Anyone get disenchanted?

[arskrg]

But nobody knows or cares what I carry not trying to impress anyone if my wife knew what I carry around and what it cost she wouldn't understand. The same with my friend's. For me it's you get what you pay for I've had cheap gear fail me decided I would rather spend more for gear that will last and that I can depend on.

But I think that for lots of people on this forum we just buy expensive knives so we can show them off to each other here.

And yes, I just sold my last Sebenza last week. EDC for me now is an Izula II. I never needed a $300 knife in my pocket. And I finally got to the point where I no longer want a $300 knife in my pocket, either.

 

[W.M.B.]

I love art, and I love beautiful tools, etc. but I honestly do not think there is as strong a correlation between price and quality, function, or even beauty, as we often think. My favorite example of this is the studies done on the ability of concert violin soloists to discern stradivarius violins from modern ones, when they could not see them. Everyone "knows" that the strad is the best, but, when they cannot see them, even the pros consistently prefer the sound and playability of modern instruments. Google double blind Stradivarius study and you should have no problem finding what I'm talking about. Our preferences are usually not even driven by our own sensory perceptions alone. We like the things we think we are supposed to like. Its the emperors new clothes, but worse. We aren't only trying to fool others with our refined tastes, we try hard to, and even succeed in fooling ourselves. For the record, my 30 dollar Timex agrees perfectly with my cellphone, consistently, I only adjust it when the day wheel is wrong, due to a short month. So for month s, it will not vary by even a minute. I fought with my Swiss watch losing time for years, cause I l couldn't afford to replace it, or so I thought. My Timex cost about what a single battery change used to cost. Its prolly 3 years old. I'm not going back.

 

[Ludwig]

I have not made a new clothing purchase in over a year. I drove a beat up, hand-me-down car from my brother until I moved to the city and no longer needed a car at all. My laptop is an eight year old Dell that still runs as long as I keep it cool. These things are practical and I frankly do not care for the high end versions. Admittedly would like to drive a BMW M5 but not worth it when the subway or bicycle is faster and cheaper.

But the knives, flashlights, and gear - those matter to me so I go high end. They are a hobby that I take an active interest in exploring. I could easily get by with a SAK and the flash on my cell phone every day. And I am confident that applies to 90% or more of the members here. But where is the fun in that? I really enjoy using a custom knife or light and feeling the elegant design, seeing the extra refinement, and thinking about the individual craftsmanship that goes into its creation. I frequent a few different forums reading, discussing, and learning more about these hobbies. That active interest is the base requirement for spending the additional funds on what are most definitely diminishing returns. Only a handful of people know I have this high end gear in my pocket, and I like to keep it that way. No desire to project a certain image or flaunt it - they are for MY personal enjoyment and appreciation.

From that perspective, things seem to get a lot simpler. Agree higher price does not always mean higher quality - still does most of the time though.

 

[leghog]

This hits the nail on the head IMO. People don't buy a Rolex because it'll keep better time than a Casio. People don't buy BMW's because they get you to work any more efficiently than a Honda. People buy them because they want to be perceived a certain way.

Not always. You paint with much too broad a brush. No one even notices, much less recognizes, my 43 year old Rolex Oyster Perpetual. I prefer it that way.

People do, however, recognize my Seiko dive watch.

 

[upnorth]

With the so called high end stuff?

I'm anold fart, I know that. But in my long life, I've been a snob now and then. Sometimes watches, sometimes guns, sometimes motorcycles. And even sometimes knives. But I got to a point where I got totally disenchanted with the stuff. Like watches. When I was a young guy in the army, I got a Seiko watch. It was nice, looked good, and kept pretty good time. For a while. The first couopeyears it was great, but then it would stop, and the thing needed a cleaning, the automatic mechanism needed fixing, and it got to be a PITA. I ended up giving it to a family member and went back to wearing a Timex. Later I went to Casio. Ran great, kept perfect time, and nothing ever happened to it.

