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That is very true, I used to think a Benchmade was expensive then a Microtech and now only Customs are really expensive, but others can still be expensive, but worth it.
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Buying a lot of Knives vs 1 Expensive Knife -Philosophy?
- Thread starter BrolyJr
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That is very true, I used to think a Benchmade was expensive then a Microtech and now only Customs are really expensive, but others can still be expensive, but worth it.
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But there are $200 customs and $1000+ customs.....
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I own several knives in the $30-$200 range as I really can't afford any higher. My zt 0200 being the most expensive and it has only cut paper. I edc my paramilitary 2 (s30v steel) and my Kershaw volt 2 (8cr13mov steel). I don't have to sharpen my volt 2 any more than my paramilitary 2. So I lean more towards cheap knives, especially Kershaw and spyderco's. I use my edc for everything from cutting meat for dinner to carving wood out camping and everything in between. My grail knife right now is a lion steel sr2 in black aluminum handle, plain blade. Might give up my zt 0200 to help get it. Cheap to midrange for me and one expensive grail knife and expensive for me is $200. My Kershaw Cryo 2 is my favorite knife at this point and one of my cheapest, I will buy every itteration. I suggest everyone get one!
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There are positive aspects of a knife that I want. There are $200 knives that imitate $400+ knives but there are negative aspects of them that nag at me. Also I will not buy any knife that uses cheap labor to sell more knives.
In my opinion Chris Reeve Knives sets the benchmark for everything knives related. If a knife costs more there better be a really good reason for it and sometimes there is but usually it's time spent, supply and demand and/or fancier materials. ...And to me it's obvious why knives that cost less go for their price. Typically for me those corners cut (and sometimes corners added!) make up a knife not to my taste. Sure...most likely there is no "need" for a $400+ knife. But, certainly in my opinion, there's even less of any good reason to have 10 ~$40 knives. Then again there's very little "reason" for this hobby, like most hobbies, except for fun.
The best knife in the world is the one you happen to have on you at the time. I'd rather carry a fantastic knife than a decent knife. But then you have to go into not just price but design, materials, ease of maint., warranty. Yup. Best just have several different fantastic (& probably expensive) knives! At least that's what I tell myself.
In my opinion Chris Reeve Knives sets the benchmark for everything knives related. If a knife costs more there better be a really good reason for it and sometimes there is but usually it's time spent, supply and demand and/or fancier materials. ...And to me it's obvious why knives that cost less go for their price. Typically for me those corners cut (and sometimes corners added!) make up a knife not to my taste. Sure...most likely there is no "need" for a $400+ knife. But, certainly in my opinion, there's even less of any good reason to have 10 ~$40 knives. Then again there's very little "reason" for this hobby, like most hobbies, except for fun.
The best knife in the world is the one you happen to have on you at the time. I'd rather carry a fantastic knife than a decent knife. But then you have to go into not just price but design, materials, ease of maint., warranty. Yup. Best just have several different fantastic (& probably expensive) knives! At least that's what I tell myself.
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I ran onto a KaBar Dozier Folding Hunter (item #02-4062) that is really a remarkable knife for $20. I am truly impressed with this knife. Do I carry it? Not yet as I have 20 other ones that want to be carried too.
The Mora's and Opinels are remarkable knives if you like the heft and so forth. They generally are not for me, but I understand why folks like them.
Keep telling yourself that those Chris Reeve knives are worth the price.
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For me its just more exciting to get a really good deal on a used rare or good working knife. I can imagine a history behind those knives. If its good quality, it doesnt lose any use value from a few scratches or scuffs, it just gains character. I'm much more excited by the $6 Folding Steyr Slicer that no one else noticed or the $9 Opinel that I customized to my exact needs than by some $300 diamond encrusted knife I'll never use and could never imagine a history behind. Plus this is a hobby so you;re never going to be happy with "the One," Its more than likely that you'll still wind up with a bunch of knives they'll just put you in the poor house quicker.
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I think it's ultimately a matter of personal values, because what we value tends to determine the philosophy we adopt. Some value form over function, while others value function over form. From there, we can talk about frugality, aesthetics, ergonomics, high-tech materials, minimalism, tradition, status, and so on. How much do you value each of these items? I'm not overly concerned about aesthetics or high-tech materials, but I definitely value frugality and ergonomics, as well as several other items.
