- Joined
- Sep 14, 2006
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- 4,409
I had stayed away from this thread, not being the contentious sort, but could no longer resist.
While the topic is perhaps inflammatory, I think the discussion should be had.
Many, many people who like knives are like people who like guns. They like the way they look, like how they smell, like how they feel, and what they can potentially do based on what they have heard said about them, or what they have read about them.
But like many gun lovers, knife lovers sometimes leave their actual experience with a knife at that superficial level. The knife, once purchased, once fondled.... goes in the safe or the drawer and in fact hardly gets used. Probably never really challenged.
I've seen many reviews of knives on this and other forums, but most of them have to do with fit and finish, which is important, but rarely goes to the heart of what a knife should be, that is, an object with a specific purpose.
If the object is never put to that purpose.... then there is no way to know if the object is what it is supposed to be, or just an object that LOOKS like what it is supposed to be, but isn't.
People who really USE their knives can start to have a better idea of whether the knife is good for that use or not. What use the knife is put to is of course important.. abuse negates the test, misuse as well.
Attempting to chop down a tree with a slipjoint and denouncing the genre when it fails would be stupid. Likewise carrying a bowie to a black tie event and being surprised when arrested.
Knives are endlessly varied, but in the end, there is a simple truth; if it won't cut as expected, used properly, then is it a knife? Is it worth the money? Does it deserve the public reputation?
Much is made on these forums of steels and edges and bevels and etc. Testing is nearly always subjective, to some degree or other. There are many variables. But if the knives are never tested, if makers are never challenged to meet the expectations of real users, then how can they be kept honest about their claims?
And for the non-user who buys a knife based on reputation; if that knife doesn't live up to reputation, then for what reason did you buy the knife? There are multitudes of knives bought which the makers claim can do this or that... but if no one made the knives do this or that........?
We, the consumers, are the ultimate testers. The makers make knives for US, and so we have every right to test the hell out of the product to see if we are getting our money's worth. And the makers should welcome that testing.
Andy
While the topic is perhaps inflammatory, I think the discussion should be had.
Many, many people who like knives are like people who like guns. They like the way they look, like how they smell, like how they feel, and what they can potentially do based on what they have heard said about them, or what they have read about them.
But like many gun lovers, knife lovers sometimes leave their actual experience with a knife at that superficial level. The knife, once purchased, once fondled.... goes in the safe or the drawer and in fact hardly gets used. Probably never really challenged.
I've seen many reviews of knives on this and other forums, but most of them have to do with fit and finish, which is important, but rarely goes to the heart of what a knife should be, that is, an object with a specific purpose.
If the object is never put to that purpose.... then there is no way to know if the object is what it is supposed to be, or just an object that LOOKS like what it is supposed to be, but isn't.
People who really USE their knives can start to have a better idea of whether the knife is good for that use or not. What use the knife is put to is of course important.. abuse negates the test, misuse as well.
Attempting to chop down a tree with a slipjoint and denouncing the genre when it fails would be stupid. Likewise carrying a bowie to a black tie event and being surprised when arrested.
Knives are endlessly varied, but in the end, there is a simple truth; if it won't cut as expected, used properly, then is it a knife? Is it worth the money? Does it deserve the public reputation?
Much is made on these forums of steels and edges and bevels and etc. Testing is nearly always subjective, to some degree or other. There are many variables. But if the knives are never tested, if makers are never challenged to meet the expectations of real users, then how can they be kept honest about their claims?
And for the non-user who buys a knife based on reputation; if that knife doesn't live up to reputation, then for what reason did you buy the knife? There are multitudes of knives bought which the makers claim can do this or that... but if no one made the knives do this or that........?
We, the consumers, are the ultimate testers. The makers make knives for US, and so we have every right to test the hell out of the product to see if we are getting our money's worth. And the makers should welcome that testing.
Andy
