Will you buy a knife brand you are not really into if it's cheap?

Candidly, no I wouldn't. I have gotten to the point these days where a knife has to be either very, very special for me to open my wallet, or be something specific that has been on my "Must Have" or "Target of Opportunity" lists. I have dozens of knives in my collection that I don't use anymore, it would just be taking money away from all my other hobbies to do it.
 
25 years ago I might have bought them. Not now. I have too many knives as it is. I don't buy knives I don't think I will use.
 
It’s a very rare occurrence that I’m both in a pawn shop AND they have a knife of some interest to me. I’ve purchased I think a total of two knives from such shops, a seemingly like-new Spyderco Szabo for $60 in 2014 and a Cold Steel Mackinac Hunter (with surface corrosion that was easily removed) for $15 in 2018. Neither really fit my tastes, but I had definitely eyed them with curiosity beforehand and also was safe with the knowledge that I could resell them at what would still be an absolute bargain without losing money.

Pawn shops where I live rarely have items of interest to me. I’m also still a bit salty about the iPod I bought that only put out sound in the left channel, so I frequent them only once a year or so.
 
danbot said:
Cool! Do you know Dave? :D
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No, I don't think I do. But it would be neat to meet some other local knife guys.

Comeuppance said:
It’s a very rare occurrence that I’m both in a pawn shop AND they have a knife of some interest to me. I’ve purchased I think a total of two knives from such shops, a seemingly like-new Spyderco Szabo for $60 in 2014 and a Cold Steel Mackinac Hunter (with surface corrosion that was easily removed) for $15 in 2018. Neither really fit my tastes, but I had definitely eyed them with curiosity beforehand and also was safe with the knowledge that I could resell them at what would still be an absolute bargain without losing money.

Pawn shops where I live rarely have items of interest to me. I’m also still a bit salty about the iPod I bought that only put out sound in the left channel, so I frequent them only once a year or so.
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Pawnshops are really hit or miss. To get a decent deal around here you have to be there the same day they pull the item. I find most often the other stuff I collect like watches and guitars to be way over priced. Which is why knife collecting can be so exciting. Most places can't wait to give away a knife! So when you do find something you like it's usually a great deal.
 
iv stoped buying if I don't think the makes any good or possibly going to fail had a few cheap folder that look good and fail I like my fingers so stick with brands I know and do buy a few secondhand knives fixed and folders got a old ti lite £20 (£80ish NEW)never sharpend but blunt and very wobble blade got it home striped it cleaned oiled put back together with bluelocktite and sharpend it's been used hard ( good mechanics knife ) but maintanded properly best 20 pound knife i ever had

you can get some good knives cheap that just need tlc its amazing how cheap you can get some

but you can also get some very good new cheap knives I was just normaly got the lemons of cheapo brands
 
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Nah. Life’s too short to buy something I have no interest in just because it’s a good deal.

If something was offered to me that I know I wouldn’t use and enjoy, I wouldn’t take it even if it was free.
 
Here’s how I see it FWIW.

I spend 20-50 dollars on a lot of things that bring me joy often without thinking twice. A meal, movie tickets, a bottle of Bourbon, etc. Many of these things are short lived. I don’t collect them or use them over and over but they are fun while I am doing or consuming them. Sometimes those things also turn out to be duds, i.e. a bad movie or meal.

So when I make a purchase of a knife that’s a good deal, even if it is not a brand that I “like” and even if it does not wind up being used, it often brings me pleasure at least for a few hours or a day or two.

That’s not a lot of money to spend compared to other things I spend money on for a couple hours of enjoyment.

Even if I hate the knife after a few hours there is almost always some period of excitement, fun, anticipation, interest, etc that usually justifies the cost for me.

And, I always learn something from the knife that I may look for or avoid in another knife.

And finally, knives are pretty easy to move along. Sell them, trade them, or check it the PIF thread here for the opportunity to make your “investment” morph into something you might just use.
 
bflying said:
Like a few others here, I have problems selling. As in, I can't do it. I'm a bit of a h*a*d*r. Nor can I walk away from a killer deal. So, yeah....I have problems. :eek::D
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I must confess. This really describes me well. I ve been buying knives that I like for twenty years or more. I don t buy knives I don t know something about and want, no matter how cheap. And I ve never sold a knife, though I ve given some away.

