Bought some nicer knives, can’t go back

M

MSchott

Joined
Feb 9, 2017
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384
Business has been good lately and I’ve indulged in a few CRK’s and ZT’s. Lovely folders with obvious quality. I find it hard to carry my Leek, Al Mar 2 and even Kizer Flashbang. Am I crazy or will I get over this? Have I fallen into the rabbit hole? Is a Shiro or full on custom next?
 
I think that's just like anything else that one buys, owns, and appreciates. It's only natural after a while if if you appreciate a certain type of object that you would be drawn to a better quality simply because you enjoy owning it.

I have knives I have owned for 55 years and I still enjoy a nice, new knife. New steels, new designs, better manufacturing, etc., still keep it interesting for me although I don't put as much money into it as I once did.

If you are just getting started or have just been doing this for a few years I highly recommend that you slow down and enjoy the trip. You would think that eventually you would lose your interest in knives (and it may come and go) but for me I tell you that even over my guns, my knives are something I actually enjoy every day.

I have a tendency to sweat through my clothes during the summer on the construction site so I carry stainless steel. But when the weather turns cool I turn back to some of my old carbon knives that I've had for 40 to 50 years. I may have a ZT clipped to my pocket but inside my pocket is a is a treasured old CASE that I bought 45 years ago.

It's ALL good!

Robert
 
I am with you here once I started buying ZTs and Benchmades. My inexpensive knives had a hard time getting carried. Have been loving my ZT hinderers and I'm looking at get an XM-18 Spanto
 
I started off thinking $100 for a blade is on the high end. Now $350 is pretty normal and my taste keeps getting higher and higher. Good luck, good thing is the addiction is better than crack.
 
Ha ha that how it starts. You're thinking 100-150 man that a lot for a knife then it turns in to over $200 isn't bad if it's something you really want
 
MSchott said:
Am I crazy or will I get over this? Have I fallen into the rabbit hole? Is a Shiro or full on custom next?
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You're crazy.

But as long as you are not robbing Peter to pay Paul enjoy it.

We all like what we like. I do not like RIL's and flippers so I am immune to CRKs , most midtechs, and customs.

I do love a well built Ti Walker linerlock, plenty of them in the $100 to $250 range. So it saves me money.

Enjoy your hobby. Buy quality and you shouldn't loose much if your tastes change down the road.
 
You have reset your contentment level. It's why I never drink expensive wines. I had one really lovely bottle of wine nearly 20 years ago and now I know what I am missing out on. Better to remain unaware, unless you have a truckload of money.
 
Either you have fallen down the hole or you have to learn to budget. My desire to keep to my budget > urge to buy a knife (or firearm). It also helps that I'm 47 and married. Wife would give me heck if I dropped $350 on a knife.
 
gazz98 said:
Either you have fallen down the hole or you have to learn to budget. My desire to keep to my budget > urge to buy a knife (or firearm). It also helps that I'm 47 and married. Wife would give me heck if I dropped $350 on a knife.
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Definitely not stretching the budget especially as only one was bought new (0460). No wife and reasonable child care payments. This is all disposable income.
 
Luckily, I haven't fallen down that expensive hole yet. Let me know if you have a HD Eagle, or Tactility that you are bored with.;)
 
gazz98 said:
It also helps that I'm 47 and married. Wife would give me heck if I dropped $350 on a knife.
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It helps if your wife has an expensive purse/bag habit.

She's like " but honey it was on sale and it's a Michal Kors, isn't there a Spider Knife you want ?"

Works for me.
 
Same happened to me.
Shit knives then a $50 "expensive" knife to a $100 knife to a "just once" purchase of a $220 knife. Now I'm just not interested in anything below $150 and have around half a dozen folders above that price point.

I gave myself a limit of $300. So far haven't exceeded it and I'm still within range of most ZT's, Spydercos and Benchmades.
 
I have a $200 limit that I have stuck to. Most of my knives were $75-150. I use all of my knives and all 50+ of them show wear, so I doubt I will ever buy a $800 Shiro or $400 CRK as I would be too afraid to scratch it.

I will likely have Charlie Mike Charlie Mike make me a custom soon and it will be a bit over my self imposed limit, but not by much and I will use the shit out of it.:cool:

My wife has a Chanel purse that cost as much as about 10 Chris Reeves, so don’t feel bad when I buy a $150-200 knife.:)
 
I used to be on that ever-increasing-price-range path, but I eventually came to realize that there’s a lot to say about a $50 knife that you won’t hesitate to use and wouldn’t feel dumb if you lose it.

Carrying around a sebenza nearly gave me an anxiety attack. Now, with rare exception, I stick with things that cost under $200, and typically only consistently carry things under $75.

“Budget” used to mean you gave up a lot of build quality or desirable features, but recent trends have done away with that -Stedemon ZKC and the various other Chinese brands have spoiled me a bit on that front. US-based brands are catching on as well, and I’ll probably grab the copper mini Natrix and the Endura Wharncliffe when they come out.
 
I too got into CRK, Strider, Medford and Hinderer after starting with Spyderco, Benchmade and ZT.

Once made the jump, I didn't think I would ever go back to mid tier knives but after a while, I learned to appreciate them again. A PM2 isn't a CRK, but it wasn't designed to be. It is a damn fine knife though and I've found that I can find enjoyment from a $50 Roadie as much as I do my Sebenza.

You just have to view each knife from a different perspective and you'll find there is a lot to appreciate from mid tier knives as well as the higher end knives.

In my opinion, by all means explore high end knives and enjoy them, but don't over look some mass produced knives because you'd do yourself a disservice.
 
Kreyzhorse said:
I too got into CRK, Strider, Medford and Hinderer after starting with Spyderco, Benchmade and ZT.

Once made the jump, I didn't think I would ever go back to mid tier knives but after a while, I learned to appreciate them again. A PM2 isn't a CRK, but it wasn't designed to be. It is a damn fine knife though and I've find that I can find enjoyment from a $50 Roadie as much as I do my Sebenza.

You just have to view each knife from a different perspective and you'll find there is a lot to appreciate from mid tier knives as well as the higher end knives.
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Thank you. Right now I can see the attributes of Leek or Flashbang but I’m just spoiled by the quality and aesthetics of the ZT’s and CRK’s. I love clippers and the difference in feel from the Kizer to an 0460 is night and day even though the Flashbang does well. I may open it up and do a clean and lube.
 
I'm all over the place. High to low. Low to high. I'm into different locks and opening mechanisms which takes you from CRKT into some fairly high end stuff. Only problem is that there doesn't seem to be an end in sight.
 
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