Are expensive knives worth it?

Are expensive knives objectively better than cheaper ones or are worth it?

  • Total voters
    185
SeppukuSamurai said:
Okay, so you're a troll.

What you're saying is demonstrably false. You're throwing around wild accusations about not only a brand but now well regarded members with paid memberships and years of contribution under their belts.

I own a single ZT as of right now. Just one. I will never sell it and could care less about "protecting my collection's value"

Go ahead and remove yourself from the soapbox, cease the pontificating, take a deep breathe, and always wear your seat belt.
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You don't sound like someone with any experience in knives at all. Perhaps you shouldn't give advice to this guy.
 
Horizon7 said:
They are only highly regarded by owners trying to save the value of their collections.
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Where does this come into play in anyway shape or form?

If someone was trying to buy knives to keep for profit down the road as an investment ... they would have to buy customs or much higher dollar knives than ZTs ...

no ones trying to save value of their collections ... they just don't have a warped vendetta against ZT and can be rational ...

to the OP ... ZTs are a step up ... and ZT has excellent customer service ... but even if you decide to buy Soyderco or Benchmade or Lionsteel or one of many brands ... your question about are more expensive knives worth it ...

the simple answer is yes ... in your position looking to step up from the Skyline ... you will find better steel and better ergonomics and other advantages ... so hopefully you can sort through jaded postsand find some helpful information here ...
 
Quality of construction, materials and even reputation come into play in justifying the price of any knife. I have much different criteria for a beater than I do for a masterfully made beautiful knife that will give me a great sense of pride of ownership and a great buying experience from a well respected maker.
 
Horizon7 said:
How could you guys ethically recommend a knife brand that is known to have lock failures? Especially when the company turns a blind eye to it and even condescends people who say anything about it?

How could you do this to someone?
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I find this categorically false.

There is a sweet spot for 'expensive' knives. I personally don't find the 0452 to be 'expensive'.

What do you use a knife for and what is your budget?
 
randomknifeperson said:
I EDC an kershaw skyline but want to buy a ZT 0452, I have quite a bit saved up, and I am not happy with the steel and handle of the skyline. Question is, should i upgrade.
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If you have the disposable income and your present knife isn't working out, then buy something else.

My own feeling is that at some point, you reach the point of diminishing returns. The more money you spend, the nicer the features. But at some price point, the additional features may not be worth the additional cost. Whether there is such a point for you, and at what price point that may be, only you will be able to determine. But I would bet the price point will be beyond that of a Skyline.
 
Price and what you find to be valuable might not be related. For example, I have a Spyderco manbug in H1. Its not a horribly expensive knife, but its pricier than a lot of people might suspect, due to the steel. But for me getting a small knife in H1 was well worth what I paid for. There may be a certain designer, or style that you like, and so you might be willing to pay more for it. I might not find the same value because I'm not you.
Materials can add costs, as can fit and finish, do you want a perfect knife, or are you happy with one that looks a little rougher, but has a better steel?

I think biggest range of quality is going to be found in the first 100 USD, about half as much difference between 101-200, and so on. Of course those are subjective measures, and they are also looking at very wide averages. There are a lot of knives that both punch far above their weight class, and some really expensive knives that one struggles to understand why the price is so high. Once you get into international shipping and other currencies, those figures all shift again, as a function of deciding if the additional cost and headache makes a knife no longer desirable.
Most of the knives that I've owned and really like, and fit my style are small fixed blades, under 4 inch, and medium/small folders. For the most part the value sweetspot for me sits around 120-140USD, past that a knife has to really show something special, and below that, its probably not going to do what I want. That said, I do own several SAKs and carry them often.

As for the other topic, every lock will fail, and every knife can be broken.
 
If you find a more expensive knife that suits you well then it is worth it. It isn't just better because it is more expensive. The more expensive may use better materials and have better fit and finish. It also may be more expensive do to simple supply and demand.
It is only worth it if it is worth it to you. You usually get something for your money but diminishing returns do come into play. I have many more expensive knives that I love, but realize I am paying a considerable premium to get them-worth it to me. I have also had many in my possession that I did not find to be worth it to me and used the exchange to turn them back to $'s
Voted Sometimes
 
My 0452 is one of my favorites. It is a pretty long folder, but it's also quite narrow and light, so to me it doesn't necessarily carry like a normal big knife.

Quick size comparison pic with an SAK.

