The beads and other "accessories" have been a pretty big thing with many knife buyers for a few years now. I feel confident in saying that the tactical knife market is currently the largest segment of the current overall knife market. That particular market segment thrives on the "bling". Its certainly not a bad thing, its just part of the evolution of the custom knife market. Personally I think its a good thing, simply because its brought new avenues for sales opprotunities to custom knifemakers who are savvy enough to recognize it. Most of those who create "beads" and other accessories are also knifemakers. In a lot of ways I view it along the lines of car/vehicle sales...an individual can buy a "base" model, then accessorize as much or as little as they like.
As far as prices are concerned, the custom knife market has always been such that the value of any given knife/item, is what consumers are willing to pay. Moreso these days then ever before, the custom knife market hosts a number of "rock stars"...... and in many buyers eyes, the status of owning something (not necessarily a knife) made my one of those individuals is worth more then many of us would ever consider paying for said item(s). I'm aware of a number of individuals who simply do not have the extra money to buy knives on a regular basis, but they love them, and they collect things like the beads or other such items that tend to be less expensive then a custom knife. Thats not to say they do not purchase knives, they simply save their money along the way, and are more frugal about their actual knife purchases.
I'm straying a bit from the thread topic, but I think the following bears on the overall issue......
I do my best to keep a close eye on the overall custom knife market, and the trends that occur. One thing, that I personally feel many long time custom knifemakers have either chosen to ignore, or missed completely is the fact that today's knife buyers have changed dramatically from a decade ago. A decade ago, the average "collector" was one that would purchase a knife (more often then not a "straight knife"), put it in a display case, or safe, and when company came to the house on Sunday afternoon, they would show off their collection(s), and in many cases any given knife was intended to be kept "forever". Sadly, for guys like me who have spent most of their knifemaking careers dealing with that type of buyer, they're becoming more rare. Personally I think its simply because many of that generation have/are passing on.
These days the demographics have changed. This generation of knife buyers tends to be of a different social nature....many want to be able to put their whole collection into a fanny pack, or something else that is easy to carry, meet up with friends at the local "coffee shop", or even the skateboard park, and show off their "toys". This generation of knife buyers also differs from previous ones in that many of them don't keep any given knife for long. More often then not, they will keep a knife for a few months, then sell it to someone else, and use that money to purchase their next "holy grail". To see this trend, one only has to watch what occurs at any of the major shows.....an example are "Bowie" knives. Over the past 3-4 years I have watched many makers put wonderful looking Bowies on thier tables at major shows.....only to see those same knives go back into the Maker's case when the show closes. Those knives are no less fabulous then they were a decade ago (when any well made Bowie was snapped up quickly at just about every show), its just a matter of the buyers changing. On the other hand, most folders within a given quality level are quickly sold. I also believe that state and local laws concerning knives (such as the blade lengths laws we see in so many locations) influences the size/type of knives buyers seek. Its not uncommon for a knife show patron to asked the specific length of a blade, with the thought of whether its "legal" where they live, and in some cases I have lost sales because a certain knife, a patron was interested in, was in their mind, not legal according to their local law(s).
An example is an experiment I did a couple of years ago when attending a major show.... I built and took 6 frame-lock folders that most would consider "tatical", but with my own "Bladesmith twists", along with my usual Damascus bowies and hunters. All of those folders were sold in the first 1/2 hour of the show! While there was interest in the Damascus Bowies and Hunters, more often then not people would walk up to my table and ask "Do you have any more of those folders like XXXXXXX bought from you?"
One of the most difficult things for many long time custom knifemakers is change (myself included), but failing to recognize changing markets, or refusing to see them, is potentially the easiest way to become the biggest collector of your own work, and for those who depend on knives as their soul source of income.....a disaster. I still love buidling Damascus Bowies, and suspect I always will, but I also am forced to consider the "business end" of what I do. I can make those damascus bowies and pull them out of the safe every now and then to enjoy, or I can build what buyers want, and keep the lights on in the shop.....and the wolf from the door.
