"Inexpensive" Knives are KING !! ??

The cheapest knife I own is an XXXX Blem Random Leek with reverse tanto blade in S30V - oops forgot two SRM 710's.

The rest of my knives are all pretty high quality as I've been down the "good deal, cheap" road when I first got here and ended up selling them all. What was left? Quality knives!

My average knife wold be a BM 710 or Spyderco Military, my nicer folders are Sebenzas and XM-18's which are what are left after getting rid of the bargain blades. I'm in the market for a high end folder right now but can't make up my mind since there are so many now. I'll be getting the new Hinderer/ZT colllaboration flipper for sure. I sold my 0551 it was very nice but I didn't care that much for it. :(

I do see a place for high value, inexpensive knives like Tenacious, RAT-1 and the like. They're affordable, do the job and won't break your heart if you ding one up really bad or break a tip when using them hard.
 
I have found there are many ways to get quality knives that are inexpensive. my favorite is the kershaw blems. they are perfectly good knives with small problems that i can live with for the price. a skyline for 10 bucks? sign me up! that said, There is a purpose for more expensive knives. my EDC is a ZT 0200 which is the nicest in my collection. I do not have money for a lot of knives, so i buy nice ones that do it all reasonable well. I have a 6 knife collection. i'm nowhere close to 18, and i have sunk a grand total of about 330 dollars into a collection that i have no intention of enlarging except with things i make myself. I have a knife for everything, except for a good fixed blade, which is going to be made soon. my most expensive knife was 85 dollars. would a 330 dollar small sebbie work better? maybe, but i would be afraid to use it. Just to clarify, my definition of inexpensive is a object that does the intended function cheaper than the competition, and about as well.

To the walmart haters, walmart is awesome. they have awesome jeans if you do not care about this stupid thing called style. 20 bucks for a pair of jeans that has survived for almost 2 years, and are still going strong? works for me.
 
Ontario Cutlass machete $20 And you get to put the edge on yourself!
Ka-Bar Cutlass machete $40
Ka-Bar Kukri $40
 
Ankerson said:
I don't mind paying for quality, never have.
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Nor do I. I pay for quality. It's pretty sweet, though, that quality can be had for so little money. Especially these days. Less than $20, hell even less than $10 can get you an unbelievably good knife. Paying more can get you fancier names and more esteem. But increasingly diminishing returns when it comes to actual performance.
 
I used to be Oakley shades and a Sebenza kinda guy but know I'm havin as much (or more) fun with gas station shades and inexpensive knives :D

The nice thing is there's no right or wrong answer just personal preference:thumbup:
 
thegeek574 said:
I have found there are many ways to get quality knives that are inexpensive. my favorite is the kershaw blems. they are perfectly good knives with small problems that i can live with for the price. a skyline for 10 bucks? sign me up! that said, There is a purpose for more expensive knives. my EDC is a ZT 0200 which is the nicest in my collection. I do not have money for a lot of knives, so i buy nice ones that do it all reasonable well. I have a 6 knife collection. i'm nowhere close to 18, and i have sunk a grand total of about 330 dollars into a collection that i have no intention of enlarging except with things i make myself. I have a knife for everything, except for a good fixed blade, which is going to be made soon. my most expensive knife was 85 dollars. would a 330 dollar small sebbie work better? maybe, but i would be afraid to use it. Just to clarify, my definition of inexpensive is a object that does the intended function cheaper than the competition, and about as well.

To the walmart haters, walmart is awesome. they have awesome jeans if you do not care about this stupid thing called style. 20 bucks for a pair of jeans that has survived for almost 2 years, and are still going strong? works for me.
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thegeek574 is a strange handle for a young man with a good head on his shoulders and a blossoming knife collection! :D :thumbup:
 
I guess it all depends on what you are using your knife for. There is no doubt you can find a good inexpensive folder or fixed blade and have it perform for your intended uses. But I found that instead of buying 3 or 4 cheaper blades a year, it's better to buy 1 quality blade that will last forever.. The problem I've found is the better the blade, there is always something better that you want to try. Different styles, weights, steel, handles, etc... Then you end up with alot of knives and a empty wallet. I love it though...Just my opinion though..
 
thegeek574 said:
I have found there are many ways to get quality knives that are inexpensive. my favorite is the kershaw blems. they are perfectly good knives with small problems that i can live with for the price. a skyline for 10 bucks? sign me up! that said, There is a purpose for more expensive knives. my EDC is a ZT 0200 which is the nicest in my collection. I do not have money for a lot of knives, so i buy nice ones that do it all reasonable well. I have a 6 knife collection. i'm nowhere close to 18, and i have sunk a grand total of about 330 dollars into a collection that i have no intention of enlarging except with things i make myself. I have a knife for everything, except for a good fixed blade, which is going to be made soon. my most expensive knife was 85 dollars. would a 330 dollar small sebbie work better? maybe, but i would be afraid to use it. Just to clarify, my definition of inexpensive is a object that does the intended function cheaper than the competition, and about as well.

To the walmart haters, walmart is awesome. they have awesome jeans if you do not care about this stupid thing called style. 20 bucks for a pair of jeans that has survived for almost 2 years, and are still going strong? works for me.
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What a refreshing attitude in this forum filled with middle aged and older people with jaded tastes!
 
You can have inexpensive and quality in one sentence. I recently got a Mercator K55K knife with a great flat ground carbon steel blade around 3.5" for $20. It is crazy sharp, classic looking and the lockback is strong. All slicer in a slim, affordable package, and with good steel too.
 
I will second the Spydie Tenacious and also add; Kershaw OD-1, Tram machetes and a little higher priced but a super bargain, Becker knives.

