Knife Brands - Who are the best manufacturers?

[Captain O]

I am with you.......I have way more than I will ever need but a really high quality knife is truly a multiple generation investment. You don't need a lot of them but in some situations the quality of your knife can dictate your survival. My grandfather left us some good guns and some pure junk that I would be embarrassed to own and are as dangerous to the shooter as the shootee. They are curious because of there poor quality. When I am gone a few generations, I want people to remember me for who I was and the quality I left behind for them......the other thing in context of this thread, he asked about "the best" not the best for the money.

Trouble is, no one will have what I own when I die. I'll arrange for someone to sell my things so that others may enjoy them. I'll be gone. Without heirs, what else can I do?

 

[ConcernedCitizen]

Can someone explain to me why it's so hard for a lot of guys to buy a expensive ,quality knife? This is not a dig at anyone .But I'm willing to bet that if your spending time on this forum it's probable that you have fine firearms.quality hunting equipment to protect you from the elements. Nice hunting or hiking boots.probably a great big diesel truck to pull your camper or boat. So why do people in general including people in my family just think it's crazy to spend even $200 for a good knife?
I'm not understanding.

What defines "a good knife"? Certainly not cost...

"Expensive" and "Quality" are not synonymous; nor are "Inexpensive" and "Quality" mutually exclusive.

If my $11 Morakniv holds a good edge, is easy to sharpen, and is durable enough to last; what makes it inferior to a $200+ knife?

I actually prefer robust but inexpensive knives. I treat my knives like tools, and don't hesitate to use or abuse them as needed to accomplish the task at hand. How many people are willing to do so with their expensive knives?

My $15 Kershaw Blur and my $11 Morakiv Companion have held up to some pretty extreme use. The Kershaw has been repaired by the factory twice now at no charge. I have completely destroyed the blade on a CRKT before, and have completely broken the locking mechanism on both a Bear folding knife and a CRKT.

Perhaps a $200+ knife would have held up better under the circumstances, but I doubt it. On the other hand, I might be less inclined to abuse a $200+ knife, but this could come at the cost of not being able to accomplish the task at hand with the tools I have immediately available.

I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with expensive knives, but rather that they are just not for me. I will take a robust $15 knife over a $200+ "good" knife any day of the week.

 

[DeanMk]

Trouble is, no one will have what I own when I die. I'll arrange for someone to sell my things so that others may enjoy them. I'll be gone. Without heirs, what else can I do?

That's a healthy outlook on death.
The way things are going for me, I may follow your lead.

Dean

 

[Argonaut]

What defines "a good knife"? Certainly not cost...

"Expensive" and "Quality" are not synonymous; nor are "Inexpensive" and "Quality" mutually exclusive.

If my $11 Morakniv holds a good edge, is easy to sharpen, and is durable enough to last; what makes it inferior to a $200+ knife?

I actually prefer robust but inexpensive knives. I treat my knives like tools, and don't hesitate to use or abuse them as needed to accomplish the task at hand. How many people are willing to do so with their expensive knives?

My $15 Kershaw Blur and my $11 Morakiv Companion have held up to some pretty extreme use. The Kershaw has been repaired by the factory twice now at no charge. I have completely destroyed the blade on a CRKT before, and have completely broken the locking mechanism on both a Bear folding knife and a CRKT.

Perhaps a $200+ knife would have held up better under the circumstances, but I doubt it. On the other hand, I might be less inclined to abuse a $200+ knife, but this could come at the cost of not being able to accomplish the task at hand with the tools I have immediately available.

I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with expensive knives, but rather that they are just not for me. I will take a robust $15 knife over a $200+ "good" knife any day of the week.

You are not describing the "Best". No doubt your choices are adaquate and that is fine but far from the best. In metallurgy, a knife that holds a great edge can not be "easy to sharpen" those are opposite ends of the spectrum. Some sharpening systems make it easier (like the diamond stuff) and some steels are too brittle but it requires great hardness to maintain an edge. That is why surgeons used obsidian or glass for scalpels for so long, it has a finer grain than metal and holds an incredible edge. Have you tried any of the modern ceramic knives? Incredible but unsharpenable without sophisticated factory methods. The key to modern ceramics is they are laid over steel making them less brittle. There is nothing wrong with an inexpensive blade but ask some professional like a butcher, cheep steel frequently sharpens quickly but in steady use, requires so much sharpening the blades go away and quality control in cheeper products can be very inconsistent causing you to not know what you have from one example to the next.

 

[ConcernedCitizen]

Trouble is, no one will have what I own when I die. I'll arrange for someone to sell my things so that others may enjoy them. I'll be gone. Without heirs, what else can I do?

That's a healthy outlook on death.
The way things are going for me, I may follow your lead.

Dean

I saw my father struggle with similar decisions near the end. He didn't want anyone to be fighting over his belongings after his death, so he made it a point to give the things that he cherished the most to the people that he wanted to have them. These gifts meant more to me than any inheritance ever could.

