What knives do you/have you given as gifts?

Hvactech said:
I've given away so many knives over the years. I enjoy making friends and family happy. I've given my son, who is now 18 and not really into knives, a couple Microtech otf's, a couple zt's and Kershaws. I've given my daughter, who is 24 and loves knives, several Spyderco's, pink Kershaws both regular and damascus. I've given her boyfriend, my future son in law, more knives than I can count. He's really into them and only had cheapo flea market variety before I started hooking him up with many nice ones along with a knife case to keep them in. He's in college and can't afford all of the stuff I've given him and his dad is a sorry bum that does nothing for him. Then all the other friends and family and friends kids etc. Shoot my nephew was in town last summer and was admiring my inverter generators I got at good prices from the auction, still new. I gave him a real nice Champion 4300 watt inverter generator. He was so so happy lol. That kind of stuff gives me more joy than when I get it for myself.
Click to expand...
This is the way! Familiar with that sort of dad as his, actually just about that age myself, and I can tell you he most certainly appreciates that. Beautiful gifts, the reactions are indeed priceless!
 
killgar said:
I've given away several, mostly to co-workers and employees. People who needed a knife for work but had no idea of what "quality" meant in regards to knives, and who wouldn't buy themselves anything more expensive than a gas station folder.

My rule for gifting knives to those people was to only give knives under $100. For under $100 I could give a person a very decent knife that could serve them well throughout their lifetime. But at the same time, I didn't have to worry that I spent big bucks on a knife that they might lose, or unintentionally destroy, or trade someone for a case of beer. The knives I've gifted to such people include Gerber, Buck, Spyderco, Benchmade, and maybe others that I can't remember.

By gifting what I considered "inexpensive" knives I also avoided any awkwardness that might arise if the recipient looked up the knife online and discovered how much they cost. The fact is, to avoid awkwardness, I've never let the recipient of a gifted knife know that I bought it for them. Instead, I'd tell them something like I found it and had no use for it, or that it was an old knife that I no longer had a use for. I've learned that when people find out that you BOUGHT them a gift that they often feel obligated to then buy you one in return. Or they felt awkward accepting the gift knowing that they could not afford to buy one in return. But by telling them I found it, or that they would actually be doing me a favor by taking it off my hands, all they felt was joy and appreciation.

And that joy was a gift to myself. It really is a nice seeing the reaction of people when they receive their very first QUALITY knife. To some on this forum a sub-$100 knife might not seem like a big deal, but to people only used to gas station knives, who can't afford to pay $50 or more because they have bills to pay and mouths to feed, a $50 knife, or something a little more expensive can be a great treasure. I've seen that reaction several times. And what a great feeling it is, a month or so later, to see that same knife all scuffed up from being used.

I've never gifted a knife to another Knife Knut, because all the ones I've known personally were capable of buying their own.

The only knife I've ever given to a family member is the Kershaw 5200 pictured below that I gave my father back in 1989. Again, I didn't tell him I bought it, he wouldn't have liked the idea of me spending money on a gift for him. He wasn't into knives or outdoors activities, and I didn't actually think he would ever use it. But I found it in one of his drawers after he died, scratched up, with the blade covered in tape residue and other crud. That made me happy. Now I carry it as my "public friendly" knife.

i09gYsj.jpg
Click to expand...
I love that the knife came full circle, the realization of wear and usage would bring a smile to me, too. That's a beautiful knife, by the way! I did not know Kershaw made knives like that, traditionals.
 
Hashishiin said:
I love that the knife came full circle, the realization of wear and usage would bring a smile to me, too. That's a beautiful knife, by the way! I did not know Kershaw made knives like that, traditionals.
Click to expand...

The 5200 is an old model, long discontinued. They were sold with a few different handles, including plain aluminum and stainless steel. Some had animals engraved on the handles.
 
Use to be Ranger RD6s, but they seem to be going down the discontinued line. Some thing that covered survival and bushy craft stuff, pretty bomb proof 5160 and to get friends and family back to the warm glow of their comp or tablet and doritos. Of which I found it was pretty much the case to varying degrees from them. OCK SP-10 as well for a good old reliable, dependable all purpose jack of all trades for big blade stuff. The Odd OKC SP-8 for the more city living folks because it looks "non weaponry" but more "Chisely." And the odd OKC SPAX, RVers seem to like it.

And off course Buck 110s or a Gerber Gator Blade. Normally don't use them myself much any more, but well they work well for what they are intended as when they are needed.
 
I’ve gifted several each of Ontario Rat’s, ESEE Izula’s, Buck Spitfire’s, Cold Steel Tuff Lite’s and Pro Lite’s, Spyderco Delica’s, and Mora Companion’s. I’ve also gifted a Spyderco ARK, Benchmade Bugout, and Battle Horse Knives Frontier First. No clue what was or wasn’t used.
 
back in the day when i liked knives but wasn't really *into* knives, i collected a lot of gas station knives that i thought looked "cool" but ultimately were never used and ended up in the bottom of the sock drawer.

i gave one of those knives to a very non-knife person this christmas and it was incredibly well-received and i have been told that she uses the knife all the time and thinks that it is really cool.

it seems i may have inadvertently recruited a new knife person :cool:👍
 
The right gift depends on the person and circumstance. I gave one relative an Elementum for his birthday when they first came out. He isn't a knife guy by any stretch but keeps it clipped into either his brief case or a compartment on his travel bag. It gets used to open packages and whatnot when he doesn't have scissors handy or is on the road for work. He tells me that it comes in handy.

