Whats the real reason we all buy high end knives

[antonio_luiz]

So why then do we all travel the knife ladder.

When I was 12yo I was given a slipjoint for Xmas. I promptly cut myself with it. Should have been stitched up but wasn't. Between surf, sand and a summer job in a laundromat it took almost 2 months to heal and left a scar I carry to this day. Anything that can cause me so much pain and damage me this easily is deserving of respect, and probably the main reason why I appreciate and collect knives today.

 

[dougo83]

Years ago i had a large griptillian, which was an awesome knife for the 60 odd bucks it costs, but then it was on to higher end benchmades then sebenzas, striders..into customs etc.......but in reallity a griptillian will do 99.999999% of any knife task . So why then do we all travel the knife ladder.

Some of us don't. Regardless of available funds, I am never going to buy a knife that costs me over about $150. Actually, if it wasn't for one specific knife I want, the Spyderco Military, I would never dream of even breaking $100 for a knife.

 

[dougo83]

For the same reason some people can justify spending $200,000 on a Corvett. If you like high end cars you'll find it worth your money. The same thing goes for guns to country club memberships. You spend money on the things you like.

Actually, you can almost buy 2 CorvettE ZR-1's for $200K. You can get about 4 of the base-models for the same amount of dough.

When you are passionate about your hobby, whether it is knives, guns, cars, or watches... You buy the best you can afford. For many of us, that means going custom.

I don't think passion has anything to do with it. I am no less passionate than anyone else about my hobbies. Doesn't mean I am going to spend funds that are better used elsewhere for knives.

Why do you assume that people aren't using their expensive knives?

There are a number of members here who have posted thousands of pictures of unused, unopened knives (mostly expensive) that they bought simply for their ego.

 

[GRIM 62]

Because it makes me happy.

 

[batosai117]

I've gone up and back down the knife ladder in a somewhat short amount of time (about 2 1/2 years) since I really started collecting. What amazed me at first was of course the utility of a knife, but then there's the blade steel, and engineering involved in creating them.

Our first knives were made of rocks and bone and sharpened by a lucky tap with a harder rock - look what we have available today We have super steels - carbon, stainless, tool steel, rust proof (H1), etc....and then to add those steel choices to different handle materials, locking mechanisms, sheaths, etc....and it becomes a plethora of knives

I started with a BSA Camilus boy scout deluxe and a SAK classic as early as I can remember. After high school I had my own money and desire to learn about blade steels (which led me here). After learning about blade steels I wanted to learn about all the different locking mechanisms out there, all the handle materials and their advantages/disadvantages. Of course this caused me to slowly go up in price from <$40 up to $500 knives (sebenza, umnumzaan, SMF, SnG). After seeing what was at the top of the ladder I was satisfied and began my descent and found my middle ground as to price vs. function, bang for buck, po-ta-toe po-taa-toe and that ended up being a 552 Ritter Griptilian for me

The 552 Ritter Grip has amazing S30V, the handle is filling to the palm, is just the right thickness of blade, has enough cutting edge for whatever it is that I will need, has a beautiful stonewash finish (which is my favorite finish), has the 1000 lb axis lock, and if I desire in the future I can get the wilkins grips for it to "customize" the look of it :thumbup:

So, using myself as an example:

1. I collected to learn more about blade steel
2. I collected to learn about handle material
3. I collected to learn about locking mechanisms and their strength/weaknesses
4. I collected to learn about what fits me (hand and pocket)
5. I collected to learn if a more expensive knife really is better
6. I am happy that I did shop around and feel that I found what is a good value to me.
7. I look forward to that new design so I can test it out

 

[elkins45]

For me it's become a quest to get a set of knives that are matched to specific tasks/uses. I have these categories in my head of how a knife will be used and then I try to find the ideal knife for each category. I keep telling myself that at some point I will finally have exactly the perfect knife for every task--then I can buy spares for each of them and call myself done.

The problem is that new models appear all the time that I just have to try. The good news is that I'm being pretty ruthless about selling off the ones that aren't favorites. I've probably spent more on knives in the last two years than I did in all previous years combined, but I have acquired a bunch of really good knives in the process. And unlike baseball cards or Beanie Babies, my production knives will always retain a fairly high percentage of their purchase price even in uncertain economic times.

