How long did it take you before you spent $400+ on a knife?

The Logical One

The Logical One

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As the topic says, how long did it take you from when you first got hooked on knives to spending that much money (or more) on a single knife? I remembered I use to think a $70 knife is astronomically expensive, now I spend $200 on one without thinking much of it.

But now I really want a Sebenza, but the price tag is pretty hard to swallow as the one I want will come out to be around $500 shipped.

Lets hear some stories :D
 
I remember lurking around on Bladeforums back in 2007-2008. The very first thread I ever looked at was a someone posting pictures of their newly acquired Sebenza. I thought that they were incredibly foolish to spend $400 on a knife with similar materials to the BM 943 that I had recently received for my birthday.

Couple of years later, October 2010 I believe, I picked up a left-handed Sebenza. It took that long for me to really understand and appreciate Sebenza's, and why they could be worth as much as they are. Now, it's hard for anything to compete with it for pocket time.
 
Well lets see, I snuck my dad's SAK away from him to cut stuff when i was in 5th grade. Then I got my first knife in 6th grade. I got into scouts and started collecting in 7th grade. I graduate to more budget quality knives (cold steel and such) in 8th or 9th grade. In 9th I lost all interest in cheapo not name brand "sharp" pointy things. I got into spydies and BMs and such in 10th grade. And when I graduated High School I bought myself a sebenza with micarta for my 18th birthday/eagle rank/grad present to myself.

So if you measure from when my interest in knives started 7 yrs. If you measure from my first knife 6yrs. If you measure when i started buying knives for my self 5yrs.

But with that said $200 tends to be my limit, because of my near non existant college student level income or lack there of.
 
I was 21 or 22 in Iraq 03-04. We finally got internet from Haji so I went to BFC first thing and then went to PVK and ordered a MT D/A Socom and a Cuda Dominator. I think that was approx $600 total at the time. Shortly after that, I ordered a dagger logo MT CFO2 for $650. Approx 12-03, I called DDR and ordered my first custom... 4" DLC Maxx with MOP inlays and stiletto (bayonet) blade in D2. I think I paid 700 or 800 for that.
 
Good Topic, I eventually did spend 400. I have lots under that price. I feel many are a steal around that price point. I am very conscience of ever raising my knife buying to non knife people, then 400 sounds like "Crazy Time" All the time I think, it's worth it! A Chris Reeve Umnumnzaan Tanto is itching to be bought! How much Food is that? How much Gas is that? In the end it will be a knife that I will be holding and appreating deep into the future.
 
Steve of KOP said:
Good Topic, I eventually did spend 400. I have lots under that price. I feel many are a steal around that price point. I am very conscience of ever raising my knife buying to non knife people, then 400 sounds like "Crazy Time" All the time I think, it's worth it! A Chris Reeve Umnumnzaan Tanto is itching to be bought! How much Food is that? How much Gas is that? In the end it will be a knife that I will be holding and appreating deep into the future.
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That's exactly what happens with me, I keep thinking about all the other things I could get/do for $500 and I just can't quite get myself to do it. The only justification for me at this point would be to think of it as buying an item that has very little to no depreciation; that's what I really like about knives... they sure do hold their value.
 
I might get a Scrapyard Scrapizashi, about $300 for the mini-sword itself. Then probably around $150 for a good kydex/leather sheath. That will probably be the most expensive blade I will ever buy.
 
About a year....now it's out of control..

I bought a sebenza,:eek: umnum,:eek: strider and a :eek::eek:custom...all in about a two month time frame.

Now i'm looking at Bark River:D
 
About 9 months.

I joined blade forums June of 2010, bought my first quality knife [le d2 940] shortly there after and got my sebenza this spring, which was followed fairly closely by a burger. My sebenza was only just over 400 shipped though, and the burger was just under 300, second hand :D

And now its only a matter of time before I get pull the trigger on any number of forum makers works... and I have a order in with peter r for one of his apex folders due this fall that will easily breach the 400 mark
 
I do not see myself spending that much on a knife.I can get a decent handgun for that price.
 
I started looking into good knives and Bladeforums around December of 2008. At that time, I had trouble accepting the fact that I shelled out about $70 each for a Benchmade Griptilian and Spyderco Endura 4. About a month ago I bought a Startac Umnumzaan and have zero regrets. So...it took me about 2.5 years to spend upwards of $400 on a FOLDER. I spent more than that on fixed blades (Busses), but have sold them all since I'll never use them. The Umnumzaan will stay with me forever. I used to tell myself "I could buy a handgun for that kind of money" like CHAINS said, but I decided I use a knife way more than I use a handgun. Therefore, I have the referenced Umnumzaan! :D

I'm looking into buying more - such as a Sebenza or Striders - since the quality of the Umnumzaan amazes me, but I can't see doing it more than twice a year...for now.
 
Been a fanatic for 20 years. Started with old WW2 items then a Gerber BMF in the 80's/90's. joined BF last year after purchasing a CS Trail Master San Mai III and now have just bought my first busse. a BWM CF with a mashed cat sheath. im already loking at the sar 8 with lust so the 400 dollar dives are no longer rediculous.
 
einsteinjon said:
I started looking into good knives and Bladeforums around December of 2008. At that time, I had trouble accepting the fact that I shelled out about $70 each for a Benchmade Griptilian and Spyderco Endura 4. About a month ago I bought a Startac Umnumzaan and have zero regrets. So...it took me about 2.5 years to spend upwards of $400 on a FOLDER. I spent more than that on fixed blades (Busses), but have sold them all since I'll never use them. The Umnumzaan will stay with me forever. I used to tell myself "I could buy a handgun for that kind of money" like CHAINS said, but I decided I use a knife way more than I use a handgun. Therefore, I have the referenced Umnumzaan! :D

I'm looking into buying more - such as a Sebenza or Striders - since the quality of the Umnumzaan amazes me, but I can't see doing it more than twice a year...for now.
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I agree, and as the fat butcher guy in the movie "Wanted" said, "With knives you never run out of bullets" :D
 
I'm just getting into knives and my 1st knife cost 400 dollars. I thought that if I bought an expensive knife it would keep me from getting into knives like I'm into watches. That didn't work out so great. I have another 400-ish knife on the way and I can't keep my mind off of a couple more in that price category.
 
I've been carrying and using knives for 50 years and still have not spent that much on a single knife. I don't have anything against those who have the cash and the desire to do so. I've just never felt the need.
 
I started purchasing quality knives in late 2008 when I purchased the SOG Mini Vulcan. About 6 months later I made a purchase of a bunch of $60 to $70 knives including a Bench Made Griptilian. I made a few lower cost knife purchases after that, then in late 2010 I picked up a Tim Gaylean Crossbones for $425 and that is when I felt the difference in a high quality knife (Love IKBS). About 2 months ago I contacted Mikkel Willumsen thinking I might get a knife from him in about 6 to 7 months, to my surprise he said he could build one for me in a couple of months so now in a couple of weeks I should be getting my first custom and all it cost was $675. I never ever thought I would spend this much on a knife but I can't wait to get it in my mitts. I will carry it, I requested that it be constructed for work not a drawer dweller. I have also pre-ordered the ZT 0561 but that is only $260 so maybe I am easing up on the expenses. :D
 
It took a couple months after I started lookin for a nice knife to ride in my pocket, I had hoped I could find what I wanted for a hundred or so but I found it in the umnumzaan :)

It's kept me happy for a few months, hopefully it continues to do so ;)
 
Not too long once I really got serious about testing knives years ago, to get into the better steels and stronger, higher quality models it was just natural progression.
 
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