In your own words explain buying higher priced vs. lower priced.

Dollar value, the ZT 0562cf to me is a better value than my XM-18s. When a new 18 is going to cost 425 and I only paid 190 shipped for the ZT, brand new in box there's no comparison. Better steel, bearings, carbon fiber and maybe even more refined. For 235 dollars less? Still the Hinderers are unique and I like them too. Just price factor the ZT is a better value imo.
 
I use my pocket knives for pocket knife suited stuff, so I'm usually not concerned about whether or not they're up to the task. But I want them to feel like they're nice to have, and to make me feel glad to have them. That's what I pay for. My $80-$120 GEC slipjoints achieve that, when, for me, $130-$150 Spydercos and $180-$220 ZTs didn't. By the same token, a $40 or $60 Queen hasn't fit the bill, but a $20 Case has. With all the money I've lost buying and then reselling or giving away knives, I probably could have afforded a custom (the "Sebenza equivalent" of the slipjoint world) and maybe because I haven't handled one I don't know what I'm missing, but from pictures it's difficult for me to tell what I'm missing between a custom and a GEC, for hundreds of dollars more, other than the fact that it's custom made and possibly one of a kind. Then again, if I were a tax bracket higher, I'd probably buy one and not think twice...
 
I have evolved a lot in the knife area over the past two months, I've bought cheap, mid grade and upper mid grade. At the point I am at now origin is important, I will not spend over 50 bucks for a knife not made in the USA. So to me the best knives made outside the USA I currently own at least by my opinion, (rat 2 and esee zancudo) both can be had for under 30 bucks. So country of origin. Now to the mid grade knives mini griptilian and PM 2 both made in USA and at there price point, I paid 80 bucks for my mini grips, 120 for PM2, so why we'll first off warranty, that's worth the extra bucks to me, both companies have a good warranty, to me a rat and zancudo are not worth the hassle to get warranty work on and not sure how customer service is but to me it's easy to justify a replacement of these can't expect much in terms of warranty for a 25 to 30 dollar knife. On the other hand I expect a company to have a better warranty as price goes. Now for me to get a better knife than the mini grip or spyderco in terms of tolerances better materials all the way around and a great warranty made in the USA [emoji631] I move to my max price point which in my mind is to be expected so Chris's reeves in my mind sets the standard, 350 to 500 dollars which is my max, and in terms of use I don't think you get any better as the price goes up so for me a knife is a tool and not a showcase so this is my max price limit because any higher in price will not yield better quality or function. I do not own a crk but I'm on a desperate hunt for a left hand small insigno. So lower end not USA rat and zancuddo 30 to 50

Mid grade mini grip and pm2 USA origin and good warranty 75 to 140

Crk USA origin great warranty and great fit and tight tolorence 350 to 500

As you spend more up to 500 dollars a knife should be better and company should offer more


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Because more money gets a more better knife if you are more smarter about it. :D
 
I'm not knowledgeable but I am opinionated. :)
I don't pay more the $150 for a knife. I'm poor working class slob, and need a good working tool. If I had the money I would by fancier stuff because it makes me feel good, not that it really works any better. Chrome don't get ya home.
 
Chrome is a bitch to keep looking good. That's why you never see a scratch on the more expensive knives that some people post. They never use them.
 
Charlie Mike said:
Chrome is a bitch to keep looking good. That's why you never see a scratch on the more expensive knives that some people post. They never use them.
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Some get used. ;)
 
jill jackson said:
Dollar value, the ZT 0562cf to me is a better value than my XM-18s. When a new 18 is going to cost 425 and I only paid 190 shipped for the ZT, brand new in box there's no comparison. Better steel, bearings, carbon fiber and maybe even more refined. For 235 dollars less? Still the Hinderers are unique and I like them too. Just price factor the ZT is a better value imo.
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I would agree with this principle if not the specifics, as I don't have personal experience with either knife.

There's a couple different principles going on here-

1. Value and cost don't have a fixed relationship, and you can't predict what a knife's relative value is based solely on its cost. You can have knives that are high-value, low-cost, like the Buck 110, the Spyderco Delica or the Benchmade Griptilian. You can have knives that are high-value, high-cost, like CRK, Hinderer, Strider or take your pick of high-end production and custom production knives. And you can have knives that are low-value, high-cost, like Dork Ops.

2. But in general, if you look at mean value-to-cost relationships, you do see the diminishing returns curve.

3. What Charlie Mike says definitely holds true as well. At some point you're not paying for more function, just for more art. And there's nothing really wrong with that, I think.
 
In the OP example, you HAVE to spend less if you want a decent detent right? ;) (I kid...)

