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How many here are students?

Chang

Chang

Joined
Oct 9, 1998
Messages
1,767
I was wondering how many people here at the forums are students, and how many are still in High School? I'm still a Sophomore in High School, and so I don't have too much money to spend on knives, how should you select knives and sharpeners if you know that you won't be able to get more for a long time?
 
I too am a student Comrade. But, since I'm a little older, I'm probably not the kind of student you mean. I assume you're referring to high school or college students - right?

I'm way-out of college (decades), so I'm a student of life now.
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You should get some great advice here on selecting knives and sharpeners. I'm on a budget, so I select mine very carefully.
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I think the best answers for knife selection will be along the lines of 1) deciding what you want to use the knife/knives for and then 2) selecting the highest quality knife/knives within your budget.

We have all found some really decent knives lately at a pretty reasonable price. I like Spyderco, Columbia River Knife & Tool and Benchmade for a low-cost, good quality folder. For a fixed blade, I'm still trying to decide what I would recommend.

I personally like the Spyderco Sharpmaker for a low-cost sharpener which works well for me. You will see some other recommendations on sharpeners.

Stick around and enjoy the forum, there a lot of knowledgeable people here. I'm just an older amateur myself.
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I'm a junior in High School right now. My knife budget is also kind of tight right now since my parents won't let me work during the school year (something about needing the time to study, whatever that is
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). I do plan on getting a job this summer though, and that should allow me to purchase a few knives.
 
Guilty as charged...I am a student at the local University.

I don't get much money to spend on knives because I also have A girlfriend, a Toyota, and an appetite.

I try to buy the best I can afford. Much to my surprise, often the best is not what seems to be. As a rule, never listen to the manufacturer's claims about the knife. Much of the time they mean little, and they are trying to sell a knife. The claims only mean anything when there is sufficient acclaim by other people to back it up.

Try to buy knives that you have had the oppurtunity to handle in a store or gunshow. Every knifethat I bought over the net with out seeing one first has been a lemon. Knives that have a large following are also ones to consider. Most Benchmades and Spydercos are in that catagory. The last time I went shopping I had wrote a list of criteria that I wanted the knife to have. it helped keep me on track.

YeK


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"Will Dremel for Food!!"
"No, it's a Vaquero Grande in my pocket, but I am happy to see you!"
yekimak@hotmail.com
MegaFolderians Unite!!
Dyslexics Untie!




 
I'm a college student in the (now) frozen wastlands of Waltham, Mass.
Aaron


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Why did you stab that girl?
You won't believe this, but I had too much coffee!
-Edmond by David Mamet
aaronm@cs.brandeis.edu
 
I too am a college student, not for long though, I hope.

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Joshua
Where's the KaBoom? There was supposed to be an earth-shatering KaBoom
 
I'm a junior at Monmouth College.

For a cheapo alternative to knife buying, I suggest flea markets and antique stores. Some of my best knives cost $10 at antique stores. There are two caveats:

1. KNOW what you're looking for in advance. You don't need a list, but you need some knowledge of what you like because even the best flea merchants and antique dealers are usually non-knife people. Some will sell a Randall for $30, but they'll want $35-40 for a knife with a Pakistan stamp or one of those perforated Frost bowies because "it looks so wicked," so YOU have to be the knowledgeable one.

2. You will sift through a lot of junk before you find that beautiful knife, and it will be an old model when you do. The only new knives in Flea Markets and antique stores, as a rule, are knockoffs and crap. You will probably never find real Spydercos or Cold Steels in these places, but if you like old Pumas, Bucks, Schrades and Keen Kutters (esp. old pocketknives) you'll have a ball. Be sure to check display cases and look carefully among collections of buttons, pens, watches, etc. if you're interested in pocketknives.

Not everyone has fun this way but I love it and I've managed to turn it into a large collection. I've never spent more than $50 on a knife yet! (I can still say that until I pay Alan Folts for my new one)
 
i am also a college student. i have a good paying part-time job. i have to save up for a while before buying a nice knife. the last knife i bought was a benchmade axis aluminum. i had the money ready for that one way before it came available. if i need more money for knives, i usually work extra hours or weekends. i am going to the blade show this year for my first time ever. i am still saving, but i will have enough. i have had to make the decision between food and knives quite a bit - knives usually win out.

marco
 
I am currently enrolled in medical school. My knife budget is quite adequate, but not so huge that I can buy anything and try it. I only buy the best. Save up and buy the best, and you won't regret it.

I got my first high end knife, the CR Large Sebenza, during my freshman year at Northwestern University undergrad. I have gone on to acquire (3) MAD DOGs. I currently have (2) more MD's and (2) Darrel Ralph pieces on order.

I buy knives that will not lose value if kept in excellent to good condition. When I get a knife, I keep it on the coffee table for a week or so and admire it often. This allows me to decide if I want to keep it or not. When I make the decision to keep it, I use it and use it hard. If I decide to get rid of it, I resell it with no loss.

Tim

[This message has been edited by TickBlade (edited 08 March 1999).]
 
I'm a freshman at Cornell, and I have no part-time job now, so I rely on birthday presents for new knives. Hopefully will get a good sumer job and make some money to spend on the sharp objects.
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-Timo
 
I am a student in my second year of business communications in a dutch university. I suggest you start with a "cheaper" Benchmade for a folder and a Cold Steel for a fixed blade to start with. And save, save and save some more money, becuase I guarantuee that you will be infinitely more happy with that Microtech or Chris Reeve knife you saved up for!
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Anyway you get the idea, start with something adequate and relatively cheap to help to get over the time it takes to save for the more expensive knives you want.
 
I am a seinor in college majoring in aquaculture- Go URI! My knife budget is for materials because I am a part-time knifemaker ( can't wait for spring break!)


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A knife is no more than an iron tooth
 
I rarely hop on over here, but yup, I'm a college student. Graphic design junior. Small knife budget, so I'm reduced to drooling over pics.
 
Yep, I'm a college student in Ct., and I can't afford the knives, so i have no idea how all these sharp things keep getting into my possession!!!
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[This message has been edited by pk (edited 08 March 1999).]
 
Physics student, Hamburg University, Germany. Crushed underneath a mountain of books at the moment.
 
pk im from ct too. i go to sacred heart university in fairfield. where do you go??

i only have a few knives but they are all good ones. like my latest toy the SOCOM.

do you train? where are you from?

email me. please
 
I study history at a Dutch university.

What I do is read a lot, think a lot, wait, dream a lot, save a lot and when you finaly know what you want, buy it. (or keep saving etc.).

For sharpenig on a budget use either Spydie Sharpmaker or a good stone and practice.
 
I'm a senior Biology/Biblical Text double major at Abilene Christian U. in Texas. I have a 30 hr/week job as a nighttime manager of the Campus Center. I'm married too. It's easier for me to save the money and budget for some nice knives than it is to convince my wife that the knives are actually worth it.

For instance, I couldn't convince her that it would be better for me to by a Mad Dog now (this was several months ago) before the price goes up from $270 to $330. Oh well, I decided to make my own fixed blade so the money went towards tools and materials. Almost finished with it. Hopefully I can put the finishing touches on it over Spring Break.

Spencer Stewart

 
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