Knife cost rant!!!!!

There has to be a balance of several variables that determines the amount I would spend on knife and the least of those is my desire to own it.

I'm not going to spend my grocery check or cancel my daughter's dance classes. I also have got past the idea of accumulating, collecting, or wasting money even though I may want to buy another.

I ran across a knife on a southwest state dealer named website the other day that actually made me cuss the maker, seller, dealer, and who ever would buy it. It wasn't that impressive and it was selling used at $25,000. Even if I made 7 figures my priorities wouldn't even allow me to spend that much on a knife when kids are hungry somewhere.

Like I said there has to be a balance.
 
We all have hobbies is the way I look at it. You spend 40k on a bass boat you use 4 months out of the year or $1500 on a bike you use year round. Or that set of golf clubs you use a couple times of year or maybe a month. The list can go on. It's just where we choose to put our money. As long as I'm paying the bills an keeping my family fed I don't think it really matters what we spend on our hobby.

Mike
 
these same people turn around and buy their kids a $200 pair of Chinese made Jordans instead of a $20 pair of Chinese shoes from Walmart.
 
A few weeks ago my wife and I went to dinner at a nice restaurant with some friends. 3 of the 4 of use ordered prime rib, medium rare. With the prime rib they bring out this giant, dull, serrated steak knives. I whip out my new Boker Eskelibur I frame lock with carbon fiber and start cutting my meat. My wife's friend looks at me and says "That's disgusting! Is it even clean? (She's a nurse practitioner and has a germ phobia) What kind of person uses a pocket knife to cut their food!?" I laughed and said I like to cut my meat not shred it to pieces. I then cleanly sliced a thing slice of meat away and began to eat. She then attempted to cut her prime rib, and was quite perturbed to find out the knife probably couldn't have cut butter. My wife's knife was the same way, so she pulled out her Delica and began to use it too. The look on her friends face was priceless!

This led into a discussion about carrying knives, and the prices of said knives. They couldn't believe how much I had paid for knives. (You paid HOW MUCH for a Strider?) But then we talked about how much her Mercedes cost, and the fact that it got her from place to place just as well as my beat up old Durango did. It's all about personal priorities. I don't like telling people how much I pay for knives. Most don't understand.

I carry a lot more expensive knives than my wife does. She likes the utility of having a knife on her, but really couldn't care less about the engineering behind it. She would be happy with a $5 walmart knife as long as it was sharp when she needed to use it. I bought her a delica so I didn't have to sharpen her knife twice a week.
 
Yeah, I have discussed knife prices with non-knife people. Value to one person does not necessarily correspond to another's sense of value. Variety makes the world go around. Why do I not buy a Chris Reeve's knife? Why do I generally buy GEC traditionals over Case? Pretty hard to explain. Why am I open to trying Rough Rider knives and generally pretty closed minded about Frosts?

ohioan said:
...This led into a discussion about carrying knives, and the prices of said knives. They couldn't believe how much I had paid for knives. (You paid HOW MUCH for a Strider?) But then we talked about how much her Mercedes cost, and the fact that it got her from place to place just as well as my beat up old Durango did. It's all about personal priorities. I don't like telling people how much I pay for knives. Most don't understand.

I carry a lot more expensive knives than my wife does. She likes the utility of having a knife on her, but really couldn't care less about the engineering behind it. She would be happy with a $5 walmart knife as long as it was sharp when she needed to use it. I bought her a delica so I didn't have to sharpen her knife twice a week.
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Yep..... the last paragraph is pretty representative of non-knife people. You like stuff or you don't.

Why do I really like Victorinox SAKs? Because I use them every day and they have generally preformed to my expectations.
 
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There is a used egg cup on the bay right now for $710, and only 16 people are watching. (free shipping, though)

So about this knife pricing thing...................
 
I find most people have one expensive hobby I just compare it to that. One of my friends easily spends $500 a month on computer stuff a couple are into classic cars at $10-20000 a piece then ongoing work they wouldn't bat an eye at $1000 for a part plus shipping which is high because it's all big chunks of steel, some like fancy restaurants, some spend $200-300-400 on concert or sporting event tickets. To each his own.
 
