What are knives to you?

Anything over 50 bucks is simply art to me. A knife ain't nothing special mechanically. Not the folders, certainly not the fixed. A wheelbarrow is more complex.

A tool that did change the evolutionary speed of us humans, for that I can appreciate it! History. One of mans most important tools ever invented, right up there with the wheel, important even today.
 
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Tool/waste of money. I used to spend all my money on cars, so I know where/when not to piss away money. I'm trying to maintain control. :D
If you want to maintain purchasing power, buy the shiny metals, not the sharp ones. :lightbulb:
 
Comeuppance said:
For me, they are:

Cutting tools for work.

A savings account of sorts, as I spend all my extra money on knives and then trade/sell up when possible… so I can get more, better knives.

Symbols of fine craftsmanship and mechanical precision to be appreciated and used.

A category of tools that rides the line between functional, entertaining, and artistic - the same knife could be lauded for how perfectly oriented it is towards a given task, while simultaneously being fun to mess with and beautiful to look at.

Man-toys to be played with and drooled over, acknowledging the 12-year-old mall ninja in all of us.
Click to expand...

I'm with you. All of the above.

I first got into knives because I had a job that required frequent use of a knife. I needed a knife that was easy to carry, easy to open and close (ideally one-handed), stayed sharp for a long time, and was durable. I started buying better and better knives and started appreciating the differences in them (and better knives made my job easier). I became interested by how different blade shapes care better suited to different tasks, and that lead to collecting.

I still have to use knives daily at work, but I also enjoy them beyond their practical use. I carry a knife with me as an "EDC" even though the chance I will have to use a knife outside of work or the home is basically nil. I like the gadget and gizmo aspect of a folding knife; the lock, the pivot etc... I like a nicely ground blade, and a nicely designed handle. I love high-end materials and high-end steel even though a cheap knife would probably do everything I need it to do. I love having a knife in something like M4, which is like having a car with a V12 designed for racing even though you only drive it on the street (and within the speed limit).

Some people like fast cars, some people like expensive watches. The cool thing about knives is that you can get a very good high-end mass production knife for $150-$250, and a mid-tech or small-production masterpiece for $300-500. I also like guitars and bicycles, and for the same quality guitar or mountain bike that you get in a Manix or a 710, you are spending well over $1000. The guitar or bicycle equivalent of a Sebenza is going to be one to several grand. And when you are into cars, motorcycles, or watches the price jumps way up. A Tom Mayo folder for $1200 is like a $250,000 Ferrari to me.

The ease and relative low cost of collecting combined with the practical uses makes knives a no-brainer.
 
A tool for opening packages and clamshell retail items, mostly. Occasionally an 'expedient' tool for doing other types of work, as when my EDC was pressed into use cutting PVC plumbing pipe when an emergency plumbing repair needed to be made on a rental property. A 'standby' tool for emergencies that are infrequent or unlikely, such as cutting someone out of a seatbelt in a burning car, or cutting away someones clothing if caught in machinery to prevent further injury. A backup, last ditch self-defense tool. An outdoor tool for hiking, camping and backpacking - food prep, fire starting (kindling and shavings), bushcraft. A tool for whittling and (in my case) TRYING to carve.

A hobby that has resulted in me meeting lots of great people, some regular people and a few jerks here and there. An excuse to hang out on BladeForums and some other knife-related boards. A way to spend money on an enjoyable hobby and get some of that money back, or a hobby that is less expensive than most in that it can be at least partially self-funding once you make your initial investments.

And I'm sure I've left out a good bit...
 
To me, knives are a tether. They connect me to my grandfather, countless generations of humans who have solved problems by using implements, and the physical world.

A thing that is often ignored is associated perspective. When you are a tool conscious person, you remain close to a problem solving mindset. When confronted with a problem, the tool conscious person asks, "what can I do to fix this?" as a part of the tool-selection process. Generally speaking, we try to identify solutions instead of remaining mired in a continual identification of the problem (ie, complaining). A knife serves as a tie to this headspace, because a knife (or flashlight, lighter, pistol, pen, etc) sets us up to repeatedly respond to obstacles by saying, "No problem. I have a solution." Every instance is further reinforcement.
 
They are, at the most basic level, a tool. A tool that is simple and easy to understand. We have come to appreciate them and or obsess over them because they have been refined to such a degree that they have become art. But it is still something so basic and simple that it is easy for us to understand
 
Craftsmanship, handy tool, defense.
It's also more than that to me.
I've had knife with me for over 10 years now.
I've been caring my Sebenza since thanksgiving.
Its part of me now.
 
A symbol of independence.
A piece of craftsmanship to be appreciated.
A useful tool.
Less expensive than other hobbies.
 
A tool, a weapon, a way to occupy my time, something to show off, items to look at, appreciate and most importantly, use!
 
For me, strictly tools.
With my use, very few have that title.
The rest are mostly bling.
 
application of design and decoration to everyday objects to make them aesthetically pleasing

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