Most Over-Rated and Under-Rated Brands of Production Knives

Most under-known and under-appreciated:

(1) Ontario's "Old Hickory" 1095 carbon butchers and slicers

(2) Opinel's "Carbone" paring knives


Most over-rated brand: ;)
 
I'm ducking and typing at the same time. Randall is THE most overrated knife on today's market. Their place in history is noted and appreciated. Their limited availability marketing philosophy is time-proven and the model should be taught in college level econ. classes. Jerry Busse took the class and obviously did very well. Note I'm not comparing the knives just the marketing philosophy and aftermarket activity it inspires. The knives... check the materials (01 and 440b if not mistaken) and then check your wallet.
 
svbk556 said:
I'm ducking and typing at the same time. Randall is THE most overrated knife on today's market. Their place in history is noted and appreciated. Their limited availability marketing philosophy is time-proven and the model should be taught in college level econ. classes. Jerry Busse took the class and obviously did very well. Note I'm not comparing the knives just the marketing philosophy and aftermarket activity it inspires. The knives... check the materials (01 and 440b if not mistaken) and then check your wallet.
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Don't misunderstand me. I understand where you're coming from but I don't think Randall is out to make a killing in the market. If nothing has changed, no two knives are exactly the same and they take pride in the quality of their knives. I have a Model 14 in 01 tool steel. Just need to give special attention to the blade to keep it from pitting. I don't think it's any more costly than some of the quality knives selling these days.
Sorry if I missed your point. I wish I had parents who could have afforded to send me one in VN.
 
I wish people would stop saying that knives are overrated or overpriced because the materials are less expensive than knives that cost less. The vast majority of the cost of a knife comes from the labor required to make it, not the materials used.
 
No apologies necessary Badjujuboy. I picked up my first Model 1 25 years ago and slept with it for the first year. I understand the allure of unsheathing a Randall - nothing like it. But... its still a production knife made with (by todays standards) average materials
 
svbk556 said:
I'm ducking and typing at the same time. Randall is THE most overrated knife on today's market. Their place in history is noted and appreciated. Their limited availability marketing philosophy is time-proven and the model should be taught in college level econ. classes. Jerry Busse took the class and obviously did very well. Note I'm not comparing the knives just the marketing philosophy and aftermarket activity it inspires. The knives... check the materials (01 and 440b if not mistaken) and then check your wallet.
Click to expand...

I personally dont see how someone can think a Randall is overrated and a Busse isnt. They are both priced the way they are due to being as rare and limited as they are. Sure Randall uses 01 which is a awesome steel and Busse uses INFI which despite what some people think is not carved out of metors and treated with unicorn tears, that being said I completely love what those guys do with 52100 and my RMD may be one of the last knives I ever part with. I personally dont think either is overrated if you want one you will pay what is needed if you dont than you dont pay it simple really.
 
PatrickKnight said:
I personally dont see how someone can think a Randall is overrated and a Busse isnt. They are both priced the way they are due to being as rare and limited as they are. Sure Randall uses 01 which is a awesome steel and Busse uses INFI which despite what some people think is not carved out of metors and treated with unicorn tears, that being said I completely love what those guys do with 52100 and my RMD may be one of the last knives I ever part with. I personally dont think either is overrated if you want one you will pay what is needed if you dont than you dont pay it simple really.
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Patrick - I agree. you acknowledge the price and pay it or don't. Under/overrated being the subjective term that it is might need additional clarification. I was wrong to limit my definition to pricing. However, its hard for me not to define a knife/knife company with a 54 month wait list as not being overrated.
 
underrated--Al Mar

properly rated--CRK. For years I read the accolades, to the point of nausau. Sold an article and decided I had to try one. Son of a gun, they really are that good. On my second now.
 
Felt the need to weigh in on this topic.
Over rated-
I know there has already been arguments on the forum regarding this but... Emerson. Being one of the first 200+ knives that i owned i have to say i love the wave, but i dont like the Liners, they are not as solid as i think they should be. My feelings are that if you make a combat knife you should be able to stab with it....
Benchmade!!!! They made a mean cigar cutter prototype at the Vegas show thou...
 