 

[Stainz]

I grew up in rathere austere circumstances - and never had a really nice knife until I could afford one - a Boy Scout Knife. My mom got me my first fb - a Western (#66?) with S&H Green Stamps. I found my Dad's WWII KaBar in a closet at his parents - LBJ was President. Vic SAKs - a few Bucks - then retirement. Suddenly, I could afford the knives I always wanted - and more. Cheaper than my model trains - or firearms. No Fed form to fill out - faster exits from the store - and hide them away in a drawer - or carry them in a pocket.

I guess 'high end' is subjective. To me, it's Benchmade & Bark River, vs my old friends Buck & Vic SAKs. A blue Farmer is a nice knife. A BM 630 Skirmish is a beauty of a knife, too. It's what you want - what you can afford. Sebenzas are nice - but I'd rather have a few Boker Tree Brand slippies, a Bark River fb, an SAK or two, a Buck or two, and a nice Benchmade instead of a simple Sebbie - but that's me. YMMV. I guess I acquire now because I can... or, more appropriately, could.

Stainz

 

[4 Ranges]

Honestly we all work too hard to have to justify what we purchase. Life is too short: respect the law and basic human decency, and go buy yourself the knife you want. Life is far too short to hold off on what you enjoy.

 

[philwar]

Ego. Its that simple really. It feeds the ego.

STR

What he said. :thumbup:

 

[bearcut]

Most people aquire more and more crap until they die or have a life altering experience. It is something that actually has been bothering me lately, and is something I want to work on.

The economy works on this need for people to have more and more crap. Eventually more will not exist and this is when more will only be had when we consume ourselves. Sadly, sometime in the not to distant future this will be a reality.

I think you are right.

Materialism is never satisfied.

I suspect by the end of 2010, a lot of the favorite high end knife brands touted on this forum won't be worth much on the used market. I also think many knifemakers are going to go under. Ater all, knives are a luxury item. Gas, food and shoes are necessities.

Unless a spectacularly inovative and new knife design comes out, I'll stick with what I have. In fact, I've been selling off some of my knives lately.
I have given some of my knives away as well, some need good homes.

 

[somniloquist]

I appreciate the comments posted here and found many of them to be insightful. This question is one I have discussed with people dear to me several times and I have a couple of reasons why I like to collect knives.

One is that I believe I was born a collector. I have collected (variously) sports cards, comic books, stamps, coins, bicycles, watches and other things. Knives are nice to collect in my mind as there are innumerable different kinds, brands and patterns and an even larger community and body of knowledge behind them. I like to learn about new things, think about different models and manufacturers and imagine how some knives might fit into my life, somehow. I know I'm not alone judging by the volume of messages in this thread and on this (and other) forums.

Another nice thing about knife collecting is that due to the relative simplicity of what a knife essentially is (a blade and a handle) the very finest examples are within the grasp of many people. I own a Hinder XM-18 that cost me 500 bucks. In my personal opinion, that model is among the finest folders money can buy. This is a very large sum and non-knife people would probably think I was crazy for paying that. However, when I think of my other hobbies, the financial outlay is not nearly as significant. I have a road bike with (arguably) the finest components you can get and my drive train alone is probably worth thousands. However, my frame is stock and so are many of my parts, so I'm not quite at the "best" yet and would have to spend thousands more to get anywhere near there. I collected watches for a while and have some that are valuable but you would need to spends tens, if not hundreds of thousands to buy the "best" watch. This highlights the nice thing about our hobby. For about the cost of a monthly car payment, you'll have a beautiful, useful collectable that will last a long time and be representative of the finest the market has to offer.

Finally, for me and others I'm fairly sure, a pocket knife is like a talisman. I feel better leaving the house every morning knowing it is there. I know that my mail and boxes will be opened effortlessly, my apple will be cut the way I like it to be and I'll be better prepared if something unexpected happens. Knives are useful tools and I don't see any shame in owning more than one. Do you wear the same shoes every day, every different place you go? Probably not. Why? We need different shoes for different occasions, just like we need different knives for different tasks. At least I think we do!