Having only recently been able to start thinking about purchasing knives in this price range, I've already learned a lot in a short period of time, as well as come to some firm decisions that I feel will help me going forward. Without having handled the majority of knives that have been discussed, I don't think I have to in order to know from what contributors have stated that they are very good / excellent knives. What I've been working through is where I stand in regards to what my needs are as a knife user, first and foremost, and balance that against my love for knives across a much broader spectrum.
One thing that snapped me to was reading a post by a member who was recommended five knives that fit into his category for a grail knife. I opened up separate windows for each of the makers, as well as dealer sites to gain a sense of price. Each knife was almost an unquestionably well built custom, and it made me realize that we are now in an era where that is not terribly surprising, given the access to materials and machinery available. Of course there are knives built on lower ends of the scale, but to the point of this thread, there is certainly separation past a point, but after that point it becomes more about personal preference because it is almost to be expected that if you are willing to pay a certain price you will most likely get a pretty great knife.
Having become saturated with information in the last year about knives, I was forced to step back and ask myself what it all ultimately meant to me when I was coming to the purchase of my next knives, knowing that what I could afford offered me a staggering amount of choices. I follow the forums closely, and have been chasing down ground balls that contributors put out there for a while. I now feel like I am a pretty informed purchaser, while not being anywhere near as well informed as the majority of a lot of the folks here. It's exciting as hell as a knife lover, but it has also left me quite middled in many ways. "Buy my first Chris Reeves at the same time Koenig and Curtiss are on the ascent?" "Shell out for one high end custom or get three top production knives and see what all the buzz is about?" My father, who always carried a simple pen knife with him, would probably think I was a fool if I showed up with a Darrel Ralph Dominator, which goes back to the various forum members who come in on the seventh page of a discussion and say, "Just get a Buck 110. It's all you'll ever need," and I find myself not necessarily disagreeing.
So in a time in which a lot of great knives are readily available to me, based on what I can realistically afford to pay for them, it has taken me not a little introspection to say that in addition to what I already own, I should focus on my personal needs at this juncture, be happy with my decisions, and then just chill out for a while despite how so much new information is constantly becoming available and that the choices are practically endless.
To that end, based on my criteria of first usefulness, then American made, I purchased a Winkler Knives F3 Folder as an EDC that I can have with me most always, and then found an older Winkler F1 Folder in the forums that I added for more work related tasks and because I too somehow believe now that two knives are better than one. A maker I have great respect for, and whose knives I believe will serve me well from everything I have (exhaustively) read. Both were in the range that this post is discussing. The Spartan Harsey Folder was about the only other choice that I considered. My enjoyment in reading all of your posts here is great. Thank you all, every day, more than could be known.
