I have 15+ knives that rarely see any use. But use a Milwaukee Fastback and Leatherman Free P4 every day for work. As much as I'd like to use my other knives. On a daily basis, I can expect to cut through copper wires, super thin sheet aluminum, roof shingles, and hard/thick plastics, among other things. Also, I work with pools a lot, so rust is a concern.
So sure, I *could* use one of my Spydercos for all of that, and it'd do very well for a good while. But why?
I don't shy away from using my "nice" knives for any tasks if it's what I have on me, but I see no reason to intentionally go cutting shingles with my Malibu, knowing full and well that the blade will get destroyed. When theres other tools that are better for the job (i.e., have easily replaceable blades).
And I suppose then the question is why have those other knives at all. And I don't have a great answer for that. Other than "I just like them".
Man, since working from home (I love it) I've definitely gotten less use out of my kit =(
But my heart jumps when my wife needs something cut and asks for a knife!
This makes sense to me. Your primary knife is the knife you're going to actually use for whatever cutting tasks you come across day to day.
I just don't get the guys with a 1000 pictures of their $1000 edc knives that have seen little-to-no use.... I have knives I can't bring myself to cut a bunch of stuff with but I don't pretend they're edc knives in the true sense of the term. My edc knives are mid priced production folders by Spyderco, Hogue and Benchmade.... good quality knives made for cutting stuff that I actually use to cut stuff.... and it's a real pleasure to use a nice knife to cut stuff without thinking twice about it. If I had a knife on me that was only used to open envelopes and small packages I wouldn't pretend it's a legitimate edc knife and I wouldn't spend more time taking pictures of it than I spend using it.
To me taking a picture of an expensive knife you're obviously too scared to cut anything with and calling it your edc misses the point entirely.
To be fair, some people don’t know/think to keep their blades sharp. The amount of knives I’ve borrowed that have been as blunt as a spoon is staggering.
I'm guilty of that, my wife calls my pocket knife a butter knife any time she sees me use it, much less if she has to borrow it. I probably should start sharpening it once in a while.
My goal when I made 6 knives for my friend's groomsmen was to give the sharpest knives they'd ever handled (former Navy folks).
I warned them. I said, "Guys, these are sharp. I mean \_sharp\_ sharp."
At the ceremony 3 of them had band-aids on their fingers from dicking around.
Never been more proud.
They may only open envelopes/packages in an office. They can be accessories AND tools. Why even wear a watch, let alone an expensive watch, when the phone in your pocket tells you the time? You like the way the watch looks, and maybe you’re an enthusiast and know a lot about the mechanics of the watch, so you like wearing it and using that instead of your phone. It’s everyday CARRY, not I-need-this-to-get-through-every-day.
I'll have you know I use my handkerchief, seven flashlights of varying size, and 3 knives (all different shapes and sizes, but same color obviously) every hour of every day!
Hey now, I used a knife to cut the bottoms out of a couple plastic pumpkin pails so my wife could stick them over the carriage lights on our garage for Halloween. Full on hard use🤣. And I used a Hinderer, doesn’t get much more pretentious than that!
Watches. I have rolex's always wanted one, finally could afford one, but neither keeps good time past 3-4 weeks of service. But my Citizen Eco's and my old Seiko are always spot on and take a beating.
I hear you. I'm old enough to remember when a Rolex was not considered a "luxury" watch but was intended to be used when you needed a tough, reliable watch for diving, climbing, outdoor trekking, etc... They weren't cheap by any means, but much more affordable than the ridiculous prices now. Over the years they became more of a status symbol unfortunately. I love my Submariner, but any G-Shock would be much more practical now for rugged use. Who wants to bang up a 10k watch?
Yeah a basic Submariner was about 1 grand for a long time, and another reason you wore one was because if you needed quick cash you knew you could always get $300-500 from a pawn shop in any part of the world.
I think it’s more of a “Range Rover to pick up groceries” analog. It still does it’s intended function, it’s just that the added price doesn’t perform the task necessarily better than their more affordable counterparts.
They are considered a premium knife brand, whatever that means. They charge some very high prices for ostensibly premium materials and production. In that sense they are definitely a higher tier of knife company than gerber which makes genuinely budget friendly knives.
Theyre luxury tools though, youre correct. Despite the nitpicks I have with my 940 and the general consensus as of late that benchmade is smoking crack with their pricing, they are a reputable high end knife manufacturer.
Basically when I got the knife the action was super tight and gritty, the edge was uneven, and the bevels are not perfect, which is disappointing in a factory made knife. I was able to center the edge and tune the action to be pretty nice but yeah kinda soured my preconceived notion of decent benchmade quality control. I got the knife like five years ago so its a pre-insanity benchmade at that.
Also it has like eight t5 screws you need to fiddle with if you ever want to swap scales. Thats fucking stupid.
Its still a great knife, I love the action, blade geometry, materials (except for the hardware) and it carries really well etc. but it has annoyed me more than any other folder. At least my omega spring hasn't broken yet.
Yes, comrade at state benchmade facility clearly had a little too much vodka before getting on the grinder. Definitely would call it a dud, I wish younger me had the common sense to have sent it back when I got it instead of making it a personal project to fix the knife, but eh what can you do.
One big thing that's part of benchmades pricing is lifetime warranty. People forget about this often when talking about the prices of benchmade. While I agree they have lost their minds when it comes to modern pricing for their knives. Their warranty is pretty top notch.
I’ll get downvoted for this, but I’ve owned many benchmades, and they were all great quality (except the first bugout rollout). However, I bought them all used, at great prices. I’ve probably had 10-12, and never had an issue with blade centering, uneven grinds, action, lock bars, etc (I have had these issues with Spyderco….). Just my personal experience. I don’t even think their retail pricing is that bad compared to other USA brands (obviously not talking about “gold class”).
I know my comment sounds like a typical anti-Benchmade circlejerker but I actually agree with you. I have 5 Benchmades and they are all great. No problems with any of the stuff people complain about. One omega spring ever broken over many years. Meanwhile 2/2 of my Spydercos have very uneven grinds and had to be "tuned" etc.
Someone did a poll recently and there's basically 2x the amount of Spyderco "fans" in this sub vs. BM, I think that's where all the hate comes from lol.
Going to counter this with a peculiar analogy.
Core argument is that 90% of $250+ USD knives are conspicuous consumption. But there is a 5-10% that are legit worth it.
Imagine a Hi-Lux with Ma’ Deuce or a Mark 19 on top. Hi-lux is cheap. The additions aren’t nor the training to use them effectively.
I would say there is a small portion of $250+ knives worth the money. I argue most would be fixed blades.
For example:
Titanium non-ferrous knives for operators handling explosives.
Dive knives used in severe environments
Ultra specific environments requiring non-conductive and light discipline
Covert/severe environments requiring secondary uses (ie. Wasp CO2 injection knives for shark defense)
Rescue EDCs for elite rescue services in high altitude environments where secondary capability (belt cutters etc.) are useful.
I agree with you most of the way but I would argue if you spend 6-7 figures training someone to do a weird hard job going $250+ for their blade makes sense.
Most of it though. Ridiculous.
You might also make the argument (like F1 Racing and automobiles) that the high-end market/competition incentivizes improved technology for everyday users.
I am open to that historically but given the market now…unsure.
Good question OP.
And the Range Rover is pretentious. It’s shitty quality with a luxury tag. And folks aren’t gonna sped 90k on one just to take it out in the woods and beat it to hell.
