"You could buy a gun for that much money!"

MaxFactor

MaxFactor

Joined
Dec 26, 2012
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"You could buy a gun for that much money!"

Something I've heard on multiple occasions from my more tactically minded friends and associates in response to how much I've spent on my knives (or even a single knife really).

I can't deny that they're correct and I understand the association between knives and firearms but I don't carry or collect knives for the same reason I carry or use a firearm. In my mind they are very different tools for very different purposes. I equate knives more with watches whereas others seem to think of them alongside firearms. Granted, I do carry Millies and Emersons but I view them as multi-purpose utilitarian tools, whereas a pistol has a singular purpose. Maybe it has to do with my upbringing but I find the mindset somewhat odd.

Any knife/firearm owners/collectors out there have similar opinions or experiences?
 
I agree with you. This topic goes through my mind as well. I have knives that go in different categories. Some are tactical and others may be a "tactical folder" but I carry it more like a watch. All are users though. Gun collecting came before knives so sometimes it is hard to choose between a custom knife or a firearm. I like and enjoy both do I tend to switch off and on depending on my mood. Mood as in I will go on a knife spending spree for 2-3 months and then do the same with guns for the next 2-3 months. Usually buy accessories and just one gun. 1-2 guns a year and 2-3 custom knives a year. All depending on the price of firearm or knives I buy. Ammo is a big expense as well. I figure you carry and use a knife everyday so why skimp on it. Got my dad into nicer knives just this year.
 
I don't tell anyone how much I spend on knives or guns. I disagree that a pistol has a single purpose/use. It can be used as a backup while hunting, used for personal protection, target shooting/competition, etc. Both knives and guns are multi-purpose tools.
 
K.O.D. said:
I disagree that a pistol has a single purpose/use. It can be used as a backup while hunting, used for personal protection, target shooting/competition, etc. Both knives and guns are multi-purpose tools.
Click to expand...

I agree with that. I suppose I was thinking concealed carry pistols in particular.

The somewhat humorous thing about my friends saying it is that they have numerous rifles but rarely get out to the range since ammo is so pricey these days.
 
I do have a hard time spending gun money amounts on a knife, mainly because there are so many good knives for less than gun money. That, and when I get into gun money range, I start thinking "Hmmm, for what I'd spend on XX knife, I could have YY gun."
 
I have the same problem I like both guns and knives so much that it is hard
to buy what and when. Especially now with the internet you can find hard to
find items almost daily.
 
I've heard this a few times too. As someone who isn't into firearms it means nothing to me.
 
I've never been told such, but I've certainly thought such many times before in the past. Some people -myself included- have trouble understanding how the price demanded by the precision work that goes into a SIG pistol, is also demanded by the same degree of work that goes into a high quality folding knife.
 
Funny you mentioned this because I've been wanting this 1911 for the longest time but never pulled the trigger because of the price. But after thinking about it I've bought knives that costs almost as much as the gun without hesitation.
 
I like both guns and knives but buying guns is A LOT harder in my country than buying knives.

Firearms are heavily taxed, laws are very restrictive (for purchase, ownership, carry and import) and a lot of interesting stuff is forbidden. So I buy a lot more knives than guns because they are cheaper and there's not as much paperwork involved (getting a new gun takes almost two months from the moment you pay for it at the store).

Plus I can order a knife on-line from the US, and even with our lovely 56% tax for any payments made to foreign companies (so I get taxed on shipping costs as well), it usually is a lot cheaper than buying a gun.
 
Most of us here would consider a pocket knife an essential every day item. As such, you might as well carry something you like and/or the best you can afford--no different than any other personal effect (watch, wallet, clothing, etc.) It would be a lot harder to cut a sammich or open a package with a pistol... :)

-Brett
 
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I have heard this a few times.
Different tools with different purposes.
The price of something doesn't cause me to not buy it if I "need" it.
 
Just say "I've got enough guns".

Of course, we all know that it's not true simply because it's not possible.
 
I started getting into knives BECAUSE they were cheaper than guns. Now most of my knives cost as much as a gun.

I think people look at it wrong though because they are comparing different levels of guns to knives.

Here's how I see it:

You have your cheaper entry level guns like Hi-Point, Bersa etc that equates to some cheaper entry level knives like Gerber

Then you have your middle of the road, super tough, no frills guns like Beretta, FN, S&W, Springfield etc that equates to middle of the road Spydercos, Kershaws, Benchmades.

Then you have the higher end, pricier pieces like HK and SIG. They equate to the higher end Spydercos, Benchmades and ZT.

Next up are the semi customs like Les Baer, Wilson Combat. They are like the CRKs of the gun world.

After that you are into straight up custom territories on both sides.

