How has BF influenced your knife buying trends over time?

Kaizen1

Kaizen1

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Jan 4, 2006
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When I first got on these forums, I thought a Benchmade Griptilian was big bucks for a pocket knife. But as I became more "educated" on the features, intricacies and qualities of more expensive knives, my appreciation for higher priced knives grew and my taste for them quickly followed.

I remember seeing threads of people who loved their $100-$150-range Benchmades and Spydercos telling newbies that we would eventually go down the same road and start shelling out more money for these higher quality knives. I used to think to myself, "I don't think I'll ever be able to spend that much on pocket knife. It's just not worth it. I don't care how nice it is."

Then I started seeing more and more threads showing off Sebenzas, Striders, Busses and even customs and thought "These people are crazy! You've got to be pretty damn nuts to spend that much money on a stupid knife!". I wouldn't buy one of those knives on principle.

And here I am before you all, typing in (slight;)) embarrassment for thinking such blasphemous thoughts, having very recently placed an order for my 2nd custom knife that's going to cost me a total of $540 (for one "stupid" knife) and I have no doubt that it's TOTALLY worth every penny.

I can't tell you if you'll ever decide that the $400 price range for a knife is worth it. But I can tell you that there seems to be a direct relationship to how much time you spend on these forums and how much money you'll spend on knives overall. Newbies beware, you might think that $30+ for a stupid knife is "too much" right now, but it may very well be chicken feed for you down the line.

How has BF influenced your knife buying habits price-wise?
 
Me too.

Thanks to Bladeforums (and the other knife forums + sites), I've definitely spent far more on knives than I did in my pre-internet days---as well as have an "attitude adjustment" on just what constitutes a reasonable amount to spend on a knife ;)

In the old days, you have to go to shows, maybe twice a year to see a good variety of knives (as well as learn all about different production knives on offer)

Also, even when at the best local shows, you only saw a fraction of what's out there.

Now however, everything is only one click away....
 
I would buy into the higher range knives if I could afford it because of this site. Unfortunately student loans are the devil and without scholarships I really cant afford to buy a knife that costs as much as 2 text books which probably will keep me from failing while having a high end knife would probably cause me to miss class just to play with it.

But I just keep thinking to myself "when I get out of school I can have as many knives as I want and not even my mother can stop me."

oh, for clarification I actually own some really expensive peices but I bought them all before I started school and since then I have not bought any.
 
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BF is great. A lot of knowledge here and I have learned alot. My real down fall was back in the day when Blade Auction was around.
 
Good topic. I don't think either bladeforums or other knife-related forums alone have moved me towards better knives - I would have come to that on my own.

But Bladeforums has exposed me to a wider variety of knives than I ever could have encountered otherwise. I probably never would have heard of Ragweed Forge for example. And I never would have known how accessible custom knives could be.
 
BF members are teaching me about the low and moderate cost knives which are great values for the money as well as teaching me which higher priced knives stand apart from the rest.

Blades have been a delightful journey for me since I bought my first carry knife a little over a year ago. I stumbled along by myself buying some losers and some big time winners but since finding this place, too late mind you, I have learned as much in a month or so as I have the entire past year.

I bought my first Spyderco because of this place and now have two top-o-the-line Spyderco's on the way. I also learned about the XM-18 and am now on a waiting list for a Gen 3 in black.

I'm convinced I will not buy nearly as many knives that I regret as I have before I found a place of knowledge and experience such as BF. I should also credit the knifemakers, designers and manufacturer representatives here for being so accessible.

A hearty THANK YOU to the posting members and mods here!
 
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I have realized thats its ok to try somethings I normally would'nt, because I can get rid of it in the exchange. BF turned me onto Emersons.
 
I don't think I'll go near sebenzas till I move out, my parents will go nuts if I'm going to buy a 400 dollar knife lol.
 
I visit a couple of other forums, but this one is my favourite by far. It covers a good cross section of brands and styles of knives as well as related topics (and some not so related :D)

It would be fair to say that my tastes in knives have been influenced by what I have read and seen on this forum over time. For a start, I have been sucked into the Busse vortex. Once in there it's impossible to get out. I really like some of the Busse line and have been actively buying them. I'm also a real fan of CRK in particular the Sebbie.

Before all this I was into Spyderco exclusively, now I'm selling off most of those with the exception of a few of the more cherished models.
 
If anything, this forum has just broadened my horizons. I hadn't heard of Busse or Chris Reeve before coming here. I knew I liked Kershaw and Benchmade, but had no idea they did special sprint runs until I came here.

I also had no real sharpening skills until I came here. Now I am a very proficient sharpener.
 
It's changed my buying habits a TON. I tend to obsessively research topics I'm interested in. Bladeforums has been no exception.

I quickly went from wanting one knife with a Carbon Fiber handle, to buying way more knives than I need. And I still don't even have a fraction of what some of the folks here do.

It's also increased my eBay feedback by a good margin, since I've been buying and trying, and selling off the knives I don't end up carrying and using.

Which reminds me, I really need to look into buying and selling on the Blade Forums trade forums...
 
About the only real change for me is having like minded folks to discuss knives with. I started to get sucked into the high dollar knives and the keep up with the Jones attitude but realized right away that the knives and tools that I have always used (over 60+ years), did the job well then and still do. To me at a certain point, you are no longer gaining any real quality and at the point that you are buying into a name for name sake, you are loosing real user value. Collecting knives is a different story. People collect many different things and in the long run some things work out and some things don't. If you don't have a Crystal ball then you play it by ear. In tough economic times people have traded cars for potatoes. It's hard to tell if we will ever see those times again.

Being a carpenter and builder I have found the same things, you buy tools that offer the best dollar value. Same with knives. They are just tools to me and I always look for that point where I am buying the best quality for the best cost. Just the money you lay out does not guarantee the best value. Over the years, I have found that the best value usually lays somewhere in the middle.
 
The Wilderness and Survival Skills forum of BF has introduced me to a lot of smaller custom makers that turn out some really great blades. :D

Jeff
 
This forum has cost me $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

The new Dozier folder should arrive in the next couple of days - got the Emerson Horseman day before last.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
 
This forum steered me towards my first purchase of a handmade knife by a knifemaker. (BushMaster by Daniel Koster)
 
Before I started getting on here, I thought Benchmades were the holy grail of knives and that I wold never be able to own one, I mean $100 or more for a knife? But now I have a micarta Sebenza and my wife thinks I'm loony for wanting more knives, like a Busse
 
Same with me about the benchmade's. I thought they were the nicest knives around, most expensive, those who owned one wasted money, etc.
 
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