For a general inexpensive gift knife, I like the Tangram Santa Fe by Kizer. It's a budget all-star in Acuto 440, which is a lot like 9Cr18Mov. Even if run a little soft in the 56-58 range, it still holds a noticeably better edge than most 8Cr13Mov. It's also more stainless and remains relatively easy to sharpen. The blade is easy to flick out with the thumb studs. Lock-up is reasonably solid. It has a decent handle shape, great blade shape, and nice deep-carry clip. It is similar in size to the Elementum, which is the "just right" zone for a lot of people. It is available in classic black or a classy tan. It's also like $25. I've given away several and all of them have been fully inspected, cleaned, and properly lubricated before gifting.

One relative, also not really a knife guy, made the Santa Fe his primary EDC knife. I think it replaced a small and inexpensive traditional that had been knocking around his pocket with keys and loose change. He has been carrying it on a regular basis for at least a couple of years now. He uses it regularly and learned to keep it sharp on a basic stone.
 
gazz98 said:
... I also like to gift keychain flashlights too.
Click to expand...

Most of the people in my life have gotten a Sofirn C01 or C01S from me. They are wonderful AAA twisty lights with high-CRI emitters at a pleasant color temperature. It always warms my heart when I spot one on a set of keys or somebody uses one to fiddle with something in the dark. (Closer people have also gotten Eneloops and a charger, for all their standard AA and AAA needs.)

For the closest people, I haven't gone as far as some of the members here with knives from Olamic or CRK. Still, I have given away a couple of decent knives from Buck, WE/Civivi, Kizer, etc. The Spyderco Dragonfly can be a great gift in the right situations. One of my daughters got a purple Mini Domin and one of my sons got a Mini Begleiter. My wife got a special-edition Artisan Arroyo with pretty acrylic scales. It retired her Blur since it was "prettier". 😐
 
I have probably gifted 8-9 SAK Recruit pocket knives over the last 20 years, mostly to people that have assisted us when we've been overseas. I know they get used;)
 
Given a few. Received a few. It's an odd thing giving a knife as I feel knives are a fairly personal item and, very subjective. Size, weight, esthetics, ergos, local laws... It can certainly be tough to pick the right one for a gift. I have been on the receiving end of this scenario as well. The thing about gifts is that they are just that. After it has been given the recipient has no obligation to use it as you hopefully intended. It's the thought, right? Same if you are on the other side of the transaction.

I have given a Kershaw Ken Onion assisted something or other to my brother about ten years back. I didn't know much about knives back then. The knife was a piece of garbage, apparently, poor build, bad lockup, copious blade play, all the worst issues. I felt bad. Haven't bought anything Kershaw since. Haven't given him another knife since either. Total fail.

I gifted a Bugout 535 with custom scales and clip to a coworker for Christmas this past year. He loves it. Uses it every day. He'd never owned anything beyond a gas station special so, to him, the Bugout was like a Rolex. Huge win!

On the other hand, I have been gifted two knives over the years. A Spyderco PM2 and a Massdrop Laconico Keen Flipper. I no longer own either. The PM2 is an awesome knife. No real gripe other than the size. Just too big for EDC in my opinion. I traded it for a PM3 which has since been traded for a TRM Neutron 2. Using knife equity to trade up is fair in my opinion. I also sold the Keen and traded up for a Terrain 365 Invictus. The Keen was a great knife. Ray Laconico is a great designer. The build was solid and the action was fantastic. I just can't get behind knives with flipper tabs. Not my thing. In the end I got a knife I wanted. So, in effect, the giver still gave me a knife that I really enjoy.

I've also given and received several non knife gifts that suffered the same fate. You can't win them all.
 
Too many to remember...from high end custom to production.

Have received a few as well over the years.

Hope to continue the tradition.
 
Hmmmm… here are some I recall… I love gifting knives.

Dad: Buck 110 (when I was ~12)

Sister: Spyderco waved Endura

Wife: Microtech mini Socom; custom (by me) titanium SD knife; ZT 0222; Scrapyard Mud Mutt; Mora classic, H&B Forge Small Camp Hawk, Silky F180

Son: Kershaw Model 22; CS Drop Forged Bowie; Shosui Takeda Hunter; Silky Nata; Mora Classic; Silky Pocket Boy; Baryonyx Kingfisher machete

Cousins: 3 Swamp Rat Mega Swamp Wardens in different colors - one for each cousin.

Friends/other family:
Hand forged (by me) fighter
CS GI Tanto
Becker BK 9
HI Baby Suga
Several Herder Windmill parers
Multiple tip repairs, refurbished blades, and sharpening services.

I offer to sharpen any “duty blade” for any Officer in my area.

I also sometimes like to give folks a choice of blades. I’ll wrap up 4-5 ones that I like but can part with and then let the giftee pick one to keep.

These are the two handmade gifts:
E37AB14C-0EED-442D-83DB-C3D91F66C337.jpegE7414B6E-5686-4032-B858-F66DB07C62B0.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Every OKC Woodsman 420 HC (OKC 420 blend) I gave away bounce between camp and kitchen knife duties. I got them knowing they were 420 HC and tested one to see how good it was, steel on wood only, and from a frozen hunk of knotty jack pine it didn't split it but the blade was still sharp and edge was still sharp. The one I gave the old man, the "Evil" step mother (Hey they are called evil by tradition!) stole it for large critter cutting season and stays its great on the smaller bones. My brothers and the sister who stole one from one of my brother's love them for kitchen knives as well. Its just great all round general purpose knife, the SS blade is great for camp and food prep was the main reason I got and presented them out to people who could use them. Yes there are more affordable general purpose knife like the SP-53 and SP-10, but for water borne wilderhood romps I found they worked great besides one being in my kitchen. My 5160 Woodsman is a literal bomb proof knife for a FFG type.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top