High End Carry, Thoughts, conversation, Questions, Everything.

^^^ I 120% agree with Cynic here.
He's a wise man, listen to him lol.
He's given me advice that I've taken a few times. In the end, I was happy I did.

Anyways, You only own $30 - $40 knives? Buy a Para2. It's $100 and will NOTICEABLY be better than your Tenacious.

Is my Sebenza better at it's job than my other knives? NO! It is NOT. It is however the best fit and finish, smoothest opening, best craftsmanship, best attention to detail knife that I have.

If you jump from a Tenacious to a Sebenza or a ZT 0560/1 you will indeed notice the difference.
You will even notice the difference from a Delica or Endura.

But, no, the Sebenza does nothing better than my Spyderco Para2. It's smoother and the fit and finish is better. That's not a stab at Spyderco. Spyderco is my favorite brand. But the jump is $300+.

I would say pick something up for a bit cheaper. Get something in the $100 - $200 range, if you really want a Titanium Frame Lock, get one. Titanium Frame Locks are nice knives.
But I wouldn't jump straight to $400 knives, because you will end up getting other cheaper knives in the future and once you get to that mid-price range, you may be a little disappointed with the more expensive knife. You'll wonder "Why does this $200 knife cut just as well if not better than my $400 knife?"
You have to move yourself up into better quality.
It all comes down to can you appreciate the fit and finish, the attention to detail, and the slight differences in craftsmanship?

It took me over a year to pick up a Sebenza finally. I'm glad I did. But I'm glad I waited as well. In that year I got to own so excellent knives.
 
If the question is:
Do you carry your expensive knives and enjoy them? Then yes. And I like to carry them more than the cheaper knives because I like having both a worker and art on me at the same time. But does it cut better than my cheaper knives? No.

I carry my Sebenza + Para2 together quite often. They're two of my favorites. They're both exceptional knives. One just happens to cost $300+ more. If you want advice on which to get first. Get the Para or something like it lol. You'll build your way up, if after owning several $100 - $200 knives you still want a more expensive knife, get it.
 
I have thought about this question a lot. I have carried Benchmades for a long time but mine were not expensive models. I've decided to move a tiny bit up the scale and I now have a blue Para 2 in my EDC rotation. It is (was) expensive by my standards but no when compared to a ZT560 or Strider or Seb.

I have a Tenacious that I carry sometimes. I don't tell that much difference in the utility of the Tenacious and the Para 2 even though there is a big difference in price, but I get more enjoyment out of carrying the Para 2. If I spent my hard earned money to buy a Seb or Hinderer, I think it would start to act against me and I would worry about carrying it. So for me the tradeoff between pride of ownership and worry about carry hits a sweet spot between $100 and $200. Each person has to find out for themselves where this point is for them.

I've read about the SRM knives and I've thought about buying one just for grins, but it would almost be a waste of the money because I would not carry it. I've got a couple of CRKT's that turned out to be real nice knives but I don't carry them very much, I'm not even sure how much I like carrying my Tenacious and my Blur although by all rights they are all the knife that anybody really needs. The Para 2, the Benchmade 581 Barrage, and the Benchmade 913 Stryker are fine knives for me and I have no desire to buy more expensive knives. Well almost, since I would like to have a ZT 560.
 
Here's one way to approach it. Go as high up the ladder as you can afford and buy the best knife you can because those knives are the most likely to hold their value in resale. Hold onto the box and contents and try to keep the knife in decent shape. If after you have had it awhile, you don't feel better for having it or don't enjoy having and carrying it, just list it here for sale. It seems that a nice CRK or Hinderer never stays on the for sale forum for very long before they are sold and usually at near retail. So if after you try it you don't like it, you won't be out very much and you will know if it was worth it. Also, I can't remember what I paid for my oversized HD flat screen or all the whistles and bells in my car when I bought it fully loaded but I sure do enjoy my TV and my stereo and leather seats and don't miss the money at all.
 
I usually carry a 3.5" Hinderer or Umnumzaan ZT0560 for the harder cutting tasks & I have the Para 2, Manix 2, Benchmade Emissary or other 3" under $200 knife for quick light cutting.
I don't think you'll lose an Umnumzaan 0560 or Hinderer, one thing I noticed is the more expensive knives have never come close to falling out of my pocket at work & it sounds like we do the same type of work. The CRK clip has great retention & the ZT is a deep carry clip, the Hinderer gets stuck on the frame lock cut out when you try to pull the knife out.
I always make sure I don't just set my expensive knives down anywhere at work to prevent it getting lost.
 
