Would you pay over $1000 for a knife?

[paladin]

I've paid that much...wouldn't blink to do it again.

Off the cuff I'd say that buying/using quality stainless knives (especially fixed blades) has a lower cost of ownership than most durable goods....

....Just my thousand dollars...errrr...two cents :o

[SpyderEdgeForever]

Let me add a "sub choice" to this thread: When it comes to paying big money for a knife, is the emphasis more on the BLADE (Steel, Shape, Etc) or the HANDLE (precious metals and stones, exquisite detailing such as Scrimshaw, etc) or the overall knife?

Example: Would you rather pay for a knife that has an exotic handle and plain blade, or, one with an exotic blade, and plain handle?

I will admit, my own choice tends to lean more towards the blade, its steel, its shape, etc. Handle is, ofcourse, important, especially for an everyday using knife.

[Jeremy_A_Neel]

Realize not everyone would, or even should. In my case, the answer is yes. Boils down to what value one places in certain things. I happen to love smaller gent's folders and appreciate them as many people appreciate artwork. While not all appeal to me, those that do find their way to my small collection if I have the available funds. Here are three that I have no regrets spending more money on than most would even consider. But, they make ME happy and, in the end, that's what is really important.

A one of a kind by Andre Van Heerden:



A one of a kind by master smith Rick Dunkerley:



A one of a kind by master smith Josh Smith:

Holy crap! I usually think damascus steel looks gaudy and stupid, but these are amazing!

[Johnnie1801]

Rockstead SAI-ZDP
Handle Material - Titanium
Lock - Linerlock
Blade - 3,1/8' ZDP-189 (67 HRC)
Price - +/- $1659

Vs.



Spyderco Rubicon

Handle Material - Skeletonized Titanium/Carbon Fiber
Lock - Linerlock
Blade - 3,03' S30V
Price - +/- $320

Thanks for all the replies, it's kind of interesting to see other people's opinions. I'm surprised to see that there are "users", out there who buy expensive knives and not just collectors. For the most part I agree with Evil D, I view a knife as a tool that I use and I want the best quality vs. cost. I don't see how a $1000 knife will work better than a cheaper knife however I understand that a beautifully made knife that is somewhat unique can bring a sense of pride and pleasure. So I was just wondering if we compared 2 similar knives, the Spyderco Rubicon and Rockstead SAI-ZDP. Is the Rockstead really worth about $1300 more than the Spyderco? What makes the Rockstead worth so much more, is it that the knife is a "Factory Custom"? Also Rockstead claim that their knives only need sharpening every 2/3 years based on average use, is their version of ZDP-189 so much better than you find on other Spyderco models?

[Clip]

Rockstead's fit and finish is flawless. Speaking of flawless, they put an extremely high polish on their blades. I've only seen that type of finish when taking micrographs of steel samples and we polished to .25 micron with a diamond paste. They definitely put some time and thought into manufacturing their products. I generally strop mine like they recommend after a day's work and it restores the edge to the level it was when I started. I'm sure I'm losing some cutting ability but not much each time.

I think the edge retention is due to the high hardness, my ZDP was run at 66.7Rc. On occasion I'll have a need for a toothy edge but their high polish edges work 90% of the time I need a knife.

[jackknifeh]

Holy crap! I usually think damascus steel looks gaudy and stupid, but these are amazing!

It's amazing how different the pattern's can be with damascus. Some patterns appear planned while other's look like it's just two colors of paint in the first stages of being mixed. The different colors are just all mixed up. I like the patterns myself when it comes to appearance. I've never owned a damascus blade so I don't knnow how it performs. I think if I did want one I'd like it to have a core of something of high quality laminated with damascus on the sides.

Jack

[The Deacon]

I'm guessing no one here donates all their extra money to the hungry but using the words child and starving in the same sentence as a new knife purchase is a pretty sad statement.

Worst than trying to guilt someone out for spending $60 on a knife? Really??? Sorry, but I worked with bleeding heart do-gooders for quite a few years and found the only effective way to shut them up was the verbal equivalent of "shock and awe".

Let me add a "sub choice" to this thread: When it comes to paying big money for a knife, is the emphasis more on the BLADE (Steel, Shape, Etc) or the HANDLE (precious metals and stones, exquisite detailing such as Scrimshaw, etc) or the overall knife?

Example: Would you rather pay for a knife that has an exotic handle and plain blade, or, one with an exotic blade, and plain handle?

I will admit, my own choice tends to lean more towards the blade, its steel, its shape, etc. Handle is, ofcourse, important, especially for an everyday using knife.

For me, it's the overall knife. The blade shape would definitely have to be pleasing to my eye, which basically means no concave edge profile and no "gimmick" grinds. Drop point, leaf, and wharncliffe blades would definitely work. The blade steel would have to be stainless damascus, in a pattern I find attractive. The lock would need to be lefty friendly, at the minimum, preferably ambidextrous, and even more preferably a midlock. The handle would need to have nice lines. Front bolsters would be mandatory, rear ones optional, and they'd need to have no screws visible and I would prefer them to be stainless steel, tastefully engraved. Scale material would have to be natural, preferably stag, ivory, or wood. Perhaps most importantly, all the elements would have to work together and it would absolutely have to look "non-tactical".

