Why buy a 600$$ knife ?

[Czechmate]

Because $600 isn't that much money for a lifetime of use. Especially if you pass it down to your kids.

Exactly. The second last knife show I went to gave me the chance to see a $47,000+ art folder up close... I was afraid to breathe on it in case the maker decided to charge me for it LOL. It was quite a spectacular knife though.

I've moved some of the production knives out of my collection over the years; most of my customs will stay with till the end if I have it my way...

 

[handjam]

That's the most beautiful knife I've ever seen, Goldie. One to pass on to your kids. Lovely.

 

[AusLoX]

Exactly. The second last knife show I went to gave me the chance to see a $47,000+ art folder up close... I was afraid to breathe on it in case the maker decided to charge me for it LOL. It was quite a spectacular knife though.

I've moved some of the production knives out of my collection over the years; most of my customs will stay with till the end if I have it my way...

Definitely. And that brings up a good point. People collect for different reasons. Some people use and some just like the aesthetics. There are plenty of people that collect Art that just hangs on the wall. Knives are a form of art.

 

[robgmn]

Buying the $600 knife makes no practical sense if you can get a knife for much less that is essentially the same.
When that $600 gives you better steel, better scales, better mfg quality, better warranty, etc., then it makes more sense.

Here's the rub: "practical" and "happiness" do not always coincide.

Some people will carry a $600 knife that will never cut more than a piece of fruit or open a letter.
Not practical. A $5 folder will do the same task just as effectively.
But it makes them happy.
Happiness is what it's all about, really (including sacrificing the $600 knife if it keeps the marriage intact

 

[EChoil]

Corvette, Wilson combat 1911, Rolex, Expensive wine, staying at the four seasons, Prada bags, 18 year Scotch, etc etc.... If you can afford it and enjoy....have at it!!!

:thumbup: Which Wilson? I hit 'em for their Ultra Grade, Ltd. several years back, then it went out of production. Everything else is a match, wonder if this is.

I have another Terzuola folder on the way and, frankly, wonder why I do it.

 

[Tommy07]

Buying the $600 knife makes no practical sense if you can get a knife for much less that is essentially the same.
When that $600 gives you better steel, better scales, better mfg quality, better warranty, etc., then it makes more sense.

Here's the rub: "practical" and "happiness" do not always coincide.

Some people will carry a $600 knife that will never cut more than a piece of fruit or open a letter.
Not practical. A $5 folder will do the same task just as effectively.
But it makes them happy.
Happiness is what it's all about, really (including sacrificing the $600 knife if it keeps the marriage intact

True dat! for example today I am so happy because I bought a cheap SAk Pioneer... Happiness is what it's all about, yeah.. i cant afford a 600 bucks knife but im still happy with my little gem

 

[GermanyChris]

Just looking at the cost of a few things from my life right now:

House - 500,000K
Car - 47,000
Phone - 800-1,000


Yep, that $600 knife is looking pretty cheap right now LOL. Any blade at that price point will basically last until the end of time unlike the other three items I listed.

The flip side is:

House was my wifes = Free
Car = $14,000 had it 11 years
Phone = $150 no contract

$600 knife = expensive

(yes no mortgage or car payment = more money for knives OR more money to retire with I choose the latter)

 

[EChoil]

Just looking at the cost of a few things from my life right now:

House - 500,000K
Car - 47,000
Phone - 800-1,000


Yep, that $600 knife is looking pretty cheap right now LOL. Any blade at that price point will basically last until the end of time unlike the other three items I listed.

But just think....if you went to, say, $400 knives, you could upgrade out of all those in a year or so. Is a knife really that important?

 

[stabman]

But just think....if you went to, say, $400 knives, you could upgrade out of all those in a year or so. Is a knife really that important?

Yes.

(yes no mortgage or car payment = more money for knives OR more money to retire with I choose the latter)

I choose knives.
You might die before reaching retirement age...my mom did, and plenty of other folks do as well.

Live for the now; the future is uncertain.
The only place you really live is in the present anyway; the past is a memory, and the future is but a dream.

 

[EChoil]

For the true hardcore hobbyist, I guess I can see spending the big $00,000-bucks on knives they want. Barely.

But for most, it's a good window into how financial they are as well.

 

[EChoil]

Yes. .....

heh, heh

 

[stabman]

For the true hardcore hobbyist, I guess I can see spending the big $00,000-bucks on knives they want. Barely.

But for most, it's a good window into how financial they are as well.

Quite true.
For myself, I realized that if I waited till I had money to enjoy life and buy the things I wanted, it might never happen.