Like a lot of other forum members, I started out with some inexpensive knives like a Kershaw Scallion, then a few Benchmades, then a couple of SOG's. I found that I had an itch that these knives couldn't scratch. When I spent $150 on a BM Auto I couldn't believe how expensive of a knife I just bought! But alas, the itch still wasn't scratched. I kept hanging around the forums and kept hearing talk of a "Sebenza." So I started researching those and decided to buy a small Sebenza 21 Insingo; lo and behold--the itch was scratched! But after a few months the itch came back and seemingly, the only prescription or cure was another CRK--voila--itch scratched! Yet again, the itch returned--another CRK. Returned again--another CRK. Returned again--a Hinderer. Returned again..... Do you see where I am going with this?
 
I have made an effort to stay away from more expensive production knives, mid-techs, and custom knives. I personally haven't broken the 200$ mark on any knife purchase because I don't feel that, given my use and experience with knives, it's worth my while to pay 200$ or more for a knife. So far, all of my absolute favourite knives have been in either the 50$ region or the 100$ area - although I have bought knives in the 150-200$ range, and I've had a couple opportunities to handle some 400+$ knives, I really haven't been impressed with knives at those prices - I have handled some knives which, to me, are extremely expensive, and I did not find those knives to bring anything worthwhile to the table, compared with my ~100$ knives.

For me, I would say that it is just not worth the extra money to buy a Chris Reeve or whatever. Every task I require of a pocket knife can be accomplished by a 20$ SAK, and I can get quite a few hard working, extremely well-made knives from Kershaw for around 50$ (OD-1, RAM, Cyclone [formerly, anyway]). I can even get almost everything I want or need out of a knife by buying a Spyderco Manix 2 sprint. For the most part, it is not even worth my while to pay more than about 120$ for a knife - I can get just about everything I want in a pocket knife by buying a Hogue EX-01, a Spyderco Para 2, or a Manix 2 sprint.

So, yeah, for me personally, about 120$ is some kind of magical sweet spot price point where I can get nearly everything I want or need out of a knife.

If I were you, I would not jump ahead and blow multiple benjamins on a knife unless I first tried out some of what is available for around 100$ - you may find, like me, that you don't need to spend 400$+ on a knife to get something that suits you really well.
 
I have a Umnumzaan in my current rotation so yes I do carry and use higher end knives.
 
The one that you will EDC the most, regardless of the price point is what you will use and justify the purchase/trade or any sort of transaction.
Otherwise it will always look good behind a screen, glass, behind a leather pouch or on hand.

With very limited income i could only be very careful with oversea purchase and i must decide if it's going to be a safe queen or a lovely companion. A blade is only useful if you use it over time.
 
chrisfa said:
The real question i think is, does your 400$ sebenza, or strider or 800$ hinderer (yes i know the secondary market prices are a huge controversy but some pay it) really serve you any better then your say 100$ para 2? 60$ endura? 35$ tenacious or skyline, 20$ kabar dozier or buck vantage?
Click to expand...
I'm carrying a $350 slipjoint in my pocket and a $275 fixed blade on my belt right now. Do they work better than most production stuff I'd held.....yes, a little. Are there better cutters out there for less money? Yes, definately.

That's not why I like them though. I just really like those knives. THAT is why I carry them. So are they worth it in terms of cut per $? HELL NO.

Are they worth it in terms of enjoyement. Yup, every time.

So for me it's worth it. But if you're just looking for the best "bang for your buck" cutter. Or even the best cutter you could be a lot cheaper out.
 
The funny thing for me is.... the more expensive the knife the more I WANT to carry it. I can't justify spending $400+ on a knife just to have it sit in my case. The only knives that are so called "safe queens" are my rare/collectibles which I only have two of. The way I carry my knives, it's pretty hard to lose it. The way I use my knives, it's not very likely they would "break". I have absolutely no problem carrying a $900 knife in my pocket.

To answer your question of will it serve me better than say, a $40 knife? NO. But is it nice to look at and fondle? YES.

I think the whole expensive knife thing is really more of a fetish than anything..... you can't look at it through logic and reasoning. Why do some guys have foot fetishes? I have no clue as I think they are utterly disgusting.... even the pretty ones. When it comes to knives.... I am the illogical one.
 
I've been collecting knives for twenty years and just recently purchased a crk i would have never appreciated it unless i had started off with "dollar general knives". This is my opinion and my opinion only knife collecting is like fine wines start off cheap learn what makes the wine great not all expensive wine is good wine. In short move up to a wonderful endura, para 2, or griptilian heck go a little crazy and try a bm 710. Listen to what a lot of the people say on this forum i was here since jan\feb can't remember didn't say a word till recently.... of coarse there was some confusion on my part on how to post....

p.s. my crk has been in my hands for almost three days straight (its even next to me while i type this) and i'm just loving it more and more as I inspect it.

hope this helps.
 
My ZT 0300 cuts cans, strips wire and pulls staples. Buying a tool not to use it is ridiculous.
 
