Before You Buy a Knife

Fish Boy

Fish Boy

Joined
Aug 2, 2014
Messages
369
What do you all usually do before you buy a knife and what kind of research goes into a knife before you make a purchase?

I ask this because I'm thinking of buying a Spyderco Paramilitary 2 and I'd like to know what procedures I should go through before I buy it.

The Para is out-of-stock on Spyderco's website, is BladeHQ a trustworthy retailer? Does Spyderco have official retailers that I can buy from that are in stock?
 
Last edited:
Here is a list of BladeForums supporting dealers. They pay to advertise their products but are also required to run ethical business's. It's a good list to start with. I've bought from Knifecenter and GPknives with positive results.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...t-of-BladeForums-Paid-Dealer-Members-********

Before you purchase it's always a good idea to look through the Feedback section to see if someone's on the up and up.

Edit to add that fake knives seem to be bought off either eBay or other sites that sell from overseas. Not everyone on ebay is out to get you, you just have to do your due diligence before purchasing.
 
Get some info on it, like blade thickness, weight, length of the handle, things like that. Usually do so on BladeHQ

I also look up experiences with said knife right here on the BladeForums, as well as Youtube.

Also BladeHQ is trustworthy as far as I know...
 
Procedure? Add to shopping cart, whip out credit card, and check out. :D

I think you are doing the procedure already if such a thing exists.
Decide on what you are interested in. Spyderco makes good knives.
Read reviews perhaps.
Know what steel is being used and decide if that is what you want.
Check out the dimensions. Sometimes smaller is better, but it is all about personal preference.
Order knife and wait for delivery if you can't buy in person. I prefer to buy in person so I can handle a knife and compare to others that are similar, but sometimes I just order it and give it a try.
 
My procedure is usually as follows:

1. Either have a knife in mind I'm looking for or stumble across one.
2. Set a budget.
3. Go over budget by at least 200 dollars.
4. Check youtube for reviews.
5. Look at the various merchant sites/ebay for prices.
6. Get kinda 'meh' and close all my browser tabs.
7. Later on in the day, realize 'Hey that knife was kinda cool."
8. Re-open all browser tabs
9. Say to self, 'Yeah, but it's expensive."
10. Close all browser tabs again.
11. Stew over it for several more hours, finally saying 'F**K IT'
12. Pay for knife, go for slowest shipping because I'm already over-budget.
13. Endure 3-5 grueling days of anticipation for aforementioned knife.
14. Oops, was 5 seconds late answering the door - UPS wouldn't leave the package.
15. Endure another 24 hours of grueling torturous anticipation.
16. Finally get knife in the mail. Tear into box like an enraged gorilla on crack.
17. Throw away user manual, user guide, safety warning, and warranty card because screw you, my life.
18. Say 'Yeah, that's kinda cool." as I begin opening and closing the knife obsessively.
19. Open and close the knife for like... 3 days, then throw it in a drawer or on my desk.
20. Realize that that knife didn't fill the giant empty hole in my knife existence and I absolutely must go back to Step 1 because it'll be different this time I just know it.
 
If you've not had the chance to get hands-ON with your choice, make sure your dealer has an acceptable return policy to YOU. Some have re-stocking fees, or store-credit on the next purchase,rather than a full refund.
 
Most of the research I do before buying a new knife involves coming here and asking questions. If you can't find the answers that you need here on these forums, then it'd be a pretty poor excuse of a place to come. Then once I have the answers I'm looking for, I check for which online retailer offers the best price, while also still being trustworthy.
 
My first quality knife purchase I did plenty of research. I looked at pictures, took measurements of the knife I had, compared to the Specs of the knife I was looking at and went from there. Bought it direct from the dealer because it was before I was on Bladeforums and really knew where to buy knives from. Went from a Gerber fast to an emerson Mini 15. Research and reviews helped me jump from a $20 knife to a $200 knife with no regrets.
 
jkwithawave said:
My first quality knife purchase I did plenty of research. I looked at pictures, took measurements of the knife I had, compared to the Specs of the knife I was looking at and went from there. Bought it direct from the dealer because it was before I was on Bladeforums and really knew where to buy knives from. Went from a Gerber fast to an emerson Mini 15. Research and reviews helped me jump from a $20 knife to a $200 knife with no regrets.
Click to expand...

Is there a specific place in these forums where I can ask as to what online dealers are trustworthy (I'm assuming that the Spyderco Amazon account is trustworthy, but I may be wrong... more info?) or can I just ask anywhere as to what dealers are trustworthy?
 
