Advice to a beginner

L

LakeOzark53

Joined
Oct 16, 2021
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I have taken a deeper interest in knives as my collecting has grown. I am starting to read about all the different stainless steel types and knife terminology. I have even bought a notebook specifically for my "knife learning" and will do "homework" by writing down much of what I learn. I would like to ask all of you if you can give me advice on how to learn about knives without getting too ahead of myself and overwhelmed. Is there an order on what I should learn first, second, etc.? Can you recommend sites or books or pages on this site that would help? Would greatly appreciate any input. Honestly, I wish I had this interest hit me about forty or so years ago.
Thanks!
 
I tend to learn about knives pretty organically. I spend time here, paying special attention to regularly-updated threads (like the various ones about daily carries, with numerous updates every day), and just absorb what I see. If something catches my eye, be it a brand or model or steel or feature that's new to me, I run a search here (or Google it, etc.) to learn more. Sometimes a knife I dismissed the first few times I saw it will keep catching my eye, and then I get to dig deeper and figure out why.

The 3,000+ pages of the main "what are you carrying today" thread is a great place to see tons of knives, from commonplace to really rare birds. Also a great way to grievously injure your wallet... ;)

EDC XIII Which knife or knives are you carrying today?

Spyderco ladybug II
www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com

Looking at my own collecting, I wish I'd read/watched more reviews, been more patient, and spent my money on fewer knives that better suited my tastes. Although that's a two-edged sword, as trying a wide range of knives at different price points, and in different styles, played a big role in figuring out what I really like.
 
I started with traditional/ old time knives. Got into modern steels and designs, then went back.The history and hand made quality of some of the the older knives is very interesting to me. Ethnic traditionals are also a neat niche .
 

I Tested the Edge Retention of 48 Steels

Recently I was able to acquire a used CATRA machine, so I heat treated just about every knife steel I had, made 57 knives with the help of knifemaker Shawn Houston, and tested them all to see which cut the longest. For a few of the steels I did multiple heat treatments to look at a couple...
www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com

Start by reading a bunch of articles by Larrin Larrin , and reading through his content. He is gracious enough to share it with members on BF, which is pretty awesome.
 
Heck, I've been into knives since the 1970's, been on this forum since 2002, and I couldn't tell a person the difference between knife steels beyond "carbon" or "stainless". I couldn't explain the metallurgical difference between 440C and M390 if my life depended on it.

I just buy what I like, and I buy what I think will best serve my needs. I grew up with a Buck 110 with 420 stainless steel, which I'm sure is far on the low-end of the steel spectrum, but it served me well in the 1980's, and it still serves me well today.

There are many different ways to enjoy the "knife hobby". Some people get really deep into steel types and characteristics. Nothing wrong with that, more power to them. But it's not necessary to know the molecular structure and chromium content of a steel to enjoy and value knives. I'm living proof of that. To each their own.

If you're really interested in the minutia of blade steel you came to the right place. There's lots of such information on this forum. Welcome to Bladeforums.
 
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Welcome to our madhouse!
At first: you just want to pick up everything shiny, and take it home with you.
(Kind of like when you first started dating...)
As time passes: you'll get an idea of what truly interests you, and your buying habits will start to become more focused.
In the meantime: learn what you can about the steels and different materials used to build the knife.
For the record: I'm still running around like a kid in a candy store...
 
Welcome to the forum! You can learn a lot reading the "Sticky" threads at the top of sub-forums.
 
Welcome!

There is no "one path" to this hobby. My advice is to just let it happen as you see fit. Many of us started decades ago as kids with a fistful of dollar bills buying what looked "cool" on the flea market table. Some of us came into the hobby later in life with the finances to skip the 101 stuff and move onto quality from jump. Some of us edc knives costing in the four figures. Some of us stopped at what works well for them and hardly crack the $70 mark.

I think what others have said is sound advice. Start where you are interested, experiment, and try a few things. Don't get so hung on steels and focus more on what what you find useful from a user or collector standpoint.

