When purchasing a knife...

B

Blades Unlimited

Joined
Apr 24, 2005
Messages
6
...what do you look for? What are your main considerations? Is there a brand that you are particularly loyal to? I would order my priorities as follows: Type/Use, Brand (I tend to prefer Buck knives), Price. I'd be interested to see what everybody else thinks.
 
My order of importance is as follows:

Cutting efficiency for intended use
Lock type (if a non slipjoint folder)
Materials
Manufacturer/maker (based on past experience)

There are not brands I'm loyal to, but there are brands I tend to avoid.

Price is not really an issue, but it has to match the knife (based on the above criteria). There are knives out there that are priced suprisingly high for relatively low end materials.

These days my "amount willing to pay" maxes out around $500 but the majority of my purchases are much less.
 
There are definitely knife brands that get my attention due to their reputation in the industry. I'd have to say that I look at the appearance of the knife first. Then I look at the brand. During my inspection I'll look at the blade material and thickness, the handle/grip material, the hardware (eg. Phillips screws, Torx, etc.), the finish and eventually the price. I don't mind paying more as long as the quality is there to justify my purchase. The knife must also meet the needs of my intended application (eg. EDC, camping).
 
Overall quality and how it adapts to my personal needs are the first things I check.

Sometimes, I have to admit it, aesthetic value plays a huge part in choosing a knife. I know that if I buy I knife I don't like, I won't be carrying and taking care of it as I should, so it's actually safer for me to buy knives I really like. Luckily my main knife "fetishes" are simple classic designs with natural material handles, not difficult to find at all.

Price definitely has to match the quality and materials of the knife. There are some great knives out there for a reasonably low price, and some mediocre knives with huge price tags.

There are some brands I tend to trust, because of my own experience with their products. I do have a non-rational soft spot for some brands, but they are those whose knives I've had since I was a kid (like old Puma, Opinel and Victorinox).
 
Intended use is probably my biggest criteria, which will take into account size, materials, etc. Next would be some aesthetic judgement, conscious or subconscious, which relates to function or any number of other intangibles; maybe it just plain looks good. Price is always in the equation, depending on the importance of the other factors.
 
1. I do a lot of research here and elsewhere before even considering a knife.
2. I go to a local store to see if they have one that I can handle.
3. I ask myself "Will I use this knife, where, and what for?".
4. I size it up against whatever current EDC I'm carrying.
5. I compare the price online+shipping vs. local store+driving dist (gas), also if I can get one here or ebay used/lnib. I really do not mind user knives, because I unlike some use every single knife I own.
 
What I look for when shopping for a knife:
- new or unusual mechanisms
- handle materials
- overall aesthetics
- brand (there are certain brands I avoid)
- price (since I already own so many knives, it's difficult to justify another unless it's a good value, or on sale or closeout)

Best Wishes,
Bob
 
If we're helping you sell knives do we get a discount? :p

- First the knife either has to be an good improvement in some way, over what I have already. Maybe materials, blade shape, grip, whatever.

- I check to see if anyone has done reviews on it.

- Determine if it's worth spending the money on based on the first two above.

- Buy it from New graham or 1sks.

I'm partial to Spyderco's, and the Ritter Grip.

I'm also partial to sebenzas, but I don't go through such a rationa process. I buy what I like, when I have the money saved up.
 
I've made a lot of impulse purchases, just take a peek in the For Sale forum. I am still driven by looks, but I lay out what I need in a knife, what function it will serve, and then look at price. I really don't need a Strider or a Sebenza, but I would like to try one out. They keep their value, so if I don't like it, I can easily resell it. I am looking for something small to keep in my center console, a fixed blade, and have settled on the BM Nimravus Cub. Others could probably come up with a better choice. I basically care about it being sharp and tough. Most of my "cool" looking pieces have gone the way of the dodo. I only really need


What I need What I have now
a single multitool Leatherman Juice
a small edc folder SOG Blink PE
a large edc folder Spyderco Native III SE
a large camp knife Cold Steel Kukri machete
a bug out fixed blade hopefully will be a Benchmade Nimravus Cub
a blade for on the boat Camillus Navy marlin spike
a blade for deep sea fishing Spyderco Salt
But, then again, I have about 65 pieces in my collection
 
Intended use, and will I actually use it. If it's just going to sit in a drawer, there is no sense in me buying it. My search for the perfect EDC is over. Now I look for more specialised pieces. Funny trhing is, most all of them are made by Victorinox. :confused:

Paul
 
Shape: I wont buy a Tanto or exotic looking blades. Usually Drop, spear and modified clip are the only things I will consider. I will not but a Chisel ground knife either.

Blade material: I am not a material junkie or steel snob, but I will not buy AUS6 or 440 or 'Surgical Stainless'

Maker: I tend to stick to the main few BM, Buck, Spyderco, Camillus (have been really impressed with these recently) I don't buy 'Tactical knives' so it pretty much cuts out MT, Strider, ER etc.

Cost: Not an issue, but as mentioned above the price has to match the engineering and materials that went into it. I would not pay more that its reasonably worth because its flavour of the month or production is slow *cough, Emerson cough*

Buying: Like everyone else I like to get the cheapest deal I can, that being said I would support a B&M store if they didnt take the 'Mickey' with their pricing. Support is one thing, charity is another.
 
Generally in this order: design, materials, fit and finish, and if these three things are good price is a distant forth.
 
Comfort (normal sized palm, long skinny fingers)
Aesthetics (I like flowing lines)
Materials (I prefer g-10 or stainless over frn/alum... wood or bone over a ruberized or cord wrap handle for a fixed... other than 440 a/b, Aus and "Surgical" I'm pretty open on steel)
Reviews (what better way to know if it'll even work)
Price (100usd is my usual lately)
"Will I use it?" (I thinned my collection in the last year)
 
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