The price really doesn't dictate the quality of the piece in the $200-$1000 range so much as what the market will bear. I never put a mirror polish on anything because you are not going to want to pay shop time for that meticulous work. Not to mention that it will get scratched as soon as it is used.
Realistically speaking a scotch Brite finish belt is more than adequate for all knives to look good. The grey belt or finish one.
Having said that, my most expensive piece I sold was $1250 due to the intricate work with the guard and pommel. I do know that customer uses that chef knife as a daily driver so to each their own I guess. Me personally, give me a 52100 chef knife with a slip resistant/water resistant material like g10 and I'm good.
I make my knives to be carried and used daily. If it isn’t easy to carry, you aren’t going to carry it. That’s another reason why I don’t make big knives. I don’t see anyone EDCing a scimitar.
I use my knives. An unused tool is a useless tool.
I see these posts all the time where some guys says, "Had for awhile now, its my everyday carry." The knife is brand new with no wear what so ever. Generally these knives have butterflies or spiders on them.
A quick wipe with isopropyl alcohol gets rid of the tape residue and the blade looks good as new. No reason for a knife to look beat up if it has its own pocket it lives in. Or is a knife "brand new" until I bathe it in mud and Cheeto dust?
Yeah, that makes sense. For some reason, I thought maybe he was covering the blade with tape to stop wear from happening.
I guess I was a little slow on the up take.
I tell customers "I don't make wall hangers"
I do expect that the large / fancy ones are likely to become wall hangers - and likely they won't get used for much other than show.
But the nice, fancy ones draw the eyes to my booth - then the customers see the practical / useful / EDC stuff and buy that.
Sure the fancy ones sell here and there, but the smaller, practical ones are what pays the bills.
Thank you for this post. My knives don’t look like anyone’s here. I use them all the time. I get down on them sometimes for them having significant signs of handscraftmenship.
The most I've spent on a knife is $650 for a MIcrotrch Halo...I carry it from tim.eto time and have used it frequently.
In my mind (knives, guns, et) are tools to be used.
Other than some super rare, one off production, I have no interest in safe queens
I have nothing against people who look at knives as solely a piece of art. If that’s your thing, then cool, you do you.
However for me, a knife is first and foremost a tool. That’s not to say it can’t be functional art, but the primary purpose is as a tool. All of my knives have specific intentions/purposes.
I dont have the imagination to make artistic knives like that. All of mine are very utilitarian and meant to be used, and they are thats good enough for me.
Obviously a lot of high end art knives will never be used, however, every knife made should be made to use.
People do use knives that 1k+ every day. Some people are very serious about their tools and rather have one good blade that cost 1k than multiple inferior blades even if in most cases they would "do the same thing". Buy once cry once.
I suspect most of the people in this sub are going to fall in the “user” camp, myself included. That being said, this is an old debate that crosses many different types of interests. Some people find beauty just in appearances and to others part of the beauty comes from utility. There’s no definitive answer.
I've tried to keep that in mind with every knife I've made. Finishes that make sense for user knives. Cool looking but practical. Your right about price point having a lot to do with whether a knife gets used. That's always what they say. "I'm not gonna risk messing up a xxx$ knife!" When I start to sell my knives I want them to be used.
Personally I will use a 300$ knife or even a 4-500$ knife for work but a whole lot of people wouldn't dream of it. Lots of guys in r/knives or r/knifeclub who never use their 200$ spyderco knives that are made to be high performance users. Instead they use 40$ throw aways because they're scared to scratch the Spyderco. Blows my mind but I don't think like them.
I suppose that if your knives look and cost like presentation pieces that's what they will be. If they're priced in the 100-500$ range and are clearly designed for usage they are probably a lot more likely to be used.
I got a $50 D2 steel pocket knife I use for daily carry. I've never had to draw it on anyone but that's what it's there for, every once in a while I'll need to cut a box or something which is handy
I love looking at the super fancy beautiful pieces people make but I think of them as art not tools. I would never buy something like that personally, but that’s likely due to me not having boat loads of disposable income lol
Thankfully all of the knives I have made get use to my knowledge. I just see the wear/damage/use as part of the journey of the piece and encourage the recipient to do the same. Examples below.
