Skipping rungs on the quality ladder?

bpeezer

bpeezer

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Jan 27, 2013
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Most people start out with cheap knives, then slowly work their way up what I call the "quality ladder" from there. For those of you that have worked up to the more expensive knives (a few hundred bucks) would you recommend saving and getting really nice knives if you haven't had much experience with relatively nice knives (around a hundred bucks)?

I ask because I have been stuck around the $35 range for a while, picking up knives that are interesting and serve me well, but always with a little catch. I've been saving up to give myself a little birthday present, but I'm not sure I could really appreciate the quality of a $300 knife if I've never carried a $100 knife.

So should I take the ladder slow, one rung at a time? Or should I skip ahead a little?
 
Let me give you my take, the nuances in quality between most $100.00 knives and most $300.00 knives are going to be subtle even to the trained eye. Their not going to last any longer, able to handle any different task for the most part, or in general really look or feel VERY different, again subtle is the key word. It boils down to personal preference and personal finances.
 
I think you would be able to tell the quality of a $300 knife immediately.
While you haven't carried a $100 knife, you'll still see a world of difference.
Some people buy $100 knives and are like "This is what I was missing?" but when they try more expensive knives it hits them instantly like "Oh this is what I was missing!". Sometimes it's the other way around.
However, I think if you really let yourself appreciate the $100 and some dollar knife you'll be able to tell the differences. I'm not saying there's not a difference between $35 and $100 knives, there's a big difference in fit and finish.
You'll really notice a big difference in use though.
The quality will show a difference as well.
You'll know it's a better knife by holding and appreciating it. You'll realize just how much better in use.

I say buy whatever you please.

I would have jumped into better knives at the start if I would have thought of it lol.
 
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I think I understand where you're coming from. In my case though I went from low end to high end by accident really. I ended up trading for some nice knives then realized that I totally skipped the mid end (well mostly anyway) . Nowadays I have a nice mix.

I really think you should try the mid priced knives before you jump to the high end. It gives you more perspective on what seriously good f&f is. You may also find that the jump in price is not worth the difference. You wouldn't know that unless you had something to compare it to.

May I suggest that you look at Benchmades mid priced knives along with Spydercos taichung knives, and maybe ZT if you like the style.
 
An example:
My Spyderco Squeak is a $40 knife, my Boker Albatros is a $100 knife. The difference in quality is extreme. I love them both but the Albatros is the better built knife.

My Boker Albatros is $100, my CRK Sebenza's are $400.
I can tell the difference in quality and tolerances instantly.
The materials don't change a whole lot though.

So both knives make great cutters and don't have a huge difference in material. You can tell the quality differences though.

I would say jump up to something in the middle.
Maybe $150 - $200?
 
Can it be assumed that custom knives will always be of higher quality?

How about China vs Taiwan? US vs Japan? Any patterns there?
 
The differences between a $170 Spyderco Sage 2 and a $430 Chris Reeve Sebenza are largely subjective, too. Both use a fine steel that gets sharp and stays that way for a while, and both are titanium framelocks, etc. The Sebenza does have more of a bank vault feel to it, no doubt. But they cut cardboard the same (the full flat ground blade of the Sage 2 probably better, actually), peel an apple the same, and so forth. What you are paying for is not an increase in function or utility, but the subjective pleasure that some people get from having a Chris Reeve knife in their pocket. Thats a perfectly good and legitimate reason for paying $430 for a pocket knife, and I own and enjoy CRKs. Just don't expect the utility to match the price. Its my view that once you get above $130 or $170, the utility pretty much maxes out and what you are paying for is subjective fun, joy of ownership, bragging rights, and in the case of CRK, a smooth, bank vault feel when you open it. Rock on.

DB731 said:
How about China vs Taiwan? US vs Japan? Any patterns there?
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China can make decent knives (Kershaws, Spyderco Tenacious, etc.), but are entry level, value type knives. In my view US and Japanese made knives are of good and equal quality.
 
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I can't speak for everyone, but the way I worked up the "quality ladder" was through constantly nitpicking the features and quality of the knives I had. It started out as a fear of lock failure after an acquaintance lost a finger after a cheap linerlock failed on him. So, naturally, I buy a Cold Steel knife - initially, a Kudu. Then, I find I want a better blade steel, so I buy a Counter Point II. Then, I find I want a more practical blade shape and grind, so I buy a Voyager. Then, I find I want better wear resistance, so I buy a Spyderco Manix2 XL. Then, I find I want a less fragile steel, so I buy a ZT 0561.

Of course, there are a LOT of knives that went unmentioned there, but it was fairly representative of how things escalated. I don't think people just keep buying more expensive knives for the heck of it - it's what happens as you find out what you do and don't like.

The good thing is that once you get past the $30 range, you can typically resell your knives without too much of a loss in value - provided you haven't broken them. I used to lament the lack of a local knife shop in my area, but then I found that if I just shop around for a while and get a really good deal on the knife I want, I can just sell it if it doesn't ultimately suit me and not have lost any net money.
 
For me I personally started out with $100-200 knives.

Benchmade, SOG, Kershaw, etc. we're a lot of my first purchases.

But once I purchased my first Custom I was immediately blown away by the difference.

Now if you've only owned low price knives, IMO you'll notice the difference pretty much immediately between the two.

For example.....

The difference between a $150 Benchmade vs a $350-400 CRK Sebenza is HUGE.

I'd suggest purchasing at least one $150 range knife before jumping to full customs.

I also don't discriminate against cheaper knives as well.

If I like a knife then I'm gonna pick it up no matter what it costs.

But let me tell you, once you get the itch and start with Customs your nor gonna wanna stop lol.

I own a bunch of Knives and a good deal of them are Customs and I want more and MORE! :D
 
I went from a pair of $30 Gerbers right to a $200 Emerson. The Gerbers didn't cut it for me, so i did my research and found what i wanted in my Emerson. If you're thinking about spending $300 do your research on any knife you want, feel them in hand if you can too. If you find the knife you want and its $100 great. If it happens to be $300 so be it. Get what you want/need that fits your price range.
 
The Spyderco Taiwan taichun Techno is an excellent example of quality. Design aside, it's made very well, smoothest opening, best locking Spyderco I own.
The two from China are good knives for the price, less than $40 each. The Japan made Spyderco's are very good, if I look close I can see some imperfections. But, those aren't enough to affect their use or sharpness.
My Caly 3 in Super Blue is a great knife, only costs $125. I can't imagine it cutting any better if it were a $300 knife with perfect details and F&F.

If your uses are for serious hard use, then we should be talking about fixed blades. Sometimes you are paying for a better sheath and handle with fixed blades. Yet, for $100 you can get a great fixed blade, US made, kydex sheath, micarta or G-10 handles.
 
The answer is more complicated than the question.

Virtually any good knife will have fans and detractors. I bought a Spyderco Southard and didn't like it. The reason I bought it is because it has such a great reputation among knowledgeable knife owners that I wanted to try it. I sold it because it just wasn't my kind of knife, not because it was a bad knife.

You could buy a $300 knife that you would love and one that you would hate. Price isn't the driving factor.

The reason to buy a more expensive knife is to get the features that are important to you, either in overall design, blade steel, lock design, fit and finish, overall size, blade geometry, scale materials, pivot action, weight, etc. Everyone is going to have a different set of criteria for what makes a knife great for them.

Cost is a following factor in buying a knife, not a leading factor.
 
I think I may go for a knife in the $100-$200 range to test the waters. Thinking Spyderco Sage Carbon Fiber, Benchmade 300SN, ZT 770 or 801 (don't want to wait though :rolleyes:), Emerson Mini Commander, or Mcusta Gentleman's Knife. The list may change a little, but as it is I'll probably take a good month to decide which one I want. Any particularly good or bad in this list?
 
foxx said:
If your uses are for serious hard use, then we should be talking about fixed blades. Sometimes you are paying for a better sheath and handle with fixed blades. Yet, for $100 you can get a great fixed blade, US made, kydex sheath, micarta or G-10 handles.
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It won't be serious hard use, I'm only looking for a nicer knife to put a big grin on my face every time I use it :D

Twindog said:
The answer is more complicated than the question.

Virtually any good knife will have fans and detractors. I bought a Spyderco Southard and didn't like it. The reason I bought it is because it has such a great reputation among knowledgeable knife owners that I wanted to try it. I sold it because it just wasn't my kind of knife, not because it was a bad knife.

You could buy a $300 knife that you would love and one that you would hate. Price isn't the driving factor.

The reason to buy a more expensive knife is to get the features that are important to you, either in overall design, blade steel, lock design, fit and finish, overall size, blade geometry, scale materials, pivot action, weight, etc. Everyone is going to have a different set of criteria for what makes a knife great for them.

Cost is a following factor in buying a knife, not a leading factor.
Click to expand...

I have a very long list of features that I like in a knife, as well as a list of features I don't like. I haven't found anything close to hitting all the likes (besides obviously customs), but I will be happy with a knife that DOESN'T have any of the dislikes. For example, I really like deep carry pocket clips, but I don't necessarily dislike standard pocket clips.
 
