What's everyones opinion of Medford knives?

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awd_xtc

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I was looking at these and they look interesting, really bulky looking but yet cool at the same time, might be something to throw in my pack or the occasional carry inside a winter coat. I have heard mixed reviews, does anyone have first hand experience with something like the 187 DP?
 
I have not held or used a Medford.

I find them obnoxiously overpriced. I can see a clear lack of finish in images posted by other users. They do not have dimensions that lend to a well performing knife. They have a ridiculous set of rules published by the maker that prohibits doing things that an actual well-made knife should be able to do.

Medford is pandering to an ideal(MILITARY BRO) and an aesthetic(WOAH, SO OVER-BUILT!). There is very little actual substance.
 
Absolutely great build quality. In terms of design and utility, they're niche products for a narrow market, much like a Ford Raptor or Rolex Submariner, which in reality don't perform basic functions better than a Toyota Corrolla or Casio G-Shock respectively. If they're over priced people will vote with their wallets and MKT will go belly up, basic capitalism. I own two Medfords and expect to acquire more.
 
J85909266 said:
I have not held or used a Medford.

I find them obnoxiously overpriced. I can see a clear lack of finish in images posted by other users. They do not have dimensions that lend to a well performing knife. They have a ridiculous set of rules published by the maker that prohibits doing things that an actual well-made knife should be able to do.

Medford is pandering to an ideal(MILITARY BRO) and an aesthetic(WOAH, SO OVER-BUILT!). There is very little actual substance.
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Yup. To use the words of the infamous Cliff Stamp...they're "designed to sell" rather than designed as practical tools. If that's fine by you and you have the cash, then by all means. Just know that it's designed more as a prestige item than as a knife.
 
Whatever looks "badass" and promises to make the owner look "badass" will sell. Most such items never see real badass action so one rarely knows whether the tough-like-a-SEAL image and real life performance actually match up. Fantacy has a lot to do with this. Who doesn't want a badass knife like the tier one Operator jumping out of a Blackhawk on the poster? Guys will throw big money at the opportunity to be associated with such a picture even if reality is the exact opposite.

A real-world Operator will tell you he wants a knife that cuts well, carries well, and is cheap enough to leave behind without regrets. These very expensive mid-tech knives don't meet these requirements.
 
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My opinion is, for the kinda money they charge, I could find a whole lot of other knives I want more, for less money, that will perform as good or better.
 
The heading does say: "What's EVERYONES opinion ...". So everyone was invited, not just those with experience of said item. And do we really need experience to know that $600 for a Medford Emperor fixed-blade in D2 is just ridiculous? I need not own a ripoff to know one when I see it. Busse can be had for less.

To make a fixed-blade knife is pretty straight forward and relatively cheap. I know this because I'm involved with knife making myself. Fixed-blades are always a good test of a maker's pricing strategy/intentions. Not talking customs here. Why pay $600 for a Medford fixie when a CRK Green Beret costs half that?

And please note I'm not saying Medford knives are poor quality and not able to do what the maker claims it would. I'm sure the product is excellent. I'm 100% sure I will love it. I wouldn't mind owning some. But them someone else must pay. LOL!
 
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Officer's Match said:
Owned a Praetorian T and still would if I hadn't needed cash. Great knife, very ergonomic and a great cutter. I'm always amused at people that espouse strong negative opinions on items after admitting no experience whatsoever with said item.
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I don't have to slam my bits in a screen door to know I wouldn't like it and I've handled enough knives to get a pretty good idea of what I like and dislike from specs and looking at the blade in depth.

My opinion of Medford stuff isn't wildly negative, but with production knives at that price point understand that you absolutely are not paying for performance. There are, quite literally, hundreds of knives that cost less and will give you better cutting performance, edge retention and will weigh quite a bit less to boot.

That said, most of us aren't buying for real performance reasons and if his knives keep grabbing your interest I would go for it if you're comfortable spending the money. I haven't seen many complaints at all regarding build quality, though from some accounts it sounds like they have a bit of a break in period, and they seem to do well on the secondary market so you can probably get most of your Dinero back if you aren't satisfied.
 
I own crk and medford. build quality is about exactly the same. the price is about the same. you there is just more knife to pay for on a medford. if a sebenza weighed 12oz I'm sure it be over 600$ as well.
my sebenza micarta is great but i like bigger knives so i got a praetorian. don't get a mkt unless you like big and hardcore. if you drink fine wine and wear suits a crk is little more up your ally. well...id wear a black mkt in my suit but thats just me.
 
I think they're trying too hard at the whole 'MERICA!!! Thing. Sure they're big, bad, overbuilt and stuff but I have yet to see a Medford being used for tasks that require such overbuilt construction. I've seen them being used for the same tasks an Opinel can accomplish (better). If people like them for aesthetics, cool! But thinking there is any advantage to the construction of a Medford is laughable...

I find this quote on their website to be golden: "When you buy one of our knives…you will not want another."

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Enough said...
 
Nothing actually said here that does not apply to ANY knife that cost more than a $100 :)
In other words, you can buy a great cutting tool for $100 or much less.
People spend $1000s on a knife if they want it and have the money.
CRK, Strider, Spartan, the list is a long one. Not a knock on any of them, there are plenty of threads already ranging from dispassionate reviews/critiques to hate to fanboy.
My actual experience with Medford (I currently own 3) is - I bought them because I have been exploring the world of fixed blade folders (basically if I can't carry a fixed blade but want something as robust as I can get in a folder - don't derail the discussion on this digression btw), I have considered a lot of options, I included Medford in my search based on the pitch about hard use, I currently own 3 (Prae-G, 187DPT, Arktika) and find them to be very good cutting tools in a design that comes closer than anything else I have used to that "folding fixed blade" pursuit (especially the Arktika). Fit and finish and material on the Medfords are excellent (I know there are sexier steels than D2, but plenty of high end makers use D2) and for the money they are NOT out of line with other mid-techs and mostly not in the same layer of the stratosphere as most customs. They are NOT a replacement to my best cutting folders (I like Spyderco and especially Military and PM2 in that role), but my chore EDC folders include both a mili and the 187 DPT.

I think most people who have expressed opinions (which you certainly have the right to do) about Medfords have never handled one, much less used one. It may not be your thing, but you probably also don't like Striders and Busses :) Or maybe you do and are territorial about the heavy duty knife space! How's that for fanning the flames :) Interesting reading as always.
 
Physics being physics there are plenty of conclusions you can draw about a Medford, or any other knife, without ever touching it. "People have negative opinions and they haven't even used them," is a cheap ploy to keep negative opinions out of the conversation as those with negative opinions aren't gonna lay out the money in the first place.

I can tell you right now a Praetorian won't slice for crap because a short grind on a thick blade is great for blade strength, but terrible for cutting geometry. I haven't cut a darn thing with one, but physics doesn't lie.
 
First thoughts are.....huge, overbuilt, very expensive, heavy. No I never owned one and really have no desire to. I have played around with a Praetorian. I'm a decent sized guy at 6'2" and usually carry knives with a 3-4" blade but I'd have a hard time with that weight in my pocket. They did seem to be a good quality product and better be for that kinda money. I think they are always going to appeal to a very small niche. Nothing wrong with that.

Mike
 
The thing with these battle tank knives are that the itch to get one will not go away until scratched. Only then will the realisation kick in that these knives look badass but aren't good at slicing/cutting at all ... and that is after all what a knife is supposed to be for. As stated above the geometry is just bad and unless one has the blade regrinded to be thinner behind the cutting edge the thing will not work well. It is good for a tough guy image as long as no cutting is requird to validate the image. I seriously doubt that military operators actualy buy these things to use in their work. Doesn't make sense.
 
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