What do you use as a standard to gauge your knife purchaes by?

[Hal]

Just wondering?

I started with the old Imperial line and moved up to Schrade, using the measure of the Imperial to grade the Schrade. After years of happily (as in dumb, fat and happy

), I moved up to Buck, then Benchmade, then Microtech and then on to a Darrel Ralph Krait.

Somewhere between the Buck and the Benchmade, I found the cost to exceed the need to use. I have several Benchmades and a SOCOM unused, as well as the Krait. None are for sale, and the Krait is a future family heirloom, so the cost involved doesn't factor in.

My reasoning went, the Imperial was OK, but the Schrade at twice the price was a better value, and so on and so forth.

Lately, I find myself carrying either a CRKT or a Gigand more and more. For most everyday chores, the Gigand had provided me a suitable edge, decent retention and ease of sharpening. I use a Benchmade Leopard Cub as my current standard. The Cub does all that is needed, but the Gigand also fills the role, at half the cost. In that light, the Gigand find itself in my pocket more and more, the Cub les and less.

I see a lot of knives compared to each other, and wondered what everybody uses as a yardstick to measure by.

OBTW, the Krait is reserved for *Special Occasions*,,,whenever I feel the need to get dressed up

 

[JH225]

All future folding knife purchases will be compared to my Speedtech Synergy. And yes, that does include customs

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C.O.'s-"It takes balls to work behind the walls "

 

[Jeff Clark]

I guess I tend to carry a best value knife rather than best knife. I've got a Spyderco Starmate with 440V blade. I'm more likely to carry my Junglee Marshall with AUS-10 blade. The Starmate cost me around $100 while I got the Marshall on sale for $25.00. The Starmate is much better made, but the lighter, thinner Marshall is sharper and gives me more value per dollar. I judge that I'm happier with my purchase of the Marshall than the Starmate.

[This message has been edited by Jeff Clark (edited 03-11-2000).]

 

[blademan 13]

I just try to remember that normally a twofold increase in price does not gain twice as much knife. My first locking folder was a SOG Autoclip ($45), my next was a Benchmade CQC7 ($100). Was the BM twice the knife? No. Did I enjoy it twice as much? Yes. Money well spent then. Have purchased 5 BM's since and enjoyed everyone. Next step up was to a Sebenza ($325). Was this 3 times the knife as the BM's? No. Did I enjoy it three times as much? YES! My next step is a custom folder. The outcome of this will have to wait 2 more months. But it will be compared to the Sebenza. Sorry for the length of this but I guess I judge the value of a knife on what was owned previously. It just seems that the further you go up in price, the less that there is to be gained with each dollar spent from a pure performance aspect. Buy what you really like and it is worth every penny.

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It's only a mistake if you fail to learn from it!

 

[E__WOK]

My bank account.

 

[stab1]

Bang for the Buck. What is the best value for the dollar based on my needs(and wants) at that perticular time.
Rs
Don

 

[shawn]

i'm not a rich man, i do ok but i can't see not using a $100 benchmade....which i have several and use them all. i have aquired a few mt auto's as well, users also and great knives i might add. until i start on purchasing custom knives for $400 or more i can't justify NOT using a production knife, that's what they are for right?

 

[JohnR7]

Sense I was into old world knives before Hi-Tech knives even came along, the first thing I do is open the blade and flip the knife over to see how it lines up with the back of the knife. Then I look at the liners and the pins and the material in general. Then I look at how well all the parts fit together. Then I look at the blade and test it. I still cringe when I see a young guy who does not know what he is doing, run his finger along instead of across the blade. But I do check to see how many dead skin cells the knife will take off, when I barely touch the blade. I try to determine if the blade is good enough to cut to the bone if a person were careless with it. There is a lot more to it than this, but this is the general inspection, then I get into details.

 

[Stryver]

Is it a knife I have a use for. Is it a knife I would be willing to use at the price I am paying for it. And, for a few knives that don't fit those two categories, Is it just too cool not to buy at that price.


Stryver