Who pays $400 plus for a pocket knife?

I have a $30 Spider Co I like a lot. I use a knife for a lot of less than knife appropriate things. I’d be wasting money.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rick Flair
$400 can buy you a reasonably well made sword. NFW would I spend it on pocket knife.

My most expensive knife was around $100, and it's a lot bigger than that toy.
 
Wow! It could at least be S35vn stainless or some sort of exotic steel, it's just tool steel....
 
My $20 S&W with a 3.5" blade works just fine. If I damage or lose it, I have a variety of buck knives I've received over the years
 
OH man this thread hurts. I actually bought a Brous Blades folder a while back and it was dope. i even had my name laser cut on it. I was happily enjoying my purchase while tying off my Christmas tree that i had strapped to the top of my jeep. I cut the rope with the knife then proceeded to accidentally leave it on the roof of my jeep and that is the end of the story of my custom Brous Blades folder and I dont think i'll be buying an expensive knife again. I have this neck knife from Brous that i really like because I hate carrying knives in my pockets: https://brousblades.com/silent-soldier-ranger-v2-2/ but my absolute favorite knife to carry is this: https://www.crkt.com/collection/minimalist.html $40. I use it for everything from gutting salmon to opening boxes to trimming finger nails.
 
  • Sad
Reactions: lBasket
I used to be into Benchmades and ZT's. Had a Gold Class Benchmade that was north of $400. Very nice knife, but I offed most of them to get into more expensive/dumb hobbies....
 
  • Like
Reactions: John Cooper
I've always wanted a switch blade, since childhood I thought them interesting and mystifying.
Fast forward 40 years or so and I bought one.... Meets all my expectations.
Sharp double edge dagger. Useable too, but I keep it as a play thing.
https://www.bladehq.com/item--Microtech-Ultratech-DE-MagnaCut-OTF--174373.
a little shy of your 400 but this is an OTF knife. out the front both blade motions from the slider.
Just one though...............
My EDC (every day carry) is an ESEE 4.
 
  • Like
Reactions: L J
I've got a couple more expensive knives but the Buck 591 is my all time favorite.
Auto with a bolster opening mechanism.

I don't mind paying for exactly what I want in a knife or running shoes and shorts or bicycles.
Y'all would probably shit plaid twinkies if I told you how much I have invested in bicycles. But that shimano di2 groupset is something you don't know you need till you ride it.
Same with that Buck.

https://www.buckknives.com/product/591-paradigm-shift-auto-knife/0591FAM01/
 
  • Like
Reactions: L J
I colllect knives and currently own over 50. I have spent $400+ for a knife, but this one would not qualify for that level of spend. I have two that were over $400 and both are fixed blades hand made by a well known smith. The difference is hand carved handles, hand forged Damascus blades made from premium steel, and a style that is more unique than the standard drop point. These knives set on the mantle and are wonderful to display, doubt I would take them out of the house. My daily carry knife is a cheap Gerber with a clip for my front pocket. Doesn't matter if I lose it, break it. or dull it cutting something better suited for a saw. Any knife with plastic handles is worth no more than $50, regardless of what else is special about it. The best knife is the one that gets used and does the job reliably. For most people, that is well handled by a $20 knife.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rickyd and lBasket
Moab said:
I love knives. This just hit my inbox this morning. I fully respect the custom knife market. And own several knives in the $150 range. But damn. $400?!!

Who the hell pays $400+ for a pocket knife?!

Even if i was in a combat zone. I dont think i would pay $400 for a GD pocket knife. I'd buy three or four or more pocket knives and have backups.

I own a few $150 ESEE fixed blade knives that will last a lifetime. And several CRKT folding knives in the $50-$100 range. That will also last a lifetime.

What makes a $400 pocket knife worth it?! I mean its not made out of Unobtainium! And if i misplaced it? That would hurt.

I think i would be embarrassed to tell anyone i spent that much on a pocket knife. It just seems like the mall crawler of knives. Lol.

