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The Northman is an awesome design for sure, I've had it in my shopping cart several times and yet could never pull the trigger, simply for that one issue alone. Heck, I'm not even against knives from China (although I choose to buy American or European whenever I can), I just want them to stand up and admit it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Man Winter
We've always been very transparent about the the ShivWorks production knives being made in China. I wanted to bring a blade to the market that was right around a bill, that someone wouldn't cry about when it's sitting in an evidence bag after using. I think personally the ShivWorks blades, especially the newest 2.0 iterations, represent good value but even we get people bitching about paying a hundred bucks for a knife made in China. That being said the market says that we're at the right price point because our business is doing quite well.
Knives have always been violently overpriced. There is a deep cultural attachment to the 'one true blade' having special powers. More $ = more special powers.
Few of us are truly immune to that. The CP is the most expensive blade I have for daily usage. But I bought a $450 kitchen knife in Germany because it had an oddly shaped handle and looked like it was from space. I would swear it's made from special magical steel they got from the moon or the secret Nazi base in Antarctica. I know better, but it's a hard feeling to shake.
I could chair a support group, but then I'd have to admit how many knives I own and their value...
So, just keep on keeping on.
And Craig, your push dagger is aces withmethis monkey. (Though I'll take Taiwan over China every day, until they are brought under their thumb. I think it's an excellent tool for its purpose.)
My problem isn’t that a knife might be made in China. I carry a production Clinch Pick every day and absolutely love the design. My problem is when the people selling high priced knives with descriptions, prices, and designers that hint a knife might be made in the USA won’t actually tell you where the knife is manufactured. If you’re squirrely about telling people the country where your knife is actually made, I automatically assume the knife is made in a country like China because the first thing anyone with a “Made in the USA” product advertises is that it’s “Made in the USA.” If you’re trying to hide that your knife is made in China, or even worse, misleading potential customers into thinking that your knife is USA made, that tells me a lot about your integrity.
Love my Northman, as far as I know there's nothing like it available for purchase. Expensive for sure. Looking to pick up a new improved version soon, and I'd like to get both my sons one. $$$$
Any failure to provide full transparency...country of origin, steel, rockwell hardness, (if requested), or other material item would be a complete "no go" for me. The consumer is entitled to the info. If he / she / it doesn't care, that's another matter.Quote:
Originally Posted by WobblyPossum
I personally prefer non PRC knives, but I have one or two in the collection. Hell, it would be disingenuous to pretend that half the crap in our homes isn't derived from the PRC.
Bottom line: Full disclosure or no purchase.
The Clinch Pick is such an unusual design, though, that I think the R&D there should (!) be obvious to people. Paying for R&D is totally reasonable; there's a ton of knowledge and experience you're spending money to get. I carry a production version because I'm Canadian and I'm cheap. But how many knives do what it does? None exactly, and of the similar-ish options, how many have been put through the development process of the pick? How many come with the option of building a whole fighting philosophy around the methodology that the pick was designed to maximize? That's all stuff that I think is worth something. It's legitimate value.Quote:
Originally Posted by SouthNarc
What I don't get is buying Extrema Ratio knives for $500+ when you look at the design and go "that's a knife." Like really, you guys had to do a ton of work to get that design figured out? It's a piece of steel that's skinny on one side and you hold the other end and it costs as much as a professional-grade fighting pistol, what are we doing here?
As a general rule, I have found that when going from a low priced product to a mid priced product, the rule that you get what you pay for applies in almost all cases. However, when going from a mid priced product to a high priced product, whether you get what you pay for depends greatly on what qualities beyond the performance of the device you seek.
In my opinion, the Shivworks knives are mid-priced products that absolutely prove that, in this price range, you get what you pay for.
The carry system contributes greatly - or detracts greatly - to the usefulness of a fixed blade knife. With some exceptions, the vast majority of fixed blade makers would be well advised to seriously increase their R&D for sheath and attachment designs. I have on occasion purchased an expensive knife not because I really liked the knife, but because I really liked the carry system (Bud Nealy Pesh Kabz). I have also spent three times as much on a carry system as for the knife itself (Ken Null ankle sheath for a Gerber Guardian).
SouthNarc has really put some serious thought into how the Shivworks knives are best carried, and the effort shows in the results.
There are others that are very similar, all with the Sayoc connection. Headhunter, Dynamis, Winkler (sorta), Tracker Dan, etc. Probably others.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave Williams
Depending on what you consider similar, there's are many, many more knives out that most would consider similar. It's a 3.5" fixed blade that is on the pointy side - nothing extraordinary about it. I think the sheath separates it from the mass produced knives.