Why People Carry Cheap Knives: A List

[cbxer55]

I have a couple of El Cheapo autos that I bought at a local Shell station. While I have a nice collection of nice autos, I prefer to use the cheap ones on a daily basis. Even though they were relatively cheap, they still seem like fine blades to me. They are well constructed, open frame automatics with blades that seem to hold an edge fine. All I had to do was take them apart and re-assemble them with blue Loc Tite, and they are fine for edc use. Now that switch blades are legal in Oklahoma, I don't have to worry about carrying them. ;-)

 

[A.L.]

Because - gasp - they enjoy cheap knives!!!!1

 

[iMarcoU]

Maybe.... ALMOST any knife. When I was even poorer than I am now, I have had some el cheapo knives literally fall apart on me, and I wasn't doing a torture test or even cutting dry wall... they were really deserving of the POS label!

Haha lol!

 

[stabman]

Because they don't care.

Why do I carry (sometimes, I often leave it at home) a crappy old flip-phone, that I have to use a knife to pry open the charging port because the tab broke years ago?
Because I don't care about phones. They bore me, and this crappy phone works.

 

[Daniel Dorn]

I'm another one who saves the money I could spend on a phone, and spends it on knives. A new iPhone easily covers my current yearly knife budget. Now, if I had money to burn, I'd go get that iPhone, but I'd also spend 2x that on a custom knife.

Definitely about priorities. I've been carrying more $$$ in sharp steel in my pockets the last few years than my car is currently worth. My car still gets me where I'm going, and it is a POS, but it still drives.

It's good to see that most people here are aware of and accept the sickness we all share and enjoy. "Judge not, lest ye be judged."

 

[iMarcoU]

I'm another one who saves the money I could spend on a phone, and spends it on knives. A new iPhone easily covers my current yearly knife budget. Now, if I had money to burn, I'd go get that iPhone, but I'd also spend 2x that on a custom knife.

Definitely about priorities. I've been carrying more $$$ in sharp steel in my pockets the last few years than my car is currently worth. My car still gets me where I'm going, and it is a POS, but it still drives.

It's good to see that most people here are aware of and accept the sickness we all share and enjoy. "Judge not, lest ye be judged."

IMO, every piece of gear you are carrying with you, must be good quality. So if it is an iPhone, knife, torch, clothes or other stuff, I'll make te consideration to devide the money to get the best of all worlds. And, if I dont have enough, I will save some more.

 

[Lee48]

Most people carry knives so they can cut something. Most people who carry knives never really think about the knife very much since they just need something that cuts. Most people would be absolutely aghast and dumbfounded to know how much a few of us spend on our knives.

 

[strategy9]

When I do carry my cheap knives, it's definitely #2 for me due to situations I'll be facing.

 

[NMpops]

I don't carry cheap knives, I carry inexpensive knives. The most expensive knife I own is an AFCK I bought 20 years ago. I own a few other Benchmades but rarely carry knifes with clips any longer. Most of what I carry daily are Case, Schrade and Victorinox knives, non of which are "cheap" but none would be considered expensive. I buy what I like because I like it, not because of the cost.

On the gun forums we often ask the question; why does some one who pays $500 or more for a pistol, go out and buy a cheap $10-20 holster?

 

[stabman]

IMO, every piece of gear you are carrying with you, must be good quality. So if it is an iPhone, knife, torch, clothes or other stuff, I'll make te consideration to devide the money to get the best of all worlds. And, if I dont have enough, I will save some more.

Ah, but my phone phones just fine...and the battery lasts WAY longer than all those smart-phones, as it doesn't have all those other features.
And I guarantee that the camera my wife bought me for Christmas takes better pictures than all those smart-phones too.

 

[cchu518]

Cheap or crappy? I carry $10 rough riders and they are great knives. I think you may need to qualify the question.

 

[stabman]

Cheap or crappy? I carry $10 rough riders and they are great knives. I think you may need to qualify the question.

The worst is when people carry overpriced cheap/crappy knives.
Like when you can get it online for $13 (and it isn't even worth that), and they buy it at the mall for $50.
They figure "Hey, it costs $50...must be good!"
Those are the ones I feel sorry for.

Inexpensive knives can be fine.
Cheap garbage is, well, garbage.

 

[cchu518]

For certain, there's plenty of folks on the forum who'll spend a couple of hundred on a knife, then go look at an alox cadet... Realize how handy it is and go buy a couple of those too, carry em both and not care what they cost. I bought a Northwoods same time I bought a mini tuff lite like 3 weeks ago. Last year my wife got me a Starbenza and I was rotating that with a blur and for really dirty home work projects I was using still a different rough rider fixed blade. Yeah it said 440a but the heat treat was surprisingly tightly controlled. I used it to dig out grout in my kitchen floors and it didn't chip, held its edge for a lot longer than expected. Kabar/cutco are like the masters of 440a. My wife got suckered into selling cutco in college and I got a double set of their kitchen knives.

I've been using the same cutco chef knife almost daily for ten years now. Ill probably get another 5 years from it before it becomes over sharpened. I hone once every two weeks at most and sharpen it once every two months.

