Why do people buy expensive knives?

Some people buy knives that cost thousands of dollars and then go out and abuse them.
 
so I can go :p My knife is better than YOURS, does YOUR knife have silver inlay....NOOOOO. How much does yours cost? Well mine costs....

Thats not why but you KNOW the type I am talking about:rolleyes:
 
The most expensive folder I own is a Camillus Dominator, most of my others are in the $75 - $125.00 range, with another small bunch in the under $50.00 range. So I really can't comment on the $500 knives , but I hope that changes soon.

Of all my folders, I consider the Buck 110 ( $30.00) and the Kershaw Storm II to be the best bargains.

You can probably see both at Walmart and even though the 110 is more of a traditional design without a pocket clip or stud , it is a lot of knife for $30.00 and perfect for hunting/camping.

The Storm is an incredible buy at $30 -$35 and I think it's probably good for a lefty too.

But I will add that the first time I examined a Benchmade 710 ($125) I was amazed at the quality and yes it's worth every penny, same with the Dominator.
 
Mandeep said:
Hey guys, I'm looking into buying my first folding knife for EDC and the occasional hiking/camping/etc trip. I only have 30 bucks to spend so I guess I'm gonna buy a Spyderco or something since they offer a lot of left handed knives. But, I was just wondering why do I see people buying a knife for hundreds of dollars if they're just gonna go out and abuse them?
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Like you, I generally buy affordable knives. I find myself waiting for a particular model to on sale, the right coupon code to come along, or using multiple promotions in conjunctions together to 'squeeze every penney'.I have one knife valued around $100, and that is my most expensive knife. I love that knife- my only custom, and it was made by a friend of a friend. And it's beautiful and a functional pattern.

I used to question why folks would spend a lot of money on knives, especially users. Now, I have learned that it's their preference- where they choose to spend their extra cash. Most shooters will settle for a base model Springfield. However some want a Kimber, or Les Baer or something even fancier and more expensive. Obviously, the more expensive items usually have a level of performance edge. Even though a Toyota or Ford will get you from point A to B, most people would love to have a BMW or other European sportscar if they had the means.

Spydercos are high quality knives. I would also look at a Buck 110 or Buck Ranger. Those should also run around $30. The 110 is 29.99 every day at Wal-Mart. :cool:
 
barrabas74 said:
so I can go :p My knife is better than YOURS, does YOUR knife have silver inlay....NOOOOO. How much does yours cost? Well mine costs....

Thats not why but you KNOW the type I am talking about:rolleyes:
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Sure do. In my entire life, I have NEVER told anyone how much I paid for my knife, my wristwatch, or my car. Even if someone asked. Even if they're a friend.
 
Mandeep said:
Hey guys, I'm looking into buying my first folding knife for EDC and the occasional hiking/camping/etc trip. I only have 30 bucks to spend so I guess I'm gonna buy a Spyderco or something since they offer a lot of left handed knives. But, I was just wondering why do I see people buying a knife for hundreds of dollars if they're just gonna go out and abuse them?
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Why don't you just wait a little while, save a few more dollars, and buy a Benchmade Griptillian.Unless you need it right now that would be a knife that would serve you well for a long time and qualitywise stands up with knives costing much more.
 
Mandeep, why do people buy expensive cars, pens, watches, suits, or swords? I am currently on a waiting list to buy a sword that will cost me over 2000 EUROs by the time that I am finished with the extras. For this, I will receive a sword that is the truest replica possible of an historical sword of great beauty and interest to me, something that will be a true family heirloom piece. To see the basic sword, if you wish, go to http://www.templ.net/english/weapons-antiquity_and_early_middle_age.php and then scroll down to number 118. If you cannot understand why I saved for years to buy that sword and am on a waiting list of over two yerars for it, well, I feel sorry for you.
 
people buy expensive knives because they want expensive knives. It's unfortunate that many believe the cost has anything at all to do with performance. A $400 piece of S30V has the exact same properties as a $40 piece.
 
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$62.95 If that is over your budget Knifeworks has a lot more to look at.This knife is well worth the money.
 
