Expensive or inexpensive for EDC?

[Mark J]

When I first began collecting knives (picture the mists of time, when dinosaurs roamed the earth ), I would carry my least expensive knives for fear of losing them or beating them up. Over the years I've changed my perspective. I now carry my most expensive knives, along with one or two moderately priced ones, even though I have put wear on limited edition knives and lost expensive ones.

The way I think about it is that I now "carry for pleasure" instead of carrying based on worry. It isn't that cheaper knives can't give you pleasure by carrying and using them, but I get more gratification from carrying custom or higher-end production knives. So, anyone else have a similar shift in perspective?

- Mark

BTW: I know that our collecting naturally evolves from buying less expensive knives to buying more expensive ones over time as we get more into the hobby. That's not what I'm talking about. I'm referring to a relative preference (i.e., at any given point in time, do you carry the more expensive or less expensive knives, regardless of the composition of your collection at that time). Hope that makes sense.

 

[Toyz]

Yep - I carry for pleasure and don't worry about cost. Im pretty careful about things anyway - I've never lost my keys, wallet or knife.

Lifes too short to let them sit in the safe and only use them around the house.

 

[Dag-nabit]

Pretty much the same here, except in the past I carried inexpensive knives because that was all I could afford, and didn't necessarily know any different.

I never really worried about losing or beating on a knife. I'm just able to carry more expensive, better quality knives now, and choose to do so.

I couldn't go back now.

Kevin

 

[sweet_hitch-hiker]

personally i don't have enough money to buy expensive knives and not carry them. the only reason i won't carry a knife is if i'm trying to trade/sell it so i want to keep it nib. but i do carry my more expensive ones, because that's why i buy them. i can understand buying knives to look at, but thats just not what i like to do.

 

[Harayasu]

Nowadays, I carry and use all my knives. Since I started doing that, I enjoy my knives much more. The experience of really using a knife can give much more satisfaction than just looking at it.

 

[philwar]

I carry a large Sebenza to a Kershaw Scamp ($19), and lots in between. So there really is NO pattern.

 

[T.K.C.]

I carry and use my custom knives.

 

[mustangfootball]

well i normally carry something not terribly expensive because i am prone to breaking stuff i normally carry something any where from 30 to hundred if i am doing some thats needed for a certain reason

 

[chevy_racin]

I trade off a bit. Sometimes, its the para and sage 2 or delica, and others times its a Buck day with the mayo and vantage. It's just the feeling of the day. Got to keep the dust off them some how.

 

[wildmike]

For me I moved into custom and semi custom knives in order to gain improved performance. I don't really buy knives that are just lookers. Consequently I carry and use all of my knives even the most expensive ones. Currently getting ready to order yet another and it is designed and intended for heavy use as well.

In fact I'm planning on giving away and selling off all that remain of my commercial knives next month. No senser keeping them since they don't get used.

 

[somber]

I carry and use the knives I want. I hope the price is reflected in the quality and satisfaction in using the knife, and I can get the greatest satisfaction out of my knives.

 

[Mark J]

For me I moved into custom and semi custom knives in order to gain improved performance. I don't really buy knives that are just lookers. Consequently I carry and use all of my knives even the most expensive ones. Currently getting ready to order yet another and it is designed and intended for heavy use as well.

In fact I'm planning on giving away and selling off all that remain of my commercial knives next month. No senser keeping them since they don't get used.

Yeah, I did the same thing about two years ago. I purged my collection of many "dust collectors." I tended to sell the more expensive ones, since the "return on my time investment" of selling those was higher. I really haven't missed most of them, with the exception of a few (e.g. CRK). I have replaced those in the interim. It is very revealing when you sell off; you get a good idea which ones mean/meant the most to you. Sometimes it's a bit of surprise.

- Mark

- Mark

 

[woody d]

i carry what works, and what i like. whether it costs 30 or 300, i will carry it

 

[thejamppa]

Mine range from cheap Opinel to pretty expensive Spyderco Caly3 and ZT 0500. So, there's no pattern. It depends on my mood and where I am going or what I am expecting to do with it.

 

[TKAZ]

It depends on my mood and where I am going or what I am expecting to do with it.

That's my feeling as well.

 

[gundude73]

well for my general EDC i carry a 15 dollar SAK along withe my sebenza and paramilitary, so both inexpensive and expensive

 

[singularity35]

I carry my military, it is the most expensive knife I have(yet).

 

[Chewy1]

I carry what I like to carry, which are sharp knives that I like. My only criteria for carry is that it should be one that I'm fond of. I have a few that stay in the drawer because, well, I just don't care for them as much for one reason on another. It isn't about price. I have some nice knives that I won here on BF. Now, the cost me $0. Does that mean that they should not be in the rotation? What if I say one is a Bark River Mini-Canadian? Heck of a knife, but still $0 to me.

I mean really, how do you determine the cost? The cost to me was free.

Or do you go by the cost to the maker? That's going to cause some very well made knives to drop in the new economy that aren't made with fancy steels.

Or do you go by the market? Shoot, who pays market anymore?

I guess I'm just saying that the cost involved can get all screwy depending on who your source is. You can't go by that. You have to go by pleasure and fun and quality and edge-holding and ergos and what you like.


Side question: Are ergos an intangible? (pun)

 

[gormandu]

I have moved to carrying more expensive factory knives. Nothing fancy, but good steel, good locks, good ergos, and solid construction.
In the end, spending a little extra money to carry a tool that you enjoy using is worth it.

 

[rwasham]

The only pattern in the way I carry knives seems to be that I carry whatever new knife Ive bought recently, and then I eventually revert back to rotating between my old favorites.