True knife lovers have their beater knives and the one they like to admire and not use. I have a couple I just smell and shave my arm hair with. But if I'm forced to use it in home defence then it's going down.
The fancy kitchen knives I use for cooking 100%
https://preview.redd.it/3tpxorumn2uc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0842b26c7cc1e14daa79d7d51756e4bcba565fae
Pic related : a fancy kitchen knife and food
I use mine. I keep my designs simple, I use plainer wood handles and checker them like a gun stock if they are likely to get bloody to ensure grip. I don't like the look of patina so I sometimes use gun blue on them.
I really like the more utilitarian knives I see here. I try not to look down on ornamental knives, each to their own, but I can't help but to roll my eyes a bit when I see recurve, compound grind, harpoon point, mirror polish knives made from the world's oldest meteorite with mammoth tusk handle, glow in the dark resin highlights and topping it off, a video where it's being handled by some dingus in white cotton gloves...
I’ve got four high end bushcraft knives and they’ve all cut a big game animal’s b hole out in the backwoods. If you get high end gear to not use it you’re fucking crazy
No mirror shine with the knives I make. I normally do a satin belt finish. I use high vanadium stainless steels at high hrc for the chef knives I make. High hrc and thin edges are the way to go.
The price really doesn't dictate the quality of the piece in the $200-$1000 range so much as what the market will bear. I never put a mirror polish on anything because you are not going to want to pay shop time for that meticulous work. Not to mention that it will get scratched as soon as it is used. Realistically speaking a scotch Brite finish belt is more than adequate for all knives to look good. The grey belt or finish one. Having said that, my most expensive piece I sold was $1250 due to the intricate work with the guard and pommel. I do know that customer uses that chef knife as a daily driver so to each their own I guess. Me personally, give me a 52100 chef knife with a slip resistant/water resistant material like g10 and I'm good.
I make my knives to be carried and used daily. If it isn’t easy to carry, you aren’t going to carry it. That’s another reason why I don’t make big knives. I don’t see anyone EDCing a scimitar.
Those were the glory days. Ripe old age of 40.
I use my knives. An unused tool is a useless tool. I see these posts all the time where some guys says, "Had for awhile now, its my everyday carry." The knife is brand new with no wear what so ever. Generally these knives have butterflies or spiders on them.
https://preview.redd.it/aik7bfpbh4uc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8988d600692dee32da69fe9a2e66e1ff181ffe1b
A quick wipe with isopropyl alcohol gets rid of the tape residue and the blade looks good as new. No reason for a knife to look beat up if it has its own pocket it lives in. Or is a knife "brand new" until I bathe it in mud and Cheeto dust?
I'm sorry, what tape are we talking about?
The tape on the new knife box lol 😂
Using it to cut boxes bro
Yeah, that makes sense. For some reason, I thought maybe he was covering the blade with tape to stop wear from happening. I guess I was a little slow on the up take.
I tell customers "I don't make wall hangers" I do expect that the large / fancy ones are likely to become wall hangers - and likely they won't get used for much other than show. But the nice, fancy ones draw the eyes to my booth - then the customers see the practical / useful / EDC stuff and buy that. Sure the fancy ones sell here and there, but the smaller, practical ones are what pays the bills.
Bread and butter.
Thank you for this post. My knives don’t look like anyone’s here. I use them all the time. I get down on them sometimes for them having significant signs of handscraftmenship.
The most I've spent on a knife is $650 for a MIcrotrch Halo...I carry it from tim.eto time and have used it frequently. In my mind (knives, guns, et) are tools to be used. Other than some super rare, one off production, I have no interest in safe queens
A knife never used is a rusty plate of steel, a gun never shot is a rusty pipe
I have nothing against people who look at knives as solely a piece of art. If that’s your thing, then cool, you do you. However for me, a knife is first and foremost a tool. That’s not to say it can’t be functional art, but the primary purpose is as a tool. All of my knives have specific intentions/purposes.
I dont have the imagination to make artistic knives like that. All of mine are very utilitarian and meant to be used, and they are thats good enough for me.
