Tactical Knives Getting Out of Control?

[Balls Deep]

I feel the need to kinda defend the notion of a tactical knife.

Since being mugged some time ago now (less than a year) - I am happier carrying Emersons as they are the fastest deploying folding knives I have come across. There is not one once of 'machismo' in my preferring to carry knives of this kind. Prior to relatively recent events I was one of those who looked on tantos, etc. as irrelevant to my needs/'needs' but now I feel a valid purpose for carrying such knives.

I will readily admit to carrying a more multi-purpose knife to augment my Emersons and typically that is either a SAK or a Spyderco slicer, like the Caly series. The slicer resides in my front left pocket whilst the Emerson is in my front right pocket.

Nothing any knife snob is going to say here will reduce the comfort I take from knives of this ilk (and I am probably one of those super-steel, latest this, latest that guy too).

I just wanted to give a perspective to this thread that seem to have been missing thusfar. These are tools and some are more oriented to different jobs but at the end of the day my SAK and my Emersons both open packages, etc...

Cheers,

Ben

What you're describing here is totally appropriate. When the OP was bringing up tactical blades the discussion has really been around the "Custom" tactical scene that markets $500 folders that don't appear to be offerring anything more than A well made ZT or Emerson besides wild designs. Knarfeng did a great job naming that there are customs producsing true art and there are customs making sort of wild production looking knife like objects. The way I'm viewing this it's not a slam against tactical knives it's more accountability for "customs" that appear to be no different than production knives in worksmanship and strength.

 

[dkblade]

It seems like the best made knives that are the most functional and long lasting occur at around $150-$250. After that they're just shelf queens. I would never EDC a knife that cost $500.00. At best, if it were an attractive knife, it would make it's way into my pocket during events where I wear a suit and tie and my favorite watch. It's funny how a lot of the overly expensive knives are the ugliest and least likely to ever be used.

 

[stabman]

I would never EDC a knife that cost $500.00.

Why not?

 

[SamuraiDave]

Why not?

(Looks at shoes and mumbles)
Cause that's about two times what I'd expect to get if I sold my car.

 

[stabman]

(Looks at shoes and mumbles)
Cause that's about two times what I'd expect to get if I sold my car.

At least you have a car.
I get to take the city bus full of smelly strangers and yelling teenagers...yay!

I just carry whatever knife (or knives) I feel like.
That can range from $80 to $600 (per knife) depending on which get chosen that day.

There's only so much sitting around the house admiring them while saying "my precioussssss" one can engage in before it gets dull, at least for me.
If I don't carry and use them at least a certain amount, I'll die of boredom.

 

[leghog]

... Or very similarly the advertising along the lines of "you dropped $600 on a glock why not $400 on an equally amazing killing machine that TAKES NO BULLETS.

Tell those marketers the Glock knife costs only 30 bucks.

 

[dkblade]

Why not?

Good question. Right now my most expensive knife is my Delica 4 and I handle that thing with kid gloves using it only to cut up boxes and other light tasks. I don't think I could justify using a $500.00 knife at this point because I would be afraid of chipping the blade or scratching it. I guess if money were no issue I would just buy a few $500.00 knives just in case and not be too concerned with damaging them but I'm not quite at that point in life yet! What's the most expensive EDC you carry? That might be a good new thread to start...

 

[dkblade]

(Looks at shoes and mumbles)
Cause that's about two times what I'd expect to get if I sold my car.

Better sell that thing soon or you'll be left with a gerber ultralight!

 

[stabman]

Good question. Right now my most expensive knife is my Delica 4 and I handle that thing with kid gloves using it only to cut up boxes and other light tasks. I don't think I could justify using a $500.00 knife at this point because I would be afraid of chipping the blade or scratching it. I guess if money were no issue I would just buy a few $500.00 knives just in case and not be too concerned with damaging them but I'm not quite at that point in life yet! What's the most expensive EDC you carry? That might be a good new thread to start...

I felt that way with the first expensive knife, until it got scratched. Then I felt okay using it.
I tend to feel the same way about every new knife though, even if it's a $60 one.
When it's all shiny and new, I cannot bear to see it get scratched...but after it starts to show its use, I usually find that it looks better!

As for cash, I generally have almost none, but I realized long ago that if I waited for financial stability before doing anything, well, I'd still have nothing (and done nothing).
I wouldn't have made any knives or that sword, and I wouldn't have the snazzy knives that I bought along the way.
I'd just be sitting around with no stuff, having done nothing, and feeling bitter.

Life's too short to be responsible! :thumbup:

 

[The Aflac Duck]

It seems like the best made knives that are the most functional and long lasting occur at around $150-$250. After that they're just shelf queens. I would never EDC a knife that cost $500.00. At best, if it were an attractive knife, it would make it's way into my pocket during events where I wear a suit and tie and my favorite watch. It's funny how a lot of the overly expensive knives are the ugliest and least likely to ever be used.

People do carry $500 knives and use them very hard...
A lot of people.

And how are $500 knives the "ugliest and least likely to be used"?
Safe queening is absolutely retarded...

 

[rustyrazor]

don't wanna be a stickler there Bender, but that knife doesn't fit the "used hard" framework yet... just dirty. lets see some knicks and scratches on that bad actor

 

[The Aflac Duck]

don't wanna be a stickler there Bender, but that knife doesn't fit the "used hard" framework yet... just dirty. lets see some knicks and scratches on that bad actor

Well, if you've ever photographed your knives, you'd know that scratches don't show up easily...
This Sebbie has scratches all over it, it's just that the bead blasting and stonewash hide them well. But trust me, this things been used.

Here, how about a scratched up 0454 for ya...

 

[dkblade]

People do carry $500 knives and use them very hard...
A lot of people.

And how are $500 knives the "ugliest and least likely to be used"?
Safe queening is absolutely retarded...

I don't doubt people carry them and use them hard but I don't feel like it makes them any less inclined to breaking than a $150-$250 knife. I don't really have a dog in this fight because I don't own a $500 knife. If I did I don't think I would use it for anything...I think I'd stare at it and enjoy the craftsmanship and show it off. But to each their own. I'm glad there are people out there using their expensive knives for what they were designed to do! One other thing is resale value if you're into buying/selling/trading you'll have more luck making top $$ if your knife is in pristine condition, but again to each their own. I wouldn't call either of those knives ugly but some others in the upper echelon, at least in my opinion, are way overdone and almost look tacky. I'm a stickler for simplicity, durability and functionality, and both the ones you showed definitely fit that criteria :thumbup:

 

[J85909266]

This conversation is taking a dead horse turn. So be it, though. I got a lot of interesting posts and insight from the community. I'm glad to see that I'm not alone in noticing and being a bit concerned about this current trend.

 

[leghog]

Carried for a couple of years in the late '90s. Used it hard. Tactical knives just don't age well at all. Now it sits in a tool box and is very rarely ever used anymore.

Even with a broken scale, traditionals age with character.

 

[Mistwalker]

Until recently, there were a few high end production companies commanding prices of around 500 USD for their knives. Those companies had long-standing reputations for quality and performance.

Nowadays, I pull up the new knives list at, say, Knifecenter, and I see a veritable barrage of atrocious, tiger striped, over built insanity from 10 different brands that I've never heard of asking five or six hundred dollars a pop for these monstrosities.

I just want to know: are people buying this stuff? I never see anything about these companies here. How does the knife community feel about all of these high priced knives?

I'm sitting here scratching my head for about 50 different reasons.

I think there are a few factors involved, hollyweird, video games, and more than a decade of war come to mind. One of the things that blew mind mind at Blade last year was a relatively new company, whose knives seemed well made enough...other than I found the handles a little bulky and clunky looking despite decent ergonomics, but thy were selling knives that were CNC-ed from start to finish, and made of O-1 tool steel, but were being sold in the $400 price range and higher, so being old for more money than extremely well made hand made knives I could buy from a few known knife makers who use O-1 a few tables away, and higher than knives made of more expensive steels by a few well known knife companies there. Yes I happen to like O-1, that wasn't a dig, just a comment on the fact that it was exactly one of the high-end super steels. Their primary marketing tool was a banner proclaiming their knives were the choice of a U.S. Navy Special Warfare Team. All I could do was look at the guy, smile, shake my head and walk away. He still had a table full of knives on Sunday afternoon, so that made me feel like there was some hope for us after all...

 

[goldie]

If anyone saw nocturnal knives, its another company I never heard of,making extremely designed knives. 550-600$ fixed blade with a weird tanto blade that does not seem very useful for everyday things. Same fixed blade 1 piece tang with bolted on scales like so many other makers, 550+. id love to know why.I think a 1 piece fixed blade with screwed on scales is much easier and cheaper to make than a folder.

 

[Larcivs Lepidvs]

No it wasn't. That's a sailor's pocket knife. Nothing but utility, the sheepfoot is specifically so that it can't stab. A WWII tactical knife would be the fighting knives of Camillus/KaBar and others.

You're wrong dude. that was actually the tactical knife back then here. Its Italian name is Coltello Tattico dell'Esercito Italiano (tactical knife of Italian army), derived from its English army counterpart (which derived itself from a similar sailor's knife), and was issued to all English troops during WWII, and then to Italian troops too, after 8th september's treason.

 

[22-rimfire]

You're wrong dude. that was actually the tactical knife back then here. Its Italian name is Coltello Tattico dell'Esercito Italiano (tactical knife of Italian army), derived from its English army counterpart (which derived itself from a similar sailor's knife), and was issued to all English troops during WWII, and then to Italian troops too, after 8th september's treason.

Must be part of the reason the Italians were whipped during WWII. To me, a wharncliffe or sheepsfoot blade shape is primarily for cutting things like rope and designed not to be stabby, but more utilitarian in function.

I agree with the jist of this thread and the elevated pricing. Slap so called premium steel onto a knife with a tanto design and you have your tactical folder at a high price. I am generally not taken in by all the premium steels. I do just fine with my SAK. That of course does not mean I don't own any.

 

[Larcivs Lepidvs]

Must be part of the reason the Italians were whipped during WWII. To me, a wharncliffe or sheepsfoot blade shape is primarily for cutting things like rope and designed not to be stabby, but more utilitarian in function.

That was NOT a combat knife! but a everyday utility pocket knife for both English and Italian troops. the point is, they called it a tactical knife.
by the way, this one was the Italian combat knife during WWII: