Hello All, New Member Chris here.
It's amazing how in just a few weeks this Knife bug can bite you. Started off simple enough, needed a new Machete for the summer and thought I better research Amazon like I usually do just to make sure I grab something that will hold up. Well, one thing leads to another and I click on a few knives in the "Recommended Columns", and it was off to the races. Soon after came across this forum. To be honest, I had no real clue on quality knives, they are made of metal with an edge, how much better can they be. I had always thought, like most average folks if you needed a everyday knife to get the job done you grabbed one from the case at the gas station while filling up, and for something a bit more quality you went and grabbed a fancy Gerber from Walmart. Hey, it has the guy from TV, premium packaging, so it must be the best. Anything else above that your just buying marketing hoopla (Buck, Spyderco,what you see in the glass case at the sporting goods store,etc.). Why would you spend more when you can get 200 knives for less then a $1 a piece, shipped to your door from QVC, even big swords and cool bowie knives with dragons on the handle. Oh how wrong I was. It's not like me to take up a new Hobby, wife thought it was great at first. Now she grumbles every time she looks over at me in bed, and I have some Knife this or that page up on the ipad, and the UPS driver has become a part of the family since she is here so much with something new and sharp.
It took a minute to realize there is a difference between cheap and affordable. I thought it would be neat to have a few of those Cheap M-Tech and Tac Force Assisted Openers to play with in front of the TV at night. Was not expecting much, I guess much is too much. Hated every one of them for various reasons, complete junk. Really is amazing when I sat them next to a similar priced, and almost unbelievably as affordable Mora, Opinel, Kershaw or Rat 1 the real difference in quality glares at you. Since then have ordered a few Esee's, Beckers, Kershaw's, Spyderco's, etc. (just hit "complete order" on my first ZT.) It seems my taste is ever increasingly going up that food chain ladder. Sebenza or Busse TG with a comp. finish is calling me. Now I find myself researching steal composition, leather Hide quality, and Heat Treats, all while hitting refresh on the exchange forum. Much of the enjoyment in that research is from this forum, so thank you all for that.
Anyway, the reason I posted. I pulled a few knives out of the attic that I had in a trunk since I was a wee lad. Curious if anyone has any info on this one in Particular. Grandpa picked it up for me at a garage sale in the early 80's for a quarter or something. Every 8 year old boy should have one. I actually remember dressing my first deer with this a few years later (did not go well). Has been in a box for 30 years, so it could use some attention. It's hard to read the stamping, but it appears to read "P.LEFE", no other markings. Try as I might I can't find any info. Hope this photo links OK. Thx again all.....
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It's amazing how in just a few weeks this Knife bug can bite you. Started off simple enough, needed a new Machete for the summer and thought I better research Amazon like I usually do just to make sure I grab something that will hold up. Well, one thing leads to another and I click on a few knives in the "Recommended Columns", and it was off to the races. Soon after came across this forum. To be honest, I had no real clue on quality knives, they are made of metal with an edge, how much better can they be. I had always thought, like most average folks if you needed a everyday knife to get the job done you grabbed one from the case at the gas station while filling up, and for something a bit more quality you went and grabbed a fancy Gerber from Walmart. Hey, it has the guy from TV, premium packaging, so it must be the best. Anything else above that your just buying marketing hoopla (Buck, Spyderco,what you see in the glass case at the sporting goods store,etc.). Why would you spend more when you can get 200 knives for less then a $1 a piece, shipped to your door from QVC, even big swords and cool bowie knives with dragons on the handle. Oh how wrong I was. It's not like me to take up a new Hobby, wife thought it was great at first. Now she grumbles every time she looks over at me in bed, and I have some Knife this or that page up on the ipad, and the UPS driver has become a part of the family since she is here so much with something new and sharp.
It took a minute to realize there is a difference between cheap and affordable. I thought it would be neat to have a few of those Cheap M-Tech and Tac Force Assisted Openers to play with in front of the TV at night. Was not expecting much, I guess much is too much. Hated every one of them for various reasons, complete junk. Really is amazing when I sat them next to a similar priced, and almost unbelievably as affordable Mora, Opinel, Kershaw or Rat 1 the real difference in quality glares at you. Since then have ordered a few Esee's, Beckers, Kershaw's, Spyderco's, etc. (just hit "complete order" on my first ZT.) It seems my taste is ever increasingly going up that food chain ladder. Sebenza or Busse TG with a comp. finish is calling me. Now I find myself researching steal composition, leather Hide quality, and Heat Treats, all while hitting refresh on the exchange forum. Much of the enjoyment in that research is from this forum, so thank you all for that.
Anyway, the reason I posted. I pulled a few knives out of the attic that I had in a trunk since I was a wee lad. Curious if anyone has any info on this one in Particular. Grandpa picked it up for me at a garage sale in the early 80's for a quarter or something. Every 8 year old boy should have one. I actually remember dressing my first deer with this a few years later (did not go well). Has been in a box for 30 years, so it could use some attention. It's hard to read the stamping, but it appears to read "P.LEFE", no other markings. Try as I might I can't find any info. Hope this photo links OK. Thx again all.....
