What do you tell a newbie about knives?

P

piecesmaker

Joined
Nov 26, 2013
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This is my first post. Hello and thanks for having me. I'm taking my first steps in knives. I'm into other things (i.e. guns and watches) that give me some transferable skills in accessing details, fit and finish, etc. I found Skelton's YouTube channel branched out to some of the names he mentions and have watched lots of videos. :eek: Blah, blah, blah.

I just took possession of two rainbow Leeks which I'm enjoying. I may have as many as 3 more knives inbound. From the couple I own and what I'm seeing/hearing in videos, it's clear to me that I have a real interest in knives. I'm wondering what talking points you usually mention when talking to a newbie about knives? Thanks much!
 
The best advice I can give you is to ignore everything you see on Youtube. All you get there are personal opinions that may or may not be biased, and the info given there as fact is most likely wrong. Find a brick and mortar knife store and go handle the knives you are interested in. Good luck with your new hobby.
 
Collecting knives is like investing. I buy them whenever I have excess cash, and if I need to do something else, like remodel a bedroom or buy a car, I sell a few to cover it.
 
Welcome to the forum. If you are asking what to look for in a good quality knife then you've come to the right place. The inmates here can discuss that all day long.

First tell us what you plan to use your knives for? Are you just collecting for the fun of it (many do this) or do you have specific uses in mind? Are those uses strictly urban or will you often be wandering far afield? Do your needs include defending yourself against a horde of zombies or against those evil packing crates? More importantly, how deep are your pockets?
 
Welcome, pm. My two cents worth of advice to someone making their first post here would probably begin with the admonition that, if you plan on using your knives, then you should probably be spending at least as much of your time and money developing a good sharpening capability as you're spending on growing an inventory of knives. Lots of good resources here to help you in that regard as well.
 
First tell us what you plan to use your knives for? Are you just collecting for the fun of it (many do this) or do you have specific uses in mind? Are those uses strictly urban or will you often be wandering far afield? Do your needs include defending yourself against a horde of zombies or against those evil packing crates? More importantly, how deep are your pockets?
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Yep, that makes a ton of sense. It probably should have been clear to me that I gave no guidepost.

Truth is, I hardly ever use a knife. (Although I'm going to be looking for things to do with them as soon as I get a couple that I like carrying.) :) I see myself getting what I like (always) and playing with them a little while appreciating them. I suspect that I'll have some users, but most will be probably see gentle action.

My budge isn't razor thin, but I don't have a money tree either. At this stage in the game, it feels about right to spend a few hundred on something decent. As I learn more, that threshold can certainly grow.
 
piecesmaker said:
Yep, that makes a ton of sense. It probably should have been clear to me that I gave no guidepost.

Truth is, I hardly ever use a knife. (Although I'm going to be looking for things to do with them as soon as I get a couple that I like carrying.) :) I see myself getting what I like (always) and playing with them a little while appreciating them. I suspect that I'll have some users, but most will be probably see gentle action.

My budge isn't razor thin, but I don't have a money tree either. At this stage in the game, it feels about right to spend a few hundred on something decent. As I learn more, that threshold can certainly grow.
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A couple more of the immutable laws of the cutlery world:

1) The more often you have a knife with you, the more uses you'll find for it.

2) The better you are at sharpening that knife, the more willing you'll be to use it for those purposes.
 
Bronco said:
A couple more of the immutable laws of the cutlery world:

1) The more often you have a knife with you, the more uses you'll find for it.

2) The better you are at sharpening that knife, the more willing you'll be to use it for those purposes.
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This is about as clear as it gets.

Also, ignore the guy that said don't listen to YouTube videos; most people here watch YouTube videos I would presume. Understand how to distinguish between objectivity and subjectivity (I'm almost entirely objective when it comes to knives - they are all similar interpretations of the same basic simple machines, and since I am involved in branding I feel like I'm immune to it. Most people that are enthusiastic about products develop subjective points of view based on limited experiences and branding/ peer pressure. You will notice many people here display their subjective bias in their signature, and will be pretty straightforward about preferring certain knives because of a brand). The same is true for YouTube; some people are more objective, others aren't. Generalizations (like don't watch YouTube) are almost exclusively subjective, and also very limiting. Finding a real store with a large inventory is good advice though; otherwise you could spend thousands and still never handle the knife that you would most prefer.
 
Here's a few things I've learned:

1) If you are going to play with knives then make the effort to LEARN BASIC KNIFE SAFETY! Don't be an idiot and think you know it all.
2) Despite #1 if you play with knives you WILL eventually get bit. Period.
3) Most of the modern premium steels used today are excellent. Read and learn about the various steels and decide what is important to you (i.e. edge retention, corrosion resistance, ease of sharpening, etc). You don't need a college course in metallurgy. There's plenty of good info available for the layman.
4) For serious collectors there's no such thing as "the last knife I'll ever need".
5) Losing (or breaking) a $500 knife hurts more than losing a $50 knife. No really, it does.
6) If you play with knives you WILL get bit.
7) Too many knife enthusiasts are steel snobs. Don't get caught up in the game of "my steel is better than your steel". They all cut.
8) In most cases you get what you pay for with the majority of "production knives" on the market today. CTS-XHP is going to cost more than 440A, simple as that. Again, learn your steels (and handle materials) and know what you are buying. Those knives at your local gun show that sell for "2 for $5" and say "Made in China" are (almost) worth exactly that.
9) Pricing in the custom knife market is a whole new ballgame. Again, be very educated before you drop big money on any knife and know what you are paying for. Most of the time the premium you are paying is for nothing more than the name on the knife. Only you can decide if that's worth it to you. In many cases that $500 custom knife is no better than a $150 production knife.
10) Every so often take a refresher in knife safety. We all forget.
11) If you play with knives you WILL get bit.
12) When choosing a knife the most important factor is, do you like it? If so then it's all good no matter what anyone says.
 
