price of edc

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wvstockman

Joined
Dec 30, 2007
Messages
62
Hi all,

I am used to carrying cheaper knive as edc. The most expensive knife I carry is a $40 buck 112 my sister got me for my birthday. Mostly I carry either my buck stockman or trapper (china models) and a buck 110.

I have a hard time carrying an expensive knife as an edc. I end up not wanting to use it. I am thinking of ordering a case or boker stockman or peanut type knives but I hate to pay $50 DOLLARS for a work knife. But I also don't want a knife to just sit there and look pretty.

Am I being silly? What is the price (and model) of your edc and when is the cut off price of a knife that you use for work. If you have any knife suggestions, go for it.

I'm not talking about abuseing them. But they will be worked. cut cardoard, plastic bands, scraping stickers off of glass, puching holes in belts, whittleing, stripping wire, deburring pvc pipe, etc.

I don't abuse my knives but I treat them as adults:) (I don't baby them).

Sam
 
my EDC totals about $40 between two knives; a shrade old time minuteman (small penknife) and an opinel #10.

i have also carried SAKs for a long time as my EDC and it went fine.

the most expensive knife i have ever owned i think is a case trapper in yellow handles with CV blades. it was something like $60 at the store. i carried that for a while, but it just didn't tickle my fancy.

i have no problems using a knife, and would not mind spending alot of money on a quality knife. in a perfect world the more the knife costs you are paying for improvements in operation. with many slipjoints this seems to be true; better fit and finish, better grinds, better springs. i really have no issues using a high dollar knife, because that is what it is meant for. you bought, you may as well enjoy it. also, a knife can always be refurbished if you wear it out. you can always sharpen the blade and polish the bolsters, rub the scratches out of the scales and take the patina off the blade (where applicable), but why would you want to? a knife is a tool, regardless of how fancy it gets.

i guess my motto is that you should use a tool as it is meant to be used, even expensive tools.
 
Hi Sam,

I think it's real personal, based on what the individual considers "too expensive", or how pristine they want to keep their stuff. I've heard people say things like, "I'd never stoop to using a $10 box cutter when I can use a nice knife to do the job. It makes me feel better using the nicer tool." I've also heard the opposite, that anything over $25 and they're worried about losing or damaging it.

I think you have to find your comfort level and act accordingly. If you can't bring yourself to "use" a $100 knife, don't buy one. I've got my 2007 forum knife in my pocket right now. I've got a $15 SAK in my other pocket, in case I have to cut something that I don't want to use my nice ivory-handled knife on, though.

So the short answer to your question: Today's main knife is about $120, plus a $15 backup.

-- (another) Sam
 
Its all a matter of taste.

I grew up in a working class family and most men did not spend alot on a pocket knife. Of course 1950 prices are alot different than 2008 prices, but 4 or 5 dollars was a darn good knife back then. Maybe like 20 to 30 dollars now?

My price for a edc?

It's changed alot. In the late 70's early 80's I collected custom knives. I had a Barry Wood folder that was a couple hundred dollars back then. I used a Randall number 14 for a woods knife, that was a couple hundred dollars.

These days I'm happy with an Opinel for 8.95, or a Victorinox cadet for 20 dollars, or a Swedish Frosts Mora for 10.99. I sold off the custom and high end stuff and went back to using just working class production knives. Why? Long story, but in the end that 200 dollar knife was just not that better a knife, and I started looking at things a little more pragmaticly after going hunting with a friend and co-worker who had a mentors influence on me. Made me think about how I was raised and got away from.

Now I won't pay more than 20 something dollars on the outside for a edc knife that really does go in my pocket everyday to be really used.
 
For me, it's a private pleasure to carry nice, functional things. I carry a custom pistol and a custom knife...These are personal items. Some like $5,000watches, I like expensive personal tools.

Well, I kinda like nice watches, too, but not of the $5000 variety.

YMMV
 
I have a $60.00 Boker Stockman, Carbon Bladed, I Love it. I Use it, the more wear and patina it gets the more charecter it takes on... dont over spend your budget, find one you really like, and save up for it, if you have to... if it's a custom so be it, (I've been droolin over a Rocket Dragon series for a while now...) with that said Id rather have a EDC my grampa carried every day and used then one that set in his safe and did nothing but collected dust...
 
For me it depends upon what the knife will be used for. If I'm going to be cutting something that would severely damage a regular knife, I'll use a box cutter or better still the Stanley utility knife. There is no use chopping through nail embedded drywall to install an electric wire with a hundred dollar knife, it is a waste of the knife and poor economics. If I buy and use and expensive knife, it will be used, but it will be used well, with proper care and respect to it's worth. For most things that won't severely abrade a blade and grind away large amounts of metal, yes I would use a more expensive knife. It would just be stupid though to pull out a Tony Bose or something like that and go to chopping up roofing shingles.
 
Most I have paid for a knife so far is about $80 for a BM Mel Pardue design. The other knives I own are more in the range you have, mostly Buck and some old slippies I have had as a kid or teenager. If I did spend $100-$200 on a knife I would most definately use it as I don't believe in not using things I buy. I can tell you it wouldn't be a real "fancy" or "pretty" knife that I was afraid to scratch or use because it might lose value. But that is just me (nothing wrong with the guys who like safe queens).
 
For an edc I keep it around 30$ tops. Often I carry a TL-29 that I paid 3$ for or a ulster scout knife that cost a whopping .85 cents.
 
To me, a major portion of the satisfaction gained from buying better things comes from being able to use them. For example, I have two Kimber .22 rifles, which was a major major splurge for me, took months and months to pay for them. I use both, neither is a "safe queen", or collectible item only. It would terrible to have that Kimber sitting there doing nothing, while out using something economy priced instead. I bought a Filson hunting coat for the same reason, better quality. I bought one, it will last me the rest of my days without worrying about it falling apart. Costly yes, but better in the long run. Would I be better off with half a dozen econo coats? I don't know for sure, but I don't think so.

I wouldn't pull out a rare collectors item and put it to use though. Some things deserve being preserved simply because they are few in number and hard to find in good condition.
 
My EDC for 10 years or so was a Schrade Pioneer. Gift from my Dad, probably costs $20 new. EDC for the next 10 years was a Victorinox Climber with "Seattle Region" on one scale. It was a free gift my Mom received at work and gave to me - value probably $20-30. The last few years I have waffled around carrying various slipjoints and large locking folders. The two most expensive knives I own are also users. One is a Spyderco Manix that I gave around $90. It is as close to a sheath knife in a folder as I've seen. The other, and my EDC for this year, is a Case Damascus Stockman. I think the going rate is $120 or so, but I stole it late last year for $70 or so.

I don't have any safe queens when it comes to tools. And as much as I love them, knives and guns are still tools.
 
$30 to $35 for a good 4" stockman working knife.
Boker, Buck, Case CV yellow delrin, MooreMaker yellow delrin are all in that price range.

$15 for a Camilus on ebay or on web stores.

$55 for a Queen in D2, which is a real step up in quality.

$30 is the cost of a pair of good electricians pliers
So $30 for an equally good tool, a stockman is not expensive
 
I like to EDC a knife I like the look of and that suits my needs for the day-they vary.

Strongly believe knives are for use but I wouldn't go beyond 80 dollars for a folder, 150 for sheath/belt knife.It's just too expensive for my means. The main worry is not using the knife but losing it! That and lending it to somebody who DROPS IT......
 
Under 50 is what I prefer to pay. I do have a Spyderco Jess Horn model that cost $60.00 new and a custom folding hunter that was $120.00 many years ago. But my usual carry is a 330T that was given to me over 20 years ago or a Vic Spartan bought used off ebay for $5.00 shipped.
 
My most expensive are my khukuris, just this side of $100 for each of the three bigger ones. Everything else is on the lower end, $20-40. I don't have heaps of cash in my pockets so I look for a good value. SAKs, Boker, Case. All give good performance for the dollars spent. Today I have a Vic Camper that my wife found in a field years ago (and gave me for my birthday) and a Burnt Chimney single blade trapper.

Frank
 
Using nice knives gives me pleasure. That's why I carry a stag stockman opposed to my Brown Mule. The stockman doesn't cut any better, but I do enjoy the experience more. True, I don't have any expensive customs, I'm not sure I'd be comfortable carrying those. But I guess that's what it all boils down to, carry what you are comfortable carrying.
 
FWIW, the "$15 Camillus on eBay" is probably Chinese.

Another way to look at the economy of using a decent knife is that some people are willing to spend $150/mo on a cable package, another $120/mo on cell phones, $300/mo car payments, etc, etc, and balk at spending $100 on a knife that will last them for years. Even if you abuse it and have to buy a new one every year, that's not a huge expense in the grand scheme of things.

But like I said originally, it's a very personal thing. No sense owning or carrying a knife you won't use.

-- Sam
 
I personally just don't believe in buying knives I'm not willing to use. All my knives go through the rotation, based on my expected uses. I don't see any reason not to carry and use a more expensive blade, I just use it responsibly. I pretty much always carry at least 2 knives, a bigger, tougher folder for heavy use, lets say a Buck 110, and a smaller nicer knife for more everyday, lighter duties, say the Forum Canal Street Canittler I just got :) , or a older Shrade Stockman. Of course as you can see, I don't really carry real expensive stuff anyway. I guess my thought is if I can't bare to carry it, I have no use in having it. YMMV.

Syn
 
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