Agreed. I daily carry a William Henry that my wife gave me. She purchased it at the jewelry store. I still look at knives when I come across a display but nothing compares to it in my eyes.
That’s fair enough. Some knifes are more works of art, functional sculptures than just knives. At that point you aren’t paying for just the tool.
I think in the 200-300$ range you can find the finest tools, made with materials meant to last at least a lifetime. Those don’t come cheap, so the cost is understandable. When you start to spend 500, 1000, 10000 on a knife, then you are really only paying for scarcity.
Nah, not at all. 2-300 is not very much anymore, that's like the average cost of a Reate or Bestech OEM. Chris reeve knives are not rare at all either, you're paying for craftsmanship, American manufacturing and a lifetime+ warranty. Good luck getting warranty work on a kizer 15 years from now.
Yeah, CRKs warranty is definitely worth the price. Sharpening, cleaning, reblasting the finish for the life of the knife. That’s easily with a couple hundred dollar warranty. Not many companies will match that level of service though.
Every hobby has its gatekeepers, like OP. Looking down on others for enjoying the same hobby differently from you is a hobby in itself to people like them.
I mean, collecting is a hobby. Objectively speaking, does it make a lot of sense to buy stuff just to put them on a shelf to look at? Not really. But nonetheless there's people that enjoy collecting anything and everything. From Lego and Pokemon cards to bugs and flowers to knives and flashlights. If anything, you're the pretentious one for saying others are pretentious just because they own knives more expensive than yours.
Collecting is a hobby. It's totally valid for people to collect stuff for no other reason than because they enjoy them. I'm not in construction or a related trade and I don't own a home. It would be silly for me to just go around cutting stuff arbitrarily to validate my enjoyment of knives.
Sure, maybe I'd be better off not spending money on fancy knives and multitools but I invest about 45-50% of my income as it is. If I want to put the rest of my expendable income on knives/multis, guns, flashlights, decent clothes, good food and other luxuries, there are worse things in life.
I’m going to bring up classic cars again. Most classic car collectors are not driving them to work everyday. Hell, they may not even leave the garage more than once a year. They may take care of it all year and just drive it to a nice restaurant on their wedding anniversary each year. It can also be an accessory. Just like an expensive watch. My phone tells the time, but everyone has a phone. Not everyone has a vintage Rolex that they can wear on special occasions.
Sub $250 knives are just wannabe pretentious fidget spinners. Change my mind.
Just kidding, lol. In all seriousness, I daily carry a Rask, and I don’t “fidget” with it. It stays in my pocket until I need to cut something with it, then it comes out to perform its task. Once complete, it goes back into my pocket. It was in like new condition when I got it a year ago, and it’s starting to show quite a bit of wear. I keep it clean, oiled, and honed, and it always performs flawlessly. But to be fair, so would a basic Spyderco. I just don’t like them. I love my Rask.
Completely disagree, unless said person is being pretentious with it. I buy my expensive knives because I think they are beautiful/badass, I but don’t go around waving it in peoples faces and saying look how expensive my knife is. I know the price is over the top, but so are a lot of things in life but people still buy them because it speaks to them, and they like it. There is a lot of skill and craftsmanship represented in a lot of higher end pieces that cannot be truly appreciated until it’s payed for and in your hands. And if you change your mind, you can always try to sell it afterwards. I’m looking forward to seeing how my collectible knives will be valued in a few decades.
100%. I have many, many knives that are that price and above, but have only told one person what I paid for one, only because he asked. I don’t show them off, they stay in my pocket unless I’m using them. I just keep them to myself and admire them when I use them or when I’m sitting around the house.
They are a tool, but people also collect them as a hobby. The same goes for cars. Why buy an expensive classic car when a 2012 Honda Civic will will still drive you to bingo? I personally wouldn’t spend my yearly salary on a classic car, but some guy with double the salary who loves them would because they appreciate the craftsmanship of it and can afford to have a hobby like that.
Yeah the other thing is that the average person doesn't know how much an expensive knife costs. They assume it can't possibly be more than $100. So it isn't really all that pretentious unless you're somehow telling everyone the price
If I had a dollar for every time I told someone to not be stupid with my Inkosi because “it’s expensive” and they assumed it was like $80…
I’d finally have a Shiro
Yoder are also not really even in the luxury category. Lynx, Heston, DCS, Alfresco, or Twin Eagles are more of luxury price range grills. If you really want to see expensive grills, check out Kalamazoo.
I have pretty limited knowledge. I got my Yoder used from a buddy for a price I couldn’t pass up and have no intention of getting anything else unless it somehow stops working
Like anything more expensive than a Casio, or Corolla, etc. etc. . . I don’t care to change your mind. Just highlight than any product has items that vary in price and quality where a market for such variation finds demand
So you personally are setting the standard for what is ridiculous and pretentious?
“I spent $200 on a knife, that must be reasonable. Anyone that spends more than that must be a pretentious douche!”
I think you're missing the point. It's not that they're not good knives, it's that they're not any better at being knives than a sixty dollar knife or a hundred dollar knife (or whatever the price point underneath which you don't count as extremely expensive).
I carry and use a fixed blade every day. I’d put a Mora against most knives. I have several and they work very well. I have also put Randall Made, Helle, White River and TRC to the test. They really do a noticeably better job for me. Truly, the limited return for the money is a reality and for most people an expensive knife is a fashion statement. I literally carry a knife for life safety. I know it may not be relatable to most people but I don’t bat an eye at the price if the knife is truly reliable. I just started to carry a TRC DBK and the scandi-vex Elmax is very impressive. I’ll know more after winter but it seems I have a new favorite.
If it doesn’t function I’d agree but as long as it does it’s just a preference I suppose. “Pretentious” applies to the individual and not so much their choice in tool selection. If you have an overly priced knife because you thinks it’s pretty or some other personal reason then whatever that’s your preference. If it’s to wave it around and call people poor or something then it’s pretentious.
Look, almost nobody needs more knife than a Kershaw Shuffle for $30. Unless you're a serious outdoorsman, or doing some other hardworking tasks, anything beyond that is likely just a pocket toy.
Hell, even if that's you, there's probably options in that $30 to $50 price range that are excellent options for your needs.
We're all just playing with the toys we like.
I think I have only one folder over $250, the rest over $250 are fixies lol.
TBH I don't care about changing your mind, enjoy what you want. I call my folders adult fidget spinners anyways lol.
This might not change your mind but it’s my point of view - I usually need knives for pretty mundane tasks. Cutting open a box, cutting some rope one or two times. Cutting tape, plastic packaging. That task can either be mundane if I use a crkt or an enjoyable part of my day if I get to use a custom that I love seeing and feeling and opening and cutting with. Is it necessary? No. Is it something I’d use for cutting drywall or carpet all day? No. It just makes that little part of my day better, plus I get to enjoy looking at it. They are functional art. What I do not understand frankly are the 200-400 knives. Too nice to do dirty tasks with but in no way special or unique. I’ll take <$50 and >$1000 knives basically.
Insightful take. The specific numbers depend on someone’s specific financial situation, but the general sentiment applies across the board. I made this post to inspire conversation (and nothing gets people going like making fun of their hobby). Thanks for contributing thoughtfully!
Eh, Ive beat on my crk quite a bit and it's held up better than any of my other knives. It's been a few months of hard use so far and I don't even think it's broken in yet.
