The Price Threshold

black mamba said:
I won't hand a knife to someone I don't KNOW is a knife person. If I trust them, it doesn't matter how expensive the knife is. If I don't trust them, I just volunteer to do the cutting for them.
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Lol...so true. I'd trust my eight-year-old daughter with a knife more than I would most adults. Though not a knife person herself (yet), she has been around them since birth and understands and respects sharp blades.
 
Bartleby said:
LOL, If it was just a matter of applying logical thought, one would be able to just buy one knife that ideally suits one's needs and carry it forever until it wears out like my dad and grandfathers did. I haven't been able to achieve this level of logical clarity, but I collect knives (my dad used to laugh at me for having "more pocket knives than pockets").
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True. I went for about 25 years of adult life without even carrying a knife on me, other than the blade that came on a Leatherman tool I kept in my briefcase that I only used for the pliers and small screwdrivers. I got into this as a hobby late in life, at a point where I had the time, funds, and state of mind to allow it. (Edit: I no longer have either of those three things.)

If pure practicality and logic were in play, and if I were able to evaluate all options in advance without having to buy anything, I'd have a Case Peanut in my watch pocket and a Victorinox alox Cadet or Pioneer in my main pocket and still have that blade on the Leatherman tool in the laptop bag as backup, and nothing else.
 
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Bartleby said:
LOL, If it was just a matter of applying logical thought, one would be able to just buy one knife that ideally suits one's needs and carry it forever until it wears out like my dad and grandfathers did. I haven't been able to achieve this level of logical clarity, but I collect knives (my dad used to laugh at me for having "more pocket knives than pockets").
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Right. Through all of this, I can hear my great grandpa saying, “Well dang, son, what’s wrong with the knife you already had?”
 
jc57 said:
To add to this - a lot of people aren't used to the concept of sharp knives. They would be careful about touching the edges of a razor blade, but not a pocket knife blade. Or they expect to have to use a lot of force and sawing action to cut something, because they are used to relatively dull edges.

I know how to sharpen and maintain an edge, and if I am carrying a knife, it's sharp. So unless they are comfortable using sharp knives, it can actually be dangerous for them to use one since they only know how to operate dull ones.
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We’ve all encountered the person who, when loaned a knife, upon being warned that it is very sharp, cuts themselves, and then promptly scorns you because “You shouldn’t make it that sharp!” :rolleyes:
 
If one were to go about it logically, a good plan would be to buy 1, 2 and 3-blade folders of small, medium and large size from the Rough Rider line to find out what you like. Then when you find out, sell the RRs and buy a few quality knives to have and to hold, in sickness and in health . . . . :D
 
jc57 said:
If pure practicality and logic were in play, and if I were able to evaluate all options in advance without having to buy anything, I'd have a Case Peanut in my watch pocket and a Victorinox alox Cadet or Pioneer in my main pocket and still have that blade on the Leatherman tool in the laptop bag as backup, and nothing else.
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LOL, for a long time I used to EDC exactly this line-up!
Things changed years ago, when I quit smoking and took up whittling and the Quest for the One True Knife was on!
 
This was my typical daily carry for quite a while:

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The little green Peanut is almost always in my jeans watch pocket no matter what else I have with me. There are times when "tiny and harmless looking" is a plus, and you always have that pointy tip available no matter what the blade shape is on anything else you may be carrying.

Sometimes I just carry the Peanut.
 
I have been struggling with a different form of the price threshold. Resale value. I've been pretty lucky in getting my hands on sought-after SFOs or Northwoods. But then I come to the realization that someone is willing to pay double what I paid. So I sell because then I can "reinvest" that money in more knives. However, over time, that means that I end up with a more mundane set of knives. I could have fewer, more exotic knives, making for an arguably more interesting collection.

So it's not just the initial cost determining whether we use a knife. It's also the opportunity cost of the money you give up if you start using it.

I currently have a mammoth Fremont jack on the way and a preorder for one of the new ancient barlows. Maybe I'll learn my lesson this time.
 
