Pearls before swine

Sep

Sep

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Mar 14, 2009
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If you decide to give a first knife to a non-knifenut, what qualities do you think they'll appreciate?

Here are my thoughts:
- No super steel. They don't understand the difference, so the price difference is wasted.
- No custom or semi custom knife. They're very unlikely to appreciate the difference between a $33 BM Monochrome and a $330 CRK Mini Sebenza.
- Get something on the small side, like 3" blade and under. Bigger blade might freak them out or be considered impractical.
- Get something pretty and shiny. I tend to avoid stainless steel frame because it's slippery, but it's my first choice for a gift knife because it's sleek and pretty.

What do you think? Or better yet, what's your experience in gifting a knife? Do you find yourself more excited about the gift than the recipient?
 
Is it a birthday gift? Give the best one for the money you can afford. Spyderco Rookie would be a nice start.
 
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I agree mostly with your assessment. When I first got into knife collecting, I thought anything "Smith and Wesson" would have to be American made. This really shows my ignorance. I have only been collecting for less than a year now, so my mistake was rookie league for sure. The knife was a 3 blade stockman with ram's horn. The scales were quite nice, and the knife was factory sharp. I paid about $15 for it. I gave it away to a friend who did me a nice favor. I shipped him the knife and he really enjoys it. He even said it is the best knife he owns. It has gotten him started to appreciate knives some. If I could do it over again, I would have gotten him an NIB Old Timer Schrade made in USA. He could really get a feel on how to sharpen, as well as appreciate a well made slipjoint knife. In fact, this christmas, I will probably send him a Schatt Morgan canoe or something similar, and tell him it is much better quality than the Smith and Wesson I sent him before.

Your last question, Yes, I have been in that position before where I appreciated the knife more than the recipient. It is his loss, for I have gifted about 5 knives now, and I still get comments from the other 4 recipients on how cool of a tool it is, and how they carry it with them everyday.
 
Sep said:
Here are my thoughts:
- No super steel. They don't understand the difference, so the price difference is wasted.
- No custom or semi custom knife. They're very unlikely to appreciate the difference between a $33 BM Monochrome and a $330 CRK Mini Sebenza.
- Get something on the small side, like 3" blade and under. Bigger blade might freak them out or be considered impractical.
- Get something pretty and shiny. I tend to avoid stainless steel frame because it's slippery, but it's my first choice for a gift knife because it's sleek and pretty.
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I think you're right. It depends on the occasion, though. If I was just buying a work buddy a knife, I go with your thoughts. If I were buying a knife for someone who just achieved Eagle Scout, I'd spend for something special.

I've mostly always gifted Vic SAKs. Always well received. Even the girls like them.
 
I prefer to give non-knife-nuts something that will open their eyes to our view of knives. I would go with something with a flat grind for cutting performance, light weight, easy to carry and use, low maintenance, and affordable. The steel would have to be decent but nothing super hard and brittle or they'd break the tip or chip the edge and lose interest. Maybe a Tenacious if its meant as a work knife, otherwise a SAK would be my recommendation.
In my experience in gifting knives, Vic SAKs tend to really surprise people with their simplicity, quality, and utility. I gave out 5 for xmas last year (2 tinkers, 2 alox cadets, and 1 pink classic for my sister) and every single person who got one has commented about how damn useful and convenient it is to carry. I got my knife collection started with a Vic Explorer when I was 7 years old, I've had it for 19 years now and aside from some scratches on the red handle scales it still functions flawlessly and takes a razor edge.

edit: I forgot the 2 Vic Pruning knives I bought as stocking stuffers for my mother and girlfriend. My mom loves hers in the garden and my GF is a Florist and uses hers for hours every day. Possibly the best $10 (each) I've spent in a long time.
 
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I think a peanut or SAK Classic should do the trick. Small enough to disappear in the pocket or on the keychain, but always there when you need it.
 
I agree with your assessment. I've given my little brother a Buck Prince, small and classy looking, and a female coworker a pink Kershaw Chive. I've also gifted away a few Opinels and Douk-Douks to my little brother's friends who really liked the traditional factors of those knives. They thought it was really cool the way the blade would take on a patina.
 
I'd start small (cheap) and go from there. They may or not use it or catch on. I always suggest a Byrd or Kabar Dozier to most newbs. Pretty darn good knife for the $. SAKs are another great suggestion.
 
I've given mostly Mcustas as knife gifts. A great qualiity knife that isn't scary looking, has great steel, isn't a fortune and rides deep.
 