Other than the fact it will last much longer, there are very few things my sebenza can do that my $20 dozier cant. I own a sebenza and a green beret because i like them. theres no way i could actually justify the need for a $425 knife on a 50k a year salary. No way i could justify my omega speedmaster either. but i like it and own one as well

Would i consider my sebenza to be 21 times nicer than my dozier? Absolutely
 
My problem with pocket carrying high end knives is best exemplified by my most expensive knife - a $430 CRK 'StarTac' Umnumzaan:

004-4.jpg


Note the pocket stuff wear patina, gathered in the first months of it's now two years of ownership. To halt further wear, I could either not carry it - unacceptable here as it is one neat and useful knife - or carry it in a leather sheath. My local enabler supplied a $20 CRK sheath - gratis, a perk from spending so much moola there - and I could carry without fear of more 'patina'.

I would miss the knife below, if I lost it, a lot more than the 'zaan. True, it was my most expensive-ever knife ($175) for years. But - as a Buck Custom Shop product, I had to first luck into the teardrop Damascus availability. Is it a better knife than a now $30 basic 110 from WallyWorld? Nope. The basic 420HC blade will come nearly microtome sharp... the Damascus blade is for looks. Yeah, I can see not carrying a 'looker' - if it's irreplaceably rare.

002-6.jpg


I've spent some money on knives, even adding my second CRK folder - a small plain Sebbie (S35VN) 7/11 - with sheath, too - an EDC for 'dress-up'. I guess my Benchmade 'collection' sources my most EDC-ed knives. Once upon a time, EDC was between a single Vic SAK and a Buck 110 - or, later, a 301. How did I survive? Happily... and simply.

Stainz
 
I now carry a Bucklite 422. The knife on me is my high end knife.
I do have a Willumsen Tuco, which is also high end, but I'd rather do basic knife cutting with my 422.
 
My edc rotation is in the $430-$900 range. You'll definitely see and feel the difference between a $30 and $400+ knife. Only downside that I've noticed from my experience with high end customs, you kinda get spoiled with the attention to detail and craftsmanship that anything less will no longer excite you.

I used to be heavy into spyderco sprints and zt's...ended up selling all
 
Stainz said:
My problem with pocket carrying high end knives is best exemplified by my most expensive knife - a $430 CRK 'StarTac' Umnumzaan:

004-4.jpg


Note the pocket stuff wear patina, gathered in the first months of it's now two years of ownership. To halt further wear, I could either not carry it - unacceptable here as it is one neat and useful knife - or carry it in a leather sheath. My local enabler supplied a $20 CRK sheath - gratis, a perk from spending so much moola there - and I could carry without fear of more 'patina'.

I would miss the knife below, if I lost it, a lot more than the 'zaan. True, it was my most expensive-ever knife ($175) for years. But - as a Buck Custom Shop product, I had to first luck into the teardrop Damascus availability. Is it a better knife than a now $30 basic 110 from WallyWorld? Nope. The basic 420HC blade will come nearly microtome sharp... the Damascus blade is for looks. Yeah, I can see not carrying a 'looker' - if it's irreplaceably rare.

002-6.jpg


I've spent some money on knives, even adding my second CRK folder - a small plain Sebbie (S35VN) 7/11 - with sheath, too - an EDC for 'dress-up'. I guess my Benchmade 'collection' sources my most EDC-ed knives. Once upon a time, EDC was between a single Vic SAK and a Buck 110 - or, later, a 301. How did I survive? Happily... and simply.

Stainz
Click to expand...
My most and heavily used knife in my rotation is a startac umnumzaan. My solution to the scratches, instead of sending back to CRK for spa treatment, I did a hand rubbed satin finish on the flats of the handle. So anytime I get a ton of scratches, I just break out the 600 grit wet sandpaper and work it out
1348338636_zpsb45e7293.jpg
 
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My only and 'best' EDC so far is a Paramilitary 2. Its gotten to the point to where it needs sharpening and while I have DMT stones and have practiced on cheap knives and kitchen knives, I'm still not good at following the belly curve neatly.

That said I'm not afraid to learn and practice and hopefully not make gross mistakes sharpening the Para2.

I would love a Hinderer, but at this stage of my sharpening skills I would be much more hesitant to sharpen it myself at this point.
 
I really find this and other similar threads fascinating. I love a good knife and it seems the more I spend on a knife the more I like it while at the same time the more I like a knife the more I am willing to spend for it. So there seems be a self perpetuating cycle which involves me spending more and more money for better and better knives and getting more and more addicted to buying knives that will see less and less time in my pocket since you can only carry so many knives at any given time. Bottom line, a good knife makes me happy and the better the knife, the happier it makes me. I like being happy. Life is short, and I sort of doubt that on my death bed, I will not look back and wonder why I spent too much money on my knives.
 
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