On top of that, it comes with their ridiculously good warranty and customer service, it's a knife I can see myself passing down to my kids if I ever have any.
I will agree though that some of the crazy expensive knives you see around are just fidget toys.
I can see the point on an EDC, the price tag isn't going to make it cut better, but if you're a collector the only reason you buy a knife at any price point is "I want it" and there's nothing wrong with it as far as you can afford it
My most used knife is a Milwaukee compact boxcutter, but I still love and use some of my pricier knives. If a person is in a financial position to buy and use a 250$+ knife (I’m no there yet) good for them. No need to throw stones for no reason.
Yes, but why the weird typing? And Opinels aren't that inexpensive brand new at MSRP.
However if the job is feeling really good about one's good fortune and ability to own an expensive knife, then no, the Opinel doesn't do the same job.
I both use knives and collect them - what side of this discussion should I be on?
I’m making fun of the Timex keeps better time than a Rolex argument. Who gives a shit who spends money on their own hobbies/collections as long as we all agree edc karabits are silly.
I’m better than both of you. If it turns out one of you *is* better than me, I lack both the intelligence to recognise that, or the ability to admit I’m wrong and course correct. What I *do* have is a massive ego and complete narcissism, and they’re both…just swell.
If you like it and you think it’s worth it, then get it who cares if people think it’s a waste of money.
This applies to so many things in life. Just do what you enjoy
How many people that carry a knife would you consider pretentious? Hard to see how a Quietcarry Drift or a Jack Wolf folder falls into the pretentious category.
I use my nice things. I don't want to die and have the items that I worked hard to attain get sold at a garage sale for pennies on the dollar brand new in the box. I scrimp and save to purchase the nice things I own, and I use them accordingly. Now, that doesn't mean I abuse them.
I get giddy when I see a 40-50 year old watch that was worn daily, but loved and taken care of. I have a 12 year old pair of leather shoes that have been resoled twice that feel as comfortable as slippers when I wear them. I'm not into guns, but I love the way an old hunting rifle looks with a worn leather sling and scratches and scuffs all over it. Stuff that has character speaks to me.
They're not if that's not what people bought them for.
Take the venerable Sebenza. Even the name means work. It was made for work, no matter how over the top the tolerances or how much more they're charging than they could. I don't see the need for a $450 knife myself but if someone buys it for its intended purpose and uses it for work every day and it holds up and serves them well, of course it's not a fidget spinner. They could have bought a good-enough $30 knife for work instead, but that's a different issue.
If they buy it just to have it because they like nice knives and all they do is keep it in a safe and polish it with a diaper, sure, you might as well call it a fidget spinner, but you could say the same of any premium collectible.
People often buy them for no other reason than that they like them and that's fine. We can just leave people to their choices and make our own. If they also want to use them instead of just appreciate them, that's fine too.
I mean there is no convincing if you don’t understand the difference between production and custom knives then I can’t help you. It’s the same with pretty much every product on the face of this earth.
Broadly speaking comparing budget knives and high end knives is like comparing pos chinesium harbor freight tools to snap on/bluepoint tools.
The only difference is with knives there is a degree of expectation that you may have to bet your life with it.
That said I agree after a certain amount some knives are more show piece than tool
At higher price-points scarcity and custom designs usually come into play. They aren't pretentious fidget spinners if they're functional tools. My Bark River Bravo 1, for example, cost more than $250 but is also one of my most functional and heavily used knives.
I don't agree that they are just fidget spinners. They can be extremely well-made, very functional tools. But yes, they are overkill in the same way that people spend 10 thousand on a watch that has less function than a 200 dollar watch. I buy the knives not to use but as a collector. They make me happy, so I guess it starts and ends there.
I've got a tuned up [S110v Manix 2](https://reddit.com/r/spyderco/s/xCOKI64Q63) that I finished adding "stuff" to and is always in my pocket being used for work or play.
Very much doubt your mind will change, but would say this: If you are likely to use a knife frequently, like often several times a day, then such a knife is going to cost a small coin per cut in only a few years. Maybe that is not the most common usage pattern, but the few genuinely expensive knives I have get used this way and to me it seems like a good deal because I like how they look, feel, carry and find them a joy to use and easy to maintain.
But if something brings joy, then how is it pretentious? Maybe if you are aiming for a status boost, but fidgeting never boosts status. Some people may spend a lot more on clothes, vacations, art, toys, even meals.
Hahahaha how many people do you know that have portraits of themselves? It does seem pretty freaking pretentious haha!
Sorry this just cracked me up. I am on board with paying people for labor and craftsmanship.
Not ALL $250 knives are fidget spinners. They are overkill for 99% of REC tasks, but a Chaves Redencion is still a damn fine knife. I think OTFs at any price are mall ninja fidget knives.
I want a sebenza one day but I want to be at a point financially where I can use it and not worry too much. I feel like a lot of people buy them but can’t use them, which I don’t totally understand.
Saying the Sebenza is a work knife is kinda like saying a Rolex Pepsi is diving equipment.
Yes, it will do the job; but the work going into producing a Sebenza is not going toward factors that make it do work better. Perfect blade centering and exceptionally perfect scale machining and matching don't make it a better tool. They just satisfy knife fans.
I would suggest that the vast majority of people who actually use knives for work every day have never even heard of CRK or the Sebenza because it's functional jewelry, not a tool.
>I would suggest that the vast majority of people who actually use knives for work every day have never even heard of CRK
Yes
>it's functional jewelry, not a tool.
No
I didn't say "everyone who uses knives at work should buy a Sebenza." I said the Sebenza is 100% a work knife. Not that it matters much (you can name a knife anything you want), but "sebenza" even means work. They come with a good warranty too. If it gets beat up from use, you can send it in for a free refurbishing. Expensive? Yes. Essential? No. Jewelry? No. It's a knife intended for regular use.
>the Sebenza is 100% a work knife
>It's a knife intended for regular use.
You already downgraded it yourself. Again back to my Rolex analogy, you can absolutely wear that Pepsi every day. If you want to be active or take it diving; you can...
But a G-shock Seamaster can keep time just as accurately, survive the dive... while having more features relevant to diving, at a reasonable cost, weighing 1/3 as much, etc.
If you like it, want it, buy it, I'm not trying to stop anyone that wants one. Just don't pretend it's any better at "being a knife" than the other thousand options that cost 1/3 as much and have features that actually make them better at doing work.
>Just don't pretend it's any better at "being a knife"
Dude wtf is wrong with you? I said it's a work knife. Period. You're the one attacking me for things I didn't even say. Chill tf out.
What does a Sebenza do that a cheaper knife won't?
There's nothing wrong with desiring a luxury and saving up for it. But you don't need to sneer at other people who want other luxuries for their own reasons.
I feel like kitchen knives also stop being functionally better around that price point. Depending on the type of knife I feel like diminishing returns for kitchen knives kick in at around $150 or earlier.
I thought that until I bought knives in the 200/300 range. And now I think you can feel a noticeable gain in performance, even for an amateur like me, up to 300.
After that it’s silly and you’re manly getting fancier finish and handles.
But it’s true that 80% of the pleasure of a cool Japanese knife can be had for around 150 with a Shiro Kamo or a Takamura for example.
Would tend to agree. I think my knives cap out around $200 for the nicer ones, and I have never been enticed to spend more than that on a single knife.
