Using expensive knives

Tony8179 said:
I don't have a problem carrying my expensive knives, but I don't carry the ones that I know I can't replace or ones that will cost me an arm and a leg to replace. I have a couple of Brend ground Microtechs that I just won't use because the grinds and finish are just too pretty. I have plenty of other knives to carry. I don't need to carry and use those hard to replace ones.
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I traded a Brend Nemi for less than I could have sold it for. I got rid of it because I couldn't bring myself to use it. Same with a bead blast plainedge 97 D/A Socom tanto. They were both dream knives after being on the forums for 6 months. After 9 years I finally had them but it became almost a burden to own them.

The most expensive knife I own so far is a Burn stiletto @ $900 and I do carry and use it at home. I broke the law last year when I carved steak on my wife's birthday at a popular restaurant here in CA. My stiletto has been dropped on concrete and I think it looks better for the nicks on the bolsters and the patina on the carbon steel lockbar and spacer.
 
I use my Obenauf custom, CRK umnumzaan, BM630BK-502 LE, and a Bradley Mayhem. None of which cost me or are worth under $225 dollars
 
I've had a large reg. Sebenza nearly 8 years now, and have carried and used it off and on over the years. I started out carrying it a lot, but kinda worried about using it. When I realized the edge needed reprofiling, I went right to it, and because of that, I lost the fear of using it. Reprofiling that edge truly made it "mine." The handle scales are pretty scratchup up, too, which I like. If I were to carry it where I felt I might possibly lose it (boat, hiking, or wherever), I'd simple attach it to my belt loop with a lanyard.

Truth be told, we can't take out knives with us when our time comes. Might as well enjoy the best while we can while we have it. You'll feel better about the knife when you bond with it through using it.
Jim
 
About that bond...

Every interaction with a custom maker has established a bond for life.
 
first expensive knife i bought was a first production benchmade 940. carried and used almost daily for years now. best 180ish i've ever spent. i have a couple other benchmades that only see use at weddings and funerals. (sometimes i think about selling them)

i've got a small lee fergeson that i carry occasionally to church or grandma's house, and a couple steve voorhis that go with me sometimes. i don't have a knife that hasn't gone somewhere and seen at least a little use.

you'll start to realize the value of the knives as you use them. they'll pay for themselves in enjoyment. if they don't, sell 'em and get something you'll use. or collect them and turn a profit in a few years.
 
I understand where you're coming from & I think it gets easier after time. For one, as you get more & more into knives (Or any hobby for that matter), you can at least articulate in your mind the reasons for spending what you do for it better.

I also think it depends on the collection, too. As Tony said, you might not want to use that irreplacable knife.

For me, I couldn't bring myself to carry/use the 1st 2 Sebs that I got a few yrs ago. Finally, after trading into a 3rd one, I bit the bullet, used it, & haven't looked back since.

I have a few custom slip-joints currently that are part of my weekly rotation & I used to carry an older custom Elishewitz on a regular basis. It gets easier over time.
 
If I buy expensive knife and I cannot use it, I'll sell it. Only safe queens I have are spare knives of my most carried and liked knife: Vic Soldier Alox. I got two spare and one in carry. If I am lucky enough, I have one spare Queen dan Burke Barlow and one in carry. I love it... but real safe queens... I doubt. I got rid of my safe queen by giving it away :D
 
I guess it only matters if you plan on selling it. If you plan on keeping it for the rest of your life then you should have no problems using it since that is the tools objective in life.

This is how I look at using expensive knives, at least.
 
Try to apply this concept to something beyond knives. Would Jay Leno think of selling any of his Shelby Pony cars? Hell no, unless in dire need.
 
James Y said:
Truth be told, we can't take our knives with us when our time comes. Might as well enjoy the best while we can while we have it.
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I'm being buried with a folder clipped in my RFP. I've already told my family that I'll only need one good folder in the afterlife. For realsies. :D

Right now I'm thinking maybe my modded Gen. 1 XM-18.
 
