The best knife review?

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kancler

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Gentlemen!

What does "the best knife review" mean for you?

What should be there?

So far I can divide all of them on 3 groups:


1. "This is a ... knife and this is my review..." - usually it starts with packaging descriptions, and then a lot of words like: "nice handle, good G10, beautiful wood, sharp blade, etc..." but no real information, no testing, just a toy and how this toy looks... - will yo make a decision on this review? I don't think so...

2. Tough testers... Let test this knife - and then they start cutting rusty cars, kicking knife with baseball bat, running it over by cars and other stupid sh..t which real knife user would never do to the knife. - I hate this and these tester look very very stupid (just my personal point of view)

3. Very scientific reviews of cutting performance with Manila rob or other special materials, precise scales, scientific charts etc...​


So I guess my questions is: Do you know any reviews which helped you make a purchasing decision?

Let's place some links here if you know...

Also lets make a perfect scenario of a knife review...

We can start from something like that:

1. Where knife was purchased from. Delivery time, what was included...
2. This is a knife for ... (cutting, camping, skinning, chopping, tactical, etc..) ... purpose. So testing process will be this...
3. ...​
 
Yes, I'd divide them into 1. impressions( just holding the knife, showing, saying the specs). This I don't consider as a true review. 2. Reviews from actual use, and finally 3. Reviews from controlled testing.
 
singularity35 said:
Yes, I'd divide them into 1. impressions( just holding the knife, showing, saying the specs). This I don't consider as a true review. 2. Reviews from actual use, and finally 3. Reviews from controlled testing.
Click to expand...

Yes, so... Does it make sens to combine them in one review?
 
I find knife reviews that include the packaging extremely tedious, as I feel that anyone that is really interested in a knife will know what the knife is, and anything that was important that was supposed to come with it.

I like real world tests. While highly scientific tests are interesting, I mostly would like to know how the knife did doing things that it was designed to do. And specifically I love to see it when people compare the knife being tested to another knife in the same category (preferably one that is well know). This helps me know relative performance.

Thats how I see it anyway.
 
ocnLogan said:
I find knife reviews that include the packaging extremely tedious, as I feel that anyone that is really interested in a knife will know what the knife is, and anything that was important that was supposed to come with it.

I like real world tests. While highly scientific tests are interesting, I mostly would like to know how the knife did doing things that it was designed to do. And specifically I love to see it when people compare the knife being tested to another knife in the same category (preferably one that is well know). This helps me know relative performance.

Thats how I see it anyway.
Click to expand...

Ok. So then let's update scenario and drop "packagin info"

1. Knife model, short cosmtic description.
2. Knife was bough or knife is for ... reason and main task is ... (cutting wood, camping kitchen, have duty work like chopping etc.)
3. Test according to the Task
4. Compare with similar but well known model (?)
 
I tend to like the #1 style of reviews but maybe a bit more in depth than you said. Since I'm not really into hard use, i tend to find general this is the knife, here's how it works, here's some different features to be most useful.

I tend to like Nutnfancy's reviews on youtube because he has a checklist so the comparisons are somewhat consistent.
 
kancler said:
Ok. So then let's update scenario and drop "packagin info"

1. Knife model, short cosmtic description.
2. Knife was bough or knife is for ... reason and main task is ... (cutting wood, camping kitchen, have duty work like chopping etc.)
3. Test according to the Task
4. Compare with similar but well known model (?)
Click to expand...

Yep, that just about sums it up for me. The comparison to the other model should ideally be throughout the test/review, but even just mentioning how they felt it performed to another knife is useful. The more common the other knife is the easier it is to understand the comparison.

For instance, if you review the Becker BK7 and compare it to the KaBar USMC, most people will be at least semi-familiar with the USMC (just because its common) and I feel the comparison becomes more useful. But if you don't have any common knife, it still helps.

Here is one I did of the KaBar ZK War Sword vs the Becker BK9. I won't say its perfect, but it is the kind of review that I wished I could have read before my purchase.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...-vs-KaBar-ZK-War-Sword-(PHOTO-HEAVY-and-EPIC)
 
kancler said:
Ok. So then let's update scenario and drop "packagin info"

1. Knife model, short cosmtic description.
2. Knife was bough or knife is for ... reason and main task is ... (cutting wood, camping kitchen, have duty work like chopping etc.)
3. Test according to the Task
4. Compare with similar but well known model (?)
Click to expand...

Yes, that would work for me.
 
someone who uses the knife in the video, instead of talking about the measurments for 10 min.
 
The test of the knife for it's intended purpose is the minimum of a review. I also like to see work done outside it's intended use. For example, some paring knives might also make fine fillet knives or other cross over uses. I also would like to see what would happen if it's misused. If I decide to baton with my Gerber Big Rock hunter, what will happen? The stock answer is to say it will break, but maybe not. If I need to use my Delica for skinning, will it work ok, be a surprise success, or dismal failure? There are also many uses that just take a sharp edge, and any knife will do them. Trimming a stray string is just as easy with an Old Hickory butcher knife as it is with a Case Peanut, and if I'm in the shop and the OH is on the desk and the Peanut is in my pocket, I'll use the OH.

For some knives, a worst case scenario is appropriate. For a full review, which is not what everyone does, I'd like to see some abuse. If a chopper is being tested, it doesn't bother me to see the blade chopped into a rock or something. I've hit hidden rocks before and it's nice to know if the blade will dent, chip, or just break. I've optimized two of my machetes for wood and light vegetation respectively, and I've done my own tests to see what happens when I miss or the prior homeowner decided to hide brick tiles around the bushes in the flower bed. I also know what will happen if they hit soft and hard metals, because both can happen in use. I've cut wire bread ties and rebar tie wire to see what happens when the edge of a pocket knife hits metal. I've also shaved the corners off of steel bar stock with a knife to see how it might trim flashing from abrasive cut studs and conduit. These were tests of my own knives for my personal review. This is the type of thing I like to see in a full review of a knife.

