Can't bring myself to carry an expensive knife

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  • ACC

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    I see all these posts about guys EDCing Benchmades, Spydercos, ZTs. etc. Excellent knives all worth their expensive price tag. However, I just cannot bring myself to EDC a knife that expensive as mine get used as a screwdriver, box cutter, paper slicer, tree pruner, etc and get dinged up accordingly. I find myself doing just fine with some S&W, Boker, Schrade or whatever other decent automatic knives I can find for under $40.

    How do you expensive knife EDCers do it? Baby your knives? Have deep pockets ($), just not care?
     

    Hop

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    >$100 is more of an after work dress knife than an EDC. My EDC Spyderco Delica & Endura get to do the grunt work.
     

    d.kaufman

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    For work i carry cheaper knives. Kershaw, Crkt, etc for everyday use.
    Keep my microtech otf on me but doesn't see the everyday duties my cheap ones see
     

    CampingJosh

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    What each person considers expensive varies widely. When I was a poor college student, I carried a $9 Winchester folding knife, and I thought of Kershaw as an expensive option and Spyderco, etc. as just gaudy. Now I have a Kershaw every day and frequently wonder if the Spyderco wouldn't be a better option after all.

    Everything is relative to your income level and how long you've been at that level.
     

    JettaKnight

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    Typically, I carry a CRKT M16 (which I can open as faster that any assisted opener), but if I'm wearing wool trousers & blazer, then I carry my Microtech OTF.
     

    bwframe

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    I don't carry "expensive" knives either. My $100 Benchmades aren't screwdrivers, pry-bars or wire strippers though, except in an emergency.

    Those tools live in a toolbox or maybe on the Leatherman if that sort of mobility use is needed. Purpose built knives like box cutters and others have their place.

    I prefer to keep my EDC pretty sharp, just in case I need to shave an assailant off of me. ;)

    While I've taken to carrying a Benchmade neck knife all the time, my "at the ranch" blades are typically inexpensive easily replaceable carbon steel blades:

    61VxE-WidRL._SL1500_.jpg


    81IwoVH-MWL._SL1500_.jpg


    These get lost, broken, hopelessly abused or maybe even given away and Amazon will bring me a new one in two days, for less than $20.
     

    printcraft

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    Ultratech D/E every day since I got it about 2 years ago. I use it daily. It has wear on the body from being dropped, dinged, ran into tables etc. Functions perfectly.
     

    Sylvain

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    I don't carry "expensive" knives either. My $100 Benchmades aren't screwdrivers, pry-bars or wire strippers though, except in an emergency.

    Those tools live in a toolbox or maybe on the Leatherman if that sort of mobility use is needed. Purpose built knives like box cutters and others have their place.

    I prefer to keep my EDC pretty sharp, just in case I need to shave an assailant off of me. ;)

    While I've taken to carrying a Benchmade neck knife all the time, my "at the ranch" blades are typically inexpensive easily replaceable carbon steel blades:

    61VxE-WidRL._SL1500_.jpg


    81IwoVH-MWL._SL1500_.jpg


    These get lost, broken, hopelessly abused or maybe even given away and Amazon will bring me a new one in two days, for less than $20.

    Opinel N°8 is a popular choice for EDC.
    I gave mine to a fellow INGOer.

    They make a Rhino model with a blunt, named after our favorite self-mutilating pachyderm. ;)

    313g61f.jpg
     

    Usmccookie

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    View attachment 71685
    I wear my benchmade as my edc. But my knife rotates for specialty knives as needed. I like esee for bushcraft, leatherman and milwaukee folding razor.. Etc. Im not afraid to use my benchmade. It used to be a drop point with serations. I keep it sharp and maintained. I thinknof it like i do my cc. Its a tool. I spent what i wanted to have a tool i can count on. I bought it knowing it was going to get used and possibly abused.
     

    seedubs1

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    Why not? I don't buy a knife as pocket jewelry. I also don't buy them to re-sell later down the road. After I spend the money, it's money gone. At that point, may as well use it. Things that sit on my dresser not being used are no good. After you get the first few scratches on it, you won't care so much anymore. And the slightly more expensive knives do hold up better. Use them, and you'll get an appreciation for what your money went to.

