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Manufactures VS Custom and is there something n between?

SWISS ARMY KNIFE - SAK (example only)

The knife I call the ultimate in manufactured. You can put 200 of them in your hand and each and every one of the will be identical. They are machine made in mass quantities and have proven to be a reliable knife over many years. Every knife collector I know has one in the collection. Until iKC I did not realize the extent of the variables. I did not know short runs existed. Price average 100.00

A TRUE CUSTOM

The maker begins with a billet of steel and hand fashioned each piece of the knife to the specification they set for it. He makes one in this pattern every year and no two ever come out exactly alike, a pin sets different, The bone takes the dye differently...ect. Known maker Price 300.00 & UP

So here is my question

1) Is there anything in between ?

2) Do you expect something different from one than the other?

3) Do we tend to expect some manufactures to have the same look &, feel of a custom without paying the cost?

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Comment by Sue OldsWidow on December 28, 2012 at 19:26: I have seen many manufactured knives....actually beautified...handle material change and file work on the blades etc. This is what I would consider the IN Between......

Manufactured knives

Modified

Custom

Comment by Brad T. on December 21, 2012 at 12:04: There is a niche that is in between Production and fully customized knives. That would be the likes of Yellowhorse, Painted Pony and whoever else in in that Production knife customization market. The price point falls in between those other markets depending on the materials used and the amount of work done.
For instance, the 2 Lone Wolf Defenders I own that are customized by Michael Prater at Painted Pony< are more finely assembled and sharpened than the Ltd. Edition one I have straight from Lone Wolf.

Featured Comment by Craig Henry on December 20, 2012 at 23:54: A. I always figure if it comes from a factory, it's going to have a chance of a flaw, or at least differences from knife to knife, of various kinds, especially if there are hand operations in making the knives.

B. And it also depends on the reject rate of a knife company (or other products) which can determine the cost. Sal Glesser once said "A high reject rate = higher cost".

And even if the reject rate is set to the max "A" comes into play.

So, I do not expect a factory knife to be the equal of a custom knife, and therefore not as expensive. If the cost of a factory knife approaches the cost of a custom knife, then I'll think three times before I buy it....IF I buy it.

And I think everyone is amazed that SAKs are so good year after year after year. BUT, I think the only hands that touch them is when they are taken out of the box buy the one that bought it! LOL! . SAK; no differences from knife to knife - factory made knives; small differences from knife to knife. I know that there's a lot of people that want that feeling that hands touched their knife when it's made