Vin
 
I have nothing but good things to say about the Spyderco Byrd line and the price allows me to own several.
 
vba said:
I will second the Spydie Tenacious and also add; Kershaw OD-1, Tram machetes and a little higher priced but a super bargain, Becker knives.

Vin
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Hey! Have you been looking in my drawers? :eek:

I completely agree those are all good quality knives that will do the job without being pretentious.:thumbup:

You just have to keep sight on reality.:D
 
I learned a long time ago, that inexpensive does NOT necessarily mean cheap and more money does not guarantee quality.

And what exactly is the "Wal-mart mentality"?
 
NAVY brand, Meyerco Lambert and the Lightfoot Catch Dog. the C D is about as nice a folder as one could ask for and outside of being made in China which will turn folks off for one reason or another it is to me about as close to the real thing except the price tag and steel used. Mine actually has very excellent fit and finish which the first run didn't as I've heard. keepem sharp
 
shecky said:
Nor do I. I pay for quality. It's pretty sweet, though, that quality can be had for so little money. Especially these days. Less than $20, hell even less than $10 can get you an unbelievably good knife. Paying more can get you fancier names and more esteem. But increasingly diminishing returns when it comes to actual performance.
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couldn't agree more..

paulhilborn said:
I used to be Oakley shades and a Sebenza kinda guy but know I'm havin as much (or more) fun with gas station shades and inexpensive knives :D

The nice thing is there's no right or wrong answer just personal preference:thumbup:
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funny thing, I had a friend who came into a lot of Oakley's about 6 yrs ago, he GAVE me a $400 pair of Silhouettes for FREE, I feel like I've paid for them and still have and wear them today, where as before I always seemed to lose the cheap ones.>>

singularity35 said:
What a refreshing attitude in this forum filled with middle aged and older people with jaded tastes!
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agreed !!

PeteG1027 said:
I guess it all depends on what you are using your knife for. There is no doubt you can find a good inexpensive folder or fixed blade and have it perform for your intended uses. But I found that instead of buying 3 or 4 cheaper blades a year, it's better to buy 1 quality blade that will last forever.. The problem I've found is the better the blade, there is always something better that you want to try. Different styles, weights, steel, handles, etc... Then you end up with alot of knives and a empty wallet. I love it though...Just my opinion though..
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couldn't disagree more ...... knives in every price range have their limits and none will last long if put to extremes.. its all in the steel, heat treat, hardware, marketing and mostly HYPE that prices a knife, you CAN get a knife with the same steel and have it perform EXACTLY the same as one costing 3-4 times as much, spending more money makes some people feel better is all, and most high end 'collectors' don't use their knives like others do. I have some quality blades but I feel better when I can use a 'less expensive' knife for its intended purpose, mod it to my likings and don't feel bad.. regarding steel however, I took a tramotina machete and smacked it into some 5160 and guess what?? the 5160 chipped... steel is steel, some softer, easier to sharpen, and some not worth owning..
 
here is my list of low end knives that i feel are great bargins.
1. Rat 1
2. tenacious
3. meyerco lambert
4. skyline
5. cold steel ak 47

i do own some higher end knives too, i guess its whatever floats your boat, Umnumzaan is my favorite, to me when i take out the lower end blades, people say cool blade, but when i whoop out the Umnum or 0551, paramillie with carbon fiber thats when you hear the ooooo!!! and aahhsss!!! and to me i love hearing the oooosss and aaahhsss... lol :D
 
Why is it that we are so willing to "pay for quality" (ie waste money on expensive knives) but not help poor or less fortunate people? What are we so afraid of?
 
By afraid, do you mean that we feel a need for "expensive knives". As if a cheap knife would fail and we could suffer or die? Would you care to elaborate on this?
People have, and will continue to be self centered, or even have a philosophy that differs from others. Many cancer survivors say that what they learned through suffering made them a stronger/better person. Suffering is a part of this material world.
I feel that the money I spend on knives is nothing compared to the budgets of NASA, Wars, political campaigns, all the new cars.
So, should I buy a cheap chineses made product, that doesn't give an American a job? Sure, I listed the Ka-Bar's Cutlass and Kukri, which are made in Taiwan, those are $40. Who made that money? If I spend $200 on an American made knife, and a guy can feed his family, what's the problem? I'll gladly buy American products, instead of handing out money to the poor or less fortunate. Hell, I'm out of work, poor and less fortunate. Go ahead, buy an American product so I can get a job!
 
foxx said:
By afraid, do you mean that we feel a need for "expensive knives". As if a cheap knife would fail and we could suffer or die? Would you care to elaborate on this?
People have, and will continue to be self centered, or even have a philosophy that differs from others. Many cancer survivors say that what they learned through suffering made them a stronger/better person. Suffering is a part of this material world.
I feel that the money I spend on knives is nothing compared to the budgets of NASA, Wars, political campaigns, all the new cars.
So, should I buy a cheap chineses made product, that doesn't give an American a job? Sure, I listed the Ka-Bar's Cutlass and Kukri, which are made in Taiwan, those are $40. Who made that money? If I spend $200 on an American made knife, and a guy can feed his family, what's the problem? I'll gladly buy American products, instead of handing out money to the poor or less fortunate. Hell, I'm out of work, poor and less fortunate. Go ahead, buy an American product so I can get a job!
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Exactly :thumbup:
 
cziv said:
thegeek574 is a strange handle for a young man with a good head on his shoulders and a blossoming knife collection! :D :thumbup:
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I needed a name that would not be taken on every forum in the universe. this served the purpose well enough. also, it has a sense of, mystery.... and..... nerdiness, don't you think :D
 
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