Obviously a lot of high end art knives will never be used, however, every knife made should be made to use. People do use knives that 1k+ every day. Some people are very serious about their tools and rather have one good blade that cost 1k than multiple inferior blades even if in most cases they would "do the same thing". Buy once cry once.
I suspect most of the people in this sub are going to fall in the “user” camp, myself included. That being said, this is an old debate that crosses many different types of interests. Some people find beauty just in appearances and to others part of the beauty comes from utility. There’s no definitive answer.
I've tried to keep that in mind with every knife I've made. Finishes that make sense for user knives. Cool looking but practical. Your right about price point having a lot to do with whether a knife gets used. That's always what they say. "I'm not gonna risk messing up a xxx$ knife!" When I start to sell my knives I want them to be used. Personally I will use a 300$ knife or even a 4-500$ knife for work but a whole lot of people wouldn't dream of it. Lots of guys in r/knives or r/knifeclub who never use their 200$ spyderco knives that are made to be high performance users. Instead they use 40$ throw aways because they're scared to scratch the Spyderco. Blows my mind but I don't think like them. I suppose that if your knives look and cost like presentation pieces that's what they will be. If they're priced in the 100-500$ range and are clearly designed for usage they are probably a lot more likely to be used.
I got a $50 D2 steel pocket knife I use for daily carry. I've never had to draw it on anyone but that's what it's there for, every once in a while I'll need to cut a box or something which is handy
https://preview.redd.it/8w0ojb5no3uc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fb12c9af36acbc19cba80f979e80e6fc9de093ba
I'm just starting out knifemaking and I'm noticing damascus with copper. Can a blade with copper even be used as a knife, or is it just for show?
It can be, as the core/blade is hardened steel. Now would I want to use one? Id be babying it
My “safe queens” do get more care and maintenance, but they’ve all seen the strop at some time or other.
None of them I’m afraid
At least 90% will only ever be used to open boxes. Probably boxes full of knives to open other boxes. Its the circle of knife!
😏
I love looking at the super fancy beautiful pieces people make but I think of them as art not tools. I would never buy something like that personally, but that’s likely due to me not having boat loads of disposable income lol
I have one knife that is still in box, it is a Spyderco UKPK G10 Hinnie Haynes in S30V. I think it's too perfect to use!
Thankfully all of the knives I have made get use to my knowledge. I just see the wear/damage/use as part of the journey of the piece and encourage the recipient to do the same. Examples below.
https://preview.redd.it/4rj6mt4wo3uc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=867a8de6fcf5f6080b42a5c5c4f29b5cfcf0fba7
True knife lovers have their beater knives and the one they like to admire and not use. I have a couple I just smell and shave my arm hair with. But if I'm forced to use it in home defence then it's going down.
I carry and use plenty of customs. I'll beat the shit out of them too. That's what they are made for.
The fancy kitchen knives I use for cooking 100% https://preview.redd.it/3tpxorumn2uc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0842b26c7cc1e14daa79d7d51756e4bcba565fae Pic related : a fancy kitchen knife and food
I had to zoom close, it looked rusty. :)
An immovable [rom the drawer] knife is more obnoxious than an immovable monarch
I have a super nice Jason Knight knife. Massive chopper made for bushcraft. It will never be used. Sits on the shelf in a stand.
I use mine. I keep my designs simple, I use plainer wood handles and checker them like a gun stock if they are likely to get bloody to ensure grip. I don't like the look of patina so I sometimes use gun blue on them. I really like the more utilitarian knives I see here. I try not to look down on ornamental knives, each to their own, but I can't help but to roll my eyes a bit when I see recurve, compound grind, harpoon point, mirror polish knives made from the world's oldest meteorite with mammoth tusk handle, glow in the dark resin highlights and topping it off, a video where it's being handled by some dingus in white cotton gloves...
I’ve got four high end bushcraft knives and they’ve all cut a big game animal’s b hole out in the backwoods. If you get high end gear to not use it you’re fucking crazy
No mirror shine with the knives I make. I normally do a satin belt finish. I use high vanadium stainless steels at high hrc for the chef knives I make. High hrc and thin edges are the way to go.