Where do you get your knives?

D

De Plano

Feedback: +0 / =0 / -0
Joined
Jun 28, 2012
Messages
426
Went looking for a knife today. A few of the ones recommended were not available, including the Bone Collector I was most intersted in checking out. So between what I checked out I am going with the Grip. Not spending more than twenty bucks on a knife I can't feel and check out in person.

Now since I have owned Grips I just figured I would check online. The local places have it for $120, online... $75ish with free shipping. I do try and support local shops but I have bought two locally and honestly $45 is $45.

I am not asking for specific names, and I wish I saw the poll option, but anyway... where you all get most of your knives?

Local stores, online, shows, or directly from the makers? Obviously a number of you seem to fall under the wherever I find them category but I mean in general where do you get most of them.

On a side note are you willing to spend money on a knife you never felt? Customs excluded obviously
 
Most of my knife, axe, and multitools are purchased online and without ever "touching" them first. Kind of like doing so "sight unseen."
 
i buy online. i would love to go to my brick and mortar but that is a totally different story. lets just say it involves a knife store owner who does not carry a pocket knife and tightens down the pivot's so hard that you cant open the knives with one hand.
 
Online and Classified section. If i find a good retailer, and they have great customer service, i'll buy from them exclusively. Even if they cost more than other retail sites.
 
Online. I don't think I have ever seen a knife in person before I bought it, but fortunately for me I have never been disappointed. It's always better than I had imagined. The few places locally that carry a decent selection of knives don't have the ones I want, either that or they're marked up at least 30% otherwise I would love to give them my business.
 
When I saw your post RevDevil I was thinking "Damnit there is a reason I did not ask for specific places!", then I clicked on the link. Well played sir, well played

I guess I just like check stuff out if I don't know it well, but sometimes I will take a lesser product if it fits my hand better. Glad it works out for everyone. Obviously getting good products DOES makes a difference
 
I was going to say mostly online, but now that I think on it I've bought roughly half online and half from various places around town.
 
Almost always online. Better price, selection, and convenience. I know what I want and am rarely disappointed with what I receive.
 
Online... And usually from one specific site to! But I'd buy a good knife from around here... IF the price was right!
 
Over the years I've kind of switched to online. Gun shows were a total ripoff, sporting goods stores occasionally had something I wanted at a reasonable price, and Big Lots and the like generally have a very limited selection of pretty good stuff that may/may not be what you're looking for. In the last couple two tree years I've bought just about everything online for the convenience/selection.

Maybe I'm getting old, but I no longer get a charge out of driving to a store and fingerbanging knives. I'm pretty sure about what I want. I look for the best price and have it shipped.
 
For Sale in the Exchange, or trades. If I'm at a gun or knife show, I usually trade. I'll be at a big box outdoors store and a somewhat local (hour ride) knife shop on my birthday next week, might get something that's discontinued or a big box only special, but that's about it. Online for all of my other purchases.
 
There is a rather well known knife store in Sevierville TN that I visit a couple times a year. But I often buy from the online dealers, including them.

I've never bought a used knife.
 
I buy where ever I can find the lowest price, so long as its a reputable vendor. For me, that is usually ebay. Often it is amazon. I have also spread plenty of love - and lots of cash - to the Bladeforum affiliates. But as a general rule, the lowest price gets my order.
 
I typically buy from one excellent online knife company out of Louisiana. Great prices and great customer service. I also buy from Amazon. Amazon it great because they have a great no questions asked return policy. I usually don't get to handle a knife before I buy it, so that's a plus for me. Also, there are some good dealers that are bladeforum affiliates, but there are also some HORRIBLE dealers on the bladeforum affiliates (we'll, at lest one anyway). One of them is a brick and mortar store. I went to check it out. The guys were not very knowledgeable, but the worst part was their knives were almost double for what you could get them online. I understand that brick and mortar stores are usually gonna have a little higher price, but sometimes these places are just ridiculous.
 
I strongly prefer to hold the knife in my hand first. A seller at the Portland Gun Show has a big selection of Ka-Bars, Beckers, and Johnson Adventure knives so I was able to get a feel for them. I would have bought from the local dealer yet her prices were very high and she was giving out factually wrong technical information about the knives literally making up stories. I've bought my two Beckers online from different sellers. While I have not purchased the following a big box retailer Wholesale Sports wants $89 for a BK15 that is available online for $65, and Walmart is selling the Potbelly for $79 (order it from Walmart online) which is a good price.
 
Production knives are to me commodity products. I can do research online to learn about them. I do not find retail clerks to have good product knowledge or to offer much in the way of advice.

I prefer to hold the knife in my hand first. A seller at the Portland Gun Show has a big selection of Ka-Bars, Beckers, and Johnson Adventure knives so I was able to get a feel for them. I would have bought from the local dealer yet her prices were very high and she was giving out factually wrong technical information about the knives literally making up stories. I've bought my two Beckers online from different sellers. While I have not purchased the following a big box retailer Wholesale Sports wants $89 for a BK15 that is available online for $65, and Walmart is selling the Potbelly for $79 (order it from Walmart online) which is a good price.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top