What knife / knives do you not "get"?

Comeuppance

Comeuppance

Fixed Blade EDC Emisssary
Joined
Jan 12, 2013
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Without making unnecessarily harsh judgements or insulting brands / products (which I realize can be hard to avoid when expressing neutrality / dislike, but let's not start a flame war over our opinions on sharp things), what knives have a following that completely baffles you?

For me, it's Emerson knives. Basically all the common gripes: QC, price, and materials. I like the collaboration knives with ProTech, Kershaw, and ZT - the price and QC seems to be "on point" with those. Actual Emersons have always failed to impress in-hand except for the in-hand feel. That man can design a heck of a handle...!
 
Well, I'm scared to say it, but I don't get ZTs or sebenzas. I know they're both quality products, well built, etc. There must be a reason each has such a great following, but I just can't get excited about them. I guess I don't get them.
 
BenchCo Spydermade said:
Well, I'm scared to say it, but I don't get ZTs or sebenzas. I know they're both quality products, well built, etc. There must be a reason each has such a great following, but I just can't get excited about them. I guess I don't get them.
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Sounds like you're not super jazzed by Ti framelocks, which is pretty understandable.
 
I love Spyderco and have more of them than anything else in my collection. That said they have a few models that I can't get into. The other company that is really well loved but I don't "get" is Al-mar not sure why I have looked and tried to like their stuff but nothing is appealing to me.
 
I am not a fan of spyderco knives. I own 2, only because they really don't look like a typical one. For the most part it looks like they took one style and either stretched it or squished it. However, there are a few new models this year that are breaking that mold. Mamba, Tighe stick, Nirvana, Myrtle are somewhat appealing. I love my Vallotin and the kris is ok. All the rest, I'll pass. I know they use and make top shelf stuff, just doesn't float my boat.
 
clearkevin said:
I love Spyderco and have more of them than anything else in my collection. That said they have a few models that I can't get into. The other company that is really well loved but I don't "get" is Al-mar not sure why I have looked and tried to like their stuff but nothing is appealing to me.
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Al Mar has a long and interesting history, and their folders seem to rarely be "safe queens". Something about the design clicks with some people and I know that there are many users on this forum with SERE 2000s that look like they've been through hell but are still mechanically perfect.

I've never owned one, but I have owned knives inspired by them. I might pick up a ZDP Eagle one of these days... But it's far behind a lot of other things on my "short list".

Read up on the history of Al Mar if you have the time or inclination. An interesting man and a fascinating story behind the man, company, and knives. Some of the fixed blades are incredibly gorgeous in my eyes - but far out of my price range or cutlery needs. They're mostly oriented towards combat, both the fixed and folding knives, and that's not really where my knife kneeds lie.

My first knife that "wowed" me with its ergos was the Cold Steel Counter Point II. Later, I found it borrowed heavily from Al Mar designs.
 
Comeuppance said:
For me, it's Emerson knives. Basically all the common gripes: QC, price, and materials...
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I don't see the quality of Emersons being worth their price. I hate chisel grinds, hate liner locks, hate that his waves are too small to reliably open the blades, hate that his kerambit rings are too small to fit my medium-sized fingers. I wasn't even impressed with the Benchmade version I did own. There's simply nothing I like about them and I think they're horribly overpriced. Despite my misgivings, Emerson has a huge following.
 
I can't get into cold steel because of the whole "everything is tactical" feel of their products. I dont know, i like alot of their designs but always feel like its something youd find at a kiosk in the mall. That is just my opinion, and not even a very viable one at that because ive only seen a couple firsthand. I used to love ZT, but again they have fallen out of favor a bit, i think because if you try to overbuild a folder to a certain point you should just build a small fixed blade. And then spyderco...i like the endura, and the salt series, but i agree that many designs look like they took an endura and photoshopped it until they liked it.

Actually, what has surprised me is how much ive gotten into benchmade. I used to think they were all so mall ninja, and so overpriced (the latter can sometimes still be argued), but having carried a grip and put it through more than any other pocket knife ive had ive gained alot of respect for the company.
Sorry for the rant, this was the first time ive sat and thought about my likes/dislikes with different brands
 
Comeuppance said:
Sounds like you're not super jazzed by Ti framelocks, which is pretty understandable.
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Yeah, I'm one of those people too. I recognize that they're typically of high quality, but I've never warmed up to their tactile feel or their perceived "lopsidedness".

They don't keep me away from certain models, but I don't seek them out, either.
 
