In your opinion, what is the most OVERrated knife currently available for purchase.. and also list the most UNDERrated knife currently available? Why?

[elasmonut]

Triple overrated

Triple underrated are knives I make

If you can sharpen one of these Rocksteads, you can probably make one...
Even as knifemaker, I dont want to fuss around with perfectly even, mirror polished convex , zero grinds.
I could make a decent knife in the time it would take me to sharpen a Rockstead

 

[The Grendels]

James Brand knives are an obvious target for being overrated. I'd also add that a lot of Damascus blades be added to the list, especially the lower end "Damascus clad" steel ones.

For underrated, I'd say Zero Tolerance knives. They're well represented on this forum by a number of people, but in the sharp and pointy world at large there's a strong preference for lighter EDC folders. Larger, overbuilt folders are being shunned; especially in the majority of the YouTube knife reviewing community, who seem confused that they actually exist, can't understand why anyone would want one, and will raise a stink about a knife being made that's even a hair over their local knife blade length laws.

I'd also add that the smaller Boker fixed blades, like the Boker Plus PryMini Pro are very underrated, to the point of being virtually unknown. Jasper Voxnaes and the other designers making them are doing some great work.

In addition, I'd throw in knives like the Pivot Caliper Blue. Pivot are to Kizer, what WE are to Civivi. Pivot seemed to get a heavier push from below by Kizer (with knives like the Gemini) and their Pivot brand never seem to get much traction (in part because they have a terrible name that doesn't survive Google searches very well).

 

[Bing Gao]

No offense but I think this topic is overrated.
Knives are rated by its owner by their individual use scenarios. I work in office all day and will say most large beefy knives are overrated.
A person that uses his knife once a year to open a package will say a sebenza is overrated. It’s hard to rate a knife or anything in a straightforward way.

 

[tony281sc2]

Overrated I’m gonna say the Bugout. If I’m spending $100+ for a knife I want it to feel solid. 2oz to me is too light.
Under rated. I’ll go with my beloved ZT 0808. This knife never took off like the 0450 or other ZT models but IMO it was better than many of their “popular” ones. Ridiculously smooth too.

 

[Chippa]

No offense but I think this topic is overrated.
Knives are rated by its owner by their individual use scenarios. I work in office all day and will say most large beefy knives are overrated.
A person that uses his knife once a year to open a package will say a sebenza is overrated. It’s hard to rate a knife or anything in a straightforward way.

Office workers are over rated

I’m jokin’ I’m jokin’

 

[A.L.]

All the old school spydercos like endura and delica. They are okay knives but they are very basic for the spyderco tax you have to pay (at least here over the pond).

 

[cbach8tw]

I am going to shout out Resquid2’s knives as underrated because even though there may be a few cosmetic imperfections, they are none the less working knives that get the job done and are a good bargain when he offers them. I have a few that cut just fine and his handles are comfortable. Mine have some character.

 

[cbach8tw]

Here is a Kephart from redsquid2, the handle is really comfortable, i believe it is in A2.

 

[K.O.D.]

Interesting. I feel like the grip on the PM2 is perfect.

My overrated would be either the XM-18, which I find to be a poor cutter and it has ergonomics that aren’t friendly to my mitts. Other overrated option would be the ZT 0640. The design is similar to the Emerson Viper but the Viper isn’t as slender and the blade to handle ratio is much better. I’ve actually cut myself on the tip of the 0640 because it is so close to being proud of the frame.

Underrated would be the Spyderco Gayle Bradley 1 with full steel liners (not skeletonized). It’s rock solid in every way, has amazing steel, good ergonomics, and feels bomb proof.

I actually prefer the skeletonized liners, I love the GB1 great knife. My first Spyderco and first knife purchase as a member of BF.

 

[Stelth]

I can't understand the enthusiasm for a knife that has a history of needing to replace springs. I think the Triad lock Cold Steels are underrated.

 

[Leo Greer]

I think it’s kinda hard to narrow the value of a knife down to the price tag and people’s opinions of it, but here we go…

For the most overrated knife I’ve ever personally got my mitts on, it has to be the XM-18 3.5” Bowie. Honestly, I like a lot of the features. I like the ergos, the beefy-ness, and the triway system. However, I don’t feel it’s worth the $400-$500 to pick one up. Everything is really well done, but it’s all of what I expect from a $200-$250 knife along with some things that kinda mess with me. For example, the price to get a Ti showside scale. From what I’ve seen, depending on the scale, it costs in between $150 and $300 to make your XM-18 3.5” into a full Ti Hinderer. Some people like the G10, and it’s really not an issue, except the knife costs $425 new and potentially more due to availability being low. For that price I would like the option to have it be full Ti from the start. It’s really a smart move by Hinderer. Ti scales require some machining work, and some finishing, but they don’t need to be assembled, they don’t need to be tuned, and they don’t cost anywhere near as much to make as they sell for. For people who love the design and the features of the XM-18, Hinderer’s work is very well done, but for me, I’m not absolutely in love with the design and so the amount of money it takes to get one becomes crazy. Hence why I’m currently trying to offload my XM-18. Nothing wrong with it at all, I just don’t like it as much as knives that cost less than half. So that’s why I’m calling it overrated.

For underrated I’m saying the CH Emperor. This is a gorgeous knife. Silver sandblasted Ti handles and framelock, sandblasted S35VN. Mokuti pivot collars. Bearings. Amazing action. Mine isn’t currently at drop shut, but it’s very, very close. I believe either a tiny bit of tuning or a little more wearing in will make it drop shut. The centering is perfect and zero bladeplay, so it’s not about the pivot being loose either. Everything is tightly done. Nice clip. It really could be a beauty queen knife if not for the price tag. Actually, it still is a beauty queen, it’s just one I’m not afraid to cut gluey carpet with. $170 new right now if you buy it from China, and used to be $120. I believe there are also a few distributors in the US that sell it for $252. Bought mine for $140 on the secondary.

For cons, there’s a few things about the design that would bother some people that don’t irk me, like the fact that the thumbstuds are placed as to be useless. Also, the sandblast on both blade and handle picks up fingerprints like crazy.

But the CH is the one that keeps ending up in my pocket despite having owned quite a few knives nicer at this point.

 

[3D Anvil]

What’s funny by you saying that about them costing 150 less and not bein g the same qualaity, when I first bought my 1st Sebenza, it was 1996 made with BG42 steel, costing me a whopping 250 bucks! Ahhh the good ol days!

If you can sharpen one of these Rocksteads, you can probably make one...
Even as knifemaker, I dont want to fuss around with perfectly even, mirror polished convex , zero grinds.
I could make a decent knife in the time it would take me to sharpen a Rockstead

True if you're going to maintain that zero convex. If I owned one I'd just put a regular edge bevel on it. Not as pretty, but I'm not sending a knife to Japan every time it needs a touch up!

 

[353]

Office workers are over rated

No man, we are the ones supplying you with the neccesary documents, drawings, layouts etc.

With out us you would have no clue what to do!!

I’m jokin’ I’m jokin’