Back when I was in the sub $80 range, on a whim, I handled pretty much all of the mid tech popular knives, and I have to say my result was a superb and resounding... meh. The Sebenza specifically was juat horrible for being a bloody $300-400 knife. At like $150 I could see it, but the mid techs just blew in my opinion.

I handled an XM-18, small and large Sebenza, SMF, and a few others I don't even care to remember. I have genuinely never been that unimpressed in my life. The knives are about 90% hype (yes, I understand the tolerance part), and if you can just handle the normal higher end production before you buy it to check flaws, you will get a better knife for the money.
 
After the first $100 or so you're paying more and more for less and less. That doesn't mean it isn't worth it (only you can decide whether or not a knife is worth that you paid--who cares what other people think?) but I think if you're looking at it realistically, the differences get smaller and smaller the farther you move up into the "luxury item" range of cost.

I had a stainless CRKT Drifter (~$20), Spyderco Sage 2 (~$200) and a Chris Reeve Sebenza (~$400) at the same time. All feature similar capabilities. All three are metal handled frame lock knives, meant for cutting things (something that all three are pretty similar at performing, if sharpened properly). I admit that I'm rounding off the prices a little for convenience.

The $20 knife (Drifter) handle is made of steel, not titanium, and the blade steel is on the low end.

The $200 knife (Sage 2) has much better fit and finish, and better materials too, a titanium handle and better blade steel--then again, for ten times the price it should have better f&f and materials. It certainly feels like a superior knife to the cheap knife.

The $400 knife (Sebenza) has ever so slightly better fit and finish than the mid-range knife, and uses the same materials. The difference is there, but it's not a big difference, IMO. Maybe, if I'm being really objective, it's 5-10% better feeling, at twice the price.

Throwing one more in as a kicker, a decent custom in the same type of knife might run you $600 - $1000 or more for similar, or even in some cases lesser, materials, albeit with superior or equal fit and finish (hopefully) but certainly with other appeal.

The value of a knife, like anything else, is dependent on what someone will pay for it. A Sage 2 is definitely not ten times as useful a knife as a Drifter, but Spyderco sells plenty of them. Similarly, a Sebenza isn't twice the knife compared to a Sage 2, but Chris Reeve isn't having any trouble moving those either. Watch the exchange and you'll see how long they last when posted (not long, often close to MSRP for previously owned in newish condition).

I say go straight up to the more expensive stuff. Get a Sebenza or something else so popular you can always get your money back. A mid-range knife might ruin you for later. I have to admit to being a little disappointed with the Sebenza, for example, and sold it. It didn't blow my hair back, in part because it didn't really replace anything else I owned well (not as pretty as a William Henry, not as fun to carry as a Southard, no more useful than Sage 2, etc.).

So save up, buy a Sebenza first, I say. You'll probably love it, and worst case you can sell it off and buy 2-4 mid-range knives and suddenly have a mid-range collection ;)
 
DB731 said:
Can it be assumed that custom knives will always be of higher quality?
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Absolutely not. When I spend custom money, it is for a custom knife, and mainly for that reason. I at least get the materials and dimension I specifically request, even if it might not turn out better than a good production piece. They usually do, but not always.

But with Moki, Joti, or Klotzli making production knives, that isn't necessarily a bad thing, it just means the bar is pretty high. I also had a couple of Alsdorf cutom slippies that I would put against any mid-tech on the planet, but cost less than all of them.
 
As something else to consider, you also have to know yourself and what will make a purchase satisfactory for you. I'm not a big fan of buying and selling a large number of knives. Plenty of people around here are and that is part of the fun for them, but for me it isn't. Likewise, I'm a creature of habit- my EDC gear gets tinkered with a little over time, things are upgraded or replaced, but once I buy something I carry it every day until I never carry it again. With my personal set of paradigms I skipped up rather massively. I handled a few nicer knives and found one I loved. There were and are plenty of very good knives that were much less expensive, but since I still had a preference for the particular higher end knife and knew that each and every step I added would cost me money that I wouldn't easily (if at all) recoup. For me skipping steps actually made the whole process more efficient, and now when I look at knives it has nothing to do with supplanting my Sebenza's spot, but more "what fun or interesting niche could this fill for me?"
 
Personally I think the sweet spot is the $130 to $200 range because you can get the quality, the steels and reasonable fit and finish along with durability, and it covers a lot of different models.
 
Ankerson beat me to it. I agree that the highest quality/cost ratio comes in around 170. Beyond that the rewards begin diminishing as we are literally splitting hairs at that point
 
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