Motorcycles. I had a couple of BMW's, and they were nice bikes. But not the flawless jewel like examples of Teutonic engineering that they would like us to believe. Parts cost was like getting screwed without being kissed, and weird problems. Stearinghead bearings going out at low milages, electrical problems. The two Honda's I had were way better motorcycles.

Things like that. You go buy a very nice pen for some dollars, and it writes okay, then one day you leave it home by accident, and then have to sign something, and they give you a plain Pilot G2 and you're amazed at how smooth it writes, so you stop off at Staples and buy one, and it becomes your edc pen. And if you loose it, you can replace it at the next big box store you pass for the cost of a beer at the corner bar.

Now having had the good stuff like the old made in U.S.A. Cross pens, Seiko watches, BMW motorcycles, Colt Python revolver, and even Randall knives, I look back and wonder what did I get for my bucks? Yeah, I've heard about the pride of ownership thing, and it doesn't work when you're having it fixed, again. Or you're standing by the side of the road waiting for the tow truck. Or your Zippo runs dry again and you have noting to light your smoke with, but the Bic always works and you can see how much fuel is left.

So, do any of you guys ever second guess yourselves and wonder what you are doing with some stuff?

And you see the knee jerk responses to defend purchase choices when this is pointed out. Or conversely the disdain from purchasers of higher end pieces toward the common buyers. Eventually you don't care and to each their own. But yes, I find it ironic that I can buy some ESEE knives for the outdoors, then turn around and see that $15.00 Mora's can perform essentially the same tasks.

 

[gadgetgeek]

I think I've hit the point where now I know how much I'm willing to spend on something, and so I do my research to get the most I can for my dollar. I own far too many knives, lights, and my watch collection is growing. I agree, my RC-3 and my Mora2k are probably equally capable knives. Even more so when you consider the cost difference. But I'm happy with both. Would I spend more than I did on the RC-3 on another fixed in that category? not likely. But they are out there. I'm looking at folding knives, and what I would like to own, and I'm under quite a few restrictions. Most of the time I get by just fine with a SAK and I can't recall a time in the past two years where I really needed to have my griptillian. So the griptillian, as much as I love it, will stay safe in storage far away. I've been looking at the new slippy spydercos, but at the end of the day, will it do any more than my old soldier? Probably not. there are a couple of 111mm vics on the list, but will a forester be a better knife than the huntsman I own. meh, probably not by that much, but wanting stuff is a thing that happens.

I think the main thing for me is to be happy with what I own, and not spend more than I have on new toys when the budget is tight. I wouldn't say I'm disenchanted, there are still very expensive things out there that I'm sure would be money well spent. And I'd be a lier if I said there were no knives on my wishlist that were not there purely because of how they look. But they fit within my value equation, and they are not valued based on anything other than materials, and reputation, I don't think anyone here would call a mid-range Case to be extravagant. I've learned is that price has nothing to do with how good something is. I've wasted a lot of money on expensive crap because I believed that it had to be better. I've wasted money on stuff that I thought would do one thing, and it didn't. Now I do more research, and often by the time I've done it, the reason for buying has long passed.

But I'm cheap. If I had the income to be driving a merc and carrying a custom folder, I probably would. But I would still be thinking about whether it was actually that many times better than what I used to have.

 

[Shotgun]

And you see the knee jerk responses to defend purchase choices when this is pointed out. Or conversely the disdain from purchasers of higher end pieces toward the common buyers. Eventually you don't care and to each their own. But yes, I find it ironic that I can buy some ESEE knives for the outdoors, then turn around and see that $15.00 Mora's can perform essentially the same tasks.

My mora OUTPERFORMS every ESEE I've owned. Heck, it's outperformed knives almost 20 times it's cost.

 

[M67]

Growing up I learned the "buy once, cry once" method. If you're going to use the item a lot or say that's your passion (knives, guns, watches, etc.) that it's better to have a few quality pieces you can take pride in over a ton of items that are essentially......junk (Hi points, jennings, Lorcins, Wal-Mart special watches, LOW quality knives, etc.)

Part of the cost of an item is I'll admit, the "prestige", but you also pay for customer service, warranty, durability.