[Evil D]

Rockstead SAI-ZDP
Handle Material - Titanium
Lock - Linerlock
Blade - 3,1/8' ZDP-189 (67 HRC)
Price - +/- $1659

Vs.



Spyderco Rubicon

Handle Material - Skeletonized Titanium/Carbon Fiber
Lock - Linerlock
Blade - 3,03' S30V
Price - +/- $320

Thanks for all the replies, it's kind of interesting to see other people's opinions. I'm surprised to see that there are "users", out there who buy expensive knives and not just collectors. For the most part I agree with Evil D, I view a knife as a tool that I use and I want the best quality vs. cost. I don't see how a $1000 knife will work better than a cheaper knife however I understand that a beautifully made knife that is somewhat unique can bring a sense of pride and pleasure. So I was just wondering if we compared 2 similar knives, the Spyderco Rubicon and Rockstead SAI-ZDP. Is the Rockstead really worth about $1300 more than the Spyderco? What makes the Rockstead worth so much more, is it that the knife is a "Factory Custom"? Also Rockstead claim that their knives only need sharpening every 2/3 years based on average use, is their version of ZDP-189 so much better than you find on other Spyderco models?

I struggled with the price of Sebenza's until I saw the video about how much precise machine work they put into those knives and saw how tight the tolerances are. Even so, we're talking about $1k less than that Rockstead. At some point you have surpassed what the price of materials/labor/fit and finish should cost, and you're buying something more, which I can only assume is either exclusivity or "fame" if it were made by a special person. So, if Sal himself sat down in a machine shop and hand made 20 knives out of the rarest materials he could find, used a micrometer on everything and the F&F was flawless, those kinds of things will surely drive the cost up quite a bit and you will often find comparable knives in similar materials that also have very nice F&F, but lack the exclusivity and personal touch that the other knife has.


The car world is like this in many ways. You can go out and buy a Bugatti Veyron for whatever they're going for these days, I think the SS was like 2 million bucks, or you can buy a Hennessey Venon GT that starts at 1 million. The Venom has a faster top speed and will get there faster than the Veyron and it will do it at half the price, but there's no denying that the F&F and materials being used on the Veyron are just on a different level than the Venom. Both cars will have a very small production number so exclusivity will be about the same. What's interesting to think about is how people who value those different aspects of the car will see one car as being better than the other. Some guys only care about performance, so they'll say the Venom is the better car, while others admire the interior materials and heritage of the Bugatti and will go with that car. In the same way knife people value performance vs. heritage/materials/status symbols. One guy may justify the price tag of a custom knife made in 154CM because it's custom and comes in fancy anodized Ti and has damascus bolsters, while another guy (me) will lean towards the S110V Manix 2 because it can out perform the custom due to the steel and it does so at a fraction of the cost.

In the end you also have to take into account whether something will be an "investment" or a user. I'm betting more of those Venoms will be driven and even raced than a Bugatti will, even if they were sold at the same price (I know some Veyrons do check in at about the same price as a Venom). This is where personal taste and even income come into play and nobody can tell anyone what's right and wrong here. If a guy can afford a Veyron just to park in his garage and rub with a chamois, then more power to him. For me I've got a 30 year old Mustang in my garage that I take out and bang gears in every chance I get and it cost less than the wheels on a Veyron. Unfortunately it won't go 255mph though lol.

[xceptnl]

In the end you also have to take into account whether something will be an "investment" or a user. I'm betting more of those Venoms will be driven and even raced than a Bugatti will, even if they were sold at the same price (I know some Veyrons do check in at about the same price as a Venom). This is where personal taste and even income come into play and nobody can tell anyone what's right and wrong here. If a guy can afford a Veyron just to park in his garage and rub with a chamois, then more power to him. For me I've got a 30 year old Mustang in my garage that I take out and bang gears in every chance I get and it cost less than the wheels on a Veyron. Unfortunately it won't go 255mph though lol.

Very good analogy David. I see this back and forth discussion applied to timepieces as well. $5 Timex, $500 Bullova, $5000 Rolex..... all tell time so it is just a matter of how pretty do you want to look when you tell a coworker what time it is. Sure the precision of the Rolex ensures it will stay in time +/- 1 sec per year, yet will you miss this accuracy when you have to reset the time twice a year?

[Evil D]

Very good analogy David. I see this back and forth discussion applied to timepieces as well. $5 Timex, $500 Bullova, $5000 Rolex..... all tell time so it is just a matter of how pretty do you want to look when you tell a coworker what time it is. Sure the precision of the Rolex ensures it will stay in time +/- 1 sec per year, yet will you miss this accuracy when you have to reset the time twice a year?

