Knives you won't buy (and why)

L

Lee48

Joined
Apr 29, 2005
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Like many old farts, I'm opinionated. Obstinate. Contrary. I would like to think of myself as developing refinements in my tastes as I've gotten older. But, really, it's just personal prejudices based on very little objective reasoning.

In any event, my "refined tastes" extend to knives and those features that I dislike enough that they prevent me from buying a particular model. These include: tip down only clips, chisel grinds, assisted opening, flippers (with no other means of opening), excessively wide profiles, blade steel that's difficult to sharpen, bright and gaudy colors or other bling and metal grip panels that are uncoated, smooth and slippery.

In truth, I have several knives with one or more of these features and some of them are excellent representations of modern cutlery. But I just own them for the collection and I won't carry them.

Tell me about those features that make certain knives a "no buy" for you.
 
Frame locks.
They may work fine but I just cannot get past the look on the lock. To me it destroys the beauty of a knife. I have one, a gift, but I very rarely carry it fot that reason.
 
I'm fairly open minded about lots of things but I will not buy a knife for edc with less than 3.5' blade or very close to it.
 
This post made me stop and think. I have many different knives in many different styles and I carry each and every one of them. So, after thinking about it, I don't but any knives that are overly ornate for everyday use. According to my collection, I don't buy any decorative knives. A William Henry and a CRK Mnandi are the "fanciest" I own, but they get lots of use!
 
a knock-off clone or an entirely original knife wearing a reputable company's brand name without their permission
 
Well...I include the maker or manufacturer of a knife as one of its features, and there are several of them I would not touch. In the interest of not causing any unpleasant sensations to the posterior regions of any fellow members, I won't go into specifics.
 
Modern folder - no lefty clip option and/or recurve.

Traditional folder - linerlock
 
What Marci said. Probably thinking of the same companies/manufacturers/people.
 
Going with marcinek and shinyedges.

As for specific features? While not a deal breaker 100% of the time, tip down only oriented pocket clips are a huge turn off, as well as mystery steel and of course anything with poor quality control or an uncomfortable handle design.
 
Made in USA.
Anything > 3".
Wooden handles.
Traditionals.
Lockbacks.
SAKs.
Serrated blades.
Autos.
AOs (only because of the law).
 
Flippers that stick out too far in the closed position.

Bead-blasted blades.

Serrated blades with the scallops ground too deep so that the "teeth" are too long, pointy and narrow.

Traditionals in which the corner of the base of the blade juts out sharply in the closed position.

Jim
 
Any blade with powder coating

Stainless steel frame lock.

420HC, AUS8

Any lock beside frame/liner lock
 
1. Tactical-aimed knives. I'm not in either the military or criminal fields.

2. Anything that I either don't like to sharpen, or find difficult and time-consuming to sharpen well:

- Serrations, especially tight ones
- Recurves
- Chisels
 
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