I could have 2 custom knives made for that much. And this one is marked down from $600! I am in search of this knife Real Viking Bearded Camping Axe
Click to expand...

I don't carry a knife everyday, but like to carry a small knife in my front pocket when hunting for small stuff thats not worth getting my real knife out of my pack over. I have a nice thin Buck knife, but at 2.6oz, it feels plenty heavy. The benchmade mini bugout is probably the perfect edc knife, but at $170, I just can't justify that kind of money for a knife that rides in my pocket maybe 20 days a year.. The Gerber LST looks to be the perfect shape, size, and weight, but doesn't have a belt clip. The Gerber Paraframe Mini seems to be about the best I've found, but I'd like to see what else you guys have for suggestions.
 
PNW_LJ said:
Who the hell pays $1500 for TJ brakes?
Or who pays $3000 for their TJ to sit 4" higher?

Like blaine said, it's all in one's personal values.
Click to expand...

Brakes are a safety issue. And a sophisticated lift that allows you to travel further by moving over larger obstacles is value.

But there is nothing - generally speaking - that a $400 knife can do that a $100 knife can not. I would even add some $50-$75 knives to that list. To me a knife is a tool. At some point you are paying for art. Which I see value in. If you want to collect beuatiful pieces of art that happen to be knives - then you have a piece of art. It stops being a tool. If it somehow worked 4 times better I could see the value in utility. But again, a knife is a tool to me.

If I ever spent $400 on a knife it would have to be of historical value. I could see spending $400 on a WWI or WWII trench knife. That makes sense to me. Otherwise its like spending $400 on a wrench.

And imho the Benchmade Bugout is so lightweight I could easily see it snapping in two on fairly common tasks. It's really meant as a slicing only tool. That won't be noticed in your pocket. As it is feather light. Not at all worth the ridiculous price tag. Again mho. I'd rather carry a $45 Gerber that I knew wouldn't snap in two if I accidently stabbed someone in a hard place.
 
Moab said:
Brakes are a safety issue. And a sophisticated lift that allows you to travel further by moving over larger obstacles is value.
But there is nothing - generally speaking - that a $400 knife can do that a $100 knife can not. I would even add some $50-$75 knives to that list. To me a knife is a tool. At some point you are paying for art. Which I see value in. If you want to collect beuatiful pieces of art that happen to be knives - then you have a piece of art. It stops being a tool. If it somehow worked 4 times better I could see the value in utility. But again, a knife is a tool to me.
Click to expand...
Moab said:
If I ever spent $400 on a knife it would have to be of historical value. I could see spending $400 on a WWI or WWII trench knife. That makes sense to me. Otherwise its like spending $400 on a wrench.

And imho the Benchmade Bugout is so lightweight I could easily see it snapping in two on fairly common tasks. It's really meant as a slicing only tool. That won't be noticed in your pocket. As it is feather light. Not at all worth the ridiculous price tag. Again mho. I'd rather carry a $45 Gerber that I knew wouldn't snap in two if I accidently stabbed someone in a hard place.
Click to expand...

Again, this is all just your opinion and value system. Value doesn’t rely solely on function.

You don’t see any value added in paying up for a knife, and that’s completely fine. I don’t either.
 
I have daily carried the same Kershaw knife for the last 8yrs. It cost around $80 and that works out to less than $.03 per day. This does not include the 2 times I forgot about it while going through TSA and had to pay to have it put in checked baggage.
To me a knife is a tool and a quality knife should take a edge easily, keep that edge and be able to be used as a pry bar. I abuse the shit out of this knife. I also have several Gerbers around the shop but they have composite frames and not very good at prying. They do take and hold an edge.

IMG_1833.jpeg
 
PNW_LJ said:
Who the hell pays $1500 for TJ brakes?
Or who pays $3000 for their TJ to sit 4" higher?

Like blaine said, it's all in one's personal values.
Click to expand...

