What's are your limitations, if any?

bpeezer said:
As long as you promise not to make me feel inferior just because my blades are smaller :p



Just preference, I'm not allowed to carry a knife at work so I only really use mine for minor tasks around the house, or for fun while camping. When I do go out I don't like to make people uncomfortable, because uncomfortable people make me uncomfortable :o My sweet spot is around 3.125"-3.25", anything bigger is overkill for me and anything under usually feels small for my hands. For instance, I have had my paramilitary 2 for a few days now, and I kid you not this is the only thing I have used it for.

PM2_Nerds.jpg
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That's cool, at least you use it. Damn, I haven't had NERDS for years. Yummy.
 
If I won't use it, I won't keep it. If it isn't comfortable to use (I am looking at you, damn finger pinching Yojimbo), I will get rid of it. I now am not looking at anything without a lefty clip on it. That limits me to pretty much only normal production knives. Oh well.
 
#1 and 2. Can I/will I, carry it? 4" legal limit in this area, and I don't need any
trouble over some politicians irrational fear that a 4.5" knife is somehow more dangerous
than a 4" knife. But before I start ranting.... Plus I'm not rich, or even wealthy.lol.
So blowing cash on something I won't use is not a good plan.
If it passes 1 and 2...
#3. Economy. Pretty careful with the cash I do have, but if I can afford it....
#4. How much do I like it? Steel/looks/profile/grind/size etc.
Not too picky about steel, just avoid the cheap poorly made stuff. Looks are not
a major issue, but are a plus. Profile, I've lost interest in recurves and tantos a long
time ago. Serrations are usually a turn off too. I am not too picky about grinds either,
but I have a distaste for hollow grind. I also like larger handles, which usually leads to
larger blades. 3-4" seems to be my prefered range.
Probably more than you asked for huh?lol.
 
I let each blade tell me if it wants to be bought.

Everyone here knows what I mean. Well I hope so anyway.

The ZT 0550 I just got said, "Hey, I know you don't exactly have the funds for me right now... but just think of all the things we could slice, shave, sliver, slaughter, and slash our way into. Did I say slaughter?"

In a similar way, the Caly 3 Damascus Sprint I picked up a month ago simply said, "I know you'll only ever carry me once, but you know who your best man is really going to be...huh?"

So basically, if it feels right.... I buy.
 
I have pretty good self control When i want to buy a knife, but when i doI simply go with my gut: whatever feels right.

If i pick it up and say "oooooooohhhhh ya" its mine, not really concerned about price. I rarely have to worry about using knives because i believe if i own them they are going to be used. Granted i do have a few wall hanger that i only use on the special occasion; but they are still usable if need be
 
money is my limitation.

Mainly because I want to be able to buy my family nice things too. Like a new kitchen for the wife or toys for the kids.

If it weren't for that I'd own a lot more knives I think.
 
My philosophy is that I don't need more than one folder and one fixed blade. Right now I have neither, but have owned anything from ~45 bucks (cheapest) to 315 bucks (most expensive; custom fixed blade). I commissioned a custom folder 2.5 years ago which might actually get done sooner rather than later now...except the maker is out of the steel I want to use and I'm not budging. m390.

It'll be 715 once he finishes and I pay for it. It may look nice, but it's also purposely specced out by me as a hard use folder. Everything from the material to the surface finishing. Beadblasted titanium handles and stonewashed m390 blade. I would have gone for stonewashed handles too, but given the intricate milling, I thought beadblasting to be a better choice.

This may not be much philosophy, but if I'm getting a custom at a certain pricepoint that we all have to define for ourselves, it had better be a custom to my own specs where I can have input at any step of the build process. Unfortunately, many makers out there won't entertain custom features beside the obvious stuff like choice of steel, handle material, inlay material.
 
Mine is "do you have enough money?" If its a yes then I say "how big of a chunk is this gonna take out of my knife fund". And then I focus on the other aspects of the knife :)
 
I can't recall ever spending more than $70-80 for a blade and most are a lot less expensive than that. I'm not a collector and don't care at all about customs or high end production knives. I like your basic Bucks, SAKs, and Benchmade (and really only a few of those). Whatever I buy gets used and if it gets too beat, I get another. Still, I must have 30-40 knives because when I find a SAK I like, and at a great price, I tend to buy a few.
 
I'm not bullet proof. I distinctly remember being bullet proof about 10 years ago. Heck, I even had that as a nickname for a couple years. I don't know what happened.
 
eschwebach said:
I share the same philosophy, there are many knives out there I would love to buy, but if it is too pretty to use then I won't but it. A good example would be the ZT 0777, gorgeous knife but I would never be able to bring myself to use it. Or the "River of Fire" damascus Sebenza's, man would I love to own one but it would just sit in the safe. I own a Sebenza but it is a variant I have no trouble using.

Price is a secondary limitation, I love the Hinderer design but just won't spend that kind of coin. So far $450 has been the most I have ever spent.
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I agree, there are a lot of high end knives production knives ($500+) and a few customs that I would love to own, but I stop and think that they would spend their entire lives just sitting in my case. Right now my most expensive EDC is a mid tech around $400. I can understand how keeping a knife stored away would be fine for most collectors, but I think their motivating factor is resale value and not really enjoyment of what they own. No offense to those types of "collectors", but I just don't see how you can get any real or pure enjoyment from collecting knives with that philosophy. I mean if it were financially motivated, you could replace knives with baseball cards or anything really (IMHO).

I'm glad I started this thread and posed the question. I see that I am not alone with my philosophy.
 
Cypress said:
I have a mental progression that I use. If any one step gets a "no", I don't buy it.

1. Aesthetically pleasing?

2. Do I not already own a knife like it?

3. Is is NOT serrated?

4. Good steel?

5. WILL I USE IT?

I have only found one knife that broke that code, and it belongs to one of my best good friends. It's a Michael Morris knife, and passed my code because it's so unique. It is handmade by one guy, out of a file, and only 4 were ever made (according to Michael). I'd never really "use" a knife like this, but the aesthetics are off of the charts.

I stole this picture of the knife off of Michael's website

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Cypress,

I'm lucky enough to own a Michael Mottis knife, too. The fit and finish on his customs are awesome. I had him make me up a Wharncliff folder a couple of years ago and it's a treasure. I rarely carry it because I don't want to mess it up, but I admire it frequently. It definitely will not be the last knife I own by him.

Kristopher
 
I have to like the way it looks. It does need to have at least 154CM steel, I like G-10 and Micarta. The Axis lock is king in my book. And is it in my budget?
I've gotta budget everything I buy.

So many people think retiring is at a (specific age.) It's not. On my CURRENT estimate I will have a new car and home completely paid for ( with enough money left over to live on till 100 years old.) way before our accepted and perceived retirement age. (40) even though my income is going up, I still budget everything. I've never had to ask myself if I can afford a knife, my budget tells me. This is done even with fast food purchases. Anyway back on track...
 
I have traded or sold more knives by far than I have kept. For me it is simple, if I go a couple of weeks without ever having the urge or need to carry it, it has to go. Usually, I trade those knives for something else that fills a niche that I tell myself needs to be filled. Currently I have 3 that are passing the test. A spyderco Gayle Bradley, Military and A CRK Sebenza 25. BTW, this is the 3rd time I have acquired a military and gayle bradley. I would like to think I have it figured out now but we will see. I still have room for a smaller one hander, like a small sebenza. However, if I feel the need to carry a smaller knife due to restrictions or where I am going to be, I usually will just take my Alox farmer.
 
Moxy said:
Money.
If I can afford it, then I'll buy it.
If I can't afford it, then I'll buy it.
If I really really can't afford it, then I'll buy it, but promise myself that tomorrow I'll put a few on the exchange.... yeah right.
I'm so broke...:(
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If I can afford to lose it, I'll buy it. Lost my Endura about a month ago. Fortunately found it seriously buried in the works of the recliner...it was lost for a month. Just yesterday, noticed the matching Delica missing from pocket. Really has me a little spooked about carrying a Sebenza...much as I want one and much as I personally know I would feel the $400 well spent. I am getting old and feeble-minded apparently.
 
I just recently broke the $100 ceiling at Blade Show. Never thought I would spend that much on a knife.

Now I'm looking at customs and higher end fixed blades.

What I'm saying is that my limitations seem to be in a state of flux. :D
 
Daddyo16 said:
I just recently broke the $100 ceiling at Blade Show. Never thought I would spend that much on a knife.

Now I'm looking at customs and higher end fixed blades.

What I'm saying is that my limitations seem to be in a state of flux. :D
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It only goes up from there too. :) The most expensive folder I ever bought was $490 on a small web wood inlay, over a decade ago. I could be wrong but I don't think I have ever passed that.
 
My chief qualifier is that it must fill a role in my array of tools I already have that is distinguishing in some way. It has to be different enough from other knives in my collection for it to warrant me grabbing it instead of others under some circumstances.
 
Daddyo16 said:
I just recently broke the $100 ceiling at Blade Show. Never thought I would spend that much on a knife.

Now I'm looking at customs and higher end fixed blades.

What I'm saying is that my limitations seem to be in a state of flux. :D
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I used to be the same way when I started out. Now my ceiling has been raised to around $650. I'm trying to keep it at or below that mark, which is one of the reason's I've adopted this philosophy of if I'm not going to EDC/use it due to it's value or whatever reason, then I won't buy it.
 
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