Form or Function?

Which would you choose for EDC?

  • Boring Workhorse

    Votes: 47 68.1%

  • Good Enough Showpiece

    Votes: 22 31.9%
  • Total voters
    69
Dcdavis said:
For me I’m going boring workhorse. And being since I edc to work everyday left handed CRKs I think that fits that choice. But just for me I don’t really like flashy or over the top knives, so CRKs appeal to me. They’re simple workhorses that are easy to maintain and just work perfect for me in my line of work. I know you said not for work but honesty if I’m not at work I may need a knife twice a week so In that case I’ll pick what looks better to me. I like what hhmoore hhmoore said. Most of the time we will buy bc there’s a visual appeal. I’m not gonna keep it tho if it’s not good in hand. There are Crk models that don’t agree with my hand so I don’t own them. I reckon I got lucky in that the boring workhorses I use are visually appealing to me. The micarta inlay 21 do not appeal to me like the Inkosi inlay in looks but I still use them for better grip than plain handle. Plus the inlays feel better in a bare hand during the cold winters here
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Using your CRK example, with the criteria outlined in the OP - the "workhorse" would be a large PJ 21, with maybe M4 or M390 (run hard enough to maximize), and the "showpiece" would be a large micarta inkosi with the standard S35Vn.
While I would want the steel upgrade of the workhorse model, I would choose the showpiece because it is more appealing and feels better in hand. I would rather sharpen a little more often & have a knife I like.

It should be noted that, per the OP, A) the two knives are similar in price, B) choice is not based on work or dress need, and C) both knives are of good quality and fully functional.
 
I chose boring workhorse, as you stated that it would also be well finished, just not a 'showpiece' - but that instead of extra 'nice'/bautiful handle material or interesting looks it would just be of the best steel possible for the price. I have been carrying the same pocketknife (a good Laguiole) 7 days a week for 30 years, I think that probably counts as 'boring' although it is in the eyes of connoisseurs - French farmers and outdoorspeople - a beautiful example. But as a workhorse knife that cuts really well. Apart from that one I have few folders apart from the odd Opinel or SAK. Almost all my fixed blades are also decidedly 'boring' or 'no-nonsense', like Moras or one step up from that, like decent mid-range puukkos. For the same money I would never sacrifice functionality for looks - paying a bit more for better look and feel with the same functionality might be another matter, within my financial limits (OTOH, the feel of a knife is part of the functionality, so all that would remain is the looks, to impress others with, which is not my 'thing'.).
I would also never buy a hammer over another because it looks better, it just has to be the best I can get to pound nails with. ;-)
Does the OP have a real-life example of two blades from the same brand, same price, same size, one 'pretty' and the other 'boring' but from better steel?
 
I don t recall ever having a knife so ugly I wouldn't t use it.. Maybe because I wouldn't t buy one that ugly.

For me the most important qualities about my knife are the ergonomics or how it feels in hand during use, and the fit and finish and strength . If a knife excels with these attributes, I don t care how it looks , unless we re talking about ridiculous looks. A plain looking knife is ok with me. Adequate steel is ok too.

I don t have any jewelry.
 
Mechanical Advantage said:
One is ... ugly to your taste, but it's outstanding feature would be what is considered the "top-of-the-line" blade steel. It might be boring and generic, but it'll outperform anything.

The other has a perfectly adequate steel. Still high-end, but maybe not "premium". But it's outstanding quality would be that it has a design that just speaks to you. It's still perfectly functional and not a mere novelty, but it's fun to use, and you like the looks of it.
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Mix our metapors: There are plenty of fish in the sea. I may meet a girl who is incredibly competent in a task that I want her to do, we work well together, but we just don't "click"... then along comes a girl who is great at the same tasks but just not quite as competent, however we "click" in a way that doesn't happen with miss over-achiever. Gotta go with that second girl. :thumbsup:

I am not sure that "showpiece" really works, there is something deprecating in the term, as if you are not going to really use it. If that were so, I'd take the workhorse, but the OP's description indicates that EITHER knife could be a "workhorse" and the comparison is really between MAXimum performance at the cost of joy versus maximum personal joy. In addition, I can modify a knife to improve performance, but it's hard to modify an ugly design to improve aesthetics. *shrug*
 
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I often say that I’ll take ergonomics over the latest blade steel. I guess that’s a different way of saying function comes first.

I don’t own any super flashy knives. Most of mine have G 10 scales or fiberglass reinforced nylon.

