The overall process of my knife adventure.

BladeChick777

BladeChick777

Joined
Jun 20, 2011
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Okay, so I thought I would share where I'm at in this knife addiction. Where I started and where it's lead me.

Like many of you I started with cheap knives and moved myself up. Then I would have several higher end knives, switch back to the basics, then work myself up again.

Well the last time I did this, I worked myself up and I stayed up. I got myself a Sebenza and was like "Wow this is the epitome of quality". I continued going on and really only messing with very high quality knives. While I was still into full production but mostly into mid-techs I only looked at very high quality full production knives.

After a while, I started to move on down a little and check out some high quality but not high end knives. I was like "Wow, I remember when this would have been "it" for me", so I started carrying some of my lesser end knives and starting a small group of them to carry along with higher quality knives.

Well at one point I had to let go of my Strider SnG in Z-Wear but still had my CRK Large Sebenza 21 and Galyean Pro Series Small JYD. I continued carrying the Sebenza with a Spyderco Urban most days. After, well about a week, I really missed my Strider but had no way of getting it back other than to let my beloved Sebenza go. I pondered and though and finally did it. I let the Sebenza go for the Strider.
I was super happy to have my Strider back but I will only carry a modern pocket knife with a clip. When doing this with the Strider it would be difficult to get into my pocket and near impossible to get out because of the deep lock bar cut out. It would get stuck on my pocket. After a few days of having these difficulties, I decided the Strider had to go.
I agreed to a trade on the Strider(and my Spyderco Manix 2) for two long time grails(BM 750 Pinnacle and a Kershaw Groove) along with a Spyderco Military I had been wanting to try.
I had also agreed to a trade for a Strider PT CC with a custom scale for my JYD and a ZT, but it fell through.

Fast forward: I got the Pinnacle and Groove along with the Military. Fell instantly in love with the Pinnacle and loved it more than I ever did my Sebenza. Yes, that's right, MORE than I loved my Sebenza. :eek:
I also fell in love with the Groove and wondered why I had waited so long to get one, especially after they were discontinued and scarce.
The Military was a great knife, but just a little large for me.

Well, I still had my JYD and ZT but just wasn't carrying them, so they had to go as well. I was going to trade for other knives but decided that I needed some cash/trade in value and took a bunch of my knives into the local shop. I sold/traded them off there and was able to have some cash and pick up a few odds and ends.

Fast forward again....
I own nothing worth over $200 and I'm extremely happy with that. I love and enjoy my Pinnacle more than my Sebenza and Strider. My Mini Ritter Grip in Yellow is loved as much as my Sebenza was, my Spyderco Chokwe is still a huge favorite of mine, and I found love for a Spyderco Cricket. I carry/use/love these knives just as much and they cost significantly less than the others I had. Are they better than what I had? No, the tolerances aren't as tight as on the Sebenza, but the overall quality is outstanding and I enjoy them.

I have decided that I'm happy where I'm at with my knives and I don't need $350 - $450 knives to be happy with where I'm at as far as my knife accumulation goes. I will likely pick up a Sebenza again down the road because they are great knives and it's the only knife I miss even the slightest bit. But, I don't need it to be happy or feel like I have the "Perfect" Knife for me. As far as I'm concerned, my Pinnacle is the perfect knife for me, even more so after I've had the blade modded to suit me.
My mini Ritter is a close second.

So I moved up, down, up, down, up, and kind of back down a little, and it took me all of this to figure out what I'm truly fine and happy with.
I feel like I've gone full circle in my knife experience and settled down finally, being happy with quality, but not needing to go over the top. =]

Anyone else have this kind of experience?
 
I'm still headed up my first "slope". And I don't think I'll ever decide to downgrade. Right now I have a couple of $200 knives and all the way down to $10 knives. The $200 knives get fondled, but not carried unless I'm sure I will like them and keep them. If I don't like them I'll try to trade them in LNIB condition (like my HEST 2.0). I wouldn't mind finding a $200+ knife that I like enough to carry regularly, but with limited funds to try out a bunch of $200+ knives I don't think It'll happen anytime soon. It's also been hard to get the BM710, Endura zdp, or one of my Manix 2's out of my pocket.

I guess I'll find out when I finally get a higher end knife. I'm sure I will still carry and use lower end knives, but I doubt I would go back 100% to lower end knives.
 
Interesting story! At the moment I'm using knives in the $100 - $250 dollar range, and to be quite honest, there are very few knives out there past that price point that make me want to use them. Even the Sebenza!