The desktop reviews are useful in that a potential buyer can get a close up look at something they might be buying over the internet. A thorough look at a brick and mortar store or knife show will tell all the same things.

The really technical reviews such as CATRA comparisons and such can give a LOT of information, but they are typically geared toward only one trait, One thing I'd like to see more of is cutting ability comparisons. How much effort does it take to cut some cardboard, or split a potato, or half an onion? This is easy enough for anyone to measure and has yielded a lot of surprises when done on my own knives. $100 knives were out performed by knives that were no more than $25 when new. Brand name models renowned for their thin, sharp edges were out performed by other brand name models infamous for thick edges.
 
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I've written over 60 reviews. Mine tend to fall into category 1, with the addition of observations of carry, ergonomics, and use. I just did a category 2 review, but that was at the request of the knife maker. Category 3 doesn't interest me as a reviewer, though I do read those from time to time.

People who comment on my reviews seem to enjoy comparisons with other knives with which they may be familiar, comparison photos, photos showing angles and details not shown in the maker's stock photos, and honest discussion of a knife's weak points.
 
Interesting...

So looks like best way would be to have two reviews - one with more descriptin, ergonomics, etc... An second one should be straight "use review".

I think now the most popular reviews are video-reviews. So any links to good quality video which helped you make a purchasing decision?
 
kancler said:
Interesting...

So looks like best way would be to have two reviews - one with more descriptin, ergonomics, etc... An second one should be straight "use review".

I think now the most popular reviews are video-reviews. So any links to good quality video which helped you make a purchasing decision?
Click to expand...

I just ordered a Buck Vantage after watching nutnfancy's review.
 
IMO Brian Andrews did the most comprehensive of the scientific tests in the scientific review category on the W&SS Camp Knife challenge results thread. Personally, I can't stand 'opening the box reviews'. This is the type where people buy something and pull it out of the shrink wrap and talk about their first opinions and then spend a few minutes rationalizing why they bought the knife while fondling it on camera. It ain't worth anything and mostly they will just say its great because they have that new steel glam in their eyes.

Its not very often that you actually get a 1 year or 2 year check-up review where a person thinks back on a knife they've had a long time. Here the glam is gone and just the fact that they will do a retrospective review says a lot about the the knife being able to survive the whims of the steel addicted. These tend to be the most honest and involve frank discussions about what a user truly likes and dislikes about a given piece of cutlery. These tend to be rare and far and few between. They are probably the most influential to me, especially if I know the reviewer.

All that said, I think the person who is reviewing the article in question has the most effect on me. There are big name reviewer's out there who review products on a weekly basis. I just don't trust a person who buys new steel every week - or has it given to them for purposes of reviews. There are folks who stay connected with their local community via trip blogs and such and demonstrate that they use their knives as a regular part of their day or hobby. I tend to trust these folks the most. But then again, I haven't bought a new knife in almost a year so I probably am not all that influenced by knife reviews at all.
 
My main interest is review type #1 as you've described it.

Although I expect "hard use" knives to live up to their reputations and perform as designed and advertised, I mainly buy knives for Accumulating (just lookin' at) or Collecting. So a "what's in the package" review with good close-up pictures and comments on fit and finish, ergonomics, level of "visual excitement", accessories included, and any obvious flaws is very helpful.

And yes, I even like to see the packaging.

I think now the most popular reviews are video-reviews. So any links to good quality video which helped you make a purchasing decision?
Click to expand...

I just can't get into the video reviews. Maybe if the reviewers had better cameras and microphones, maybe if youtube had better resolution, maybe if the reviewers had more interesting voices, maybe if I had faster internet, maybe if I had more patience to sit and watch review videos... Whatever the issue, I just can't do it.

One exception, I bought the Opinel #13 and the decision was based at least 60% on this review:
[youtube]Mz6KHl5HbNk[/youtube]
 
Bob W said:
I just can't get into the video reviews. Maybe if the reviewers had better cameras and microphones, maybe if youtube had better resolution, maybe if the reviewers had more interesting voices,

One exception, I bought the Opinel #13 and the decision was based at least 60% on this review:
[youtube]Mz6KHl5HbNk[/youtube]
Click to expand...

I was thinking about that and agree with you anout microphones and voices... So I was thinking about using text, no voice, light background or something.
--
Yes nice video review, detailed enough with some real tests...
 
I think the initial review section should not be all text and no voice. Those reviews get on my nerves because they get boring. At least during the first part where you describe it and talk about the features in a controlled environment where you have great control over the mics/voice.

When you go outside to do some testing perhaps you could just do some text or maybe a voice over.

I think the most professional thing would be to do it like you are in a studio. Do the initial review in the studio and then introduce a testing clips, show the clip and then back to you in the studio to talk about what we just watched.
 
The other thing about video reviews is the length, and the impracticality of browsing the review. If it's a video you've got to sit there and watch the entire thing (whether it's two minutes or ten minutes) just to see if the person says anything interesting. By comparison a written review with photos is easy to browse, re-read, and reply to. Plus I can look at the pictures for as long as necessary, and without the knife moving around.
 
I agree. While video reviews sound like they should be better, I really don't think they work out as well in practice (at least as a standalone review).

If there is a video review attached to an already complete review, then that is fine. But I feel that text is better for the previously mentioned reasons (able to browse simply, etc).
 
i like Keelan's videos, (edgedweapon88) he has some great reviews, starts out with specs and all, then goes into macros and using the knife!

Nutnfancy's are good!

Jeff's (cutlerylover) are awesome if you have 45 mins to spend on one knife review haha
 
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