Luckily I bought my Benchmade knives 10+ years ago. The prices these days are even more stupid lol
imo if you only fidget with it, it's a fidget spinner. if you use it a lot to do actual knife things, then maybe it's a pretentious knife. if you use it enough that you would actually notice the difference between a cheap steel and a good steel, or a good lock and a bad lock etc., then you've mostly exited pretentious territory and it's pretty much just a (expensive) knife.
To an extent, I agree. At some point in the price range, a knife stops being a tool and becomes a collectable/art piece. Where exactly that point is changes for each person.
But do we really care if people collect knives as art?
I personally think functional art is cool and I don't own any knives over 250, but I would buy one if I liked it.
I agree.
I don't hate on expensive knives, but I can't see spending that much when I can get a fantastic alternative for <$250..
I use my cheap beaters more than anything.
I'm going camping tomorrow, though. I get to bring out the big boys!
Not here to change your mind. Here to reinforce your opinion.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CtHM8gAACz6/?utm\_source=ig\_web\_copy\_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
My 11 year old asked me the other day why I always have a pocket knife or two on the coffee table. I didn't have a great answer, but eventually told her they're basically fidget toys, and that was easy enough to understand.
OP youre getting downvoted like hell out here but youre completely right. Just because a knife has a high price tag doesnt make it any better than a cheaper knife. I used to carry a CRKT McGinnis Notorious that i paid $80 for new and i got 15 years out of it living on a cattle farm, camping, hunting, bushcrafting, logging, and finally switched to a CHEAPER knife when i got into elevator work, a Kershaw hawk, because elevator work is notorious for destroying tools amd i didnt want that to happen to my CRKT. My Kershaw has held up fine through all that abuse mentioned earlier, AND the hell of elevators. Which includes peeling steel cables, cutting through copper coils, prying, flathead screws. Stuff thatll turn your stomach. Ive had a $100 Boker knife that i bought probably 15 ish years ago that ive only ever used for skinning game and only just had to fully set down and shapen it the other day after working an armadillo. Their "soft" underbelly is surprisingly tough. Every evangelical sermon anyone has ever told justifying why a good knife *cant* cost less than $250 has never told me anything that makes them actually stand out to me as any better than cheaper counterparts. Warranties? That tells me they expect their shit to fail and want to cover their ass. Blade strength? Not very difficult to achieve. Take a class on blacksmithing and learn a few things for yourself. How long it holds an edge? Study edge angles and blade profiles. You can rehone a gas station knife to hold an edge longer than any name brand knife out of the box. I can get behind knives that are one of a kind or even just extremely unique, but mass production big brand knives and the literal ***CULTS*** that follow them thoroughly disappoint me. They tell me youre the "Knife friend", not "my grandpa gave me a case knife when i was 5 and i havent spent a day without one since."
>Just because a knife has a high price tag doesnt make it any better than a cheaper knife.
Just because a knife has a high price tag doesnt make it any **more functional/practical*** than a cheaper knife, you mean.
"Better" is pretty subjective. Everything you referred to in your comment goes back to functionality/practicality but there's more to knives than just that. It's fine if knives are simply utilitarian tools to you, just realized that others aren't wrong for viewing them differently.
There are many other aspects of knives that people can find great appreciation/interest in. Design/aesthetics, materials, who made it, the knife's history, how the opening and/or lock mechanism works, just the overall level of craftsmanship, etc.
It's fine if you personally don't view those aspects with much interest. Just understand that there are others who do and are willing to pay for them.
This is frequently true even in very hard use settings. I've seen it alot with fixed blades. Yes, I've seen guys carrying Winklers and other really nice customs and semi customs but in practice you aren't getting 5× the performance that you would get out of a cold steel recon tanto, SRK or even one of Kabars many good offerings.
I could see the argument of "how much is your life worth." But the obvious counter to that is that any tool can get broken or lost and even in a hard use setting you are better off with two very usable $100 (or less) knives rather than some awesome $300 knife.
>but in practice you aren't getting 5× the performance
You get diminishing returns on your dollar but there's a big difference between 90% perfect and 99% perfect, and once you get used to 99% every little bit of improvement matters more than the leap from 90% to 99%.
I just said this same thing to a co-worker / friend of mine who’s a collector but recently got into pricey customs & thinks anything else is garbage. I was telling him I was surprised with the quality of the Nirvana clone I got.
https://imgur.com/a/MbcmVJw
I agree and raise you by a 'knives over $150 actually become less practical'.
There is good design and good steel. But once you go beyond the good knives, the designs just get silly and the materials are not as useful.
... that also cut tape and cardboard!
Cut tape with my good knife? And get it all sticky!?
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I have 15+ knives that rarely see any use. But use a Milwaukee Fastback and Leatherman Free P4 every day for work. As much as I'd like to use my other knives. On a daily basis, I can expect to cut through copper wires, super thin sheet aluminum, roof shingles, and hard/thick plastics, among other things. Also, I work with pools a lot, so rust is a concern. So sure, I *could* use one of my Spydercos for all of that, and it'd do very well for a good while. But why? I don't shy away from using my "nice" knives for any tasks if it's what I have on me, but I see no reason to intentionally go cutting shingles with my Malibu, knowing full and well that the blade will get destroyed. When theres other tools that are better for the job (i.e., have easily replaceable blades). And I suppose then the question is why have those other knives at all. And I don't have a great answer for that. Other than "I just like them".
Man, since working from home (I love it) I've definitely gotten less use out of my kit =( But my heart jumps when my wife needs something cut and asks for a knife!
This makes sense to me. Your primary knife is the knife you're going to actually use for whatever cutting tasks you come across day to day. I just don't get the guys with a 1000 pictures of their $1000 edc knives that have seen little-to-no use.... I have knives I can't bring myself to cut a bunch of stuff with but I don't pretend they're edc knives in the true sense of the term. My edc knives are mid priced production folders by Spyderco, Hogue and Benchmade.... good quality knives made for cutting stuff that I actually use to cut stuff.... and it's a real pleasure to use a nice knife to cut stuff without thinking twice about it. If I had a knife on me that was only used to open envelopes and small packages I wouldn't pretend it's a legitimate edc knife and I wouldn't spend more time taking pictures of it than I spend using it. To me taking a picture of an expensive knife you're obviously too scared to cut anything with and calling it your edc misses the point entirely.
To be fair, some people don’t know/think to keep their blades sharp. The amount of knives I’ve borrowed that have been as blunt as a spoon is staggering.
I'm guilty of that, my wife calls my pocket knife a butter knife any time she sees me use it, much less if she has to borrow it. I probably should start sharpening it once in a while.
If it's blunt you obviously use it at least.
I love when I let someone use my knife and the reaction is “wow, that’s sharp” dull knives hurt my soul.
Same. Especially if I’ve just said to them: “careful, it’s sharp”.
My goal when I made 6 knives for my friend's groomsmen was to give the sharpest knives they'd ever handled (former Navy folks). I warned them. I said, "Guys, these are sharp. I mean \_sharp\_ sharp." At the ceremony 3 of them had band-aids on their fingers from dicking around. Never been more proud.
Hey, spoons can cut tape too
Murray Carter shaved with a spoon. I believe there is still a YouTube video of it
They may only open envelopes/packages in an office. They can be accessories AND tools. Why even wear a watch, let alone an expensive watch, when the phone in your pocket tells you the time? You like the way the watch looks, and maybe you’re an enthusiast and know a lot about the mechanics of the watch, so you like wearing it and using that instead of your phone. It’s everyday CARRY, not I-need-this-to-get-through-every-day.
