Do you buy cheap knives anymore?

Hell no, never did. My first was the cheapest, it was a Cold Steel. Don't remember the model but it was about 15yrs ago when they had plastic pocket clips. Still have it. :)
 
I bought my first high end production 10 years ago. A Buck/Strider 880 @ $140 from One Stop Knife Shop.
 
High end seems to be a moving target based on your financial ability. I know when I see a "high end" knife, but there are so many good ones in between. I would raise the bar to $100 for high end, and lower the bar to $25 or less for low end (excluding SAKs as they are a good value). Lots of very good knives in the $25 to $100 price range.
 
22-rimfire said:
High end seems to be a moving target based on your financial ability. I know when I see a "high end" knife, but there are so many good ones in between. I would raise the bar to $100 for high end, and lower the bar to $25 or less for low end (excluding SAKs as they are a good value). Lots of very good knives in the $25 to $100 price range.
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lots of good knives in the $8 - $15 range too :):thumbup:
 
Sanrenmu's made in China, and I like them just fine.

Got way more expensive knives, but for everyday beating, I'll stick with low-priced quality knives. If they break, no worries.

SAKs are great, too.

:cool:
 
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Opinel, a few china brands (rough rider and sanrenmu have proven them self as hard users), mora and a few others are all ridiculously cheap but overlooked...

...big difference between an inexpensive knife and a cheap knife.
 
I bought a fox karambit for 130 and this is my first of the higher range. Ive bought cheaper in the past and most turnd out good. I just dont recomend judging on price but actualy on how the knife is. Most of the time when the price is up its because of the steel on the blade, type of handle, or somthing to that extent. Price can be cut in different areas so you just got to see where.
 
To put is simply, i am not rich enough to have anything i am not willing to abuse. currently, all but two of the knives that i own are kershaw blems. i can use it and not feel guilty. the most expensive knife i have is a 85 dollar zt 0200 blem. the cheapest knife is a 25 dollar ener-g II. i looked at the emersons and the benchmades, and i can not see the point. however, i think my opinion will change when i am no longer 15 and on a "christmas-money" budget.
 
Charlie Mike said:
Rarely if ever. I've found that my needs can be best satisfied by having a custom made to my specs.
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You know Charlie, I really think that this is the smartest course of action. Especially for large locking folders.

As far as the ops question for cheaper knives: I would have to say that I agree with a previous poster who mentioned that they buy based on value not cost. Materials and workmanship are what sell me on any particular knife.
 
thegeek574 said:
To put is simply, i am not rich enough to have anything i am not willing to abuse. currently, all but two of the knives that i own are kershaw blems. i can use it and not feel guilty. the most expensive knife i have is a 85 dollar zt 0200 blem. the cheapest knife is a 25 dollar ener-g II. i looked at the emersons and the benchmades, and i can not see the point. however, i think my opinion will change when i am no longer 15 and on a "christmas-money" budget.
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Holy crap!!!! You have got to be the smartest and most well spoken fifteen year old I know of. Your above post was brilliant! Congrats, glad to have you in the human race.
 
bearcut said:
I plan on getting a couple of CRKT’s just to see if I like the designs enough to buy the custom versions. They’re both under $30.
The CRKT NIRK: The original version being the Brian Tighe NIRK Tighe. This looks like a totally original design and CRKT’s version gives me an inexpensive way to try it out.
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The NIRK Tighe was the Third NIRK Knife Design. The first two by Klecker came out the year before. Then the NIRK Tighe came out when Brian teamed up with Klecker to make a knife together. There is another NIRK out at SHOT Show this year by Klecker.

-Rick
 
I can think of plenty of good knives in the over 50 and under 50 range.

Some of the Boker Plus line is worth looking at and less than 50. The Gnome and Pocket Bowie come to mind.
 
risen said:
...I'll stick with low-priced quality knives. If they break, no worries...
:cool:
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That is interesting. Some people buy low-priced knives - not to worry if they break... Some: hi-end expensive ones - not to worry that knives break on them... :D
I actually burn the candle from both ends. The last one I bought was SOG Blink - actually a nice small knife. Why not - I liked it! Yes it is not expensive, so what!
 
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I don't like buying an expensive knife just to beat the crap out of it. So, while I will carry a knife costing hundreds of dollars, I do carry cheaper ones to use on anything without fear of breaking or damaging them.
 
As a pretty new guy to the world of knife using/collecting, I would love to buy more expensive and high quality knives, especially fun ones that I like playing with such as the Benchmade 580 Barrage or the 940. SAKs are also awesome for being inexpensive, super fun to play with, and really great quality for the money you pay.

Unfortunatey, the realities of being a university student/fast food worker kind of dictates that I buy less knives or buy more cheaper knives, and my experience with cheap knives makes me want to stay away. As mentioned in another thread, I bought an M Tech folder that was fun to play with, but would immediately disassemble itself, and eventually I lost a backspacer while flick opening the knife (not a big loss, but 5 dollars I would have rather put into a decent knife).
 
taeku4 said:
As a pretty new guy to the world of knife using/collecting, I would love to buy more expensive and high quality knives, especially fun ones that I like playing with such as the Benchmade 580 Barrage or the 940. SAKs are also awesome for being inexpensive, super fun to play with, and really great quality for the money you pay.

Unfortunatey, the realities of being a university student/fast food worker kind of dictates that I buy less knives or buy more cheaper knives, and my experience with cheap knives makes me want to stay away. As mentioned in another thread, I bought an M Tech folder that was fun to play with, but would immediately disassemble itself, and eventually I lost a backspacer while flick opening the knife (not a big loss, but 5 dollars I would have rather put into a decent knife).
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Put $5 into a Sanrenmu or Rough rider and you'll make your money back well and truly but wont feel bad if you lose or break it.
 
i'll put it to you, the honarable end user...
in that all knives are not made equal but that all knives should be made capable of cutting, slicing and dicing at least a dozen times before any thought of breakage.
economically priced knives for the masses are there to fill the basic expected tool requirements of the majority of end users.
illogically priced anything doesn't necessarily mean for the better or capable of giving the absolute best performance in the known world,
but it might help one to gain an elitist status amongst one's bladed peers.
go back a few decades and you'll find that most cutlery manufacturers had productlines which looked like it was around ever since the civil war.
folks in earlier times were frugal and were not as over informed as the present on-line generation.
sometimes too much of a good thing can drive simple matters to overload.
buy exorbitant once you have the means to.
and when you do have means,
you'll be surprise at just how much more additionally addictive it's becomes to hunt for the cheapest deal in town.
so, doesn't everyone pay for the best quality and workmanship where in matters of fair price and affordability comes first?
when placing money into anything tangible,
it is beneficial to always study the true picture of what's in front and behind a certain product.
cheap may not be all that fancy;
but when it comes to basic utility, some surely do cut it's way well over to the top.
 
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