This is why I like to find used knives. With used ones I feel free to use, abuse, regrind, sharpen, etc. them without the guilt.
 
i'm new to the knife thing, so $150 was alot to drop on my 940. but i've been beating the living he!! out of it, and to be honest, i couldn't be happier. the first scratch really bothered me. i showed it to my buddy and he dropped it on the pavement. after that, i didn't care. i hack up card board, drop it, do all kinds of things to it and its holding up beautifully.

they're not scratches, they're beauty marks. its a knife, its meant to be used. if ya bought it to be a safe queen, then do it. if not, use it and enjoy it. other wise get an xm-18 and you'll have the best of both worlds. high end knife that'll never know the difference of being beaten on
 
Some things really do look better when they are broken in. A knife is one of those things. I try to heavily use my more expensive knives, just so they get some wear and tear on them. If I think I'm going to be doing something that would be considered "abuse", I'll put a less expensive, more rugged knife in my pocket that day.

Recently I've been trying to carry one knife for a whole week at a time, and just use it for any job I need it for, no matter what (as long as I'm not in danger of breaking it). It's been a pretty fun few weeks using my "nicer" knives in rougher situations.
 
I saw this car-show on TV where this seriously rich dude had like 5 or 10 super-rare, fancy and old, limited edition sports cars for millions of dollars. The special thing about it was that he drove them as regular cars and the host of the show was just baffled that he did. I share the mentality of the owner, which is that you should be able to enjoy the things that you love and own. Mostly, the people who care and think it's a shame are the ones that can't afford them. Crashing a Ferrari is somehow like stepping on peoples dreams. If you crash a Volvo nobody even thinks twice about it. Crash a Ferrari or whatever and people feel that you should be embarrassed that you did. At least they heckle the ones that do.

My dad has a really cool car and he used to let the dogs sit on the leather seats (until they passed); which, advertently led to them being scratched up. All my friends were like: OMG, how the hell can he let the dogs sit there n' stuff... what an idiot or whatever; but, my dad was just like: hey man, it's my car and I like my dogs more than the leather. Whenever he gets a little nick in the paintwork, I'm like: you should get that fixed. He always says to me: there will be more, just wait and see. His point is that he already has the cool car and he just wants to enjoy it, not be owned by it. So what if it doesn't look like a showroom car — it's still what it is and he gets to use it to it's fullest without having to be afraid to use it. Pretty sound that is, to me.

To each his own. Some wanna collect, some wanna use. I like to use my stuff, but obviously I wouldn't go out and use General Custards saber to baton some wood, had I owned it.

Once you own things that are too valuable for you to use them, they kind of lose there value, in my opinion.
 
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The joy of knives (for me) is use, sharpening and occasionally abuse.

Price tag may mean that I limit myself to use and sharpening, but if I had enough money, I'd surely use an art knife simply to spite the "art".
 
clockman said:
I use my expensive knives. If I didn't plan on using them I wouldn't have

bought them. They're a tool meant to be used not fondled and looked at.
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I find that statement an arrogant attempt at a put down of knife collectors but which only displays bigotry and ignorance! Knives are not just tools - they can also be enjoyed for their artistry, their precision of manufacture, brilliance of design and execution ............ You have totally ignored the fact that many people collect knives simply because that is their area of interest

What you say makes as much sense as saying than coin collectors should use their mint coins at the grocery store, or that stamp collectors should stick them on envelopes and post them off rather than just looked at. If you only buy knives that you intend to use that's fine - but don't bag out on people who have a different take on what they choose to do with their money
 
antonio_luiz, you're forgetting that the thread starter wanted to use his knives, not collect them. Now he's conflicted about whether or not to use his expensive knives. That's what this thread is about. It's not about what one should do with a knife, i.e. collect or use it.

The guy you're quoting and getting upset at is merely stating his OWN opinion and his OWN reasons for purchasing his OWN knives. He has the same outset as the thread starter. He's just saying that he uses HIS expensive knives and that he doesn't feel like they should only be fondled and looked at.
 
I read a quote that says "life is not rehearsal" and have lived my life,from that time in thinking about living.
Use the "knife" as a item that was made as a tool to be used,not as something to "admire"
Just my opinion.
 
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