How has your taste in knives evolved since your first knife as an enthusiast?

Reeek

Reeek

Joined
Aug 16, 2008
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In my case, my interest began with a Christmas gift. I received two Boker Mini Magnum autos, two large Boker Magnum autos and two Buck 110 DA conversions. All of which I still own. In fact, I have never sold or traded a knife yet but I'm thinking about selling or trading some now.

My enthusiam exploded from that point.

I started out from there being fascinated with autos even though I can't legally carry them. I can own them but not carry them. It was sexy and glamorous, I thought.

After buying 10-12 autos and conversions I graduated "down" to AO knives because in many cases they were faster to deploy but mostly because I could carry them. I still buy AO knives but not every one like in the past.

Today I'm really into manual folders. Almost solely into manuals. Although I have just begun to find an interest in fixed blade knives. I now own two neck knives and have been eyeing many of the fine FB's the forum makers are selling on BF. Some of those knives are just plain awesome looking.

I'm still isolated to production knives and I still enjoy finding a diamond in the rough. I really enjoy finding a great knife for a great price. However I am mostly fixated on medium to high end production manual folders at this time and don't see much of a change coming very soon.

You?
 
My taste has graduated to more expensive mostly. I have also found a few custom makers that I really like and I have multiples of their brand. Also more toward traditional and less toward tactical.
 
I was tact-t cool only before...

Now its still tact-ts mixed with a few slippies, mixed with EDC sized fixed blades.....and the list goes on. From $25-$1000 and all in between I like them ALL. :cool:
 
its not so much my knife choice that has changed as my choice of steel...I tend now to pick steel that will hold up to what ever task i want it for...
 
I've branched out more, but haven't forgotten my knife origins: My very first pocketknife was a Schrade Old Timer, and now I have a modest collection of Old Timer knives on display at a local museum. ;)
 
1st quality folder I bought was a Camillus Heat for around $50. Last knife I bought cost $540. I just recently moved up in price ranges for EDC knives in the last few months. I've been a knife enthusiast for a couple of years now.

One thing I've noticed is at the time when I would only shell out $50-$100 for a knife, I was just as happy with my purchases as I am right now shelling out $400+ for one. I still very much appreciate a nice $50 knife, even an Opinel or a SAK.
 
Things have changed a lot for me over the last 2 decades as I have learned how to use knives.

No more black tactical fighters for me, nowadays mostly outdoors knives. I am now in a position to buy more expensive customs but also have a place in my heart for $10 Moras. Used to think puukkos were the least-tactical knives around, now I still do, but appreciate them as one of the most practical-use knives around.

Also like collecting non-tactical slippies, but do carry a few spydercos now when I wouldn't have been caught dead with one.
 
my taste has evolved quickly in the past 18 months or so that ive been collecting. it started out as cheap steel, very tacticool and usually chinese:jerkit:
now i collect/accumulate higher quality (benchmade, RAT, etc...) im more concerned with material quality and usefulness rather than whether it looks like something out of tom clancy:D
 
When I started, i was infatuated with assisteds, but I hardly ever carry them anymore. I've developed a taste for higher quality blades and locking mechanisms. Most of which dont come assisted.
 
My collecting habits have gone from "Oooh I like the look of that, = bid / won" to "mmmm I might research that a little before I buy it", procrastinate, procrastinate, BUY!.
 
My taste has gotten alot more expensive than before, however I'm more or less a mid range guy on folders with the occasional high end "treat". Although I'm currently on a higher end folder kick for the last of this year. Fixed, that's a dangerous one for me, I like them pricey.

Overall I care about steel and their HT. I care about brands, I like clip points alot more now lol. I favor functionality along with looks.
 
i used to go for style (red micarta,spiderwebs,crazy bladeshapes)
now i go for sheer functionality and sheeple friendlyness
 
I used to carry for SD. Now I carry because I've found how handy a knife can be. Sometimes I wonder how I ever got around without one.
 
From the beginning I was only into traditional slipjoints. It was what my grandfather carried, its what was available to me for cheap purchase at our local flea market when I was a kid. In the late 90’s I got bitten by the tactical folders bug. Went through quite a few of them. Within the last couple years it just occurred to me that these knives were not “me” at all. In my opinion and in my experience, carrying large black tactical AO folders is an invitation for strange looks and unwanted comments, and I have no real practical need for them. So I sold them or traded them all off and went back to my original hobby of slipjoints. To me they reflect a better time in history and people don’t take a step back when you use one to open a letter or cut up an apple. Their craftmanship reflects more all around “soul”. Just my opinion only. Mall ninjas and agents of espionage please disregard this.
 
Started out with Bucks in the 70's then Schrades in the 80's then Spydercos. Dumped them then went to Benchmades then some Customs. Then I spent a couple of years looking for knives of my youth (Traditional Slipjoints) Then Fixed blades. Lots of FB's, Big and small. Now I am back to Bucks and some Customs when I can. Kinda full circle I figure... It's been a blast though!!!
 
Yes, my tastes have gone to customs & CRK folders. I am into folders and fixed blades.
 
I moved from tactical to practical mostly.I like the lines of a well done fighter though.
 
My first nice knife was a CS X2 Voyager. It did well for when I was out in the woods taking pictures. Since then my purchases have been all over the map. Traditional or tactical, as long as it's useful to me then I'll get it. I've just gotten more and more discerning when it comes to what needs a piece needs to fill for me, and I tend now to veer away from ultra-vicious looking pieces (and I'm not ragging on "tactical" pieces here) because I feel that the negative affect they have on the community due to public perception far outweighs the usefulness of the majority of the designs. Not saying they don't have their uses, but they aren't useful enough to me (in MOST instances) to be worth the flak.
 
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