$$$$ question ????????????

Limit seems to change every year. In 2004 it was $130 for the Benchmade 42 (I can't believe the price has gone up so high in 6 years). In 2009 it was $455 for a Sebenza w/ inlays.
 
Around $400 is the limit for knives for me. The knife has to really offer something special over $200, and offer something way out of the ordinary over $400.

I use everything I buy, so that has to factor into the amount of money I will spend on a knife.

Most spent to date on a knife (with shipping included) is $395.
 
I usually don't go above $200. There are plenty of nice knives below that point and the law of diminishing returns says that I probably won't be too impressed by spending more. I like knives that work well and perfect fit and finish don't effect the way a knife works much. Plus I like AXIS lock knives much better than a frame lock and it seems all the expensive knives/ customs are frame locks which I won't like as much as a cheaper AXIS lock.

I did spend about $275 (x2:eek:) on the Lionsteel SR-1 but a lot of work is involved in making it even though I never handled the thing. I will probably use one of them when they get here which is hopefully soon. If for some reason I don't like it well it already jumped $150 in price and will probably go for even more than that once they get in people's hands and more exposure.
 
Call me cheap but I start talking myself out of buying anything with and edge if it costs more than 150$. I guess all my knives are a tad cheaper than that. Folders as well as fixed blades.

I own much more expensive gear like ice axes, ice climbing crampons, down sleeping bags, down/primaloft belay jackets, etc. I can see that kind of gear costing more due to the material and engineering involved. Something kind of hard to appreciate in some knives, no matter how well made are they or how many hours it takes to craft them.

Mikel
 
I traded away the most expensive knife I've ever owned because I wouldn't use it - it was worth a little over $300. My most expensive knife now cost me around $130. I can see paying up to $250 if I REALLY want it bad, but I'm no collector.

Relatively speaking I spend more than that on my outdoor / hunting gear, probably because there's less of it.
 
Around 400. I have an order for a Gossman Big Boar Tusker, around 385. It will be used as a camp knife. I have large and small micarta Sebenza classics, I rotate them into my EDC every once in a blue moon. I have a J Neilson Kephart, it ran close to 400. Strider SNG, had one. I would say 400 is the limit for right now, and the LLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNGGGGGGG forseeable future.
 
silenthunterstudios said:
Around 400. I have an order for a Gossman Big Boar Tusker, around 385. It will be used as a camp knife. I have large and small micarta Sebenza classics, I rotate them into my EDC every once in a blue moon. I have a J Neilson Kephart, it ran close to 400. Strider SNG, had one. I would say 400 is the limit for right now, and the LLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNGGGGGGG forseeable future.
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Just curious, what do you EDC if you don't carry the Sebenzas (Sebenzi?) frequently?
 
It changes with my income.

As a kid I was quite poor, but I still would save up money to buy (mostly) POS knives from flee markets and GoodWill stores. As my income grows by moving up in the job world, so does the price I am willing to pay for the toys and gear that I want.

Right now the most I have spent on one (fixed) blade is a little over $500. I was able to find what to me is "my" perfect folding knife for around $250.

I have not yet ventured into the world of custom knives *yet* there are some real beauties out there that I would love to own that have some pretty hefty price tags, but so far I've managed to talk myself into thinking that I don't "need" them since I have plenty of good knives already.

....somehow I keep telling myself, "just one more wouldn't hurt though.... right?" :o

-In the end though you buy what makes you happy. I can appreciate a good tough $30 blade that gets the job done, but if you can afford it there's nothing wrong with indulging in "high end" blades if it's something that you are passionate about.:)
 
i'm not a collector so my current limit is $200. i only have ka-bar/becker and esee and i figured if they can make quality, hard use knives under $200 then i don't see the benefit in paying more than that for others.

most of my fun money goes towards cars and guns though but i won't skimp on critical camping/hiker gear.
 
My general price limit for a "user" is somewhere under $200. I think the most expensive user I own right now cost me around $170-180, although I do have a $200 custom on order that I fully intend as a user, too.

Since I don't buy a knife unless I intend to use it (not into knives as investments or as works of art), I don't own any single knife that I paid more than $200 for (although a couple of OOP knives have appreciated since I bought them so they may be worth more than that value, now)
 
I really don't think I could spend more then $500 for a knife, unless I really like it, and feel that I need to have it. The most expensive knife that I bought so far is an Umnumzaan for $400.
 
...the price you pay for any tool - knife or anything else is dependent on your income. The more you make and have to allocate to valuable based expenditures such as $1K plus knives or guns really is personal.

For instance, I know people who are in an age group (older than me) who have incredible incomes and are not paying for children s needs, etc. and damn, they have nice stuff. Whereas, I have many quality items but much less latitude than them.

