style over substance: a long confession

[Skytorn]

TL, DR: I buy cheap knives because I think they look cool.
~~~~~

Sometimes I feel like I don't belong on this forum.

The most expensive knife I own is a $40 Cold Steel GI Tanto. Made of 1055, nothing special. In truth, I'm only supposed to have paid $15 for it - the other $25 was S&H to Canada.

I have bought six knives so far, and will be coming into ownership of three more in the near future. None of them cost more than $30.

They're mostly cheap knives made in China, out of 440 stainless (probably 440A). In addition to the (made in China) Cold Steel piece, there are two pieces from Mtech, one from United Cutlery, and two from a no-name Fantasy gift works based in the UK. The other knives I'll be purchasing are Chinese "high quality replicas" of themselves impractical knives, the Strider Tiger OL designed for a videogame, and the Aitor Jungle King, a hollow-handled Rambo knife with a huge survival kit inventory.

I don't want to bash Chinese knives when I'm Chinese by descent. I just recognize that they're made for a different market (me). For a hard use knife that I'd actually be prying things, cutting ropes, chopping wood with, I'd never use a Chinese knife. It would ruin the pretty.

When people post threads asking for recommendations, I've yet to see someone get up and say "yeah Mtech sells a good knife" or "you should get yourself one from United Cutlery". I'm not going to generalize and say that these knives are definitely crap - why would I bash things I bought myself - but it doesn't take much brain power to figure that a $10 tactical folder probably not going to match a Benchmade in quality or even value over time.

The confession: I'm a knife poser. I have no need for anything other than a dinky Swiss Army. I have literally zero reason to buy a tactical folder or a stiletto. But I think they look cool, I admire the aesthetic quality, I like the style and beauty and sheer badassery inherent in a knife like this

and so I paid the equivalent of 40 bucks for it.

Besides from the cost, companies like Chris Reeve, Spyderco, and Busse just don't make very...aesthetically pleasing knives. You know? For example, Spyderco's designs just look so incredibly ugly to me. A forum member once said "Spydercos are made for your hands, not for your eyes"; that's probably true because not having handled one, I can't figure out why anybody would like them.

Meanwhile, Busse makes boring knives. End outrageous statement. They've got very beautiful handle scales, but their knives are clearly designed for no-nonsense purposes...they are Spartan, boring, what I'd issue to the army if they were more economic - at home cutting things or being used as a shovel, maybe a paddle. But if my friends come over and ask to see a cool knife, and I pull a Busse, they would just roll their eyes. One guy freaked when I showed him a Busse and told him it costs upwards of $300.

I myself puzzled over the lavish praise heaped on the Sebenza. For the $385 a large Seb costs I could get more than TWENTY cheap but pretty knives of similar size. Even speaking from a purely utilitarian principle, a Seb will probably outlast one cheap knife - outlasting twenty, I'm not so sure of.

It's like...forgive me for using so crude an analogy as women here. Busse would be the smart, hard working and high achieving girl with slightly too big a nose and slightly too small a chest, while Spyderco would be the sweater-wearing frizzy haired girl who's (rumoured to be) remarkably outgoing and fun if you get to know her. You can come up with your own for the Chinese knives, I think you get my point.

The Tiger OL will look fantastic hanging from my wall. Would I take it into the bush, and count on it to work hard for me during camping and save my skin during a survival situation?

Well, I'll answer that question the next time I actually go into the bush.

 

[wongKI]

I started out like you too. I think all most people really needs can be covered very easily within your price range, and the rest are just "for fun". Well, not really, but when it comes to function, the extra edge holding, ergos, materials aren't critically necessary. Where you want to stop paying for the extra "stuff" is up to you. For some people, it's maybe a Byrd, or a lower-end Kershaw, for others it's a Spyderco or Benchmade, some people go all the way to the custom or semi-custom realm.

With regard to form or function, though, I changed my mind once I got a Spyderco Delica4 for cheap. It was ugly as all hell (still is) but man it felt like heaven in my hand!

