Do you feel comfortable . . .

KeithAM

KeithAM

Joined
Dec 15, 2003
Messages
3,154
. . . recommending to someone on the forums that they buy a knife that you've never held? If the answer is yes, in what circumstances?
 
I don't recall I've personally recommended anything I haven't tried.
 
I can only give my opinion about how it looks to me, if I like the steel, If it ther's a "common thought" about that knive is good or not based on a lot of other opinions, but not recommend the knive itself if I haven't tried.
 
Why would anyone want to do that? Just wait a few minutes or hours and someone who knows what he's talking about will post.
 
I've suggested knives that seem to fit the criteria that people are asking for and I'll say if others recommend it or not but I won't pretend to have any personal experience if I don't. No need to BS someone when there are so many knowledgable folks on this board.
 
I've done the same. If someone says they want a knife with "X" qualifications, I'll chime in to mention one that has those, but I'll be completely honest about not having personal experience with the knife if I haven't. Sometimes, that gives people a new model to search out that they might not have thought about, so as long as you're up front I don't see anything wrong with giving them a knife to think about that fits their desired specs.

-Anthony
 
Laceration said:
I've suggested knives that seem to fit the criteria that people are asking for and I'll say if others recommend it or not but I won't pretend to have any personal experience if I don't. No need to BS someone when there are so many knowledgable folks on this board.
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Plus One..
 
I would not specifically recommend a knife I have never at least held, but I see nothing wrong with naming knives that meet someone's needs in an attempt to bring them to his attention.

For example, if someone said they wanted a good folding knife for around 20 bucks, I would list the Pika (which I have held) and the KA-BAR Dozier (which I have not held).

He can compare the two and decide which he wants. I am just trying to bring them to his attention.

If someone asked whether they should get a Pika or Dozier, I wouldn't answer.

If someone asked if they should get a Dozier, I would mention that it is considered a good knife for the money (and this is true whether I have held the knife or not), and go on to list other options to consider, such as the Pika.
 
I might recommend taking a look at one particular knife, but I will say that I haven't held it or I have held it.
 
KeithAM said:
. . . recommending to someone on the forums that they buy a knife that you've never held? If the answer is yes, in what circumstances?
Click to expand...
No way, it would be a useless opinion-recommendation.
 
Let me be the first to go against the grade: I won't recommend someone BUY a knife that I haven't handled, but I will recommend that they look at a model.

A lot of the time people will post here they are looking for a knife with a particular length and blade shape, and many of us knife nuts are familiar with a wide selection of production blades. I don't see the harm in telling someone to check them out and see if it matches what they are looking for.

I've also been recommended knives that I haven't bought - while they may meet the specifications of what I was looking for; once in hand they just didn't seem to be what I liked.

I would have to say though, that the vast majority of recommendations I do ever make are models I am familiar with in-hand. I would never wax rhapsodic on a knife I've never used.

I guess my reply would be the same as Hair's, +1
 
The reputation of the maker could come into play here. For instance, I have never held a Tony Bose slipjoint but would feel OK recommending one to someone based on reputation only. I could also recommend a custom makers model I have never held based on the quality of a different model I do own. But Cougar makes a good point, why take the advice of someone with no direct experience with a knife when some forumite will be along with a first person experience. Any recommendations from some doofus like me who has never handled the knife should be taken with a grain of salt.
 
I'll refer someone to a particular knife to look at if it meets thier criteria, but I won't give a true recommendation unless it's something I handled.

For example "You might check out suchandsuch knives, and see what ya' think about them"

As opposed to "Soandso knives are the latest greatest unobtainium blacktical tactical bad a$$ ripper knives ever with rock solid lock up and it holds an edge for all of eternity....or at least the cool looking Dork Ops ad said so...." :p

In other words, I'm on board with Hair, Deadhead, and thier ilk.
 
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