I don't get that much utility out of watches, they're just not my thing. So at this point in time, I'm not going to drop $300+ in a watch. I don't use tools nearly enough to justify Snap Ons.

However I use my guns and I get a lot of utility out of them. So I might now spend $300 in a watch, but I'll spend $250 in a quick detach scope mount. I'll pay for firearms I want and I know I'll get utility/satisfaction out of them.

Everyone is different, but personally, even though it costs more, I buy quality because I know it'll last and because I get personal enjoyment knowing I have something that is quality.

On a gun forum a guy posted "life is too short to live with something you're not going to be happy with".

Could I get by with UTG, NC Star, Bushnell, Nikon, or low end (Crossfire) Vortex? Of course, and I have a 2-7 Vortex rimfire on a FV-SR. But would I be happy with them for a long time? Probably not, so I enjoy my Trijicons and Leupold a lot more (and my Viper PST Vortex). Could I get by with a PSA AR? Probably, most people could. But I love my Spikes/Seekins build, POF, and my Mega build and I get more pride of ownership out of those then I would a PSA or Olympic or Joeblow garage company making $400 ARs.


So to answer your question? I question myself a lot, why the hell am I spending this much on a gun or a mount or a scope or a knife when I can get by with something that costs much less. Then I remember how much I'm going to use it, how many years I think I'm going to have it, and then convince myself that okay, it's going to last a long time and I'm going to enjoy it for a long time.

It's about utility and how much utility a consumer receives from the goods he purchases.

 

[MVF]

I have to second what M67 said. My tastes are all over the place depending on what item we're talking about. I want to address the numerous remarks about BMWs as an example. I love to drive. I used to race motorcycles in the mountains because I couldn't afford fast enough cars. Then I got to a point where I realized I could afford a decent car (if I bought used) and that I was getting old enough that I should hurry if I wanted to still be able to enjoy it. I spent 2 weeks driving everything that I thought might be fun to drive. What a great 2 weeks!

Bottom line? There are a few cars more fun to drive than a 330 or 335 BMW (Corvette, Porsche Boxster) but none that also work as a daily driver, road tripper, and carry 4 passengers. It turned out that for me, they really are the "ultimate driving machine". Great performance and handling, good gas mileage, comfortable and practical, with a BIG trunk. I'm on my third one- I buy them used with an extended maintenance contract and warranty for about the price of a Honda Accord (but with lower operating costs due to the maintenance plan) and put over 100k miles on them before moving on.

My whole life I've driven cheap cars and been happy. I always had my bikes for going fast or having fun, but now I'm spoiled, the BMW is almost as much fun as the bike, cooler in the summer, warmer in the winter, and I can carry stuff. I tried going back to a Honda, but just couldn't. Here's the punchline- I was (and still am occasionally) actually embarrassed to seen in it. To me, BMWs were for posers and yuppies. I don't have a lot of money and neither do most of the people I know or meet, yet many people seem to assume that if you have a BMW you have more money than you need and should give them some!

Anyway, my EDCs are a midrange G Shock with solar and radio, a Mini Grip, a Fenix (L0D I think- it's 1 AAA) and for dress up I have a titanium Citizen that's also solar, that cost under $200 on sale. I like function and bang for the buck, but believe there are times that spending more is justified. That's why my first handgun was a Ruger GP100, but my second was a Wilson Combat CQB- if you know 1911s you understand. I questioned spending so much on a pistol until I shot a friends cheap 1911 and now I'm glad I did- I would never be satisfied with poor performance of his pistol.

Anyway, just wanted to say that not all high-end or "name brand" purchases are motivated by image concerns.

