A Quality Knife
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I did not think I would use the blog feature but here I am, and the message here is to buy yourself or your loved one a quality knife. This is not to say you need to spend the most money on a knife, but instead of buying a lot of low quality knives that are just going in the trash or the unused pile, consider saving up and investing in a higher end blade. A quality knife will hold up and feel good in the hand and to use. Get something that you or your loved one can pass down to the next generation. Let those memories live on through a new family heirloom.
It does not have to be a knife I made, as much as a I would appreciate that, I understand that everybody has their own taste and interests. However, a quality blade will change you or your loved ones life and cutting experience. An example is switching from a cheap kitchen knife to a quality kitchen knife, you won’t be fighting the produce and meat anymore, you will get clean effortless cuts. Switching from a low quality hunting or folding knife to a high quality one, the edge will last while you process game or set up your fire or camp.
I currently own custom fixed blades from two makers and a few folding knives that are designed by two makers. I have stuck with these four makers because I am a huge fan of their designs, their process, their products, and their quality.
Like most I used to carry cheaper edc knives. It got to the point that I realized the steel, heat treat and quality control was generally a problem. Unknown steels and very large batch heat treats were getting the best of me. I didn’t used to know anything about steel and unknowingly bought one of the best knives I owned growing up with CPM-154 blade steel, the only issue, it was extremely hard to sharpen by hand at home, without machinery… which I did not have at the time. When I started researching and learning more I realized this steel was quality and that’s why it lasted so much longer. It really stood out to me how much better this knife was than the unknown steels or steels that had a bunch of letters and numbers identifying them, on cheap blades. I’ve owned fixed blades and folders with cheap steel that did not last at all. I was buying a ton, and I mean a ton of folders and fixed blades that were usually in the $30-$60 dollar range. They just weren’t cutting it. They weren’t lasting and a lot of them were even falling apart after a short period of time. I was wasting money by buying a lot of low quality knives in stead of one or two higher quality knives.
The more I got into knives the more I started exploring the mid to high range production folders. Then the Boker Vox F3 came out, and I loved it. Everything about the knife called to me, it had a bold shape but elegant lines, a hefty blade with a beautiful satin finish. The materials were fantastic with CPM S30V blade steel and titanium scales, best off all it had the VoxKnives approval. And let me tell you, I beat the shit out of that knife. I beat that knife and it has lasted, you can’t even tell what it has been through. I have sharpened it once a couple years ago after very heavy batoning, and have stropped it once since then. From then on I was sold on Voxknives designs. I have owned a couple other mid to high end folding knives, but kept coming back to folders designed by Vox and Anso. The only folders currently in my rotation are designed by these two.
I own two full custom pieces and two production pieces from Compliance Edge (CEK) and one piece from Tactical Pterodactyl (TP). When I started my career and took a hiatus from knife making I only owned my CEK’s. I carried one at work daily and used it to pry open a door, zero damage to the blade at all, the other guys big company knife took significant damage. I have heavily used my custom CEK blades and the edges have only needed an ever so slight strop.
I do not own any very expensive blades or custom folders, that is out of my realm and I know that. The knives I make and sell are in the range of what I own. I know that what I buy is going to be used and that that use may be heavy. I know that I am not going to be easy and what I may be up against any day. I know they are not the cheapest but they will last when cared for. However, knives in this price range, especially from smaller shops get a lot more hands on attention to detail. I have handled similarly priced knives that are from more automated shops that exploded in popularity and employees and sometimes that shows in the quality.
Find what you or your loved ones like, find the blade that is right for you. Snag it if you can and love it.
I will leave you with this. Whether you believe it or not, your life is very unpredictable. We take risks every day and we can’t be afraid to do the things we enjoy. If you are someone that enjoys the outdoors, invest in a quality blade, it may literally save your life. I used to own a cheap “survival” knife from a large company. It was marketed for camping and the outdoors. The edge rolled while cleaning pan fish. I tried to baton with it like ads showed and the handle literally disintegrated in my hands while the edge rolled and deformed. Owning and carrying a quality knife is piece of mind that the tool will serve you when you need it most.