I've tried a lot of different knives across the years, but I find that I continually come back to high function knives that are modestly priced, such as SAKs, Ontario Rat 1s, Cold Steel Voyagers, Beckers, Ka-Bar USMCs and so on. Knowing my values, this doesn't surprise me at all.
So determine your values, establish a philosophy, set your budget and enjoy. So long as you don't break the bank, it's all good.
I've tried a lot of different knives across the years, but I find that I continually come back to high function knives that are modestly priced, such as SAKs, Ontario Rat 1s, Cold Steel Voyagers, Beckers, Ka-Bar USMCs and so on. Knowing my values, this doesn't surprise me at all.
So determine your values, establish a philosophy, set your budget and enjoy. So long as you don't break the bank, it's all good.
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George Bush II rocked a Timex and had nothing in his pockets other than a hanky. Truly rich and powerful men don't need tools to use at work. They just are. No amount of spending money on a pocket knife will make you a gentleman. Gents inherit dinosaur bone scaled knives, they don't buy them. Who gives a shit. Buy something that does what you need it to do. Buy boots that do what you need them to do. Marry a woman who loves you.
Drink your wine, eat your bread, and love your children. Do not lust after trinkets that will not improve your life.
Drink your wine, eat your bread, and love your children. Do not lust after trinkets that will not improve your life.
Wow some knives people mentioned here to be "cheap" are for me very expensive. I'd rather buy 5 decent quality knives than 1 expensive knife for the price of those 5 combined. Yes those 5 won't have the tighter tolerances or higher quality of materials of the one expensive knife, but I'll have 5 different knives that can fill 5 niches whereas that one expensive knife might just fill one niche. And those 5 knives can last me anywhere from 5 - 50 years or more, and I'll use them more to their potential because they're cheap, and get even more of my money out of them because of it
I can't find a task where my carbon steel Opinel no. 9 is not suitable. The damn thing cost the same as about $13 and I can fillet fish, butcher chicken, carve a spear, chop an onion, slice some cheese, cut whatever I want and it does it so well. I cannot see how a more expensive knife is going to give me any better performance besides edge retention, but my Opinel no. 9 stays sharper than I expect it to, and I like sharpening it when I have to. A simple cheap hardware aluminium oxide stone and leather belt get it hair shaving sharp, and it's SO easy to get it to that level of sharpness! I can mod the handle and blade to my preference, my own custom job. It bonds me with the knife, and brings me closer to it, gives me more pleasure when using it
Give me 30 Opinels of different sizes to fill a range of niches, and then have some spares for each niche, and I'll have enough useful knives for the rest of my life and longer. There is no way I'm going to wear out 30 Opinels in the next 60 years unless if I jam each in a vice and deliberately snap the blades
All that being said, I will definitely buy an expensive knife like a Sebenza one day, just to feel that quality and workmanship when using it. While an Opinel can do the same as a tool, that quality and workmanship of a high quality knife gives one a whole different pleasure when being used, and I've experienced it with some of my more "expensive" (to me) knives
I can't find a task where my carbon steel Opinel no. 9 is not suitable. The damn thing cost the same as about $13 and I can fillet fish, butcher chicken, carve a spear, chop an onion, slice some cheese, cut whatever I want and it does it so well. I cannot see how a more expensive knife is going to give me any better performance besides edge retention, but my Opinel no. 9 stays sharper than I expect it to, and I like sharpening it when I have to. A simple cheap hardware aluminium oxide stone and leather belt get it hair shaving sharp, and it's SO easy to get it to that level of sharpness! I can mod the handle and blade to my preference, my own custom job. It bonds me with the knife, and brings me closer to it, gives me more pleasure when using it
Give me 30 Opinels of different sizes to fill a range of niches, and then have some spares for each niche, and I'll have enough useful knives for the rest of my life and longer. There is no way I'm going to wear out 30 Opinels in the next 60 years unless if I jam each in a vice and deliberately snap the blades
All that being said, I will definitely buy an expensive knife like a Sebenza one day, just to feel that quality and workmanship when using it. While an Opinel can do the same as a tool, that quality and workmanship of a high quality knife gives one a whole different pleasure when being used, and I've experienced it with some of my more "expensive" (to me) knives
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Clinton also used to sport a cheap Timex or something similar in office as well. Now thats he's out of office he has been spotted with quite a nice watch collection, including JLCs worth more then $10k.
