curious about your "grail knives"

thefamcnaj

thefamcnaj

Joined
Jul 16, 2012
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780
I've been looking at some of these beautiful knives posted all over the forums.
I was wondering do these knives get used? The custom folders and high end knives. Do some of you buy two?
One for show and one to go so to speak. Knives are so many things to people: heirlooms, tools, cooking essentials, collectors items etc.
I fall into the tool/hobby category.
I teach my son you get what you pay for. Buy nice tools for job at hand and don't baby then. If you building a fence get the good hammer and the good drill. If your going hunting, get the good shot gun or rifle and don't worry if you scratch it going up the tree or what ever the case may be.
I feel the same about my modest knife collection of around 30 folders or so. There is not one I will not use......well until yesterday that is. My tsf beast showed up and was beautifully done in black on black. I knew it would never see use, so I emailed jim allen(great knife maker, even better guy) and asked him to send me a plain looking beast so I'd have one to use.
Seeing as how I only have 3 customs, all three being tsf products 2 beast and a c.c.t. so I guess the beast is my grail knife.
I've had to change my thinking on use any tool for its intended purpose. I guess the black on black will be for shoe and the plain ti/ti will be for go.
How do you guys or gals feel about the higher end knives in your collections.
 
These were two of my grails that I have been fortunate enough to acquire. Both get used and carried. The Umnumzaan is one of my current favorites and sees quite a bit of pocket time. There are some very expensive knives that I would love to own, but I could never bring myself to carry them, so I don't bother looking to get any. The only Grails I would be interested in owning would be ones I would be willing to carry. I completely respect collectors, as I have a collector mentality, but my knife habits currently favor users over safe queens at this time.

These two knives didn't stop the search for other knives, they just supplement my increasing collection of RCR (regular carry rotation) knives. There will be other knives to come, and others to go. Part of the ever evolving collection and a great reason to love the hobby.

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On another note, my current grail that I "NEED" to get someday is:
Small Sebenza with Snakewood inlay
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My daily activities don't require the regular use of a knife. I use it twice or three times a day. Therefore I'm not scared to take any of my knives out with me and use them, grail or otherwise
 
I've wanted an RJ Martin for years. I was lucky enough to get one this year at Blade and it's been in my pocket almost everyday since. Why not use it that's what they are for.

 
I guess if a "Grail" is something that I really want to own, then I don't have one. I have some very nice folders, but am not awed by any of them anymore. I carry a Zaan daily, and that's pretty satisfying...spider-trails or not.

I've owned three or four TSF Beasts from Jim Allen, and agree he's a great builder and a nice guy. However, I have carried them occasionally, as the water-jet "pattern" that he puts on those scales is a great idea to prevent spider-trails.
 
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I don't own any knives at all that I don't use. I can think of a few that I would consider "grails" but I would still use some of them.... Like a Shiva Ki Merc. About $3000 IIRC. I'd use it... But on the other hand, if I happened to squire an original Loveless or Scagel, or even a Walter Brend custom I don't think I could bring myself to use them. No way. I just don't think I could bring myself to mar their beauty. But, those are irreplaceable pieces of history. If I had just about anything currently available I'd probably use it. Grail or not.
 
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Grail doesn't really apply to me per se. I've gone through quite a few knives in the last year determining what I like and dislike in folders. What I have left is a result of my findings, or a few that are too beat up to sell. I've found what I like and dislike, though that doesn't necessarily turn me off to a specific knife.

Likes:
Tip up clip
Spydie holes and flippers
Tool steels
CTS-XHP
Bearing pivots
Blades 3.5" and under.
G10
BBL lock
Compression lock
Axis lock
Wood handles/inlay
Carbon fiber handles/scales/inlay

Dislikes:
Tip down only--I simply will not buy such a knife.
Metal handles--The winter here in Chicago is not conducive to this unless you are indoors. Otherwise, even with gloves on, you freeze your hands off.
Assisted opening--after having owned quite a few assisted knives, from several manufacturers, its just too many moving parts. I understand the warranties, replacement parts, etc, but its just too much hassle.
S30V--Have tried it with many different companies, with varying results, mostly disappointing to the point I sold the knife. As a whole I avoid S30V.
Overbuilt knives--just not for me, a desk job junkie.
Tantos--bleh, useless in my world
Combo edge--for obvious reasons

That said, there are a few knives I'm interested that don't meet my criteria. Even though every fiber of my being tells me I won't like the metal handles, there are two knives I really want. CRK Small Sebenza with cf, wood, micarta inlay or CF scale, and a TSF Beast. Those are my attainable grails of the moment.

