knife snobbery?

[frenchmade]

Its not snobbery to have an expensive knife. Especially if its a tool you may have to defend yourself with one day.
Also, Cold Steel, Benchmade and Spyderco all have inexpensive knives too. I just bought a Benchmade Pika II. It has titanium handles, copper accents, good blade steel, fantastic ergonomics, flawless lockup and a great pocketclip. All-around a perfect knife in my books. And guess what? It was only $40
I've literally never been happier with a knife.

But I also like my $200 Subrosa. You know why? Because its better

 

[killgar]

I would define "knife snobbery" as, claiming that ones knife is SUPERIOR to someone elses knife without knowing what that other person uses their knife for, what they expect out of it, or how it performs for them.

How can a person claim that the $500 knife that they hardly use is superior to the $50 knife that a guy has been using with complete satisfaction every day at work for several years to earn a paycheck and feed his family.

Claiming that your knife is of SUPERIOR QUALITY to someone elses knife simply because it cost more, it's made of "better" steel, or because the machining tolerances are tighter, I'd call that "knife snobbery".

 

[Pseudonym]

Claiming that your knife is of SUPERIOR QUALITY to someone elses knife simply because it cost more, it's made of "better" steel, or because the machining tolerances are tighter, I'd call that "knife snobbery".

No it's not. That's what quality is in a knife. The difference is a snob looks down on people who don't have a need for those things, or simply can't afford it.

 

[killgar]

No it's not. That's what quality is in a knife. The difference is a snob looks down on people who don't have a need for those things, or simply can't afford it.

I guess it all depends on how one defines "quality". Me personally, if a knife does everything I need it to do without failure, and gives me years if not decades of faithful service with no complaints from me, then I call that a QUALITY knife. After all, what more does a person need from a knife. I know I don't need anything more. What else is there?

If the above needs are met, it doesn't matter one bit to me how much a knife cost or what steel it's made of or how many millionths of an inch the machining tolerances are. For me, the quality of a knife is demonstrated by how well it does what I need it to do.

As far as "pride of ownership", when a knife gives me decades of faithful and reliable service without complaints, I'm proud as hell of that knife, I don't care if it cost me $10, I consider it to be a treasure. But that's just me.

 

[Ankerson]

Claiming that your knife is of SUPERIOR QUALITY to someone elses knife simply because it cost more, it's made of "better" steel, or because the machining tolerances are tighter, I'd call that "knife snobbery".

That's not knife snobbery, that's what quality and higher end materials are that add to the cost of the knives.... No way around that one.

I have $20 knives that have been around for 30 years, but I know that my higher end knives are better quality and perform better, that's not snobbery.... That's basic common since.

It's like someone saying that a $9 kitchen knife that one has to sharpen once a month or more because it's dull as a butter knife is just as good as my S110V kitchen knife that I might have to touch up once every 6 months if that.

 

[Pseudonym]

I guess it all depends on how one defines "quality". Me personally, if a knife does everything I need it to do without failure, and gives me years if not decades of faithful service with no complaints from me, then I call that a QUALITY knife. After all, what more does a person need from a knife. I know I don't need anything more. What else is there?

If the above needs are met, it doesn't matter one bit to me how much a knife cost or what steel it's made of or how many millionths of an inch the machining tolerances are. For me, the quality of a knife is demonstrated by how well it does what I need it to do.

As far as "pride of ownership", when a knife gives me decades of faithful and reliable service without complaints, I'm proud as hell of that knife, I don't care if it cost me $10, I consider it to be a treasure. But that's just me.

Let me give you an analogy with watches: you can't argue that a Rolex is higher quality than a Timex. Does that mean that a Timex can't tell the time? Or that mean that a Timex is less durable? Not necessarily. But there is much more time, effort, workmanship, premium materials, and attention to detail that go into making a Rolex. That's what drives the price up.

Some people care about that stuff, others don't. But you can't argue that because you don't care about it it's not there.

 

[frenchmade]

well said

 

[singularity35]

Let me give you an analogy with watches: you can't argue that a Rolex is higher quality than a Timex. Does that mean that a Timex can't tell the time? Or that mean that a Timex is less durable? Not necessarily. But there is much more time, effort, workmanship, premium materials, and attention to detail that go into making a Rolex. That's what drives the price up.

Some people care about that stuff, others don't. But you can't argue that because you don't care about it it's not there.

Hard to argue with this. :thumbup:

 

[wolfdad]

Hello my name is wolfdad and..........I'm a snob. Let me just say though that the more I spend on stuff for myself, the more complicated it gets trying to hide stuff from the female so that I don't have to spend as much on her. If she only knew how much knives and guns can really cost.

