How have your knife "tastes" evolved?

B

Belly

Gold Member
Joined
May 21, 2000
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199
When I first started collecting knives, I was focused on small, high-quality folders, such as the Spyderco Cricket, Michael Walker, or the Benchmade 330 Pardue. Then I ran across the Spyderco Military. I then got hooked on bigger knives. I then purchased many linerlock knives in the 3-4 inch blade size. After starting to use them, mostly the Military, I quickly found out that one can simply squeeze their grip on the handle and easily unlock the linerlock. This was not so easy for all of them, but in conjunction with the amount of blade play in over 85% of my linerlocks, I became very disgruntled. This led me on to a quest for the perfect lock, something other than a linerlock, and something that had ZERO blade play in any direction. I have tried the Microtech Micro Bar, the Rolling lock, the Compression lock, and the Axis lock, but I have really focused on the Axis (too much blade play in the other ones, except the Micro Bar, but I have heard some bad things about it failing the whack test). Once I found a reliable lock, I then began focusing on a guard on the handle, one that would prevent one’s hand from sliding up on the blade when stabbing something. These are few and far between. I have had to resort back to the mini AFCK and the Microtech Kestrel, both of which are great knives, but I still desire a much stronger, secure, solid, no-play lockup. I knife such as the Kershaw Boa would be my “Ultimate” knife if it had an Axis lock and no “speed safe assisted opening (it breaks after about a thousand openings). It has the perfect length blade, a great shape with plenty of “belly”, and an excellent hand guard as part of the blade.
I have searched now for over 2 years for what I call “the perfect knife”, but I am still looking. I am wary of going to a custom knife maker, as many of the customs I have tested fail the “ZERO blade play” test.

How have your knife requirements evolved over time?
 
When I first started accumulating knives, I was very much interested in double-edged boot knives. Eventually I became more covetous of balisongs, and when one-hand tactical folders became popular I found them the best of all possible worlds. Lately I've found my interest in neck knives increasing. Guess I'm trendier than I thought.
 
After collecting knives for years in the mid-70's, I sold every knife I had in 1985 (except for one SAK and two Buck folders).

In 1999, I started out again, but instead of focusing on handmade knives, I focused on quality, well-designed factory folders, primarily Spyderco, Benchmade, Boker-Klotzli and the odd CRKT.

Since I found Bladeforums.com, I have heavily ramped-up my through-flow of knives, but retaining only a few keepers.

Like the original post, I thought I was looking for the perfect knife (i.e., perfect industrial design). But one can never truly fulfill the desire to keep fresh knives coming in. There will always be a "better" "more satisfying" knife that will come along.

Any new refinements? Not really. With each culling, there is a "refining", but with each new spurt of acquisition, new desires and discoveries arise about yourself until some temporary level of satisfaction is achieved.
 
My tastes have grown from what I could afford to what looked "cool". Then one day I realized that of all the knives I had, I only used and carried very few.
I now look for a combination of design, materials, and workmanship. There are very few knives that ultimately pass my tests.

If you want a strong lock with zero blade play, take a look at the CRK Sebenza. This is the finest overall package I've seen.

Paul
 
Belly,

My quest for the perfect production knife ended when I received my first Sebenza. Strong lock, zero blade play, great materials and (from what I have heard, never had to try it myself) great customer service.

Since then I have been looking at, and purchasing custom/handmade knives, and guess what....? I think I am spending less money!

Steve-O
 
I became dismayed of liner lock folders myself and I have to second (or actually third) the Sebenza as a choice for a solid folder.
 
I started out with slip joints as a kid and then about 6 years ago got my first Spyderco, a Delica. Then a friend showed me a liner lock from Benchmade. I was interested but thought to myself "sheesh. $100 for a knife?" :D

Well, then I met another guy who had a bunch of liner locks and I decided that I needed one myself. Picked up a couple of CRKT and two Benchmades including one axis lock. Then I discovered the forums and since everyone was raving ad nauseum about the Sebenza I decided to take the plunge. I remember thinking "Is that all???!!" when it came and I got my first look at it. Well, it didn't take me long to realize what a great knife the Sebenza was and then I picked an Umfaan from a forum member. Then an Al Mar Sere 2000, then another for my Dad's birthday.

Then the customs started... a Rob Davidson tactical, a Tom Anderson folder with Snakewood scales, a Mad Max proto dagger.

Now I'm making folders. What a blast! I'm still picking uo an occasional factory cheapy if it looks really cool like the Kershaw Scallion, but mostly I'm saving $$ for equipment.
 
Good thread!

How they have changed: foremost on my brain is that I'm sellecting knives with geometries conducive to cutting. Higher grinds and thinner edges work better for me!

How they haven't changed: I do not care for small knives!

How they will change: I think I'm making the transition from liner-lock to the best lock around: fixed blade!
 
