Quantity or quality?

At this point in my knife collection journey, I’ve really grown to admire and appreciate custom knives for the build quality and the fact you can actually speak to and deal with the actual person who made the knife. There is just something about being able to discuss a knife with the individual and have actually made a couple friends in doing so. I’m not knocking lower priced and/or production knives in any way. I still have several. It’s just at this point, I get more satisfaction out of customs and would rather spend more money on fewer generally higher quality knives than probably the same amount of money of a ton of lower priced knives made in a factory by worker number 43. CRK is probably the only exception to this. They are really the only non-custom knives I buy for the most part at this time.

That being said, my $30 Rat 2 cuts just as good as my Mayo Wharncliffe. Probably better.
 
Bigbobg said:
The things I cut don't seem to care if I use a $10 Rough Rider or a $450 Chris Reeve knife.
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True, but that's not the point. Doesn't matter what the thing being cut thinks, it's all about how much we enjoy owning and using the thing we use to make said cut.

aleforme said:
At this point in my knife collection journey, I’ve really grown to admire and appreciate custom knives for the build quality and the fact you can actually speak to and deal with the actual person who made the knife. There is just something about being able to discuss a knife with the individual and have actually made a couple friends in doing so. I’m not knocking lower priced and/or production knives in any way. I still have several. It’s just at this point, I get more satisfaction out of customs and would rather spend more money on fewer generally higher quality knives than probably the same amount of money of a ton of lower priced knives made in a factory by worker number 43. CRK is probably the only exception to this. They are really the only non-custom knives I buy for the most part at this time.

That being said, my $30 Rat 2 cuts just as good as my Mayo Wharncliffe. Probably better.
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Most custom folders seem to be way out of my budget. There are a few makers that I've discovered here that make some really nice knives that are at the top end of my budget that I could save up for, and I fully intend to, but most of them seem to be upwards of 1k. I could save up for several years for one, but I'd miss out on a LOT of other knives.

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. Really appreciate it!
 
Bigbobg said:
The things I cut don't seem to care if I use a $10 Rough Rider or a $450 Chris Reeve knife.
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Interestingly the things I cut definitely prefer to be cut by a $450 CRK, and even more so by a $750 Damascus blade with rare wood inlays. I guess we all cut different things.
 
I have a few inexpensive folders, and I feel like it’s enough. Usually the inexpensive ones are designed by a maker I have an interest in or holdovers from childhood. Cryo, Leek, Ontario Rats all get a little pocket time, but that $100-300 range is usually where I am - Benchmades, ZTs, Microtechs, Spyderco- there are just a lot of great production knives popping up at that $100+ point.
 
I like to sample all over. Once you learn a bit about some of the manufacturers, you can really drill down to what you are getting. I have no problem with someone spending less than $50 on an EDC knife if that works for them. Conversely, I will never say that you quantitatively receiving diminishing returns spending over $500 on a knife. It's entirely up to what your needs and wants are and your disposable income. Personally, I don't see myself spending more than $450 on a knife. I am earning my way to a Sebenza as a graduation gift, but I usually hover in the no more than $300 range for my EDC pieces.

I generally find a few lower end items to suggest to my wife around Christmas/Father's Day. We don't spend a lot on those holidays, so I like to give her some options in the sub-$80 for her and my daughter without it being a waste of money. It's not the material or build quality that matters all that much. I simply enjoy the thought put into it. Hell, two of my favorite knives in my collection are low dollar gifts. One is a Hen and Rooster bowie my late father and law picked up for me at SMKW while doing some mission work in the area. It's stainless steel, the bolsters are mismatched, its just kind of a mess. However, it was a gift he bought me just because. It was also from the last time he was able to do the mission work he loved so much before his cancer took too much out of him. The other "priceless" knife I have was given to me by my stepdad. It's absolute garbage from Pakistan. However, he knows nothing about knives and thought of me when he saw it. He gave it to me for my birthday a few years ago. It means a lot because it shows he cares. Also, his son and I happen to have the same birthdays. Sadly, he and his son had developed a rift some years back. To add further heartbreak, his son recently lost his battle with substance abuse. This cheap little fixed blade will always remain in my collection. I even took the time to craft a custom sheath for it and bring it with me when we all head to his cabin for the weekend.

In short, I buy myself expensive knives. My EDC usually ranges in the 190-300 dollar mark. I appreciate the build quality and performance. However, there are a lot of great knives in the lower end of things that are worth collecting, and there are even more worth keeping if they mean something to you.
 
Buy what YOU like and what works for your needs.
Most of my folders run $300-$500. However, I've been carrying a Laconico Keen MassDrop folder ($150) that I'm really loving. I've owned several folders in the mid-700's, but that was a mistake.
My fixed blades...usually $100 up to $400 (Busse custom shop).
If I see something I really like, I buy it...
 
I am definitely in the quality camp. As a matter of fact I am in the hunt for the perfect 6 and then I am out of the knife game. Retirement is just a years off and at that time the knife hobby comes to an end. So, the goal is to get a really nice half dozen I can appreciate in my fixed income years.

I think I am 1/2 way there. Got a solid 3 in my Sebenza, my Brown Exponent, and my Slysz Bowie. If I could get a Holt, a Shiro, and one other I think I would be set.
 
A large portion of my knife collection was stolen last March. I'm thinking in the future the largest portion of my collecting will be focused on low cost, quality used knives. I'm thinking it might be fun to see what can be had for under say $20.

O.B.
 
I like reasonable quality knives but the the midtech or higher priced knives. I feel I'm not getting my money's worth for those since they cut the same for me and I'm not into bling. Quantity, I do like a few "pre-need" replacements for knives I really like.
 
Mrgauth said:
I am definitely in the quality camp. As a matter of fact I am in the hunt for the perfect 6 and then I am out of the knife game. Retirement is just a years off and at that time the knife hobby comes to an end. So, the goal is to get a really nice half dozen I can appreciate in my fixed income years.

I think I am 1/2 way there. Got a solid 3 in my Sebenza, my Brown Exponent, and my Slysz Bowie. If I could get a Holt, a Shiro, and one other I think I would be set.
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If luck holds out (fingers crossed) I’ll have a bit longer in the job market than you, but retirement is also on my horizon. I hadn’t thought about how the change would affect my knife-life.

This realization tells me I need to ignore flash-in-the-pan impulse buys and focus on acquiring a few more solid, quality folders and fixed blades that I’ll still be proud to carry 20 years later. I was headed that way anyhow, but wow, this really reinforces it.
 
Mrgauth said:
I am definitely in the quality camp. As a matter of fact I am in the hunt for the perfect 6 and then I am out of the knife game. Retirement is just a years off and at that time the knife hobby comes to an end. So, the goal is to get a really nice half dozen I can appreciate in my fixed income years.

I think I am 1/2 way there. Got a solid 3 in my Sebenza, my Brown Exponent, and my Slysz Bowie. If I could get a Holt, a Shiro, and one other I think I would be set.
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That is a damn solid six, sir.
 
I tend to not buy based on price range, but rather on knives that I like.

I've got custom stuff that cost a bunch, and low budget Kershaw stuff that bangs around the house.

I like all of them pretty much the same.

Buy what intrigues you, what you think you will enjoy, and what you think you will use.

The relationship between price and enjoyment is not always directly proportional, in my experience anyways.
 
"Buy the 'best' you can afford, but never forget you don't have to spend a lot to get a lot. Is a Cadillac any better than a Chevy? They use the same parts and are built on the same assembly line." (Wm. Francis Moore, my Great Grandfather)
All my knives are sub $100 (Buck, Case, Rough Rider, Schrade family, and Western) but high quality.
 
Jason Puckett said:
I'm at a crossroads in my collecting. Down one road is a few mid to high'ish knives with $200+ price tags, maybe two a year. Down the other road is a lot of sub 100 knives and maybe a few $100-$200 knives.

Which way did you guys choose to go and why?
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I am retired and lucky enough to go in both directions. I have about 70+ knives and lots of MicroTech, Protec, Spyderco, ZT, Kershaw, Benchmade, etc.. However I have been collecting for 50 years. I have three drawser of high end knives and three with mid priced knives.

As to why? I can afford to after working 54 years and selling off 6 guns so I could invest in more high end knives. I like to have examples of good knives from all the major manufacturers as well as examples of advancements in knife design, locking mechanisms, blade design, etc.. Much easier to sell, buy and trade than guns are.
 
Quality. The longer i've been in the knife hobby the easier it gets to spend more money as I understand it more.

But one piece of advice I've given my watch customers in the past.
If you were to loose it tomorrow would it be disastrous to you? If so it's too much knife for you, and somewhat above your financial means.
 
The only reason I own a quantity of knives is because I like knives. I could very easily get by using a Spydie Delica or Native, Case Peanut, Barlow, or Trapper, Vic SAK, or Rough Ryder slip joints. It would take two knives total.... I like GEC slip joints, but honestly Case slip joints and even Rough Ryder slip joints that run under $15 each cut just as well. I carry a Vic Small Tinker ($20) every day.... every day. I have more expensive knives, but I certainly don't need them to cut stuff.
 
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The easiest answer is quality ...

But ... there isn't an easy answer to this question IMHO ... I own many knives and they range from Moras and SAKs to a couple customs and CPKs and Hinderers or CRKs ...

And alot in between ...

You can get very good knives and not spend a fortune ... and you can spend a small fortune and get a knife that just doesn't work for you ...

So diversity isn't a bad thing ... I would say if a knife interests you ... look into it and if it is something you like and will use ... and the materials are good ... then try it ...
 
I tend to head towards practicality these days more than anything else. I like knives with a certain blade size, thin profile and flat scales, under 3 ounces. I tend to carry this type of knife more so than any other type. For work knives I like mostly frn type scales, mostly stainless and fairly easy to sharpen, takes a hair whittling edge. I stopped needing one or two of everything just to "add to the collection" and have gotten rid of anything that I don't actually carry or care to use vs fondle.
 
Ive only been collecting for half the time as VinnyFL VinnyFL .
Quantity or quality? That is the question here.
I have seen my collection over the years go from “thats cool” impulse buys to very thought out decisions...with the occasional “thats cool” relapse. Lol. Also started with “cheap” knives, progressing to mid priced knives, then higher prices blades. (But no where near the top of the ladder, i wish!) At one point in time i had almost 300 folding knives, im down to under 1/3 of that number now. Why?
Quality over quantity!! :)
My edc’s tend to be around the $500+ mark, and i like them and use them. Do i need one that pricey ? Probably not...but it works amazing, fits my tasks, is extremely well made, and most importantly....I like it! Lol.
These days ive been appreciating embellishments on knives...handcrafted with care, and extremely well done...but the quality has to be there too!
If collecting knives becomes a pissing contest with who has the most or the most expensive, it becomes less fun for me.
Nowadays, i appreciate the research, then the hunt, and hopefully the aquisition of a knife ive really wanted. :)
As of today...my knife journey has been fun and amazing...it is one of the best journeys one could take...and my satisfaction has come not from the knives...but the people ive met along the way.
Keep ‘em Sharp
 
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