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[EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

Leslie wrote:
> Merry Xmas to all also !
>
> A wholesale price of $7 US apiece (on average) for hunting knives 
> varying in length from 8" - 13" including scabbords & small shapening
>  stones, regardless of where the stainless came from seems like a 
> really good deal.  Then there are the shorter straight blades, more 
> of a multi-purpose stainless steel knife ($3 - $5 wholesale).

It kinda sounds like inferior quality stuff.  You get what you pay for
when it comes to knives.


> The masses can not afford the most expensive knives... but they still
>  need knives.

Well, what they need, really need, is a tool that will do the job.
Nothing fancy, but a good tool.  They don't need the bells and whistles,
no fancy handles, but because they would be rather unskilled to begin
with, they at least need a quality tool.  The 'masses' cannot afford to
hire anything to be done by others, nor can they afford injuring
themselves.

> There are a lot of people who think differently about bying quality. 
> Some will look for quality and buy something of the best quality that
>  will last a lifetime.  So say for example they spend $200 on a
> single knife.  Others will take the same $200, and buy 30-40 cheap
> knives, sell off half of them for $200, get their original money
> back, and keep the balance, using the spares as replacements for when
> the cheaper ones break, get lost, etc.
>
> People buy the best quality that they can afford,,,,, key word being 
> afford.

Right, but if you are actually using the cheaper knives, then you will
definitely go through 30-40 of the inferior knives in whatever real task
you are trying to perform, OR, you will injury yourself somewhere along
the way and end up spending far more.  I understand that you never can
convince people to buy quality-that's a lesson that most folks learn the
hard way-but I just had to make that point.


> > From the point of view of personal use, I would prefer super 
> > quality - and if I can't afford, then lots of back-up replacements.
> >  LOL.
>
> For guns, I think I would think differently though, as I would guess 
> there are probably personal safety issues involved.

A gun is a tool.  A knife is a tool.  A chainsaw is a tool.
All have personal safety issues.  Even if you are going to resell them
and not use them yourself, think about the injury someone else might
acquire.

B



--
"The world is my country, all mankind are my
 brethren, and to do good is my religion."
 Thomas Paine (1737 - 1809)