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I have never personally had a lock failure with it or any of my other ZT's and I don't plan on parting with any of them, so I don't give a good gosh darn if the resale value stays high on them or not. ;)
 
Yes, it's worth it. You get what you pay for. If the ZT will bring a smile to your face, then that's worth the upgrade. As long as it's within your budget, have fun and experience different knives. But, always remember the old saying, don't have champagne taste on a beer bottle budget.
 
randomknifeperson said:
I EDC an kershaw skyline but want to buy a ZT 0452, I have quite a bit saved up, and I am not happy with the steel and handle of the skyline. Question is, should i upgrade.
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Even a cheap knife can cut. So in that sense no they’re not worth it.

But if you are someone who appreciates quality then they are worth it. If you like a longer lasting edge then they are worth it.

Just wanted to warn you that the ZT452 is a huge knife compared to the skyline. Make sure you are aware of the size difference because is huge even though the skyline is 3.1 inch blades and the ZT is 4.1. That inch of difference is a big deal.

Something like seeing a 5’9” guy next to an nba player
 
OP - ask youself why ZT 0452? I mean it is a knife significantly different from skyline. ZT 0450 might be a more EDC friendly option. I would also look at popular Spyderco folders like PM2, Para 3, and Manix, which I think are among the best $100-150 folding knives.

If you just want to experience $200+ knives, this is the best-than-ever time to buy second-hand Hinderer knives.
 
Lapedog said:
Even a cheap knife can cut. So in that sense no they’re not worth it.

But if you are someone who appreciates quality then they are worth it. If you like a longer lasting edge then they are worth it.

Just wanted to warn you that the ZT452 is a huge knife compared to the skyline. Make sure you are aware of the size difference because is huge even though the skyline is 3.1 inch blades and the ZT is 4.1. That inch of difference is a big deal.

Something like seeing a 5’9” guy next to an nba player
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I definitely appreciate quality where its at, and yes I am aware of the massive size difference, that was another reason for me to upgrade.
 
Op... What will you be using the knife for? I like the 0452cf I have as an art knife. A knife with a good flipping action... But the blade is not idea for cutting imho. I used it when I first got it to slice up tons of amazon boxes. And it wasn't very efficient.in the task. Then proceeded to use it to cut up food, but it wasn't well suited for that. Steak wasn't an issue but fruits and veggies were. It split them more than cut. Too thick behind the edge and fairly short in width. It's thinner behind the edge than most zt's though.

I still have it and if it wasn't so expensive I'd already have gotten a regrind to thin it up and give it a full flat grind. But I never use it. It just sits in storage. I use my spydercos way more. I think the analog to it, is the spyderco military. I much prefer the spyderflick over the flipper and the thin full flat grind that comes in a variety of steels. The military also has a framelock which is imho better than the liner lock...but not worlds better.

In any case... If the Skyline you have isn't idea atm... Ask yourself what you want in a knife. If it's looks and flipping action the 0452 is a freaking sweet ass knife.

The other thing is the 0452 is scary to most people so it's not a knife to use in public or most work places. Can say the same of the military probably... But it looks more like a work knife.
 
Only you can decide what you want or need in a knife, or what you are willing to pay for . You may never fully define that !

If you are a potential true Knife Knut , like many of us , you are doomed to spending substantial time , effort and money in the endless pursuit of blade satisfaction . Not the worst hobby or "addiction " and can be very rewarding as well as frustrating at times .

My "sweet spot" for price vs performance is usually less than $100 . Rarely up to $150 to 200 . Beyond that it's mostly about aesthetics , not actual cutting function .
 
randomknifeperson said:
I EDC an kershaw skyline but want to buy a ZT 0452, I have quite a bit saved up, and I am not happy with the steel and handle of the skyline. Question is, should i upgrade.
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I'm convinced that 99% of our preferences with knives are aesthetic, not technical. And adding to that, price is a part of the aesthetic appeal of some knives for some people. Expensive things are nice because they are expensive and that translates to some perception or image of the owner. What I just wrote will be vehemently denied by both sides. Those that favor expensive knives will point to studies and charts and will argue that their preferred expensive knives are objectively and provably better and they'll salt their comments with tropes like "you get what you pay for".

Those that favor less expensive knives will argue that in an age of "good enough" materials and mass production quality control, performance is largely dictated by design, not materials and they'll salt their comments with references to millions of units sold and comparisons to Toyotas Corollas.

I'm in the latter camp but this will mean nothing to anybody. If you got the itch that a more expensive knife will be better than a less expensive knife, you may never get peace of mind from a less expensive one.

I'd recommend saving the money and buying a copy of "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance". That and studying knife design deep enough to judge the possibility of a knife based on how the design matches your intended uses. Price has little to do with that.
 
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