Most important things to first learn about Knives

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Ashleyx3

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What would BF members say are the most important things to first learn about Knives, for someone who is just getting into them at the age of 18. (blade steel, locking mechanisms, etc)
 
Before you start buying blade do a little research. Research the company, manufacture or maker of the blade you're interested in if this hobby is new to you. Don't buy a knife purely based on looks.
 
Buy what you like. Not everything is for everyone, opinions differ and enjoy the hobby.


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Learn how to maintain and sharpen your blade. Just because a knife is inexpensive doesn't make it poor quality. Plenty of nice blades in the $75 to $130 range. Don't get caught up trying to keep up with the Jones'. Work your way up to the nicer blades to get a feel for what you like. If possible try before you buy and don't be afraid to buy used. I don't like buying used because I am weird like that but I have sold nice knives at good deals. Don't use your knife as a screwdriver and get mad when the tip breaks.
 
Experience them. It's hard to know what questions to ask or what best suits your needs until you've tried them. And just because a knife has a high monetary value doesn't mean it'll have a high personal value.
 
Research the company, research different steels used in today's market and understand that heat treating a particular steel will vary per company and affect performance.
 
A LOT of good advice here. Definitely agree with learning knife sharpening & maintenance as beiing important. Also research before buying, from reputable sources, and buying what you like. Only you know what works best for you and feels best in your hand.

Oh, and try not to cut yourself. Thats pretty important too...
 
Buy one knife. Carry and use it for a good while*, and determine what you do and don't like about it from actual experience with the knife.

Learn how to sharpen it. This may require you spend more on sharpening supplies than you did on the knife, but it builds a foundation of tools and knowledge you will need with all further knife purchases.

Once you have a single knife, that you can reliably sharpen, you will be a much better judge of what your next knife needs to be, based on your own actual usage parameters.

"But what if I buy the wrong first knife?" That is part of the learning process and there is no way to skip past all of the learner knives to the perfect knife, because you won't know what perfection (to you) is yet.

Get something of reasonable quality, from a reputable brand, that is inexpensive enough that you will not worry about messing it up by sharpening and using it, and that does not use a super-hard steel that will make learning sharpening harder than it needs to be.


*"for a good while" in my thinking is several months. Plus if you don't know how to sharpen, it will take you some time to learn and practice.
 
Don't go crazy right away. Honestly knives are like any other hobby. Most people will look at a generic folding knife, and it's basically all they'll ever need. They'll look at a $5 gas station special and be able to tell the difference between that and the Spyderco Delica that the gas station special is a clone of, because the quality difference is obvious, even though the gas station special is good enough for them. But they'll start scratching their heads as to why a Paramilitary 2 costs $50 more, and they'll be completely lost as to why a CRK Sebenza is over $400. Is the Sebenza an objectively better knife? By most standards, yes, but as you go up in quality, the costs increase drastically and give diminishing returns.

Not saying that expensive knives aren't worth it, but it usually takes some time and experience with less expensive knives to truly appreciate the small differences you see at the top end. I'd recommend you start out with the base model from a well-regarded company and carry it for a while. You'll start to learn what you do and don't like, and what things could be better.
 
The best knife is the knife that you can afford, remember that a knife is a tool and an inexpensive knife can perform as well as a 500$ knife. Before buying, check for reviews in youtube, there are some very good channels from very qualified people... learn how to sharp your knives...
 
Ashleyx3 said:
What would BF members say are the most important things to first learn about Knives, for someone who is just getting into them at the age of 18. (blade steel, locking mechanisms, etc)
Click to expand...

Safety is the first thing to learn, there are no exceptions to that rule.
You don't want to cut yourself or others. Learn to handle a knife so that a lock becomes redundant, (unnecessary, not required) etcetera.

When safety becomes second nature learn how to sharpen.

When the above is mastered it's time to experiment with "(blade steel, locking mechanisms, etc)".
 
A few things that jump to mind:

  • I agree with safety first--cut away from yourself, don't make the locking mechanism work hard on a folder, wear eye, ear and breathing protection when modding a knife, etc.
  • Remember that for almost every cutting need there is a perfectly serviceable inexpensive option (e.g. Chinese Kershaw folders, Opinels, Moras, Tramontina machetes, etc.)
  • For the vast majority of actual real life uses, blade steel doesn't matter outside of snobby pride of purchase and impact on how collectible a knife is--when some elaborate example is cooked up to make this seem untrue, it's almost always true that that use case would be better served with a purpose-built tool instead anyway (e.g. "well I cut sheets of kevlar weave all day at my job, so I need S110V"--why not use a utility knife with replaceable blades, then?)
  • For most people, having one $100 knife is better than having five $20 knives
  • Learn to sharpen--you'd be surprised how many people that buy plenty of knives are garbage at sharpening them. A basic flat stone is not that hard to use, and youtube will give you a million training videos. For an easy system without jumping up into the crazy world of the Edge Pro or Wicked Edge, the Spyderco sharpmaker is an inexpensive and simple option.
  • Knife quality doesn't scale linearly, it's a bizarre, confusing thing. A good $20 - $40 knife can meet every reasonable functional need a human would have of a knife, but spending $60 - $100 does get you a knife that's much better, assuming you're buying the right knives. A good $200 knife is slightly better still, but really only in ways that don't matter in terms of function (e.g. the $200 knife has better materials, better fit and finish, etc.). By around $400 a knife's fit and finish, again assuming you're spending that $400 wisely, is about as good as it gets. Money spent beyond there is solely for luxury purposes, you're not getting anything better beyond possibly materials and pride of ownership. In many cases I've found knives that I spent the most on were the most disappointing (e.g. I have a $400 knife that makes every $1000 knife I've ever bought feel like junk).
  • Don't be afraid to ask questions
  • Patience pays off, I'm willing to bet there are many knife nuts that wish they could go back in time and take back their first X purchases to save up instead for knife Y
  • Don't let other people shame you about liking knives if you do. If anything, it's less silly than most hobbies because a knife nut always has a useful tool handy. Someone that collects watches has the ability to tell time (albeit, less accurately than the phone in their pocket that they're always also carrying anyway). Let's see them cut themselves out of a jammed seat belt in a wreck with their Rolex . . .
 
Dean51 said:
Safety is the first thing to learn, there are no exceptions to that rule.
You don't want to cut yourself or others. Learn to handle a knife so that a lock becomes redundant, (unnecessary, not required) etcetera.

When safety becomes second nature learn how to sharpen.

When the above is mastered it's time to experiment with "(blade steel, locking mechanisms, etc)".
Click to expand...

I was just getting ready to say Safety First, but you saw the thread before I did. I can't stress the importance of safety first. When handling, using, sharpening, always be aware of those around you, as well as yourself.

Next would be proper care and maintenance. Through care and maintenance, the knife will last through you and your grand children's lives.

Don't buy cheap crap. Buy only quality constructed knives. They are easier to maintain and will last much longer than a cheap blade.

Education on knives is free...all you have to do is research or ask. Lack of ability to be educated in the hobby is not a valid excuse. Seriously...there are thousands of posts on multiple forums that can and will educate you. Use them.
 
Lots covered already, so I'll just add this: if you can go to a knife shop or a show and handle the ones that interest you before purchasing, do so. Nothing beats actually handling the piece in question.

Otherwise, buy what you like and learn to hone and sharpen... and try not to get sucked into the frenzies any hype... though it's really hard to resist sometimes.

Good luck--let us know what you pick up!
 
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