The hands-on thing can be difficult at time when scouting an unfamiliar knife. What I have found most helpful is to search for comparison images of the knife in question side by side with knives that I already own. Videos of the knife in someone else's hand can often give you a good idea of how it might feel in your hand but keep in mind that hand sizes vary greatly. I was looking at an in-hand knife image recently that I was considering and was surprised how small it appeared until I read further about how the hands in the image belonged to a 6'6" gentleman with size 16 shoes.
 
darkdomino said:
My procedure is usually as follows:

1. Either have a knife in mind I'm looking for or stumble across one.
2. Set a budget.
3. Go over budget by at least 200 dollars.
4. Check youtube for reviews.
5. Look at the various merchant sites/ebay for prices.
6. Get kinda 'meh' and close all my browser tabs.
7. Later on in the day, realize 'Hey that knife was kinda cool."
8. Re-open all browser tabs
9. Say to self, 'Yeah, but it's expensive."
10. Close all browser tabs again.
11. Stew over it for several more hours, finally saying 'F**K IT'
12. Pay for knife, go for slowest shipping because I'm already over-budget.
13. Endure 3-5 grueling days of anticipation for aforementioned knife.
14. Oops, was 5 seconds late answering the door - UPS wouldn't leave the package.
15. Endure another 24 hours of grueling torturous anticipation.
16. Finally get knife in the mail. Tear into box like an enraged gorilla on crack.
17. Throw away user manual, user guide, safety warning, and warranty card because screw you, my life.
18. Say 'Yeah, that's kinda cool." as I begin opening and closing the knife obsessively.
19. Open and close the knife for like... 3 days, then throw it in a drawer or on my desk.
20. Realize that that knife didn't fill the giant empty hole in my knife existence and I absolutely must go back to Step 1 because it'll be different this time I just know it.
Click to expand...

An uncomfortably familiar and highly refined procedure you have there (likely distilled, in its finer aspects, through exhaustive critical contemplation and persistent practice) .;)
 
Benchwarmer380 gave you a list of dealers that pay to advertise on this forum. I would think that all of them would be trustworthy. The Paramilitary 2 is a great folder.
 
I read a lot, try to research the history of the weapon I am interested in and then I look at antiques dealers and ebay auctions along with forum trades to get an idea of fair price and what looks real and fake-- even then I have been burned, but you only learn by being burned because it costs you something when you get it wrong. I know you may not be looking for that input, but I think its valid for anyone getting into anything.

research, research, research.
 
darkdomino said:
My procedure is usually as follows:

1. Either have a knife in mind I'm looking for or stumble across one.
2. Set a budget.
3. Go over budget by at least 200 dollars.
4. Check youtube for reviews.
5. Look at the various merchant sites/ebay for prices.
6. Get kinda 'meh' and close all my browser tabs.
7. Later on in the day, realize 'Hey that knife was kinda cool."
8. Re-open all browser tabs
9. Say to self, 'Yeah, but it's expensive."
10. Close all browser tabs again.
11. Stew over it for several more hours, finally saying 'F**K IT'
12. Pay for knife, go for slowest shipping because I'm already over-budget.
13. Endure 3-5 grueling days of anticipation for aforementioned knife.
14. Oops, was 5 seconds late answering the door - UPS wouldn't leave the package.
15. Endure another 24 hours of grueling torturous anticipation.
16. Finally get knife in the mail. Tear into box like an enraged gorilla on crack.
17. Throw away user manual, user guide, safety warning, and warranty card because screw you, my life.
18. Say 'Yeah, that's kinda cool." as I begin opening and closing the knife obsessively.
19. Open and close the knife for like... 3 days, then throw it in a drawer or on my desk.
20. Realize that that knife didn't fill the giant empty hole in my knife existence and I absolutely must go back to Step 1 because it'll be different this time I just know it.
Click to expand...


:D
Have you been watching me ?
This post made me feel a whole lot better about my knife collecting.
 
Here's my process....

