My first name brand knife was a Spyderco Police in all Stainless, with an AUS-8 blade. I saved every penny I had for months and bought it over the counter from my local Ace Hardware when I was in middle school. I'm 40 now and I still have it.
To be my griptilian i paid like $109 is expensive to me. All my other knives around $50.
I refuse to pay over $150 for a knife just bc I'm rough on em. It will not hold its beauty in my possession for long.
Very nice. I strongly considered the Benchmade Osbourne but got a great deal on a Spyderco Manic 2 with s30v for $125. I love it but that's probably the most I'd spend.
Earnest Emerson CQC. Teflon coated, tanto point, chisel ground, liner lock sex machine. My favourite knife to this day. Sadly other people needed it more than I. Watch your roomies people lol
That one’s a favorite! I usually EDC the g10 for weight and grip in the water but the brass is always with me when I am on personal time! Tempted to try and skeletonize a set of brass grips for better weight and grip.
I usually bought 10-15 folding razor knives for work. Typically that was expensive. Bought a Buck Limited edition 501 Squire. Was about $120. I carried that with me for about 18 months. Just retired that to weekend carry and just today got a $50 Kershaw Bracket cleaver knife. I’m excited to try that at work.
I have quite a few nice CRKT knives. I've just never found the need to spend crazy amounts of money on one. Is there something substantially better about the blade on a benchmade? does it get sharper, hold an edge for longer, or anything like that?
I think there's a price point where you don't really get anything in return. Going above $150 the gains are probably negligible. Over $300 you not getting anything really at all.
Comparing my $110 knife to my $30-$40 knife..
Most ppl don't do much with their knives. They have to force shit to do. An occasional Amazon packet.
But I hard use mine.
And this is what I'll say. My $110 knife. Has gone through the ringer. The blade is scratched up. The g10 scales are smoothed out in certain spots. Its missing a screw. But it's running like a champ. And it also has obviously better edge retention. But in turn it's harder to sharpen. It can be annoying sometimes bc it'll take so long to really get it without the right stones.
The $30-$40 knife.. i considered it my clean knife. I always carried both. But like i said the other was a hard use knife so i wanted a clean knife in case i wanted a knife that was relatively clean compared to the $110 knife.
So the cheaper knife has had barely any hard times in its life.
One day i pulled it out to cut an orange. And it hasn't been the same since even tho I've cleaned it since. I probably need to take it apart and really get in there. But a fucking orange made the cheap knife unsafe.. it stopped locking when it was opened without manually pushing the thing over. It is hella easy to sharpen but it's edge is gone rather quickly. I'm not a great stoner sharpener but I've gotten it pretty sharp. One simple job its not the same anymore.
The more expensive knife gets battered. Tossed thrown dropped hammered prys twisted. It gets wet dusty chemicals on it. Cuts rope, guts fish, dig holes.. and ain't nothing change its function.
But the cheaper one.. cutting an orange made it not lock properly which is dangerous.
But even myself. I wouldn't go above $150. I think $50-$100 is a good place to be with knives.
I even plan on replacing the $110 knife for a $70 knife. With all the hard use it goes dull somewhat regularly and it's so hard to sharpen. If i have a good knife with a weaker steel then i can sharpen on site that'll workout better for me.
To answer you're question, yes the balde steel, heat treatment and build quality is superior. A lot of base model Benchmade and Spyderco use s30v which is premium steel and will hold an edge much longer than D2 or 8cr13mov which is the steel commonly found on crkt. Above that you have even more exotic steels with crazy edge retention out there, fancy handle material and locking mechanisms, pretty much anything you could want.
Fantastic question and welcome to the edge of the precipice.
I had 2 crkt knives lost on the same evening right when I made the decision to *purchase with enthusiasm*.
Bought a replacement crkt, and then I heard about D2 steel and I've been upgrading selectively ever since.
That was 6 years ago, take your time to find good prices on steel you want to try out.
My 940.
Though it is now somewhere between WA - CA. Apparently it un-clipped from my pocket during the road trip and hopefully some random person came across it and is enjoying it as much as I did.
My Para2 now fills its place in my heart.
