It's funny how knives can work.

Daniel Moore

Daniel Moore

Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Messages
2,790
I have a Benchmade 550 with an axis lock (of course). It cost much more than my Delica, it's currently in better condition, and it's considered a superior knife (they're in different price ranges, anyway). And yet somehow, my scratched, clipless (long story), not-too-sharp-at-the-moment FRN Delica always ends up back in my pocket. :confused: The blade geometry and design, mixed with its convenience of carry and inexpensiveness makes it so perfect. Anyone else have a knife that's considered as being less-than-top of the line that you like more than a more expensive and supposedly better knife?
 
There's always a Queen, Schrade/Uncle Henry, Camillus, Kent, or some other old slipjoint that I probably paid less than $5 for at a yardsale or flea market somewhere.

You know I rationalize it too, I say,"I only paid $3 for i, if I lose it or break it no big deal", or so I thought till I lost it and spent 3 days looking for it.

There are lots of older 1950's to the 1970's slipjoints that were prime examples of the cutlers artform and they available for reasonable prices.

Try some older Queens, or Bokers, you'll be surprised.
 
Less is more. I too hold back on abusing some of my nicer knives, therefore, I end up carrying a less expensive knife more often.
 
similarly, I just bought a very usable, relatively inexpensive custom Obenauf, but couldn't bear to use it when I knew that my Spydie Calypso/Mouse/Centofante III's would do the job just as well.

Nitin
 
I always have at least two slipjoints in addition to my primary one handed opener. Six blades, each for a different purpose, and half the bulk in the pockets. This way you're never without a sharp edge, and never without an edge that can be abused. Never without a stout blade for rougher jobs, and never without a fine blade for delicate tasks.

By the way, Neetones- did you attend school at SIU Carbondale? Or is the picture in your avatar not you? If that is you, you look exactly like one of my old roommates.
 
the Opinel. Lightweight, sharp, office friendly and can be had for less than the cost of a Quiznos sub. It's not made out of S30V and G-10, it doesn't have the latest high tech lock, it's not a one-hander and it sits in the bottom of the pocket. But it does what a knife should do, cut. For 80% of my needs it's more than plenty. For that other 20% I have the Prairie Fox. Stout little booger but nothing fancy and certainly not high-dollar.

Frank
 
My Buck 303T (small stockman slipjoint) is around $20 and gets used every day. It's pretty, has solid construction, and has some sort of "soul" to it. :rolleyes:

I LOVE THAT DAMNED THING!!! :D
-Kevin
 
I keep coming back to my OLD TIMERS. Not only do they cut well I guess I like the look of them.
 
Yes - I have a Cold Steel Tanto Mini Tac which has a very thin blade (0.63") and can get wickedly sharp. It pulls some nasty duty that my more expensive blades are spared from.

I don't like the CS more than my other blades, but it has earned a place in the lineup because of its usefulness.
 
NeedleRemorse, I know just what you mean.

I have a Spyderco G-10 Police, a Spyderco Vesuvius, and a Benchmade 722 Pardue--but what do I have in my pocket?

A Benchmade 556 Mini-Griptilian.

If you look at the materials and the cost of the knives, I should'nt be carrying the 556, but It's the one I prefer.

Allen.
 
Funny! When my knife craze started all over again a couple of years back, the first knife I bought was a BM Mini TSEK. Bought a BM 720 a month later. Way more expensive, AXIS lock, aluminum scales and extremely well made.
For some odd reason, I just liked the Mini TSEK more and eventually traded the 720. Still have the Mini TSEK and love it! In my pocket now, actually! :D

Bo Hansen
 
Ya; I carry my Microtech Scarab as my beater! AAAAHHHHH! No really I carry several knives. A large folder or fixed for defence, a medium (scarab) for normal verry light cutting of soft materiels, and a small folder (Kestrel) for utility and when sheeple are around. As far as abuse I use my multitool.
 
Just to present the other side of the story... I've always been more of a user than collector, but that means that when I pay top-dollar for a knife I have to use it to justify the cost. :eek: So while I have a tremendous respect for the utility, and the overall quality, of some mid- to low-end knives, the ones I carry and use every day are my expensive ones.

My EDC left side folder is a Darrel Ralph Madd Maxx 4" in Talonite, the most expensive knife I own by a considerable margin. My EDC right side folder is a Camillus Aftermath, which is only my third most expensive knife. :) And most days I carry one of three custom fixed blades horizontally on my belt (self-made Mobius, Günter Böhlke Ironfinger, or HideAway Curvy).

Most of the time I am carrying a big share of the financial value of my entire collection on my person. I'm not wealthy enough to collect all the stuff I'd like to own, so I try to put my money into the tools I really use and enjoy.

I think the important thing is not how much gets spent on a knife, but how well it does its job and the satisfaction you get from using it.

--Bob Q
 
i used to be like that , with a swiss army knife. Id use it for everything, but life is short; so now my sebenza does it all. awww damn...im not telling the truth, i still take the swiss army fishing, and use it for yard chores...but someday im gona use the sebenza all the time...no really i will...i swear.. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
 
Morgoth put his finger on something with that bit about carrying a knife with soul to it. I still have and carry my Camillus Cub Scout knife, which would have been bought new for me in 1956 for maybe $3-$4. I'd rather lose just about any other knife I own than that one ...
 
Hey, I can kind of participate in this post even though I currently own nothing that would be considered a "quality" knife.

Right now in my left pocket I'm carrying an old and battered Colonial knife. Does anyone remember them? It is before my time but I can always remember my dad and grandfather working with them. It is a standard two blade model folder with a black textured body and a spot where I suppose the long gone logo once went. I love this knife. My grandmother recently discovered it up in the attic of her house and sent it over to me in an envelope with a note that read "Your grandfather loved this knife, used it all the time" I would rather lose a 500 dollar knife than this one, even though it isn't very sharp and is stained, sand filled, and old. An oldie but a goodie, huh? :)

In my right pocket I'm carrying a Gigand Falcon designed by Fred Carter. I bought it down the shore when I was 17 for about $15 bucks. The tip is bent from when I foolishly dropped it on the floor and the rubber handle material is wearing away but I still carry it everyday, no matter what.

I'd be interested if anyone has any information on Colonial knives (if that is even the company name?). I wish I could take a pic of it because I fear my description doesn't really explain it well enough for anyone to id it. Oh well :) Take care everyone.

-Bryan
 
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