My top five questions I ask myself before choosing a knife

1) Will I ever actually use it for anything or will it be a safe queen?
2) What niche does it fit to my possible recs/uses vs wants?
3) Does it represent a decent value?
4) Do I need this or just want it?
5) Is it an investment knife that retains its value or not?

That's pretty much the same list I use when looking at firearms, watches, audio equipment etc where it's easy to spend a lot of $ real fast on stuff that does not get used and a pragmatic vs "cuz i just want it" approach taken for me.
 
  1. Is it a physical artifact of an extra-dimensional intelligence, placed here on the material plane as a clue?
  2. Does it grant the user the ability to speak to, and be understood by, trees?
  3. If it were a mammal, what kind of fur would it have?
  4. Could I trade it for passage on a tramp steamer if I needed to leave the country quickly?
  5. Do its electrons vibrate in an aesthetically pleasing fashion?
 
1. Can I pry open a door with it?
2. If it’s a folder can I chop down a tree with it?
3. Does it have the strongest lock known to man?
4. If a framelock, is it a 2% lockup?
5. Is it made of unobtainium?
Lol! Really though, at this point I usaully consider whether or not I already have something similar. Then if it’s worth the price. Next I move on to will I carry it enough to justify it.
 
1. Will I use it
2. Is it redundant with a model I already have
3. See point 1
4. See point 3
5. Can I happily afford it
 
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I have seldom seen a knife I didn't like as long as it functioned properly. Guns.... same deal. That doesn't mean I'll buy it however.
 
It's rare, but there have been a few cases I've had to change my line of thinking.

Do I have one? yes.
But do I want another one? yes
then I get another one. Luckily, I have more pockets and I layer up a lot in winter so having a native 5 in the pants pocket, vest pocket, and jacket pocket makes sense. Always have a knife on the outermost layer.

Of course, when I consider knives functional art, all bets are off for what it "needs" to be.
 
How about:
Do I already have one or more knives that can handily do anything and everything this one can do?
Will I actually carry &/or use this one or is it just another “nothing new here” waste of $$ that’ll end up living out its life in its box in a drawer or on a closet shelf?
Is this one just another fashion-of-the-moment-following piece of fluff?
Is this one actually worth spending my money on?
If I try to resell this one, will I take a major loss or will I get off without getting beaten too badly?
When my heirs paw through and divvy up my stuff, will this one make them roll their eyes upward and shake their heads in disbelief or will somebody actually be happy to get this one?
 
Am I ok with the price?
Am I ok with the steel?
Am I ok with the looks?
Other questions would pertain to the specific use of the knife.
 
It needs to be different in some way from any of the other knives that I already own. Since I have a knife for every conceivable purpose, I have to resort to rationalization in order to buy one more...and one more after that.
 
#1 >Do I need it or do I just want it?
#2 >Will it likely function for my purposes?
#3 >Do I like it?
#4 >Can I afford it and still make the car or house payment?
#5 >What will my spouse or significant other say when they see it?
#6 >Will I use it or will it just sit gathering dust?
#7 >Is the purchase from a reputable dealer?
#8 >Can I return it if I change my mind? Fees?
Lesser issues.... what steel is used? What lock type? What type of knife is it? Warranty?
 
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1. Is it offered in carbonfiber?
1a. If not 1, is it offered in 6al4v?
2. Is it thin behind the edge and have slicing geometry?
3. Is it 61+hrc or has it been deep freeze cryo in the ht?
4. does it look ergonomic?
5. Does it have free spinning screws or pivots?
6.if bearings, does it ride on steel washers or ti?
7. Is it a clone? If so burn it.
8. Company or model known for... Lock stick, action issues, qc issues... Then avoid.
9. Is the Map pricing too higher for what you get?
10. Has it been modified? Never pay extra for mods.
11. Is it acty9made where they say it's been made? Prefer factory is named.
12. If custom, research the maker for questionable issues.
13. Teflon washer? Avoid
14. Poor tolerances and quality and fake materials, then walk.
 
SpySmasher said:
In order to understand how I decide to buy a knife you must imagine a flow chart with 10^219 different permutations that begins with "Have you seen a knife?" and ends with "Buy the knife."
Click to expand...

So you're close to making a decision on that Buck you saw back in 1975?
 
To each their own ... but to be honest if I put criteria on purchases ...

I would own about 3 or 4 changes of clothes ... 2 pair of boots/shoes ... 3 or 4 firearms ... maybe 10 knives (including kitchen knives) ...

I would still be driving my 1978 Chevy Blazer ... and I would live in an insulated shed with a wood stove and an oil lamp and have an outhouse ...

if I like the knife ... if buying it is reasonable with my available money ... and if I will actually use it ... I'm good to go ...
 
Do I like it?
Do I want it?
Am I willing to eat Ramen for it?
Will the wife need to find a place to hide my corpse?
Will the dog ever forgive me?
If the answer to all of the above is yes, I'm probably gonna buy the darn thing.
 
1. How thick is the stock?
2. How does it look with a skull bead?
3. Is the maker possibly Dick Marcinko wearing a secret disguise?
4. Can I cut down a sapling using only the handle jimping?
5. Is simply buying the knife already a major obstacle, which I can feel proud to overcome using a combination of guile, PayPal F&F, and copious emojis?
 
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