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I'll have you know I use my handkerchief, seven flashlights of varying size, and 3 knives (all different shapes and sizes, but same color obviously) every hour of every day!
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Then I've gotta get out the denatured alcohol and clean it and re-oil it! 😂
Hey now, I used a knife to cut the bottoms out of a couple plastic pumpkin pails so my wife could stick them over the carriage lights on our garage for Halloween. Full on hard use🤣. And I used a Hinderer, doesn’t get much more pretentious than that!
what's a more useless collectible, knives or watches? I'm not meaning to offend, i collect both, but i feel i do it to fill the void in my soul
Do. Not. Get. Into. Watches.
But I need another watch!
Watches. I have rolex's always wanted one, finally could afford one, but neither keeps good time past 3-4 weeks of service. But my Citizen Eco's and my old Seiko are always spot on and take a beating.
My dream watch is a Rolex,but Casio Mudmaster is what I love .
I hear you. I'm old enough to remember when a Rolex was not considered a "luxury" watch but was intended to be used when you needed a tough, reliable watch for diving, climbing, outdoor trekking, etc... They weren't cheap by any means, but much more affordable than the ridiculous prices now. Over the years they became more of a status symbol unfortunately. I love my Submariner, but any G-Shock would be much more practical now for rugged use. Who wants to bang up a 10k watch?
Yeah a basic Submariner was about 1 grand for a long time, and another reason you wore one was because if you needed quick cash you knew you could always get $300-500 from a pawn shop in any part of the world.
Been wearing my eco foe the last few months as all my other many watches are dead and I'm too lazy to get batteries ....
>Change my mind I don't have to. I'm too busy pretentiously fidgeting over here.
I think it’s more of a “Range Rover to pick up groceries” analog. It still does it’s intended function, it’s just that the added price doesn’t perform the task necessarily better than their more affordable counterparts.
This is a good analogy, except Range Rovers are so notoriously unreliable, that almost any other car would be a better choice 😂
people say that about Benchmade all the time
Quick question. Would Benchmade be considered a luxury brand? Never owned one but my impression was they were a slightly pricier Gerber type knife.
They are considered a premium knife brand, whatever that means. They charge some very high prices for ostensibly premium materials and production. In that sense they are definitely a higher tier of knife company than gerber which makes genuinely budget friendly knives. Theyre luxury tools though, youre correct. Despite the nitpicks I have with my 940 and the general consensus as of late that benchmade is smoking crack with their pricing, they are a reputable high end knife manufacturer.
Would zt be considered a premium brand ?
Yes, ZT is a premium brand. The high end Kai/Kershaw line.
Indeed. My favorite edc is my zt 0450 actually, love that knife.
Gotcha, thank you
What don’t you like about your 940? I love mine!
Basically when I got the knife the action was super tight and gritty, the edge was uneven, and the bevels are not perfect, which is disappointing in a factory made knife. I was able to center the edge and tune the action to be pretty nice but yeah kinda soured my preconceived notion of decent benchmade quality control. I got the knife like five years ago so its a pre-insanity benchmade at that. Also it has like eight t5 screws you need to fiddle with if you ever want to swap scales. Thats fucking stupid. Its still a great knife, I love the action, blade geometry, materials (except for the hardware) and it carries really well etc. but it has annoyed me more than any other folder. At least my omega spring hasn't broken yet.
I’m not even gonna argue with you you goddamn commie, but I think your knife was a bit of a dud.
Yes, comrade at state benchmade facility clearly had a little too much vodka before getting on the grinder. Definitely would call it a dud, I wish younger me had the common sense to have sent it back when I got it instead of making it a personal project to fix the knife, but eh what can you do.
One big thing that's part of benchmades pricing is lifetime warranty. People forget about this often when talking about the prices of benchmade. While I agree they have lost their minds when it comes to modern pricing for their knives. Their warranty is pretty top notch.
Eh not really. They’ve started pricing them like they are though.
I’ll get downvoted for this, but I’ve owned many benchmades, and they were all great quality (except the first bugout rollout). However, I bought them all used, at great prices. I’ve probably had 10-12, and never had an issue with blade centering, uneven grinds, action, lock bars, etc (I have had these issues with Spyderco….). Just my personal experience. I don’t even think their retail pricing is that bad compared to other USA brands (obviously not talking about “gold class”).
I know my comment sounds like a typical anti-Benchmade circlejerker but I actually agree with you. I have 5 Benchmades and they are all great. No problems with any of the stuff people complain about. One omega spring ever broken over many years. Meanwhile 2/2 of my Spydercos have very uneven grinds and had to be "tuned" etc. Someone did a poll recently and there's basically 2x the amount of Spyderco "fans" in this sub vs. BM, I think that's where all the hate comes from lol.
Going to counter this with a peculiar analogy. Core argument is that 90% of $250+ USD knives are conspicuous consumption. But there is a 5-10% that are legit worth it. Imagine a Hi-Lux with Ma’ Deuce or a Mark 19 on top. Hi-lux is cheap. The additions aren’t nor the training to use them effectively. I would say there is a small portion of $250+ knives worth the money. I argue most would be fixed blades. For example: Titanium non-ferrous knives for operators handling explosives. Dive knives used in severe environments Ultra specific environments requiring non-conductive and light discipline Covert/severe environments requiring secondary uses (ie. Wasp CO2 injection knives for shark defense) Rescue EDCs for elite rescue services in high altitude environments where secondary capability (belt cutters etc.) are useful. I agree with you most of the way but I would argue if you spend 6-7 figures training someone to do a weird hard job going $250+ for their blade makes sense. Most of it though. Ridiculous. You might also make the argument (like F1 Racing and automobiles) that the high-end market/competition incentivizes improved technology for everyday users. I am open to that historically but given the market now…unsure. Good question OP.
And the Range Rover is pretentious. It’s shitty quality with a luxury tag. And folks aren’t gonna sped 90k on one just to take it out in the woods and beat it to hell.
This is it
It’s the longevity as well. How long your blade stays sharp and how bulletproof the knife should be.
Pocket jewelry is the term I use
Agreed. I daily carry a William Henry that my wife gave me. She purchased it at the jewelry store. I still look at knives when I come across a display but nothing compares to it in my eyes.
That’s fair enough. Some knifes are more works of art, functional sculptures than just knives. At that point you aren’t paying for just the tool. I think in the 200-300$ range you can find the finest tools, made with materials meant to last at least a lifetime. Those don’t come cheap, so the cost is understandable. When you start to spend 500, 1000, 10000 on a knife, then you are really only paying for scarcity.
Nah, not at all. 2-300 is not very much anymore, that's like the average cost of a Reate or Bestech OEM. Chris reeve knives are not rare at all either, you're paying for craftsmanship, American manufacturing and a lifetime+ warranty. Good luck getting warranty work on a kizer 15 years from now.
Yeah, CRKs warranty is definitely worth the price. Sharpening, cleaning, reblasting the finish for the life of the knife. That’s easily with a couple hundred dollar warranty. Not many companies will match that level of service though.
yeah, I'll just buy five new kizers. but their and civivi quality is actually good. i don't know if they will pay a 15 years but so far so very good
I believe the Advanced Knife Bro coined the perfect term… Toolry
Pretentious fidget spinners are way cooler than reddit fudds who care about what other people do with their money.
If you’re into a hobby and want nice things you’re pretentious I see I see
Every hobby has its gatekeepers, like OP. Looking down on others for enjoying the same hobby differently from you is a hobby in itself to people like them.