Above all else, feel free to ask questions. No such thing as a dumb one, and even if it has been covered before, we love talking to we are blue in the face about the same thing over and over again;) Also, realize that you are never going to stop learning. Steels, locks, profiles, etc. Just roll with it and have a great time.
 
Likely all you will ever need is here somewhere. I suggest you spend a great amount of time researching knives you might like and pull the trigger on few. This hobby can get real expensive real quick if you jump on every hot knife.
Welcome to the forum
 
MolokaiRider said:

I Tested the Edge Retention of 48 Steels

Recently I was able to acquire a used CATRA machine, so I heat treated just about every knife steel I had, made 57 knives with the help of knifemaker Shawn Houston, and tested them all to see which cut the longest. For a few of the steels I did multiple heat treatments to look at a couple...
www.bladeforums.com www.bladeforums.com

Start by reading a bunch of articles by Larrin Larrin , and reading through his content. He is gracious enough to share it with members on BF, which is pretty awesome.
Click to expand...
Larrin even has a wonderful book called Knife Engineering, not really aimed at begginers, but uts written in a way that if you can understand High school science you should be able to follow most of it.
It will also help you avoid a lot the rubbish myths out there. Cant reccomend his book or website enough, he's often on here to where you chat. Remember that name Larrin!
 
killgar said:
Heck, I've been into knives since the 1970's, been on this forum since 2002, and I couldn't tell a person the difference between knife steels beyond "carbon" or "stainless". I couldn't explain the metallurgical difference between 440C and M390 if my life depended on it.….
Click to expand...
Same here. Don’t get hung up on the marketing babble. Most steels couldn’t be identified in a blind field test, or by anyone, without a full lab, and there is a lot more that goes into a knife than steel chemistry. Unless, you are processing carcasses at a meat plant, it will not make a difference. Just learn the basics of sharpening and free yourself to make use of any cutlery grade steel.

n2s
 
You will learn the most by using your knives and discovering your own needs and uses. What is comfortable to use, how often do you like to sharpen if at all, what kind of materials do you like, how big your EDC can be, stuff like that. Then, by reading and asking relevant questions here and elsewhere, you will hopefully save a lot of time and money by not succumbing to too much hype.. grains of salt. Welcome!
 
To repeat what others have already said: learn how to sharpen early and invest in a good sharpening system. It's really hard to spend 200 to 300 on sharpening stuff when you could just buy a new knife, but I promise, it is worth it.

Other than that, do your research on materials and different brands and makers. Buy what you like, and use them as often as you can. It will take time, and you will buy some duds along the way, but you will eventually get a lot of joy and utility out of the hobby.
 
I guess I'm different than most people - I bought a nice Wicked Edge 130 before I started buying nice knives. My knives were sharp and cut well, but my freehand sharpening doesn't even compare to the beautiful perfect edges that I get with my Wicked Edge.
 
Wow, folks! Thanks for all of this advice and help!
When I first started studying knives, I had no idea of the many factors of a knife. I get Smoky Mountain Knife Works catalogs and I noticed all of the different descriptions of a knife's make up (8Cr13Mov, 440-A, VG-10, full tang, etc.) and I thought, "Well, if I'm gonna buy 'em, I better know what all of this is. There's a reason these descriptions are here." Then I see how many knife steels there are and the different elements and was like..."This is going to take awhile!" :rolleyes:😄

I've got Ron Stewart's fifth edition of the Standard Knife Collector's Guide some time back. I didn't read it but I have perused it a lot. It was pretty overwhelming. But now I am going to make it part of my actual "homework" and study since I am getting more serious about learning.
 
Here on the forum you will find......
Collectors that have a large collection of knives.......
Can talk with an educated and intelligent point of view about steel alloys and knives.
Have expensive knives......
Ask them what they are carrying?
For me today, an Ontario RAT2 with D2 steel. With all the knives I have and all I've read about steel alloys and knives. The RAT 2 is a great EDC knife.
 
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