them haha
But in my defense, 3 or 4 are for gifts, and 1 was the MDxApogee chef knife that I ended up buying just to see for myself, after getting tired of arguing points in the comments lol
Also, I loved collecting knives when i was younger, but got out of it long before I had the money for buying "good knives". Now that I can afford it... i dunno, it's just been a recent splurge to get back into it with a bang i suppose. I'm sure it'll taper off anytime now.........right after I order this Buc 🤣
DougFLA123*ahem*
Doug, this is a safe place, and you know we're all here for you, but we think you have a problem. But don't worry, we're here to help - - - lol who am I kidding? You're in the wrong place to be talked out of addictive acquisition disorders 😁
DougFLA123Well, not really...
The Church and Machine are both part of my custom lineup and 100% made by me in my shop.
I take pride in that and I just wanted to make that clear ;-)
On the other hand, the Baby Machine which is a down sized version of the Machine is production made by Reate.
DougFLA123The Church is the larger custom version of the PRISM. It is made entirely by myself in my shop, just like the full size Machine.
The Baby Machine is the downsized Reate made production version of it's custom big brother... Just like the PRISM is the smaller version of my custom made Church ;-)
TashiBharuchaTashi, a quick thanks for the clarification there.... But a BIG thanks for coming together on this and working it out so that us mere mortals can afford a replica (smaller, though it may be), of "the real deal" 👍
TashiBharuchaI wish the Baby Machine was also being sold here on Massdrop. I would love to own both the Prism and the Baby Machine. I have a feeling Reate isn’t selling the Baby Machine for $235. ☹️
KavikWhat do you think of the Bestech Goblin? It’s got that really small, really unique looking, made with really great materials thing going for it. Do you think it’s a little overpriced at its $158 retail price? Do you have the carbon fiber version? How do you like it? I think I can get one for $20 to $30 below the retail price. Is it worth it?
DougFLA123I love my goblin. Enough that I bought the CF version from another member here after buying the plain titanium originally. The cf is great. Thick and solid, machining on it is perfect. Adds a very slight grippy texture to the knife. There's more thorough review in the comments of that drop.
That said, yeah, it's a bit expensive for what it is at retail. Around $125 though, i'm still happy with it
Call me dense or uncultured, but anything above 100 is a bit much for a simple flip knife; even if it is an intriguing design like this one.
This is compelling since it's a mass production run off a custom that usually runs about 1500$ In terms of steel quality you're getting one of the best in the business and the design obviously took some engineering to achieve.
That being said a schrade in D2 will do 98%of what this can do and maybe a bit that it cannot since you're only paying 12$ for it.
High end designer teamed up with one of the best production companies in existence and using a boutique blade steel that's basically not available at all in production knives, this is very much a fair price for this knife.
High end knives are about craftsmanship as much as performance, they're a cross between jewelry and the functional object of a knife.
There are lots of knives that cost over $100 that are purely utilitarian in design and materials, and more importantly, the majority of knives under $150 are not constructed to the same objet d'art standard that this knife achieves.
You cannot compare this to a low cost contractor built knife designed with the sole purpose of 'being' a knife at a budget price. There are lots of good or even great low-cost knives, but they don't perform the same role in the life of their owner as a knife like this. You would never use this with the same pure tool mindset that is appropriate for a $25 Kershaw or Sanrenmu, they're simply not the same object even though they are both nominally 'just a knife'.
So you're talking aesthetics, social impression, and functionality. Knives have much the same reaction. Sure a $10 Walmart brand knife will cut things, but not as well as it's $80 counterpart with better steel. And that counterpart won't look as nice as it's $200 midtech counterpart from a noted designer. And so on.
1 more day in the drop..... I can stay strong that long, right??
The value proposition here is going to depend on what you want from the knife. If you're looking for interesting materials and design combined with a very high level of fit and finish, well those things are expensive, and the price is good compared to other knives offering those things. On the other hand if you expect to clean game animals or break down cardboard boxes all day, this knife will do the job but probably isn't ideal.
F*** me..... Just came to a sickening realization.... I don't have to hold out one more day to keep from joining this drop, because it will just be back later to taunt me lol At a higher price, and without the limited serialization and certification..... Dammit
Lol yeah, they seemed fitting
Tashi Church:
Tashi Baby Machine:
Mayhem, absolute mayhem.
It really has made me think about this. In an age of fast shipping, low prices and user-generated reviews, massdrop completely throws out all that. It really is curated. slow, and discussion oriented among enthusiasts--I would venture to say this is intellectual shopping.
All this to say, why can I not stop clicking on that 'join drop' button? Why do I keep checking this site daily?
I agree, this is mayhem.
And now seriously eyeing the new MDxFF colab after just deciding this was my last knife purchase this month lol
But I had to order a bronze Buc. Too cool and it reminds me of a Bean clone cleaver I had that was shockingly useful.
I think I'll go with the plain grey for the Buc, so that I can play with the anodizing and still be able to put it back to original if I don't like how it turns out. I've bought all these knives with the intention of doing that, and all the supplies needed.... But still haven't found the time to try the first one yet 🙄 (my power supply for it is over at a friend's house, we work on projects together over there, and timing just hasn't worked out lately)
Also, I loved collecting knives when i was younger, but got out of it long before I had the money for buying "good knives". Now that I can afford it... i dunno, it's just been a recent splurge to get back into it with a bang i suppose. I'm sure it'll taper off anytime now.........right after I order this Buc 🤣
That said, yeah, it's a bit expensive for what it is at retail. Around $125 though, i'm still happy with it