Your First High End Knife

For years I considered Benchmade and Spyderco high end. So, I guess, one of my first high end knives was a Griptillian I bought at a REI used gear sale. It cost me twenty dollars plus fees for our greedy elected officials. Now that I have used a Grip, I consider it anything but high end. Maybe an entry level knife for serious use is a better way to define the Griptillian series.

In some ways, I still consider Benchemade and Spyderco high end knives. Surely they are high end when compared to the likes of Gerber or gas station knives.
 
Sears Schrade Camper when I was in the Cub Scouts. Saved up money from doing extra chores and mowing lawns. I was BMC for a time in my Troop.

Since then every knife purchase no matter the make, model or price has been subject to the law of diminishing returns.
 
"High end" means different things to different people. For me, my first over-$200 knife was an LE Benchmade 940 series. My First $300 and my first $400 knife were both Sebenza Classics. The most I ever spent was $700-something for a custom bali-song. Don't even remember the maker, and I ended up selling it to fund more Sebbies.
 
zbs40 said:
It probably won't classify as high end to you guys but it was to me. A Benchmade tanto Griptilian.
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Ehh don't feel bad. I remember my first knife was a smith and wesson tactical knife that I got from the flea market for about $25 bucks about 3 years ago. I carried, sharpened, and used the hell out of that knife. I should have know it wasn't that good because it had all sorts of blade play, the pivot screw was always working loose, and the liner lock was at about 90%. Then I got on this site and decided to buy me a benchmade mini grip. First thing I though when I ordered it? "I just spent 80 bucks on a fucking knife!? But I could tell the difference just by using it. So I would say my mini grip and my PM2 are my high end knives so far.
 
For my collection and the place it is at now, the "gateway" knife into what I consider to be high-end was a Sebenza 25, though that was a gift. It really was the catalyst for going into the world of $400+ knives, midtechs, and customs for me though. I will never sell my Sebenza, as it ruined me from knives like ZT, BM, and Spyderco entirely once I got it and got used to using it. There just isn't any comparison to the quality you can get from a good CRK, Hinderer, or even Strider, when you get other cheaper knives.

The first one I bought with my own money was actually a Strider SNG. Loved that knife, and only sold it because I got the chance to get my Shirogrov 95T in M390 that was my dream knife at the time. Will have to buy another Strider SNG eventually, but the Shirogorov has been with me ever since I bought it. Carry it almost every day (have it right now atcually), and since getting it I have owned a ton of other Shirogorovs, though only stuck with the 95T and a Hati in carbon fiber/elmax.
 
My first "Not Schrader" is a CRKT Ken Onion Wave, my last two "high end" (to me, anyway) knives were a 50th Anniversary Buck 110 (no blade etching) and a Buck 389 Canoe with wood handle.
Both Bucks are a step or two above the pre-China and Chinese made Schrade lockbacks I've had/have, and the 389 might be a little better than the Rough Rider, Hammer Brand, and Colt canoes I bought, but then again, I have not been home to see them yet. (over the road truck driver)
 
All this talk of beautiful 1st high end knives and i don't see many pictures. So I will do what I feel needs to be done and show my progression of high end knives.

I honestly can't remember my first knife. It was very cheap.. Then I upgraded to a Spyderco Byrd knife around 10 years ago for like $30 bucks. To me that was a very cool knife and I still think so today. Then around 6 or 7 years ago my wife, two very small kids and I took a trip out to Colorado. We ended up walking around Estes Park and found a very cool knife shop. I found a Benchmade Osborne for an "insane" $200. However I simply fell in love with it and it had to be mine. I seriously regretted that purchase. For months I felt guilty about spending so much money on a knife.

As time went on I did enjoy my Benchmade and grew to love it. Years went by, my career got better and my income improved. After months of looking online, I decided I wanted a Microtech Socom Delta, with a combo edge of course! So I ordered one in 2012 before they went extinct. It cost $330.

After seeing what a "high end" knife like the Socom Delta was, it made me really appreciate it's impeccable build quality and good looks. I joined this fine site and then discovered the world of Custom Knives. Holy f^cking s#it did I find heaven or what? So I bought the Marfione Custom Socom Delta below a year ago and spent $1,150 on it. It was sheer knife pornography. I wore it everyday and caressed it in my office and flicked it mercilessly. Now, just recently I discovered an even higher end knife, the Marfione Custom Matrix San Mai Damascus. To me it looks like a $3,000 knife, but I paid $1,200 for it.(pictured at the bottom). I wear it 4 out of the five workdays and again flick the living crap out of it. I just freaking love these things.. And I honestly thank God almost everyday that I am able to wear them.

I think next year when my budget allows, I will have to get a Mick Strider Custom Knife with his nightmare grind (but with no skulls on it). Those grinds are so bad ass.. After that, who knows.. I hear Chris Reeve makes some darn nice high end knives in the $500 range.

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CraigMang said:
Maybe "high-end" is best described as a new personal record single-purchase price. I mean, Benz owners would say their cars are high end, but Rolls owners would scoff at that, no?

In any case, my first "high-end" one is due to arrive tomorrow: a ZT0900...though I'm a little unsure about it...:confused:
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Funny analogy. I've had three Mercedes and I stopped dumping money into them. Aside from the status and highway ride. I was completely unimpressed and spent way more money on them than they were worth to me when it came to actually driving.
I'm back to other, way cheaper imports. While they may not have the prestige, they are better vehicles in almost every measurable way and certainly the ways that matter to me ....
So what do you guys think that says about me and my "High End" knives?

You probably guessed it. Pedestrian. Utilitarian. Decent steel. Easily maintained. Holds an edge. Mediocre materials and workmanship.
 
If I define high-end simply as the jump from garbage gas station and big-store knives, it was a Benchmade 720.

After a China knife lock failed on me, cutting 3 fingers pretty well in the process, I decided a better lock was needed. I happened upon the 720 at a shooting range and at this point had never heard of Benchmade but the Axis lock looked pretty secure, and at $75, I went for it....the most I'd spent on a knife up to that point, but I figured it was well worth it.

The butterfly on an otherwise badass blade looked a little weird, but I quickly learned to love it.

That knife was my EDC for over 4 years and it never failed me. Surprisingly tough blade....I'd love to get another one, now that I'm thinking about it.


Ive spent much more and have gone "higher end" since then, but that Benchade is what taught me what a quality blade is, what to expect of one, and ultimately introduced me to a hobby and community that I'm grateful to have in my life :)


Edit: I realize that $75 is way lower than retail price at the time. One thing that excited me as a still immature 18 year old was that when I got home with the knife and took a better look at it, I saw a very faded "1" in front of the "75" - all I could assume was that the person ringing it up didn't see it and acciddentaly gave me a $100 discount! There's no way I could have afforded it at $175, and I imagine were it not for the mistake I may have never moved into the world of quality knives. I'm sorry to say I did not return to pay the difference in price as I'd like to think I would these days :)
 
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In the 80's --I spent what was big money for me on a Gerber MkII

In the 90's--big money for me was a Kershaw with the then new materials of ATS-34 and G10 (turned out to be a POS and turned me off of Kershaw forever)

Early 2000's---big money for me on a couple of the then new Bark River Knife Co fixed blades and a couple of custom shop Buck 110's

Around 2006 ---again big money for me-----I discovered the AXIS lock and went on a Benchmade binge ---I pretty much found the perfect knives for me and haven't really bought anything since except for the occasional SAK or Gerber Gator with 154CM steel----in the last year I kind of got back into buying a few blades---Benchmade AXIS locks and a Walmart cheapie.

None were what most would call truly high end------but if I'm getting into something that I would consider "gun money" price-------I'm buying a gun instead of a knife.
 
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I bought a stag handled custom hunter when I was 12 years old. That was 25 or so years ago. It was more than I had ever spent. My uncle made it before he passed away (Glen Hornby).

I own nothing highend, but I have a lovely custom J.Oeser, and a small rough user Ben Tendrick.

I own a large Busse Khukri, and a Swp rat axe. I have owned 13 of so Busse. So I have spend money on more expensive production knives for using.
 
Two of the knives I bought that were high end to me was a Busse Combat for a fixed blade and a Strider SMF. Both were years ago and when I bought them my thought process was I wanted something that would take a beating and last forever if need be. I have since sold both but still have knives from both manufacturers.
 
I remember saving money for a custom skinner many years ago. It had a mirror finish blade and blue dyed bone handles. I was unbelievably proud of the appearance but never impressed with it's performance. It made me very cautious of hand made knives for several years.
 
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