knife snobbery?

Well, Here are the answers that pop into my mind. Quality, integrity and attention to design and detail. Companies like Reeve, Spyderco, and Benchmade have made a name for themselves the hard way (one short step at a time). They build tools that are designed to last as opposed to other companies that target the mass market by skimping on quality and operate on sheer numbers alone. I don't deny that the cheaper stuff fills an important need but if you are willing to spend a bit more, you will have a tool that will last for generations as long as you take care of it. Lastly is pride in ownership. I take great pride in knowing that I had to work my butt off and save for a while to buy a nice blade. Yea, that may sound a bit vain but that's just life......
 
BladeChick777 said:
The Best I've Seen With High End Steel Like s30v Is The Spyderco Native At $50. Or You Can Go Like $10 More And Get A Buck Vantage Pro In s30v.
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I realize that quite a few custom makers still use S30V. But, it's kind of on the low end of steels any more, IMO. Carpenter and Crucible has so many new powdered-metal steels that it blows the mind. Personally, I believe that S30V is great in a $50 knife, but I'm wanting one of the super-steels when I'm in the $200+ range. M390, S90V, 20CP, CV20, S110V, even CPM M4.
Sonny
 
2TONYB said:
Survey was from Blade....I wonder what the results would have been if People magazine had done the survey???
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People magazine would of reported that Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan both LOVE their Cold Steel Recon, and Voyager respectively! :D

And not to soon after, Lindsay Lohan would of been sentenced more jail time for flashing her knife while practicing for her mall ninja part...
 
Well it's all in the eye of the beholder really. I've got a friend who is a knife fanatic, he'd always get paid and go blow all his money on these cheap, silly looking knives. I swear, every single one of them is made in China, but it makes him happy just collecting them. Meanwhile, all I had was my fishing knife and just recently an ESEE-6. I'd rather have something I can and will use and will last me a long time. I just bought a cheaper one as well, only because I know, after reading reviews that it'll do what I want and
take ridiculous amounts of abuse.
 
I Really Just Like Knowing That The Knife I Bought/Traded For Is A Quality Knife That Can Stand Up To My Use For Quite A While. I Don't Want To Have To Get A New Knife Every Week, Month, Or Couple Of Months. I Do This Anyways But That's Because I'm A Knife Freak And Insist On Having More Than One.

But If I Were To Own ONE Knife, And ONLY ONE Knife. I Would Want To Know That It Could Do Everything I Need It To Do Without A Problem And Without Me NEEDING A Back Up Because It Cost Me $20 And Is More Likely To Fail Rather Than Spending A Little Extra Cash And Be Of Sound Mind Knowing Said Knife Won't Fail, And I Can Have The $20 Knife As A Cheap Beater.

There Are Some Great Knives Out There For $20.
But Add $30 And Get An Outstanding Knife That Will Last You For A Very, Very, Very Long Time.
 
to the people who go above the benchmade/zt bracket (i use these as an example because i consider them my high end) do you use your custom/exotic steel knives for every day tasks like you would something like a griptilian?
 
Actually, A LOT Of People Do.
I Know That If And When I Get A Chris Reeve Knife Or Strider Or Any Other Higher End Knife That I'll Use The Hell Out Of It.

But Right Now, Spyderco Is My Go-To.
 
wesessiah said:
to the people who go above the benchmade/zt bracket (i use these as an example because i consider them my high end) do you use your custom/exotic steel knives for every day tasks like you would something like a griptilian?
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I have knives in CPM-M4, S90V and M390 for example and every one is a 'user'. Why would I want a 'super' steel, unless it filled a particular niche in my usage needs?
 
BladeChick777 said:
Actually, A LOT Of People Do.
I Know That If And When I Get A Chris Reeve Knife Or Strider Or Any Other Higher End Knife That I'll Use The Hell Out Of It.

But Right Now, Spyderco Is My Go-To.
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A.P.F. said:
I have knives in CPM-M4, S90V and M390 for example and every one is a 'user'. Why would I want a 'super' steel, unless it filled a particular niche in my usage needs?
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i'm not asking this as a backhanded question btw. i've just always been curious, because i don't know many people in real life who buy them, and the ones who i know that do, keep them as safe queens or letter openers. most people i know are like me, will spend $100ish up to maybe $150 for a knife that i know is going to be used heavily. i'd just hate to spend the money on a knife that costs several hundred dollars and damage it, and i'm not going to buy a knife i'm not going to use. i'm not going to look at anyone crossways for doing it, because i'm the opposite with firearms.

i've never seen any pictures of something like a sebenza as worn as most of my knives are, or with a blade that's noticeably smaller from years of sharpening (which maybe that's because they retain their edges that much better) but i've never looked for them either. so it just hit me to ask in this thread if/how many people use them in the same way as a blur, endura, or griptilian. anyway, thanks for the replies.
 
