What was your first “expensive” knife?

The nicest, or most expensive knife I have now that I purchased is a Buck 192. I bought it used for half the new price. Then next in line price wise is several Case knives, a Jumbo Stockman and a Folding Hunter I both bought new. Then I have a GEC pocket carver that was a gift from a friend. Its the nicest knife I have. Most of my meager collection is Case XX, Schrade USA, and BUCK.

The nicest knife I've ever had was a Benchmade 3310. I do kinda miss it, but it wasn't my style. It was a gift for a friend, but I ended up letting it go for a gun. I also had a Barrage, and the lock gave me trouble and it went back to benchmade twice for that. Kinda gave me a sour taste in my mouth for the axis lock.

I am eyeing the TRC Apocalypse and the South Pole now... But those won't happen for a good while I think.
 
RJ Martin fixed blade hunter in '89. Arctic hunter model.
Paid 100$. Was a lot of money back then to me.
Still got it. Used and carried a little.
Safe queen now.
Wonder what it's worth now?
 
i think my zt 0450. I still have it and it’s more of a safe queen than my knives that’s twice the price. There’s just something about that first expensive knife that makes it feel so much more special than it is.
 
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Other people on this thread are like... "A $1 Imperial. I got paid in wooden nickles so that was a lot at the time!" or at least like "Oh, a $60 Kershaw, wasn't used to spending that much on a knife!" ...

and here you are "$625 in 40-years-ago money. Yeah, it weas a lot back then". What's a lot now, then, my friend? You sound like one prosperous individual 🤣
It is a beautiful knife, I love the single-billet hollow knives, but it was just funny, the way you put it, haha.
$200 does kinda sound like a lot, idk what Randals were going for back then.... That, I guess.

What's funny. Pretty close to the same time period, my dad bought our family it's first (they still have it) VCR. It was a Mittshibuitshi it cost around $900

I've got a VCR for sale, or trade.... if anybody wants to give me (4) vintage Randals for it.



*My first knife I bought was a beautiful little Gerber, made in Japan. Mother pearl one side, abolone on the other.... Cost about $37. It was Alot, and I was like 8-10 years old.
I later gave it to my 7th or 8th grade girlfriend, i don't remember?
I want it back.

Next most expensive knife was the Becker Kepart, That cost me a couple grand.......... In stiches.

Then....... My most expensive knives are MINE, because of all the stuff I buy to make Them! hahha :/
 
Benchmade Crawford Leopard ATS34 steel, bought with summer job money during college. It was $99.99 back in 1991-2 I believe. Loved it so much. Mesmerized by the one-handed open/close which was so amazing to me back then. Have it till this day.
 
Mike Wilson Damascus and Mammoth Ivory, bought here from Goldie in 2009. Too nice to carry.

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Benchmade Casbah, combo S30V blade, $170(?) in 2019. That was over twice as much as I had ever paid for knife before. I still carry it from time to time--carried it today and chopped a scorpion in half.
 
CRK TiLock if I remember, but I traded that for a Shamwari, which I still have. Really wish I had the TiLock too.....
 
Mine was a Buck folder for $89.99 that our local Sam’s club had. Think I was 11 or 12 and was definitely a lot of money for me at that time. Still have it somewhere.
 
There were pretty limited local options available growing up in a small community in Alaska. The Cutlery Shoppe catalogs got a lot of use, but the A.G. Russell catalog took things to a whole different level. My first "expensive" knife was a Pack River Knife made by Steve Mullin purchased from the Russell catalog in the late 80's for around $225 bucks. I chose a large blade over others thinking "bigger is better" but learned pretty quickly a camp knife makes a poor skinner. Looking for something better started me down the slippery slope!20230310_193627.jpg
 
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Well, so “expensive” is relative. When you’re starting out, “expensive” could be your first $250 knife. Then a $450 knife. Then a $650 knife. ..and so on…

I guess my first ZT was my first expensive knife with a sle of Hinderers immediately following that.
 
i think my zt 0450. I still have it and it’s more of a safe queen than my knives that’s twice the price. There’s just something about that first expensive knife that makes it feel so much more special than it is.
Yes, my first is a safe queen too and going to stay that way.
 
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