I got to fondle one in a local shop, and while the fit, finish and tolerances are spot on, it just wasn't something I was terribly interested in. The 2001 Microtech Amphibian they have right next to it however, is just plain awesome to me. Just too pricey for me to justify at the moment.

Back on topic, I've actually been looking at knives closer to that $300 mark, but there just aren't many that I feel I need to own, with a few exceptions; like most of William Henry knives that I see on the website. I would LOVE to own them, but I just can't pay such a hefty price tag. Most knives I have on my 'list' are Spyderco knives anyway, like the Vallotton, Phoenix or Kris... right in the $200 - $300 price range if I shop around. My point is that my price range really hasn't taken a leap since the last one.
 
Thanks for sharing your views guys.
Like I said, I love the Sebenza, I truly do. But I've moved on and found I really don't need it for my uses.
Especially when I have a knife I prefer that is much less.
My Pinnacle is right at the $200 mark and I'm fine with it.

Simioh - You'll find one eventually. And I guess I didn't take a HUGE jump down, but it's big enough for me. I carried the Sebenza nearly every day for about a year. Great EDC. But I'm fine with what I have.

Willard - I have a few Spyderco's on my list too lol. For fit/finish and quality with materials for the price, they can't be beat in my opinion. William Henry does make some amazing knives.
 
I'm particularly impressed with the Vallotton's fit and finish. Pictures don't do it justice. So much so that I'm considering buying one soon, lol.

Is the Pinnacle like that as well? Which Spyderco's are you looking for?
 
The Pinnacle is amazing in person.
Just overall a beautiful and great knife.
The only issue with mine is that it's off center, but it doesn't rub and it's solid, so I'm happy with it.
I got the blade modded from a combo edge to a nice recurve. Most people shudder at doing that to a discontinued and rare knife. I smile and use the heck out of it lol.

I really want:
Spyderco Tuff
Maybe a Southard
Spyderco Techno
Spyderco Sage 2
Spyderco Lionspy
Spyderco Chaparral Ti
Spyderco Gayle Bradley

And wouldn't mind having a newer Starmate.
 
I work in and around NYC and am struggling with the whole bigger knife vs knife I won't get in trouble having in my bag should a cop without knowledge of knife laws hassle me. I would hate to have any knife taken yet alone a pricey one. In normal use I have been using a mini grip that I traded for more than anything. I so far have discovered all the cool cheapie knives. Many of them cut very well, i.e. Kershaw Chill, CRKT Drifter, San Ren Mu something or another. None cut as good as the mini grip though. I have another one that is in my car kit that has never been used too. So I have pondered where that value line lies. What is the level where returns become diminishing.

I have been eyeballing titanium framelock type blades and ti blades in general as a next acquisition. Cryo, Alias 2, Sage 2, Techno, Leafstorm, Anso 67 etc...etc... I hope that I can come to a normal-ness with my decision making process. I think I'm settling in on smaller to mid size knives. Probably need to get over that high end hump as well. There are so many cool knives out there that it makes my head spin sometimes.
 
The Cryo isn't a ti frame lock, it's a ti-coated knife, but it's stainless steel.
Alias 2, Sage 2, and Techno are all awesome knives.

It really depends on what I feel like carrying that day, so I have a bit of a mix in sized. The mini grip is a great all around EDC though. My mini Ritter is definitely a keeper.
 
Wow I am really impressed and I congratulate you for realizing your balance. Many people spend thousands of dollars and years of dissatisfaction with the knives they have before they realize exactly what they expected out of this hobby. It is a curious thing that we as knife collectors and users can get so caught up with our hobby and passion that it can actually be a point of stress for us. I know a lot of this must be hard for you as well, I believe that I read in a previous post of yours of your love for titanium knives, I too love them and I still crave them :D
I will confess I am guilty of possibly loving my knives too much and babying them more so then I should, such as my hinderer which I do carry daily but almost never use because I like to keep it pristine condition.
 
I'm fortunate in that there are a number of guys from the Australian Blade Forums that live local to me, and we have been able to check out each other's collections. This way I have been able to handle things like Sebenzas, Hinderer XM-18s and XM-24s and realise that they are not for me, either because of pricing or just general fit and feel. I've done the same thing, selling up and down, either because i just didn't love the knife, or I needed the cash. Regretful sales have included my Para2, Millie and Pacific Salt, and I have been fortunate to be able to get new models of all three recently.

Our carry laws are very restrictive, so while my favourite knives are my Para2 and Military, ZT 550 and 560, my EDC is actually a Spyderco Byrd Meadowlark 2, and I'm extremely happy with that.
 