James3297 said:
So a lot of people when I show them my knives
That I'm carring ask how much does it cost because
They want one then when I tell them my spyderco paramilitary 2 cost 130$ they some times say

Why would you spend 130$ on a knife
Or
You can get a knife at Walmart for 4$

Then I have to explain the difference between
A spyderco and a Ozark trail

Has anyone else ever had a knife conversation like this
I think the look on peoples faces when i tell them are priceless


Ps I love knifes and I only buy good stuff
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I have this conversation all the time about everything I like. It shows you why there are always so many off-brands--most people buy on price alone and don't research the product.

I have probably only ever met one other person in real life who also buys quality. Otherwise, people I meet (some of which make much more money than me) think I'm crazy for the amount of money I spend on a knife, gun, scope, car, etc.
 
I choose to pay more when it comes too many different things and not just knives however what is the point in arguing what I am willing to pay for certain things that others are not? They make these very choices when it comes to other things that I would not. I choose my priorities and they choose theirs. Just because you have a passion doesn't mean everybody else has to have the same. God what a boring world that would be.
 
The only person who asks me how much a knife cost is my wife and I answer "$100" , no matter what it is.
So it's a running joke with us, she knows I'm kidding , but she asks anyway.

As far a friends , I can't think of anytime someone has asked me what a knife cost.
If a non knife person asks me to recommend a knife I always start with budget priced knives and depending on their reaction I work my way up or down.
 
I think that the best knife is the knife you can afford. There is some people who is very happy with a 1000$ custom knife and there is some happy with their Rat 1 or Buck 110. it's all matter of perspective. BTW either Buck110 or Rat 1 are two of my favorite edc knives.
 
My old man drops around two grand a year on his TV and internet services, yet rolls his eyes when I hit $600 in a year on knives.

Bazillions of people spend the same on these frivolities every year and have absolutely ZERO to show for it.

And those people will roll their eyes to think that we got actual merchandise for our money.

Go figure.
 
Most people if spoken to understand after a short conversation, but once I was dating this girl and her mom was going on about how stupid it was that I spent $120.00 on a bench made. Than I asked her how much her guess purse cost and she shut up pretty quick.
 
I could have a field day in the logical fallacies posted in some of the post thus far. I could even be that guy who took the conversation into the moral or philosophical direction. As much as I want to I don't believe it would do any good.

These types of threads reveal more of the individual posting and the priorities of that individual than the passion or knowledge of the hobby or any hobby for that matter.

I learned years ago not to base my priorities on the comparison of others and theirs.

Anyways, I've owned several Chris Reeve knives and customs and I much prefer the Spyderco Manix 2, go figure.
 
KBA said:
...These types of threads reveal more of the individual posting and the priorities of that individual than the passion or knowledge of the hobby or any hobby for that matter.
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This is truth which also makes it fun. You win.
 
115Italian said:
Some great points mentioned. My wife needs a $300 bags to hold her crap but questions why I need a $150 knife. I guess it's all pe Perspective. I'm at the point now that knives are like politics, I don't discuss it with most people. My own father carries a knife everyday but won't spend more than $30 on one. He shoots 3 times a year and spends $1600 on a shotgun. I understand he like guns, he doesn't quite understand I like knives more. My shotgun costs $400. I'm just done explaining it to people.
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Ha I can totally relate. My wife gave me all kinds of trouble because when I told her about a knife I wanted she replied with "why do you need another knife?" After I responded with "why do you need another pair of shoes?" She understood and has never questioned me again.
 
Velitrius said:
My old man drops around two grand a year on his TV and internet services, yet rolls his eyes when I hit $600 in a year on knives.

Bazillions of people spend the same on these frivolities every year and have absolutely ZERO to show for it.

And those people will roll their eyes to think that we got actual merchandise for our money.

Go figure.
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Yep. Go figure. I do about the same thing in practice. It is not the $600 price tag on a knife that holds me back in most cases if I really want it. I's the pile of other knives I own that I have never even used to cut something. A good comparison is my recent purchase of a S&W M63 (22 revolver).... don't need it in the slightest as I have many, but I wanted it and have wanted one for years. I finally spent the money and got one.

I can relate to this. The old man considers the TV/Internet service necessary for him and your $600 knife purely a want thing.
 
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