Who Gives The Best "Value" for your Knife $ (fixed and folder)

If by price you mean relatively low, then I will say Spyderco for the folders. If price is not a major concern then I would have to say Chris Reeve Knives.

As for fixed blades, I don't have alot of experience there, but I must say that I have heard great things about John Greco's knives and I am hearing that Allen Blade makes some awesome choppers as well.

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The vague and tenuous hope that GOD is too kind to punish the ungodly has become a deadly opiate for the conscience of millions.

*A. W. Tozer

2 Cor 5:10
 
From my personal experience you can't go wrong with Spyderco( folders) and Cold Steel ( fixed). I'm sure there are other great values out there, I hear a lot about Newt Livesay's knives, but you be hard pressed to find better knives for the money.
 
For folders I would say Spyderco. Cold Steel would be my choice for good fixed blades at a good price.
 
IMHO, the real value vs. cost, is in custom made knives.
I'm starting with fixed blades, since that's what my collection needs, and the cost factor.
First or second week of Jan. I'm odering a Damascus Hunter, 4" blade, drop point, stag handle, probably a buffalo horn spacer. A totally hand made knife, made just for me, nobody will have one just like it. Sounds good to me. I'll have to wait about 6 months, that's okay. Price under $300, to me that's a lot of knife for they money. I will be adding some traditional folders, all in stag, during the year. Some may be from re-sale, some may have to be custom made for me. I know what I'm looking for.

I may not know much, but I know what I like.
 
Although Spyderco and Benchmade are my favorite companies and Spyderco in particular has some really good low price blades, Columbia River knife and Tool have to be considered for most value in folders and fixed blades. They don't produce the most high tech knives but they are functional and cheap.
 
For the money, I think cold steel's knives are great value. I've had nothing but good experience with their fixed blades and folders alike.
 
Fixed blades=Newt Livesay.Not only are his knives a good value,but Newt himself is a quality guy.For me this is a factor in the value equation.Folders=Victorinox.Swiss army folders rule!(especially when you get them new for$5 with shipping included)Bladeforums rocks!
 
For custom folders Frank Centofante. Superb workmanship that is far better than knives costing much more.
 
Fixed:
Fallkniven for pure bang for the buck
Chris Reeve for lots more bucks and lots more bang!

Folders:
Spyderco and Chris Reeve

 
I will also have to say that it would be hard to beat the cold steel line up for your money
 
For my money, Marble fixed blades. Custom quality at a not so custom price. Their knifes are heavy in your hand, the blades are scary sharp and tough (ball bearing steel), fit and finish is usually excellent, and many of their knives are well under $100 when purchased over the net.

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Hoodoo

When you arrive at the fork in the road, take it.
Yogi Berra
 
I agree with PhilL. The value you receive from a custom sole-authorship piece is extraordinary. I don't understand how custom makers can make a living for the prices they charge. Of course I am talking about buying knives as Art.

If it's purely utility you are after, I think that there are a great many factory knives that will perform Almost as well as many 'custom' pieces for less money. Unfortunately, custom knife makers do have to compete to some extent with products the factories can make for much less cost to them. There is a limit to how much custom makers can charge for their time. It's simple economics.

But factory pieces just don't give me the same sense of satisfaction and pride of ownership as a hand-made 'custom' knife (I am using the broader, more inclusive definition for the purposes of this discussion). I would much rather carry and use a custom knife that cost three to five times what an equivalent (from a utility standpoint) knife from a factory might cost.

But often there is simply No real factory equivalent to a custom knife. What factory is going to produce something like the work of Daniel Winkler or Jim Crowell, just to name two examples of many fine custom Artists? Owning the ONLY piece of its kind in the world is really Cool, don't you think?

Paracelsus

[This message has been edited by Paracelsus (edited 04 December 1999).]
 
For folders my vote would go to either Chris Reeves or William Henry. Both give suprebly crafted knives at very reasonable prices (IMHO).

For the fixed blades there are a couple that come to mind: Bob Dozier, Newt Livesay, and John Grecko (sp?). All three make exceptionally sharp, exceptionally durable knives, and all three sell them for MUCH less than you'd think. Exceptional values!!
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AJ
 
Thanks Guys (and Ladies, too for all I know). Your information has made me smarter. I appreciate it. (By the way, I agree with the Fallkniven observations- I have not yet (never say never) had a Chris Reeves or a custom.) Hope to see some of you at the Timonium, Maryland show next weekend.
 
Harlow J,

If your talking about the Timonium show, check out Herb Derr and Ted Morgan's tables. Hard to beat those guys for value in fixed blades. I'll race you to their tables. See ya!

Paracelsus
(I'm the Big, Bearded, Stupid, Ugly guy with Huge Grin and Wise Ass)
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[This message has been edited by Paracelsus (edited 04 December 1999).]
 
For my money (literally!) you simply can't go wrong with Neil Blackwood or Lynn Griffith when it comes to fixed blades. For folders, I like Emerson, REKAT, Benchmade, and Spyderco. There are many, many custom makers out there who give lots of bang for the buck: Blackwood, Griffith, Hendrix, Livesay, etc, and I think that they stand heads and shoulders above any production knife, both in terms of fit and finish, and also how much I enjoy owning them. There is a lot to be said for owning a knife whose specifications were set by you.
 
Spyderco for folders (can't beat the Delica, my daily carry), and for fixed blades Cold Steel.
 
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