I am somewhere between $100 and $350. I've been to the top...had two Hinderers, XM-18's, but sold them right away. Had a horrendous love affair with PM2's; had lots of Striders and Sebbies. I'm "coming down" in blade size a bit, carrying mid-techs around 3" blade. The vast majority of my folders have gone to pay bills...knife-bills. But, gosh, it was fun.
 
I don't baby my knives. Even the expensive ones.
My friend whom now has my Sebenza should know that by looking at the Seb. Lol.
It wasn't beat up, but it was definitely used.

I crave Ti frame locks too... like constantly lol. But I'm pretty good at holding back on that.
Though, once I get a job and get money coming in... I know I'll start buying a few lol.

Spyderco's Byrd knives are extremely well made and I EDC'd a Byrd Cara Cara FRN for a while.
 
Sonny, it is fun, but it feels good to finally figure out what you like and what you're happy with, doesn't it?

I'm not done with knives by far, but I now know what will make me happy as a knife lover and that I don't need to go over the top with the whole thing to be happy.
There is a Snody Titanium Elite calling my name though....
Oh gosh, here we go again lol.
 
Thanks for the interesting bit of blade history. I used to collect and starting feeling a little stuck. I sold most of my higher end knives but not all. I do enjoy carrying and using my knives and have grown to appreciate them a lot more.
 
Archie - Oh, I plan to get another Sebenza in the future when funds allow for it, but as far as having a whole bunch of $350+ knives, I just don't need them, not when I enjoy other(cheaper) knives as much and find them ideal for my uses.

Mossy - You're welcome. I can understand feeling stuck. Often, when I'm feeling stuck, I think about letting them all go, and then I take it back, lol. I use my higher end knives, no matter how much they cost, but just kind of slowly let them go and went for other things.

I still love Sebenzas and other mid-techs, but have for now, decided to go in a different direction. And for the first time since I started with knives, I feel satisfied.

I still look at and consider higher end knives. Like I said, I'll likely have a Sebenza again down the road, and a Snody Titanium Elite FF.
But I'm not going to go over the top and start going nuts over mid-techs/customs. I'm going to have a couple and still use and love my current knives as well.
They're not truly necessary for me though, and I'm content, though I know inevitably I will end up with a couple of higher end mid-techs/customs.
It's kind of a roller coaster, but I'm happy and I'm just gonna go with it and stop freaking out about my knives being a certain brand or price, etc.
 
I know I just threw the Cryo as one of the cheapie knives that I havn't picked up yet but want. Some reviewers say the knife sucks and is slippery etc...etc... some people love it. I would like to see for myself. I have a couple of other cheapie knives that I would like to get my hands on as well like a Skyline.

BladeChick777 said:
The Cryo isn't a ti frame lock, it's a ti-coated knife, but it's stainless steel.
Alias 2, Sage 2, and Techno are all awesome knives.

It really depends on what I feel like carrying that day, so I have a bit of a mix in sized. The mini grip is a great all around EDC though. My mini Ritter is definitely a keeper.
Click to expand...
 
I always like hearing about other peoples knives story I just started getting into knives when I joined this forum really so it hasnt been a year yet Im only 21 so I have a long way to go but Ive already been to blade met several knife makers that I highly admired bought a strider have a hinderer and Ive already bought custom knives which are just what my stepping stones have been basically...its crazy that in such short time that currently Im at the point where Im trying to get that "1" knife

you actually helped me buy my first couple knives now Im giving advice to others
 
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I've been on the same track for a lot of years. I've wandered through a lot of knife "fields and forests" trying whatever looked interesting. I don't really think of it as up and down because I don't value knives by their cost. I think of it as sampling as much as possible while discovering my own tastes and refining my criteria for what I want in a knife.

I've been doing this since I was 5 when I started by learning about my dad's WW 2 stuff. That was 59 years ago. In those years I've had most production brands, higher end midtechs (I guess we're calling them now?), and some custom folders and fixed blades. Currently, I rotate my carry between an Emerson, several Benchmades, and a couple of Spydercos. Where I'm going and what I'll be doing makes the call for which one I carry. Nothing I carry reaches $200 in street price now. But they serve me well and I trust them. I've learned that I care more about the knives' performance and my confidence in them than about their cost or reputation.
 
I know how you feel. I have been wanting a carbon fiber sebenza, but then I see a 100-150 dollar benchmade or spyderco that I want and my savings go bye bye. I I want the sebenza but I think the high price would give me buyers remorse and I would never use it. There are no knife shops in my area so every buy is blind so to say. I get buyers remorse alot.
 
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