A theoretical question on knives

tknife

tknife

Joined
Mar 18, 1999
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Here is a question that often tumbles around in my knife addicted brain, especially when I am getting the itch for a new blade. This is relating to one main outdoors fixed blade, maybe you'd sometimes pair it with an axe, or a saw or a machete or even just a pocketknife. But I'm talking about your main "heading for the woods" knife.

Would you rather have a number of somewhat similar knives that are all just a bit different (but basically fit the same bill) or one perfect knife?

Now I know obviously that the truly perfect knife doesn't exist, but I sometimes wonder why I have 5 $100 knives that are all nice but basically similar when I could sell them and get 1 $500 Close to perfect knife.

Anyone else ever think this? Or maybe I'm just giddy because it's finally Friday :D
 
tknife said:
Would you rather have a number of somewhat similar knives that are all just a bit different (but basically fit the same bill) or one perfect knife?
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No B.S. I just about sold about all my knives to fund my perfect knife.

I have one perfect knife. One exact duplicate of the perfect knife as a backup.

Beyond that every other knife I own either has a specific task it is used for or has sentimental value.

I LOVE my one knife.

-Stan
 
Yeah, you seem giddy...settle down now before you get hurt. Now, your question. We have so many choices available to us at all price levels so we get blinded by the options and gather up all kinds of extras of the same sorts of things. Look at your tool box or tool rack, how many hammers do you have? Screwdrivers, socket sets, pipe wrenches, pliers? How about hunting and fishing gear? Fishing rods, lures, rifles, shotguns, boats? So the same thing goes for outdoors/camping knives. Someone could probably have one and make it work for their needs just as many from the stone age to the iron age did and had no other choice other than to knap or bang out a new blade as needed and resources or ability allowed. Most people in developed countries today can own a variety of the same class of knives, it is a luxury we consider normal to our way of life but we get the reality or conflict that there is no way we can take it all with us to the woods or to the great beyond in the metaphysical sense.
 
I'd rather have a single one that was the right shape and know it inside out. That makes for the perfect knife for me.......The notion of tying a monetary value to “perfection” is interesting. Immediately I'm thinking – If I had three homebaked jobs in a cheap steel and the Southfork came along, looked like all three of them and was in S90V, would I out those cheapos as practice templates I'd tried and bag the Southfork? I can't say yes because I wouldn't have bought those three the same to begin with. Suppose somehow they had come into my possession though then yeah.
 
I think my point, if I actually had one is being missed a bit here. I know full well that I don't need more than one hammer, knife, cheese grater etc. and I can, and do get by plenty fine in the woods with a $10 Mora. And I know that the price of a knife doesn't necessarily mean squat. This is why it is a theoretical not practical question!
 
I tend to try and keep away from overlap, simply because then I can stretch my budget further.

I did this exact thing last christmas. I bought a double handful of different slipjoint production knives. I could have pooled the money and gotten two lovely custom slip joints for what I spent on the pile of productions. But it did allow me to try out different patterns, steel and sizes, so it was a good thing.

For fixed blades I have a limited number of higher cost productions. I could buy a whole mess of different designs for a lot less than I have tied up in those expensive knives, but went with quality and design, over more.
 
I think I get ya, but your theoretical question was necessarily grounded in a practical reality the moment we mentioned funding, or else the perfect knife would just be the next knife on the pile surely?
 
tknife said:
...

Would you rather have a number of somewhat similar knives that are all just a bit different (but basically fit the same bill) or one perfect knife?

...:D
Click to expand...

This is a knife collector's forum. Would any of us be here if we thought there was such a thing as a "perfect knife"?

n2s
 
I used the monetary value to incorrectly represent quality I suppose. Like a car guy would aspire to a fancy sports car over a sensible daily driver, even though they accomplish basically the same thing.
baldtaco-II said:
I think I get ya, but your theoretical question was necessarily grounded in a practical reality the moment we mentioned funding, or else the perfect knife would just be the next knife on the pile surely?
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n2s, I don't view this particular sub forum as a collectors forum. Most here, myself included, may end up collecting in the hunt for what they want in a field knife though. Which is what led me to the question I guess.
 