The last cheap knife I bought was a limited edition (I m very susceptible to limited editions) Ontario Rat 1 with D2 steel and g10 handles. When it came, I was so impressed that I bought two backups. The back ups, years later are still NIB. 35.00 each. No tax or shipping.

These days I just buy known high quality knives that are a great deal for the money. That usually means a Cold Steel when it s on sale. MAP pricing is killing some of my former favorite brands for me.
 
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If I like the knife and deem it worth of riding on my belt or in my pocket than it doesn't matter what brand it is, COO is a different story but I'm certainly not snobby about brands.
 
brand loyalty might dictate
a few fellow knifenut's
buying preference
and collecting direction;
but i have a gut feeling
everyone knows when
a deal is just too good
to pass if it so exist.
one may see oppurtunity
in such bargin objects
with possibilities and
options for its use
as in more accumulated
"hoarded stock" for resons
orher than for personal use,
such as becoming gifts or
even future trade material.
yeah i would buy it
if dirt cheap is not an everyday
rampant occurance with any particular
brand which goes listed on offer...
 
I live in Jersey where I don't want to carry a folding blade with me much. It spend frugally on big chopping blades and beat the hell out of them chopping firewood and things. I have condor, ontario, spyderco, & esse. I just picked up my first kershaw (8300). Now I've never held an expensive folding knife, but this one seems pretty nice for 20. Makes me think I'd rather get another fixed blade if I was gonna spend a
 
Beastchopper said:
I live in Jersey where I don't want to carry a folding blade with me much. It spend frugally on big chopping blades and beat the hell out of them chopping firewood and things. I have condor, ontario, spyderco, & esse. I just picked up my first kershaw (8300). Now I've never held an expensive folding knife, but this one seems pretty nice for 20. Makes me think I'd rather get another fixed blade if I was gonna spend a
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Becker too of course!
 
Yea. I bought one of those cheap Ruike 801's off Amazon and it's worth all thirty bucks I paid for it...I use it for stupid things, and so far it's held up surprisingly well.
 
I was sort of put into this position at the Blade Show at the Condor booth. I enjoy visiting their booth as you can handle all of the knives. Nothing in cases. I generally like their knives, but in the last couple of years I since they went to minimum pricing (MAP), I have purchased fewer.... actually none. So, I'm looking at their knives and the rep asked if I'd be interested in a Mayflower? I was not familiar with the model at all. He pulls out two... with micarta handles and hands one to me and another guy. I really didn't know what they cost or retailed for.... I liked the feel of the knife. He said Condor only made two in micarta and decided not to do micarta with this knife going with walnut only handles.... How much? $30...... I couldn't get my money out of my pocket fast enough on pure impulse. Love the knife actually now. Both knives were sold essentially instantly.

This is a little different slant from the the thread but it demonstrates a decision on a lower priced knife you had no plans on buying even though you knew the manufacturer's products generally. I have since recommended the knife here on the Forum. I value this knife at about $100 at today's prices and have been really impressed with it.

Added later: I like this knife more than the highly acclaimed White River Back Packer Pro which I own. Why? This knife has thinner bar steel and cuts better.

A few years back at the same booth at Blade, I was looking at their machetes and was going to buy the Moonshiner knife. I was going to buy at least one item there. Rep pulled out an El Salvador model that they were discontinuing and asked if I wanted it? $20. The wood handled El Salvador is my favorite Condor machete overall. So, I got a spare for cheap, slightly different from the one I own, but a spare all the same that day.
 
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Only if it's cheap enough that I could put it on e-Bay and double my money.

Otherwise.......no.......I stick with only the best of the best.
 
Hard pass.

Sounds like my wife shopping; "but it's on sale" she says. I reply "will you eat/use it because no one else in house will". Then she says "no I don't like that but it's on sale".

Hard pass.
 
I bought a rug (~$1000) for my living room that was "on sale". I was in the market, but knew nothing about the retailer or the rug. I bought it and don't regret the purchase. It is probably a $2000 rug. Retailers know the psychology of "on sale" and take advantage of it. The problem I have with the on sale approach is if you really don't know what the normal price is, it is mostly an impulse purchase. The same goes for knives, especially ones from a manufacturer that you might not be familiar with.
 
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