$400 Traditional Knife Poll

Which would you be more likely to spend $400 on?

  • Total voters
    161
  • Poll closed .
Augie said:
Need to add rare old vintage knife to the poll as I am far more likely to spend that for certain vintage knives than anything made today.



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This would be my feelings/response too :thumbsup::cool:



Case/Bose Collab- maybe but only one interests me and they have a tendency to have 'issues'

Rare old GEC? - I've had them and would willingly sell more....

New or unknown maker - unlikely, I don't want to be the test bed or guinea-pig, could have buyer's remorse written all over it.

Won't spend 400 on any knife - don't HAVE spare 400 at the moment :p:eek:
 
black mamba said:
People, this is the TRADITIONAL subforum-- let's keep responses to traditional knives, please!
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CRK makes traditional fixed blades .... the problem is how you phrased your poll, not the answers.

It's really easy to spend more than $400 on a fixed blade from established makers, Busse, CPK, CRK, Hinderer, you name it. The traditional world does not only consist of GEC, Case, Bose and "new makers".
 
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I went with Case/Bose. Up and coming maker can be a bit of a gamble. I've done that kind of purchase for less than $400 and got bit. Pics looked great and was seemingly a deal but ended up being less than what I expected. It would have to be the right Case/Bose though. Would easily pay this for a NIB Lockback Whittler. I've been tempted at times to up what I'd pay for a grail GEC but have never done it and doubt I will ever.
 
Couldn't check any of those boxes. I spent 390 on my Beer Scout, the most I've ever spent on a factory knife. I felt silly for doing it, but I do *love* that knife so no regrets, but I don't think I'll spend that much on a GEC again. I would rather buy a pre-owned or new handbuilt from a known maker if I'm gonna drop that kind of cash. The BEST values I have gotten are pre-owned customs from the exchange right here, no question. If I really couldn't stop looking at an older/rarer GEC, I would consider having a maker build a knock-off for me. traumkommode traumkommode popped my cherry when he let me handle his Rhidian version of the BF Spring Street Barlow, and I couldn't stop thinking about how amazing it was, the first really fine custom I ever handled.
 
ephsea said:
Couldn't check any of those boxes. I spent 390 on my Beer Scout, the most I've ever spent on a factory knife. I felt silly for doing it, but I do *love* that knife so no regrets, but I don't think I'll spend that much on a GEC again. I would rather buy a pre-owned or new handbuilt from a known maker if I'm gonna drop that kind of cash. The BEST values I have gotten are pre-owned customs from the exchange right here, no question. If I really couldn't stop looking at an older/rarer GEC, I would consider having a maker build a knock-off for me. traumkommode traumkommode popped my cherry when he let me handle his Rhidian version of the BF Spring Street Barlow, and I couldn't stop thinking about how amazing it was, the first really fine custom I ever handled.
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yeah, some one had advised me back then that an ebony single clip 15 tc was already way past the $500 back in like 2018, its at this point cheaper to find a 15 clip and maybe a glitter gold and just have it built. the hard ceiling for me on gecs is quite a touch lower than that.
 
I chose the new Case Bose collaboration as my answer. As someone who has paid more than $400 for a GEC before*, these days I would be more inclined to spend that much on a nice Case/Bose collab that caught my eye. I have more knives than I'll ever be able to use in my lifetime, so these days, when I pay fairly significant money for a knife, I generally like to have the ability to recoup most of that cost if at all possible in the event I decided to move it along. Up and coming makers? No guarantee of being able to move a knife along easily there, so that's generally a pass for me. Known custom makers? Eeeehhhhh, I've seen an awful lot of absolutely beautiful custom Traditionals from well known makers just sit over on the Exchange, even at a significant discount. Boses though, they always move.

I hate to make a hobby of passion seem so businesslike, but I've been collecting knives for like 35 years, so it's where I'm at these days.




* And who has no problem fessing up to doing so 🤣
 
I'm having loads of fun with my arbitrary dollar-a-day knife budget, and I'm sure I'd get a lot more enjoyment out of a new $30 knife once a month for 13 months than I would from waiting 13 months to buy one $400 knife that I'd be scared to carry for fear of losing it. But that's just me, and everyone ought to "do their hobby" in whatever way they enjoy the most! :thumbsup::thumbsup:🤓

- GT
 
I voted that I wouldn't spend $400 on a knife, because that is currently more than I'd spend on a knife.
That limit rises a bit each year though, and I expect that I will eventually spend that much on a custom knife some point. It would probably be a small-ish fixed blade of some kind in stag.
So far the most I've spent on one knife has been about $140 shipped and that was for an uncommon vintage knife, so that $400 expenditure is a long ways off if it does ever come.
 