Yes, and a Chevy is just as good as a Ferrari. From a purely pragmatic viewpoint of getting from Point A to Point B every day, the Chevy may even be better, by that I mean more reliable. But so is a refrigerator more reliable, it just lacks soul. If an appliance is all that you seek, then a $50 knife will most likely serve you well. But if you seek some art and soul, then it will not suffice.
 
hardheart said:
people buy expensive knives because they want expensive knives. It's unfortunate that many believe the cost has anything at all to do with performance. A $400 piece of S30V has the exact same properties as a $40 piece.
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assuming they are heat treated the same...

on the thread subject though, some people want the best, other people want to be able to say "i did the same thing with my $20 knife"

same with cars, computers or whatever

neither one is really wrong though
 
...why do I see people buying a knife for hundreds of dollars if they're just gonna go out and abuse them?
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I think I understand this question, and it's a matter of value. If your job or your life depends on your EDC, then ruggedness and dependability are essential and a $400 Sebenza is a great value. If for you, an EDC means something more along the lines of a traditional "pocketknife" -- open a box, get gum off your shoe, putter around the yard -- you might want something you don't care so much about. However, that's kind of a big no-no around here.

Truth is, I don't have an EDC -- I have "collectibles" I rarely, if ever carry, and several knives I might carry depending on where I'm headed and how I expect to use it. For a one-time harsh environment, and no safety concerns, I'd probably take my CRKT M-16 which is already beat up. For the 3 months I spent living in a tent on an Alaskan glacier, I didn't take a knife per se -- I took a Leatherman Supertool. Ugly as hell, but versatile beyond belief and indestructible. And, less than $100.
 
I agree completely on the art, but I also don't agree with the 'I paid more so it doesn't break' argument. It's the whole diminishing returns argument again, you eventually end up with an exponential growth in cost for an incremental increase in quality.

And yes, heat treat is important, but Paul Bos heat treats mass produced and handmade knives, and there is a significant price difference there.

To be completely unromantic, buying a handmade knife is paying for inefficiency. You can, and do, get a similar performing blade when made by machines, at a very fast pace and in great numbers. So as a tool, which almost all knives in the world are, you don't need handmade craftsmanship to get top performance. Now, if there is a specific combination of materials I want, for a desired performance, and no one mass produces it; then I do need to go to a custom maker. I also buy customs because of aesthetics and the owning of a unique piece of work created by a dedicated individual. IMO, if you just want to know what time it is, buy a Timex, cause a Breitling isn't going to be any more accurate on average. But, there is still pride in ownership in the more expensive piece.
 
Sometimes I use a carbon steel Irish Barlow (less than $10 US), sometimes I use a stag handled German folder (several $100 US), sometimes I wear a simple Casio digital watch (about $35 US), sometimes a Longines automatic (about $400 US).

Why?, because whether cheap or expensive I like them and they do the job fine. I do worry more about abusing the expensive stuff, but hey I've worked enough in my life to enjoy a little luxury, so I may wear a fancy linen shirt and good shoes, or a T-shirt and sandals, I may have some cheap Tequila or some good Single Malt, whatever I can afford and makes me happy.

Luis
 
Yes, pattern-welded blades went out when we developed the ability to make large quantities of homogeneous steel. At that point, they began to make quality swords and knives out of that and pattern-welding became extinct. But it was rediscovered with the help of such smiths as Jim Moran and others who worked at it until they could make pattern-welded blades that held up to the standards of the better homogeneous steels. Now, it is one Hell of a lot more work to make pattern-welded blades, so why bother? Because they look so very nice and they can be quite artistic as well as recreating the historic blades of the very olden days.

It all depends upon what you want and what you are willing to pay. Back in 2001, when I ordered my first decent sword from Patrick Barta, it cost $250 and I asked him who would pay the kind of money that he was getting for his more expensive swords, then from $1000 to $3000. He must have chuckled knowingly, for he answered that people buy his less expensive swords to start, but they come back for his better and more expensive ones. He speaks truely, for his waiting period has grown from 6 months to over two years. And I am now on that waiting list for one of his swords, as I pointed out above, having saved for it almost from the moment that I received his my first Barta sword from him.

BTW, you cannot find a sword that I would trust for any kind of re-enacting or live steel usage for less than about $300-$400 today. There are less expensive ones, but they have "issues."
 
Why does anyone do what they do? For their own reasons, whether they're concious of them or not i would suppose. If that's the case why do anything or judge anyone? For our own reasons I would suppose.
 
Also, while I find the Spydie Endura and Delica quite adequate for general knock-about, I prefer to carry something more pleasing to my eye. I EDC a Spyderco Viele II to work and alternate among Spyderco Volpe, StarMate, titanium ATR, a MicroTech LCC, and a BenchMade 921 SwitchBack for EDC otherwise. These are knives that I find more pleasing to my eye.
 
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