 

[Shotgun]

I love art, and I love beautiful tools, etc. but I honestly do not think there is as strong a correlation between price and quality, function, or even beauty, as we often think. My favorite example of this is the studies done on the ability of concert violin soloists to discern stradivarius violins from modern ones, when they could not see them. Everyone "knows" that the strad is the best, but, when they cannot see them, even the pros consistently prefer the sound and playability of modern instruments. Google double blind Stradivarius study and you should have no problem finding what I'm talking about. Our preferences are usually not even driven by our own sensory perceptions alone. We like the things we think we are supposed to like. Its the emperors new clothes, but worse. We aren't only trying to fool others with our refined tastes, we try hard to, and even succeed in fooling ourselves. For the record, my 30 dollar Timex agrees perfectly with my cellphone, consistently, I only adjust it when the day wheel is wrong, due to a short month. So for month s, it will not vary by even a minute. I fought with my Swiss watch losing time for years, cause I l couldn't afford to replace it, or so I thought. My Timex cost about what a single battery change used to cost. Its prolly 3 years old. I'm not going back.

I've seen countless no name paintings that I greatly prefer over some of the "masters." Ignore what everyone else says and judge for yourself. :thumbup:

 

[kamagong]

Buy what you like. It's not as if I enjoy paying the increased prices for high end gear, but sometimes you have to in order to get the stuff you want. And the more expensive stuff really is better in some cases. Whether or not you will appreciate the increased benefit is a decision every consumer has to make for himself. But you can't convince me that a Mora is comparable to my Pekka Tuominen puukko or that a RIA Tactical is better or even as good as my LB Concept II.

 

[Noctis3880]

With knives? Sometimes I start to wonder when I regularly don't use the 60 out of the 70 I have.

Certainly do second-guess myself when my Sebenzas haven't been touched, nor the William Henry knives. My Umnumzaan was sitting in my safe for so long that the O-rings on the blade stops have literally melted.

Worth noting though that my two most used knives are:
-A custom Nirk Tighe(stonewashed instead of bead blasted) with M390 blade steel and a Starlingear Titanium Devil Slickster bead - ~$1,000
-A custom Andrew Demko AD-10 with Desert Ironwood, titanium bolsters, and M390 blade steel(I love this stuff) - $800

Regrets on those two? Zero.

It's everything else I buy after that gives me buyer's remorse:thumbdn:.

My leather products?(Saddleback Leather Briefcase, Macbook Sleeve, Wallet; Wolverine 1000 Mile Courtland Boots) No disenchantments there.

 

[The Government]

I try to compromise by buying almost everything second-hand these days. This means having the patience to wait until I find the things that I want, and being ready to buy them when they turn up. I could never own all the things that I do if I bought them new, even if I bought them on sale. Buying used means that you can get the quality that you want at the value that you need.

For example, Revere-ware pots and pans are very pricy to buy new, but if you go to garage sales every weekend, you can get an entire set of pots and pans for less than 30 bucks. The same goes for all my vintage cast iron cookware. Tools as well. There is no chance I could ever afford to buy new snap-on tools, but after a year or two of garage sales, I have a nice collection of some of the best wrenches made. My bench grinder, vise, tool boxes (with all the tools in them), band saw, planer, belt sander, heat gun, et all -bought for pennies on the dollar and it all still works just as if I bought it new.

 

[CRH]

I bought a $20 Mora knife today just to sooth my soul. Sometimes low end just works right.

 

[mk.ultra]

I'm 24 and haven't yet had the money to splurge on knives (the only thing I really collect unnecessarily). But I'm incredibly happy with all of my sub $50 knives. Cold Steel Code 4, Spyderco Delica 4, Benchmade 556 Mini Grip in D2, ESEE Zancudo, Kershaw Zing USA, all under $50 shipped and all awesome.

 

[Gadgetaholic]

Does it do the job that I need done, and does it do it well enough to satisfy me. If so, that is what I get:

I agree 100% with this!

