The Gentrification of Knives

I own many knives from $700 customs to $10 walmart knives, i treat them all the same and use them for any task i have at hand. It is a tool i have used every day of my life and at one point i decided to make a hobby out of it. i use box cutters some but have found a pocket knife overall does those same tasks much better.
 
unwisefool said:
Oh please, you know full well this was a small run that was a play on the word "desert" it was just supposed to be something fun and different. Don't be a stick in the mud.
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I'm not being a stick in the mud, I'm just saying that I'm not sure what direction modern knife design is headed.

This is after all a thread on the topic of the gentrification of knives. I cant think of a design that makes a switchblade more polite and less threatening than a baby blue blade and pink handle with rainbow sprinkles.

If rainbow sprinkles arent your thing, there's always this:

Screenshot_20200815-131406_Chrome.jpg
 
SubMicron said:
I'm not being a stick in the mud, I'm just saying that I'm not sure what direction modern knife design is headed.

This is after all a thread on the topic of the gentrification of knives. I cant think of a design that makes a switchblade more polite and less threatening than a baby blue blade and pink handle with rainbow sprinkles.

If rainbow sprinkles arent your thing, there's always this:

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Take me through the thinking here. How does the color of a thing invoke such insecurity?
 
Rich S said:
Paul
That's why I've carried a SAK Tinker for the last 30+ years. Before that a Queen barlow. No need for anything fancy (and expensive). My SAK does everything I need.

I do miss the old days when the boys played mumbly peg at recess and no one ever thought anything about it. Now you get expelled if not arrested.:(
Rich
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I think I still probably have scars on my knees from playing mumbly peg in the summer with shorts on.
 
SubMicron said:
. I cant think of a design that makes a switchblade more polite and less threatening than a baby blue blade and pink handle with rainbow sprinkles.
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How threatening a knife looks is not one of the criteria I think about when deciding what to buy.

Also that rainbow color scheme must be somewhat popular, as Kershaw sold a whole bunch of knives like that before.
 
The old worker theory being promoted is demonstrably FALSE.

You only need to look at any (and all) part of human history from the most primitive to advanced in every culture and knives as status symbols, art, ceremonial and ritual ornaments and adornments has been a thing for as long as humans have had knives.

Surprised the OP failed to understand objective historical facts.
 
Houlahound said:
The old worker theory being promoted is demonstrably FALSE.

You only need to look at any (and all) part of human history from the most primitive to advanced in every culture and knives as status symbols, art, ceremonial and ritual ornaments and adornments has been a thing for as long as humans have had knives.

Surprised the OP failed to understand objective historical facts.
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Not false, but it's a mixed truth. You're absolutely right to point out ceremonial and ornamental knives. In fact I own a sgian-dubh for those rare occasions I attend a wedding in a kilt, but you're confusing tradition and ceremony with a hobby for people with disposable cash, and you seem to have missed out on reading around half of the OP.
 
Paul. It seems you don't spend much on your knives based on your profile post, do you invest in good quality tools for carpentry? I've come to look at knives in that vein, I want a good quality tool (function, quality, pride of ownership) and in most cases that means a $50 to $250 price tag, pushing higher for more elite pieces, while knowing there are a few budget gems too. I also for the most part prefer American made and know that comes with a higher price tag which I'm okay with.

My personal limit right now is $250, but I keep eyeballing, CRKs, Hinderers, Spartans and damn him Greg Medford started making things that I like. So that limit is going to have to increase next year. I did notice a couple online retailers have layaway programs...that makes things more manageable / justifiable for me.
 
sabre cat said:
I could. The cheap, plastic sound you get when you close a full size Griptilian drives me nuts. I still carry the knife though.
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I kind of like the thwack sound, but I have found its better if you tighten up all the body screws or even locktite them.
 
JBC6650 said:
Paul. It seems you don't spend much on your knives based on your profile post, do you invest in good quality tools for carpentry? I've come to look at knives in that vein, I want a good quality tool (function, quality, pride of ownership) and in most cases that means a $50 to $250 price tag, pushing higher for more elite pieces, while knowing there are a few budget gems too. I also for the most part prefer American made and know that comes with a higher price tag which I'm okay with.

My personal limit right now is $250, but I keep eyeballing, CRKs, Hinderers, Spartans and damn him Greg Medford started making things that I like. So that limit is going to have to increase next year. I did notice a couple online retailers have layaway programs...that makes things more manageable / justifiable for me.
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I used to, but I lose or break knives a lot, so it makes price prohibitive. I can make shorter work of most super steels than something like 440c, Aus 8 or even 8cr13mov due to the harder steels chipping because of the types of things I do with them - building a wild west town in the desert or smashing out a cannon ball holes in the side of a wooden ship are an average day for me recently. Also you have to take into account maintenance of the blade. I don't have the time or desire to spend five times longer trying to get an edge with a steel that isn't all that easy to sharpen, especially I'm touching an edge up while I'm working. And when I inevitably chip or snap that more expensive blade, I will never find the time to reprofile it, while I can toss a cheaper knife and pull out another without a care. Don't worry about me, I've found my personal sweet spot and that lies within a knife's ability to gouge.
 
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sabre cat said:
I could. The cheap, plastic sound you get when you close a full size Griptilian drives me nuts. I still carry the knife though.
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I've never pulled my knife out to cut something and then be like "damn...I can't cut this now...my knife sounded bad...guess this thing will just have to stay uncut until I can go home and get a knife that sounds good."
 
I am don’t think that chainges in knives world is so dramatic :) All what mentioned in OP is related only to us - quite small group of the knife enthusiasts in world perspective. All other world still treats knives like 50 and even 100 years ago, they bye only knives that they really need with the best price that they can find near the home, because it’s just a knife :) In many areas people still believe that best knife is the knife that was made it by yourself.
 
PaultheCarpenter said:
I used to, but I lose or break knives a lot, so it makes price prohibitive. I can make shorter work of most super steels than something like 440c, Aus 8 or even 8cr13mov due to the harder steels chipping because of the types of things I do with them - building a wild west town in the desert or smashing out a cannon ball holes in the side of a wooden ship are an average day for me recently. Also you have to take into account maintenance of the blade. I don't have the time or desire to spend five times longer trying to get an edge with a steel that isn't all that easy to sharpen, especially I'm touching an edge up while I'm working. And when I inevitably chip or snap that more expensive blade, I will never find the time to reprofile it, while I can toss a cheaper knife and pull out another without a care. Don't worry about me, I've found my personal sweet spot and that lies within a knife's ability to gouge.
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Makes sense now. You might want to try some of Cold Steel line they have a mix of steel still floating around. I really like the Code 4 and Voyager lines.
 
Srtr said:
I've never pulled my knife out to cut something and then be like "damn...I can't cut this now...my knife sounded bad...guess this thing will just have to stay uncut until I can go home and get a knife that sounds good."
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I haven’t either.
 
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