Are expensive knives worth it?

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Short answer: yes.

Long answer and maybe to provoke some thought and debate:

It's not really if the knife is "worth" the "price." It's more if YOU as the individual value the labor that went into it AND your labor is valued to the point that you're able to purchase it. The price is just a number that represents the value of the product at the time of sale.

Do I value the labor that custom makers put into their knives? Most of them, yea, of course. However, does society value me enough to have the ability to purchase their stuff (hence their labor)? Undoubtedly, no. Therefore, as unfortunate and frustrating as it is, there is a limit to the real price value that I am willing to part with (regardless of how much I save or put aside). Until my labor is valued higher in a meaningful way, my threshold for the actual price of stuff is limited.

"Every man is rich or poor according to the degree in which he can afford to enjoy the necessaries, conveniences, and amusements of human life. But after the division of labour has once thoroughly taken place, it is but a very small part of these with which a man's own labour can supply him. The far greater part of them he must derive from the labour of other people, and he must be rich or poor according to the quantity of that labour which he can command, or which he can afford to purchase. The value of any commodity, therefore, to the person who possesses it, and who means not to use or consume it himself, but to exchange it for other commodities, is equal to the quantity of labour which it enables him to purchase or command. Labour, therefore, is the real measure of the exchangeable value of all commodities." Adam Smith, An Inquiry into the Nature And Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776). Book I, Chapter 5.

Of course, it is also possible to argue that it's not actually the labor that is of value but, instead, the value is the utility the product provides. However, things that are well made generally have a something that you can't quite put your finger on that isn't strictly utility. There's an "art" to it, so to speak... and you can't really put a price on that (well, you can, it just doesn't accurately represent that value).

Don't overthink it. If you like a super expensive knife and you want to try it, get it. If you see a budget knife and it piques your interest, who's to judge? This stuff is suppose to be fun for our short time on this spinning rock. Have fun with it.
 
For years I was only interested in custom knives after going all the way up with production knife prices.
I got to the point that it was rather normal to me to purchase knives in the €1000 - 1500 range.
Then I realized I even got bored with those too, there where not special to me anymore.
Now I am back in collecting and using 'vintage' knives for normal/low prices and I feels like coming home again.
What I'm trying to say is that thoughts on knives and what is good enough will just keep on changing.

Nowadays I will not spend more than €200 - 250 on a user knife, they suite my needs well enough.

~Wouter
 
Absolutely.

There are also inexpensive knives that are great, but you generally get what you pay for.

If you like the design/materials, could see yourself actually actually using it and can afford it, buy it.
 
Viper Berus 1 knife looks like it will stand up to hard use ... damn near forever.
I am a casual user, and a spine thickness of 0157" is too heavy-duty for me....
The longer I am in this "business".... the thinner I go.
It is said, constantly, that geometry is everything when it comes to cutting/sliicing. So I fine that my favorite blades now have spine thickness
of 1/8" max, and a preferred thickness of around 0.100". I just ordered a Wind River Sendoro Pack Knife with 3 1/4" blade of 0.100" thick, S35VN steel.
It will join my cadre of short, thin fixed blades for scout carry.
BTW, my folder is a TRM Atom of similar dimensions....a great knife.
Different strokes.
 
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Sonnydaze said:
Viper Berus 1 knife looks like it will stand up to hard use ... damn near forever.
I am a casual user, and a spine thickness of 0157" is too heavy-duty for me....
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That is why I bought it. It has very thick spine and also very high full flat grind, it's surprisingly slicey for something that short and that thick.

And I can use a lot of force when carving with it or cutting thicker plastic, it handles it like nothing.

It takes forever to get any noticeable dulling and even then few slight strops on fine diamond or ceramic with some stropping are enough to make it hair whittling again.

M390 is some good stuff.
 
The answer is almost always yes. However, the higher you go there is always diminishing returns. Every hundred you spend gets you less after you pass the sweet spot, price wise.
 
Lots have folks have perfectly described the diminishing returns, so I’ll not rehash that, but it’s spot on IMO.