If there WAS a perfect knife for me, I'd rather have that. However, because of the fact that most of us will never see a perfect knife, I think I'll always have more than one with me,
 
N2S nailed it for me. If I thought I could find a "perfect" knife for my use, I would sell every other knife I had. I am always upgrading and have owned and still own a number of customs but STILL prefer knife A for this "style" of work and knife B for another...

I do upgrade and then thin the herd, same with all my other tools- chainsaws to axes to backpacks. Always an eye open to something that ill suit my changing needs.

I have narrowed my "atual use" fixed blades to two with an eye open for the chopper. Question there is COndor Golok or Culberson Bolok??!! LOL!! I know which I want.

Bill
 
tknife said:
I used the monetary value to incorrectly represent quality I suppose. Like a car guy would aspire to a fancy sports car over a sensible daily driver, even though they accomplish basically the same thing. n2s, I don't view this particular sub forum as a collectors forum. Most here, myself included, may end up collecting in the hunt for what they want in a field knife though. Which is what led me to the question I guess.
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I'm not a car guy but I'll skate with that. My current car is quite modest but I'd rather have it than a Crossfire and an MR2 irrespective of price.
 
I'm in the "one knife" camp, too. I just don't rotate what I use. :D But I kept all the knives I bought along the way. They are mine, and they are special to me. Current "one":

EDC: Case Mini Copperlock
Bushcraft: JK custom Kephart
 
"Perfect" is like "Best", you can spend the rest of your knife chasing after it, buy you'll never find it. Best you can do is finding something that comes close for you.

For me, I like collecting knives, most which I don't use. I do have some "go to" favorites, but my taste and mood changes often. Sometimes, I just like to vary what I've got, not even based on usefulness, but just to change things up.

Realistically, most of my knives will outperform my needs, knowledge or skills anyway.
 
tknife said:
Would you rather have a number of somewhat similar knives that are all just a bit different (but basically fit the same bill) or one perfect knife?
Click to expand...

If you know what your perfect knife is, more power to you. Buy it and a couple of extras, you'll be set and the envy of all your friends.

The dilemma is that it's hard to tell what works for you without hands-on experience. I like the idea of micarta handles, but I found them too cold and slippery. I never had a problem with guards until I bought my first puukko and discovered the handiness of guardless knives. I thought that the typical belt sheath was perfectly comfortable, but I changed my mind once I tried out the dangler design. The overbuilt nature of full tang knives is an advantage, but my hidden tang knives are plenty strong and I expect their blades to break long before the tang does. Plus I don't have to deal with the issue of scale shrinkage, which I've learned is a matter of when, not if.

Still, I agree with your general premise. Buy the best you can afford, I'd rather have the knife I want than a bunch that just sit around gathering dust.
 
I prefer one woman and multiples knives or guns. All three can hurt you, but only one can break your heart.

.... Still the search is on for the perfect blade and I find myself in the same boat. I have 6 blades all in the same size and practical use category. If I could have one perfect one made it would cost me around $900 due to the INFI steel and the shop charging $100 per inch. Then I have the chase of the perfect sheath. That could take another lifetime.
 
I have an entire box full of hammers ...

different weights, different types ... hell, I even have different styles of the same weight and type. :(

I'm gettng ready to sell off a bunch of my knives though... Possibly give some away as gifts.
 
I'd rather have one well designed/made knife with a quality steel then a bunch of so so knives.
Scott
 
not2sharp said:
This is a knife collector's forum. Would any of us be here if we thought there was such a thing as a "perfect knife"?

n2s
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Yes. I have found, over the years, three specific knives that are perfect for my needs. I have two dozen examples of the premium stockman, about the same number of examples of the small skinner and likewise the large hunter. Beyond those three patterns by one manufacturer, I have more than several hundred other knives. Because I like them. I have multiples of those three because I enjoy collecting the slight variations and special factory orders. But for using purposes, I could get along quite handily the rest of my life with just one example of each. The first of each of these was acquired over thirty years ago for less than $25 each. But even at that price, the quality (in materials, design and construction) was there.
 
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