Do you ever laugh out loud at the knife tests run by "expert" Youtube knife jockeys?

There was this russian Youtuber called Vininull who made a few hard use tests on several knives. He was straight to the point, did true hard use, and only on knives that were designed for that purpose (Hinderer, Strider, Adamas, etc...). I Loved his videos, he even subtitled some in english. Too bad he's not active anymore.

After a few years in the hobby, I just unsuscribed of most of the knives related channels as they are more or less just disguised sales pitches.
 
Sometimes batoning is safer than using a hatchet.

I used to effectively baton to make small fires back in the day. But that's just me.
I'm also smart about how I do it, and what I do it with.
 
Billy The Hungry said:
Sometimes batoning is safer than using a hatchet.

I used to effectively baton to make small fires back in the day. But that's just me.
I'm also smart about how I do it, and what I do it with.
Click to expand...
Then "baton" the hatchet!

I remember watching a video quite a while ago. A backpacker was singing the praises of "batoning." It saved him a few ounces (5.5 actually) because he didn't have to carry a backpacking saw, YET he dragged a large rubber mallet along so as not to hurt his precious folder. Crazy.
 
S-3 ranch said:
I really don’t mind some of the YouTube stuff , but a huge but
If a knife needs a torture test , I have worked in the ranching , hunting and fishing industry in Texas for 35 years, and will put a knife through its paces, cutting string, rope , burlap, 50-200 feed bags a day , maybe have to slice up some old carpet, or rubber mats,
Try having to keep a blade sharp cleaning a couple of hogs covered in dried sandy mud or open bags of cement , i got a pile of EDC stuff and can show you a keeper from a trendy piece of garbage . Now I just need a camera crew to follow me around and edit the cussing out

so yeah some young kid saying he opened 25 cardboard boxes is kinda humorous
In comparison with daily life
Click to expand...
Tell it brother!
Real life kinda weeds out what will work and what won't. Cuts right through the Y.T./F.B. crap.
 
I look on youtube for ideas. Unfortunately, a number of the videos are like "I just bought this knife and I am unpacking, see!"
I did see one particularly stupid review that had me laughing.
The Fallkniven F1 was designed to be survival knife for airmen in northern Europe. It would be anticipated that an airman would be on his own for limited time. The knife was not expected to build log cabins, cut green wood for a fire, be the weapon to take on a moose or stick a wild hog if one existed. People wear gloves in cold climates. It also gets cold at night in the summer.

So here is a self-appointed expert. It is summer. He is in short sleeves. He is complaining that the handle of the F1 is too skinny.
 
Nope. I don't laugh at those know nothing self appointed quote/unquote "experts".
I don't watch or waste my time on them. :D

One thing I've never been able to understand is the perceived "need" to baton firewood. Maybe things have changed since I last went camping, but I was always able to locate plenty of firewood that didn't need split, usually right in the area the tent was going and with-in 20 yards or so from the camp site. I never had to fell a tree or drop some limbs for my firewood. Plenty of deadfall laying around, if you open your eyes and look.
After you have the fire going, why split the wood? It'll last/burn longer if you don't split it. Why get up in the middle of the night to stoke the fire? My apologies, but that never made much sense to me.
 
This is my take.

If everyone actually used their knives YouTube knife reviewers wouldn’t exist. Knives, for the most part, have become accessories to carry and take pictures of. Every one in the enthusiast community goes on and on about how they are “done with steels less than S30V”, “how do I make all my knives buttery?”, and “I got light rust on my blade, is it because of a warranty issue?”.

I've said it many times before. Take a look at how many knives are for sale not just in the Exchange but in forums and consignment sites across the internet. The overwhelming majority will have never been used in any real way. Many were bought, fondled, and then put in a safe only to be taken out occasionally.

This is where the YouTube knife reviewers make their bread. They actually use the knives, even if it’s breaking down cardboard and batonning wood, and it satisfies people’s need to know they have a tough knife that can take in anything even if it’s never actually cut more than an envelope or Amazon package tape. People love to see it so the content keeps getting made because they would never actually use the knives themselves.

And to be honest, most people don’t need a knife all the time in their every day life. Most enthusiasts work in an office or similar non-physical job and really do only open the Amazon packages. There’s nothing wrong with that. I like watching some of the reviewers just because I like knives. I like seeing them in action even if it is dumb tests. And to be honest, I watch to kind of live vicariously through them. Making dumb videos, getting free knives, and making a killing (some of them) while doing it.
 
afishhunter said:
Nope. I don't laugh at those know nothing self appointed quote/unquote "experts".
I don't watch or waste my time on them. :D

One thing I've never been able to understand is the perceived "need" to baton firewood. Maybe things have changed since I last went camping, but I was always able to locate plenty of firewood that didn't need split, usually right in the area the tent was going and with-in 20 yards or so from the camp site. I never had to fell a tree or drop some limbs for my firewood. Plenty of deadfall laying around, if you open your eyes and look.
After you have the fire going, why split the wood? It'll last/burn longer if you don't split it. Why get up in the middle of the night to stoke the fire? My apologies, but that never made much sense to me.
Click to expand...

I have to agree mostly. My dad was a master machinist and taught me to always use the right tool for the job. Growing up hunting and camping with my dad and sometimes with family and friends, we always had hatchets and an axe among the usual gear. I have never seen anyone in person baton wood with a knife.
But in times of trouble like an emergency or a plane crash or something, it would be nice to know that my knife could handle the job if it was necessary.
 
Sometimes I find them useful, but would never consider them scientific or even think them as being practical evaluations of real-world use. I like to watch for how the knife can be manipulated in hand which is hard to get when you just look at pictures from the maker or manufacture. I use my knives hard (my fixed blades anyway) so watching someone start with bushcraft tasks and work up to the blade failing can be a "warm fuzzy" that the blade is solid. Honestly, I also look at the tester's clothes, technique, and environment. If their clothes are outdoorsy but pristine, their technique is deeply flawed, and the environment they're conducting their "real-world" test in is a manicured back yard, I find myself doubting the usefulness of the information they provide.

That being said, LOTS of destruction test are just plain stupid and don't tell you anything more than "Hey, you should never do this with any knife because it will break" and then "Yep, it broke." They also never convince me to buy a knife.
 
Rich S said:
Their "tests" are about as valid as those on Forged in Fire -- better named Farce in Fire.
Rich
Click to expand...

Hey! I do want to know if those blades "will keel!"
Seriously though, they are making copies of historical weapons and it is interesting to see how they might perform against human bodies (or at least analogs of human bodies).
 
StoneAndSteel said:
Sometimes I find them useful, but would never consider them scientific or even think them as being practical evaluations of real-world use. I like to watch for how the knife can be manipulated in hand which is hard to get when you just look at pictures from the maker or manufacture. I use my knives hard (my fixed blades anyway) so watching someone start with bushcraft tasks and work up to the blade failing can be a "warm fuzzy" that the blade is solid. Honestly, I also look at the tester's clothes, technique, and environment. If their clothes are outdoorsy but pristine, their technique is deeply flawed, and the environment they're conducting their "real-world" test in is a manicured back yard, I find myself doubting the usefulness of the information they provide.

That being said, LOTS of destruction test are just plain stupid and don't tell you anything more than "Hey, you should never do this with any knife because it will break" and then "Yep, it broke." They also never convince me to buy a knife.
Click to expand...


At First I kinda laughed at what you wrote.....but then I realized I feel the same way.

On TV, or in real life.....if someone looks too good, or their smile is kinda fake...... "Too white"? I don't really believe, or trust them.....haha. ;)


*No mud on their boots....No truth in their heart.
 
kobold said:
I like and watch destruction 'tests'. Even if I never push my copy as far, it is always good to know where its different failure points are.

Just like how they crash test cars, it is important.
Click to expand...

Even an exaggerated or unrealistic test can provide useful information. From Cold Steel's lock strength testing, I can tell you that even a Bugout can support far more than my own body weight without the lock failing. While it's completely unrealistic to think I'd ever be hanging from a tree by only my knife, the test result does tell me that the lock will support more force than I'd ever realistically apply to it. Even if the limits are completely ridiculous, it's still worth knowing where they are.
 
Silvanus said:
This is my take.

If everyone actually used their knives YouTube knife reviewers wouldn’t exist. Knives, for the most part, have become accessories to carry and take pictures of. Every one in the enthusiast community goes on and on about how they are “done with steels less than S30V”, “how do I make all my knives buttery?”, and “I got light rust on my blade, is it because of a warranty issue?”.

I've said it many times before. Take a look at how many knives are for sale not just in the Exchange but in forums and consignment sites across the internet. The overwhelming majority will have never been used in any real way. Many were bought, fondled, and then put in a safe only to be taken out occasionally.

This is where the YouTube knife reviewers make their bread. They actually use the knives, even if it’s breaking down cardboard and batonning wood, and it satisfies people’s need to know they have a tough knife that can take in anything even if it’s never actually cut more than an envelope or Amazon package tape. People love to see it so the content keeps getting made because they would never actually use the knives themselves.

And to be honest, most people don’t need a knife all the time in their every day life. Most enthusiasts work in an office or similar non-physical job and really do only open the Amazon packages. There’s nothing wrong with that. I like watching some of the reviewers just because I like knives. I like seeing them in action even if it is dumb tests. And to be honest, I watch to kind of live vicariously through them. Making dumb videos, getting free knives, and making a killing (some of them) while doing it.
Click to expand...
That's very well said. I strongly agree. I don't know how many times I've seen where someone has asked an honest question about an excellent, but budget-priced knife. There's always that one that has to chime in and let us all know they carry a sebenza (at ~10X the price.)

I personally appreciate collecting new examples of classic knives, because they give me tactile feedback of how things were. This is particularly true with knives like the classic Gerber 22-01874 Mark II, the Fairbairn-Sykes Commando Knife, the USMCKBAR, etc., etc.

More and more as inexpensive knives become better and better, I'm of the mindset that I'm willing to listen if you want to tell me about your Rolex, because you enjoy wearing jewelry or because it belonged to your great-uncle. Just don't try to tell me it's more rugged or keeps more accurate time than a Casio G-Shock, however...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top