That ONE friend who can't understand...

Let’s say his checkstand knife costs $20, and that he has gone through 2 per year for 15 years. That’s $40/year, $600 total. That total is a lot less than most of us spend in a single year, and it stands to reason that he’s getting the job done well enough to not see a reason to change his approach.

I think he’s making a pretty compelling case for staying with his current position.
 
Maybe he is the smarter of the two of you....

Think about it. He's spent what? Maybe $200 dollars on knives over the years. How much do you have wrapped up in knives? In knives that might only really cut something more than an envelope a few times a year?

All the sudden, he doesn't seem so crazy, does he? :rolleyes:
 
If he does real work outside with a knife, buy him a cold steel recon or lawman at the next gift opportunity (birthday?) and you'll see his mind change. Won't be wearing out any liners or pivots there.
 
Heartland_edc said:
I have a lot of good friends who have slowly become appreciative of "more premium" cutlery. This has a different meaning to everyone, but in this case, what I mean is, "better than the gas station folders they were carrying." They were all skeptical of the higher prices at first, but once they finally buckled for a nicer knife, they fell in love after using it.

Some people buy, carry, and use super cheap folders, and thats totally fine if they last. What bothers me is hearing about how often they break or wear down, and need to be replaced. Thats generally when I suggest a nicer tool.

HOWEVER...

I have ONE friend who ABSOLUTELY REFUSES to accept that a more premium knife could possibly perform in a way that corresponds with a higher price. He can definitely afford it, and can definitely use it. He works outside, and uses his Home Depot "check out lane" junker all the time. He keeps it fairly sharp with a rod, and when the liner/frame/pivot fails, he just buys another one. I've known this guy for 15 years, and he's gone through dozens of knives.

Whats the right thing to do here? I could buy him a nicer knife... but I also feel like it should be his choice to upgrade. I could also just leave him to his stubborn ways. Any advice or similar experiences?
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Sounds like we could all learn something from this guy.

Pragmatism is genius. It's the only way to be in all things. I am in many things, but not my passions. I've been trying to incorporate my natural pragmatism in the knife buying world, by not buying the overpriced stuff, butt instead I've just bought a bunch of the mediocre stuff.

I wish I could be like your friend, because he's 100% spot on. Better a cheapo $10 knife once every few years than some $300 knife that I'm more prone to lose, break, have stolen, misplace and replace, or etc and have to keep for 90 years to equal the value of the junkers. Honestly, werew all idiots.

But, it's hard to place a value on something you love and enjoy. Or at least that's what we tell ourselves in the mirror after looking at our bank transactions at the end of the month.

Just remember, everyone has a right to determine for themselves what holds value to them and what they come to love or enjoy.
 
Most people by and large don't think about buying expensive knives. A wally World knife like Ozark trail is all they will carry and use. Another will carry a sebenza and be terrified to lay it down . The 4 dollar walmart knife if lost isn't anymore than a big Mac
I think each person decides for themselves
For me I think a 40 to 100 dollar knife is the perfect price range. For another it is 400 or 500 dollars.
I think I would simply agree to disagree and move on. Giving a knife as a gift is fine,I've given many as gifts. Just don't be disappointed if he isn't converted
 
Heartland_edc said:
?...
I have ONE friend who ABSOLUTELY REFUSES to accept that a more premium knife could possibly perform in a way that corresponds with a higher price. He can definitely afford it,.. He...uses his Home Depot "check out lane" junker all the time... I've known this guy for 15 years, and he's gone through dozens of knives.

Whats the right thing to do here? I could buy him a nicer knife... Any advice or similar experiences?
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Sounds like your friend here
is a level headed but entirely frugal kinda guy.
Fine if you wanna buy him something of a better make,
But for the sake of your own pocket, let's not get too far ahead and go overboard...
Get him a sak or some entry level model similar in features to what which he currently owns
and then sit back and observe if he actually would use it.
If he doesn't and you don't ever see it,
we can probably guess that he's a lost cause
who is best left to his own device.
Just respect him for what he is.
Afterall, that what friends usually do.
Just my 2 cents.
 
If your friend wants to use cheaper knives than so be it. You can buy him one for a gift and I am sure he will appreciate it. But there is way worse things on this planet than someone using a crappy knife. Your friend also may use those cheaper knives knowing they will be subjected to abuse and figures it is better to ruin a cheap knife than use a high dollar one and risk having it broken. Also higher end knives at work can and will end up stolen if you let your guard down for 1 minute or misplace it. I have had that happen. And that is why I use a cheap $9 mora 546 instead of a $100 folder on my job.
 
Older brother is pretty much the same way. I simply does not see the justification to spend much money on a knife. I have talked to him about guns, but never about knives. I know his general attitude and for me it isn't worth potentially ruffly his feathers over something like this unless he asks.

The solution is almost always a SAK.
 
Heartland_edc said:
I have a lot of good friends who have slowly become appreciative of "more premium" cutlery. This has a different meaning to everyone, but in this case, what I mean is, "better than the gas station folders they were carrying." They were all skeptical of the higher prices at first, but once they finally buckled for a nicer knife, they fell in love after using it.

Some people buy, carry, and use super cheap folders, and thats totally fine if they last. What bothers me is hearing about how often they break or wear down, and need to be replaced. Thats generally when I suggest a nicer tool.

HOWEVER...

I have ONE friend who ABSOLUTELY REFUSES to accept that a more premium knife could possibly perform in a way that corresponds with a higher price. He can definitely afford it, and can definitely use it. He works outside, and uses his Home Depot "check out lane" junker all the time. He keeps it fairly sharp with a rod, and when the liner/frame/pivot fails, he just buys another one. I've known this guy for 15 years, and he's gone through dozens of knives.

Whats the right thing to do here? I could buy him a nicer knife... but I also feel like it should be his choice to upgrade. I could also just leave him to his stubborn ways. Any advice or similar experiences?
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Stab him.

Then present him with the knife.

But in all seriousness just forget it. I know you are trying to do a nice thing but sometimes you just can’t make people see things. Even if you get the nicer knife in his hand he will just mistreat it and you will cringe when he pulls it out and it has rust from him not maintaining it.

I have given a friend a good inexpensive knife and am already sick of explaining to him why he should wipe the blade off atleast once. Some people are just very careless. The same kind of people who don’t notice they are leaving crumbs. The same person who takes food out of your fridge and leaves the lid off the tupperware.

Just be sure its not one of those friends you are trying to convince.
 
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If that were a friend of mine I'd probably gift him something I thought he'd like in the $40-$50 range with a moderately soft steel but solid build quality. That way he can keep it up with a tool he's used to. Will it change his mind? Who knows, who cares. You will gain peace of mind knowing that he has a decent knife. Maybe he'll gain an appreciation of higher quality knives.
 
:) We knife knuts may understand each other (somewhat) but don't expect "normal" people to share in our obsession .

Can you truly appreciate the overwhelming import of owning a special purse ,shoes, hat, jewelry, cosmetics etc to coordinate with all your various outfit ensembles ?

Does the very thought of acquiring some special stamp , coin or old bottle cap cause your heart to flutter ?

To most regular people , we blade lovers are no less weird ! Don't insist that your friends and loved ones share in your own particular brand of crazy . ;)
 
Heartland_edc said:
Any advice or similar experiences?
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Some people are just from a different planet.
(actually I suspect I'm from a different planet judging by what I see going on around me everyday).
What do I know . . . the new guy at work has never played chess and doesn't carry a pocket knife / has never owned a pocket knife. He's worked as a mechanic, in retail and as a cook.
IdunOhhhhhhh . . . .
 
I get what you are about here : Friends don't let friends own crappy knives.
It must drive you insane.

It reminds me of the arguments I used to have with my Mom when I was young.
She would say how rundown she felt. I would recommend she take some vitamins.
She would say vitamins were just fake pills that didn't do anything.
I would point out that she fed me vitamin drops all the time when I was really small (I remember taking them).
She would say that was because I needed them.
I would say you need them.
She would say vitamins don't do anything (but she had never tried them).

. . . and repeat.
:confused: o_O
 
b00n said:
The thing to do? Focus on stuff you both enjoy and agree on.
A non car person is never going to understand the need for car with more than 150 hp.
A non gun person thinks owning an M107 is insane.
A non knife person will think you are dumb to pay more than 20$ on a pocket knife.
Etcpp..
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^This!! I learned many years ago that everyone has a different value system. And that unless I’m selling something it doesn’t benefit me in any other way to try to convince someone to hold the same value in something that I do.
 
Wowbagger said:
actually I suspect I'm from a different planet judging by what I see going on around me everyday
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We also suspect this.

Heartland_edc said:
Whats the right thing to do here?
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Sounds like you need to be a good friend, and buy a cheap checkout-line knife, and use it until it falls apart. Who says HE has to change to accommodate YOU? :D
 
Heartland_edc said:
Thats a decent idea. I have an old RAT 1 in D2, but I know he won't oil it. I'm worried it'll rust a little and he'll see that as evidence of his original opinion. He's a mule when it comes to his attitude.

... then again, so am I.
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D2 with a nice polish like the rat1 doesn’t need frequent oiling unless you are ocean going fishermen. If you hang out once in a while you can make fun of him for not being able to sharpen it, then prove your moral superiority by taking 6 minutes to sharpen it for him(and then oiling it.) If he doesn’t appreciate it, ghost him. Then he will realize how shallow you are—win/win.
 
RBid said:
I think he’s making a pretty compelling case for staying with his current position.
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Life's too short to own junky tools. I just don't understand how people can be satisfied with tools that hurt you to use, bend / break in use, don't stay sharp long and . . . if nothing else . . . just has that toy / junk vibe.

Apply dope slaps as needed.
 
We all have different priorities. We who hang out on this forum happen to like knives.

I did get my son in law to start carrying a knife. He has really found it useful to have on him at work.
 
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