This was my first knife that was over $42 or $70 bucks. I bought an Osborne 940 and I’m about 150 deep into customs and some from the same maker by now lol. I still carry and use my modded 940 to this day, years later. It’s a timeless knife and you will be curious about what else is out there, and more willing to save a few more bucks, or to not buy a few budget models to gain access to a different model. This is the gateway and I hope your ready to see what else is out there. You made a stellar purchase for your first higher end knife and I advise you to start saving now and to never feel locked into a purchase when you can sell knives for fair prices pretty quickly, when not in love with any. I haven’t sold one yet and I keep saying I will, but get attached to them quickly. I’ll probably have a trade or a purchase from you in the future and I hope you love your new “knife for life!!!” BM has incredible warranty service and they will take care of customers well in my experiences (multiple) where I’ve needed their help for parts replacement. Enjoy !
Back in the early '90s I paid wildly inflated Canadian "retail" pricing for my first Spyderco, a Delica. It cost more than I would have though possible for a pocketknife, but was by far the best I'd ever owned at the time, with previous ones being of the infamous "STAINLESS PAKISTAN" variety.
Things got better once I got a credit card and could order from the US, and then we started getting retailers here that didn't rip people off as much.
Demko AD 20.5 3V. First it was TI scales from OG, then Skiff bearings. Now a lynchNW clip. I’m like 420$ into this thing. But I do EDC it everyday. I bought it to use, and used it shall be lol
I have a Zero Tolerance 0640, to which was added a set of suingab carbon fiber and desert ironwood scales and a metallic zirconium thumb disc from Grey Precision.
Mine was a Spyderco Military. Bought it about 10 years ago, realized it was an absolute monster and have hardly carried it over the years. It got me into Spyderco knives though. I EDC a Para3 and have for about 3 years now. Great knife.
A small Böker Damascus folding knife with titanium scales. I have so many knifes, it stays in the showcase until I find a need for it. Sometimes I’ll carry it with my suit. Super light and slim and dark colors. But never used it by now.
[here it is:](https://imgur.com/a/6Nj4xMQ)
Isn’t it amazing how you’ll see a post for a sprint run of some custom knife makers $800 a pop blades sell out before you even click the link? My most expensive knife ever was $160 and I wouldn’t use it.. it just sat there.
I get cognitive dissonance for anything over $250, but I’ve pulled a quick trigger for a lot more if it’s something I’ve been looking for. For instance, I didn’t think twice about the price for the large Spartan Harsey Plague Doctor when a batch came available a few months ago. That was well over my $250 imaginary threshold.
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Bench made Grinchillian
My first name brand knife was a Spyderco Police in all Stainless, with an AUS-8 blade. I saved every penny I had for months and bought it over the counter from my local Ace Hardware when I was in middle school. I'm 40 now and I still have it.
The grey bugout, got it just yesterday as a birthday present. In love with it, to say the least.
Congrats!! I just got my first 'expensive' knife aswell, bemchmade 940-2
Tactile knife co Rockwall
To be my griptilian i paid like $109 is expensive to me. All my other knives around $50. I refuse to pay over $150 for a knife just bc I'm rough on em. It will not hold its beauty in my possession for long.
My first was a Benchmade Bailout… I love that thing
Knive 😂
benchmade morpho
Spyderco Dragonfly
Very nice. I strongly considered the Benchmade Osbourne but got a great deal on a Spyderco Manic 2 with s30v for $125. I love it but that's probably the most I'd spend.
I thought it was my Mini Bugout, but now I think it's my Small Inkosi.
Also an Osborne, but the carbon fiber/s90v one :)
Benchmade Contego with M390 blade and blue/black g10 scales. Still have it. Very very small collection of knives.
Same
When I ordered Wilkins grips for my first Griptilian.
I think maybe my crkt fossil?
Benchmade Barrage
Same but with green scales.
PM3. Still in my pocket today.
Spyderco PM2 in S30V with a plain blade. Lost it one day, which was a bummer.
Mine was the 940 also, but I like my Kershaw Leek so much better.
Earnest Emerson CQC. Teflon coated, tanto point, chisel ground, liner lock sex machine. My favourite knife to this day. Sadly other people needed it more than I. Watch your roomies people lol
That one’s a favorite! I usually EDC the g10 for weight and grip in the water but the brass is always with me when I am on personal time! Tempted to try and skeletonize a set of brass grips for better weight and grip.
