Is there a breakdown of brand hierarchy?

Over many years of owning and using knives and being no where near a knife shop. I have found the best way to find a knife is to find one you like and research the knife and company. There are many videos on various knives out there and many excellent posts on this site as well. There isn't really a teir system, mostly its just a cost thing but even that doesn't define if the knife is truly great or not. Most good knife companies have good warranties and will back their products. Some are better than others.
For Folding knives I like are Benchmade, Spyderco, and some ZT knives. Victorinox makes the Swiss army knives.
All of these companies have various levels of knives from mid range cost to super expensive.
In conclusion I would say find a knife company that is reputable and makes good quality knives and do research on a particular model. Then see if you can look at them in person or order it from a retailer with a good return policy so if the knife doesn't feel right in your hand you can return it. Ultimately a knife should be something you like and something you can afford. If you are new to knives start with knife steels that are easier to sharpen and take care of until you get good at sharpening. Then you can move into the more difficult to sharpen steels.
Good luck and have fun.
 
I might take a little bit different of an approach. To be, entry-level just means it's accessible. Things like MTech gas station knives aren't even on the radar, because they're the sort of knives people mainly buy when they don't know anything about knives and probably never will.

An entry-level knife is one that's just a little bit nicer but which someone who might take an interest in knives will still see in his routine shopping. Think, blister pack Kershaw, Schrader, Buck, Spyderco Byrd, etc. Things you might see in a Wal-Mart or sporting goods store and a casual person might just think $45 was a lot for a knife but kinda not entirely out of the question, especially when compared against the $200 Benchmade or Spyderco in the glass case.

On the other end of the spectrum would be the "God Tier," less so because of the quality per SE and more because they're custom knives or such limited production that you only see them in dedicated high-end cutlery stores and not a casual sporting goods store. The kind of knife that's actually beyond what the casual buyer looks at and simply can't imagine paying that much for a knife... Because the casual buyer will almost certainly remain completely unaware that knives like that exist.

It's important to note that just because you've been around knife collecting for a long time doesn't mean you have to gradually work 'up' that chain, although most people move up some. That's because of the 80/20 rule. Once you hit a certain dollar value, you're not really getting practical value increases commensurate with the price increases anymore. And even those of us who carry a Shirogorov or Koenig or a $1,500 custom every day could do the same work with a Benchmade or a Spyderco.
 
Tiers an heirachy to me are a way to brag about disposable income.
My Opinel and MAM peasant folders cut better than my Lionsteel SR1A or Chris Reeve Sebenza, don't get me wrong they are great knives that I love to use and carry, the materials and fit 'n finish are not in the same category, and cannot really be compared. As a hobby maker, I can see the skill reqired to make a knife with a distal taper, prescise grinds, even radius at the ricasso, a near perfect hand rubbed finish, and the knowledge and research that results in a steel selection and heat treat that fits the tool to purpose.
The gains are for knife nuts like us that are chasing "perfect", wich is diffrent for everyone!
Plenty of makers here are selling pieces for 4-5 figures...handforged damascus in a unique pattern, perfectly fit timascus locks/fittings, exotic materials for frame handles, with flawless domed pins, all executed with a expressive and uniquley recognisable style. To me you are paying for a functional expression of art from a mastersmith. Industry has made function commonplace and at a retail level cheap.
Art will always be expensive, because it is about expression, and skill.
What has attracted me to knives as a art expression for many years is the truly skilled makers ability to combine the three elements of form, function and expression!
 
I’ll do my best to answer the OP’s questions

There are many entry-level brands but if you have the interest to search this forum, you’re pretty much beyond gas station knives and the like.

Most knife enthusiasts begin their journey with Spyderco, Benchmade, ZT and more recently Reate, Civivi & WE

A tier above would be Hinderer, Chris Reeve, Medfords, Olamic & Spartan Harsey. The next tier above would be Shirogorov, Koenig, Holt, maybe Grimsmo.

After these top quality production knives, you get to customs - which is a whole other discussion

Of course there are other brands not listed but I did my best to give the OP an idea of the more common brands you’d encounter among BF members
 
I tend to think less in terms of tiers and more like a series of continuous spectrums with some overlap. In no particular order, there’s a price point spectrum, can I afford it? There’s a “durability in use” spectrum, is it strong enough for my usual cutting tasks? An aesthetic spectrum, do I like the materials, size and shape? A “fit and finish/quality” spectrum, is it built well? An ergonomic spectrum, how it feels and operates. And probably some other spectrums I’m forgetting right now. (Like, does it fill a hole in what I’ve already got?)

Just yesterday I examined a belt knife that was pretty, apparently well built, and affordable. However, it felt blade heavy in my hand, and it was kinda big for my usual tasks. I told the (potential) seller “this is nice, but it’s too much knife for me.”

I’m not opposed to big choppers, but I’ve already got a few I really like. This one just didn’t score high enough in enough categories to loosen my wallet. No big deal, others will come along.

It never occurred to me to wonder what tier it was in.

Parker
 
Why do folks feel the need to put labels on things?Look at the great job done by "Identity Politics" at creating givisions... and strife!
 
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