High end vs all the rest?

[Cynic2701]

LH Umnumzaan
LH Sebenza
G-10 Endura
Sage II
CF ZDP-189 Caly 3

I personally prefer the ergonomics on the CRK's, and as a lefty I appreciate the simple fact that a dedicated left-hand model exists.

In my experience a FFG Endura has a slight advantage over the Sebenza in terms of cutting/slicing performance purely due to the blade grind. Which is the better knife?

I prefer the Sebenza for many reasons, but as you can see from the picture, I use the cheaper Endura as my go to beater knife purely because it is cheaper and it is more widely available and easier to find (I had to jump through hoops finding a LH Sebenza, and don't get me started on that Umnumzaan...).

 

[ASBOB]

The question seems to be, "Does the quality of this knife justify the price?" Yet it always seems to be a comparison of a $50-$150 knife to a $400+ knife. Shouldn't we also be looking at the other end of the spectrum as well?

If we move in this direction we get two kinds of comparisons:

--is a Benchmade, Spyderco, Kershaw better than a cheaper Taylor/S & W type knife? In general, the answer is a clear and powerful "yes".

--but is a B, S or K better than a SAK? An Opinel? A Mercator K55k? A basic Buck 110? I think that question is as complex as the one generally addressed in these threads.

Comments?

 

[Artfully Martial]

Not necessarily. Just as a $6000 watch won't tell the time much differently than a $150-200 one. It's more the labour, craftsmanship, and the artistic aspects which add significant cost to the product

Ironically, most $1000+ watches tell time much worse than the $40 Timex (mechanical vs. quartz). The other stuff is true. Just injecting a little watch snobbery.

 

[collecter]

When I buy a "$60 Kershaw or $100 Benchmade", there's always something (as small as it might be) that bothers me about it. With high-end knives, I am able to get a knife that I have no complaints with at all. The simple peace of mind makes it worth the price to me.

I've never owned a knife that I didn't have complaints about regardless o fthe price and the more I paid the higher my expectation was. If it's hand made it's going to have a flaw. No matter how good a custom maker is his knife will have a flaw. I bought a custom knife for a very high price a long time ago and because it was perfectly symetrical I gave the knife to my mother to use in the kitchen. I felt let down because this maker promoted himself as having perfectly symetrical knives.

Sad thing is the most symetrical knives I have seen have come from Taiwan. They must be completely made by an automated mill, more precise than most a human's hands.

I'd pay a premium for a custom handmade knife that is perfectly symetrical especially if everything else about it was done perfectly. For me it's about fit, finish and symetry and the sheath has to be equal quality of the knife. Few makers are that good and those that are deserve the high price.

 

[batosai117]

I'd have to say that the high end knife $400+ won't cut any better than a $100-ish folder. It will however, have (or better have) perfect fit and finish, equal/even grinds, a damn good warranty, and be able to cut things without even being pulled out of my pocket....

....which is why this tax refund I'm getting my Large Sebenza back, I miss that knife

 

[MrPres]

The difference between a high end knife and low end knife for cutting tasks would be like an expensive coat vs a cheap coat in cold weather. They will both keep you warm, but I guarantee one guy enjoys his coat a lot more.

 

[mickeyblueyes]

Like most of the replies either you feel it your bones or not, my take on is this, I would rather save my money and pay for something of quality once, than buy 4 cheap replacements. I have a Rolex its built so well I expect that my grandson will give it to his grandson. I wear Filson wool coats, they too will be multigenerational. There is a difference here with age, we all participate in this board but we are of vastly different age groups.My parents were of the depression era. Nothing got wasted and nothing extravagant was needed. I learned a lot from their thinking. I believe the younger gens live in a disposable society, when its done throw it out, Buy a Kia run it into the ground throw it out, They would also ask why would I want to wear my old mans coat, its like 50 years old. I have my old mans coat and its 60 years old a original made in USA WOOLRICH, RED plaid. I have tons of Matchbox cars I am giving to my grandson and teaching him the value of taking care of your stuff. I guess you have to feel that you are worth it to purchase the best you can afford, If you do not hold yourself in high regards then you will repeating your previous actions. Long life is not guaranteed enjoy everyday because it is a gift. Does any one agree?

 

[manowar669]

You can sleep with any woman, but do you want to parade around with a troll on your arm? An '83 Ford Escort will get you to work, but would you really enjoy driving it more than a BMW M3? A plastic Ronald McDonald watch from a "happy meal" will tell time, but will you like it as much as a Tag Heuer? Surround yourself with the finer things; you only get one pass at life on Earth.

Knives and watches are like "man jewelry", but with a function. Women have jewelry with no function at all.