Over rated:
-CRK
-Cold Steel
-Emerson
-Microtech
Under Rated:
-Hogue
-Mcusta
-Hinderer :)
-Pro-Tech
 
svbk556 said:
Patrick - I agree. you acknowledge the price and pay it or don't. Under/overrated being the subjective term that it is might need additional clarification. I was wrong to limit my definition to pricing. However, its hard for me not to define a knife/knife company with a 54 month wait list as not being overrated.
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How does a wait list necessarily equate to being overrated?
 
i think the most over rated knife is the chris reeve sebenza, im not saying that it is a bad knife but it is way overated and way over priced.
 
ryanv403 said:
i think the most over rated knife is the chris reeve sebenza, im not saying that it is a bad knife but it is way overated and way over priced.
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I can safely say I felt the same way till I tryed one. I now know why they are so highly thought of, I did not buy one but a good friend let me carry his for a week. While I do understand the desire for these knives I will never pay that much for a pocket knife, but that is just me.
 
Toxie said:
Over rated: CRK and Busse. One is a "light use" (or you'll have "abused it") mid-tech, and the other is a decent knife with a rediculous price and marketing strategy ( OK HOGS, COME GET YOUR RNNUAK, ONLY $850, TO BE PRODUCED IN 2016!:reducilus nuclear noncense über awesome knife:, and a fan-boy user base that somewhat turns me off).


.
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RNNUAK? That's pretty funny, actually. You must spend time lurking over there. ;)

Some of think it is a little more than a decent knife, but YMMV. I'm just impressed that it took 29 posts before someone hit Busse. :D
 
Over-rated?

I'd have to say CRK, but more due to the difficulty and cost in relation to benefit realized by the effort exerted in acquisition.

That being said, if you like them, I'm not saying anything negative about the knife, or the price point. Just that, IMHO, not my cup of tea.

Under-rated?

I think that kershaw/KAI is probably there. They have been doing a great job as of late of putting out some very desirable blades that aren't costing an arm and a leg.
 
I think we should make a distinction between over-priced and over-rated. Over-priced is of course about price vs. value while over-rated is more about hype and number of times it gets mentioning. In my opinion you can not call a knife over-rated if it hardly gets mentioning outside some manufacturer specific forum: and even less in positive context. And you can not really call a knife under-rated if it gets mentioned quite regularly and all in superlative terms.
And we are talking about knives, not manufacturers: right?
So just a few years ago I would call Spyderco Military the most over-rated knife: these days it hardly ever gets mentioned. I think the most over-rated knives today are: Spyderco Paramilitary 2, Benchmade Griptilian and Sebensa from CRK of course. ESEE 6 and BK9 are also all the buzz.
Undervalued... Spyderco Chinese Folder, Benchmade Sequel, Linder Super Edge - you just continue...
I am not sure there is any difference in value between over and under rated: they are all great knives. But the difference in how often they get mentioned and/or discussed is just tremendous!
 
Professor said:
How does a wait list necessarily equate to being overrated?
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Professor, I'll try to complete the thought. Randall enjoys a brand mystique which has been carefully manicured and perpetuated over several decades. in my opinion, those willing to wait 54 months for a Randall are influenced by the mystique intangibles (nostalgia, limited availability, collector value) more than the desire for a truly great knife. When the brand eclipses the product, the term overrated might apply.

Thanks-

Scott
 
Several years ago CRKT had a shipment of knives from Taiwan confiscated by customs. (reason - autos or something like that) They were imported for the Christmas season. By the time they were released the season had passed and they lost their ass. SMKW bought a boat load (no pun) and sold them for about 5 bucks a piece. I bought about 15 and gave them to my buds for gifts. They loved 'em :D
The knife was the Ken Hammond Design Mirage. I kept one for myself. Not my EDC but I use the hell out of it. Best knife for the price I ever bought:)

IMG_0051.jpg
 
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