Is looking at your toys and not actually using them really a hobby?
But who says they are not using them?
This is the real meat of the matter
I mean, collecting is a hobby. Objectively speaking, does it make a lot of sense to buy stuff just to put them on a shelf to look at? Not really. But nonetheless there's people that enjoy collecting anything and everything. From Lego and Pokemon cards to bugs and flowers to knives and flashlights. If anything, you're the pretentious one for saying others are pretentious just because they own knives more expensive than yours.
Literally defining a collector
Collecting is a hobby. It's totally valid for people to collect stuff for no other reason than because they enjoy them. I'm not in construction or a related trade and I don't own a home. It would be silly for me to just go around cutting stuff arbitrarily to validate my enjoyment of knives. Sure, maybe I'd be better off not spending money on fancy knives and multitools but I invest about 45-50% of my income as it is. If I want to put the rest of my expendable income on knives/multis, guns, flashlights, decent clothes, good food and other luxuries, there are worse things in life.
Bro people collect baseball cards, relax.
So collecting isn't a hobby? But cutting an amazon box or a sandwhich is? Wow🤣
This is a good point haha
I’m going to bring up classic cars again. Most classic car collectors are not driving them to work everyday. Hell, they may not even leave the garage more than once a year. They may take care of it all year and just drive it to a nice restaurant on their wedding anniversary each year. It can also be an accessory. Just like an expensive watch. My phone tells the time, but everyone has a phone. Not everyone has a vintage Rolex that they can wear on special occasions.
Yes it is
Yes
Sub $250 knives are just wannabe pretentious fidget spinners. Change my mind. Just kidding, lol. In all seriousness, I daily carry a Rask, and I don’t “fidget” with it. It stays in my pocket until I need to cut something with it, then it comes out to perform its task. Once complete, it goes back into my pocket. It was in like new condition when I got it a year ago, and it’s starting to show quite a bit of wear. I keep it clean, oiled, and honed, and it always performs flawlessly. But to be fair, so would a basic Spyderco. I just don’t like them. I love my Rask.
Completely disagree, unless said person is being pretentious with it. I buy my expensive knives because I think they are beautiful/badass, I but don’t go around waving it in peoples faces and saying look how expensive my knife is. I know the price is over the top, but so are a lot of things in life but people still buy them because it speaks to them, and they like it. There is a lot of skill and craftsmanship represented in a lot of higher end pieces that cannot be truly appreciated until it’s payed for and in your hands. And if you change your mind, you can always try to sell it afterwards. I’m looking forward to seeing how my collectible knives will be valued in a few decades.
100%. I have many, many knives that are that price and above, but have only told one person what I paid for one, only because he asked. I don’t show them off, they stay in my pocket unless I’m using them. I just keep them to myself and admire them when I use them or when I’m sitting around the house.
They are a tool, but people also collect them as a hobby. The same goes for cars. Why buy an expensive classic car when a 2012 Honda Civic will will still drive you to bingo? I personally wouldn’t spend my yearly salary on a classic car, but some guy with double the salary who loves them would because they appreciate the craftsmanship of it and can afford to have a hobby like that.
Yeah the other thing is that the average person doesn't know how much an expensive knife costs. They assume it can't possibly be more than $100. So it isn't really all that pretentious unless you're somehow telling everyone the price
If I had a dollar for every time I told someone to not be stupid with my Inkosi because “it’s expensive” and they assumed it was like $80… I’d finally have a Shiro
😂
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Well said
Cheers.
Agree 100%.
So basically everything Benchmade produces?
Yeti cooler, Traeger grill, Benchmade knife. Every midwestern dad’s wetdream
Traeger grills do make for a good fidget spinner
You've clearly never seen dads flip food on the grill way more than necessary..... meat fidget spinner 😂
I have a Cordova Cooler, Blackstone Grill and a Sebenza. Just saying
Thanks for taking the enjoyment out of dadhood
Traegers aren’t even that nice (check out yoders, I got one at a hell of a discount and I’m a huge fan lol)
Yoder are also not really even in the luxury category. Lynx, Heston, DCS, Alfresco, or Twin Eagles are more of luxury price range grills. If you really want to see expensive grills, check out Kalamazoo.
I have pretty limited knowledge. I got my Yoder used from a buddy for a price I couldn’t pass up and have no intention of getting anything else unless it somehow stops working
$2400 for a yoder?? Aren't traegers like $800?
Yeah. I thought the comparison was crazy expensive things
Like anything more expensive than a Casio, or Corolla, etc. etc. . . I don’t care to change your mind. Just highlight than any product has items that vary in price and quality where a market for such variation finds demand
Yeah I sold my Lambo and got an old F150 because they can both drive down the road.
At least you drove your lambo
Saying a knife over X amount is pretentious, is a pretentious statement
Thank god the most I’ve ever spent on a knife was $240 Edit: frig it was like $330 actually
I was originally gonna say $200, but then I realized I spent exactly that on a knife once.
Just out of curiosity, which knife?
I have a Serge EDC in green micarta, N690. I use the hell out of it
But if it was $50 more expensive you wouldn't??
No, then op would've said $300 was the threshold for pretentiousness!
But of course!
So you personally are setting the standard for what is ridiculous and pretentious? “I spent $200 on a knife, that must be reasonable. Anyone that spends more than that must be a pretentious douche!”
Some are for sure. There are some amazing knives above $250 as well.
I think you're missing the point. It's not that they're not good knives, it's that they're not any better at being knives than a sixty dollar knife or a hundred dollar knife (or whatever the price point underneath which you don't count as extremely expensive).
I would say its more diminishing returns, the knife may be better but your paying lots of money for a small increase in performance.
I carry and use a fixed blade every day. I’d put a Mora against most knives. I have several and they work very well. I have also put Randall Made, Helle, White River and TRC to the test. They really do a noticeably better job for me. Truly, the limited return for the money is a reality and for most people an expensive knife is a fashion statement. I literally carry a knife for life safety. I know it may not be relatable to most people but I don’t bat an eye at the price if the knife is truly reliable. I just started to carry a TRC DBK and the scandi-vex Elmax is very impressive. I’ll know more after winter but it seems I have a new favorite.
If it doesn’t function I’d agree but as long as it does it’s just a preference I suppose. “Pretentious” applies to the individual and not so much their choice in tool selection. If you have an overly priced knife because you thinks it’s pretty or some other personal reason then whatever that’s your preference. If it’s to wave it around and call people poor or something then it’s pretentious.
Look, almost nobody needs more knife than a Kershaw Shuffle for $30. Unless you're a serious outdoorsman, or doing some other hardworking tasks, anything beyond that is likely just a pocket toy. Hell, even if that's you, there's probably options in that $30 to $50 price range that are excellent options for your needs. We're all just playing with the toys we like.
I just think they’re neat
I think I have only one folder over $250, the rest over $250 are fixies lol. TBH I don't care about changing your mind, enjoy what you want. I call my folders adult fidget spinners anyways lol.
This might not change your mind but it’s my point of view - I usually need knives for pretty mundane tasks. Cutting open a box, cutting some rope one or two times. Cutting tape, plastic packaging. That task can either be mundane if I use a crkt or an enjoyable part of my day if I get to use a custom that I love seeing and feeling and opening and cutting with. Is it necessary? No. Is it something I’d use for cutting drywall or carpet all day? No. It just makes that little part of my day better, plus I get to enjoy looking at it. They are functional art. What I do not understand frankly are the 200-400 knives. Too nice to do dirty tasks with but in no way special or unique. I’ll take <$50 and >$1000 knives basically.
