Knife cost rant!!!!!

KBA said:
I could have a field day in the logical fallacies posted in some of the post thus far. I could even be that guy who took the conversation into the moral or philosophical direction. As much as I want to I don't believe it would do any good.

These types of threads reveal more of the individual posting and the priorities of that individual than the passion or knowledge of the hobby or any hobby for that matter.

I learned years ago not to base my priorities on the comparison of others and theirs.

Anyways, I've owned several Chris Reeve knives and customs and I much prefer the Spyderco Manix 2, go figure.
Click to expand...

Choirs always get preached to--all things should be in moderation of course, but it can be healthy to vent your frustrations to like-minded people from time to time. Doctors do it about their patients, wives do it about their husbands, the military does it about defense contractors, and I found out later that defense contractors do it about the military. High horses, of course, can be off-putting. Then again, being on a high horse about people on high horses is less off-putting than amusing. Mind you, I've been hoisted on my own petard often enough that I keep trying to leave it at home, but the damned thing keeps finding it's way into my pocket.


Edit to add---god dammit, I became that guy who took the conversation in a philosophical direction.
 
Like any tool, I want one that won't break with normal edc use.
 
KBA said:
I could have a field day in the logical fallacies posted in some of the post thus far. I could even be that guy who took the conversation into the moral or philosophical direction. As much as I want to I don't believe it would do any good.

These types of threads reveal more of the individual posting and the priorities of that individual than the passion or knowledge of the hobby or any hobby for that matter.

I learned years ago not to base my priorities on the comparison of others and theirs.

Anyways, I've owned several Chris Reeve knives and customs and I much prefer the Spyderco Manix 2, go figure.
Click to expand...

These types of threads are always entertaining and fun to read.
Threads like these have everything to do with the hobby. People get to share their stories interacting with non knife people and raise awareness amongst the sheeple. From my personal experience, the folks I work with are more educated and even have started buying better quality knives because they know I'm a knife knut.
Here on BFC, what makes a good quality knife is common knowledge. Outside of this realm, folks are not aware of the importance of a good quality knife.
Some of my co workers don't want to touch a 400.00 knife, much less buy one. When someone asks me why, for the love of sanity, would you buy a 400.00+ knife, I tell them, " If you're gonna be a bear, be a grizzly." Then I get to educate them on the knife world.
 
Had this happen at work this week.

Guy asked me how much I spent on my knife.
I tell him $180 and his eyes got all big.
I then asked him how much his life was worth and if he had to depend on his knife to save it how much would he spend.
He didn't have an answer for that.
 
good thread to read thru. i always tell myself i wont buy another knife since i have many. my most expensive being a pm2. and i have found myself to like high carbon steel even 8cr13mov works for me. i wont purchase the same knife in different colors though, i would rather have different makes/brands of knives.
 
dirtyfingers said:
... i wont purchase the same knife in different colors though
Click to expand...

I once said the same, and then my beloved ZT 801 came out in anodized bronze. Sure, sure, I tried to tell myself I was buying for the upgrade from Elmax to M390...but I love bronze.
 
James3297 said:
So a lot of people when I show them my knives
That I'm carring ask how much does it cost because
They want one then when I tell them my spyderco paramilitary 2 cost 130$ they some times say

Why would you spend 130$ on a knife
Or
You can get a knife at Walmart for 4$

Then I have to explain the difference between
A spyderco and a Ozark trail

Has anyone else ever had a knife conversation like this
I think the look on peoples faces when i tell them are priceless


Ps I love knifes and I only buy good stuff
Click to expand...

yes, its annoying. everyone has their vices. that person talking to you probably spends lots of money on something they like, be it shoes, or the latest phone, or whatever their hobby is.

i just tell them that for the most part its my piggy bank. i get to buy something i enjoy and use daily and i can sell it for nearly the same cost or more depending (cept for the ones with major wear from use).

Then go into the aspects like keeping an edge longer better quality instead of junk, pride for what i have etc.
 
Mo2 said:
i just tell them that for the most part its my piggy bank. i get to buy something i enjoy and use daily and i can sell it for nearly the same cost or more depending (cept for the ones with major wear from use).
Click to expand...

I don't try to justify the cost of a knife to anyone other than my wife on rare occasions. For buying, some using, and then selling... more power to you. I'm just too lazy to do the selling. So, knives are a money pit (black hole).

Added: I might add that I enjoy discussing the value and that includes pricing on knives from my perspective. Not really trying to convince anyone as most of the people I talk to about knives either spend more than I do on blades or they spend essentially nothing. It's fun to discuss a useful hobby from time to time. Not into discussing door knob collections or something similar as they aren't useful to me.
 
Last edited:
aah gosh yes!! hell even longtime friends. when i first got my para 2 sprint in brown s35vn. friend asked to play with it, i said be carefull these are sharp...10 seconds later hes bleeding from the finger. haha. and well before that even always asking how much they are cause he "wants to get one" soon as i say the price they all just call me nuts & they would never spend that much on a knife.

whatever to each there own i guess.
 
Every man should have a fine watch, a fine knife and a fine writing instrument. "Fine" is in the eye of the beholder.
 
I've never owned an EDC knife that cost more than about $30. For the sake of argument and without superlatives like "how much is your life worth" convince me that I should spend more.

I am a daily carrier and casual user of my knives. Chances of needing, or being able to successfully use one for self-defense are pretty low. Plus, I have a firearm for that. I live and work in the city, so needing one for bushcraft is about as unlikely has having to defend myself with it. I work in an office that has cutlery for food and cooking. I do hike, climb, and camp in wilderness areas several times a year though.

Never had a knife break or become dysfunctional (other than a missing thumbstud). I have lost several knives, which is usually why they get replaced.


Just to be clear, I think everyone should own whatever they are willing and able to afford with no justification necessary, and I am not saying people who carry high quality knives are foolish by any means. I am actually considering upgrading my carry to something a little more respectable.
 
The knife in my pocket is worth more than my car. At least, when my car finally dies, I'll be able to cut myself out of it with the knife. :p

"Judge not, lest ye be judged," I always say, then I proceed to ask them the price of their watch/car/phone/gun/purse. Yeah, I'm a hypocrite, but at least I admit it. :D Really, though, the only people who ask me what I spent are my brothers. They know they may end up receiving them as gifts later, so they don't complain.
 
just like when my shirogorov was getting dull, i busted out the waterstones & went to town, put a shiny convex on her, blade was sratched all to hell. but i put her to good use!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIFt_pIlF_w heres a vid.....one of my comments on there were you ruined a shirogorov lol they are tools meant to be put to work in my opinion!
 
Last edited:
I don't tell people what knives I own, let alone how much they cost. But it has come up, at which points I refer to $400 semi-designer hand bags, $10 hot dogs at ball games, and dozens of other examples of real world "upgrades and accoutrements" that cannot be explained by economic logic alone.
 
tiogatires said:
Every man should have a fine watch, a fine knife and a fine writing instrument. "Fine" is in the eye of the beholder.
Click to expand...

This makes sense to me, and probably why I am considering some upgrades. It goes along with keeping your manner of dress, health, and mind sharp. It is a form of self respect.
 
Well its a hobby that I happen to enjoy a lot, obsessing over knives. If its not knives then general outdoors activities like shooting, camping, trail trekking I love it all and want quality gear for each activity. Some guys at work actually do whip out Automatics and Balisongs to show and tell. I've examined them and can tell their not very high quality but haven't suggested they look at a Microtech or a Benchmade yet. They seem happy with their pawnshop knives.
 
More often I've been on the asking end of that question. Although I've gotten better since I've been buying from folks like Ontario, Cold Steel, KA-BAR, Buck, and the budgetary line from Spyderco. Name brands with good reputations, but not the high end stuff. I've yet to encounter the need for what are regarded by some as being super steels, so a Spyderco Para2 or something from the Zero Tolerance line, or something even beyond that, is something I simply don't go in for. Will this change at some point in the future? Maybe, I don't know.

Mercedes vs Kia/Yugo might be a good explanation to those that aren't fully in the know. But some will point out that there are places you simply wouldn't take a Mercedes through, no matter how good of a mechanic you might have.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top