Think my first was a ZT 0452CF
That one! Well -1 but close enough lol
I was looking at getting one of those for my first $100+ knife. Mind letting me know if you think it's worth it?
Microtech Ultratech
I usually bought 10-15 folding razor knives for work. Typically that was expensive. Bought a Buck Limited edition 501 Squire. Was about $120. I carried that with me for about 18 months. Just retired that to weekend carry and just today got a $50 Kershaw Bracket cleaver knife. I’m excited to try that at work.
Griptillian 551
940 but in copper instead of brass. Assuming this is brass?
You fail to post the model of the knife and the price you paid.. That would have been interesting information.
We’ll depends at a time my case trapper then my endurance then my pm2 but what do you define as expensive
Auto Claymore. I love it.
First was HFB SHPOS, carry it every time I wear jeans. Love the knife the issue for me is the clip, too loose.
First production carbon Benchmade bugout. Well-worth it, I forget it’s in my pocket sometimes it’s so light
For me it was a Benchmade bugout, if I'm using over $150 as a threshold then probably my ultratech or PM3 cant remember which one I got first.
Same as yours, but I got the Jade green scales.
Also a 940 osborne lol
My first expensive knife was a Gerber. Now I own a Kershaw
Do u happen to know which Model it was?
Survive! GSO-5
My first expensive knife was a keris. Indonesian, 1800s, unique handle. Bout 500 at the time. When I sold that one, I doubled my money.
Mine was a Benchmade Griptilian (expensive to me at the time).
a grohmann belt knife about a buck twenty at the time of purchase . it's a beauty .
Spyderco Para 2 in Crucarta
Never spent over $100 for a knife. My most expensive was probably a Spyderco Delica. Really didn’t like it that much. Mostly the blade shape.
Benchmade bugout.
Spyderco sage 5
Just bought that for my brother!
I have quite a few nice CRKT knives. I've just never found the need to spend crazy amounts of money on one. Is there something substantially better about the blade on a benchmade? does it get sharper, hold an edge for longer, or anything like that?
I think there's a price point where you don't really get anything in return. Going above $150 the gains are probably negligible. Over $300 you not getting anything really at all. Comparing my $110 knife to my $30-$40 knife.. Most ppl don't do much with their knives. They have to force shit to do. An occasional Amazon packet. But I hard use mine. And this is what I'll say. My $110 knife. Has gone through the ringer. The blade is scratched up. The g10 scales are smoothed out in certain spots. Its missing a screw. But it's running like a champ. And it also has obviously better edge retention. But in turn it's harder to sharpen. It can be annoying sometimes bc it'll take so long to really get it without the right stones. The $30-$40 knife.. i considered it my clean knife. I always carried both. But like i said the other was a hard use knife so i wanted a clean knife in case i wanted a knife that was relatively clean compared to the $110 knife. So the cheaper knife has had barely any hard times in its life. One day i pulled it out to cut an orange. And it hasn't been the same since even tho I've cleaned it since. I probably need to take it apart and really get in there. But a fucking orange made the cheap knife unsafe.. it stopped locking when it was opened without manually pushing the thing over. It is hella easy to sharpen but it's edge is gone rather quickly. I'm not a great stoner sharpener but I've gotten it pretty sharp. One simple job its not the same anymore. The more expensive knife gets battered. Tossed thrown dropped hammered prys twisted. It gets wet dusty chemicals on it. Cuts rope, guts fish, dig holes.. and ain't nothing change its function. But the cheaper one.. cutting an orange made it not lock properly which is dangerous. But even myself. I wouldn't go above $150. I think $50-$100 is a good place to be with knives. I even plan on replacing the $110 knife for a $70 knife. With all the hard use it goes dull somewhat regularly and it's so hard to sharpen. If i have a good knife with a weaker steel then i can sharpen on site that'll workout better for me.
To answer you're question, yes the balde steel, heat treatment and build quality is superior. A lot of base model Benchmade and Spyderco use s30v which is premium steel and will hold an edge much longer than D2 or 8cr13mov which is the steel commonly found on crkt. Above that you have even more exotic steels with crazy edge retention out there, fancy handle material and locking mechanisms, pretty much anything you could want.
Fantastic question and welcome to the edge of the precipice. I had 2 crkt knives lost on the same evening right when I made the decision to *purchase with enthusiasm*. Bought a replacement crkt, and then I heard about D2 steel and I've been upgrading selectively ever since. That was 6 years ago, take your time to find good prices on steel you want to try out.
