beater knives?

[jill jackson]

Does anybody buy cheaper knives(like I do) for using on just about any job? I even buy them so I can abuse them. Some of my blades I never use and its payed off because many of the Spydies aren't made any longer. So they are worth a lot more mint. I use a lot of CRKT, Cold Steel and Gerber as my cut anything do anything blades. While I will carry just about all my knives I never cut with some. I know some will use anything they own but I just can't bring myself to. What do you guys do?

 

[orthogonal1]

I've tried that, and it never seems to work out.

Inevitably, I'll either toss the cheapy or give it away.

Of course, I draw a line between inexpensive and cheap.

 

[Badbunny]

Over here, we use moras for that.

 

[kbog]

My philosophy may change as I get older, but if I buy a knife, I tend to use it - no matter the price. I have a single knife that fits into each "category" for me. Small fixed, large fixed, dress folder, etc...some of them are worth $30 and some are worth $150. That is my most expensive. They all get used hard, although I still take care of them so they look good and perform well.

I cannot carry a knife that I have no intent to use.

Although, to be brutally honest I do have one knife - a Swamp Rat Camp Tramp - that I never use because I have no need to use it. It is too small for heavy brush work and too big for carry. It is now my "camp knife", but my wife and I don't camp much anymore due to the fact that are kids are too small. When we get back into it, we will use the knife, I hope.

 

[jlfletcher83]

I feel better using the well made knives because I have more confidence in them. My police and millie spyders probably get the most heavy use and borderline abuse

 

[Blade Junky]

I don't own a knife that I don't use. The most expensive one I've got right now is a XL Mayo and its going into my pocket when I go to work in another couple of hours. I go through phases where I'll buy some $80 to $200 productions, but usually end up trading or selling them within a month or two after getting them.

 

[Ironballs]

the cheapest i will go is spyderco, or cold steel.. any less and they tend to fall apart and i just cant trust them...

I prefer spending a bit more and knowing it can take anything...

 

[deadmarsh]

I tend to buy my knives on the more expensive end -- I given away the ones I don't like (regardless of price) and my early on cheaper knives when I didn't know 'much about nothing'...

I use my knives, all of them, except a Dozier that is a fighting knife -- it's never cut anything, but that's okay...

Also, I relief my knives heavily, so they never look pretty, but they perform way above the maker's edge...

I also prefer tool steels for my blades, so I have alot of Doziers and Bark River. VG-10 also has a place, and some of the newer 30 steels...


Dead

 

[mmmotorcycle]

I tend to do that with all my knives and since I never by safe-queens it's of no concern to me. I figure most knife companies makes their knives to be used and therefore be loved by the owner.

mmmotorcycle

 

[yablanowitz]

Even my beaters are good quality knives. Currently, I have a Spyderco SS Delica4 who's primary job is to keep the ZDP Delicas away from concrete and ceramic tile. Even ZDP-189 doesn't stand up to those things very well .

As I have told people before, I don't spend $100 on a knife to baby it, I spend $100 on a knife so I don't have to. I have actually been surprised at how well VG-10 and S30V stand up to some of the things I have put them through at work. Lesser steels would have been badly damaged in the same instances (voice of experience speaking).

 

[Vorpal Blade]

Hi Jill: It is probably beyond me to purchase a knife and not use it heavily. Often I like to modify and 'improve' my knives as well.

So most of my knives are worth less money than when I bought them; But more valuable to me.

 

[MuayKiDo]

I do have a 15 euro butterfly beater that I use for everything. The only expensive knife that I did use regularly was also my most expensive, 450 euro's. It's now a safequeen, though I do carry it sometimes, and if I need it, I will use it since it's been broken in anyway. But beaters are just my peace of cake.

I am considering buying a BM redclass folder as a more advanced beater. Only thing is, when u use a $10 knife, you don't have to think about maintenance that much. : )

 

[tenman]

I try to purchase good, higher quality users- if you search long enough, you can find some really great values.

 

[flyfishrman]

I'm with badbunny. I keep a Mora in my truck at all times. Only 10 bucks and they will handle any reasonlable job I throw at it. I did have to put it on the sharpmaker to put a nice edge on it. I also keep Kershaw vapor folders in my glovebox for light cutting. My EDC is a SOG Twitch XL. My Dozier Proguide or SOG Seal 2000 are available for more serious jobs.

 

[knarfeng]

All of my knives are users. If I'm cutting linoleum or carpet, I might use a razor knife.

 

[Avenger29]

razor/utility knives see the worst jobs because they are cheap and plentiful. When you can get those razor knives at the flea market for 5/$1, you can keep them everywhere and do a whole lot of stuff with them.

I don't carry a knife that cost me over $30- I don't want to be out too much if I lose it somewhere...

 

[john w]

I bought several (6) low end knives for work (all exactly the same knife) because I had some nicer knives come up missing and in my infinite wisdom this was my solution to the problem. I un-boxed the first one and went happily off to work. That was like four years ago and I still carry that first crazy cruddy lil' knife every day at work. I lose it and everybody knows it is mine and nobody else wants it I guess. It is a curse. I am cheap knife cursed. It worked I guess...
WOOK

 

[Vivi]

Well it works out nicely that my favorite knives all cost under 30$:

G10 Cara Cara
Opinel 10
Buck 110
Victorinox Farmer

I'll use them all for anything I feel the knife is capable of. The Byrd gets carried everyday and is used for all sorts of tasks. Prying, poking, scraping and even some cutting.

 

[jill jackson]

I guess I look at my best blades as too pretty to use. Once my Dad used my new Benchmade to cut some dirty canvas, I said "Dad I got cheaper knives for that." He said whats the use to have it if you don't use it? I knew most people here would look at it the same!

 

[jackknife]

All my knives are users, but then I tend to have all traditional slip joints like sodbusters and stockman patterns. If I run into something I think is too dirty or rough for my edc pocket knife, then I have mora's stashed around, in my truck glovebox, daypack.