I recently had a similar conversation with a KNP. I got the "is a Gerber a good knife" question. He had a Bear Grylls Gerber and said it seemed to cut really well. Couldn't argue with that for his wants and needs. A lot of us like really cool, fancy package openers!
 
I bought a $44 knife and carried it as my only one for about 3 years or so.
Used it for everything.
Turns out I could have got it for $20 if I'd had a computer back then...

After I got better knives---a Benchmade Resistor is one I replaced it with---I was able to find quantifiable differences in quality.
The Benchmade had FAR better ergonomics, no vertical play to the blade, held an edge for longer, and of course was constructed far, far better.
The Benchmade could have served as my only pocket-knife to this very day, while the cheaper one would be a really sore shape by now.
I'm sure it would have survived (probably), but it would not do so nearly as well.

Now sure, these days I have so many quality knives that they'll last me to the age of 10 or 20 thousand, even I never bought another one, but that's a whole different story. :D
 
Charlie Mike said:
I'm talking about the $2000+ stuff. Todd Rexford would be a good example.
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If I had it, I'd use it.

If you don't use it, then it really is just as art or for resale.
I don't sell knives, and I like art to be in the form of paintings and sculpture, so it's a case of using them for me. :)
 
I appreciate better materials and f&f. Don't mind paying extra for them. With that said, after $200 I can't seem to justify the diminishing returns for the extra $$.
 
stabman said:
If I had it, I'd use it.

If you don't use it, then it really is just as art or for resale.
I don't sell knives, and I like art to be in the form of paintings and sculpture, so it's a case of using them for me. :)
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:thumbup: Same here!

But, I can't rationalize buying a $5000 user when my $1300 user works just fine.
 
Charlie Mike said:
:thumbup: Same here!

But, I can't rationalize buying a $5000 user when my $1300 user works just fine.
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I have a feeling my wife would do something really bad to me if I spent $5000 on a knife. :D
Unless I won a lottery or got an awesome job; then the $5000 diamond I bought her would make it all work out really well. :)
 
Lord_Balkan said:
That video is a gem :thumbup:
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Absolutely I can 2nd that... It is reality of this video is so true. But sometimes even myself will skip the logical part of real value $, and see value either real perceived or not in some other way to purchase a knife... All comes down to Free cash on hand... And I can also say I have trouble knowing what that is as well at times :confused:
 
I just spent almost $600 on brakes and associated parts/labor this morning. More important than a knife for sure. No new knives this month!
 
When somebody ask me this question about buying higher vs lower end priced knives.
Here is how I explain "All depends on user and intended purpose of use." As an example I use simple humble kitchen paring/utility knife.

Bottom level broke/limited funds college dorm student would buy in 99c store $1 knife to cut occasional sandwich or pizza. To him sharpness, ease of sharpening, ergonomics, f & f doesn't matter for amount of use it's going to see.

Middle level is home cook, who uses his knife for 90% of everyday food prep. He would buy $40-$60 knife, that stays sharp for longer, has better f & f, ergonomic handle for prolonged use.

Top level is professional chef who works in fine restaurant who will buy custom made knife for few $K. To chef in fancy restaurant where plate presentation matters, razor sharp knife, that makes precise cuts matter great deal. Premium steel that stays sharp for long time, excellent handle ergonomics for prolong daily commercial level use, f & f that is expected in high quality professional tool.

While back I had gone through this process myself when I broke (partial tang) on my Chinese kitchen paring knife, that was part of block of knives that I bought over 15 years ago from Wal-Mart. To replace it I was drooling over 3 pc set of Shun Reserve, Damascus blade, cocobolo handle with decorative pins for $600 or $200/pc. But in the end for amount of home cooking that I do for only myself, I could not justify the cost $200. Even thought I can easily spend that much on my EDC BM, ZT or SOG's. :grumpy: So I went to 99c store and bought for $1 Chinese knife, that had horrible grind, lose f & f, ok sharpness but had great blade and handle shape. After I finished fixing it up and reground/sharpened now it is excellent for my everyday use.
 
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I don't really focus too much on $ value, I focus more on everything else.

If a knife that has the ergo's/grind/blade shape/durability/steel/fun to use factor....you get the point....the price becomes secondary to having a knife that works for me.

I have realized over the years, that price seems to happen to fall in the $400-$600 range.

Yes, I have used a ton of knives at every price point, from $20-$2000....
 
There was a time when I had to sell my toys to pay bills. Such is the life of a father. I'm past those struggles. What I could afford then worked just fine for the task at hand.
Now, I can enjoy the fruits of my labor without having to be concerned about how much it costs. I just enjoy using a more expensive knife more, that's all.
 
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