Tip down only clips ruined 3 knives for me--Spyderco Military and Des Horn, and the Benchmade 755 MPR.

My original grail was the Brian Tighe mini-Tighe Rod. Despite the great flipping action, the Ti handles got cold, and the curvature of the handles made it difficult to grip with my XL hands. It is currently for sale.

As far as use goes, I use all my knives. Anything I'm not willing to use gets sold or traded.
 
K.O.D. said:
Tip down only clips ruined 3 knives for me--Spyderco Military and Des Horn, and the Benchmade 755 MPR.
Click to expand...

I like the Military; tip down or not. I've had quite a few of them. Great folder.
Des Horn does not appeal to me as it is too "dagger-like" for my tastes. Just personal opinion.

The BM 755MPR is the worst knife I've ever owned...with the best blade-steel. It is a compact, thick, fat, brick. The pocket-clip tore up my Levis, was totally un-fixable, and I put it in a drawer. It COULD HAVE BEEN a great knife if they had used a 0.100"-thick scale of G-10 or titanium instead of a 0.200" piece of plastic. I love my model 275's and 710's and others, but dearly love to hate this knife.
And opinions sell some knives...and not others. Just my rant. Thanks.
 
I've got about six knives that will never see the light of day. More than I'll ever carry in ten lifetimes. I'm sure one day some of them will get passed on, but not today. I have 5 TSF beast and like you the all black I have is only carried on special occasions. Gotta love the beast. But then again, I do collect knives to both use and admire. I'm betting the proto type Sebenza 25 I have will increase in value given enough time.
 
For awhile I collected custom hunting knives, with no intention of ever using them. I bought a few that were grails to me, and there were others that I never managed to buy.

Now I'm buying folders of the type that I like to carry. My sights are lower, I don't really pick knives that I would think of as expensive grails, but the knives I buy are also knives that I intend to use.
 
I started the knife hobby after college. I was interested in different blade material/shape, lock type, and production brand. I had played with some of the "most popular" knives until I got a Small Sebenza Carbon Fiber Insingo. To me, it's a perfect combination of basically everything (blade shape/length/material for EDC use, carrying size/weight, lock strength, unique carbon fiber scale that adds character, and the CRK name). If I were to take one knife with me back to graduate school, this would be the one, though it costs way less than some of the customs out there. And yes, I use it.
 
I use what I need to use and I buy knives just to collect them. I can't see owning over 10 or 12 knives just to use. They don't wear out that fast and they all will cut. Otherwise I would never justify owning so many users, but I can feel good about having some nice stuff mint. A lot of what I buy gets discontinued down the road and in NIB condition increases in value. Used the value falls way off.
 
Sonnydaze said:
The BM 755MPR is the worst knife I've ever owned...with the best blade-steel. It is a compact, thick, fat, brick. The pocket-clip tore up my Levis, was totally un-fixable, and I put it in a drawer. It COULD HAVE BEEN a great knife if they had used a 0.100"-thick scale of G-10 or titanium instead of a 0.200" piece of plastic. I love my model 275's and 710's and others, but dearly love to hate this knife.
And opinions sell some knives...and not others. Just my rant. Thanks.
Click to expand...

What's plastic on it? I have one and it's got a G-10 handle and ti clip?
 
My definition of Grail knife has changed, over the years. I've realized that, sometimes, it doesn't have the importance of a grail until you've had it for a while lol.

Knives that are " primo" to me and "must buy again" if lost/damaged:

Spyderco Street Beat.
Swamp Rat knives Rodent 3

I'd love to add a folder to this short list, but any number of folders fill the role that I need. Perfect EDC size is a Spyderco Delica but I carry Cold Steel Voyager (3.5 inches) almost as often ( but CS has a thicker handle). Manix 2 blue translucent has replaced a steak knife (can't believe the knives restaurants will try to pass as steak knives) more than once. Lose the Manix..... I'd replace it.
 
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