Just give me a knife with decent steel, great ergonomics, and good
Workmanship. Even my dress knives are plain Jane. Leave all the fancy bling out of it.
 
They way the question is asked is slightly skewed....

The workhorse is described as boring, but ultra functional. Meaning it's only redeeming quality is that it is a tool that works really well. While the showpiece is described as great to look at, as well as being completely adequate and functional, just not with the latest greatest steel, or quite as ergonomically designed.

The better question would be, would you rather:
- extraordinary function, with little to no aesthetic value (the workhorse)
- or great aesthetics with limited functionality (the showpiece)

In this case, a knife is a tool, and I'd much rather one that I can work with, and rely on, no matter how ugly it is.

As the original question is asked, I'd take the more aesthetically pleasing knife, as it does all the knife-y things, just not with the most super high-end steel, or greatest possible ergonomics.
 
It's difficult to say where ergonomics come in, based on the OP. In my earlier example, Used the CRK 21 and inkosi. While I chose to include inlays for appearance, the example would stand without them...because I've never cared for the PJ21 in hand; so I enjoy using the large inkosi more.
 
Form follows function. They shouldn't be mutually exclusive.

With a design background I'm keenly aware of how industrial objects are conceived and executed. In knives that's led me to a very narrow selection of makers and designers. Wirkkala, Laconico and Shirogorov are a few that have kept my attention and have been able to afford.

Good design doesn't have to be expensive. Life is too short to endure ugly things.
 
I carry a fixed blade most often. Sometimes I carry a functional little hand-made utility knife from Craig Steketee. Not unattractive, but nothing to knock your socks off. My other regular carry is a TOPS Skinat, again nothing fancy, just a tough working knife. But I just bought a White River Knives Sendero Classic for my EDC. THIS is a good-looking knife! Hand-rubbed satin finish S35VN steel, not top of the line, but good. Black/Maple Richlite handle, not custom, but nicer than the usual Micarta handles. It could easily have spent its life on a shelf in someone else's house. But, instead, it came home with me, a guy who doesn't really believe in buying paperweights. This one WILL get used! I'll try to keep it looking good, but after that first scratch, all bets are off....
 
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I'm too sexy for my knife, and it's too sharp for my pants. Hasn't worked out too well, though I can sing a couple octaves higher.


I love the shape of knives, the history, the utility and the aura. I have a few custom knives that were given to me, but I'm not at all about fancy. Top-of-the-line metal would be great, but not necessary. I appreciate metallurgy, and my son is a good machinist. We talk about how many pounds of steel or aluminum can be hogged off with a milling cutter or insert before it's done or requires sharpening. How many hours in the cut ... at insane removal rates.

I love knives and probably have a few hundred "low-budget" knives but carefully chosen. Not for style so much as functionality.
 
I’d buy the one I liked. Steel is almost not a consideration if it meets my basic user status.
 
Plain/Boring Functional for me.
I can't see the fancies when it is in my pocket, a belt pouch or my hand when using it. (Neither can anyone else.)

I don't need "top of the pyramid" "latest and greatest" blade steels.
440A, 10xx, 420HC, 4116 Krupp, whatever it is Victorinox uses, and whatever carbon steel Mora and Opinel use, all do everything I need a knife to do.
 
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I'm not sure here because I mainly have fixed blades and mainly use ka bars (1213,1258)or Ontario's (sp10) because thay work well for me so I suppose it more boring 1095 tends to be my favorite steel in fixed blades I tend to at least try every one I buy but do have a few safe queens because I do collect as well

every thing I ecd knife torch lighter gets used dinged up and chiped or scrached within a few months so it dose not matter if it's fancy it's not going to stay like that when iv been using it for a while
 
The choices seem to be somewhat conflated. One has the "premium", "top-of-the-line" steel, but would still need to be well-designed to be considered an outstanding tool. The other is more enjoyable to look at and use, yet is still "perfectly functional". Seems like the trade-off would be how long one lasts versus the other and my choice would depend a lot on intended use. In general, I'd go with the knife that would be more enjoyable to see and use as long as it could still perform the tasks I need it for.
 
Both is always the correct answer!

I would go with the work horse personally. But I use my knives almost every day even when I think I won't need it. :)
 
CPM3V said:
Both is always the correct answer!
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My minimum criteria for folders is six total in rotation. Three smallish (+/-3") & three med-largish (+/-4"). A beater, a casual & a gentleman carry for both sizes. Just pick one you say? No. Nope. Nuh uh. Noway. Ain't...gunna...happen. :cool::thumbsup:
 
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