I also realize that if your work demands the best you can afford in a tool you'll tend to sacrifice other things to have the tool you feel you need. I recently met a young Marine who owned a $3K DPMS AR15 - absolutely beautiful. I on the other hand could only justify/afford a $900 S&W M&P AR15. Great rifle but it ain't no DPMS.

Finally, I try to buy the best I can afford based on my income and I think anyone who's married, has kids, has a mortgage, truck payment, and/or doesn't make a fortune has to compromise somewhere and this tends to be in the hobby category.
 
FlaMtnBkr said:
Just curious, what do you EDC if you don't carry the Sebenzas (Sebenzi?) frequently?
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Right now, a Spyderco Bob T Slipit and a Camillus made Remington scout knife. I just got a Benchmade Lum 769 Ti, and have been carrying that with the Spydie and Remington. Oh yeah, I usually carry a David Farmer EDC in my man bag. Alternate the Remington with a well used Vic blue alox Farmer. At home, my Gossman PSK gets a lot of use.
 
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Gerry.GEG said:
...the price you pay for any tool - knife or anything else is dependent on your income. The more you make and have to allocate to valuable based expenditures such as $1K plus knives or guns really is personal.

For instance, I know people who are in an age group (older than me) who have incredible incomes and are not paying for children s needs, etc. and damn, they have nice stuff. Whereas, I have many quality items but much less latitude than them.

I also realize that if your work demands the best you can afford in a tool you'll tend to sacrifice other things to have the tool you feel you need. I recently met a young Marine who owned a $3K DPMS AR15 - absolutely beautiful. I on the other hand could only justify/afford a $900 S&W M&P AR15. Great rifle but it ain't no DPMS.

Finally, I try to buy the best I can afford based on my income and I think anyone who's married, has kids, has a mortgage, truck payment, and/or doesn't make a fortune has to compromise somewhere and this tends to be in the hobby category.
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While this is true to an extent, if it is something you want you will save up or sacrifice other things to get it.

I am disabled and barely work and have a laughable amount of income. But I have some nice things because I like to buy quality items although I'm not married or with kids yet. I also don't do a lot of things so that I can buy some of the nicer things I want. I don't go to bars or drink anymore, I don't go watch movies, and I don't go to restaurants often. To me eating out is a huge waste of money because with tip and tax even just a bill for one is pricey and I can eat better and healthier food at home for a lot less. Some people probably spend more eating out in 3 or 4 days than I make in a month. I can have a nice knife for the price of going out to eat a few times.
 
At this moment, I can't buy anything (or shouldn't at least :o) but my limit would be around $200 or less for a knife that I plan on using.

Using a Knife to me = Slicing, whittling, light batoning, cutting rope/string/twine, making wooden tools, hunting, fishing, and other stuff that I forgot about at this moment :)

Anything more expensive (to me) would be more of a collectors item which would probably be sold or traded for a less expensive knife that I can use without regret. Besides, it's kind of disheartening when the family unit is pinching pennies and the safe is full of $200+ knives that could make a quick sale and better everyone.
 
Most of my knives fall in the $200-$300 area. I think for the most part more expensive stuff seems more trophy like when the price rises up.
I definitely spend more on knives than other gear. The knife money just comes out of my wallet easier.
For my camping gear I usually get by with surplus or REI gear.
 
I recently passed up on a folder that I would of used the heck out of for 1000. But that price made me hesitate too long, then someone else got it.

I always have my umnumzaan on me, which may have to share use time when my yuna arrives, and both will be in danger when my benchmade 755 arrives.

To me its not so much about price as it is design, but I wouldn't go over 500 unless I just really had to have it.
 
The priciest knife I own cost me less than $150 and I regret buying it, not b/c I think it's too expensive, but b/c the more I spend on something, the more exacting my standards become, and consequently, the easier it is for me to be disappointed with it, which I am in this case.

For this reason, and because there are just so many great affordable knives, I generally won't spend more than $60 or so for a folder, and $200 for a fixed blade. To hit the upper limit for a fixed blade, it has to be really, really nice and something I will use.

I try not to buy knives of the same size and purpose to reduce clutter and free up income for other things (like investing it to earn interest :D). With so many variations out there in design, this isn't too difficult of a rule to abide by and still feel like I'm satisfying my knife addiction.

I spend on knives the same way I do everything else -- which is to say, I look for high quality at a good value and hunt for deals. The one exception is professional gear, which I will pay more for, if it helps me do my job better and/or makes my life easier.

I don't typically use knives for my job, so perhaps if I did, I'd be willing to spend more on them. But I suspect not, b/c $200 buys a lot of knife these days.

I also avoid items whose prices are artificially inflated due to demand, and there are A LOT of cool custom knives I put in this category.
 
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