I do have brands I like because my experience has been good with them, so I keep buying those brands. They don't have to be the dearest, though they are often not the cheapest either.
I like my Braun shaver, I'm on my 3rd one over ~3 decades of shaving.
I like my Victorinox pocket knives - good quality at a reasonable price.
I like my Honda ST1300 - goes well, very reliable and a fun ride.
I like my Mora knives - wicked sharp, work well, VERY well priced.
I like my Becker knives - tough as nails and good value for what they cost.
I like my Opinel folding knives - well made, functional and great value.
I like my Honest lighters from dx.com - seems to be the better brand from the cheap Chinese manufacturers and they work reliably, only cost a few dollars.
I like my Jetbeam, Olight, Zebralight, Nitecore, Fenix & Liteflux flashlights - better price than some (like Surefire, though I do have an A2 Aviator and quite like it).
I like my Canon D-SLR - good reliability (bought my 10D 11 years ago and it still works well with no servicing done and over 30k photos taken!) and good results.

I buy the brands I like because I like them. I like them because my experience with them has been good. My experience with them has been good because they are well designed and well made, even if they aren't the dearest around. Brands like Mora and Victorinox are nowhere near high end and high prices, but they are well designed and well made - they hold up to normal use well and last a long time if treated right.

I have had Seiko watches and they have lasted really well - like over a decade and still running well. My last Seiko was good for quite a few years of use until I stopped wearing a watch, now my step-father wears it and it is still running well. I'm not sure why others have had bad experiences with this brand.

 

[CARRERA50]

I find my tastes have changed considerably as I have grown older.

As far as watches are concerned, my 40yr old GMT master sits in it's box awaiting the time I will give it to my grandson. It was a combination 21st birthday/college graduation present
from my dad, who was a master watchmaker w/ Rolex certification. It needs servicing, but I no longer wear it because it causes too much attention in the increasingly dangerous area
in which I live. Consequently, I wear my Seiko 5 and Orange Monster to satisfy my enjoyment of mechanical watches.

In regards to knives, I rarely carry my CRK stuff or collectible BM 800-900 series. My current favorite is my new 943 Osborne as I have just given the Rittergrip I carried for 10 yrs to
my grandson for his 17th birthday. It is important to fly under the radar and be as unobtrusive as possible.

 

[crossada]

On the opposite side I have found some high end products to perform better for me than cheaper alternatives such as Filson clothes, Kifaru backpacks and Oakley sunglasses. Some items just don't have a cheap and reliable equivalent that equals the performance I want.

 

[Hale Storm]

Timex..........check
Honda..........check
Pilot G2........check
Bic lighter.....check

You have good taste.

Ditto.

 

[Hale Storm]

I wanted to expound further. I Ditto'd the post on the Timex, and Bic, etc. I own those things and use them all the time. I worked two or more jobs almost my whole adult life. I got my first summer job at 15 by lying about my age back when they didn't have instant check computers. Now that I'm older with a significantly higher income, I can afford a $200.00+ knife without a strain on my budget. I can enjoy a hobby that can get expensive without compromising the family budget.

There are several reasons I own a $200.00 hunting knife. For many years I carried a $40.00 knife in the field. Hell, I've field dressed a deer with a $10.00 Imperial slip joint before. I remember countless animals being skinned and quartered in camp after a successful hunt, and the need to stop and sharpen a blade several times during the process. Frustrating. Not bad knives, just inferior steels. Now on the other hand, I can afford the higher end super steels that will field dress many animals and remain sharp. Very nice to take a deer or large hog from the field to the freezer with one knife and never have to sharpen it along the way.
Secondly, unlike many, I WANT people to see my higher end knives. Here's WHY.
I love blades and most of us here do. We like to talk about them, use them, play with them, show them off, compare them, learn about new ones, etc.
When I pull out my SAK at work to cut a box open, no one blinks. If I pull out my pimped ZT0350 with custom G10 orange scales, acid washed and stone washed with my logo on the blade, people blink. After the "ooohs", "ahhhs", and "wows", they nearly always ask me about them.
THAT is my chance to talk about knives, and maybe turn someone on to the hobby we enjoy so much. Hell, most of them never get past Wally Wolrd and Academy knives because they aren't even aware of all the other mid level and high end brands out there or how affordable they can be. They grew up with Buck, Gerber, et al. (Great knives in their own right but better knives exist).Customs are in that category too. Talking with me just helps expand our passion for knives. Great way to introduce a new person to our world.