Exactly. Along with that is, will you wear your $5k Rolex everyday, when camping/fishing/mowing the grass/working on the car like you would a G-Shock? How does your daily life fit one watch vs. the next? I guess if I were an office/suit and tie kind of guy that really doesn't NEED a knife on me at all times, then carrying a fancy custom to open letters with would be right in line with my $5k watch. At some point the intended use of the item vs. cost has to be taken into consideration. The guy who buys a Veyron would be kinda stupid if he took that car out to track days to race it, when he could build a purpose built track car for $50k that will probably turn faster lap times and won't put him into a murderous rage if he runs it off the track.

Another thing to think about is, some people see beauty in and admire a simple hard working tool. G-Shocks for example have a very big following and many people see them as being very attractive and stylish in the same ways that people admire Rolex's, but they also aren't afraid to change the oil in their car while wearing their G because it was designed to take abuse and worst case scenario if they completely destroy it, it won't cost THAT much to replace. I'd imagine if you cracked the crystal face of a Rolex, it would likely cost you as much to replace it as it would to buy several G-Shocks. On a $2k custom knife, a scratch on the blade is the end of the world, when that same scratch on my Manix is just character.

I'm guilty for paying more than some might say is necessary for shoes and boots. I paid $230 for my Redwings. The next guy might be just as happy paying $40 at Walmart for some work boots, but for me the quality that goes into making my Redwings, the comfort, and the fact that I know from experience that I will literally wear those boots for 10 years or more makes the price very reasonable to me. In that 10 years the next guy will probably buy 10 pairs of those cheaper boots and likely won't be as comfortable wearing them. Then the "maker" comes into play, and while I don't make an effort to buy everything Made in USA, I do like the fact that my Redwings are.

[Evil D]

Here's an example of a ~$1k knife that (if I could afford) I would still use the crap out of. There comes a point when something is built out of high end materials, is exclusive, and is custom made, yet still built to take abuse and be used. It won't out perform my Manix, but there's something undeniable about it that I like and would probably enjoy more than my Manix (I think, but who's to say since I don't own it). I do wonder if the price vs. my Manix would make me shy about abusing it, but I like to think that given the knife/brand/etc in question that I would feel pretty confident in putting it through it's paces. At the same time, there's this voice in the back of my head saying "you could literally buy 10 Manix's for the same price".


Strider SMF S110V Nightmare Grind, $975

http://www.monkeyedge.com/Mick-Strider- ... sk0618.htm

[xceptnl]

Here's an example of a ~$1k knife that (if I could afford) I would still use the crap out of. There comes a point when something is built out of high end materials, is exclusive, and is custom made, yet still built to take abuse and be used. It won't out perform my Manix, but there's something undeniable about it that I like and would probably enjoy more than my Manix (I think, but who's to say since I don't own it). I do wonder if the price vs. my Manix would make me shy about abusing it, but I like to think that given the knife/brand/etc in question that I would feel pretty confident in putting it through it's paces. At the same time, there's this voice in the back of my head saying "you could literally buy 10 Manix's for the same price".

I am feeling that David. Much along the lines of my taste, I could pay and use something like this and if one ever comes into close proximity, it will become my precious!

[Donut]

For those of you who like traditional knives, keep an eye on this page. :)

https://www.arizonacustomknives.com/Tony-Bose.aspx

[Blerv]

Performance has little to do with the pricing. Who made it, how many were made, and what time was spent on certain materials and F&F is where the money is. Even semi-customs with insane tolerances (CR Knives) are made in a large enough number that you can make hundreds of handles, finish a few differently and do the same with the blades. Compare that to a single guy who sits down on a work bench with 1-10 knives deliberating over the little stuff. To this super small niche of clients the little stuff is all that matters while it may not even register to the general public.

It's like comparing a new Mustang to a new Corvette ZR1 and a 1987 Ferrari F40 solely based on quarter mile times and "normal" family income.

[.357 mag]

Worst than trying to guilt someone out for spending $60 on a knife? Really??? Sorry, but I worked with bleeding heart do-gooders for quite a few years and found the only effective way to shut them up was the verbal equivalent of "shock and awe".

Hmm..

[Officer Gigglez]

Sorry, I love my knives, but no blade is worth a grand to me.

[ManixFan]

Only if it was a light sabre and the force was strong in me when I saw it on eBay. But then again, only if it didn't come with a coyote brown handle.

[shunsui]

I'm more of a bang for the buck type, but anything's possible.

If someone offered me one of those old swords designated a national treasure of Japan, I'd even go a little higher.

[Doc Dan]

No! not even if I could afford it, for the same reasoning I do not buy expensive cars and motorcycles when a cheaper one will do the same thing. I think of the money I could have invested and I know a lot of orphans and poor people who can use my help. So, no.

[GoldenSpydie]

Totally, if I had the money.

I would like a second Kressler, hopefully with sheep horn scales or maybe mammoth ivory. That would take $1,500 to $6,000+.

I would also, someday, like to find and acquire a Loveless Riverside Drop Point or NY Special. These can go anywhere from $5,000 to $50,000. No, seriously, I have actually seen early Lovelesses going for over $70,000.

Of course, those are just my dream knives for that magical time when I have that much to spend... :rolleyes: