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The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.
Bought my first knife: CRKT! - New to collecting and want to know more!
- Thread starter vagabonding
- Start date
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2008
- Messages
- 857
Many people mentioned getting a sharpening system and using your knife to get a feel for what kind of improvements you would like. Thats very good advice. (You can stop reading now ;-)
Next, buy/use (or at least handle) knives that are radically different from what you just bought. Benchmades, Kershaws and Spydercos come to mind, but also others. Go to a real life store to handle them, say you will think about it, and look up prices online to see if they can be had for a lot less. Then decide if its worth something to you to pay more, in order to support local merchants. In these economic times, that point can't be stressed enough. Ask for a discount if the price is ridiculous compared to msrp or online prices.
That will give you an idea of what you like and don't like about different locks, materials, shapes, steels, etc.
Also notice differences in manufacture quality and prices. Look for symmetry/evenness in the metal, scales, etc. Ignoring those things were some of the reasons I started out buying really crappy blades back in the day, along with ignorance of what makes a good knife.
-MD
Next, buy/use (or at least handle) knives that are radically different from what you just bought. Benchmades, Kershaws and Spydercos come to mind, but also others. Go to a real life store to handle them, say you will think about it, and look up prices online to see if they can be had for a lot less. Then decide if its worth something to you to pay more, in order to support local merchants. In these economic times, that point can't be stressed enough. Ask for a discount if the price is ridiculous compared to msrp or online prices.
That will give you an idea of what you like and don't like about different locks, materials, shapes, steels, etc.
Also notice differences in manufacture quality and prices. Look for symmetry/evenness in the metal, scales, etc. Ignoring those things were some of the reasons I started out buying really crappy blades back in the day, along with ignorance of what makes a good knife.
-MD
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2008
- Messages
- 156
I remember the first time I picked up Kabar.The feel.You stated that you wanted to shop in stores so you could feel the knife in your hand instead of shoping online.I think that you have made a wise choice.Go pick up a Kabar.Not only did I like the knife but the price was less then $20 back in the late 50's.Today you can get a new Kabar fo $50 and I bet someone out there would still sell you used for about $20.-If you want a folder then put a Spyderco in your hand.If you touch the Spyderco miltary you will be hooked!I was teaching High school when I found out about this one,money was a little thight so I saved lunch money,every dime I could fine untill I could get my knife.Welcome to world of knife collecters.I think you might be one of us be cause of the way you talk about the "solid heavy feel..."
batosai117
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2007
- Messages
- 5,463
Welcome to bladeforums :thumbup:
That CRKT M21-14 is a good knife to start with. Very big, smooth opening, and it can take a beating. I used to carry a M16-14 when I did maintenance work, it's a real beast and has put up a fight with drywall and electrical sockets (don't ask
).
Everbody else seems to have stated it already, look at other manufacturers and see what you like.
You'll learn about knife steels soon enough, that's what landed me here. Spyderco and Benchmade give you excellent steel choices for the money. Don't let the MSRP's fool you, just about any knife that sells will be about 60-70% of the MSRP price. Griptilians are marked at $100.00, but the actual selling point is about $66-77 online.
Another member already stated that looking at knives in person and then checking the prices online would be your best bet. After a few months here with us you'll laugh at selling prices when you know for a fact that it's almost double of what it's worth
If you want to learn about steels and sharpening, check out the maintenance, tinkering, and embellishing area.
Good luck!
That CRKT M21-14 is a good knife to start with. Very big, smooth opening, and it can take a beating. I used to carry a M16-14 when I did maintenance work, it's a real beast and has put up a fight with drywall and electrical sockets (don't ask
). Everbody else seems to have stated it already, look at other manufacturers and see what you like.
You'll learn about knife steels soon enough, that's what landed me here. Spyderco and Benchmade give you excellent steel choices for the money. Don't let the MSRP's fool you, just about any knife that sells will be about 60-70% of the MSRP price. Griptilians are marked at $100.00, but the actual selling point is about $66-77 online.
Another member already stated that looking at knives in person and then checking the prices online would be your best bet. After a few months here with us you'll laugh at selling prices when you know for a fact that it's almost double of what it's worth
If you want to learn about steels and sharpening, check out the maintenance, tinkering, and embellishing area.
Good luck!