Great knives that look the same

[Acutereference]

I see many, many knives, maybe more small fixed than folding, great material, beautifully crafted, but nearly as alike as eggs in the average dozen. If one is not collecting a particular smith, what is the appeal? How do you choose? In decades collecting, variety, historical connection, even just oddity have motivated. In the mid range of tasks, actual use, many designs will do it all

 

[Unicorn161]

A specific maker, or if it's in a steel you like, or handle material, or a little different handle that fits your hand a little better. Or maybe a small difference in thickness or tip shape. Like many things, when one maker comes up with something that becomes popular others will make similar designs. How many makers of Loveless style fighters have there been? And how many dozens of kukhri designs?

Many if not most knives seem to be variations of existing designs. How many ways can you shape a piece of steel to cut? Even many of the "new," designs are just variaions of one of the designs that have been in existence for a couple thousand years.