i aint sure if this the proper forum but heres my question. what should you look for if you about to buy a knife. how can you make sure the knife you are buying is quality and not some piece of sh that will break on you wen used? if anyone can give me some tips i would be very grateful.
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how can you tell a good from a bad knife?
- Thread starter loco718
- Start date
Spend some time at your local cutlery shop handling some knives and try find something you like. Then do a search on the forums for the models you liked and you will get a whole lot of reviews and opnions from hundreds of users.
Try stay with the better brands like reptilezs said.
Try stay with the better brands like reptilezs said.
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- Nov 9, 2004
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dont buy the $2 crap at the gas station.
Buy good brands, and check the materials before you buy. Pretty much the same stuff you'd do with any other product: check the web for reviews, ask your mates who are into that kind of products and so on.
Unless it's a Mora.
Unless it's a Mora.
Look for the steel used. If it says only "stainless" or "surgical stainless", it's low-end stuff. If a company is using quality steel, they'll probably advertise exactly what it is. Some dealers, like AG Russell, list the steel type in every product description.
Check for side-to-side blade play when the knife is open. That's a big one for me.
Look closely at the "fit and finish." Look for gaps, parts that aren't lined up quite right, sloppy work, etc. Here's a good comparison photo displaying fit and finish. Which one would you prefer?
"Walk and talk." Does the knife open smoothly or does it feel gritty, rough, or too tight or loose? On locking folders, the lock should engage with a crisp 'snap'.
Don't judge a knife by it's brand, price, or country of origin.
Hope this helps. Not a complete criteria list by any means, but I think it'll be a good start for you.
Best Wishes,
-Bob
Check for side-to-side blade play when the knife is open. That's a big one for me.
Look closely at the "fit and finish." Look for gaps, parts that aren't lined up quite right, sloppy work, etc. Here's a good comparison photo displaying fit and finish. Which one would you prefer?
"Walk and talk." Does the knife open smoothly or does it feel gritty, rough, or too tight or loose? On locking folders, the lock should engage with a crisp 'snap'.
Don't judge a knife by it's brand, price, or country of origin.
Hope this helps. Not a complete criteria list by any means, but I think it'll be a good start for you.
Best Wishes,
-Bob
You can feel and see the difference between a good or bad knife. A good knife will feel good in the hand and feel alive like as if it were an extension of your hand. Cheap knives are often heavy or too light, poorly balanced, or simply don't feel right.
Look at the workmanship, Cheap knives are often chunky, or blocky. Look at the bevel grinds. Often the cheap ones have a small bevel with too much steel at the spine giving it that chunky/blocky look. A good knife will have deeping plunge lines, smoother grinds that flow nicely up and down the whole knife. Fit and finish, look for how well the knife is constructed, there should be no gaps where the handle and blade come together.
Carefully look for the lines of symmetry. A good knife should have good or perfect symmetry.
Look at the workmanship, Cheap knives are often chunky, or blocky. Look at the bevel grinds. Often the cheap ones have a small bevel with too much steel at the spine giving it that chunky/blocky look. A good knife will have deeping plunge lines, smoother grinds that flow nicely up and down the whole knife. Fit and finish, look for how well the knife is constructed, there should be no gaps where the handle and blade come together.
Carefully look for the lines of symmetry. A good knife should have good or perfect symmetry.
thanks for the info. anything else you guys got just lay it down. i ask becuase around my way people sell knives by the bag full for cheap. now i know most of the knives are junk but you never know and i like to take a look at them, you never know what you will find. plus im in the market for a knife now.
When you pick up a good knife, it seems you can sometimes just tell it's quality. I was at the local Wally World and handled a Spyderco Native and Kershaw Blur, I could immediately tell they were solid products. The rest of the stuff they had was not as good.
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- Jan 25, 2004
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- 1,214
A lot of the guys here can pick up a knife and "just tell" because they know exactly what to look for and do it automatically. I think that a good bet is to nose around. Something that's very popular or generally well-spoken of around here is going to be pretty good.
Gordon
Gordon
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2004
- Messages
- 12,955
First before I get into a knife in detail I look at how it feels in my hand if that is even possible. Many knives may look cute but are anything but comfortable in the hand. Others may be dawg ugly but fit your hand like a glove. For many that like eye candy one that appeals to the eye more than the hand may be more important but to me me the hand is the end all determining factor as to whether a knife gets used or sold off. Once I know I like the feel of it in most grips I check out how it rides in the pocket or on the pocket if its got a clip. How much sticks out, how heavy it feels how easy it slides or how abrasive it is to my pocket all are going to affect my decision. Some of that can be changed with pocket clip adjustment by bending it out, some of it can be a break in of sorts also but in the end how it rides is as important to me as how it feels during use because afterall its going to ride there 90% of the time until I need it.
Once I've gotten this far I then look it over for blade center but that is not going to keep me from getting attatched to it or using it. I like it when its centered but if not and all else is good well, I can certainly overlook it. I look at for blade play both vertically, and laterally (side to side) and note it. If its a whole lot I'll pass. I look for lock up, test the spine with some moderate pressure to see if it moves the lock or causes it to move up if its a lockback or to slide sideways if its a liner or frame lock. I don't usually let sticky locks sway me if its a liner because that is common in new knives and usually breaks in well over time. I look at things like how much room is left to go up in size on the stop pin if the lock wears in so that down the road you have room to get it repaired and stuff like that because I work on them but I also note any flaws in the body or screws, off set measurements where things go together but don't necessarily line up quite right and determine if I can accept it or not based on the price point for the knife.
If I can get away with it I'll maybe spine tap it on the toe of my shoe in the open position just to see if it closes the blade or not. I may even do it twice or three times if its not upsetting the vendor.
If the handles are natural I look for signs of stress areas where it may crack like stag and bone can around the pins. If man made I usually just look at the color and fit and finish not too worried about the rest.
On blades I look at the edge, the bevel, the thinness, or thickness and any signs of burn marking it during sharpening, and if it looks even or thicker to me in places from the grinding. I look for places with my thumb that will peel skin opening and closing it, sharp edges left on the inside and if all of that passes my inspection then I go for it and buy it if its a deal like where I can see it first and if I've already bought the knife I then either put it in the keeper box or the for sale pile that accumulates over time and eventually sell it.
STR
Once I've gotten this far I then look it over for blade center but that is not going to keep me from getting attatched to it or using it. I like it when its centered but if not and all else is good well, I can certainly overlook it. I look at for blade play both vertically, and laterally (side to side) and note it. If its a whole lot I'll pass. I look for lock up, test the spine with some moderate pressure to see if it moves the lock or causes it to move up if its a lockback or to slide sideways if its a liner or frame lock. I don't usually let sticky locks sway me if its a liner because that is common in new knives and usually breaks in well over time. I look at things like how much room is left to go up in size on the stop pin if the lock wears in so that down the road you have room to get it repaired and stuff like that because I work on them but I also note any flaws in the body or screws, off set measurements where things go together but don't necessarily line up quite right and determine if I can accept it or not based on the price point for the knife.
If I can get away with it I'll maybe spine tap it on the toe of my shoe in the open position just to see if it closes the blade or not. I may even do it twice or three times if its not upsetting the vendor.
If the handles are natural I look for signs of stress areas where it may crack like stag and bone can around the pins. If man made I usually just look at the color and fit and finish not too worried about the rest.
On blades I look at the edge, the bevel, the thinness, or thickness and any signs of burn marking it during sharpening, and if it looks even or thicker to me in places from the grinding. I look for places with my thumb that will peel skin opening and closing it, sharp edges left on the inside and if all of that passes my inspection then I go for it and buy it if its a deal like where I can see it first and if I've already bought the knife I then either put it in the keeper box or the for sale pile that accumulates over time and eventually sell it.
STR
Great response to a fundamental question we've all had at one point or another. I'm deaf so luckily I don't believe I need to hear the knife. I don't even need to see it except to find it. Without being able to test it you have at least 2 options: research (like this) and experience (your own). Eventually at a certain threshold of time, energy and not to say the least money, you will know...if your interest goes beyond mere curiosity.