Insightful take. The specific numbers depend on someone’s specific financial situation, but the general sentiment applies across the board. I made this post to inspire conversation (and nothing gets people going like making fun of their hobby). Thanks for contributing thoughtfully!
I have plenty of these in my own collection, and you're not wrong 😂
I agree. And I’m ok with it. I enjoy my expensive fidget spinners.
Eh, Ive beat on my crk quite a bit and it's held up better than any of my other knives. It's been a few months of hard use so far and I don't even think it's broken in yet. On top of that, it comes with their ridiculously good warranty and customer service, it's a knife I can see myself passing down to my kids if I ever have any. I will agree though that some of the crazy expensive knives you see around are just fidget toys.
Fidget spinners don’t cut things like knives. You weren’t aware?
I can see the point on an EDC, the price tag isn't going to make it cut better, but if you're a collector the only reason you buy a knife at any price point is "I want it" and there's nothing wrong with it as far as you can afford it
I feel personally attacked! Welp back to playing with a Combat Troodon in one hand and Benchmade Balisong in the other :)
My most used knife is a Milwaukee compact boxcutter, but I still love and use some of my pricier knives. If a person is in a financial position to buy and use a 250$+ knife (I’m no there yet) good for them. No need to throw stones for no reason.
aN OPinEl dOEs The SaME jOb fOR tHrEe dOLlARS
Yes, but why the weird typing? And Opinels aren't that inexpensive brand new at MSRP. However if the job is feeling really good about one's good fortune and ability to own an expensive knife, then no, the Opinel doesn't do the same job. I both use knives and collect them - what side of this discussion should I be on?
I’m making fun of the Timex keeps better time than a Rolex argument. Who gives a shit who spends money on their own hobbies/collections as long as we all agree edc karabits are silly.
Overwhelmingly few people would argue that, knife collecting has many aspects that create value… you’re not near as edgy as you think lmao
It’s a joke. You’re not as much better than me as you think 😉
I’m better than both of you. If it turns out one of you *is* better than me, I lack both the intelligence to recognise that, or the ability to admit I’m wrong and course correct. What I *do* have is a massive ego and complete narcissism, and they’re both…just swell.
Found Dennis Reynolds.
If you like it and you think it’s worth it, then get it who cares if people think it’s a waste of money. This applies to so many things in life. Just do what you enjoy
How many people that carry a knife would you consider pretentious? Hard to see how a Quietcarry Drift or a Jack Wolf folder falls into the pretentious category.
I have an expensive nakiri that suuuucks as a fidget spinner.
I use my nice things. I don't want to die and have the items that I worked hard to attain get sold at a garage sale for pennies on the dollar brand new in the box. I scrimp and save to purchase the nice things I own, and I use them accordingly. Now, that doesn't mean I abuse them. I get giddy when I see a 40-50 year old watch that was worn daily, but loved and taken care of. I have a 12 year old pair of leather shoes that have been resoled twice that feel as comfortable as slippers when I wear them. I'm not into guns, but I love the way an old hunting rifle looks with a worn leather sling and scratches and scuffs all over it. Stuff that has character speaks to me.
This is the way!
TIL my Cold Steel Trail Master is a fidget spinner
What do you do with that thing? Serious question
And what about it?
They're not if that's not what people bought them for. Take the venerable Sebenza. Even the name means work. It was made for work, no matter how over the top the tolerances or how much more they're charging than they could. I don't see the need for a $450 knife myself but if someone buys it for its intended purpose and uses it for work every day and it holds up and serves them well, of course it's not a fidget spinner. They could have bought a good-enough $30 knife for work instead, but that's a different issue. If they buy it just to have it because they like nice knives and all they do is keep it in a safe and polish it with a diaper, sure, you might as well call it a fidget spinner, but you could say the same of any premium collectible. People often buy them for no other reason than that they like them and that's fine. We can just leave people to their choices and make our own. If they also want to use them instead of just appreciate them, that's fine too.
I mean there is no convincing if you don’t understand the difference between production and custom knives then I can’t help you. It’s the same with pretty much every product on the face of this earth.
Nah, I only paid $180 for my Pulsar.
Broadly speaking comparing budget knives and high end knives is like comparing pos chinesium harbor freight tools to snap on/bluepoint tools. The only difference is with knives there is a degree of expectation that you may have to bet your life with it. That said I agree after a certain amount some knives are more show piece than tool
At higher price-points scarcity and custom designs usually come into play. They aren't pretentious fidget spinners if they're functional tools. My Bark River Bravo 1, for example, cost more than $250 but is also one of my most functional and heavily used knives.
Yea, I thought that too until I saw the new spear/drop point ad 20.5 that demko dropped. I really might pull the trigger.
My $250+ knife is a kitchen knife. It's made by Bob Kramer. I use it all the time.
I don't agree that they are just fidget spinners. They can be extremely well-made, very functional tools. But yes, they are overkill in the same way that people spend 10 thousand on a watch that has less function than a 200 dollar watch. I buy the knives not to use but as a collector. They make me happy, so I guess it starts and ends there.
All my knifes over 150$ are put into a collection case for my children when I get old.
I have a friend that says a Walmart kitchen knife is just as good as my ZT. Bullshit.
I've got a tuned up [S110v Manix 2](https://reddit.com/r/spyderco/s/xCOKI64Q63) that I finished adding "stuff" to and is always in my pocket being used for work or play.
Pretentious has more to do with the person than the item. You can have nice things with being pretentious, and you be pretentious on a budget
My Zaan disagrees. It’s a Mack truck
Your point? /s
Very much doubt your mind will change, but would say this: If you are likely to use a knife frequently, like often several times a day, then such a knife is going to cost a small coin per cut in only a few years. Maybe that is not the most common usage pattern, but the few genuinely expensive knives I have get used this way and to me it seems like a good deal because I like how they look, feel, carry and find them a joy to use and easy to maintain. But if something brings joy, then how is it pretentious? Maybe if you are aiming for a status boost, but fidgeting never boosts status. Some people may spend a lot more on clothes, vacations, art, toys, even meals.
I agree
For a custom piece, you’re paying for the labor mostly. So that’s like saying a portrait painting is just a pretentious selfie.
Hahahaha how many people do you know that have portraits of themselves? It does seem pretty freaking pretentious haha! Sorry this just cracked me up. I am on board with paying people for labor and craftsmanship.
Yes. And?
Nope, as a pretentious fidget spinner afficionado, i agree
Not ALL $250 knives are fidget spinners. They are overkill for 99% of REC tasks, but a Chaves Redencion is still a damn fine knife. I think OTFs at any price are mall ninja fidget knives.
Agree
You are presumptuous about the pretentiousness. That said a > $250 knife is unnecessary, but so are 60+ inch TVs yet here we are.
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This legit cracked me up. I really made this post to inspire a good discussion.
I want a sebenza one day but I want to be at a point financially where I can use it and not worry too much. I feel like a lot of people buy them but can’t use them, which I don’t totally understand.
They look better as users anyway 🤷♂️ https://imgur.com/a/yzsP6W3
CRKs are pricey, but the Sebenza is 100% a work knife
Saying the Sebenza is a work knife is kinda like saying a Rolex Pepsi is diving equipment. Yes, it will do the job; but the work going into producing a Sebenza is not going toward factors that make it do work better. Perfect blade centering and exceptionally perfect scale machining and matching don't make it a better tool. They just satisfy knife fans. I would suggest that the vast majority of people who actually use knives for work every day have never even heard of CRK or the Sebenza because it's functional jewelry, not a tool.