What I like in a knife has changed a great deal oveer the last few years. When I first really started getting into knives it was production knives that held my interest. Probably because I could afford them. I loved custom knives, but never had the money to aquire any. Folders were all that I wanted to own, and mostly of the tactical type. Later I started to get myself a few custom knives, but the style that I liked was still the tactical folder. Now I think that my tastes in folders has moved more in the gents direction. I also like natural materials for handles more than synthetics.

The latest direction that my tastes have taken are to fixed blades. At this point it does not matter to me if these knives are stock removal or forged, though I am tending to like forged blades more and more. The more I deal with bladesmiths the more I find that these people put so much of themselves into their knives that I find myself drawn towards their way of making knives.

It seems to me that the reason for the changes that I have gone through have as much to do with the makers that I have come to know as it does with my actual changing tastes. They have been great people and that makes it so much easier to want one of their knives.
 
When I first started, I'll admit that I bought some crap. However, once I bought my first CRKT, it was all over from there. Because from there, I bought a Spyderco which led to Benchmades, then Microtechs, and now the Sebenza. I'm happy it turned out this way though..
Matt
 
I seem to keep returning to my early favorites. I would expand and go looking for other makers, but I keep coming back to the ones that really grabbed my attention early. I have added a maker to the original list, so I am growing somewhat. Heck, even with production knives I end up where I started.

BM AFCK (hoping for improved lock soon)

Polkowski
Crawford
and Darrel Ralph
 
My tastes have not changed too much. I mean everything is still in the same vein, but the prices are getting higher!

My main area of interest is fixed blades. I like really stout ones for heavy duty work and smaller (4" and down) concealable stuff. This is just what has always interested me, but I used to buy only production stuff.... Sometimes I wish I had never bought any customs... but then that moment of insanity passes when I realize how much I'd miss 'em!
 
one thing i have noticed about my 'habit' is i buy a cheapie copy of a custom (ie - CRKT kasper folder, polkawski companion) and i like them so much, i end up w/the real thing (ie crawford kasper ti folder, polkawski companion) - my wife thinks i'm nuts

also i have gotten to appreciate quality more - my best bud is a big time gun collector, and hunter, but considers knives tools ( ya should see his '98 model emerson commander, it is TRASHED) i had 2 knives out oiling up, etc when he came by one night - a CRKT Kasper, and a CR Seb - was showing him the Seb, telling him how cool it was, and he picked up the CRKT kasper and said 'well that things ok, but look at this' i was shocked, asked him which one was more expensive, w/out hesitation, he picked the CRKT!!!!!!! couldnt believe the price on the CR - said the CRKT 'looked to be the better knife' etc - and yes he has an emerson, but it was a gift, and he doesnt know CRKT from CR literally, had never heard of both, so had no clue 1 was custom, 1 not, etc - still suprised me, and this guy aint dumb, he's a construction contractor, make 6 figures after taxes, but he cant spot quality in a knife imho.....go figure, huh?????

sifu
 
Large utility fixed blades -> small nifty folders -> defensive folders -> bigass defensive folders -> large utility fixed blades.

The circle is completed. Fixed blades rule.
 
SIFU, don't you just hate it when your friends pick the cheaper knife over the more expensive one?

- Pete
 
I have only been "into knives" for about 2 years. My interest first was in fixed blades of 4" or less. As a "biker" (I hate this term) I found that a 4" or less fixed blade was very handy, useful, and legal.

Then I got into the tactical folders. All different sizes and varieties. However, I ended up carrying my Commander with the kydex quick release sheath 95% of the time. Seems to be the best of all worlds.

I only have purchased a few custom knives. I found them nice to look nice, but I never used them. Therefore I stopped buying custom product. I found it odd to spend lots of money, for the best steel and construction and simply end up not using them. I think it is just a personal weakness. I envy those who will use their expensive custom knives!

Now I am starting to look at more traditional folders. A nice change from the tactical stuff.
 
I like a pretty wide variety of knives. I like old carbon steel slipjoints and fixed blades, like Schrade-Walden and Camillus, I have some of the obligatory one handed tactical type folders...although black blades and G-10 scales are really not that interesting to me.

I have recently become more interested in and have acquired some forged blades. This is where I probably will build my collection.

One thing that I differ from some collectors in is that I am extremely interested in the performance aspect of high quality knives. And you can't really appreciate these qualities if you don't use them. So I use them. I don't buy knives to sell or trade on anyway.

Oh, I almost forgot. I love Marbles knives, too.

I guess the evolutionary trend in my knife tastes has been from production to custom and finally narrowing down to an emphasis on forged blades.
 
My knives have become more colourful, with different handle materials. Started out with black plastic and G10, then added colours and natural materials such as wood. Also found that I prefer knives with thin edges that cut like mad, which is probably why I like the Kershaw/Ken Onion collaborations.
 
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