 

[killgar]

Uhh, like I said, it's all about how one defines quality. As in, ones own PERSONAL opinion.

There are several ways that a person can measure quality. For example-

1. Materials. As in, one knife steel holds an edge longer.

2. Workmanship. As in, fit and finish, close machining tolerances.

3. Performance. As in, it does everything you need it to do and does it well.

My PERSONAL definition of quality is #3.

Here's a related question, I posted my PERSONAL OPINIONS on this subject. I didn't tell anyone that their opinions were wrong. Why do people feel so compelled to try and convince me that MY OPINIONS are wrong? Or is this just another example of "knife snobbery"? Are you compelled by the need to prove to me that your expensive knives are "better" than any less expensive knife.

Ohh wait, that's right, this is Bladeforums. And here on Bladeforums it's impossible to express an opinion without someone wanting to prove to you that you're wrong. And they'll post for ten pages trying to prove it no matter how insignificant the topic is. Damn, what was I thinking?

 

[Gator97]

...Ohh wait, that's right, this is Bladeforums. And here on Bladeforums it's impossible to express an opinion without someone wanting to prove to you that you're wrong. And they'll post for ten pages trying to prove it no matter how insignificant the topic is. Damn, what was I thinking?

Dude, you are calling other people snobs, and then get upset when someone objects? Really?

 

[Sonnydaze]

Good knives are like jewellery to those of us that appreciate quality and when they are needed,
we can count on them as durable, well-made tools.

This is something I can agree with. I would talk about handguns in the same manner.
Sonny

 

[timberweasel]

I reckon all of us are a bit 'snobbish' since we're all gathered here on a website that celebrates our mutual hobby. We have made it a habit of sharing our experiences, both good and bad, and honing our knowledge base and skills--perhaps it could be said that, collectively, we have earned the right to be critical on the subject of knives.

The layman won't give a damn though. They'll just stick with what they know and carry on the same as they've always done--no desire or interest to do otherwise. Maybe they carry a pocket knife as religiously as the rest of us but would not ever dream of paying more than $20 for one. Sound like anyone you know?

I think true 'knife snobbery' exists when someone uses their blade knowledge to belittle others with it rather than to elevate and educate them. I may know a helluva lot more about knives than my neighbour, but I'm just a little polliwog here in the BladeForums pond. I guess that makes me both teacher and student; sympathetic to both roles. There's always a bigger fish.

Sorry for the soapbox sermon...

 

[davek14]

There are levels to all this.

I go for a mid range steel, I guess. I like a good carbon, I like AUS-8, I like 12C27. I dislike the generic 440A or what have you in a Gerber, Rough Rider, and many cheaper knives. I work in Kentucky and lottsa people have a pocket knife. I look at someones knife and I say "What steel is it?"

Many people think I'm a knife snob.

I get on here and read posts from people who use much better steel than me and that's just what works for them. Most of them are not "snobbish", but some are.

Most of them just like talking about their new toys (just like I do) and you can learn.

I've often gotten a much better knife than people I know for the same $$$ because I've lurked here, read here and elsewhere and learned a bit. See what a snob I am.

 

[Pseudonym]

Uhh, like I said, it's all about how one defines quality. As in, ones own PERSONAL opinion.

There are several ways that a person can measure quality. For example-

1. Materials. As in, one knife steel holds an edge longer.

2. Workmanship. As in, fit and finish, close machining tolerances.

3. Performance. As in, it does everything you need it to do and does it well.

My PERSONAL definition of quality is #3.

Here's a related question, I posted my PERSONAL OPINIONS on this subject. I didn't tell anyone that their opinions were wrong. Why do people feel so compelled to try and convince me that MY OPINIONS are wrong? Or is this just another example of "knife snobbery"? Are you compelled by the need to prove to me that your expensive knives are "better" than any less expensive knife.

Ohh wait, that's right, this is Bladeforums. And here on Bladeforums it's impossible to express an opinion without someone wanting to prove to you that you're wrong. And they'll post for ten pages trying to prove it no matter how insignificant the topic is. Damn, what was I thinking?

If you think the topic is so insignificant why are you getting so upset about it?

 

[killgar]

Dude, you are calling other people snobs, and then get upset when someone objects? Really?

Actually, I didn't call anyone a snob. I did give MY PERSONAL OPINION of what "knife snobbery" is. And that is the subject of this post isn't it? If anyone felt that my definition applied to them, they could easily have said "I disagree with your definition, here's mine". But that's not what happened. What happened is, I expressed my PERSONAL OPINIONS and people told me that my PERSONAL OPINIONS were wrong. Then they proceeded to try and explain to me why my PERSONAL OPINIONS are wrong. Do you not see the difference? It's the difference between a statement of fact (you're wrong) and a PERSONAL OPINION (here's what I believe). English class 101.