Either way, as long as you are comparing like items you can see that the gun will always be more expensive. When you compare anything, you have to keep like levels of quality in mind. You can't compare a $16,000 Hyundai to a $16,000 Kreighoff shotgun. One's a basic no frills utilitarian entry level model and the other is a mid to high end semi hand made model.

At least that's how it works in my head.
 
Opening packages with guns is loud and should only be done on special occasions (Birthdays, X-mas, Groundhog Day, etc.).
 
I tried to peel an orange with my pistol. It took longer than expected, and the taste was less than desirable.

My knives make buying guns easier, as I think to myself "for the price of a knife, there's so many more moving parts on this gun, and failure of those parts is exceedingly unacceptable."

When you really think about it, guns are a bargain compared to knives.
 
You can buy the gun and go pull a knife from your kitchen drawer, at least that's how the average person is going to see it. Guns aren't marked up as much, their designs, although not entirely complicated, are a lot more complex than a knife, and all of this affects the resale value; in a local setting most people can get a fair price for a gun that has not been abused. Most average people would have an incredibly hard time getting 500$ out of a Carbon Fiber Sprint Run Millie if they took it to their local flea market. You can get a knife suitable for cutting for 10$ - you would need to spend a minimum of 400$ to get a reliable handgun that can feed most types of ammunition. The highest priced comparable model gun will run approximately $2,500. On the other hand, the highest priced comparable production knife would run about $500. You're looking at a 5x increase on a high end gun, but a 50x increase on the knife.

The Internet has created an awesome market for enthusiastic knife users/collectors, and it has enhanced the secondary firearms market as well, but I think it's a good idea not to get too disconnected from the viewpoint of an average consumer. I also think it's a bad idea to get caught up in the idea of 'tiers', or considering the statement of "you could have bought a gun for that" in terms of a collector with specific tastes. It isn't a high end gun collector making that statement (I can't buy a suitable firearm for $300, and a serious collector probably can't find a suitable collectors piece for less than $1500 if their tastes are the firearms equivalent to a guy that built up a collection of modern folding knives.), it's a person that is concentrating specifically on inherent value, utility, and the overall value of their purchase, it is hard to justify the purchase of a knife over a firearm of equal value as long as the firearm is reputable.

Not everyone is purchasing their first firearm though - a lot of people have a firearm and consider buying a 2nd wasteful, but do not have a fixed or folding knife that they feel is a stellar product for long term ownership. Then as some mentioned, there are some that aren't even allowed to own firearms, or people that simply dislike firearms. Then there are people that like firearms, but just like knives better and have developed a collection of knives. Then, there are some that see knives as a cheaper alternative to collecting guns - so there are all types, and the online marketplace for knives means that purchasing a higher end knife isn't a wasteful investment that you will not be able to find a buyer for later on. Also, some people are probably ignorant to just how robust the secondary market for high end knives actually is.

tl;dr - Your current tastes and the existence of an online knife marketplace has changed your perceptions from how a value minded, average consumer with only practical reasons for purchasing either item would view the situation; and that is the source of such disparity.
 
Well put Max. Sometimes I think people forget how certain things retain their value very well. For example, you could buy a used Sebenza on here for...say $350...use it for 6 months and get just about what you paid for it. Cut out PP fees & shipping and you maybe paid $20 to use a Sebenza for half a year. Not bad at all when you think of it like that. Some people just can't I guess.
 
After some thought, I've realized that there are two aspects to the question I originally posed.

On one hand you have the comparison of value and price between firearms and knives. This one is entirely subjective since the value of something is not determined by any inherent property of it, nor by the amount of labor required to produce it, but instead value is determined by the importance an acting individual places on something for the achievement of their desired ends (Wikipedia). I think Scurvy and A Justice hit the nail on the head as far as comparing knife/gun values.

On the other you have the perceived vs intended use of firearms and knives, which is what I was really thinking about when I made this post. In that case it has more to do with people perceiving the knives I carry as intended primarily for self defense.

I won't say that I don't carry knives for self defense purposes. But it's more of an afterthought. The reality is, that if I found myself needing to use one of my knives for self defense it probably wouldn't turn out well. Not that I don't have confidence in myself, it's more the fact that criminals these days tend to carry a weapon anyway so it's either me with a knife vs a badguy with a knife (in which case, both of us are going to get cut) or me with a knife vs a badguy with a gun (and you know how the old saying goes). I guess what I'm trying to say is that, to the folks who tell me I could buy a gun with the money I spent on a knife, it's really apples and oranges.

A great example is from when I used to play tournament paintball. After playing with some brand new guys, they asked me how much my setup cost. I told them. My marker, tank and hopper cost around $1200. Their response was... "You could buy a real gun with that much money."

Well, it's clearly another case of apples and oranges in that case, their perception of why I played paintball was completely inaccurate. Much like how some people's perception of why I carry a knife is inaccurate.
 
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