1. So, do I need this knife? I have only two hands and XX+ blades, does this make sense? [If no, proceed to step 2. If yes, proceed to step 2.]
2. Does this knife meet my basic criteria for a blade I actually USE and/or carry? Does it meet my criteria for size, weight, style, steel, etc? If I bought it, would it sit in my pocket, or on a shelf somewhere? Would I use it? [If yes, proceed to step 3.]
3. Does this knife speak to me and appeal to me? Is it frickin' cool or otherwise appealing for some reason? Is it different or unique in a way that makes me want it? [If yes, proceed to step 4.]
4. Do I know enough about this thing? Did I read reviews and look at YouTube? What does bladeforums say???
5. Do I have any other financial obligations that should take priority over this knife? Do I have enough of a financial cushion that I can comfortably buy something I want, but really don't need at all? Forget "investment," if I had an unexpected major expense or lost my job, would I regret this frivolous and un-needed purchase? [If you're good here, proceed to step 5.]
6. Do I trust the buyer? [If yes, buy!]
 
If you can t actually hold a knife in hand before a purchase , use the reviews and opinions of BF members to inform you. My opinion of the PM2 is that if you buy that one early, you ll spend a long time getting knives that don t quite measure up. That s how good the PM2 is.
 
fisheater said:
What do you all usually do before you buy a knife and what kind of research goes into a knife before you make a purchase?

I ask this because I'm thinking of buying a Spyderco Paramilitary 2 and I'd like to know what procedures I should go through before I buy it.

The Para is out-of-stock on Spyderco's website, is BladeHQ a trustworthy retailer? Does Spyderco have official retailers that I can buy from that are in stock?
Click to expand...

Ok, where to start.....

Yes spyderco has MANY authorized dealers that sell their products. I would not even recommend buying directly from them (I actually think they advise against it as well for some reason). Check out the list of BF associated dealers in order to get a good idea of which are the better ones. You can find decent prices and reputable dealers on the bay, but I would avoid it for now until you are able to get a feel for the generally accepted prices for the knives you are looking at. For instance, if you jump on a deal that is 60 percent lower than all of the other listings on the search results page, you most likely will be getting a fake, but you wouldnt have known because you didnt know that it was considered an abnormally low price for that knife. The "large south american river retailer", as it is referred to around these parts ;), often has the best deals on mainstream knives, but they are kinda hit and miss sometimes.

As far as procedure, if you are interested in the PM2, havent you already gone through a sort of procedure to become interested? You must have read or seen a review on it, or heard someone mention it as being a good knife or something, right? If you mean that you want to get more info on it, just do a google search for the knife and read the specs and reviews on the knife. Then go to youtube to watch the knife in action (dont pay too close attention to the reviewers comments, because they dont always know a lot about the knife, so you could easily be misled) Take everything you see in the videos with a grain of salt.

You could also just ask around on this forum.... Actually its my favorite way to help me decide on a knife;)

But yes, once you start falling into the trap of knife collecting, darkdomino's post is spot on...... Be sure that you are ready to take this leap....... Once youve been bitten by they spydie bug, theres no going back my friend:D

Its a little like the pill scene from the Matrix.......:D:D:D


MatrixBluePillRedPill_zps2578fcc2.jpg
 
Last edited:
I highly recommend checking out stores in your area to see if you can find one and hold it, regardless of however many hours of research has gone into it. I've regretted and sold about 50% of my online knife purchases, and 0% of my in store purchases (or online purchases after the store visit).
 
darkdomino said:
My procedure is usually as follows:

1. Either have a knife in mind I'm looking for or stumble across one.
2. Set a budget.
3. Go over budget by at least 200 dollars.
4. Check youtube for reviews.
5. Look at the various merchant sites/ebay for prices.
6. Get kinda 'meh' and close all my browser tabs.
7. Later on in the day, realize 'Hey that knife was kinda cool."
8. Re-open all browser tabs
9. Say to self, 'Yeah, but it's expensive."
10. Close all browser tabs again.
11. Stew over it for several more hours, finally saying 'F**K IT'
12. Pay for knife, go for slowest shipping because I'm already over-budget.
13. Endure 3-5 grueling days of anticipation for aforementioned knife.
14. Oops, was 5 seconds late answering the door - UPS wouldn't leave the package.
15. Endure another 24 hours of grueling torturous anticipation.
16. Finally get knife in the mail. Tear into box like an enraged gorilla on crack.
17. Throw away user manual, user guide, safety warning, and warranty card because screw you, my life.
18. Say 'Yeah, that's kinda cool." as I begin opening and closing the knife obsessively.
19. Open and close the knife for like... 3 days, then throw it in a drawer or on my desk.
20. Realize that that knife didn't fill the giant empty hole in my knife existence and I absolutely must go back to Step 1 because it'll be different this time I just know it.
Click to expand...

Perfect! That is exactly the knife-buying methodology I use!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top