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If there's a knife you HAVE to buy right now, wait two or three weeks and if you still want it then buy it.
 
Welcome to BF.

There are fancy schmancy knives made of exotic materials, and there are modest, workmanlike knives that have stood the test of time. You may become enamored of the former, but know that at the end of the day, both will get the job done.

Take with a grain of salt advice from "hard use" types that will use a folding knife as a prybar, hammer, chisel, shovel, etc. They'll have you believing that most knives are trash and you can't do without an overbuilt tank that weighs a ton and costs a fortune.

Most knives will serve you well if you treat them with respect. Have fun figuring out what you like.
 
knives follow the law of diminishing returns. let me give a quick example. Five dollar dime store knife. The blade won't hold an edge (might not even be able to get sharp) the blade wobbles and the lock might not be something you want to trust. Pay fifty dollars for a decent buck or Kershaw (10X the price) and you can get a decent knife that cuts, holds a decent edge, and is reliable. The 50 dollar blade is easily five or ten times as good as the 5 dollar blade.

Go to 150 dollars and get a spyderco or benchmade. This time it's a 3X price increase. You will be hard pressed to see even a doubling of quality much less tripling it. The higher end steel will probably hold an edge longer but probably not 3X as long. You might have upgraded scales like titanium, but they do the same job as the $50 FRN scales. The finish is a little better, the tolerances a little closer, but it is still just a knife, it cuts things...and when sharp it doesn't work remarkably better, only slightly better or more accurately it will work LONGER before needing to be sharpened.

Finally you step up to something like a Sebenza for what $400-500 dollars. Unless you have an eye for detail you will be hard pressed to see a difference from the $150 dollar level. They are there, grinds more even, fully finished edges, uber tight machining tolerances, and so forth. Still for roughly 3X the price it won't cut any better than the $150 dollar knife. (My opinion is it might cut worse as I'm not a fan of Chris Reeve's heat treat or steel choice...Yes, I owned a couple sebenzas and carried them for seven years daily.)

Finally as advice:
#1 learn to sharpen. (Spyderco Sharpmaker is a good learning sharpener. It can be the only sharpener you need.)

#2 Buy different types of knives to find what you like and works for you. When I started out I liked thick bladed cool (IE tough) looking knives. The truth is, I cut a lot of cardboard and those thick bladed wonders suck when compared to a thin bladed knife. Try to cut an apple with a paring knife and then do the same thing with a survival knife and you'll understand. Thumbstuds, holes, or nail nicks like grandpa carried? I like titanium scales but some people like wood or staghorn. Don't be afraid to buy used and sell/trade.

#3 carry and use your knives...even if it is only to open the mail. (Learn to cook, lotsa knife use opportunity there.)

#4 finally, at some point, they will bite you.

Grizz
 
There's a whole other faction, that's interested in traditional, and slipjoint folders, that are a very nostalgic crowd. Don't mean that in a bad, but good way, I mostly carry traditional pocketknives. Still, you don't have to bash or pick sides, it's a hobby of leisure, you can enjoy them all. I own everything from GEC, to Busse. Diversification is great. I really appreciate cutlery so as long as it's quality.
 
Keep your knives in good shape, buy something you know has resale value, and buy/sell until something speaks to you. For casual use just wanting a statement of a knife, get a Sebenza and be done with it. If you end up hating it, sell it and lose little.
 
Lots of solid advice here. Everyone has their favorites and rightfully so (mine being my Hinderer). If you get a chance, handle as many as you can because your response won't be the same as someone else's necessarily. You shouldn't be afraid of asking specific questions to get good answers before you invest in something, and watching youtube videos shouldn't be treated as gospel but can provide useful information. Also Bronco is very right- spending a little time learning to sharpen goes a long way. I have very cheap sharpening setup compared to what many use, but with a little practice and effort it works- as will most with practice and know how. Finally, and since you know watches and guns this shouldn't be a shocker, there is a law of diminishing returns that sets in at some point (where is endlessly debated and personal), but you almost universally get what you pay for. If you like high end goods, they are certainly available- if they are worth it is up to you.
 
How about this. Don't try to buy every knife you hear about. You'll be disappointed. Find what you like (super steels, grinds, actions, grip materials, makers, etc.) and start establishing a collection. That's how I do it anyway.
 
I would say start with the Keyshaw, gerber, SOG group and get a feel for what you like to carry and which styles fit your needs. Then move up to the spyderco/benchmade group. I would say once you have bounced around through these companies you should have a pretty decent idea of what you like and what fits into your daily carry. There are a lot of knives out there and one person may be really happy with that "made in China" blade while another has to have a Strider or sebenza. I am one of those people that has to use my knife whether it cost 15 dollars or 500. But as someone stated above that 150 dollar range seems to be the sweet spot when purchasing a knife. You will usually get good fit and finish, good blade steel, and good customer service.

Basically getting into knives is all about you. People will have there opinions on what's good or what isn't. It's up to you to determine what you like. what you think is cool or useful. Knives are all about a personal cost benefit analysis on your own behalf. So have fun and explore and see where it takes you.
 
welcome, piecesmaker!
What do you tell a newbie about knives?
if you need to buy anything,
make pretty sure it's something you can never live without.
once you own something you like,
don't ever let others tell you otherwise.
and should you "more than like" that something,
it's fine to get more than a couple.
and once you've reached this state,
one seldom regrets, knowing exactly what's needed.
 
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