Do you guys who own high-end knives, also buy cheap knives?

Keith Montgomery said:
I purchase some inexpensive knives, but only those that are decent quality.
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Ditto.

(I'm a knife 'collector', not a knife 'snob'. If it's a decent knife and it interests me - I'll buy it. Opinels, SAK's, etc. )
 
I started out buying cheap junker knives like Maxam and S&W. I still have them all, and I still love them for what they are. But I have stopped buying knives that low in quality since my collection of crap is pretty much complete. I then moved onto quality knives in the 30-100 dollar range such as the Spyderco Native, Kershaw Leek, and Buck Nighthawk. Now I am concentrating on higher-end knives such as Mcustas, the Manix, Skirmish, SERE2000, and I just ordered a graphic Sebenza. Next I want a Nakamura, and maybe an Emerson Commander.

However, that doesn't mean I won't buy cheap knives. They just have to be good cheap knives. My Opinel, Mora, and SAKs are some of my favorites and they are all really inexpensive. I plan on buying more. Many more.

You'll find that many knife knuts here that buy high-end knives and customs from 100 bucks to 800 bucks (and beyond?) also have a fondness for good inexpensive knives like Opinel, various Moras and Puukkos, as well as SAKs and inexpensive but quality slipjoints.

You'll also see budget knives like the BM Pika, KA-BAR Dozier, and Buck Mayo Cutback and Hilo get a lot of love here.

I may have a Sebenza on the way, but I still want a Buck Mayo Northshore (around 50 bucks).

Good knives are good knives.

Getting junk knives doesn't give me that "new knife rush" any more, as I have moved on to better knives. But an Opinel still gives me a fix.

Hopefully this analogy won't be too dark... If someone is addicted to a hardcore drug like crack (Sebenza), they can still get off on pot (Spyderco Native). However, coffee (an Mtech POS) won't really give them the high they want.

I am addicted to buying knives. I love the feeling I get when I get a new knife, and that feeling can last days or weeks. The better the knife, the better the feeling. I am now too desensitized to get a high off of a junker. But an Opinel can hold me off for the rest of the week until I get paid :D
 
All good comments, BUT....

PLEASE don't buy Chinese knives - or Chinese anything else, for that matter - as some or all of your $$s go to a government that runs over their own people with tanks, in front of TV cameras, then has the cogliones to tell the rest of the world that they didn't see what they just saw!!

Yes, here you're free to do what you want to, including spending your bucks. I had to give you my rant, though.
 
Every country has bad people, especially in government. Even America. I'll keep buying Chinese knives. Thanks.
 
This hobby is a progression in learning about quality. I've bought a few chinese fixed blades & folders like Mtech.
A few end up as decorations or give-aways.
Now I tend to do my homework on a particular knife before dropping what little spare $ I have on it. ($200 is my max!!)
I've got a Cold Steel Trailmaster & a Timberline Zambezi fixed blade that were my most expensive yet.
If you like something..buy it.
 
Usually, you get what you pay for, but if you're knowledgeable, you can find bargains. Opinels are a good example (carbon steel only!).
 
Ka-Bar Mule: excellent value for money folder.

I may not carry this knife often, but there are times when an affordable knife that I have no real attachment to is a very useful tool.
 
I agree with the above poster, I am on a very limited budget ($25/week lunch and allowance, until I get a real job) and can't really afford anything like a sebenza, but my Ka-Bar mule has survived through everything I've given it. I'd recommend it to anyone, and at $~45 it's a bargain.
 
Performance is first in my acquisition of knives,there are some very broad and some very specific parameters.
I also love beautiful knives,finding both in one knife almost always necessitates spending more money,but not in every case. :D
 
Habeas Corpus said:
And an Opinel with a carbon blade will get many, many jobs done a heck of a lot better than many "quality knives", especially the so-called "tactical" knives".

So, what makes a knife a crappy knife? :rolleyes:

Hans
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I GOTTA check out an Opinel, heard too many great things about these knives. I was mainly thinking about these chinese folders with really weak liner locks, terrible fit + finish and poor materials used. I wont argue that a decent knife can be bought for under 50 bucks, but It would appear that you have to know a little bit about knives to find the good ones in that price range:)
 
I'll buy a blade that interests me, so it doesn't matter if it's inexpensive. None of my knives are over $250 anyway, but I just love knives, so if it's interesting I'll buy it. I just picked up a Japanese Carpenter's Knife this weekend (Japanese Carpenter's Knife) just because I liked the look of it. Inexpensive, but different. I must admit that all the knives that I've been disappointed that I've bought have been inexpensive, though. I've never been disappointed with the pricier ones - perhaps because I spend more time in consideration and decision-making when more money is involved. :)
 
As many others have said. There is a difference between inexpensive and cheap. Over time, I learned what was a bargain, and what was cheap because it was crappy. I also only collect what I have, or will, carry. This is why I started with large survivors, bowies and fighters, and now collect small FB EDC's. Times change, jobs change, Etc... If I have the urge to hurl a bowie into a treestump however, I'm more likely to use an S&W SAR, than a handmade limited addition. :D
 
I pretty much stopped buying the Flea Market stuff a few years ago, but I will by lower priced knives if they are good quality. I've gotten some good tips here on high quality, lower priced knives ( like the Kabar Dozier Folders).
 
I kinda like uncle Henry's single blade.The UH5 or UH55 for a cheapie to carry around once in awhile.I was thinking about putting some custom handles on them for fun.
Todd
 
Keith Montgomery said:
I purchase some inexpensive knives, but only those that are decent quality.
Click to expand...

That's what I was going to say.
I sometimes purchase inexpensive knives, but never cheap ones.
For example, I just picked up a couple Okapi knives from Ragnar at ragweedforge.com. They are very inexpensive ($10 tops), but they are not low-quality. They are made well, with good materials, but are inexpensive since they aren't the latest in high-tech gadgetry.

Peace.
 
Hair said:
I started out buying cheap junker knives like Maxam and S&W. I still have them all, and I still love them for what they are. But I have stopped buying knives that low in quality since my collection of crap is pretty much complete. I then moved onto quality knives in the 30-100 dollar range such as the Spyderco Native, Kershaw Leek, and Buck Nighthawk. Now I am concentrating on higher-end knives such as Mcustas, the Manix, Skirmish, SERE2000, and I just ordered a graphic Sebenza. Next I want a Nakamura, and maybe an Emerson Commander.

However, that doesn't mean I won't buy cheap knives. They just have to be good cheap knives. My Opinel, Mora, and SAKs are some of my favorites and they are all really inexpensive. I plan on buying more. Many more.

You'll find that many knife knuts here that buy high-end knives and customs from 100 bucks to 800 bucks (and beyond?) also have a fondness for good inexpensive knives like Opinel, various Moras and Puukkos, as well as SAKs and inexpensive but quality slipjoints.

You'll also see budget knives like the BM Pika, KA-BAR Dozier, and Buck Mayo Cutback and Hilo get a lot of love here.

I may have a Sebenza on the way, but I still want a Buck Mayo Northshore (around 50 bucks).

Good knives are good knives.

Getting junk knives doesn't give me that "new knife rush" any more, as I have moved on to better knives. But an Opinel still gives me a fix.

Hopefully this analogy won't be too dark... If someone is addicted to a hardcore drug like crack (Sebenza), they can still get off on pot (Spyderco Native). However, coffee (an Mtech POS) won't really give them the high they want.

I am addicted to buying knives. I love the feeling I get when I get a new knife, and that feeling can last days or weeks. The better the knife, the better the feeling. I am now too desensitized to get a high off of a junker. But an Opinel can hold me off for the rest of the week until I get paid :D
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This probably describes me pretty well, except I don't have that many nice knives.

I'll probably buy one more cheap knife - a Coast Cutlery Eddie Bauer carbon fiber knife with a low hanging clip for back up daily carry. But I have to save my money now to start my more expensive collection.

I still get a buzz from cheap knives. Now that I'm hooked, gotta move on to the more expensive stuff. :)
 
No, I don't buy either cheap or inexpensive. The most inexpensive knife I own is a Simonich Bitteroot and that was given to me. The most inexpensive knife I've bought in quite awhile was $350. I'm not saying that there aren't good "deals" out there that'll cut as good as my more expensive knives, they just don't interest me though...
 
Blade Junky said:
No, I don't buy either cheap or inexpensive. The most inexpensive knife I own is a Simonich Bitteroot and that was given to me. The most inexpensive knife I've bought in quite awhile was $350. I'm not saying that there aren't good "deals" out there that'll cut as good as my more expensive knives, they just don't interest me though...
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Heh, nothing wrong with being hardcore. :D
 
I only have about five high end folders, but I also have some ten dollar cheapies. My Buck custom shop 110 among others shares space with a $5 Mora. My SOG Seal Pup shares space with my Buck Diamondback. Even my EDC, a Buck Cadet, shares EDC space with my black blade Native.
 
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