    That being said:
    1) There is a point of diminishing returns with knives. I top out at about $150 for an EDC. Past that, money is going to fancy artsy stuff and not utility.
    2) I don't use my knives for non-knife things (like prying) unless I REALLY HAVE TO. If I need to pry something, I'll grab a tool suited to that. So an expensive knife is just going to show wear.....it isn't going to break.
     

    ghuns

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    I carry ZTs. I use them for cutting stuff. Not as prybars, screwdrivers, hammers, etc.
     

    rhino

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    I use my knives as cutting tools and in some cases, I use them pretty hard. All of them show obvious signs of use and carry, but I don't care because that's why I bought them: to carry and use!

    Here's a secret too: really well made knives using premium materials (not always expensive) will endure proper use better than cheaply made crap. I have really thin edges on everything I use. If you do that on a cheaper knife (and I've tried it), if you can get the edge that thin without it failing during sharpening, it's a lot more likely to roll or chip.

    I do recognize the consequences of actually using my knives. It means that if I choose to sell later, any collector-focused value will be go negligible. There is no way I could get a decent price for my AdV Tac Butcher because it's been reprofiled, sharpened, used, resharpened, used again, scratched, dented, etc. I see it as character, but someone who wants to buy a like-new knife isn't going to want it unless they want badass tank of a knife to actually cut stuff.
     

    rhino

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    Is your EDC sharp enough to clean a panfish or squirrel, if that is what you had and needed to eat?

    Why yes, yes they are.

    When I hunted in high school, we cleaned the squirrels as a group at the end of the day. There was a reason that the guy who did most of the work borrowed my knife!
     

    K9stang

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    Jan 31, 2009
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    Like several other posters have said, knives are tools. I find that since I purchased my benchmade that it is in my pocket more than any of my cheaper knives. I have also noticed that since I have been using a higher quality knife, I have a hard time wanting to use my cheaper knives.

    I even broke about 1/8” off my mini griptillion blade. I reprofiled the blade to eliminate the broken tip and like it even better now! I just figure rhat I can’t hurt it any wosre. And for $35 benchmade will replace the blade.

    I have carried a knife as long as I can remember. I use all my tools for their intended purpose.
     

    KokomoDave

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    I EDC my limited production run Emersons or even my handmade Emerson. If I have to defend myself, family, loved one or someone else, it better be my best effort and knife.
     

    Usmccookie

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    I have carried the knive pictured above for almost 4 years. I regularly use it for cutting my food up. It works so much better than most people kitchen knives. Even my rich inlaws with crazy expensive knives they dont take care of. Spend the money on a good knive and sharpening system. You wont ever need another knife again.
     

    patience0830

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    Not far from the tree
    I have carried the knive pictured above for almost 4 years. I regularly use it for cutting my food up. It works so much better than most people kitchen knives. Even my rich inlaws with crazy expensive knives they dont take care of. Spend the money on a good knive and sharpening system. You wont ever need another knife again.

    That is one well worn benchmade. I've been carrying a Gerber Flatiron for a couple of months now. It has cleaned squirrels, made venison stew in camp and cut a fair amount of cheese and chicken. Among other duties. Best $30 I've spent in a while. I own more expensive knives. Nothing over $200. But I'm still looking for the one that is best for me. I keep at least three within reach and a leatherman too, most of the time.
     

    ISP 5353

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    Jul 21, 2009
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    I rotate a few different knives, but for any serious carry it is usually an Emerson. Not too expensive and built tough. If you invest the money for a good pocket knife you deserve the pride that comes with carrying and using it.
     
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