Blackhorse":1r7jf7rq said:
Say...Zeno - Why not start properly and define what you're going to need to DO with the knife, where and how it will be carried, your level of skill in sharpening, yadda, yadda, yadda. Once you know what you're going to be cutting you can get to the physics of the blade/blades. THEN set yourself a price point which will pretty much define the brand, etc. Just a thought.
Above all, don't go by me. I browse around til I see something that makes me start drooling...then I totally fabricate a set of reasons why I need it. lol
Apologies if I'm being difficult and/or too ambiguous. To be honest, I'm fickle and easily influenced. I love knives, though I don't own many (I'm a minimalist, so I'm in constant struggle with owning things). I get lusty easily, and because I'm also woefully ignorant of the better quality in knives, I'm all over the place. I can get interested REAL easily. I'm mostly about pocket knives, but styles like the classic puukko or Mora neck knife, like recently purchased by Blackhorse, can also grab my attention big time. I also think because I have such a small collection, lots of different styles and blade shapes look appetizing. I was just thinking today that I'd like a sheepsfoot bladed knife. My questions are ambiguous, and probably difficult to pin down and answer, because I'm busy gathering information and testimonials.
I'm glad you mentioned usage. I thought about starting a thread a couple days ago about how often knives are used. Be it for something more hardy, or simply opening mail or slicing the occasional rope. To me, big or small jobs are the same. It's the fun, comfort, convenience, and all sorts of other things that I like about carrying a knife. I was trying to estimate my own use, and I think I grab for a knife 1-2 times a week. Usually something small like cutting fabric or as a small element helping fix something in the oxidizing infrastructure of my own old belongings. I could easily grab for something else more appropriate or useful, but the pocket knife is more fun (and it might already be in my pocket). I don't generally have to cut wood, do crafts, hunt/fish, or need a super serious tool. Though, I was an avid backpacker and camper for a long time, and I'm always hoping to get back to it. Typical knife work was necessary for cooking and setting up camps. Overbuilt, over-designed, over-qualified tools are my preference (cost withstanding). Probably makes me sound like an asshole, but really...I've been lusty towards knives my entire life.* They're kind of rising in priority of interest lately is all.
I'm getting better at sharpening, but when I really want a nice edge, I ask a friend of mine to sharpen my knives for me. I'm working on it, but if he's handy, I make no progress in my sharpening skills.
*there was this place Paul's in Clinton, IA. When I was a kid, we would shop there once a month. They had a big knife case in front of all the registers. This place was part K-Mart, part surplus store, part liquidation center, part farm supply store. An awesome store that was an adventure every time we went. I would always want to look at the knives, but it was embarrassing to stand in front of tens and tens of people to look at knives. It was a very public event, and as many of us feel, knives are a very personal thing. And then to match the knife on the legend to see what it was called and the price. Fond memories, but stressful memories, too. I have lots of those involving knives.