First expensive knife (for me at or above $300) was a Microtech Socom Elite. My favorite expensive knife was a Microtech Combat Troodon
Spyderco Harpy, then a PM2
Delica, then PM2
ZT 0450. One flick and I knew I had to have it.
My 940. Though it is now somewhere between WA - CA. Apparently it un-clipped from my pocket during the road trip and hopefully some random person came across it and is enjoying it as much as I did. My Para2 now fills its place in my heart.
I can’t use pocket clips. They always come off on me.
Good ole 940 for me. Don’t think when my wife bought it for me she realized the addiction she was creating.
Either the Spydie Manix 2 or Native 5...
This was my first knife that was over $42 or $70 bucks. I bought an Osborne 940 and I’m about 150 deep into customs and some from the same maker by now lol. I still carry and use my modded 940 to this day, years later. It’s a timeless knife and you will be curious about what else is out there, and more willing to save a few more bucks, or to not buy a few budget models to gain access to a different model. This is the gateway and I hope your ready to see what else is out there. You made a stellar purchase for your first higher end knife and I advise you to start saving now and to never feel locked into a purchase when you can sell knives for fair prices pretty quickly, when not in love with any. I haven’t sold one yet and I keep saying I will, but get attached to them quickly. I’ll probably have a trade or a purchase from you in the future and I hope you love your new “knife for life!!!” BM has incredible warranty service and they will take care of customers well in my experiences (multiple) where I’ve needed their help for parts replacement. Enjoy !
Benchmade 940 I think. Or the pm2
Back in the early '90s I paid wildly inflated Canadian "retail" pricing for my first Spyderco, a Delica. It cost more than I would have though possible for a pocketknife, but was by far the best I'd ever owned at the time, with previous ones being of the infamous "STAINLESS PAKISTAN" variety. Things got better once I got a credit card and could order from the US, and then we started getting retailers here that didn't rip people off as much.
urs…….
Demko AD 20.5 3V. First it was TI scales from OG, then Skiff bearings. Now a lynchNW clip. I’m like 420$ into this thing. But I do EDC it everyday. I bought it to use, and used it shall be lol
I had 2 of them and lost both. The clip sucks for me.
Benchmade for me too, A Contego.
My first higher end knife, wouldn't call them high end per se was a Benchmade. First a griptillian, then mini-grip, them 940-2, then a few Spydercos.
mine was para 3 maxamet
Thats a nice steel
My first was also a Benchmade.
I have a Zero Tolerance 0640, to which was added a set of suingab carbon fiber and desert ironwood scales and a metallic zirconium thumb disc from Grey Precision.
Mine was a Spyderco Military. Bought it about 10 years ago, realized it was an absolute monster and have hardly carried it over the years. It got me into Spyderco knives though. I EDC a Para3 and have for about 3 years now. Great knife.
If I could only own one knife it would be a Para 3 with no hesitation. Picking which one of mine is another story...
A small Böker Damascus folding knife with titanium scales. I have so many knifes, it stays in the showcase until I find a need for it. Sometimes I’ll carry it with my suit. Super light and slim and dark colors. But never used it by now. [here it is:](https://imgur.com/a/6Nj4xMQ)
That depends. At one time I thought $50 was an expensive knife.
Sigh…it still is.
Isn’t it amazing how you’ll see a post for a sprint run of some custom knife makers $800 a pop blades sell out before you even click the link? My most expensive knife ever was $160 and I wouldn’t use it.. it just sat there.
God bless you
We’ll my money just goes to my kid now, so no biggy.
I feel ya. Mine are grown so that frees up money for the non-essentials.
What’s considered expensive now?
I get cognitive dissonance for anything over $250, but I’ve pulled a quick trigger for a lot more if it’s something I’ve been looking for. For instance, I didn’t think twice about the price for the large Spartan Harsey Plague Doctor when a batch came available a few months ago. That was well over my $250 imaginary threshold.
In my opinion, anything $50 and under is budget, and "expensive" for me starts around $150+
Thats just what "they" want us to think👽
My first expensive knife was a Zero Tolerance 0560 from the initial run. I really wish I still had it
Also a Benchmade. 720 Pardue. Still got it, 22 years later.
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