For a knife to have value there must be a demand for the knife on the secondary market. I, as a dealer, believe in the knives I sell and the makers I represent. The maker's knives I deal or distribute, I stand behind. When buying a knife through a dealer, ask him his refund or trade in policy. Most dealers will take back in trade the knives they sell, sometimes they may not, for example the particular knife was on consignment or they are changing the direction of their inventory.
Dealers owe it to the knife buying public to educate and to be patient.
There are many collectors out there who have factory knives and who want to start collecting custom knives. Even if I am not interested in the particular factory knives, I try to guide them to a dealer or collector who will be. Never would I belittle that person or say to them they were not wise for paying retail. I explain to them that stores in malls often must charge retail to pay for their high price rents. Another example of how dealers benefit makers is that makers are artists and craftsmen.