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Great and interesting poll, OP.

I must confess that 400 dollars could probably be pried from my stingy fingers for the right item. I almost tried for a Case Bose, but after thinking about it a while I opted not to.

I know how much I baby knives that cost 25% that, and I fear I'd be buying a knife that I'd never really use. It's just hard for me to go full luxury.
 
Interesting poll. I've gotten to the point where I decided to get a custom slipjoint built because it made more sense than chasing GEC patterns I like at nearly the same price. Have a Kroo in the works now. Until that's ready I think the only knives I've spent $400+ on were Randall knives or Chris Reeve.
 
Ron Sabbagh said:
Case Bose.

I've been impressed with the ones I own. They are better than some of my customs costing over $400 and Case has taken care of all my maintenance/warrantee issues.
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Yes, they can be excellent. But they’re pretty large patterns. I wish they had made a collaboration of the swayback.
 
Will Power said:
New or unknown maker - unlikely, I don't want to be the test bed or guinea-pig, could have buyer's remorse written all over it.
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I've always heard it said that buying from new less known Craftsman is a great way to get a very good value, because it's hard to sell custom goods for what they're worth until you have a reputation of quality.
Whether it be handmade boots, leather jackets, custom knives or sheaths...etc, supposedly you can get an excellent value from somebody who isn't well established yet.
 
5K Qs said:
I'm having loads of fun with my arbitrary dollar-a-day knife budget, and I'm sure I'd get a lot more enjoyment out of a new $30 knife once a month for 13 months than I would from waiting 13 months to buy one $400 knife that I'd be scared to carry for fear of losing it. But that's just me, and everyone ought to "do their hobby" in whatever way they enjoy the most! :thumbsup::thumbsup:🤓

- GT
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It’s the common dilemma of carrying an expensive knife. I’ve done it for quite a few years, it’s not an easy decision.
 
Hickory n steel said:
I've always heard it said that buying from new less known Craftsman is a great way to get a very good value, because it's hard to sell custom goods for what they're worth until you have a reputation of quality.
Whether it be handmade boots, leather jackets, custom knives or sheaths...etc, supposedly you can get an excellent value from somebody who isn't well established yet.
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I’ve gotten mostly good results buying from lessor known makers, they tend to make simple knives in the beginning. By the time their skill level rises, their books get closed (but not for old customers as a rule). Support them early and they will remember.
 
Quiet said:
I chose the new Case Bose collaboration as my answer. As someone who has paid more than $400 for a GEC before*, these days I would be more inclined to spend that much on a nice Case/Bose collab that caught my eye. I have more knives than I'll ever be able to use in my lifetime, so these days, when I pay fairly significant money for a knife, I generally like to have the ability to recoup most of that cost if at all possible in the event I decided to move it along. Up and coming makers? No guarantee of being able to move a knife along easily there, so that's generally a pass for me. Known custom makers? Eeeehhhhh, I've seen an awful lot of absolutely beautiful custom Traditionals from well known makers just sit over on the Exchange, even at a significant discount. Boses though, they always move.

I hate to make a hobby of passion seem so businesslike, but I've been collecting knives for like 35 years, so it's where I'm at these days.




* And who has no problem fessing up to doing so 🤣
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its mustve been some gec!!! do you mind sharing?
 
mrknife said:
its mustve been some gec!!! do you mind sharing?
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Sure, it was my Beer Scout in beer-barrel covers. I don't have it handy at the moment, I'll have to add a pic later if I remember. Those are very hard to find, even today and command a hefty sum in either filthy lucre, or trade bait when you do. They will never be made again (given how the BSA took legal offense to the name). Being a hobbyist alcoholic huge fan of stouts, I had to have at least one.
 
Quiet said:
Sure, it was my Beer Scout in beer-barrel covers.
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That's funny that we both hit a stop point at exactly the same GEC. Still, I'm glad I didn't stop until I scored one. She will surely be called upon for a mission this weekend! 🍻 I know it's too light, but I promise it's 13% stout in those mugs 😵‍💫
 
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