Is a 400+ dollar knife better than a 200?

[severedthumbs]

I'm not either, Doug, but you have to experience the smoothness of a CRK Sebenza to appreciate it. Six months ago, I didn't know this.
Sonny

I have and still unimpressed. There are smoother knives on the market. I just do not really care for the Sebenza. Never have and I guess never will.

 

[SurfingSalmon]

Depends whether or not you actually like a particular 400 dollar knife over a particular 200 dollar knife. For example, the Chris Reeve Small Sebenza versus a Spyderco Sage 2. Sort of similar knives, titanium frame locks, have pocket clips, cuts stuff, etc. Maybe you like just the overall aura of the Sebenza over the Sage 2; maybe you think the Sebenza is ugly and the Sage 2 is a good looker. Just personal preference really. Honestly, I could get by with my CV Case knives, SAK Cadet, or only a Spyderco Tenacious, but knives I like collecting and using a variety of knives (so why not?).

 

[stabman]

I might just be rough on the few knives I have, there are a few high dollar knives I wouldn't mind owning , but the thought keeps going through my head is I can buy a firearm and ammo for the same price

But you can't shoot your chip bag open.
Imagine using the front site to open a box?
"Hey there little lady, I'll just pry that staple oput with the lip of this ammo clip."


The funny thing is that I spend far more on knives than I'm willing to on guns.
I like them both, but I like knives more.

But, it sounds like you also like both, so you're all squared away as it is. Just buy what appeals to you.

 

[Dorito Monk]

But you can't shoot your chip bag open.
Imagine using the front site to open a box?
"Hey there little lady, I'll just pry that staple oput with the lip of this ammo clip."

If you buy east-bloc surplus, you could do so much more!

 

[FoldersForever]

I think if your sole purpose for buying a knife is to cut things, a $200 knife is as good as a $400 knife. If you get satisfaction from owning high quality precision made objects, $400 knives fit your desires better. Another very similar product to knives in this regard are watches. They all tell time just fine, but the prices can range from $10 to $100,000+.

 

[Free2game]

It depends on if your life depends on that knife. In a life and death survival situation where every little bit counts, you want the best money can buy. Four hundred dollar knives are usually designed to be used hard and still provide a lifetime of usage. It's the same as the $400.00 flashlights that cave dwellers use as oppose to the flashlight you keep in your car, it all depends on the mission.

When you're talking about fixed blades. Isn't any properly designed say 5160 or some other kind of spring steel knife going to survive whatever you throw at it, given it's properly designed. What makes something magical by being more expensive? I mean would you really put a Sebenza through a log or anything like that vs a much less expensive axis/ballbearing lock or triad lock knife?

 

[stabman]

I mean would you really put a Sebenza through a log or anything like that?

Putting any folder through a log is a silly idea.
The higher cost is generally about precision, or exclusive designs, or expensive materials used.

Or, sometimes, hype.

 

[deathofallthings]

I haven't really read everyone's explanations here, but this is my opinion. A 400 dollar knife might not be twice the knife that a 200 dollar one is, however...

Some knives take a lot more money to produce. The more of something you make, the less you can sell each one for. Spyderco and Benchmade for example make A LOT knives, so they can sell each one for a smaller profit and still make money. Small profit on each knife times A LOT of knives equals big money. CRK makes a lot less knives, so they have to sell each knife for a higher profit. They also take a lot longer to make each knife because there is more work done by hand, that means more man hours, more money it costs them to pay the guy who makes them who gets payed by the hour, so they have to charge a lot more to make money. Obviously when you get into full custom one offs, you have to charge a bloody fortune because you're not making and selling them in any kind of bulk.

So... if you want something more exclusive, you have to pay more, sometimes a lot more. Does it make it a better knife? Sometimes.

 

[00max00]

I dont want to come off the wrong way, and I keep learning more and more on this forum but................. Why are some folders and fixed blades soo high priced? 200 is high to me and those knives work great, is a knife worth double and triple that cost, is there a major difference that warrents that much of a price increase?

Thanks guys, once again I dont want any one to take offense

From pure value perspective, no a $400 knife is not 2X better than a $200 knife. But, producers will charge whatever the market could bare, sky is the limit.

 

[Rotte]

There must be a point of diminishing returns. I probably carry a $30 SAK more than I carry my $40 or $80 Buck 110's. And I carry them more than my $130 Benchmade or my Sebenza (I can't admit how much I paid for the Sebbie, not even to myself). The Sebenza is a fantastic knife, but that $30 SAK does most things just as well. Come to think of it...the damn Sebbie doesn't even have a Philips driver.....

I love the feel of a Buck 110, and the 110 has never let me down. So, NO, a $400 knife is not worth more. Unless it is to you.

 

[The Logical One]

Im sure it is... but not worth the money imo. Theres always a sweet spot when it comes to pricing... I'd say around $50-150 for a knife would get you the best bang for your buck... as well as a great knife in general.

In terms of cars(again), say a good performance sports car would cost around 100k... like the Nissan GTR and the Corvette ZR1. Paying 1.5 million for a Bugatti Veyron in that sense just isnt justifiable... unless you have the money and you WANT that car.