 

[the kid]

What a refreshing post.

If I buy a brand knive like Buck, CRKT, Böker, I mostly buy Chinese made because they are MUCH cheaper and I think have the same if not better quality then their US made counterparts.

I'm into gentleman knives myself at this moment. I like when a knife looks pretty but I also want my knife to have outstanding fit and finish. This is why I stay away from the Chinese brand knives like Rough Rider. I think they have a decent fit and finish for the price you pay, but I want something better. Also I think they probably don't fair well when you DO use them hard.

I also don't like Spyderco's because they are bulky looking and just plain ugly.

There is nothing wrong with buying knives for looks only, some of the A brand gentleman's knife come with lower end steel and are designed to cut food.

 

[Skimo]

The main deal here is you like knives, sounds to me like you belong.

Kind of like some knife nuts that won't sharpen their own blades, nothing right or wrong about sharpening your blade, just another aspect of knife ownership.

Nothing wrong with the Bokers I've seen, at least not the AK model, a very well put together design, I just fixed one up for a buddy of mine.

Every knife has its place, even the smatchet.

 

[spiralarchitect]

If you are going to buy cheap.... look at Cold Steel, CRKT and Chinese made Spyderco and Kershaw.... at least you can be fairly sure that they won't cut your fingers off. They all also have a pretty fair warranty behind them.

 

[dextersp1]

I think what you are questioning or saying it that the marginal differences between the knives you like and more expensive knives is not worth the cost the difference.

 

[FortyTwoBlades]

There are countless high quality knives out there that cost you $40 or much less. Buy what pleases you, but don't feel like your only option is to buy crap knives just because you have a small budget allotted to spend on them.

 

[1066vik]

Don't worry that your knife collectin is worth less than $10k.
Lots of the folks here on the forums carry "bang for the buck" knives, not high $$ CRKs.
I have and love my Ontario RAT1 folder ($25-30), my SAK Huntsman ($25-30), my CRKT M16 & BULL, etc...
I have a Maxxam "Survival Master" - early 80's hollow handled tacticool monstrosity that I bought in high school, because it looked impressive.
I also have some more expensive, less flashy, mid range knives that I'm much more likely to use and trust in a situation where durability and even heat treat counts.

Buy what you like.
Carry what you like - without getting in any law trouble.
The forum is for folks who like sharp pointy things - you'll fit in fine.

 

[cziv]

It was ugly as all hell (still is) but man it felt like heaven in my hand

My feeling about Spydercos exactly, when I began my addiction. I started off tentatively with a Police 3 G-10 PE.

As soon as I gripped it I felt what Sal was quoted as saying that he designed knives with "function over form" in mind.

Love them Spydies and BM Blue box knives.

 

[philwar]

The confession: I'm a knife poser. I have no need for anything other than a dinky Swiss Army. I have literally zero reason to buy a tactical folder or a stiletto.

I think this holds true for all of us to some degree. Currently I have a Zero Tolerance 0300 in my FR pocket. Your Mtech would probably do everything the ZT might be called upon to do today. I like the looks of the ZT, its ruggedness, indestructability, etc. But it's probably never gonna be needed. I don't think I'm a poser because that would imply I'd own my knives to impress others, which is not the case. But I will admit frankly that their practical applications are only a part of the reason I buy them (and so MANY of them). I also love the looks, but unlike you, I also appreciate their quality, craftsmanship, F&F, toughness, etc.

But I think they look cool, I admire the aesthetic quality, I like the style and beauty and sheer badassery inherent in a knife like this

That's a very goodlooking knife. I'd buy it if it were made by a company I'd trust.

Bottom line: you don't sound too different from many other members here, certainly including myself. Have fun, and don't worry.

 

[C.S. Graves]

Hey, I've read good things about the Aitor Jungle King. Wouldn't get one myself, but it's said to be rather good for that sort of blade.

 

[BlueyM]

Many collectors start out exactly as you have , Skytorn. I know I did.
You pick a knife that pleases your eye, your budget and your taste, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Then, you spy out another that is slightly better looking, "cooler" etc and a little more expensive, and that goes into the collection.
Then, you note that some custom mades are really, really well made and you should invest in one that looks nice as well as being good quality, and then . . . . . . . . . .
(I am sure you get my drift)

Welcome to the BF world.

 

[SusAntigoon]

Spyderco's designs just look so incredibly ugly to me. A forum member once said "Spydercos are made for your hands, not for your eyes"; that's probably true because not having handled one, I can't figure out why anybody would like them.

You'll probably change your mind in the next couple of years.
Most people do.
Once they 'get it'.
I did

 

[mmarkh]

What a refreshing post.

If I buy a brand knive like Buck, CRKT, Böker, I mostly buy Chinese made because they are MUCH cheaper and I think have the same if not better quality then their US made counterparts.

I'm into gentleman knives myself at this moment. I like when a knife looks pretty but I also want my knife to have outstanding fit and finish. This is why I stay away from the Chinese brand knives like Rough Rider. I think they have a decent fit and finish for the price you pay, but I want something better. Also I think they probably don't fair well when you DO use them hard.

I also don't like Spyderco's because they are bulky looking and just plain ugly.

There is nothing wrong with buying knives for looks only, some of the A brand gentleman's knife come with lower end steel and are designed to cut food.

With a very few exceptions I don't find this to be true that Chinese quality matches US.

 

[cziv]

With a very few exceptions I don't find this to be true that Chinese quality matches US

Alright, I'll swap you a NIB very attractive 4" blade, wood scaled, stiletto, MTech 1221 for your choice of any blue class BM you might own. Deal?

 

[the kid]

With a very few exceptions I don't find this to be true that Chinese quality matches US.

I don't really have evidence, that's why I wrote I think.

My most expensive knife is a $50 Shallot made in the US.
It has less a good fit and finish then my Taiwan made Trance ($30) and my China made Drifter ($20).
Plus the fact US labour cost is much higher then in China so US made knives are more expensive.

So in my mind I conclude "if you buy two knives for the same price the China made one has better fit and finish"

Note: I do not mention steel quality, just fit and finish.

 

[mmarkh]

Alright, I'll swap you a NIB very attractive 4" blade, wood scaled, stiletto, MTech 1221 for your choice of any blue class BM you might own. Deal?

Why would I want to do that? You do understand that I meant Chinese isn't usually better than US?

 

[cziv]

With a very few exceptions

I think you said this mmarkh, but I'm not picking an argument, just making a point. I guess this trade would be one of the "very few exceptions?" There's no comparison in most cases, for me anyway.

If ya like 'em buy 'em!! :thumbup:

 

[cj65]

If you are going to buy cheap.... look at Cold Steel, CRKT and Chinese made Spyderco and Kershaw.... at least you can be fairly sure that they won't cut your fingers off. They all also have a pretty fair warranty behind them.

Do the chinese knives come with a pair of mechanix gloves? How can you say that?

As far as the OP's statements, even though I disagree with him on many counts, belongs here as much as anyone else. BF is not a forum for snob cutlery only, there are wanna be snobs (like CJ here ) and there are others who do not mind buying and using the lower end products. "We are the world, We are the children", sing it with me now........

 

[cj65]

My feeling about Spydercos exactly, when I began my addiction. I started off tentatively with a Police 3 G-10 PE.

As soon as I gripped it I felt what Sal was quoted as saying that he designed knives with "function over form" in mind.

Love them Spydies and BM Blue box knives.

A love for the Spyderco brand knife does start with a grasp, not a look. Once you are in love with the grasp, the form becomes a vision of loveliness. Sal Glesser is a visionary and brave business man to make happen what he has done. I never thought I would own a Spyderco. "Those are just not for me," I used to say. Now, I post with my Paramilitary in my pocket..... LOL Waiting on some funds for a Military.