Knife hobby and our perceptions of materials

EngrSorenson said:
Eliteone2383 Eliteone2383 Honestly I highly recommend buying an Opinel or a SAK and forcing yourself to only use that knife for a couple weeks.
You'll learn a lot. You'll learn how far steels have come, and you'll learn just how much is necessary.

It will set you free.

We're cursed by knowledge that there's always something better.
We're cursed by ignorance that what we have already is often what we need.
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I’m just glad that we’re not limited to stone knives these days. Saw an interesting vid a while back of a person sharpening a rock knife or axe. Educational sure, but I’ll stick with my steel knives lol.
 
I generally concur with Lorien Lorien . There's room for all types in this hobby. I love my cheap European folders in 420/4116/12c27n as much as my PM2 in 15V or my DEKA in Magnacut, with great knives at varying price points in between in AUS-8/AUS-10/AEB-L/1095/etc. Variety is fun.
 
I think it's fine to enjoy nice things as your finances allow, as long as you don't let it become an unhealthy addiction (which I have in the past). My current finances allow me to keep a small collection of 3-4 extremely nice folders and then 3-4 beaters and budget knives. When I want something new, I sell some others, and I'm content with this until the Lord either takes me home or chooses to alter my financial situation (for better or for worse!). How many knives can you really enjoy at once anyways? And so I sit here with my Shiro R20... and my Civivi Baklash... and my CKF Persian... and that steak knife wrapped in duct tape that I found in an attic on a roof inspection... and I enjoy them all for what they are.

...But I certainly did get bitten by the bug and sell a few to get in on the Machinewise Sonora preorder... and maybe sell another to grab that SBD Mini Evo...

Y'all know how it is. :)
 
While there’s nothing wrong with being a steel snob and rightly so with all the wonderful choices of steel that’s available today, as well as a excellent variety of handle material, it’s not hard to turn down what’s perceived as a downgraded steel. It happens when you get caught up with the crowd that’s chasing the latest and greatest material to come out. For this community, it happens. Would you expect anything else being a member here?
I know I’m as guilty as anyone else, but what I do to keep things in perspective, is not forget where I started at. I still have my early knives that I carry from time to time as a reminder/slap in the face that at the end of the day, if they’re used, they get dull. Man, I still love my Kershaw Turbulence with 14C28N steel.
For me, a good quality, well built knife is more suitable for my needs and that usually means more expensive and not necessarily steel choice. Back in the day, I thought I was in high cotton sharpening VG10 and 14C28N, I can get it stupid sharp just using a Lansky. Times have changed with all the wonderful steel now.
 
AntDog said:
Knives is not serious bidness. Just buy and enjoy what makes you happy. If it ain’t fun, what’s the point?
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Let me ask you this. You ever have someone show you their knife and you feel bad for them and immediately start thinking about knives to buy them so they actually have a good knife? That is not normal thinking. That's how bad it's gotten for me. Now in the grand scheme of things yes this is minor stuff and first world problems. But it's also a hobby that brought joy and life is too short to lose any kind of joy.
 
Eliteone2383 said:
Let me ask you this. You ever have someone show you their knife and you feel bad for them and immediately start thinking about knives to buy them so they actually have a good knife? That is not normal thinking. That's how bad it's gotten for me. Now in the grand scheme of things yes this is minor stuff and first world problems. But it's also a hobby that brought joy and life is too short to lose any kind of joy.
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Yes, I have seen that, and felt That way..... but those same people probably use that nice Cruwear blade as a screwdriver.
 
Eliteone2383 said:
Let me ask you this. You ever have someone show you their knife and you feel bad for them and immediately start thinking about knives to buy them so they actually have a good knife? That is not normal thinking. That's how bad it's gotten for me. Now in the grand scheme of things yes this is minor stuff and first world problems. But it's also a hobby that brought joy and life is too short to lose any kind of joy.
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Of course I have. I’m sure we all have.

Another one of my hobbies is Warhammer 40K. It’s a miniature based wargame set in the far future (40,000).

When I first started playing I was in awe of all the cool models and loved imagining the scenarios in my mind - “Kharn the Betrayer is going to fire his plasma pistol at the Bloody Handed Avatar of Khaine, then charge into hand to hand combat with him!!1!1!! So COOL!!1!1!!!”

But, the game can get extremely “meta”. It went from cool to simple numbers and probabilities playing out in my head. “Ok, this guy has Toughness 5 and 2 wounds, so he’ll probably last two rounds in combat with this squad and take out 30-40%.” It became boring and stale.

The cure for me was to play an army that was so bad they were funny. My only shot was to throw massive amounts of numbers and inferior weaponry at the opposing force and hope for the best. It became fun again.

It’s sounding like maybe knives have gotten to that “meta” point for you. Maybe it’s time to try some “inferior weaponry” and see if you regain that spark.
 
AntDog said:
Of course I have. I’m sure we all have.

Another one of my hobbies is Warhammer 40K. It’s a miniature based wargame set in the far future (40,000).

When I first started playing I was in awe of all the cool models and loved imagining the scenarios in my mind - “Kharn the Betrayer is going to fire his plasma pistol at the Bloody Handed Avatar of Khaine, then charge into hand to hand combat with him!!1!1!! So COOL!!1!1!!!”

But, the game can get extremely “meta”. It went from cool to simple numbers and probabilities playing out in my head. “Ok, this guy has Toughness 5 and 2 wounds, so he’ll probably last two rounds in combat with this squad and take out 30-40%.” It became boring and stale.

The cure for me was to play an army that was so bad they were funny. My only shot was to throw massive amounts of numbers and inferior weaponry at the opposing force and hope for the best. It became fun again.

It’s sounding like maybe knives have gotten to that “meta” point for you. Maybe it’s time to try some “inferior weaponry” and see if you regain that spark.
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That's my plan. Just trying to get myself to pull the trigger on something lol.
 
I met a younger knife guy a few years ago while browsing a knife table at a flea market.

I was looking at the Rough Rider slip joints, the young guy started rattling off every American knife brand to me and telling me he only buys those brands.
He told me everything on the table was junk (and that was mostly true).

I bought a Rough Rider trapper for $10 , the young guy told me that the RR was junk.

So, I asked the young guy if he liked Hinderer knives, and he told me "of course".
I reached into my pocket and showed him my XM18 and the silence was deafening.
He never did show me what was clipped to his pocket.

Moral of the story, I buy what makes me happy and don't care what others think.
 
Eliteone2383 said:
That's my plan. Just trying to get myself to pull the trigger on something lol.
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That was a great way of describing it AntDog AntDog

For good older, less popular steels I'd recommend some good D2, M2, 440C, 15n20 all with a good heat treatment. You'd be surprised how great they can be. Appreciate them for what they are. Not discredit them for what they are not...... ;)
 
AntDog said:
Of course I have. I’m sure we all have.

Another one of my hobbies is Warhammer 40K. It’s a miniature based wargame set in the far future (40,000).

When I first started playing I was in awe of all the cool models and loved imagining the scenarios in my mind - “Kharn the Betrayer is going to fire his plasma pistol at the Bloody Handed Avatar of Khaine, then charge into hand to hand combat with him!!1!1!! So COOL!!1!1!!!”

But, the game can get extremely “meta”. It went from cool to simple numbers and probabilities playing out in my head. “Ok, this guy has Toughness 5 and 2 wounds, so he’ll probably last two rounds in combat with this squad and take out 30-40%.” It became boring and stale.

The cure for me was to play an army that was so bad they were funny. My only shot was to throw massive amounts of numbers and inferior weaponry at the opposing force and hope for the best. It became fun again.

It’s sounding like maybe knives have gotten to that “meta” point for you. Maybe it’s time to try some “inferior weaponry” and see if you regain that spark.
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We are friends now.

I prefer to play Grimdark, as the flow is a lot easier to play and the armies are more evenly matched.
If you haven’t tried it before ?
Same type of game scenarios which I understand .

I’m guilty of all these knife habits and thoughts.
I find that I gravitate more towards older steels and less towards the newer ones.

Though for myself I’m pretty content right now with where I am. Not looking to add much more at this point.
 
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