People buy nice things for themselves not other people. I could care less if something noticed my EDC, but it sure feels nice to carry a nice knife and not a cheapie.
I ran onto a KaBar Dozier Folding Hunter (item #02-4062) that is really a remarkable knife for $20. I am truly impressed with this knife. Do I carry it? Not yet as I have 20 other ones that want to be carried too.
The Mora's and Opinels are remarkable knives if you like the heft and so forth. They generally are not for me, but I understand why folks like them.
Keep telling yourself that those Chris Reeve knives are worth the price.
Say what you want about expensive knives...but you say you like the cheap knives that so happen to be collaborations with custom makers? You think KaBar made the design for that folding hunter, or did Dozier make it? Same with a lot of popular cheaper models, Benchmade Griptilian (Pardue), Kershaw Cyro (Hinderer), Kershaw Leek (Onion), etc. Do you think all the makers excel at what they do by helping companies make productions all day? Their livelihood comes from people who support customs and coincidentally more expensive high end knives...
Hope you know Chris Reeve invented the frame lock, every time you handle a frame lock you should know that yes, by people supporting Chris Reeve in the past it has helped mold the present. So every time you handle a cheap frame lock, Kershaw, etc, just know the design is actually using the integral lock created by Chris Reeve which would not be possible if everyone only bought a $7 Opinel.
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Don't be mistaken, many people buy expensive things/luxury items mostly for show, be it cars, boats, watches, etc. As President, Clinton wore a cheap black plastic watch for show, and today he wears luxury watches for show. What so many fail to realize is the well to do didn't get that way by spending themselves into it. They spend, if they spend on luxury, once they've arrived. Those who spend before they arrive are mostly just placing a veneer for appearance sake.
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This is true, but not everyone buys nice things for appearance. Pretty sure I don't have an expensive rice cooker for appearance as no one besides my family has really seen it or used it...but it makes excellent rice with ease and consistency. But yes, I meant not everyone buys nice things to impress other people and should have clarified that.
Millions do use the $20-$50 knives daily. I have but one knife that cost me more than $100 and then not much more than that. A true custom knife/one of a kind from T. Mayo before he got huge. And it's far from fancy, but it is a great tool. I can afford much more expensive knives but that's not where I find value. There's much to be said for value, and value means much more than estimated worth. Value is more along the lines for bang for your buck, especially regarding tools.
I'd rather have one car that will go 10-15 years and a few hundred thousand miles with the least unscheduled maintenance. My daily driver is a '98 Civic with ~140K miles. My wife's is an '06 4Runner with ~200K miles. Our "house truck" is a '91 F150 (300CID inline 6 --- America didn't make any bad inline 6) with about ~175K miles.
I like anonymity as I go about my life in the face-to-face real world. The stuff I collect, even the expensive stuff (for me anyway), provides that. My wristwatch collection is so vintage (30s-50s) rarely does anyone notice what I'm wearing, and when they do they haven't a clue what it is. Mostly the same with my rifles.
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Not everyone can afford an original custom. I had mentioned the Dozier design as an inexpensive knife that impresses me. I also have a number of custom Dozier knives as well as others. I pretty much buy one just about every time I attend the Blade Show. (I pretty much walk in the door and head straight to his tables. So, yeah, I support Bob Dozier.) The Becker designs are popular. Do you think Ethan Becker is in his shop making knifes to sell as his customs? Nope.... But I know many of the others do.
The knife makers who have popular (high sales) designs made by CRKT, KaBar and so forth do real well financially unless you think $50K a year isn't much money.
If you are into cutlery, I would say get at least 1 or 2 $100+ plus knives. Just so you know what quality is all about, and what to look for in higher end knives. Having said that, if you are buying a knife to use for work, get a cheaper one. I have several Microtechs and a few higher end Spyderco's, but I'm not going to scratch/dull/dirty/abuse/lose them at work for someone else's profit. Never did understand why someone would drop big $$ on a knife to use at a job where (most people) don't get paid very much to begin with.
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