Dang expensive knives....

[Hemingway]

I've got like 8 or so RC-3's. And a few RC-4's, 6', Izula's, RTAK, the old RAT's, and a new HEST that I used quite a bit this year.

I'm assuming the OP is just being sarcastic. I think these are some of the best cheap knives out there. Having had Busse, Strider, etc, the ESEE's seem dirt cheap.

I have several Randall's on order as well. The first one set to arrive pretty soon now...I think I only have 3 1/2 years left!

 

[chubbs]

low price + great quality = blind horse

 

[jeremy]

low price + great quality = blind horse

Amen to that! Absolutely love by BHK's!

 

[451_Detonics]

The rule "you get what you pay for" can be very subjective when it comes to knives. I own more than a couple knives (last count was pushing 200) and for the most part none of them are cheap. I like customs as well as factory and tend to stick to high end pieces. When you start pushing the 100 dollar mark you are paying for, normally, a better grade steel, fit and finish, nice scale materials, etc.

Most low end knives use a 440 stainless for their blades, moving up to the next level you will find steels like AUS-8 as well as some of the better carbon steels like D2. Knives that are higher in price will be using one of the newer super steels like 8Cr13MoV stainles or Cr12Mov in carbon steel. These high end steel tend to hold a better edge longer and are easier to sharpen.

In scale materials you will move up from delrin and nylon to micarta then to G10 and carbon fiber. In natural material you start with wood and move up to bone and then stag with various grades of each.

Do the higher end knives perform better? In many cases yes they do. While scale material may sound like it is just something to hold onto fact is textured G-10 is much grippier than glass filled nylon keeping you hand from slipping when wet. A better steel mean not having to stop to resharpen several times during a job. Better fit means no cracks for moisture to gather in causing corrosion.

Las of all is intrinsic value...the pretty factor as it were. Some of my knives are plain but you take a knife with exhibition grade stag and it is a piece of art. Those looks don't come cheap however. And when you combine quality steel with high quality scales, and great fir and finish you are talking about a lot of handwork and a higher cost.

This Bulldog stockman is a good example. You can buy a stockman that is well made using 440C steel and delrin scalesfor 20 bucks, you can buy a nice bone Case for 50, and a very nice Boker stag stockman for 100. But if you want something along the lines of this Bulldog that is in my collection you will need to save up your lunch money for awhile.

 

[tyler34]

the newer super steels like 8Cr13MoV stainles or Cr12Mov in carbon steel.

these are FAR from super steels. if it's in a $40 dollar spyderco its no super steel. super steels would be more in the realm of s90v, s35vn, m4, zdp189 etc.

 

[451_Detonics]

these are FAR from super steels. if it's in a $40 dollar spyderco its no super steel. super steels would be more in the realm of s90v, s35vn, m4, zdp189 etc.

whatever makes you laugh...I normally don't mess with anything but carbon steel...I like real quality.

 

[tyler34]

and the steels I listed aren't quality? you might want to ask the champs in the blade sports series. and yes it does make me laugh to think of chinese steel meant to be a cheaper AUS equivalent referred to as super steel. so thank you.

 

[Squib]

Another big shout out for Blind Horse. Talk about a deal for your dollar. Their large and small patch knives make up about 80 percent of my edc rotation. Their Workcliffe blades are simply some of the best, and you are getting custom work at very reasonable prices.

 

[Bruenor]

I'm looking at the Blind Horse Knives Bushcrafter. At the last 1500 I saw that they had a larger version of the standard Bushcrafter. It's not listed on their website, but I guess they have made a few for those who have asked. It fit perfectly in my hand, and if I had the cash I probably would have bought it. I've e-mailed them, and hope to get some more information about it (dimensions, cost, etc). Hopefully this is a knife that they will produce on request.

 

[danielocean03]

these are FAR from super steels. if it's in a $40 dollar spyderco its no super steel. super steels would be more in the realm of s90v, s35vn, m4, zdp189 etc.

+1, couldn't agree more with Tyler on this one. (except for the fact that he somehow managed to leave INFI off of the super steels list)

 

[danielocean03]

whatever makes you laugh...I normally don't mess with anything but carbon steel...I like real quality.

[rant]

Not knocking good old-fashioned carbon steel, but there are far better blade steels out there, no need to bash materials you've never heard of by inferring that they're not "real quality".

And I don't know if you know it or not, but your lengthier post with the $120 bulldog stockman knife pictured kinda made you sound like a jerk, especially when you're addressing a group of folks who are certified knife freaks. Not to say that there wasn't some good information in that same post, but you're far from addressing a group of knife newbies. Some of the guys posting in this thread/forum have single blades that are exponentially more expensive than that stockman, FYI.

[/rant]

 

[grunt soldier]

Bruenor

that big bushcrafter your talking about is a scatty crafter and they are on about a 3 month wait i believe. though they make them for a couple of retailers who have some in stock. i played with that and the bushbaby at the 1500 and i already own a patch and bushcrafter of theirs and boat tail scandi. the scattycrafter is 199 with a jre leather sheath i believe. i know a couple shops online who have them if you want pm me and i can tell you as i don't think i am aloud to post them here.

 

[paddling_man]

Slippy nuts are a breed to themselves. My Dad is one. He craps on cheap Wal-Mart blades compared to his safe-deposit-box slip joint collection. Somehow, he is able to look down the scale of quality but is unable to look up.

Slippies mumble to themselves as they walk around at Blade Show. (Eight weeks and counting. My exhibitor pass is ready!)

Recognize that this is easily a Glock-XD / 9mm-.45 thread in the making. Well, more accurately, black powder - black rifles.

 

[cubby]

Slippie freaks.... Oh man! 8 weeks. Yep!!!

 

[Tomcat_AL200]

Apparently mod, you have never had a $50 fixed blade break on you when you really need it.

 

[VUPDblue]

Apparently mod, you have never had a $50 fixed blade break on you when you really need it.

Nope, I haven't. That said, I'm not really a 'fixed blade man' either. What I got that started this thread is a RAT RC-3. I've always been curious about having/carrying a fixed blade and I decided to take the plunge with a RAT after some good advice from members of this forum.

At present, it's hanging on my plate carrier so that it's available to me during classes/matches, but I may find a way to carry it more often if it proves useful.

 

[tyler34]

I don't remember the last fixed blade I bought under $300

 

[cubby]

I don't remember the last fixed blade I bought under $300

yer doin it wrong...........

 

[caneman]

I emptied the piggy banks last month to buy a Becker BK-2 for $65 so I'm definitely out of you folks class. Before that, it was a Marbles 3 1/2" blade for around $35.

I guess my income was always deficient.

 

[Blue Tile Spook]

I emptied the piggy banks last month to buy a Becker BK-2 for $65 so I'm definitely out of you folks class. Before that, it was a Marbles 3 1/2" blade for around $35.

I guess my income was always deficient.

Buy what you can afford, upgrade when you can. You're doing it right if the $35 is what you can afford.