Joe Dirt said:
I am right there with him.
I bet that a Spyderco Manix, Benchmade 710, Kershaw Bump, will all last as long, if not longer than a Sebenza or a Strider. I bet they will cut better too.
I will not spend $400 on a knife. I will not spend $200 on a knife. About $130 is my limit. Not because I can't afford it, only because I think it's a waste.
If you want to spend $400, you should
. Will it make you happy? Yes. Will it be a better knife which performs any better? No. Never.
Enjoy
I highly doubt a Manix, 710, or Bump will last longer than a Sebenza or Strider. Will they cut better? Depends on what kind of cutting. The Sebenza and SMF will murder the others in certain tasks (not the same ones of course as the Sebenza and SMF are vastly different). The Manix, 710, and Bump would murder in other tasks as well (and again, different ones for each knife). In terms of overall performance, I think the Sebenza and SMF, SNG, and AR are definitly better than the Manix, 710, and Bump. Overall performance is more than push-cutting paper. The SMF and SNG are by far the best, most well-thought-out designs in the world of knives, IMO.
Will it be a better knife which performs better? Yes, definitly, always.
It may not "cut" better in certain ways, but it will be a better knife. My Sebenza and SMF are far better knives than any Spyderco, Benchmade, Kershaw, or Buck- at least in my opinion. Far, far better. Do they "cut" better? It depends on the type of cutting. But they are definitly better overall knives to me.
*in the above two paragraphs I am talking about CRK and Strider, not every expensive knife as of course a fancy slipjoint isn't going to be expensive because it is a great overall peformer.
The Sebenza and SMF don't give me more joy just because. I don't get off on the price alone, or the ego trip. They give me more joy because they are actually *BETTER*. Better in real, meaningful ways having nothing to do with price or ego. They are designed and built better and perform better overall IMO. Not every expensive knife is better overall than a Manix. But there is a reason I bought a Sebenza and an SMF and not an ivory and damascus slipjoint. I am into performance and function rather than high prices due to fancy (though not functionally superior) materials and filework. I am not bashing nice slippies- I like them very much and sometimes looks is the most important factor in buying a knife. I just tend to prefer users than art knives. Yes, an expensive art knife may not be a better user than a Manix or 710, but the Sebenza and SMF are users, not art knives.
Of course which knife is better is a matter of opinion. "Performance" can mean so many different things, and there are tons of very important aspects beyond performance. But don't kid yourself into thinking that the less expensive knives are better and that the most expensive ones don't perform as well or better. The Manix is not the end-all, be-all and it isn't the case that no knife can ever top it so the more expensive ones are all a waste. Likewise, it isn't like the more expensive ones are better as a matter of fact either. Which is better is a matter of the user and his/her preferences. Price is pretty much independant of this. A Manix might be perfect for you. Or maybe an SMF is. Hell, maybe a Delica is perfect for you and no knife in the world is better. But I think you have to try them all before you decide. Saying anything over $130 is a waste is pretty close-minded. Maybe if you ever tried a Sebenza (and really lived with it for a while) you would change your tune. I don't think you should give yourself a price cap until you know how great the knives are that lay beyond it.
If you think spending over $130 is a waste, so be it. But I think you are missing out on the best knives in the world. I think buying several less expensive knives is, in the long run, the bigger waste. I think it is better to use the best user you can afford every day than having a variety of inferior users. And yes, I think the Sebenza and SMF are better users than any of the knives you named. You may disagree since it is subjective, but I think you should buy what you feel is the best user instead of spending over $400-500 on knives and saying a Sebenza or SMF is a waste. If a Manix is a better user for you, that's cool, but use it because it is a better user and not because it is cheaper- especially since you are spending SMF money on knives either way.
There is no right or wrong here. I am not into expensive watches, so I can totally see your point of view. But I would suggest that you give more expensive knives a chance. You may change your mind (or you may not).
I do think you are underestimating the real benefits of more expensive knives. The superior quality and fit and finish of the Sebenza is very real and does lead to an overall better knife. It also has a great weight/size ratio and that matters VERY much. It is also a very easy knife to live with since it is so easy to strip, clean, carry, sharpen, and maintain. I also think you underestimate how well the Sebenza cuts. I think you underestimate how well-thought-out the SNG/SMF design is. From tip to tip it is a genious example of form following function. It is the functionally best folder (the SMF in specific) I have ever used. The obtuse final bevel can be reprofiled. While the blade will remain thick, it is still a good cutter, it just excels are more heavy-duty tasks.
My SMF can cut everything my Manix and Military can cut. The Spydies can often do it without a draw and with less force, but the SMF will do it. On the other hand, my SMF can do a lot of things my Manix and Military would have a lot of trouble doing, or recieve damage from. Forgetting the "hard-use" stuff, I find the SMF is just a far better designed and built knife. It wins due to the details. The ergos and retention are better.
I could list all of the reasons I think the SMF is, for me, the best production knife if you would like. I am not just BSing and saying "oh there are reasons" without having any beyond feeling like an elitist for owning a Strider. My post is already too long, so if you'd like a review of the SMF, just ask and I will post one. Even to just list the things I like will be very long as you can see I am not good at being brief.
P.S. I admit the Buck SBMF has most of the great design elements of the SMF and SNG, but the real Striders are better, stronger knives, so they win overall even though the cheaper Bucks have most of what makes me rave about the SMF so much. They are great bargains, but not as good as the Striders.
