Really? Is it necessary?

I think I got the point and I agree to a large extent. The other side of the coin is taking a knife and using it in a survival task type of situation when the knife itself is unproven and the user has no experience at the required task.
 
J.Davey said:
Thanks, Lycosa. I really think others are kinda' missing the point. It happens. Oh well.
:)
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What was the point again? ...That most people do not absolutely HAVE to have a great knife to survive in todays society?
That's true, but then I know plenty of people who make it through life just fine never owning ONE SINGAL decent blade. Not even kitchen knives, other than butter knives.

You seem to talk down to people basically saying things like "why use a knife for a task, when you could carry specialized tools that can perform that task a little better?"
Well we could turn that around and ask "Why load yourself down and carry an arsenal of task specific tools around if a good knife adequately performs every task you need?"

Evolute (and others) have answeared your question honestly and well. Your response came off a bit on the arrogant smart a$$ side, IMHO. :)
 
I think you're seeing a small minority of knife owners' expectations and extrapolating those expectations to all knives. 99.9% of knives purchased and used are intended only for piercing or cutting. Some things just take more effort to cut and require more robust designs.
 
BryFry said:
You seem to talk down to people basically saying things like "why use a knife for a task, when you could carry specialized tools that can perform that task a little better?"
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BryFry,
I think I've made it abundantly clear that I'm not trying to sound arrogant. And, I have never met anyone in my entire memory that has nothing in their house but a butter knife. Are you really gonna' stretch that far to make your point???

BryFry, I am not trying to make any kind of point or sound arrogant at all. I will admit, though, what kind of spurred this post. It will be my next thread (as you may see, I don't do many.)
 
Jimbo75 said:
In the end it creates choice, which is great.

Thin bladed slippy, great for all sorts of light cuting/slicing tasks or a 1/4 inch fixed blade so stupidly thick it deserves to be beaten through an engine block....everybody's catered for, I love choice!:D
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Completely agree! I have to ask, though, do you see where I'm comin' from Jimbo? Most posters don't seem to be able to understand the OP (NOW I'm being a douche'). Read the discussion or don't bother. REALLY. :rolleyes:
 
J.Davey said:
I have to ask, though, do you see where I'm comin' from Jimbo? Most posters don't seem to be able to understand the OP (NOW I'm being a douche'). Read the discussion or don't bother. REALLY. :rolleyes:
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Do I really see where your comin' from?...I gonna say that I probably don't?:o?. Might just be too early in the morning for me:).
 
I love how in the forums you can say "I'm not trying to be this or that" but in fact that's precisely what you're doing. :p:D
 
J.Davey said:
...is this just the human condition driving us to find the best single tool possible? I'll reserve my overall opinion for a bit. I want to see what your opinions are.
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human condition? good question. yet i think you are looking for a more specific answer.

J.Davey said:
The "cutting tool" was the most important discovery next to "fire". In my opinion it is equal. It is ingrained in our most basic instincts to have these two things above all else. I forget where I read it, but the 'knife' is the first tool, where all other tools come from. Without the cutting edge of a blade, we would have nothing. Think about it.

So is it just instinct that continues to seek "the perfect cutting tool"?

Okay. NOW go.:D
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i think the 1st tool would have likely been a club.

J.Davey said:
Yet, it doesn't really answer my OP:
Is a "do all, be all knife" a necessary tool?:)
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i'm not sure that such a thing exists. not being a smart a$$ but do you know where i can find one? my 4" utility kitchen knife gets more use than any knife i own. does that count:D
to answer the question (or to give the answer you are looking for) it is a human condition to make, have, and use a do all be all anything. sure, this is behavior is definately influenced by marketing. it's about an image or lifestyle. in some cases creating an image/ need where non existed before. maybe put another way it's based on the human behavior to covet what others have or self involved image of what we wish we were.
you answered your own question (at least as far as you were concerned) in the OP... 1st paragraph.
 
J.Davey said:
Actually, I changed my mind (yes, this was intentional).

The "cutting tool" was the most important discovery next to "fire". In my opinion it is equal. It is ingrained in our most basic instincts to have these two things above all else. I forget where I read it, but the 'knife' is the first tool, where all other tools come from. Without the cutting edge of a blade, we would have nothing. Think about it.