I hope to be able to do the same when my time is near. I want my friends and family to cherish gifts that were freely given, and I want them to go to people that I know will enjoy them as much as I did.

 

[ConcernedCitizen]

You are not describing the "Best". No doubt your choices are adaquate and that is fine but far from the best. In metallurgy, a knife that holds a great edge can not be "easy to sharpen" those are opposite ends of the spectrum. Some sharpening systems make it easier (like the diamond stuff) and some steels are too brittle but it requires great hardness to maintain an edge. That is why surgeons used obsidian or glass for scalpels for so long, it has a finer grain than metal and holds an incredible edge. Have you tried any of the modern ceramic knives? Incredible but unsharpenable without sophisticated factory methods. The key to modern ceramics is they are laid over steel making them less brittle. There is nothing wrong with an inexpensive blade but ask some professional like a butcher, cheep steel frequently sharpens quickly but in steady use, requires so much sharpening the blades go away.

I understand that ease of sharpening and the ability to hold an edge are at odds with one another. I hesitated putting both in the same sentence, and shouldn't have done so. I have stainless blades that hold an edge well, and carbon blades that take an edge well, but foolishly lumped them together for simplicity's sake.

"Best" for me is a knife that I am not afraid to use. The person I quoted was equating cost with quality, which I disagree with.

The comparison was made to "fine firearms", or a "great big diesel truck". Both of these run into the same problem. A "fine firearm" often becomes a safe queen, due to concern over damage or wear and tear. How many people take their Colt Python hunting, and would risk getting blood on it or sliding down a hillside while wearing it?

How many tricked out "great big diesel trucks" ever leave the pavement? How many would risk taking them down an old overgrown logging road, knowing they will get scratched in the process?

Now compare these two examples with an old Ruger revolver, or a beat-up Jeep. These would both be considered "cheap" compared to the previous examples, but are they any less capable?

I would argue that they're more capable, as people would be more inclined to use them, and less worried about the risk of scratching them.

I guess the whole point of my arguement is that cost does not always equal quality. Even when it does, cost can sometimes be detrimental to a person's willingness to subject an expensive object to possible cosmetic damage or wear and tear.

That's why to me personally, the "best" knife is an inexpensive yet robust knife, capable of either taking or holding a good edge, and one that I will not be afraid to use or abuse as needed.

 

[Coloradocat]

2 things I'll never buy cheap knives,cheap tools
I don't consider use .......to be abuse so maybe if knives fall apart when they are used it's probably because they are cheap Chinese crap I mean tools those too.

 

[ConcernedCitizen]

2 things I'll never buy cheap knives,cheap tools
I don't consider use .......to be abuse so maybe if knives fall apart when they are used it's probably because they are cheap Chinese crap I mean tools those too.

Inexpensive =/= Cheap, just as Expensive =/= Quality.

 

[Coloradocat]

Is it fair to say quality costs money? I would say yes.lets take knives out of it ,let's say shovels instead. Your a contractor you tell your help to go to the store and buy a shovel. He comes back with a Martha Stewart garden shovel .is it still gonna feel thrifty when it breaks in 2 hours and you have to pay him to go get another Martha Stewart shovel and hope it finishes the job?

But boss it only cost $5
Inexpensive actually does mean cheap.
Quality does cost money.

 

[bbbass]

Can someone explain to me why it's so hard for a lot of guys to buy a expensive ,quality knife? This is not a dig at anyone .But I'm willing to bet that if your spending time on this forum it's probable that you have fine firearms.quality hunting equipment to protect you from the elements. Nice hunting or hiking boots.probably a great big diesel truck to pull your camper or boat. So why do people in general including people in my family just think it's crazy to spend even $200 for a good knife?
I'm not understanding.

Never said I thought it was crazy. You do whatever you want with your money, I will do my thing.

No, I do not have fine firearms. No I do not have quality rain clothes. No, I do not have nice hunting or hiking boots. No, I do not have a boat. Yes I have a 1ton diesel truck to pull my trailer that we Snowbird in because that was our lifetime dream. Otherwise we have mid quality or less because we are poor. I have to save up to buy any firearm at all because we are poor and do not get loans or use credit to buy things.

Get over it.

 

[bbbass]

I am with you.......I have way more than I will ever need but a really high quality knife is truly a multiple generation investment. You don't need a lot of them but in some situations the quality of your knife can dictate your survival. My grandfather left us some good guns and some pure junk that I would be embarrassed to own and are as dangerous to the shooter as the shootee. They are curious because of there poor quality. When I am gone a few generations, I want people to remember me for who I was and the quality I left behind for them......the other thing in context of this thread, he asked about "the best" not the best for the money.

