Higher Prices

[NAB]

This may sound ridiculous, but I just picked up a new Cold Steel catalog. In the front there was a disclaimer stating that they were going to "substantially increase prices" in their next catalog. They then said it was because of the increase in costs of steel and plastics. So my question is are we going to see that from other manufacturers also? :eek:

[Tim8557]

I'm not sure that I believe anything in a Cold Steel Catalog, but I would guess that price increases will depend on present blade inventories and a manufacturers philosophy on pricing based on present or replacement costs.

[The Deacon]

Would not really be surprised. Let's face it the production of both steel and plastics takes a lot of energy, and plastics use petroleum products as ingredients as well. Coffee and sugar have already started to go up, at least in my neck of the woods.

[Intruderdriver]

I saw that in the catalog too. My thought was that unless the other makers increase their prices as well, Cold Steel is going to price themselves out of business. Their voyagers are good knives, but every time I think I want to buy one, I realize I can get a comparable Spyderco with VG-10 for the same price or less.

I think this is a scare-tactic marketing trick by Lynn Thompson to drum up sales. "Buy now before it's too late!"

[Ed Schempp]

I watched red iron and bolts/fasteners increase about 100% the last year or two. Tool steel has been going through some major jumps as well. Luckily a knife doesn't have a lot of steel by weight. You can bet Greenspan doesn't look at steel in the cost of living index...Ed

[BlackNinja]

I would have to say yes. I work in a lumberyard and the price of nails, tools, metal roofing/siding, railings, etc... has gone considerably up in the past year plus. It's due to 1: the war, 2: it's going to other countries like Japan. It is being bought by other countries that can't, or don't make it at an astronomical price.

[ghostrider]

The price of just about everything should be going up (in some cases has been), and it's not just the war. It's called inflation (that is, “an increase in the supply of money and credit”). Rising prices and rising wages are the most visible effects of inflation. When the government spends more than it takes in, the government must borrow that money. That means that the Fed has to print up more money, or provide more credit through the interest rates. This in turn creates a larger supply of money, and credit in the monetary system, which in turn creates higher demand because there is more money/credit to be spent. Then, the law of economics takes over, and prices go up.

Look at it this way:
Before an increase in the money/credit supply, lets just say it used to cost $1 to buy an apple. With inflation, there is more money/credit to buy apples, so the price goes up to meet demand, and find the equilibrium price (say $12). It may seem like “across the board” the general public is making more money, but their purchasing power has gone down.

I realize the “apple” example doesn’t employ realistic prices, but I used it that way to give the general idea.

[Dr. Snubnose]

Sorry :( I didn't see that in Cold Steel's Cat. Cause when the new one arrived it went right in the trash with all the rest of the garbage....Doc :D

[ghostrider]

Sorry :( I didn't see that in Cold Steel's Cat. Cause when the new one arrived it went right in the trash with all the rest of the garbage....Doc :D
ROFLOL. I like looking at their catalog, but that's just because I like looking at pics of knives. I don't get them anymore. The last one I have is the one where they trash the karambit, and say how bad a tool it is. Now they make one.