 

[RubiconSS]

Can anyone honestly tell me that a high end knife performs better at a knives most basic function, which is cutting things, than say a $60 dollar Kershaw, or $100 dollar Benchmade?

I mean, if you're out there needing to cut that rope, or cardboard, or whatever, is there "that" much difference? I understand the whole concept of "fit and finish" I guess I'm just having a hard time conceptualizing that after a certain point, the fit isn't going to be that much better...

Or is it more of an aesthetics thing? or a collectors thing? I hear so many people say that a knife is a tool, which I totally agree with. So, if that's the case do I really want to pay $500 for a adjustable wrench?...

Just curious here....not looking to start arguments, would just like to get some unbiased opinions....and please, no lame ass "that's like comparing a Porsche to a yugo" comments

By the way, note that I did NOT mention any particular maker. I'm just looking for opinions on a general level without pissing off anyone

As a fellow 13B I will answer your question. No and Yes.

ALL knives cut. I own several Kershaws and Benchmades (two manes you mentioned) nice knives, sharp and they cut well.
Then a Hinderer XM-18 showed up. Hold it. Open it. Close it. The difference between it and the other "Toys" is stark to even my wife. People who know nothing about knives say .... Wow when they hold it.
My son said, "I can't believe this thing is in our house".
These are just quotes to illustrate that there is in fact a difference.
Is the difference worth owning them - that question has no answer it is far to personal.
But to your initial question - they both cut. That is where the similarities end.
BooYah

 

[foxx]

What is "high end" anyway? I don't consider my $240 Fiddleback Forge Nessmuk to be high end. It's on the top, stabilized hickory, micarta liners and pins, with a nice Sharpshooter sheath. The handle feels like it was made for me, very organic.

The bottom one is the $25 Condor Nessmuk. It's not that sharp, it won't get any sharper, and the F&F, ergonomics, and sheath are lacking in usefullness. Is the Fiddleback 10X better, I don't know, but I love the Fiddleback.
In the middle is a custom, cost $120. It's from a BF member, and it's okay. The handle looks awesome, but could be more ergonomic, the grind lines aren't quite even, and although sharp, it's too thick for a Nessmuk. The sheath is made well, but hangs unbalanced.
So, in the end, I should have got just the Fiddleback. The well spent $240 on one heirloom quality knife would suffice, for life. Not to mention, Andy's lifetime warranty, well as long as he's making knives.
Bottom

 

[ono724]

As a fellow 13B I will answer your question. No and Yes.

ALL knives cut. I own several Kershaws and Benchmades (two manes you mentioned) nice knives, sharp and they cut well.
Then a Hinderer XM-18 showed up. Hold it. Open it. Close it. The difference between it and the other "Toys" is stark to even my wife. People who know nothing about knives say .... Wow when they hold it.
My son said, "I can't believe this thing is in our house".
These are just quotes to illustrate that there is in fact a difference.
Is the difference worth owning them - that question has no answer it is far to personal.
But to your initial question - they both cut. That is where the similarities end.
BooYah

Thanks for your reply. In reference to what I highlighted in bold..Do they both cut "well"? I've never owned a higher end knife. Two of the more expensive knives that I own are a ZT0200 and a Buck Alpha Dorado with cpm 154 and Bos HT. Both around $100 bucks. In my humble opinion, the fit and finish on both is great, and they both cut exceptionally well, The dorado with the thinner blade being the better slicer.

I'm a guitarist and a woodworker, so I have a deep appreciation for high quality instruments and high quality tools. Having said that, I use both to the extreme. If I were to buy a high end/Custom knife, I would also use it to the extreme and not just put it up to look at it once in awhile.

I suppose asking for a non-biased reply was naive on my part..

 

[ono724]

The difference between a high end knife and low end knife for cutting tasks would be like an expensive coat vs a cheap coat in cold weather. They will both keep you warm, but I guarantee one guy enjoys his coat a lot more.

No offense, but that's a lame analogy. I enjoy my Carhartt just fine

 

[jill jackson]

After being into knives all my life and owning dozens of different brands and models, I had to ask myself what was it about knives, that I felt I needed to have so many? I sure can't use them all and if I was buying them just to use, that would be a waste as well. After all I've got users that aren't nearly worn out and they work just fine. So, I trade and sell get some that cost more. Do they do anything better than the ones that cost 25% of their cost or less? No, not really they just look better, have better fit and finish. It's all in your head, people tend to be obsessive over what they like. We really don't need much of what we own, we just want it. If you look around you will find almost everyone has a hobby they strive to improve on. Same with knives we start out cheap and then one day find what once was adequate is now inadequate. Human nature at work. If you can be happy long term with a 60 dollar knife the more power to you, from what I've experienced and seen most of us that catch the knife fever don't stay there long.