Kiro said:
I have been struggling with a different form of the price threshold. Resale value.
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Good point. I won't buy a knife that I'm not going to use. It's kept me from paying those stupid high prices for collectibles. They might as well go to someone who will keep them safe in the safe. It's also kept me from buying all sorts of shiny things shorter than 3.75" closed. Saves me tons of money and I still have more knives than I can wear out in ten lifetimes ...
 
gaj999 said:
Good point. I won't buy a knife that I'm not going to use. It's kept me from paying those stupid high prices for collectibles. They might as well go to someone who will keep them safe in the safe. It's also kept me from buying all sorts of shiny things shorter than 3.75" closed. Saves me tons of money and I still have more knives than I can wear out in ten lifetimes ...
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I have found at my time of life it is a good idea to avoid the ones that are mostly made for resale value, too many of them are kept safe in safes (often multiple examples) for any real chance at additional rarity in the future. I am not likely to live long enough to collect for a return on investment on newly made knives. If I was in my twenties or even my early thirties it would perhaps be different.
 
OP- I use most of my knives, even the antiques, but I definitely baby some of them. Initial price is not much of a factor to me on whether it will get used. As you said some knives end up as special occasion or "sunday" knives. I almost always have a well used Case or Spyderco in pocket and ready for work.
 
As has been stated a number of times, how easy a knife is replaced is more a factor than the price of a knife. Having multiples helps alleviate some of that concern :D

A secondary concern is how easily a knife could be damaged. I honestly don't do (real) hard use tasks so my knife's greatest threats are misuse or dropping it. Taking care not to misuse it (don't twist the knife while cutting, or use the tip for prying etc) is pretty easy but I've dropped knives before. I dropped my avatar knife on concrete in the basement once. Got a little ding in the bolster (which I like but thats another story) but made it through no problems. I learned to be more careful with it since I'd hate to have that bone crack.

So, if I was to use my pocket knife for my hardest use tasks, (cutting up boxes or some yard work,) I'd be using a something like a GEC Bullnose in micarta or a #73 that can be relatively easily replaced (if not from the market than from my own collection) and survive some light accidents. Either that or a modern folder or fixed blade but the same ease of replacement and survivability are inherent in these options.
 
Ease of replacement has been mentioned several times. Perhaps I'm more sentimental than most, but going by that measure I shouldn't carry any of my favorites as they are all nigh irreplaceable. My first high quality slipjoint, the HJ2? Made by Queen, who is no more. The KHnutbuster I carried on my wedding day? Kerry makes less than a handful of knives each year. Marlow, the marrow bone Charlow? That was a gift from Charlie himself, it's unique. Same goes for the #73 my daughter gifted me for Father's Day. How about my Sunday knife, the pearl serpentine marked "CHRISTIANS?" That was a lucky find, chanced upon one sleepless night. I've never seen another. Then there is my finest slipjoint, made by Hiroaki Ohta. Ohta is still making knives but I haven't seen many that have stag as gorgeous as the one on mine.

I don't know where I'm going with this, but I guess I just don't worry about it as much as some people. As much as it would hurt to lose one, I'd rather enjoy a knife and take that risk than not enjoy it at all.

In other words.

'Tis better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.
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I use every knife I own, but I don't use them all in the same way, nor were they all made with the same use in mind.

I use some knives for everyday as well as outdoor cutting tasks with wood or dirt, or projects that require cutting blister packs, boxes, baggies, etc.

I use some knives only for cutting food.

I use some knives for both of the above tasks.

I keep some knives around for tasks that might damage a knife (prying, scraping in weird places, etc.).

I wouldn't try to do anything particularly damaging with any knife I spent more than $20 on, but for anything else, I just use the knife as it was intended. I have some gentleman folders that aren't meant to whittle or prune, and they don't see that work. I have some GECs that can do most work tasks and cut food if I need to, and I usually use them for one or the other at a time.
 
I use every knife I own but tend to take it easy on knives I didn’t bond with in case I decide to sell them down the road. There are only a handful of those in my collection and exclusively modern folders.

My most expensive Traditional was about a hundred bucks and most were $40-ish. I use them all but tend to use my modern folders more often for harder use. Generally ZT, Spyderco and Cold Steels in the $100-150 range. I would strangely be more likely to beat up a $200 ZT than my $100 Case Buffalo Trapper. :eek:

When I really need a hard use knife, I always go for a fixed blade from ESEE or Buck. Most of mine are in the $50-150 range.

Interesting that many baby their traditionals and use their more expensive modern folders and fixed blades for harder use though....
 
I'm kind of eclectic with my knife carrying. I would have a hard time carrying my $32 Case Curly Maple Peanut, but no problem carrying my $320 CRK Inkosi, or my $115 GEC 15 Harness Jack. I was lucky enough to snag a Northwoods Fremont Jack, and there is no way I will ever be able to bring myself to carry it. And I have numerous more examples....
 
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