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Get something that:

1. Looks good
2. Won't break and give a bad impression

Just because you give them a knife doesn't mean they'll get hooked. I gave one to a friend, and he carries on his keychain but that's it.
 
gazz98 said:
I'd start small (cheap) and go from there. They may or not use it or catch on. I always suggest a Byrd or Kabar Dozier to most newbs. Pretty darn good knife for the $. SAKs are another great suggestion.
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Been part of the knife scene for a few years now and I still find the Ka-Bar Folding Dozier clipped to my pocket now and again. Considering how thick it is, it's incredibly light and takes an edge readily.
 
YayILikePie said:
I think a peanut or SAK Classic should do the trick. Small enough to disappear in the pocket or on the keychain, but always there when you need it.
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I give away SAK Classics occasionally. They're small enough that they'll be there when needed, and big enough to handle most mundane little tasks that come up. Add to that the fact that they have scissors & tweezers, and you have a really handy little tool.

For some of my friends, I tell them I have bigger & more traditional knives if they ever want one.

thx - cpr
 
ive aways wanted to get my friends into knives without having them go through the same mistakes i did. Namely, spending money on poor quality junk or mall ninja blades. I would likely snag them a boker trance, perhaps a delica/mini-grip/leek if i had more money. Also, remember that a certain cool factor must be achieved to keep em intersted.
 
For totally non knife people you can't go wrong with an SAK.

Once they commit to carrying it and see how useful it is, then upgrade to other types depending upon their interests, one handed, assisted, traditional...

One thing I do for all is - SHARPEN THEM FOR THEM.
Instead of letting them get used to a dull knife, I give them a loaner knife (ya I usually have a spare of what I gave them) while I'm working on it.

It gets them used to having a sharp knife with them all the time and is much easier to touch up every month or so than try to fix big dings and chips that happen from trying to muscle through with a dull knife.

Some will eventually ask how you sharpen and this is where you can show them how you do theirs, possibly prompting them to learn for themselves.
 
Great OP. I find it very true too.

I have often found myself more excited about the gift than the person receiving the knife - they just don't know what quality is... coincidently, I have resulted to giving them quality on a lower level - mainly SAK's as opposed to anything over $60.

With a more expensive gift, they usually find out that the knife performs well and learn to appreciate it more, but they never quite come to appreciate it as much as it deserves. With the SAK's, they usually accept it as though it was another knockoff, "Made in China" multitool/knife, but, later, I'll hear back from them that it's become a favorite of theirs since it really performs (unlike a knockoff). The level of appreciation they reach (eventually) with the SAK is much closer to what the knife deserves than the level they would reach with a higher-quality knife.

So, at the end of the day, it usually works out best to give them a SAK, 110, or something similar to that line of thinking.
 
Bought Lone Wolf Paul Pranksters for my groomsmen (x4).

Bought the Lone Wolf Lobo (cocobolo double action) for the best man.

Picked up a Lone Wolf Double Duty for myself:D


Classy, well-made knives can be recognized by even the most newb of knifeowners.

Generally speaking, I try to buy the best knife I can that fits the circumstances. Even if they're not knife afficianados before, maybe after they receive a decent knife...they'll become one.


I've received too many cheap chi-com knives as gifts (weddings etc.). They never get used and end up in a junk drawer somewhere. I don't intend to follow suit.
 
At Christmas time last year I gifted about 12 Fallkniven U2's as promotional items for my business.

Granted some of the recipients were knife users, if not actual knuts, but some of the recipients were also new to the concept of carrying a knife.

One of the most common comments I received back was; "Do you have any idea how nice it is to receive a quality knife instead of some made in china piece of crap".

The office administrator (lady) at work was commenting just recently how much she likes and uses it. Keeps in her desk drawer for opening packages etc.

The point I'm making is that quality will often shine through, even if the recipient isn't entirely familiar with the gift.

I agree that CRKT or the likes is over kill, but not so certain that a quality blade would necessarily be under appreciated by the uninitiated.

Kevin
 
Dag-nabit said:
At Christmas time last year I gifted about 12 Fallkniven U2's as promotional items for my business.

Granted some of the recipients were knife users, if not actual knuts, but some of the recipients were also new to the concept of carrying a knife.

One of the most common comments I received back was; "Do you have any idea how nice it is to receive a quality knife instead of some made in china piece of crap".

The office administrator (lady) at work was commenting just recently how much she likes and uses it. Keeps in her desk drawer for opening packages etc.

The point I'm making is that quality will often shine through, even if the recipient isn't entirely familiar with the gift.

I agree that CRKT or the likes is over kill, but not so certain that a quality blade would necessarily be under appreciated by the uninitiated.

Kevin
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absolutely.

I hate receiving low-quality knives. While I'm appreciative of the gesture, the knife never sees any use.


I make sure that I would appreciate the gift I give to others.
 
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