I do want to throw out there that low cost/high value is very appealing. I recently picked up a Mora Classic #2 and I’ve been having a blast with it. I beat up my SAKs pretty good, and the price makes me feel good about doing it. Inexpensive, infinitely replaceable and reasonably good quality can be liberating. Not much to brag on, but liberating.
 
JParanee said:
For me yes especially when it comes to fixed blades
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I thought I was the only one.

Yes. But I agree that after a certain point, the price has nothing to do with performance. It turns into wanting something completely hand-forged, loving the look of carbon fiber, enjoying the feel of stabilized burl, etc. For how I use knives my threshold for folders is about $140 and for fixed blades it is about $300; more than that performance doesn't improve for me. I am willing to spend more on either, but I admit to myself that it is just because I want one of those "cool features" that make no appreciable difference in performance.

But collecting for the pure pleasure of collecting, which I only just recently decided that's what I'm doing, you're only limited by your wife and wallet.
 
Are Rolex watches worth it? or a Timex or Casio is enough?
Are Ferrari cars worth it? of a Honda is enough?
It depends on who you ask, the answer can either be yes or no.

Why? because we buy things not because they are useful, but because we like them. That's the dirty little secrets salespeople don't want you to know.

Personally, my confort buying zone is $500, but comfort carrying zone is $250.
 
So many truths have been espoused in this thread that it's difficult to add much to the conversation except for what I call the "I don't care about it." factor.

Here's what I mean by that: sometimes a dirty or harsh tasks presents itself - one that might give you pause to use your pride and joy pocket jewelry; not that there's anything wrong with pride and joy pocket jewelry but ... I don't wear a Rolex when working on the car, truck or motorcycle. Back to knives. I bought a few Cold Steel Large Voyagers when the AUS-8 ones were on close out. I don't mind AUS-8 so much and actually like FRN handles if done right - as they are on the Voyagers IMO. That knife (and its spares that sit in waiting as back-ups) excels in the "I don't care about it." category.

Moving up a step, one of my favorite folders is the AD-10. It's every bit as capable (and more) that the AUS-8 Large Voyager, looks better, feels better and provides more pride & joy of ownership. However, I won't loan it and though it's not as expensive of what many of you EDC, I am reluctant to use it for tasks that I wouldn't even think twice about throwing the Large Voyager at.

I appreciate the fit, finish and materials of more expensive knives but, at least for me, they fall short in the "I don't care about it." category - and that category is an enjoyable component of owning a particular knife.
 
CAP55 said:
Depends, what does it take to slit open an envelope or a package?
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EatingSarma said:
Months ago, I made decision to get myself Viper Berus 1 and use it as EDC.

Before that I carried Boker GoBag.

That are 2 different steels (D2 and M390) at 2 different prices (30€ and 150€). So you can get 5 Bokers for 1 Viper, so is it worth it???

In my experience - yes.
It stopped me from buying more and more cheap knives in hopes of finding "the one". So you get yourself what you really need (or want) right away instead of spending that much or even more money on cheaper options that still won't do it for you.

I switched to Viper and didn't look back ever since.
1. More comfortable handle
2. Slicier blade with taller grind
3. Holds the edge longer
4. And is even easier to sharpen (few swipes on fine ceramic or diamond + strop and it's hair popping again)
5. No dots and spots of corrosion on it even if I sweat
6. It looks a lot friendlier to people and is kind of modern gentleman's knife
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I would say I definitely agree that the more you spend, the better fit, finish, and materials you're going to get. However, there will come a point where a knife stops being a functional tool that a man (or woman) isn't afraid to use and put a beating on, to a "safe queen" that's pretty in the pocket but God for bid someone put a scratch on it! Then it stops being a functional tool and is in most cases rarely if ever used for much of anything.
 
Blade_addict970 said:
I would say I definitely agree that the more you spend, the better fit, finish, and materials you're going to get. However, there will come a point where a knife stops being a functional tool that a man (or woman) isn't afraid to use and put a beating on, to a "safe queen" that's pretty in the pocket but God for bid someone put a scratch on it! Then it stops being a functional tool and is in most cases rarely if ever used for much of anything.
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True that; and I am guilty of owning multiples on both ends of the spectrum (within my spending comfort range of course.)
 
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