Is it worth actually it to spend $100+ on a knife?

TotalDbag said:
Isn't it still technically illegal since it's longer than 3 inches. I don't necessarily want the handle smaller, just a blade of around 3.4-ish inches. That could be done easily with the riddance of the choil. I wish they made a model just like the para 2 without the choil
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Depends on where you're talking about. Here in North Carolina it's fine. I've never seen a blade length restriction in North Carolina's knife laws regarding folders. North Carolina defines an ordinary pocket knife as "a small knife, designed for carrying in a pocket or purse, that has its cutting edge and point entirely enclosed by its handle, and that may not be opened by a throwing, explosive, or spring action." So as long as it fits within this definition, you're fine.
 
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This is what I think:

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Nope, not worth it at all. Buy a knife from the gas station for 3.99, its as good as the $100 knife. :rolleyes:
 
Good steel doesn't cost all that much outside of the exotics. You're paying mostly for the extra business expenses of limited production and or a skilled hand. There is no reason a top quality knife made from a high end steel couldn't be mass produced and sold for well under 100 with room for proffit. Probably under $30 if its not a super expensive super hard to machine steel... but mass production doesn't favor variety and everyone wants something different. So there you are again right back at limited production or hand made products lol
 
oic0 said:
Good steel doesn't cost all that much outside of the exotics. You're paying mostly for the extra business expenses of limited production and or a skilled hand. There is no reason a top quality knife made from a high end steel couldn't be mass produced and sold for well under 100 with room for proffit. Probably under $30 if its not a super expensive super hard to machine steel... but mass production doesn't favor variety and everyone wants something different. So there you are again right back at limited production or hand made products lol
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Would you even have a shred of evidence somewhere to back this up?
 
100eyes said:
Would you even have a shred of evidence somewhere to back this up?
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Back what up? the price of the steels or their ability to be run through a chinese factory in place of their cheap stainless? You can google the prices of the steels pretty easy and I'm pretty sure china can mass produce anything lol.
I was just trying to make the point that the more expensive knives aren't more expensive because their materials or difficulty of manufacture makes up the difference, but because of difference in scale and business model. Or at least that is my assumption.
 
Buy it. Baby it. Play with it.

If you don't fall in love, sell it for practically all of your money back. Or if you snagged it for $100, possible profit.
 
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$100 (problem with etch on word "Design" on back of blade) at the Kershaw factory sale today. ZT 561, flipper, frame lock, G-10 and titanium, smooth like butter, Elmax steel, 5.95 ounces, about 8.75 inches overall open and my heart's desire for quite some time. However, you could use broken glass to cut stuff.

That being said, everyone should own a Spyderco knife.

PS, this $100 knife is so pretty that it hurts my eyes.
 
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100eyes said:
Would you even have a shred of evidence somewhere to back this up?
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$40 Spyderco Native with S30V steel. Browning Ice Storm linerlocks with aluminum scales and VG-10 blades made by Mcusta for $50. Walmart CRKT Ripple. There are tons of examples until you force the naysayers to nitpick what is good steel and what is bad, and the minimum length of the knife. Until then, I will say that Case, Victorinox, EKA, Opinel, Queen, and other brands happen to not be gas station garbage. They use steels that are not hard to machine, and many of them are fine blanked. If you have to have G10 and blade lengths over 3.5", then there are a lot of Kershaws that fill the bill under $40, and they even have AO.
 
From my own experience, I started with the s30v Blur. Then at about double the cost of that, I got the ZT 0550. A considerably bigger, heftier knife. Then recently I got the ZT 0560. Which is even bigger and heftier than the 0550.

The s30v Blur can be had for well under $100 and I could very have stopped there and be plenty happy, but I kept going and bought more.

"Worth" is pretty subjective. The s30v Blur is a wonderful folder and would be an adept EDC, but I put the money into the 0560 so that beast of a folder gets the pleasure of being my EDC. Even if I sometimes wonder if paying over $200 for a folder was crazy of me, I make it "worth" it by always carrying it! :thumbup:
 
To the OP, I'm not sure if there is such thing as an objective point of diminishing returns. Rare materials, production quality, the reputation equity of the maker, scarcity, and other factors all play into a knife's valuation and it is not unfeasible to expect a Loveless knife to end up on Sotheby's for a staggering margin above the original sale price.

As for user knives, I think there is a perception of higher value in terms of materials, fit and finish, and brand, but I've carried cheap quality knives for many years before they gave out on me (assuming I didn't lose them first). I am one of the people who has this perception, as it is hard not to look at a really high quality $100+ knife and think that it won't last as long or be as meaningful to me to own and carry as a cheap, low quality knife. But really, if I was pressed to do so, I could make due without the higher end knives and not suffer terribly.
 
A lot of good comments, but for under $100 you can also get some high quality knives:

Buck Vantage Pro series
Kershaw Blur, Knockout
Benchmade Griptilian, Presidio
Spyderco Endura, Delica
etc
 
stabman said:
$100 expensive for a knife?
Thanks for the first real laugh I had today.:D
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$100 is expensive for a knife once you get out into the world outside of the forums.

Most people know that people buy knives at Wal-Mart, flea markets and gas stations. Sometimes they get them at hardware stores and gun shops for slightly higher quality to high quality knives depending on what is available.

So once the price get into that $30 to $40 range it's expensive..... ;)
 
oic0 said:
I was just trying to make the point that the more expensive knives aren't more expensive because their materials or difficulty of manufacture makes up the difference, but because of difference in scale and business model. Or at least that is my assumption.
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Your assumptions are incorrect. There is indeed a certain economy of scale, but you can only save so much simply by making more of something.
 
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