The Term "Grail Knife"

DShiflet said:
Me, I don't have a grail. There's some knives I'd like to have that may be expensive or hard to get, but none that make me willing to make some big sacrifice to get them, either. I'd love to get a Cold Steel Caledonian Edge for example, but I'm not paying $500 for it on Ebay, either.
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I couldn't resist googling that knife due to the unique name.
Looks sweet
 
Cutlover said:
The fact that people have to say this....

Anyways, agreed with the definition, some people take grail knife too loosely. I always internally facepalm when someone gets a Sebenza or similar and declares it as their grail. Just seems lazy, just going along with everyone else. Grails should require effort to find, and even more effort to obtain.
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What does that mean?

We all know you spent, what, 400 bucks? on that CRKT Buy Tighe doohickey, but some folks have families to support and bills to pay (oh to be a teenager again and be able to "pooh pooh/facepalm" someone buying a Sebenza), and that kinda extra money isn't just laying around.

Hence a knife costing that much requires tremendous effort to obtain.
 
Cutlover said:
The fact that people have to say this....

Anyways, agreed with the definition, some people take grail knife too loosely. I always internally facepalm when someone gets a Sebenza or similar and declares it as their grail. Just seems lazy, just going along with everyone else. Grails should require effort to find, and even more effort to obtain.
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Cutlover said:
I only have one expensive knife, but the design and designer struck me as so extraordinary, and the interviews of the designer showed him to be such an awesome person, I had to have it. 3rd knife I had ever bought and already got my grail knife.
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Just curious, the effort you took to obtain your grail involved shopping around for the best price for it online and ordering it, yes? :D

One simple definition if "grail" is

something that you want very much but that is very hard to get or achieve
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http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Holy%20Grail

so there are no "degrees" or "measures" that define what thing is worthy of being called a grail other than that someone wants it badly and finds it difficult to obtain.
 
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I think a grail knife would be one that, if you're honest with yourself, you don't really expect to ever acquire, but you keep looking anyways. There's always that one-in-a-million chance that a little pawn shop in Podunk, Oklahoma will have it sitting there in the case when you stop in on a lark while driving to Houston. Or the estate sale that you decided on a whim to check out on your way home from work. It's not one of those things you can *look* for, it's one of those things that has to find you. So, for me, a TiLT.
 
My current grail knife is the Swiss Army Pioneer Rancher. A $35 knife that I have never seen pop up on the Exchange or websites I trust. The Bay has had a couple examples in used conditions, but I'm looking for a NIB model.
 
It's a grail until you get it, pocket it, use it, and then all the sudden you have another one.
Grail's don't exist, only just damn cool desirable knives.
That's my two cents.
 
I think the word "Grail" is very much over used. For me, a "Grail" is a VERY hard to attain, NOT something that is very easily attainable.
 
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Grail: noun; a thing that is being earnestly pursued or sought after.

I think you can have more than one based on the definition.
 
I can see how someone could have more than one grail knife. Think about it. Let's say you have a fixed blade hunting knife and an EDC folder. Two different knives with two different uses. You could have a grail for each one. If the basic definition of a grail is any item that is being earnestly pursued or sought after, you could have many at the same time.

Maybe some of you guys are looking at this with more of a "holy grail knife" attitude. You know, the last knife you will ever buy. It's blade steel is perfect and it only needs to be sharpened once every five years. Even then it is only a minor touch up. The scales are made out of your favorite material and fit your hand (with or without gloves) like the knife was made just for you by the ancient gods of Greece. Fit and finish are second to none. Every other knife you own will be useless because this knife can be used for everything from peeling an apple to batoning redwood trees. In other words, the perfect knife. I hope you find it.

I would love to find a holy grail knife but have come to terms that there is no such beast. My grail knife would be one that I have zero complaints about. With time, I can find something wrong with every knife I pick up. Love the blade steel but hate the scales. Or, the knife fits my hand but the shape of the blade does not meet my needs. Fit and finish are sub standard. Something.

I used to search for grails and I learned much along the way. For me, first and foremost, knife ergonomics come before anything else. Second, the type of blade steel is less important than a good heat treatment. Third, decent fit and finish are a must. With them come a better chance of a safe knife. Fourth, the concept that you can have one knife for ALL your needs is a false one.

Now, I look at knives differently. I look for deal breakers.Things about the knife that I am not willing to overlook. My wallet is now fatter than it used to be and I enjoy the knives I have much more. I can't help but think that you folks have played a role in that. Thanks.
 
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pathwinder14 said:
For me the term "Grail Knife" refers to the capability of the knife, not it's cost. I'm still looking for the Grail of capability. I'll let you know when I find it.

How do you define "Grail Knife"?
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As with all "Grail" things, it's about the quest, not the object itself.
If you actually get ahold of any knife, it should stop being a "Grail"...since you actually managed to get it. ;)
 
Once you obtain your "Grail knife" and have fondled it for a week or so is it still a grail knife or is your eye looking for the next Grail knife?
Be happy with what you have.
 
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