Us knife owners especially folding knife owners lie to ourselves

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SBaker34

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Jun 16, 2010
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So I bought the most expensive knife I have ever owned, and the most expensive folding knife Ill probably ever buy until I get the a better job, I bought the knifeworks benchmade 710 limited edition in M390 for $174 my justification for this was well I need a knife that will hold hold up to extensive cutting but still not rust easy if used for EDC food cutting etc and I really wanted a 710 so best of both worlds and I could quit buying expensive knives.


Well though I do NOT regret buying it I can say it won't be my last expensive knife. I know I won't carry it everyday Ill tell myself that I shouldn't be using a limited edition or that its too big, or that I don't want to risk a spot of rust from carrying it in my pocket (supposedly its extremely rust resistant which is why I bought it but Id hate to see a speck on it considering I saved for a month and spent NOTHING) But I know once I get it Ill tell myself that I need a heavier use folder so Ill quit buying anything Until I can get a $130 zero tolerance but ill tell myself Its TOO big so ill buy a smaller Kershaw, next ill tell myself I NEED a water knife so Ill get a VG-10 Endura 4 or a salt, but after that Ill worry ill turn my benchmade into a toothpick sharpening it excessively so Ill get a super hard slicer with more of a blade. Finally Ill get a few AO and autos And from there who knows? Sebenzas, XM-18s? And I haven't even mentioned fixed blades which easily is another $1000 of justifiable buys.

I'm not saying everyone does this some people really do need their $100+ knives and a lot of people just buy them because they want them but does anyone else try to make up excuses for buying knives? Also I apologize for my grammar I am rather tired..
 
Look in most kitchens, cheap knives or expensive, and you'll see paring knives, boning knives, steak knives, chefs knives, carving knives. If you do any amount of work (or play) with knives, you learn that different styles come from specialized tasks.

So many of us like and can afford a variety of knives for a variety of tasks, and if income and other responsibilities allow, we occasionally buy for the bling as well as utility alone.

I am not entirely happy with my current policy but when I see a knife I want now I stop and think about how many other knives I already have that do the same job. This has really cut back on my buying.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
Look in most kitchens, cheap knives or expensive, and you'll see paring knives, boning knives, steak knives, chefs knives, carving knives. If you do any amount of work (or play) with knives, you learn that different styles come from specialized tasks.

So many of us like and can afford a variety of knives for a variety of tasks, and if income and other responsibilities allow, we occasionally buy for the bling as well as utility alone.

I am not entirely happy with my current policy but when I see a knife I want now I stop and think about how many other knives I already have that do the same job. This has really cut back on my buying.
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That should help, If I can convince myself I don't 5 of the same blade shape it might get less pocket book unfriendly.
 
True, that's where it ends up. :) But the answer is to look at the excess and get it organized, cleaned up, and packaged to trade or sell. THAT makes room on the shelf for some new toys.
 
SBaker34 said:
does anyone else try to make up excuses for buying knives?
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It depends on if you're talking about justifying or rationalizing the knife purchase. Justifying is when you have real needs that will be fulfilled by a particular knife, so you decide to buy it. Rationalizing is when you've already decided to buy a knife, and then you come up with rational reasons to support the decision.
Then there are times when you just want a new knife for whatever reason. I bought my newest knife (MCUSTA Katana) because I just wanted a Japanese knife. I bought the Boker Plus Anti-MC because I wanted a ceramic knife. Neither of these knives will probably see much use; I'm just doing my part as a good patriotic consumer. :thumbup:
 
Sbaker,

Ya know, I really came to this thread expecting it to go in a totally different direction, now that I've read it I'm pleasantly surprised with where it went instead and chuckling to myself to boot.:thumbup:

I too have many times purchased a knife because for one reason or another didn't want to use some of my others, only to find that it too was too nice to use.

In fact, I just bought a Benchmade 940 for that exact purpose. Needless to say I'm also on the lookout for something to replace it because it's just too darned pretty in my eyes to get it all scuffed up with daily use.:D

BTW, I just purchased a Benchmade 710-01--I like your choice in knives, friend.

Best,

Heekma
 
Hell naw, I don't lie to myself. When I want to buy a new knife, it's a 100% pure issue of 'want'. 90% of the tasks I use a knife for can be accomplished with a little bit of imagination, a box cutter, and a pair of nail clippers, so I'll never even try to convince myself that I 'need' that new ZT - it's just not so.
 