wesessiah said:
to the people who go above the benchmade/zt bracket (i use these as an example because i consider them my high end) do you use your custom/exotic steel knives for every day tasks like you would something like a griptilian?
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Some of us do, had to thin it out twice because it's been sharpened so much. ;)

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We often have different parameters in a folder. I don't buy $500.00 folders because : 1. I can't afford them. The wife and I have three+ degrees between us and continuing, which is a constant resource drain. 2. I have many interests\hobbies competing for my disposable income. 3. I am primarily interested in outdoor cutting tool use and prioritize performance over aesthetics. If a $50.00 dollar machete performs well I see no practical need to buy one for $100.00., analogous to a folding knife.

When I started metal detecting I bought a decent beginners machine after researching the topic. I did well with that machine and still have it. After a few years I bought a machine that cost roughly three times that of my first detector. The performance of the new machine left my original for dead. So yes I can understand and appreciate why an individual will buy a high end folder. But my personal parameters for a folder are practical performance within a realistic budget. So I do not have $500.00 folders for various reasons. If I won a lottery would I buy super expensive folders ? Probably. But I can't\wont. And it is not a priority for me. Is it knife snobbery when I see someone happily revealing a high quality folder purchase ? Probably not. I know that I get a tinge of jealousy now and then though because I'll likely never own blade X, at least not for a while. Or have to save and put real effort into getting it. Meanwhile, I buy Spyderco, Cold Steel, Ka-Bar, Kershaw folders and have a hell of a lot of fun with them. They cut branches and gut fish just fine. There seems to be a multitude of factors influencing a knife buy. I am pretty comfortable with mine most times as they fit my use patterns. If you can afford a $500.00 folder and appreciate it for its stellar tolerances, materials and workmanship, then good for you bud. Few things in life are black or white, many are various shades of grey. Enjoy your folders and have a wonderful day. :)
 
I'm More Of A User Than A Collector.
Used To Be More Of A Collector Than A User.

But The Truth Is... I Love Using My Knives, No Matter What They Cost, No Matter How Rare, No Matter If It's A Limited Run, Etc, Etc, Etc.

I Do Not Own Any Super Expensive Knives, But I Have.
I Do Not Own Them Because I Cannot Afford Them.

But The Fact Is.. Whether It's A $10 Knife Or A $500 Knife, It Would Be Used And Put Through It's Paces. I Do Someday Plan To Own A CRK And A Hinderer, Etc. And I'll Tell You, I Would Use The Hell Out Of Said Knife. To Me, To Make A Knife Worth What It Costs Is To Test That Steel To It's Limits, To Use It And Enjoy It.

At The End Of It's Use It May Not Be Worth That $500 To Other People Because Of It's User Condition, But It'd Be Well Worth Every Penny And More If I Got To Enjoy It And Love It And Use It And Make It Perform Like It's Meant To.
 
I use all mine. To be honest I probably use my more expensive knives the hardest because I know they can handle it (or god forbid if they do fail me the maker will take care of me) I have carried all kinds and all prices I but knives to use and not to impress or lord over anyone that "I have a bla bla" My son bought me an xm-18 hinderer for fathers day and I have carried it everyday since, I have cut everything from paper to rope to cardboard to wood and I love it so no safe queens here.
 
I have a few questions. It sounded like Gator earlier stated that 15 inclusive edge was still an obtuse one? Maybe I read that wrong. And it sounds like 100 dollar knives are now considered low end like the P2? I am not trying to be tenacious but if there are some suggestions for around 200 dollars that would outperform my P2 by 50% I am interested. Again not trying to be facsious here I honestly would like to try something amazing. Really been thinking of the M390 P2. Or would ZDP189 be a good step up? Ill agree S30V seems to be the standard now. I wish Spyderco would do a CPM154 Para 2 at 62 RC I have a custom in that and love it.
 
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Steel130 said:
I have a few questions. It sounded like Gator earlier stated that 15 inclusive edge was still an obtuse one? Maybe I read that wrong. And it sounds like 100 dollar knives are now considered low end like the P2? I am not trying to be tenacious but if there are some suggestions for around 200 dollars that would outperform my P2 by 50% I am interested. Again not trying to be facsious here I honestly would like to try something amazing. Really been thinking of the M390 P2.
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He wasn't talking about production knives and your typical production HT. ;)
 
Steel130 said:
Oh okay, haha, thanks for the clarification.
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The steels in reference are like 10V, S110V etc in CUSTOMS at very high hardness and ground very thin behind the edge and those can take some very low angles and hold up.

Believe me I know they can because I have 4 of them like that, the thinnest one is .006" behind the edge with around a 22 degrees or less inclusive edge.
 
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