I'm not saying they're not overpriced bc they are, I'm just saying that they do a really great heat treat on a regular everyday user steel like 440a. In any case I like to carry whatever floats my boat. I'm going to pick up a protech for my brother's bday as he likes autos. But I can almost guarantee he'll stick it in his gun safe until he kills his boker ak47, lol. He loves that knife so much he's had like three of them.

And the only reason he's had three is he didnt know how to sharpen the serrated portion of the blade until I bought him a $6 smiths round diamond rod sharpener so he would just chuck them as its a $23 knife. I don't judge though, he makes me laugh.

Dude makes like 6 figures works two jobs, rides a 30k Harley on the weekends but... He's just not that into knives. (but we're gonna see about that when I drop a protech godson on his lap)!

I had to add this photo... I was goofing around with a sharpmaker trying to see how fine of edge I could put on a rough rider with the added addition of stopping on leather.

Damn knife was so sharp I push cut through an inch and a half pumpkin I was carving around Halloween a few years ago and cut my thumb in half. I won't ever say a cheap $10 RR couldn't take a fine edge after that experience.

http://i785.photobucket.com/albums/yy139/cchu518/Mobile Uploads/image001.jpg

 

[BubbaGump]

I am finding that the Kerhsaw 'Starter' series like the Lifter are great if you can get past the weight. I was skeptical at first but for $18, I got both the Starter and the Lifter. I have used the Lifter off on and, mainly as a utility blade. It really is a nice knife. I like the tanto tip and curved belly. Outstanding design for working around the yard, etc. Slices and pierces equally well. Not the best steel and very heavy. But it has many features I always wanted on a Kershaw but rarely find--deep pocket clips and clips that don't look horrendous. It also has a frame lock with lockbar stabilizer. It is low-end steel but cuts just fine for everyday stuff.

 

[Sonnydaze]

All of my friends are afraid of loosing an expensive knife, they like mine but won't take the leap to higher end knives as of yet. This frustrates me because I don't know anyone else that has "nicer" knives to talk to about them! That's why BF is a nice place to be!

I'm happy that you're here. I only have one bud with a knife, and that's a POS. He actually bought the deal...$100 for one hundred knives...on tv a few yrs ago. IDK...maybe he's smart. But, I only go around once, and I like using nice hardware. The purpose of money is to buy things that you need. To a large extent, "ignorance" of better cutlery is the answer. (Your #3)
Some folks just don't care enuf to learn about better tools.

 

[leghog]

Perhaps it's our duty as knife connoisseurs to enlighten them that there are actually very good quality knives available for less than $20.

BINGO!

It's pretty simple - they aren't obsessed like we are.

Or perhaps they are obsessed but have found many American classics for under 20 bucks.

I've daily carried this ~50-55 year old Ulster 180/Craftsman 9507 since I picked it up a couple of years ago for less than $15.

Before the Ulster 180/Craftsman 9507 I carried an Ulster 89/Craftsman 9473. You don't have to spend much to carry great knives.

I've reached a stage in life I can pretty much buy what I want, but I see no reason to spend a lot of money to put a well designed knife with a good steel in my pocket.

 

[DAVE_M]

Inexpensive knives can be fine.
Cheap garbage is, well, garbage.

Value is in the eye of the beholder.
Cheap doesn't mean poor quality.
Expensive doesn't mean high quality.

 

[stabman]

Value is in the eye of the beholder.
Cheap doesn't mean poor quality.
Expensive doesn't mean high quality.

As my post basically said, there is a difference between inexpensive and cheap.
Inexpensive means it didn't cost you much to buy it.
Cheap is like the total garbage motor in my fridge that just had to be replaced today; the fridge was not inexpensive, but it was built cheap. They used sub-par components, as the technician told me...as soon as he saw it was a new fridge that was having this particular problem, he immediately knew the motor had to be replaced...and had brought one up with him. In fact, he now has to source more motors, as these cheap (but not inexpensive) fridges keep needing to have the circulation motors replaced.

Inexpensive can be good. :thumbup:
Cheap is bad. :thumbdn:


Many Victorinox knives are inexpensive...and good.
M-Tech knives (and some low-end Bokers) are cheap, and fall apart. Falling apart is bad.

 

[James w]

You say 10 bucks is cheap you'd better believe it that the mora companion 11$ bucks or so is one of the best bush crafting knives under 60 bucks

 

[The cow]

1) Because they don't value quality knives.
2) They are unaware of the qualities of a good knife
3) Because they don't know good knives exist
4) Prone to losing knives
5) Prone to breaking knives
6) Because they're cheap
7) Looked nifty
8) Because the store had it when they needed it.
9) Because they don't "need" any better.

My old man has carried a SAKs and Ontario Machetes for longer than I've been alive. In his view, he doesn't need anything more.
He loves my ESEE Junglas but he would never front the money for one as his Ontario works just fine.
He loves the look of my Boker Camp/Boyscout knife and my Leatherman but he doesn't see the "need" to buy anything more than a SAK

It miffs me when someone whips out their dull jarbenza and talks it up. But talking to them about a good knife is equivocal to discussing the qualities of a 20 year scotch to a fraternity member.