Mark me down as one who seldom buys a knife because of the design for a specific function or purpose even if I do agree that's a valid purpose for so many designs and styles to choose from. I have had many different blade steels and blade profiles but those weren't why I bought the knife. As Dorito Monk said right above this post, I buy a knife because of want more than I need for sure. I might have to make an exception for my yellow Pacific Salt though . . .
 
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I haven't bought a knife for myself that I haven't kept. I have plenty but I always want one more. In addition to the cool knives that I purchase and carry I also usually carry a junker for when someone asks me to borrow a knife, that way my good knife doesn't get abused. I have always bought knives for my kids, so that they could learn to appreicate them, and they did. I have made it a point to give knives as gifts for the important people in my life, now my adult children, and their spouses. I have even gotten into the habit of buying knives for my future grandchildren. So, I get my knife buying fix doing just that. Works for me. Passing on a legacy of the outdoors and fine tools.
 
I buy alot of knives but usually ones with good resale value. I end up keeping a few lesser knives for reasons like utility or they fit well. I don't like having knives I don't use and then try to trade them in multiples to get some of the best knives available.

When you step up to that range between Benchmades and customs you find out what all these people are raving about and find knives that give you no reason to really part with them unless of course you find something so pretty that you must have it.

I hope this made some kind of sense.

That being said, your M390 710 is a very nice knife and good investment. Seems like a bargain to me.
 
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I only buy knives with use in mind.good thing that I have a lot of uses:D
EDC,outdoor,military,food prep,sd,dress up knife,beater,travel....................
Still looking for the 1 to fit ALL uses.
 
I consciously try to get diffrent styles of knife, so I can justify it (also so I can find a "perfect" knife). Problem is once I see a formula I like I tend to stick to it, which is why I may be sacrificing an Enzo folder for a Para.
 
I don't pre think my purchases so much anymore,as I have so many knives which will accomplish the same tasks.Now,it's usually something that I stumble across that I just have to have.:rolleyes:;)
 
My methods are similar to Esav's. I try to limit myself to one knife per function, and after trying new knives something will eventually end up in the exchange forum for sale or trade.

With the exchange forum, there is little need for justification.

I figure, I am only losing money from depreciation and shipping. It is a small price to pay considering how many knives I get to sample. Its like being in a knife club with a monthly charge, and I get to pick out different knives all the time.:D:thumbup:

The loss from resale is even less (and sometimes neutral) if I am buying used knives or trading.
 
My theory is that I will not know what knife I want to keep until I've tried them out for myself...then I would sell (theoretically) the ones that don't make the list.

Couple that with the EDC "rotation" concept and I need not have anymore excuses to buy a knife.
 
SBaker34 said:
I'm not saying everyone does this some people really do need their $100+ knives and a lot of people just buy them because they want them but does anyone else try to make up excuses for buying knives?
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I buy them because I like them. I need three or four, total, for just about everything I need to do, beyond that, it's because I like them, pure and simple.
 
Dorito Monk said:
Hell naw, I don't lie to myself. When I want to buy a new knife, it's a 100% pure issue of 'want'. 90% of the tasks I use a knife for can be accomplished with a little bit of imagination, a box cutter, and a pair of nail clippers, so I'll never even try to convince myself that I 'need' that new ZT - it's just not so.
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Well, there are a few that I really needed. First one: ZT 0300, very important confidence builder for potentially difficult situations. Hope I never need to use it for other than mundane tasks. Ditto for the Strider SnG. Same reason as with the ZT 0300.

Then there's a Ripple 2, with modified blade, to be Chicago (and elsewhere) legal. Definitely need something in the pocket that won't get me in trouble in places like the Windy City.

I suppose those are the three that I really needed. All the rest are just nice to have.
 
For the first while (and even now to a certain extent) my purchasing habits have been based on always getting something that is unlike anything I already have.
Once you're sure of what you like it's easy to decide what qualifies as a worthwhile purchase.

Case in point, I like the design of the Umnumzaan, but it's still too similar to many of the folders I already have.
The Case Large Texas Toothpick on the other hand, being a sizable slipjoint with natural handle scales, is unlike anything I currently have. Ordering one of those is an easy choice.
 
what you need to is do what i did and the THE ONE knife youve been wanting. i got my small sebby a couple months ago, and i havent bought anything new since because i know there isnt another knife i'd like more. about the only knives i could see myself liking more are wayy to expensie for my income.
 
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