In general those overly 'tactical' knives some of which look like they were designed to be useless drawer queens, but I may be wrong, of course ;)
 
I don't get Cold Steel products. I guess that's because I don't plan on beating anybody with a club or a shovel. Their knives are over designed and weird looking as well. I don't have enough disposable income to waste on some monstrosity either.
 
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Comeuppance said:
Sounds like you're not super jazzed by Ti framelocks, which is pretty understandable.
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This!

I don't get ZT and I don't get why they like to design knives that take up so much pocket real estate. I am not a big fan of most metal grips to begin with but when you make the knife big and bulky like many of ZT's framelocks it is just a big turn off. To make matters worse, many of the grips are really curved. Give me the grip of CRKT's old Prowler or Emerson's CQC7 tanto.

If I wanted something curved in my hand, I would hold a banana.
 
Comeuppance said:
Sounds like you're not super jazzed by Ti framelocks, which is pretty understandable.
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This is true, though I do prefer them over liner locks. But I also don't find the designs interesting. With the sebenza, I get it's supposed to be simple elegance, but I just don't find them very aesthetic for my tastes. Same with ZTs, but instead of simple elegance trey're built like a rock. Again, good knives, but not aesthetically pleasing to me. I do, however, like the ZT 450. But the only knife yet to get me to buy a Ti frame lock is this Kizer. kizer-ki4431t-large.jpg
 
Framelocks made for hard use and outdoor use. Like it or not, torque gets applied when whittling or making difficult cuts, why employ a lock that the same torque acts to unlock? Seems more than a little nonsensical to me.
 
Sebenza. I just don't see anything special beyond the ease of re-assembly.

Busse: Not the things in themselves, but the extent of the following, especially since the edges don't seem particulalry thin. Yes they can be made thinner (although usually at the cost of a full re-finish), but then anything can be made thinner: Making or having something made after paying for it is not what I consider a fun experience...

I general I don't get at all that "quality" and "edge bevel thickness" are not nearly synonymous around here... 0.020" at the thinnest, 0.040" at the thickest, that is about all there is... The edge bevel thickness is the knife...: The brand or knife means very little if it doesn't cut...

Gaston
 
As a general, I don't get why metal handled knives are so popular, especially frame locks. I guess being someone from northwest of Chicago, and having cold hands to begin with, they are just not comfortable to me, for both heat and cold retention issues. Smooth or semi-smooth ones bother me most. I've sold/am selling all but two of my Ti frame locks. This is discouraging as I love flippers.

Assisted knives. Never have gotten it. I guess for inexpensive knives it makes sense to keep the cost low vs taking the time to really polish the washers to make it smooth/fast to begin with.

I've had a sebenza for a few days, and while I get it, I don't get it.

I've gone through many, many folding knives to finally get where I am now. When all is said and done with sales, I'm left with:

Southern Grind Spider Monkey--my favorite knife.
Three Sisters Forge Beast--considering selling
Brous Bionic--great knife, I've really beat on it, missing quite a bit of paint on the handle
Spyderco PM2--love the knife except the steel. Always touching up the chips.
Spyderco Gayle Bradley--a beast, and my go to heavy duty folder
Spyderco Manix 2 foliage green CTS-XHP sprint--My second favorite knife. I have yet to more than touch up this beast in 18 months of ownership
Spyderco Dragonfly ZDP-189--my go to knife when I go into Chicago
Kizer Ki423--smoothest flipper I've owned
LionSteel Opera Cocobolo--my suit/slacks knife
And an Alan Davis custom liner lock whenever it is finished. Rob Thomas CPM 154 and 440C damascus flipper, Ironwood handle with M3 black/gold bolster and half back spacer. Gold anodized liners and screws.
 
I don't get the Norseman I have no negative feelings towards John I just don't like the blade shape it doesn't seem practical. But I love what he's doing and how he's doing it.
 
Tactical knives as a general category, along with giant fixed-blade "fighters" (in particular the sub-hilt variety), plus all the schtuff that could be called "mall ninja pr0n."
 
Spyderco. I know lots of people love them; I own a couple myself. I just don't understand why everyone is so enthusiastic about them. I'm especially put off by drilling a hole in a fixed blade knife to promote brand recognition. Just weakens the blade IMO.
 
But that Spydie hole helps you open the blade one handed if you choose.

I don't "get" metal handled folders. They have zero appeal to me. That cuts out a lot of modern folders from my serious consideration.

I like some of the Emerson designs, but I would never buy one. Same with Busse. Just too many knives around to spend that kind of money.
 
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