Personally, I feel that when one person tells another that their PERSONAL OPINIONS are wrong, that there is a word for it, it's called arrogance. I would never be so arrogant as to tell you or try to convince you that your PERSONAL OPINIONS are wrong, even if I cared.

And where exactly did I "get upset"? I think my response was carefully and rationally expressed. I did use some sarcasm at the end, hence the emoticon.

Me thinks that reading comprehension is a dying skillset. (that's a little more sarcasm there btw )

 

[killgar]

If you think the topic is so insignificant why are you getting so upset about it?

Look more carefully, see the , if I had been "upset", I would have used the . See the difference?

For the record, I consider the VAST majority of discussion in this forum to be insignificant. After all, we're not curing cancer here. We're not negotiating nuclear disarmament with Iran. We've had 7+ pages of this thread, other than the entertainment of arguments, what exactly has been accomplished?

If you've read many of my posts in General Discussion, you'd see that I don't take any of this very seriously at all (see reasons above). I mentioned in another thread about "argument as spectator sport" here at Bladeforums. I can be both a spectator and a player. I've got time to kill.

 

[Gator97]

Actually, I didn't call anyone a snob. I did give MY PERSONAL OPINION of what "knife snobbery" is.

Semantics

If anyone felt that my definition applied to them, they could easily have said "I disagree with your definition, here's mine". But that's not what happened. What happened is, I expressed my PERSONAL OPINIONS and people told me that my PERSONAL OPINIONS were wrong.

Hmm, very fine distinction between "I disagree with your opinion" and "your opinion is wrong". Opinions(or beliefs) can be wrong or right, in other opinions(or beliefs)...

It's the difference between a statement of fact (you're wrong) and a PERSONAL OPINION (here's what I believe). English class 101.

One can believe in many things, and just because someone states you are wrong, doesn't make it a fact either.

Me thinks that reading comprehension is a dying skillset. (that's a little more sarcasm there btw )

Me thinks, posting on the public forum and having your post questioned is a given.

 

[Ankerson]

Uhh, like I said, it's all about how one defines quality. As in, ones own PERSONAL opinion.

There are several ways that a person can measure quality. For example-

1. Materials. As in, one knife steel holds an edge longer.

2. Workmanship. As in, fit and finish, close machining tolerances.

3. Performance. As in, it does everything you need it to do and does it well.

My PERSONAL definition of quality is #3.

Here's a related question, I posted my PERSONAL OPINIONS on this subject. I didn't tell anyone that their opinions were wrong. Why do people feel so compelled to try and convince me that MY OPINIONS are wrong? Or is this just another example of "knife snobbery"? Are you compelled by the need to prove to me that your expensive knives are "better" than any less expensive knife.

Ohh wait, that's right, this is Bladeforums. And here on Bladeforums it's impossible to express an opinion without someone wanting to prove to you that you're wrong. And they'll post for ten pages trying to prove it no matter how insignificant the topic is. Damn, what was I thinking?

You sound like you are confused to me.

There are facts and then there are opinions.

#3 as in It does everything that you need it to do and it does it well is an opinion... YOUR Opinion alone based on what is anyone's guess and that has nothing to do with quality at all. That's also not performance because nobody knows what you are basing that on or comparing it to.

So based on what you are saying a Buck 110 or a even a $10 gas station knife could be considered high quality if you say so compared to something like a Chris Reeve Sebenza.... Really?

Then you get upset when someone disagrees with you?

As an added note:

Does what you need it to do could be anything from a $2 throw away to a $6,000 Custom Art knife so you can understand why some posted what they did.

 

[Cynic2701]

3. Performance. As in, it does everything you need it to do and does it well.

My PERSONAL definition of quality is #3.

Here's a related question, I posted my PERSONAL OPINIONS on this subject. I didn't tell anyone that their opinions were wrong. Why do people feel so compelled to try and convince me that MY OPINIONS are wrong? Or is this just another example of "knife snobbery"? Are you compelled by the need to prove to me that your expensive knives are "better" than any less expensive knife.

Ohh wait, that's right, this is Bladeforums. And here on Bladeforums it's impossible to express an opinion without someone wanting to prove to you that you're wrong. And they'll post for ten pages trying to prove it no matter how insignificant the topic is. Damn, what was I thinking?

Language only remains useful when words and symbols have repeatable meaning. If, according to you, performance means quality, then what does performance mean?

You can have your own personal opinion about whatever you want (and I'd defend your right to do so), however when you start using words differently than everyone else, it becomes difficult to understand you. For example, I'm colorblind, and it would be foolish of me to go around saying that the color blue is actually the color red. No one else would agree with me.