I have little use for a tool that can be used for only one thing. I have lots of needs, lot of uses, and since I really like knives, I have lots of different knives. I do appreciate quality, but it's not something I am willing to sacrifice for. If that were true of me, my daughter would be left with just one firearm, instead of dozens. I am glad that you can do that my friend, and I appreciate who you are... but that kind of thing is not for everybody. American, esp PNW, makers are good enough for my use.

As far as what the best is... that is only a passing curiosity to me. You guys have fun with it. I only put in my $0.02 because others were saying what they use.

Now can we please get back to talking about which is the best pistol... 1911 or Glock??????

 

[bbbass]

I saw my father struggle with similar decisions near the end. He didn't want anyone to be fighting over his belongings after his death, so he made it a point to give the things that he cherished the most to the people that he wanted to have them. These gifts meant more to me than any inheritance ever could.

I hope to be able to do the same when my time is near. I want my friends and family to cherish gifts that were freely given, and I want them to go to people that I know will enjoy them as much as I did.

Yes!!!!

I started to give away some of my prize possessions years ago! My mom and dad used to call that "Christmas in July" when they did it. I guess that's the model I prefer.

I have given away many firearms already. But my prize possession, my USCG SAR leather flight jacket, went to my stepson by my ex, who I later found out hates me. I wouldn't have known if I left it to my will. Now I can cut the little bastard out of my will!!!

 

[bbbass]

2 things I'll never buy cheap knives,cheap tools
I don't consider use .......to be abuse so maybe if knives fall apart when they are used it's probably because they are cheap Chinese crap I mean tools those too.

I have a lot of Harbor Freight tools. My bench grinder works just as well as others. My 12" disc sander with 6" belt works just as well as others. My pnuematic rated sockets work just as well as others.

What you have is pride, nothing else.

 

[bbbass]

Is it fair to say quality costs money? I would say yes.lets take knives out of it ,let's say shovels instead. Your a contractor you tell your help to go to the store and buy a shovel. He comes back with a Martha Stewart garden shovel .is it still gonna feel thrifty when it breaks in 2 hours and you have to pay him to go get another Martha Stewart shovel and hope it finishes the job?

But boss it only cost $5
Inexpensive actually does mean cheap.
Quality does cost money.

Apples and oranges. In your example a cheap chinese shovel may break, but there is nothing wrong with a Stanley. One does not need to spend $200 on a shovel to dig a hole.

 

[bbbass]

Is it fair to say quality costs money?

Not always, no.

 

[Coloradocat]

I think we are jacking this thread.and way off base .
Agree to disagree
Enjoy whatever knife you feel you got a good deal on.
Happy shooting

 

[Argonaut]

The question was the "best manufacturers" off course, there are various shades of utility between adaquate, the sweet spot of best for the money, Whatever works for an individual is fine, but "Best" is rarefied air and does not take cost into consideration. The most expensive knife I have was built fore me by Bob Loveless when I was stationed at March AFB in Riverside. I had heard of him and wandered into his little shop. He was well known at the time but hadn't reached the god like status he has today. My great grandfather was a Norwegian blacksmith that made wonderful knives for fun and to use as gifts in the family so I was always interested in quality cutlery. My Loveless cost me about 200.00.........an ungodly amount of money in 1973 but I was headed to harms way and figured it might pay off some day. The modified combat knife appraised for 20K a few years ago. Off course, that is nuts and the price is only driven by collectors but even the Puma Super Set I bought at the rod and gun club in 1978 or so in Germany for 100.00 (by that time I was married and my wife thought I was nuts) is worth well over 1000.00. It would be worth more if I had not used it. I rarely buy knives for an investment but they have done pretty well......like my old cars, airplanes and guns. My current wife had never owned really good knives until I took her to Solingen in Germany going on 3 years ago. I bought her a very fine block of kitchen knives and she is amazed at the difference. Quality will last a lifetime and is a joy to use. My mother was given 3 knives by my Norwegian great grandfather for a wedding present 70 years ago. She used them every day until she died 3 years ago. Now my brother uses them and remembers where they came from every time he picks one up.

 

[Coloradocat]

Do you have any of your great grandfathers work or pics of I'd love to see em .not just knives anything he built would be awesome to share

 

[Argonaut]

Do you have any of your great grandfathers work or pics of I'd love to see em .not just knives anything he built would be awesome to share

My brother has most of it. He was more machinist than black smith in his work but did wonderful decorative items like trivets and fancy horse shoes as gifts. I will be at my brother's soon and will take some photos. He was accepted into a prestigious art school when young but his father "wasn't going to let his son become a bum artist" so he took a blacksmith apprenticeship in his Norwegian homeland. Immigrated to Minnesota when he was 19 and to Idaho in the 1890's. He was mostly a millwright building and keeping machinery running. His father was actually a very famous wood carver that made a living decorating churches in Norway. There is a museum dedicated to his work in Trondheim. History is great fun.......particularly when there is a personal attachment. One of the reasons I am so drawn to guns.

 

[Coloradocat]

That's awesome you know so much if your history