 

[foxx]

Sometimes Fit and Finish are just asthetic. When they are also functional, like a custom pair of shoes, made to last, and be re-soled, then it's worth it.
If it's just for looks, like diamond encrusted handles, or extreme polishing, then you're just paying for the asthetics.
A $80 Ontario Afghan is a good knife. The handles cause me hotspots, and the sheath is junk. It cuts, but I wouldn't want to need to use it for hours.
For a bit more you could get a better finished handle, to avoid those hotspots, so the tool can be used for hours.
If you cut something once in a while, you won't need a great knife. Butcher an animal, whittle lots of wood, and you will want ergonomics, and a great edge.

 

[ono724]

After being into knives all my life and owning dozens of different brands and models, I had to ask myself what was it about knives, that I felt I needed to have so many? I sure can't use them all and if I was buying them just to use, that would be a waste as well. After all I've got users that aren't nearly worn out and they work just fine. So, I trade and sell get some that cost more. Do they do anything better than the ones that cost 25% of their cost or less? No, not really they just look better, have better fit and finish. It's all in your head, people tend to be obsessive over what they like. We really don't need much of what we own, we just want it. If you look around you will find almost everyone has a hobby they strive to improve on. Same with knives we start out cheap and then one day find what once was adequate is now inadequate. Human nature at work. If you can be happy long term with a 60 dollar knife the more power to you, from what I've experienced and seen most of us that catch the knife fever don't stay there long.

So, in other words, I need to start investing?

Thanks for your reply Jill, probably one of the most objective ones I've seen

 

[harkamus]

I think one of the bigger parts in the equation is aesthetics, and that comes from choice of material a lot of times.

Find me a knife that costs 50 bucks that is made of titanium with a blade of s30v or higher, uses bearings on the pivot, has a clip on the spine of the handle that looks like a DDR Gunhammer, and I'll buy it. The fact of the matter is that premium materials and cost of labor drive up the cost. Those of us that buy expensive knives gladly accept that.

With that said, I cannot wait for my custom Gunhammer from DDR. I have some features on it that I requested specifically. I basically looked at several different knives from different makers and made a list of features that I liked from each of them. After that, I consulted with Darrel and asked what he could do. The end result will be *my* knife. It will be a one of its kind.

Cliff notes on what to expect: .15 inch thick 4 inch OAL bead blasted s30v non-recurved bowie blade, bead blasted titanium handles, Maxx-glide shielded bearing system. The rest is harder to describe, so you'll just have to take my word for it.

 

[jill jackson]

Perfect example, this Galyean Lahar was 475 dollars, the Kershaw Lahar was one tenth the price at 47.50. Both the same basic handle and blade shape and both have the hidden blade stop pin. The steel is CPM154 on the Galyean model and VG-10 on the Kershaw. The Galyean has a well fitted frame-lock the Kershaw a well fitted liner, Ti handle for the Galyean the Kershaw G-10 and the Galyean has IKBS bearings, instead of teflon washers. It's also a lot better looking and finished better. Is it worth 10X what the Kershaw cost? Only the buyer can make that decision.

 

[KeithAM]

There's an endless facination and scepticism for some folks as to why someone would ever pay $400 for any knife. There's almost always a thread going on some variation on this theme, often with the same people beating the subject to death.

What I find interesting the is sceptics who argue that they want only a "best value" knife, and then own 20 or more of them. What's practical about that? The answer is it's not about being practical--it's about buying what you want.

The truth is thhat if it was really about being practical and "best value" then I think 99% of us could get by with a $30 Buck 110, and/or a $20 SAK.

 

[harkamus]

jill jackson offers a great example. I'll give another one.

Here's the production version of one of DDR's versions of a Gunhammer.

Here is the midtech version, my HTM Gunhammer 2.

Here is the full blown custom version Gunhammer. With some tweaks, it is the version of the custom I'm getting.

NOTE: You can get even fancier with the gunhammer with stuff like mammoth ivory inlays, carbon fiber inlays, damascus blades, damascus scales, etc. All of that is too fancy for my taste, so I opted out of those.

 

[knivesandguns]

Perfect example, this Galyean Lahar was 475 dollars, the Kershaw Lahar was one tenth the price at 47.50. Both the same basic handle and blade shape and both have the hidden blade stop pin. The steel is CPM154 on the Galyean model and VG-10 on the Kershaw. The Galyean has a well fitted frame-lock the Kershaw a well fitted liner, Ti handle for the Galyean the Kershaw G-10 and the Galyean has IKBS bearings, instead of teflon washers. It's also a lot better looking and finished better. Is it worth 10X what the Kershaw cost? Only the buyer can make that decision.

Perfect example as I have the Kershaw Ti/SG2 Junkyard Dog and Galyeans Pro series small one. :thumbup: