I like his videos just fine. I primarily watch any knife video for basic info and a better look at knives. My only gripe is his “thin behind the edge” thing. Like Nutnfancy’s less is better (talking about lightweights), I don’t like how several loud voices have dictated what companies think we all want. Liking those things is all fine and great, but it’s not necessarily what I want.
Your recent opinion on Nick Shabazz ?
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Coyja
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Good videos and I’ve certainly have watched a lot of them
But there have been many instances of Nick complaining about a knifes details and then later comparison/discussion he pulls out some ridiculous $800 picket cleaver and proceeds to sing its praises. So many vids I’ve erased most of what I heard from my brain because of some silly blade he pulls out
But there have been many instances of Nick complaining about a knifes details and then later comparison/discussion he pulls out some ridiculous $800 picket cleaver and proceeds to sing its praises. So many vids I’ve erased most of what I heard from my brain because of some silly blade he pulls out
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"I don’t like how several loud voices have dictated what companies think we all want. Liking those things is all fine and great, but it’s not necessarily what I want."
I feel the same way.
The squeaky wheel thing.
Nick seems okay though. I believe he is sincere which is why I don't dislike him.
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Oops.
Double post.
Double post.
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I don’t see it as dictating, he pretty much lauds the good and great and then shows how little or big annoyances detract.
mongomondo
SUPPRESSING FIRE
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His disassembly videos are quite valuable IMO. And I think he has a lot of fun doing that and cleaning it up.
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You must be thinking of someone else. The only overpriced prybar ever on the channel was a Medford and it was comedy episode. I've never seen him bring out any knife for comparison later in a video, not even once, ever.
evilgreg
Why so serious?
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Wait, are you saying you prefer knives to be thick behind the edge? Out of curiosity, why? Is it a style choice thing or a some sort of need for extreme durability or what? Not trying to pick a fight here, really, I'm just curious.
More for my money. I like the look. I like the substantial stock. It cuts
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Nick Shabazz has one of my favorite review channels. He has a system. Sticking to that system and offering commentary along the way makes his channel a pretty consistent source of review. His tastes are his own and I don't always share them but I feel like I know what his are. That ultimately helps me to get more out of the review. I think he is as funny as he is articulate and that puts icing on the cake.
When I go to research an EDC product and I see one of his videos come up, it's the first one I watch.
When I go to research an EDC product and I see one of his videos come up, it's the first one I watch.
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For what it's worth, I totally get this. Not because that's what I want in a knife, but because it's a reasonable thing for folks (particularly who enjoy beating on or prying with their knives) to want. This is why I've commented on many occasions that people need to be careful not to 'overfit' to any one small group of jackasses on the internet when designing products. A sizable number of people want knives that can cut and slice well, but another large group doesn't care. It is a testament to and benefit of the diversity in the knife community that you can get both kinds of knives, and some smart makers even offer both options (see Hinderer's 'fatty' and 'skinny' lines, Medford's 'slim' models, or the diversity in Spyderco or WE's lineup in terms of edge geometry and blade stock).
But still, his point stands: I am literally just some random jackass. I can give my thoughts, and clearly, a number of people share some of my opinions. But no maker should 'bet the farm' on embracing my particular wants and needs. At best, they should listen for the things I praise or dislike that resonate with their target market, and ignore the things I praise or dislike that only I give a damn about. I am just one person, and my voice should be viewed as one among many, even if a number of people hear it.
As an aside, this is why I encourage everybody who watches my channel and thinks "Wow, this guy must be on a different planet from me, I don't get any of his views" to make a channel or blog or review series of their own. More voices, with more desires, more diversity of view, and more tasks, will only make the knife community and knifemaking world better.
Whoops. Sorry. Rant slipped out there.
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You can have thick stock, and still be thin behind the edge. Knives that are too thick behind the edge (much thicker than .035") don't really cut. I also love thick stock. My favorite knife of the moment is the TRM Machine, which is 0.188" thick CTS-XHP, but still has a great thin convex edge that slices. Meanwhile my ZT 0909 is only 0.156" thick and can't cut.
I think I could have been a bit more clear. I simply bring this up in regards to you and your vids because you did in fact coin the term and not because you are by yourself a cause of a new fad that I do not subscribe to. Nor am I disparaging the opinions of anyone that does subscribe to it. But opinions such as this that have gained traction in the community and repeated by many have been the driving force in design, sometimes in a direction only a portion of the community agrees with. That was what I was really pointing out and was not intended as a criticism of you.
Yea, I have thick stocked knives that are not thick behind the edge. But at times, I do like knives which are beefy and look beefy that are indeed thick behind the edge. Ones that come to mind are the ZT 909 and the Benchmade Loco. Knives such as these are not sharpened prybars by any stretch, but going forward may be affected by this particular opinion because companies seems to think thick equals thick behind the edge. Not everyone wants a .12” slicer for $250
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To me, Nick's videos (and other works) are more than just informative reviews. The facts I get about the knife are good to know, and do inform some of my purchasing decisions. But honestly, I think I just like hearing him talk. He's a funny guy, with interesting things to say (and a spectacular accent/voice).
Nowadays, most of my knives are customs, and I've disassembled more than enough frame locks to know how to put the next one back together, but I'll watch every video including those about budget models because I like having something to listen to. Nick's YouTube channel is great for general knife discussions/banter. I've been watching since the early days the channel when he was filming on a white background, and I've grown I look forward to his next video release every few days, regardless of the subject matter.
Nowadays, most of my knives are customs, and I've disassembled more than enough frame locks to know how to put the next one back together, but I'll watch every video including those about budget models because I like having something to listen to. Nick's YouTube channel is great for general knife discussions/banter. I've been watching since the early days the channel when he was filming on a white background, and I've grown I look forward to his next video release every few days, regardless of the subject matter.
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I think the "thin behind the edge" is a product of two things. First, it is what is in right now. I remember not too long ago where many companies where making thick overbuilt knives. I think the pendulum is swinging back and people want thin knives. Everything comes back into trend, hell bell bottoms are back in style. Second, I think more people are educated on knives. With so many reviewers making videos it makes it easy for people to take in information. The video format is an easy, quick and pleasurable way to take in a lot of information quickly. Personally I like a knife to cut well and that is where I tend to navigate to when purchasing a knife.
I like Nick's review, he can articulate those pesky little things that bug you about a knife into a concise point of view. The disassembly videos are great, to me it is akin to opening the hood of a car and admiring what makes it all work.
I like Nick's review, he can articulate those pesky little things that bug you about a knife into a concise point of view. The disassembly videos are great, to me it is akin to opening the hood of a car and admiring what makes it all work.
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I like Nick’s videos very much. I also like Slicey Dicey. However, I CANNOT STAND the Apostle p.
Hey everybody, Lodd here, and this is my opinion on this fashion blogger, Nick Shabazz:
Size comparison: As you can see from his videos, Nick's hands aren't very big. They are just about the same size as a spyderco Delica or the Ontario RAT number 2.
The good:
Nick's setup is more than adequate for capturing video and audio quite clearly. This gives you clear shots of the knife. His style of showing gear in all possible angles and from up close really give you a great look at the item in question. Coupled with his manner in calmly describing some of the details can be really helpful for those times when you are still in doubt about a certain knife.
Also, I have to give him credit how he handled his 'monetization' issues. He does do the patreon thing. While I personally don't care for it, I think it does provide value to to his patreons. And he does it in such a way that it's not annoying to other viewers.
The great:
There's a couple of things which are just great here. Overall, Nick seems like a real gem of a human being. He doesn't come across as arrogant even though he is in the business of 'broadcasting opinions', so to speak.
Nick also has a very good eye for detail. I think this is one of those talents that set him apart from other human beings. He makes no secret of his subjectivity and he is also very good at explaining his reasoning behind his opinions in a calm manner. This just makes him more credible. It also enables you to form your own opinion and decide for yourself of how much relevance a certain issue is to you.
Another thing that's great are his instructional videos. He does a lot of disassembly videos which are very useful. Then there is the topical videos with tips on selling knives or researching makers. Not to mention the 'knife gripes' series which was a real public service to the entire knife community. Those things are just great and overall made a real and positive impact on this hobby.
The bad:
There is some bad here, but mostly this is subjective stuff or in the category of nitpicks. First off, I think Nick has a very specific taste and his reviews seem to be limited by that taste. He seems to prefer knives of the very modern variety, mostly leaning towards flippers. It's a shame he so rarely veers into other territories, like traditional knives. Because when he does go there, those are some of his best videos to my subjective tastes. This also means that if you don't share in all of Nick's tastes, his videos are probably not as interesting to you.
Second, Nick has chosen to focus more on the kinds of knives he thinks are going to be good and avoid the bad knives more often. While I can definitely understand his reasoning and I respect his choice, I do think it's a shame. I think there is some genuine value in video's that teach people how to avoid certain pitfalls, whether they are consumers of makers. And the videos about 'trainwreck knives' are usually just hilarious.
The ugly:
Unfortunately there is one ugly issue and that is his lack of transparence of how he actually used the knife/product. With the exception of the occasional cutting of paper, you almost never see any actual use of the knife. He also doesn't clearly describe how he actually used the knife prior to the review, other than remarking how he's carried it a few days. That's a real shame for a few reasons. Firstly, it paints his reviews as a mostly theoretical exercise, it doesn't really give a hands-on practical demonstration of the issues he talks about. Secondly, it just detracts from the validity of his conclusions. Look, Nick seems to have put a lot of thought in the structure of his videos and the way in which he presents his information. But his videos often miss a description of the method by which he reached those conclusions. It's like if a brilliant scientist wrote a brilliant research paper but neglects to mentions his methods. It's a real shame which I hope he will address in the future.
In conclusion, Nick is definitely a gem of a human being. There will always be room for improvement, but if you use your brain and keep certain things in mind, his videos are genuinely useful and entertaining. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this rant and you don't think I have been 'Shabashing' Nick too much ('Eyyyy!'). And I hope you have yourselves a wonderful day. Bye now.
(Just poking a bit of fun here, hope no one minds).
Size comparison: As you can see from his videos, Nick's hands aren't very big. They are just about the same size as a spyderco Delica or the Ontario RAT number 2.
The good:
Nick's setup is more than adequate for capturing video and audio quite clearly. This gives you clear shots of the knife. His style of showing gear in all possible angles and from up close really give you a great look at the item in question. Coupled with his manner in calmly describing some of the details can be really helpful for those times when you are still in doubt about a certain knife.
Also, I have to give him credit how he handled his 'monetization' issues. He does do the patreon thing. While I personally don't care for it, I think it does provide value to to his patreons. And he does it in such a way that it's not annoying to other viewers.
The great:
There's a couple of things which are just great here. Overall, Nick seems like a real gem of a human being. He doesn't come across as arrogant even though he is in the business of 'broadcasting opinions', so to speak.
Nick also has a very good eye for detail. I think this is one of those talents that set him apart from other human beings. He makes no secret of his subjectivity and he is also very good at explaining his reasoning behind his opinions in a calm manner. This just makes him more credible. It also enables you to form your own opinion and decide for yourself of how much relevance a certain issue is to you.
Another thing that's great are his instructional videos. He does a lot of disassembly videos which are very useful. Then there is the topical videos with tips on selling knives or researching makers. Not to mention the 'knife gripes' series which was a real public service to the entire knife community. Those things are just great and overall made a real and positive impact on this hobby.
The bad:
There is some bad here, but mostly this is subjective stuff or in the category of nitpicks. First off, I think Nick has a very specific taste and his reviews seem to be limited by that taste. He seems to prefer knives of the very modern variety, mostly leaning towards flippers. It's a shame he so rarely veers into other territories, like traditional knives. Because when he does go there, those are some of his best videos to my subjective tastes. This also means that if you don't share in all of Nick's tastes, his videos are probably not as interesting to you.
Second, Nick has chosen to focus more on the kinds of knives he thinks are going to be good and avoid the bad knives more often. While I can definitely understand his reasoning and I respect his choice, I do think it's a shame. I think there is some genuine value in video's that teach people how to avoid certain pitfalls, whether they are consumers of makers. And the videos about 'trainwreck knives' are usually just hilarious.
The ugly:
Unfortunately there is one ugly issue and that is his lack of transparence of how he actually used the knife/product. With the exception of the occasional cutting of paper, you almost never see any actual use of the knife. He also doesn't clearly describe how he actually used the knife prior to the review, other than remarking how he's carried it a few days. That's a real shame for a few reasons. Firstly, it paints his reviews as a mostly theoretical exercise, it doesn't really give a hands-on practical demonstration of the issues he talks about. Secondly, it just detracts from the validity of his conclusions. Look, Nick seems to have put a lot of thought in the structure of his videos and the way in which he presents his information. But his videos often miss a description of the method by which he reached those conclusions. It's like if a brilliant scientist wrote a brilliant research paper but neglects to mentions his methods. It's a real shame which I hope he will address in the future.
In conclusion, Nick is definitely a gem of a human being. There will always be room for improvement, but if you use your brain and keep certain things in mind, his videos are genuinely useful and entertaining. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this rant and you don't think I have been 'Shabashing' Nick too much ('Eyyyy!'). And I hope you have yourselves a wonderful day. Bye now.
(Just poking a bit of fun here, hope no one minds).
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2013
- Messages
- 1,987
That was a thing of beauty. Very well done. That I read the whole thing in the voice of
NickShabazz
says it all.
shovelhead69
Gold Member
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2015
- Messages
- 311
As a long time collector and knife enthusiast/ addict I thoroughly enjoy Nick's videos. I believe he is a valuable asset to our comunity. I believe Nick approaches most of the things he reviews with a open mind, he acknowledges his preferences and that they are his preferences when doing a review, and will still give a knife his "gem" status even when it doesn't fit his personal requirements for a knife he himself would carry. His format is entertaining and informative I can almost always watch a entire Nick review with out skipping forward. I invest quite a bit of my disposable income into Harleys and knives preferring high end pieces I always research before spending my hard earned money. Nick is one of my go to reviewers for a good look at the knives I'm interested in. I never owned a Spyderco until I saw Nick's reviews even though every other collector seamed to have owned at least one at some point. I personally am grateful to have a man like Nick as part of our comunity I hope he continues to share his opinions on the good, bad, great, & ugly for a long time. Informative, entertaining and in my opinion a humble and genuinely good human being. A real "Gem" in my opinion. Thank you Nick I apreciate your time and effort to help inform our comunity.
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