Ever revert back to budget/value knives?

Hawk45

Hawk45

Joined
Jan 28, 2005
Messages
2,154
In the past 6 years I can't recall picking up anything less than $100 (outside of traditionals) and more often nothing under $200. So the other week I saw a really cool collaboration of a mid-tech knife I've been eyeing. The midtech goes for about $400 and the collab goes for $35. I thought I would pick up the collab with it's ABC123 blade steel just to see if I liked the feel of the design before taking the plunge for the midtech. After having this collab for a week, I must say I'm impressed with everything about it and has me wanting to put my foot back into the budget folder waters to try out some of the other collab offerings being put out.

While I could carry my Sebenza 25, I'm finding myself wanting to carry the $35 budget knife. I say budget, but really more like a value knife in my book. Lots to like for little money. Don't get me wrong, I fully understand the difference in materials and quality, but my EDC tasks can tell the difference between the two price points.

Anyone else ever revert back to budget/value knives?
 
I frequently carry either a CS Tuff Lite or a CS Mini Tuff Lite. I find them incredibly great knives for actually cutting things. I mean, they're not the prettiest knives, but outside of edge retention maybe my cheap little ~$25 Tuff Lite outperforms my Sebenza for actual work.

I love my ~$40 Buck 346 Vantage Avid Large so much that I haven't had custom scales made for it because I'm loathe to send it away for work.
 
My only "problem" (yes, I know... haha) is that to me a budget/value knife is $120-$160... I often carry ZT-450 or PM-2, and when I do I feel like I am giving all my higher end production, mid-techs, and customs "time off"
 
Well, on the very low range the differences are very noticeable. I agree with you that the sweet spot would be around $150 and above, but there are many sweet knives below that.
I own only one very cheap knife which is a Buck Bantam which I bougth for situations in which I don't care if it breaks or gets stolen.
 
I haven't bought anything in that price range in a long time...but I still have a handful of knives from 15+ yrs ago that I like quite a bit. They ranged from $40-55 then, I believe; so (if we forget about inflation) they're in the budget category. Truth be told, I like a couple of those old knives better than I like some of the ones I've purchased in the last few years...and carry them more often, as well.
 
I bought a Rat 1 in D2 a few weeks ago. It hasn't left my pocket since really. Great knife. I will go back to Spydies, BM, and ZT eventually.
 
Most of my recent purchases have been right around $100, but then I saw a Kershaw Shuffle II on clearance locally and decided to pick it up. I really like it. For that matter, I found myself deliberately grabbing an old Coast folder (free with a flashlight purchase) to carry the other day, and today it's a CRKT Ripple. I guess it comes down to the fact that I'm mostly just cutting packing tape, a little cardboard now and then, and the occasional envelope. Whatever does the job...
 
Hawk45 said:
Anyone else ever revert back to budget/value knives?
Click to expand...

One cheap, poorly made/low value knife like when I was starting out (a AUS-6 CRKT) and I was done. Started reading the forums.

Since then, I never left. If I buy a $30 knife or a $300 knife it is a well-made good value for its price point.

And I have never bought a knife I felt was "overpriced"....again, whether it's expensive or inexpensive.
 
Yes. Frequently. I haven't been able to pick one favorite knife (it's a journey, not a goal :D), so I shuffle between maybe 7 different folders at irregular intervals. I carry my Emerson, Gemini, or Grip for a while, then I go back to my Cold Steel Mini-Recon, and there are a few in the $20 range that still get rotated from time to time.

I find that I appreciate carrying a less expensive knife, because I don't have to worry about it getting grungy, and I appreciate a more expensive knife because of the better fit and finish, and overall feeling of quality.
 
I wouldnt call a Griptillian budget but some do. I have hammered mine on the back of the blade to shave wood down. Pryed with it and put it through all other kinds of abuse. Damn thing just keeps on ticking. Now my 247 thats on the way is gonna get the hell used out of it. Im expecting it to hold up even better. Griptillian has some permanent blade play now but nothing horrible. 247 should be able to take the same abuse and hold up better.
 
Revert back to them? I never reverted away from them.

My ~55 year old Ulster/Sears Craftsman Peanut and my Victorinox Farmer SAK are excellent knives. Spent less than $15 for one and about $30 for the other two or three years ago and have carried them daily since. Before that I was carrying a Boker red bone pen knife for ten years or so. One need not spend a lot of money to be well knifed.
 
Last edited:
I'm on the traditional side of things, so I can say that I carry my Case knives more than my GEC's. Don't really know why, but that's the way it works out.
 
No, never. Because the $25 Douk Douk is not a budget knife. It is a high-end, high-class knife for only the most sophisticated individuals in the upper strata of society.
 
The only budget knife i still carry is a kershaw emerson cqc 6k i bought for 21$. Its 8cr13mov but for 21$ i am extremely impressed. I guess i dont carry budget knifes much because in canada most good budget blades are overpriced. I mean why would i pay 80$ for a base model kershaw leek when i can have a delica/endura for 90$?
 
Last edited:
there are lots of inexpensive knives that are great in every aspect that matters. For example an old clambshell imperial , or opinel can cut just as well as a gec, and something like a buck bantam or Victorinox can cut just as well as a zt. It just depends how important features, and style are to you.
I understand that the vast majority of people love the more extravagant features and that's certainly warranted , but I feel like it can give the impression to new knife enthusiats that anything less is physically inferior.
I guess I've stuck to more inexpensive knives because I prefer my knives simple, and appreciate ones that just work and work well and also happen to be extremely affordable.
 
I do carry budget knives, Swiss Army Knife has been has always been the lasting "budget" knife I've carried rather than expensive blades at home. Always there, in addition to, or carried alone, is a SAK.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top