I guess if you want damascus steel, titanium linings, elk antler handles with some gold fittings, $400 is worth it. But for practical sakes, $150 will get you an awesome knife that'll last a lifetime(or more).

Sorry but as LX Emergency stated, $400 won't get you anywhere near the features you listed. I'm not sure if you know this, as I just recently found out myself.... there are knives out there that costs upwards of $17500

THAT is your bugatti veyron. The GTR and ZR1 you mentioned are the striders and sebenza. Assuming you're a car guy, you know those two cars are the best bang for your buck sportscars. Same thing with the mid-tech knives.

Your $50-150 price range is still the camry and accord of the knife world.

 

[kawr]

Sorry but as LX Emergency stated, $400 won't get you anywhere near the features you listed. I'm not sure if you know this, as I just recently found out myself.... there are knives out there that costs upwards of $17500

THAT is your bugatti veyron. The GTR and ZR1 you mentioned are the striders and sebenza. Assuming you're a car guy, you know those two cars are the best bang for your buck sportscars. Same thing with the mid-tech knives.

Your $50-150 price range is still the camry and accord of the knife world.

A properly tuned GTR can smoke a veyron at a third of the cost, just saying . At some point you no longer get what you pay for. I would say you get some hard dimishing returns once you get past the $100-$200 range and then you hit a brick wall at the $400-$500 mid tech range. Past that point you are just paying for something that is "special" or "unique" and I think thats pretty sweet if you can afford that. Logically it seems stupid to pay $1,000,000 for a veyron when a $300,000 tuned GTR can destroy it but a veyron is real special. If everyone had the choice between a GTR or veyron we all know what everyone would pick.

 

[CapitalizedLiving]

I dont want to come off the wrong way, and I keep learning more and more on this forum but................. Why are some folders and fixed blades soo high priced? 200 is high to me and those knives work great, is a knife worth double and triple that cost, is there a major difference that warrents that much of a price increase?

Thanks guys, once again I dont want any one to take offense

The difference is in branding and materials plus other possible factors I have not yet pinpointed. So your answer is yes there is a difference (see previous sentence) and no there is no difference (meaning multiple factors may vary in favor of a less expensive knife without making it subjectively better than, less than, or equal to a more expensive knife).

 

[Sonnydaze]

Is a 400+ dollar knife better than a 200?

I sure hope so, 'cause I bought another one tonight. Either they're really good knives, or I'm simply wasting money.
Sonny

 

[smcjoecohen@yahoo]

Higher cost doesn't always mean better performance. The $200 and $400 knife will perform essentially identically. The difference in price as stated by other replies is in the craftsmanship. A handmade knife usually takes more work than a typical production knife so cost increase. The other factors are determined by the marketplace. High demand = high price, pretty straight forward all around I'd say. I love Striders, I own 5. I also own Spyderco, ZT and Benchmade. Any of those last brands have very good knives that will cut anything the Strider can but I am willing to pay 2 to 3 or even 4 times as much for the Strider because I love it. I know you know what I'm saying.

 

[Raphael.caluwe]

I do not fully aggree with what most say, stating that it basically is luxury.
imo it is not, and I will explain why. The first expensive knife I bought was a benchmade 51, wich was and is great. After that I bought a benchmade 470 emissary, a benchmade 940, a benchmade 62, a sebenza and a sng cc. I still carry my 470 sometimes because it looks awesome and it takes an amazing edge, comparable to that of a sebenza. So indeed it does fulfill the strict purpose of a knife, cutting. However, when I open the knife, i can wiggle the blade and the handles will come aside just a tiny bit, enough to move the blade a tiny tiny bit (this is not blade play, because the pivot is perfectly set, but just the overall construction).
I can do the same with my 940. Is this bad ? well, if you just want to cut, then no, thats no problem at all. But we dont use knives only to cut, you'll often get into situations where you have to do a bit of leverage or something like that. My sebenza and my strider dont budge, they are rock solid and feel like bank vaults.

What is true is that price is often determined by other factors than toughness etc. For example craftmanship plays a big role. The sebenza really is a piece of art, the design and how the design is put together is amazing. ditto with the mnandi, its a small knife, it's not tough, but it's probably one of the most beautiful knives ever made. The strider on the other hand, is not an exercise in craftmanship and beauty, but in thoughness, I would stab it in a brick wall knowing it wont budge.

lastly, also the materials used and thusly the production costs play a role. My 470 and 940 are made out of aluminium while the sebenza and the strider are made of titanium (and g10).

 

[MrPocketsOfSteel]

I did Sonny and honestly I STILL don't get it. But that is just me and some others I suppose.

I'm not either, Doug, but you have to experience the smoothness of a CRK Sebenza to appreciate it. Six months ago, I didn't know this.
Sonny

 

[meanwhile]

I'm not either, Doug, but you have to experience the smoothness of a CRK Sebenza to appreciate it. Six months ago, I didn't know this.
Sonny

This might be true, but to a lot of people it just isn't a good reason to pay even $10 more for a knife, let alone several hundred. For the big bucks most of us want stuff like "cuts better". Which doesn't make your choice less valid, of course.