How Quickly did the price get out of hand

E

EMN

Joined
Oct 15, 2019
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55
Hello,

Wondering how quickly the price on your knives went from budget to high end? In a few months I went from a $40 rat 1 to a $425 Hinderer.

Also did you stay in that price range or did the new budget level change?

Mostly curious

Eric
 
I can't afford "Mid Range'" or "High End" knives.
Unless the occasional standard production Buck 110 or SK Blades SFO 110LT's ("Smoke Jumper" and "Shield") could be considered "Mid Range".
because of the CPM 154 blades.
 
I use my knifes so I really don't get into high end. My cap is around $100 for a blade. Can't justify spending over that much to cut rope, scrape a gasket, or spread mayo on a sandwich.

I do like to look at the high end stuff and appreciate them.
 
:) I'm actually much better now than when I started ~ 50 years ago .

I had to get past the collector / investor stage and focus on users .

So now I mostly stay under $100 ,because that's my comfort zone for users . :cool:

I'm also much more patient/relaxed , less anxious / desperate and enjoying the whole thing not being a financial burden . ;)
 
It took me a few years to go from $100 knives up too $500.
After a few years I got bored , stopped buying the latest expensive knife to hit the market and settled back to an average of $150 per knife. That's where I'm at today.
The truth is , I haven't seen any high end folders in years that spark an interest (except for the Grimsmo Norseman).
 
Took a few months, and I imposed a limit of 200 bucks. I smashed that with my custom crooked river, but it was worth it. Haven't made it to a hinderer yet, but I'm getting close... Maybe a used one. And yes I use my knives, carried my crooked river all week! Lol
 
I plateaued out at Benchmade-Spyderco pricing after 6 months in. I retire in August so this will be my collection from now on.
 
I held out at $300 for over a year.

Then, like Insipid Moniker Insipid Moniker said, as the additional knives that I still wanted to buy became scarcer, rarer and therefore more expensive, the "limit" rose to $400, then $450 and now $500. But, that's my absolute limit now.

Famous last words . . . LOL!

BTW, I do have about $600 in Kershaw Tilt but I traded 3 knives for it and do/did not consider it an out of pocket purchase for that price. I also paid $1k for a ZT 0610 and ZT 0650 together. Their "mkt value" is about $600 and $400 respectively but I consider the price I paid for each to be $500.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. ;)
 
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I bought a few Hinderers five or more yrs ago, when they were in short supply.
I had two XM-18's in different configuration; paid an ave or $740 for EACH of them.
Fortunately, I didn't fall in love, and sold them pretty quickly without a large loss...
Nowadays, my highest cost is usually less than $400 in barely used condition. I rarely buy a new knife...
The two knives I have carried for the last year or more are about $170 each: a clipped folder and
a 3" fixed in crossdraw sheath.
Love 'em both...I see no reason to spend more...
I havta say...my MassDrop Keen Laconico is argua bly my very favorite clipped knife of several hundred folders.
...and my Bradford Guardian 3" fixed in Vanadis 4E (crossdraw carry) is not easily to be outdone...regardless of price.
...of course, IMO
 
I made it over the hump and now I enjoy knives that cost comparatively little. One of my best deals was paying $10 for an old Sabre jack knife that's a duplicate of the first knife I ever owned.
 
I carried $120 knives until about 10 years ago when I bought an Umnumzaan. It's been my main knife for most of that time. I did spend about $750 on a custom Demko AD15, but most of my purchases now are around the $150 mark. Although I did get a neat Boker for $50 a month ago.

I definitely need to go through my collection and move along some things I don't use.
 
I already have 2 SHF's and a small Sebenza, and just a few weeks ago bought myself an Ontario Rat II...

If I like a knife, and have the funds, I'll buy it... High or Low.
 
I bought and used pretty inexpensive knives for a while because I was worried about losing them - then pocket clips came along and they were really convenient, and they were attached to more costly knives. I crossed the $100 threshold when I went to a Spyderco Endura then to a Kershaw Avalanche, and then one of the very early Kershaw Bumps with blue Ti handles. After that, it was a CRK Sebenza, a Strider SnG, a Gen I Hinderer XM-18. Carried them all, and found there was a big difference in the quality of the high end knives compared to lower end ones. Nowadays, modern production methods have narrowed the gap, and there are some Chinese knives that are excellent, and priced accordingly. My normal EDC these days is a custom Emerson CQC-10 or a later gen Hinderer, and I have a lot of confidence in either one. Primary criterion for me: must not fail under extreme use. I can carry a lot of things that cut, but if I have to abuse my knife in a worst-case scenario that I never saw coming, I want to be sure it will handle it.
 
My approach was a little different. From about 10 years old my only knife was a Schrade USA SP3 lockback. When I was about 20 years old I decided I wanted a real knife, so I bought a Kershaw Scallion. I bought a Kershaw Vapor as a spare, then I received a Leek as a gift. I picked up several decent quality knives including a Kershaw Skyline, which I carried for a year and was happy with it. I decided I wanted to step it up so I bought a Benchmade Griptilian and a 530, both of which I really treasured at the time. It was my first taste of what a really good knife could be like.

When my financial situation changed due to graduating college and getting married, I parted with my Benchmades and carried my Skyline for years. When I found a good job I got into Spyderco and the costs have gradually risen. I really try avoid putting a dollar limit on things because it varies, but I feel like I can get everything I need for under $200. I often carry something around the $50-$75 range and I could not be happier. I've never owned a $400+ knife and I likely never will.

One thing my experience has taught me is to never judge someone on their choices, a person with a $20 Kershaw or CRKT might use a knife more frequently than a someone with an incredible collection, and it may be the best they can do and still get the bills paid.
 
I dont think I will get into buying selling & trading dont know enough.

I will use these knives almost every day granted mostly EDC tasks but there will be tougher tasks also. Haven't totally decided how I'm going to enjoy this new hobby. I've been collecting things that have different deployment methods, locks blade shapes etc to see what I like. I've been enjoying learning about the metals reading up on how to sharpen history of the Holy Trinity and enjoying the hospitality of this community.

Eric
 
I only have 3 knives.

SK-5 Recon Tanto - around 60€
52100 Drop Forged Hunter - under 40€
D2 Boker GoBag - costs 30€, but I got it as a gift.

I use them all, I don't see a need for more expensive knives when even these "regular" steels do their job well.
 
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