Expensive beads and what knives you attached them to?

JDRanger

JDRanger

Joined
Aug 14, 2017
Messages
399
I’m kind of a fan of knife lanyards (FOBS) and enjoy searching for and buying cool beads. I will spend up to $35 - $50 for a really unique example but usually play in the $12 - $25 range.

Yesterday I was browsing through one of the major online knife seller sites and found dozens of beads priced over $100. There was also no shortage of $250+ examples to choose from.

That kind is surprised me.

I did some more searching and found an impressive amount of really expensive beads for sale online.

Most of them were amazing works of art but it seems like you’d need a lot of extra spending money and a heck of a nice knife to match them to.

I’m curious- have you ever spent a lot (say, $75 or more) on a lanyard bead? If so, what was it, and what model of knife did you attach it to?

Photos would be awesome.

I know a lot of people don’t like lanyards and even more will scoff at spending $50+ on a tiny rather useless bead. But I (and I hope others) want to just see what the big spenders are doing with the high-end products. It’s not necessary to hear bead-bashing entries on this particular thread.

I just want to see some cool stuff.
 
How I use beads and lanyards...
DJtFeQA.jpg
;)
 
I have no lanyards and no beads, but I have seen some super expensive ones. I like CKF's knives, but I actually laughed out loud when I saw some $450+ priced beads on their site. Different strokes for different folks, I guess. Then again, I suppose that's chump change compared to the ~$3k Rockstead hunting knife that will never get used.
 
My most expensive ones cost me about $35, most in the $20 range. I wish more people would do micarta, CF, Brass, copper, and even stainless.

Monkeys Edge has some of the most expensive I've seen. There are some unbelievable ones in price, material, and detail though, but I have no use for something that cost so much I'm afraid to use it.
 
Some people have too much money when you can afford to spend $450 on a lanyard bead.

If I were to use beads and a lanyard these are the kinds I'd use. What some peoples budget is for beads is others knife budget..

GCU3Kgsm.jpg



In reality I'm not a fan of them. It's too much pocket Jewelry. Reminds me of the knives Jim Skelton makes. Its like man jewelry.

I could never go around to my friends and family and be like look at my $75- $400 dollar bead. They won't think it's cool or impressive, they'd look at me like a idiot lol. Kind of like the saying a fool and his money are easily parted.
 
Last edited:
needler420 said:
Some people have too much money when you can afford to spend $450 on a lanyard bead.

If I were to use beads and a lanyard these are the kinds I'd use. What some peoples budget is for beads is others knife budget..

GCU3Kgsm.jpg
Click to expand...

Pretty sure most people that would buy a $450 bead can also afford an appropriately valued knife. There are a lot of people that consider a $200 knife is pretty silly. There are some really nice beads for less than $50, most under $25 are excellent. Tooling, materials, and labor for a lot of the beads isn't cheap, as anyone thats casted detailed metals or worked with small pieces of G10 and Micarta can tell you.

No one needs a bead, but like a lot of knives, its an acessory that is an extension of your personality and style.
 
Last edited:
The “beads” I’ve used to anchor fobs to this point have been nuts. As in, hardware.

A maker made a friendly request a couple weeks ago for me to give them my address so they could send me a carved bead. I haven’t seen it, yet, and wouldn’t be butthurt if it never came, but I do have plans if it comes through.
 
I have used beads on lanyards, but won't spend too much on them.

I do have an Olamic "bat" bead, sent to me by Eugene after a request inquiry of mine "fell through the cracks" persay. It was his way of saying sorry, and I'm saving it until I land myself an Olamic knife. Hopefully sooner rather then later.

I have a Schmuckateli (sp?) Cowboy and Indian Chief pair of skull beads that I am waiting to attach to a pair of knives. Hardly "expensive" beads, but I'm Thinking of getting a custom sheath for both my BK5 & BK15 together, and adding the beads to them.
Most of my beads have been schmuckateli's though. Affordable, but still got some character and style points if beads are the way you want to go.

High end beads are cool AF, I just can't imagine myself spending much more on a bead as I can on a brand new Buck 110...
 
Last edited:
The most I have ever spent on a bead is about four bucks. I can’t justify paying more than that.

To each their own though and I have definately spent good money on stupider things (IMO) than expensive beads. I would rather have a $50 knive than a $50 bead, but that’s just me.

Some of the super high end ones are pretty damned amazing lookswise and craftsmanship though.
 
$450 for a bead. It better be a star sapphire or something. A Gucci key chain makes more sense.
 
I've honestly never understood the whole bead/lanyard thing but I do have a photo handy. Came with a Zieba G2 Joker and it's on one of the 2 lanyards in my collection that I haven't cut off.

r1BbWDP.jpg
 
Google
Monkeys Edge Starlingear Beads

Most of the sterling ones are in the $200 range, 22k gold is in the $350 range. Most are hand cast and finished.

I'm not suggesting that most people want them or need them, but its really no more silly than paying $500-2500 for a knife, but if it turns your knob then buy it.
 
needler420 said:
Some people have too much money when you can afford to spend $450 on a lanyard bead.

If I were to use beads and a lanyard these are the kinds I'd use. What some peoples budget is for beads is others knife budget..

GCU3Kgsm.jpg



In reality I'm not a fan of them. It's too much pocket Jewelry. Reminds me of the knives Jim Skelton makes. Its like man jewelry.

I could never go around to my friends and family and be like look at my $75- $400 dollar bead. They won't think it's cool or impressive, they'd look at me like a idiot lol. Kind of like the saying a fool and his money are easily parted.
Click to expand...

Feel better?
 
On topic answer, I have some fairly expensive beads, but they tend to sit in my knife chest as I don't really have many knives I'd want a bead on.
 
My only lanyard is on a 3 finger fixed blade, and it’s “bead” is a simple overhand knot. It really just gives my pinky finger something to hold onto and helps me remove it from the sheath.
 
needler420 said:
Some people have too much money when you can afford to spend $450 on a lanyard bead.

If I were to use beads and a lanyard these are the kinds I'd use. What some peoples budget is for beads is others knife budget..

GCU3Kgsm.jpg



In reality I'm not a fan of them. It's too much pocket Jewelry. Reminds me of the knives Jim Skelton makes. Its like man jewelry.

I could never go around to my friends and family and be like look at my $75- $400 dollar bead. They won't think it's cool or impressive, they'd look at me like a idiot lol. Kind of like the saying a fool and his money are easily parted.
Click to expand...

And some peoples' single knife budget is some peoples' lifetime knife budget.

While I am not a fan of fobs with or without beads I am not going to call people who like high-end beads for their fobs "fools" or "idiots" like you just did. :thumbsdown:

They have different preferences than you....you are not superior to them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top