Why buy expensive knives?

marcinek said:
Well...he sounds like a great dad! :thumbup:

I get the feeling you will be able to convince him you can appreciate a "better" knife. In a couple posts over a couple hours you convinced me.
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I sure hope so. If all else fails just say its my money I can do what I want with it.
 
Spyderman99 said:
... I have a lot of money in a bank account that I have saved up.
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Spyderman99 said:
Plus I mow people's yards and walk dogs for extra cash.
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I think you deserve a pat on the back for this AND a Para 2. You work for your money, and thats more than what most kids your age do. Keep up the good work kid...the discipline learned now and experience gained, is going to pay dividends in 10 years time :thumbup:

Maybe you could tell your dad, that you could sell the Tenacious and use the money earned to fund the Para-2?
 
Spyderman99 said:
I will use money that I get from my bday so I'm buying it 100%
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Good for you! In the end, I hope that your Dad respects the decision that you make. The Tenacious is a very nice knife though, it's not like you are missing out! Upgrading is a very dangerous path because there is always a "better" knife...
 
PropThePolecat said:
I think you deserve a pat on the back for this AND a Para 2. You work for your money, and thats more than what most kids your age do. Keep up the good work kid...the discipline learned now and experience gained, is going to pay dividends in 10 years time :thumbup:

Maybe you could tell your dad, that you could sell the Tenacious and use the money earned to fund the Para-2?
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Thanks for the cyber pat on the back lol I don't think anyone will want my tenacious. I has a chip in the blade from me running into a staple in a tree I was using for my firplace. I was mad.
 
Maprik said:
Good for you! In the end, I hope that your Dad respects the decision that you make. The Tenacious is a very nice knife though, it's not like you are missing out! Upgrading is a very dangerous path because there is always a "better" knife...
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That's how it is for everything really. In the distant future I do see Myself purchasing a better knife. But not any time soon.
 
My dad is not that mean lol in the past I bought a new iPod touch replacing my old one. He respected that I saved up all year and wanted to reward my self with some nice things.
 
Spyderman99 said:
My dad is not that mean lol in the past I bought a new iPod touch replacing my old one. He respected that I saved up all year and wanted to reward my self with some nice things.
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Then what's his problem with the knife!?!? Gah!
 
Spyderman99 said:
That's what I said. Hes just trying to look out for me. He's not big on weapons also. He sees knives as weapons not tools.
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There is his problem....

Go into the kitchen and pull out a bunch of knives and put that little folder right in the middle and should him how ridiculous that really is.
 
Ankerson said:
There is his problem....

Go into the kitchen and pull out a bunch of knives and put that little folder right in the middle and should him how ridiculous that really is.
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I think I will do that. My parents have an expensive kitchen knive set. I use my tenacious about as much they use their kitchen knives.
 
Spyderman99 said:
Well I don't have a real real job bc I have to be 15 to have 1 in nc where I live. I do walk dogs wash cars mow lawns. I also get paid for little gigs because I play sax bass and piano. So money is not a huge proplem. The original question was could I tell the difference and how different are cheap and expensive knives.
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Where in NC do you live? There are shops or members around that will let you see what you like.
 
You are an hour from me then. Send me a vm if there are any other knives you have been wanting to try out.
 
:confused: I wasn't talking about doing anything in secret. I'm out that way pretty often at bills and parkers bbq. I was saying if I had a knife you have wanted to check out I could bring it by.
 
turk.919 said:
:confused: I wasn't talking about doing anything in secret. I'm out that way pretty often at bills and parkers bbq. I was saying if I had a knife you have wanted to check out I could bring it by.
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I'm saying my dad will not let me meet a stranger to look at knives.
 
marcinek said:
Well...it sounds like you know you will appreciate the difference. If you cant convince your dad, you are outta luck. :D

You could just tell him you will use the money on piercings and tattoos and beer instead! He might change his tune.

Or you could go off into the "world" of great, inexpensive knives like Moras and Opinels and Tramontinas and such.

Best of luck to you, whatever you decide to do!
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Ditto on all counts. Spydie99, you sound like a great kid: you work and save, you're responsible, your postings here are thoughtful and respectful (more than we can say for some members 3x your age), and at 13 you actually have reasonable and respectful conversations with your father about spending and dating and all manner of things. I didn't 'absorb' all of those lessons until much later, and my father might argue I still haven't. As a father of two now, I can only hope my kids are like you when they reach your age! The fact that you've come to appreciate Spyderco over Benchmade at 13 speaks to a level of 'knife maturity' that I didn't reach till my mid-30s, and that some others here will never, ever achieve. :)

But to pick up on Marcinek's last suggestion: this might well be something you already know but the difference isn't just between bad, less expensive knives and good, more expensive ones. Obviously you know there are plenty of crappy, pricey knives; but there are also really good inexpensive ones. If you haven't already done so, for $40 you can pick up a Vic Alox SAK -- Farmer, Electrician, or Pioneer -- and an Opinel #8. Opinels arguably have the most comfortable handles on just about any folder, regardless of price; and SAKs are just downright more practical and functional than just about any folder, regardless of price. Quality control and warranty service can't be beat, either; Victorinox's service dept doesn't quibble with its customers over what might constitute 'abuse.' Opies and Vics won't replace your more expensive knives but you might be surprised at how frequently they make it into your 'EDC rotation.'

Last but not least -- addressed not necessarily to you but to anyone thinking about how to finance a college education for a child or him/herself: I fully agree with those who encourage you to go to a four-year college/univ. but, respectfully, I have to disagree with some of the advice regarding cost and financing given here. However commonsensical it sounds -- in-state public as the best and least expensive option -- it isn't necessarily true. Depending on your academic profile and family's financial situation, a private or out-of-state public institution might be better and less costly, in some cases far less so. Unlike some things I might say about knives, I actually know what I'm talking about here -- I'm an associate dean at UC Irvine, which is a 'research 1' university, top 50 overall and top 20 public univ. Just some brief examples: If you're a Calif. resident whose family earns below the state median $80K and you are admitted to any Univ. of Calif. campus, with few exceptions your tuition will be fully covered by Cal and Pell grants, with the difference covered by univ grants (look up "UC Blue and Gold Plan"). You may still need loans or pay out of pocket for room/board, living expenses, books, entertainment, etc.; but tuition will be covered. If your family earns less than $150K and you're admitted to Harvard or Yale, your tuition to either will be waived. In other words, if you're a CA resident whose family earns $140K, your college ed would cost vastly more to attend UC than to attend Harvard. If your family earns $200K, given the 'sliding scale' approach used by many Ivy League and other elite private schools, a Harvard or Columbia will still be less costly than a UC, whether Berkeley, Irvine, Riverside, Davis, UCLA, etc.

Two family examples: my cousin's daughter (Wash. state resident) is an undergrad at Vanderbilt on a partial scholarship and is paying about 3/4 of what it would have cost her to have enrolled at U.Washington. My nephew from Hawaii wasn't offered a dime of support from U. Hawaii but is attending U.Missouri on a full scholarship.

Moderators -- sorry to carry on WAY OFF-TOPIC but I just wanted to provide a corrective to, or at least different perspective for, partial or misleading information that could turn out to be far more costly for a family or individual than the difference between a Spydie Tenacious and Paramil 2! :) My main advice would be for anyone interested to speak directly with academic counselors (not just financial aid counselors) at colleges/univs. you or your kids may be interested in. They can help to match funding opportunities with your academic interests and financial situation.
 
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