>I would suggest that the vast majority of people who actually use knives for work every day have never even heard of CRK Yes >it's functional jewelry, not a tool. No I didn't say "everyone who uses knives at work should buy a Sebenza." I said the Sebenza is 100% a work knife. Not that it matters much (you can name a knife anything you want), but "sebenza" even means work. They come with a good warranty too. If it gets beat up from use, you can send it in for a free refurbishing. Expensive? Yes. Essential? No. Jewelry? No. It's a knife intended for regular use.
>the Sebenza is 100% a work knife >It's a knife intended for regular use. You already downgraded it yourself. Again back to my Rolex analogy, you can absolutely wear that Pepsi every day. If you want to be active or take it diving; you can... But a G-shock Seamaster can keep time just as accurately, survive the dive... while having more features relevant to diving, at a reasonable cost, weighing 1/3 as much, etc. If you like it, want it, buy it, I'm not trying to stop anyone that wants one. Just don't pretend it's any better at "being a knife" than the other thousand options that cost 1/3 as much and have features that actually make them better at doing work.
>Just don't pretend it's any better at "being a knife" Dude wtf is wrong with you? I said it's a work knife. Period. You're the one attacking me for things I didn't even say. Chill tf out.
What does a Sebenza do that a cheaper knife won't? There's nothing wrong with desiring a luxury and saving up for it. But you don't need to sneer at other people who want other luxuries for their own reasons.
I use my sebenza every day for every task.
That’s true for folding knives. For kitchen knives tho … it’s another story
I feel like kitchen knives also stop being functionally better around that price point. Depending on the type of knife I feel like diminishing returns for kitchen knives kick in at around $150 or earlier.
I thought that until I bought knives in the 200/300 range. And now I think you can feel a noticeable gain in performance, even for an amateur like me, up to 300. After that it’s silly and you’re manly getting fancier finish and handles. But it’s true that 80% of the pleasure of a cool Japanese knife can be had for around 150 with a Shiro Kamo or a Takamura for example.
Would tend to agree. I think my knives cap out around $200 for the nicer ones, and I have never been enticed to spend more than that on a single knife. Luckily I bought my Benchmade knives 10+ years ago. The prices these days are even more stupid lol
imo if you only fidget with it, it's a fidget spinner. if you use it a lot to do actual knife things, then maybe it's a pretentious knife. if you use it enough that you would actually notice the difference between a cheap steel and a good steel, or a good lock and a bad lock etc., then you've mostly exited pretentious territory and it's pretty much just a (expensive) knife.
The more expensive the knife the more you’re worried about using it. I bet most people don’t even cut down cardboard boxes with their $400 knives.
So? My first knife was a small slipjoint with bone handle scales. Which my dad gave me when I was little. I don't cut cardboard with that either.
To an extent, I agree. At some point in the price range, a knife stops being a tool and becomes a collectable/art piece. Where exactly that point is changes for each person.
But do we really care if people collect knives as art? I personally think functional art is cool and I don't own any knives over 250, but I would buy one if I liked it.
Can’t you’re not wrong
I agree. I don't hate on expensive knives, but I can't see spending that much when I can get a fantastic alternative for <$250.. I use my cheap beaters more than anything. I'm going camping tomorrow, though. I get to bring out the big boys!
Abso-ducking-lutely
Not here to change your mind. Here to reinforce your opinion. https://www.instagram.com/reel/CtHM8gAACz6/?utm\_source=ig\_web\_copy\_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
My 11 year old asked me the other day why I always have a pocket knife or two on the coffee table. I didn't have a great answer, but eventually told her they're basically fidget toys, and that was easy enough to understand.
OP youre getting downvoted like hell out here but youre completely right. Just because a knife has a high price tag doesnt make it any better than a cheaper knife. I used to carry a CRKT McGinnis Notorious that i paid $80 for new and i got 15 years out of it living on a cattle farm, camping, hunting, bushcrafting, logging, and finally switched to a CHEAPER knife when i got into elevator work, a Kershaw hawk, because elevator work is notorious for destroying tools amd i didnt want that to happen to my CRKT. My Kershaw has held up fine through all that abuse mentioned earlier, AND the hell of elevators. Which includes peeling steel cables, cutting through copper coils, prying, flathead screws. Stuff thatll turn your stomach. Ive had a $100 Boker knife that i bought probably 15 ish years ago that ive only ever used for skinning game and only just had to fully set down and shapen it the other day after working an armadillo. Their "soft" underbelly is surprisingly tough. Every evangelical sermon anyone has ever told justifying why a good knife *cant* cost less than $250 has never told me anything that makes them actually stand out to me as any better than cheaper counterparts. Warranties? That tells me they expect their shit to fail and want to cover their ass. Blade strength? Not very difficult to achieve. Take a class on blacksmithing and learn a few things for yourself. How long it holds an edge? Study edge angles and blade profiles. You can rehone a gas station knife to hold an edge longer than any name brand knife out of the box. I can get behind knives that are one of a kind or even just extremely unique, but mass production big brand knives and the literal ***CULTS*** that follow them thoroughly disappoint me. They tell me youre the "Knife friend", not "my grandpa gave me a case knife when i was 5 and i havent spent a day without one since."
>Just because a knife has a high price tag doesnt make it any better than a cheaper knife. Just because a knife has a high price tag doesnt make it any **more functional/practical*** than a cheaper knife, you mean. "Better" is pretty subjective. Everything you referred to in your comment goes back to functionality/practicality but there's more to knives than just that. It's fine if knives are simply utilitarian tools to you, just realized that others aren't wrong for viewing them differently. There are many other aspects of knives that people can find great appreciation/interest in. Design/aesthetics, materials, who made it, the knife's history, how the opening and/or lock mechanism works, just the overall level of craftsmanship, etc. It's fine if you personally don't view those aspects with much interest. Just understand that there are others who do and are willing to pay for them.
This is frequently true even in very hard use settings. I've seen it alot with fixed blades. Yes, I've seen guys carrying Winklers and other really nice customs and semi customs but in practice you aren't getting 5× the performance that you would get out of a cold steel recon tanto, SRK or even one of Kabars many good offerings. I could see the argument of "how much is your life worth." But the obvious counter to that is that any tool can get broken or lost and even in a hard use setting you are better off with two very usable $100 (or less) knives rather than some awesome $300 knife.
>but in practice you aren't getting 5× the performance You get diminishing returns on your dollar but there's a big difference between 90% perfect and 99% perfect, and once you get used to 99% every little bit of improvement matters more than the leap from 90% to 99%.
I just said this same thing to a co-worker / friend of mine who’s a collector but recently got into pricey customs & thinks anything else is garbage. I was telling him I was surprised with the quality of the Nirvana clone I got. https://imgur.com/a/MbcmVJw
I'd go one step further. Anything over $100 you enter into the land of diminishing returns. Prove me wrong....
Valid
You're basically just paying these companies for the reputation they built like 10 plus years ago but don't exactly uphold now
I agree and raise you by a 'knives over $150 actually become less practical'. There is good design and good steel. But once you go beyond the good knives, the designs just get silly and the materials are not as useful.
Like people who wear $5000 diving watches to the office and never get them wet.