So is it just instinct that continues to seek "the perfect cutting tool"?

Okay. NOW go.:D
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Hi J.Davey -

What I think you are not considering, at least in your query, is that we are not buying these items to use as TOOLS necessarily.

We buy these items as a collectable, a curio, as a trinket that just happens to be useful in many cases.

So, no, a super-steel high-end knife is not necessary, nor is it really something that will, in the end, return an effective ROI.

It is, however, necessary enough to a certain population of human beings that are willing to pay to posses the items so as to make it reasonably profitable for someone to make them exist.

So - in short, they are not really tools when considered in this sense. If they were strictly tools and nothing more, then the $30 axe vs $500 Busse scenario would be science fiction, in my opinion.

best regards -

mqqn
 
J, I'm just curious but are you trying to get to a deeper level with this question. Your question if you really delve into it covers lots of ground some sociology, biology, psychology, economics, etc. not to mention compounding the whole thing with variables like situations, say Acts of God, atomic event here in CONUS, total economic collapse, etc.

Your talking about some significant and broad ranging topics such as instinct, and at the same time trying to tie that into economic principles like the law of diminishing returns all while weighing probabilities of future risk. I'm not trying to start a silly argument either I'm just trying to see if this where you keep trying to take the conversation? Judging from your replies it appears as if your looking for something more.
 
J.Davey said:
....I have never met anyone in my entire memory that has nothing in their house but a butter knife. Are you really gonna' stretch that far to make your point???
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Realy?

hmmmm ...I know I can't be the only one who's met folks who don't own knives. I've met several people who own nothing more than butterknives, and they seem to get by just fine. They don't even think about it.

Not something I would choose to do myself because I like knives, but in todays world you can manage pretty well using scissors, letter openers, and such for most cutting needs. Unless you are a chef, outdoorsman or the like.
 
J.Davey said:
Yet, it doesn't really answer my OP:
Is a "do all, be all knife" a necessary tool?:)
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I believe Sharp Lupo has completely answered your question.

sharp lupo said:
Just in case we need a knife to go above and beyond, that it can handle more than just cutting up boxes or whatnot.
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Is it necessary ?

NO. :D

Unless of course you happen to be unlucky enough to end up in a situation where it is necessary. :eek:

(Yes, the theological implications alone are staggering.)

So... do you feel lucky ? ;)
 
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I think that we all know that 1 knife can't be everything. Most of us on the forum are knife enthusiasts who don't usually fall for marketing gimmicks. That being said, I do want my knife to be versatile. So much so, that I usually carry two: A small, 2" fixed blade, and a multitool. Most bases covered. Granted, I can't chop a cinderblock with either, but I've never been in a situation where I needed to.
 
J.Davey said:
So, why is it so important for a knife to do all of these things that man has created other tools to do?

.
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Here's my take.

A knife won't out dig a shovel, but it will dig or give you a way to create a tool that can dig.

A knife won't out pry a prybar, but it can give you the means to create something that can and some knives can pry a little.

A knife won't out chop an axe, but it can chop.

A knife won't out split a maul, but alas it can split, and it can also give you the means to create a wedge.

Now a shovel won't split wood, a maul won't finely carve, a prybar can't take out a tree, and an axe is a pain in the ass to use in delicate cutting tasks.

So I would rather carry a knife that I have used to do all of the above things as it is more versatile than any other tool I know of. It's also easier to carry. So if backpacking across the continent was in my game plan and I needed to keep weight down; you better damn well believe I will NEED a very good knife.
 
BryFry said:
Realy?

hmmmm ...I know I can't be the only one who's met folks who don't own knives. I've met several people who own nothing more than butterknives, and they seem to get by just fine. They don't even think about it.

Not something I would choose to do myself because I like knives, but in todays world you can manage pretty well using scissors, letter openers, and such for most cutting needs. Unless you are a chef, outdoorsman or the like.
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These people must not prepare real fresh food for themselves. My own experience is that most households have a "sharp" knife or two in the kitchen that cuts better than their butter knives, but not very well compared to a decently sharp working edge.
 
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