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The online community of knife collectors, A Knife Family Forged in Steel

The $100 threshhold

A bunch of us was having a conversation in a different discussion that brought up several questions about the state of the Knife collecting hobby. Below are some of those questions to ponder and consider.

Do you have a limit to how much you are willing to spend on a knife, such as a $100 threshold? If so, why? At what point is a knife too expensive to use as an everyday carry knife?

Do you feel some of the knives you own are too pretty/costly to use?

Do you feel that some knives probably cost more because of how they look as opposed to their ability to get the job done?

Do you think some of the new super steels over-priced hype? How good does the steel in the knife really need to be?

Do you think some knife makers, including well established companies are now making knives to collect and not actually use? Has the overall quality of their knives slipped because the company is really making knives to cut a sheet a paper and spend the rest of their life in a collector box or tin?

At what point do you feel like you’re not getting the return on your investment? Are you willing to pay more for a USA made knife of lesser quality or same quality compared to an imported knife; if so, how much more?

How does all of this affect the knife collecting hobby in general and your overall approach to building your collection?

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Howard P Reynolds on March 7, 2014 at 13:31

Here are a few things to consider when deciding the purchase of a new fixed blade to use. There may be somewhat different factors for folders, but there are overlaps:

1. I agree that your knife should be equal to the tasks you set for it, so if you never do any hard-use tasks, there may be no reason to ever pay big bucks (over $100.) for a user. Personally, I can't justify really big bucks ($$$) for a "looker" - "Case Queen".

2. If you never do, or never plan to do any "woodscraft" with your knife, that is another reason not to spend a lot for a knife to cut string or open boxes.

3. If you are looking for a "woodscraft" knife, go-to, SHTF, survival knife with which you might have to perform more unusual tasks, you might want to consider "bang for the buck".

4. Here is a video worth watching: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSVs2LCZ-TQ&list=UU2YzIih9K5363N...

a. This is not a recommendation or advertisement for Gough knives - the guy who made the video. It is merely some things to consider when buying a knife; stuff he thought was important when looking for a steel for his knife.

b. Gough is selling his 4" blade (A-2 steel) for $300. His 5" blade (A-2 steel) costs $320. I recently saw a 1095 knife selling for $295., and you have probably seen some 1095 fixed blades costing more. So, where do you put your $300.? If 1095 carbon will stand up to the tests Gough put his knives through, and you love 1095, by all means, buy it. He doesn't say which steels failed his tests, which as you can see, are "robust" tests.

5. If you just like knives, as all of us do, it doesn't matter what you buy, how many you buy, or for what reason. You can have a half-dozen fixed blades for a half-dozen jobs, but if you have a limited budget, you might want shoot for a knife that can pass Gough's tests, whatever the steel from which it is made. You'll have one knife that can do all the jobs that your half-dozen are currently doing, and you can strap it on for doomsday or SHTF scenarios with confidence it will perform.

6. A regular ole Case fixed-blade, or Queen or GEC, K-Bar, Ontario, etc. will do the usual household/farm jobs that come up, so for most things you probably don't need anything more. If you want a knife to do all that plus hard-use, chopping and batoning (passing destruction testing), you might have to pay more than your comfort zone. Admittedly, no current knife will pass the bending test because they bend it till it breaks, but Gough found a steel that bent nearly 90 degrees before breaking.

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Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on March 16, 2014 at 12:45

I'm at the threshold. At the present moment I'm looking at four different knives all ranging between $60-$90. They are all similar in style and I could probably get all four but then were talking close to $250! And then there is the fact that I don't need any of them. (I need new gutters for the house!)

Yet they are all within patterns I collect and I'm pretty sure I'd be happy within any of them. This is one of the major drawbacks with buying online. Not having the knife in hand to admire often makes crossing the threshold more difficult; even when you know the reputation of the company selling the knife.

The debate in my head will probably rage on for a couple more weeks and there is a 50/50 chance I won't buy any of them. There needs to be something compelling about a knife to make me spend the $60+. They haven't talked to me yet. Another first world problem. Maybe I should just donate the money to a food pantry and be done with it.

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Permalink Reply by Ken Spielvogel on March 16, 2014 at 14:22

What a dilemma Tobias, I can sorta feel what you are feeling about that threshold.

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Permalink Reply by Howard P Reynolds on March 16, 2014 at 20:40

Hahaha. Yep. I think that nagging problem shows up at each threshold. To distract myself I just bought 3 Japanese water stones, lapping plate (stone flattener) and a sink bridge.

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on March 17, 2014 at 7:48

I have been watching this discussion pretty closely. It has been very interesting. Typically an EDC for us is different depending on whether it is Donnie or me. I buy what I like, that will fit in my pocket at a show. I spend less than 60 for my edc's usually. Donnies may range at about 100, but his are hard working tools and there are a good many edc's for him. It depends on what he is building that day. The blade style, steel and how it fits in the hand dictates what he is carrying. 1095 and 154CPM are the preferred for him

As for the collection, the typical knife ranges 250 or less but there are a few specialty pieces beyond that point. The collection out weighs the users maybe 4 to 1 and there are few fixed blades in there. These pieces are, as we call them The Safe Queens.

There are exceptions to every rule, I was gifted a 1K kitchen knife under the condition I actually use it. I do. When we travel Donnie always puts it in the safe LOL. A gift of a knife at my house means it will never go anywhere. It will never be sold regardless of whether it is a 20.00 or a 1K knife

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Permalink Reply by Howard P Reynolds on March 17, 2014 at 11:22

Jan,

A $1K kitchen knife should slice all by itself! Hahahaha. You'll need a set of Japanese water stones for that $1K knife.

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Permalink Reply by Tom Radde on March 23, 2014 at 17:53

Several years ago, I went to a, ‘Public’ swamp for Duck Hunting.
(Mostly I go to private places, but word was out about this place)

I Pull up in my 86, totally rusted out, Jeep Wrangler, worth about 600.00.
The fellow next to me pulled up in a new decked out Ford 250 4WD. worth about 50,000.00.

I pull out a Win 21, ‘DUCK’ grade SxS, worth about 7,000.00
He pulled out a rusty, Savage Mod 67 Pump, worth about 60.00

He looks at me, looks at my gun, and says:
“Ha, I got three shots, you only have two”

Just about says it all!

Price? I don’t know enough about, ‘knifes’, to know one is worth 2,000.00,
because it has special features or short run, etc.
(Learning though)
And I have far to many, I will NEVER use, because, (They are to nice)
They are in the 100-200 range.

But, if I see one, and I think it would be useful, for a EDC, I will look hard at it.

As for EDS’s and USERS. I Think I have enough LOL
BUT, when I walk into a place, and see something which, ‘catches my eye’.
Let the negation begin.
It is a sickness let me tell you. BUT it is Much better than, the ‘Cardboard Cocaine’,
(Pull Tabs), that people spend money on.

Just my 3 cents worth. (Inflation)

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Terry Ray on March 23, 2014 at 20:01

Tobias , i have thought a lot on the 100 dollar threshold and you are a very astute and observant person, However you look at it $100 dollars is a good limit for most of us all... and practical for the value received.

As a dealer it is a double edged sword , I want to stock the expensive limited as well as have a med to value priced knife as well.

So once again my reply is nothing more than a thank you for making me think a little harder about what is the obvious.

Thanks !! Terry Ray

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Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on March 23, 2014 at 20:46

Terry, I think a lot of manufacturers also look at the $100 and think of it as the new $20. As such they try to keep knives below the magic number. Sometimes the quality suffers whereas other times their profit margin suffers. It is a double edged sword.