 

[NinjaRyder0920]

To each their own. It's the same reason anyone would spend $X.XX on any item be it knives, guns, cars, houses, ect. As one can expect, the quality and craftsmanship does skyrocket when you go from a $50 knife to a $500 or $1000 blade. I've had quite the swing these past few years when it comes to my collection. Started small a few years ago, ventured up into the nicer production knives, then got rid of them all and just focused on midtechs for a few months. I am now on the pendulum backswing in the other direction where I've sold all of my midtechs and just have 1 or 2 production knives, the most expensive of which is $150. I personally found that, even though I used the midtechs, I was not enjoying them to their full potential or price. For the past few weeks, my carry has been a Byrd Cara Cara 2 in G10 and it has been outstanding!

 

[EChoil]

Quite true.
For myself, I realized that if I waited till I had money to enjoy life and buy the things I wanted, it might never happen.

Yup, firmly believe everyone should pursue at least one interest with vigor.

Example is a new car or motorcycle. Buying one is probably the least financial thing one can do. BUT, I think everyone should do it once.

R'onton le boulet' roulez vous'.... Or whatever it is they say.

 

[Gaston444]

Among large fixed blades with a proper hollow grind and V-edge, only Randall offers a 0.020" (0.5 mm) edge thickness (except for a few Al Mars models of similar price): Their cheapest knife suitable for chopping is the $1000 Model 12.

I have found now that I can send other flat ground knives to a pro for overall blade thinning, to an edge thickness value similar to Randall, 0.020", but typically not hollow grinds which are harder to do, so only Randall offers correct geometry out of the box. Randalls are among the cheapest knives I would consider.

Colin Cox also offered 0.020" or less edges, and are about the same cost as Randalls, but with a wider variety of models. They are clearly inspired by the "Randall way", but with a slightly higher workmanship: I highly recommend them, but their designs can be oddballs...

Except for Bark River/Blackjack, which are really thin-edged, but for me are a sub-optimal convex edges that can't really be re-sharpened properly, as soon as you go lower in price the edges get thicker and large fixed blade knives become unsuitable for safe slicing: Larger knives ask for slicing efforts farther from the handle, so they really need thinner edges, and usually they go thicker instead (Typically like the Chris Reeves one-piece knives, at double the ideal 0.020" edge thickness: Usually a full 1 mm or 0.040", which is basically asking for an accident while slicing, and is a lot of effort as the blade runs down to the point...)

In large fixed blades, $600 or less is often going for stuff that cannot slice well, and will only chop OK. Making a big chopping knife a good slicer actually improves the chopping as well, but many knives (other than Randalls) often have a layer power-burned edge apexes that can't take chopping while thin enough for slicing. You can have a knife that does both, but they are never cheap, and below $600 is cheap.

Gaston

 

[22-rimfire]

I don't have a car payment, but I do have a mortgage and insurance costs. $600 is still a lot of money to me.

 

[AusLoX]

For the true hardcore hobbyist, I guess I can see spending the big $00,000-bucks on knives they want. Barely.

But for most, it's a good window into how financial they are as well.

Absolutely. People need to look at this as a % of income. If you make good money then $600 is a drop in the hat. I've spent $2,000 on knives this past month. Still have my house, both cars, and never missed a payment my whole life. Still putting 10% in a 401k and another 5% in savings. I work 60 hours a week and enjoy it. I really don't see an issue with spending on a knife. And the fact that a lot of higher end knives hold their value, they're easy to sell at cost, and with the right knife a profit. The second I can't afford it, I will sell off my knives that I don't "need." This is my hobby and I enjoy it.

 

[EChoil]

Absolutely. People need to look at this as a % of income. If you make good money then $600 is a drop in the hat. I've spent $2,000 on knives this past month. Still have my house, both cars, and never missed a payment my whole life. Still putting 10% in a 401k and another 5% in savings. I work 60 hours a week and enjoy it. I really don't see an issue with spending on a knife. And the fact that a lot of higher end knives hold their value, they're easy to sell at cost, and with the right knife a profit. The second I can't afford it, I will sell off my knives that I don't "need." This is my hobby and I enjoy it.

Yeah, as I said above, everyone needs a passion.

One question? Do you buy lottery tickets?

 

[AusLoX]

Yeah, as I said above, everyone needs a passion.

One question? Do you buy lottery tickets?

Negative. I'd rather buy a knife.

 

[Wilsonhome]

For the true hardcore hobbyist, I guess I can see spending the big $00,000-bucks on knives they want. Barely.

But for most, it's a good window into how financial they are as well.

When you say "how financial they are" do you mean how financially savvy they are or what level of financial means they have? Don't mean anything by the question, just really not sure what you mean and was curious.

As to the $600 knife question, i think i have only done that a couple times, most of mine were under $500 (and the vast majority a lot under). On one of the expensive ones, i ended up not being super impressed, but was able to sell it to someone for essentially what i paid for it. On the other, i am quite happy to have spent the money.

My general opinion, for the little that it is worth, is that people shouldn't go beyond their means anything and should be fiscally responsible. That said, they should also spend their disposable income on what makes them happy.