Why I Secretly Love Budk ...

[Two Dog Man]

Greetings all,

I've been lurking around for quite some time and finally decided to register, which brings me to my first post as a newbie. Please feel free to let me know if I am making any mistakes along the way.

So ... here goes ... I do have a few very good knives and a few old knives, even a few custom made knives along with a good many production knives. I've always loved knives since my first boy scout knife some 45 years back. However, I'm not a serious collector with thousands or even hundreds of pieces. A while back I discovered Budk and I have to tell you, I'm secretly in love with the company, but not because I think they sell high quality product. I fully understand the distaste many serious knife devotees have for Budk. I totally get that ... but I ask you, am I the only guy who thinks it's a great place to buy trinkets and stocking stuffers and sundry "knife-like" products. (Where else can you get a replica Celtic Dagger with a plastic emerald for ten bucks? LOL!)

I just think the site is great fun and offers a lot of stuff that is also great fun. Good spot to peruse when you can't be at a real knife and gun show.

Best Wishes. Please chime in!

[jill jackson]

What a way to start out...

[357fan]

It can be a source of good beaters and fun stuff. I'd never think of throwing on of my Barkies, but I'd sure try it with a $10 bud k special. I think I got my cold steel trailhawk there, too.

[crimsonfalcon07]

Egads. If I can't go to a knife show, I go sniff around here:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/fo...-More-for-Sale

Why would you WANT to get a replica Celtic Dagger with a plastic emerald? There are all kinds of nice trinkets (SAK's, for instance, or a Mora) that won't break the bank and also are of good quality.

[marcinek]

Welcome.

Oddly spammy start!

[Two Dog Man]

Egads. If I can't go to a knife show, I go sniff around here:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/fo...-More-for-Sale

Why would you WANT to get a replica Celtic Dagger with a plastic emerald? There are all kinds of nice trinkets (SAK's, for instance, or a Mora) that won't break the bank and also are of good quality.

Truthfully, my daughter is into this Lord Of The Rings phenom and the dagger is simply a display piece anyway, a wall hanger, bereft of anything resembling a sharp edge. The ten bucks was worth every penny just to see her face when I presented it. I very much like Moras and even more so, OPinels which are a heck of a lot of fun to modify.

I wanted to add, I sure didn't post this with intent to be spamish or make plug for Budk, but rather to see if anyone else just agreed that it was a source of fun ... maybe hear a few entertaining personal experiences. There's a lot of serious discussion on this site, I thought a few Budk stories might feel light-hearted.

Thanks for joining in.

[Two Dog Man]

It can be a source of good beaters and fun stuff. I'd never think of throwing on of my Barkies, but I'd sure try it with a $10 bud k special. I think I got my cold steel trailhawk there, too.

Indeed, I got my first dozen eight inch throwing knives there and I don't feel one bit guilty about beating the heck out of them. CHEAP entertainment all around.

[marcinek]

I wanted to add, I sure didn't post this with intent to be spamish or make plug for Budk,....

I'm sure you didn't, but a first post going on about how great some non-Bladeforums dealer/supporter is can come off as fishy.

[bladeboss]

Well, there's
Cold Steel
KA-Bar
and
Kershaw
on there. Its......different.

[Bastid]

Uh since this is more about a dealer than knives..

[Bastid]

and now that it is here.

Budk to me represents just about everything I can think of that is reprehensible in a knife dealer. My thought is that since there are so many fantastic dealers around why bother. (But it seems there are a lot of folks who like to support reprehensible dealers, makers and manufacturers.)

To each their own.

[Stelth]

Welcome aboard, Two Dog Man. As you've just learned, some topics are akin to buried mines. Unfortunately you stepped on one with your first post. I had a junk knife phase in my teens and twenties...I think most knife collectors/accumulators do. There's nothing wrong with good cheap fun. Like any hobby, there are some who take things too seriously and may be condescending towards you...don't dwell on those kind of comments. There's a lot you can learn here and most members are very helpful.

[silenthunterstudios]

I went after junk knives like crazy when I was in my teens. Lots of brands, one stands out, Jaguar, another, Maxam. Whenever I am at a flea market or farmers market, and I see a table full of knives, first think I ask for are "name brand knives". If their response to that is "Yeah sure, Franklin Mint, Bud K, Smith and Wesson" etc, I nod a polite thanks, and go on my way.

I think I only ever ordered one item from BudK, it was a "ninja sword". What a POS. And I paid about 80 bucks too. God, my father was right when he told me to save my money instead of buying "that junk".

[Two Dog Man]

Welcome aboard, Two Dog Man. As you've just learned, some topics are akin to buried mines. Unfortunately you stepped on one with your first post. I had a junk knife phase in my teens and twenties...I think most knife collectors/accumulators do. There's nothing wrong with good cheap fun. Like any hobby, there are some who take things too seriously and may be condescending towards you...don't dwell on those kind of comments. There's a lot you can learn here and most members are very helpful.

Thank you for that. I've been lurking around long enough to notice that a good many serious knife people in this community find Budk disgusting, reprehensible, and on the adjective list could go. I said my piece honestly, not being afraid to admit that most of their products are less than stellar, even using the terms "knife-like" and "trinkets" ... and, that in spite of all that, for me, there was nonetheless good fun to be had. I'm willing to take whatever comes my way with regard to responses. If, in the end, I am unable to enjoy the company of other knife lovers without being judged as inferior for my opinions, that's alright. There is no requirement that I hang around. And in general, I'm not easily offended as long as people are honest and refrain from being mean-spirited.

I won't pretend that I am a professional, an expert, a knife maker, or even a great knife thrower (God knows). But I do love knives and I can put a fine edge on the ones I own and carry. Now, I found a vintage Schrade stockman in an old tackle box yesterday and it's in need of a face lift, while I, as luck would have it, am in need of some bench time.

Happy hunting.

[Bastid]

Keep in mind I was talking about the dealer. Some folks seems to be a little confused about the point I was making and it was not about the knives. (After all BudK sells at least one of my favorite brands.)

I spend a bit of time at knife shows helping kids find "deals" and in the past when I set up I always had a few "deals" to give away. I still get their catalog and just do not appreciate some of the descriptions they use. I am saying I would rather spend my cash for the same knife somewhere else.

Your mileage may vary, but do not read any more into what I am saying than what I have said.

[Danbo]

BudK sux, plain and simple. Selling cheapo knockoffs to unsuspecting folks.

[Two Dog Man]

I still get their catalog and just do not appreciate some of the descriptions they use. I am saying I would rather spend my cash for the same knife somewhere else.

Your mileage may vary, but do not read any more into what I am saying than what I have said.

I would agree there ... the descriptions are pretty far fetched with regards to quality. I understand your final points. No worries from this side. Truly.