• The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
    Price is $300 $250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
    Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.

  • Today marks the 24th anniversary of 9/11. I pray that this nation does not forget the loss of lives from this horrible event. Yesterday conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was murdered, and I worry about what is to come. Please love one another and your family in these trying times - Spark

What knife for $400

K

KnifePics

Joined
Apr 22, 2012
Messages
9
So here's my predicament, I have $400 for a knife, but do not have the slightest idea of what knife is going to be bought with these funds. I was thinking a Strider SnG, Spyderco Domino, Sebenza? Now I know that not everything that I could buy costs $400, but I'm just trying to get the most out of it, as I don't have amounts of disposable income like this all the time (17 yr. old budget). So any idead are very welcome, thanks!
 
Get a Strider SMF. You'll get lots of other suggestions but just turn this off, buy an SMF and thank me later.
 
If you want a fixed blade I would look for a Randall, if you want a folder I would still put down the $50 to order a Randall then you'll have several years to save up for it before it's ready. Great knife but a long wait these days.

Research strider and his reputation before you put money down on his stuff.
 
I have no experience with the pricier knives of the Sebenza's and Strider's but if you're not a 100% sure on what to buy I would go down to the $200 range and look at something. If you have alot of experience with owning alot of knives you might know what you want and like, but if you don't it's a gamble.
 
If possible go to your local knife shop and check them out for yourself, thats the only way to be sure. Whatever you decide to get, keep it next to your keys so you don't forget to put it in your pocket whenever you leave the house. ;)
 
I would seriously think about buying a couple of different blades. What do you need a knife for? Buy a small buck 55 for opening packages getting out splinters minor cutting tasks. Do you camp or fish? Maybe a spyderco paramilitary 2 for some heavier cutting tasks. There are so many choices but you could start slowly and go from there. Putting up a lot of cash for one knife is cool but why not get some variety first.
 
At your age, get something cheaper like a good spyderco or kershaw and save the more expensive knives for when you become established. If not, Sebenza or SnG CC. Good luck!
 
Never had a sebenza but I have owned a sng and a domino. If I was you I would get the domino and another knife, unless you plan on stabbing car hoods or something. Striders are well made, good looking and tough but for my uses as an everyday knife it just wasn't right.
 
If you work your way up to a $400 knife you will appreciate it more once you get it. People who buy a Sebenza for their first know have a hard time understanding what they just paid for.
 
Scurvy092 said:
If you work your way up to a $400 knife you will appreciate it more once you get it. People who buy a Sebenza for their first know have a hard time understanding what they just paid for.
Click to expand...

That's a great point, I've waffled back and forth between the two. Going through phases I guess
 
Don't bother spending $400 on that one knife if you don't know what you like. It's kind of like going on a car forum as saying you have 200k to spend on a vehicle when you never driven one and the money is hard to come by for you. You don't know whether you like motorcycles, sports cars, hatchbacks, trucks, suv's, etc.

My advice pick up a more budget knife that you like the style of first than work your way from there gradually moving from what you like about that knife to the next knife always trying to improve. After awhile you find your tastes will change and you learn to appreciate smaller and finer details about knives.

Take me for example I was into modern one hand folders for years and than just picked up a more traditional knife and found I prefer them more as an old school slip joints has a habit of bringing me back to when I was a kid with my first knife a SAK and using it for everything. And I found that the thinner blades on most traditional slipjoints are far more effective at what I typically do than the thicker blades you find in most modern folders. Sharpening knives is something I find I kind of enjoy and I love how easy carbon steel blades are to sharpen, so going after the super steels that have insane edge retention that you find in high end modern folders actually ruins a bit of my fun.

I can tell you after a long time carrying a knife for normal EDC I take a knife with a blade length 2.5-2.75in (3in max) for what I greatly prefer, and a handle length in the range of 3.5in give a take a little bit of length, blade width about 1/16 and has to have a point to it, good grip, and preferably non-dlc coating. For a heavier duty work knife I prefer a thicker/longer blade, longer handle, heavy weight type of knife something that is closer to a Buck 110 in dimensions but lighter and better grip.

So to repeat myself, find what you like and keep trying to improve on it with more budget oriented knives. When you find something you really like go high end in a similar knife. You will probably find that you appreciate it more.
 
Good advice given on not going with a $400 knife. I would go with a lower priced knife and build up your knowledge from there.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top