Michael Jordan routinely bets $50K on a hole of golf. Why? Because he has the money. $400 or more on a knife or anything else is not an issue if you have that kind of disposable income.
 
  • Like
Reactions: lBasket
PNW_LJ said:
Again, this is all just your opinion and value system. Value doesn’t rely solely on function.

You don’t see any value added in paying up for a knife, and that’s completely fine. I don’t either.
Click to expand...

The difference between a four times priced brake or lift kit - and a four times priced knife is very different.

The brake and lift kit actually add "value" - an improvement over the four times less priced item. You can do things with the more expensive brake and lift kit that you can not do with the four times less priced kits.

A four times priced knife can not do anything more - than a four times "less" priced knife can. There is no "value" added there. It has nothing to do with what I personally "value".

If the four times more expensive knife was actually four times better - provided four times the ruggedness or utility - then I would personally be putting more "value" on that more expensive item. Versus the cheaper one. Maybe I have lesser needs and a lesser budget. That would be a personal decision to place more value on an actually "better" product. With more value.

Otherwise I am just succumbing to marketing. As there is no "added" value to the more expensive item.

As to the Benchmade Bugout. Have you held one? Do you have any opinion other than it is meant to be a very lightweight knife? That you don't mind carrying because it is not as heavy in your pocket? I don't think after holding one that you can come to any other conclusion. I think the knife is even marketed that way.

I have the utmost respect for people like Mr. Blaine or those that produce a more expensive product whos core purpose is to "add" value . People that make things that are worth the extra money because its actually a "better" product - have my utmost respect. But people that try to sell you an inferior knife like the Benchmade Bugout as if it has some intrinsic value because it is so lightweight - do not.

Three quarters of the knives made today (and you could easily say this about most products) are simply sold on marketing, name recognition and bullshit alone. Because of how much they spend on advertising.

The Benchmade Bugout is a mere 0.090" thick and weighs 1.85oz. And the MSRP is $200! If it was made out of some space age material that made it as strong as a standard .12" thick knife. I could see the value. Or if it had a serious development in design. Or if they suddenly came out with the opening ability of a Spyderco. Or some major advancement in design. I could see value.

But its just marketing bullshit. To steal money from guys like you and me. To try to convince us that we need a lighter knife to bug out with. Read that again. "We need a lighter knife to bug out with." What?!!! Are you kidding me?! I need a stronger knife that I can depend on with my life for a bug out. Not a thin, glorified boxcutter. The Benchmade Bugout is the last knife you should be trusting your life to in a bug out! Go spend $50 on a small ESEE.

I know this sounds like a rant. But I am so tired of having to spend hours sifting thru marketing bullshit just to figure out which companies are lying to me. Versus companies that actually have some better value to offer for the money.
 
bucky said:
I have daily carried the same Kershaw knife for the last 8yrs. It cost around $80 and that works out to less than $.03 per day. This does not include the 2 times I forgot about it while going through TSA and had to pay to have it put in checked baggage.
To me a knife is a tool and a quality knife should take a edge easily, keep that edge and be able to be used as a pry bar. I abuse the shit out of this knife. I also have several Gerbers around the shop but they have composite frames and not very good at prying. They do take and hold an edge.

View attachment 430588
Click to expand...

This is exactly what I'm talking about.

I'm probably going to repeat myself. Because this thread is so old. But my daily knife around the house is a Kershaw that came free with a bag of dogfood. Lol. Its a buck looking folder made of steel from Japan. Takes an edge easily. And stays sharp. Its not my favorite knife. Or one I even take with me that often. But I realized a couple years ago. That I do more with it around the house than any other knife I own. It has a rubber handle with grooves. That never slips. A very sharp point and edge. And is just awesome. My cousin gave it to me. He used to work at the feed store. And they came free with a bag of dogfood.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bucky
The most I've spent was $200 on my Benchmade 580 Barrage Limited Edition.
$400 would be stretch.....
 
Top Bottom
Back