My granddad always told me that my uncles would spend a dollar 15 times before they'd spend a ten dollar bill once. Once I figured out what he was talking about, it was funny to watch. He was absolutely right.
very humble at the end there nick im kinda poor and hering someone whoobviously isnt have this kind of attitude is awesome makes me feel comfortable watching these things
On the flip side of this; I had it in my head forever that I wanted a Medford Pretorian but I didn’t want to spend 600 on a knife. As a result I bought some less expensive (though still quality) knives that are a little larger (like the ZT 0456). After a few, I was able to see that I much prefer a smaller slicer to a post-apocalyptic tank stabber. After all was said and done I ended up spending that 600 on an Olamic. While I agree that you should never buy junk; sometimes less expensive versions of what you think you want will allow you to gain some much needed insight into what you really like.
Exactly. Any time I get into something new, I usually go with the most affordable, no-frills (but not junk), popular mainstream option first. After using it and getting more experience in the sport/hobby/whatever, if it didn't turn into a spiderweb collector, then I have more informed opinions to drive a higher end purchase.
Brilliant! Outstanding evaluation of "can't afford cheap stuff"; especially distinguishing "cheap" and "inexpensive"! "Cost-Carry-Comfort Curve is golden! Thanks, and keep up the good work!
+MountMan Perhaps not...depends what you're looking for. I was looking for my ass not to hurt and a lifetime of ownership...Brooks isn't easily beat there. I guess the same came down to my folding bike it sits on...I bit the bullet and bought a Brompton bicycle which has been proven to go the distance. No regrets.
i think that you should strive to buy the best that you can afford and that you are willing to pay for, research what options you have, and buy the thing that makes best sense. thats how i always try to spend my money :)
Nick, thank you so much for acknowledging the ugly. That realistic, compassionate statement had me looking for the Subscribe button then realized I was already subscribed. So now, I'm ringing that bell. Thanks again, man.
You're brilliant man Nick. I've never heard anyone articulate these ideas quit as clearly as you have. This along with your curve of diminishing returns video are pure gold.
Love this! I think it really covers it all when it comes to making purchases. I think too many people follow a couple of these "rules", but fail to really think everything through. Not that you should stress about every purchase, but this will definitely save you from crying more often. Well done!
This is really great advice! Don’t spend heavy at first if you don’t know that you’re going to enjoy it or use it. Once you know that you will, save little by little and buy the best that is within your own realm of reality. I did that with watches and realized that I don’t really care to have the Panerai that I used to drool over. I’m fine with my Tissot and Hamilton automatics. I didn’t lost a ton of money. Conversely, I found the opposite with knives. I just bought my 2nd Sebenza, love my first and it makes me happy to own and use. Now I’m saving to step up into something more custom. It’s better to save for what you want (within reason) than to settle for a cheap place holder and never really enjoy it. 👍🏼
Aaaand now I love you. A blend of rationality, common sense, and compassion. Thank you for making this video. I think a point worth making now, in 2018, is that you can spend less than $50 and get a highly functional, durable knife that will last you your whole life.
Great video. Especially about that last bit. We who can afford to have nice thing must remember to be grateful for it. And humble ourselves at time. Thank you
Then there are the people who cannot afford something and should not buy it....so they put it on their credit cards, promising to pay later. Slippery slope that leads to the poor house.
Nick you make so much sense, and I love your voice. You have a new and loyal subscriber here. I limit myself to $250 for knives that I carry. I may go into the $300 or $400 range at most, but those I don't really carry, so it's harder for me to warrant spending $400 on a knife.
This is such a great video piece Nick. It is a privilege to be able to indulge on occasion and I think those who are able to do this without forgetting this position of privilege are well placed to give back in some way, either through charity or through a vocation centred around providing for the disadvantaged. Some cultures do this better than others and it's refreshing to hear you talk in this way.
Another channel that’s bike related likes to say “Only a rich man buys cheap tools” I keep that in mind with every purchase. Your “ugly” point is spot on.
This was absolutely me recently. Bought a clone and thought it was cool, decided to finally drop the money and got a small Sebenza Tanto. I felt directly targeted when Nick mentioned buying Sebenzas
i'm a fan of the lifetime warranty socks from bass pro because short of a traumatic injury I will be wearing socks fairly frequently for life and they are very comfortable.
FYI they are nothing close to $50 US so in the long run the price should not be that different when compared to less comfortable socks.(which I am still in the process of slowly phasing out)
Near the end of your video, Nick, you gave a great piece of advice: "Do your research." Some people never do and others do it sometimes. Some people think it is beneath them and others think that doing their research is too difficult or time consuming. Example. I was looking for a high quality adjustable wrench (which when I was small I thought was defined by the word, "Crescent.") Not only did I want high quality, I wanted that to mean that when I turned the knurled thumb wheel, I get precision without a lot of "slop" in the wheel. Backlash and that sort of thing. By its very design, it is going to have slop in it. Also, I wanted the wrench to have markings for measurement and I wanted the wrench to be thin in the jaws area, so I could use the tool in tighter spaces. Of course I found out that thin jaws requires thin other parts of the tool to have proper access to where the jaws have to be thin in the first place. After looking on the Internet with key words, I found a wrench entitled the best adjustable wrench of 2018 or 2019 or something like that and I bought one. Then I bought one for my son. Then I bought a two-wrench set. And after all of that, I saw something about a wrench that was not so highly rated. The main reason is that it cost so much. Then when reading up on it, I found out that it was a favorite of professional plumbers. It has great metal construction, and had really thin jaws and the wrench itself was also thin meaning it really could get into the tight places where I wanted to use it. This way I didn't have to run out and buy a set of professional bicycle wrenches when this one wrench will do. So, I bought it. All that fuss because this last wrench cost $10.00 more! I thought I'd done my due diligence and thought I'd done my research. But I fell for the "best wrench of..." and spent three times what I should have, overall. In the end, I will probably give one of the wrenches to someone who needs it. Likely though, if I had done a little more research and found that 30% more expensive wrench that turned out to be ten dollars more, I just would have bought that one wrench and been done with it. And that is the good, the bad, the great and the ugly of not really doing my research. Did I leap before I looked? No. Did I look before I leapt? Yes. But I should have looked a little more. Your are right, Nick. Do your research!
This reminds me of a story about Charlie Parker and a plastic saxophone he used once in a recording session. The lesson, it ain't the instrument, it's the artist that's important.
No one agreed with my grandfather saying. He said :"it's easy to earn money 💰 than spent it.. ". And I started completely understand what's his mean as soon as the second time purchase my car. The first car because of the limit of the budget I had to buy a cheap second car with a lot of problems, and l end up not only spend a lot of time,and aslo a big amount of money to repair and keep it go on and on. (break down on road side many times) , after 5 years with the price of purchase plus the repaired spending equal a brand new car that can last at least 5-8 years with worry free every day driving.... So I had to trade it in (for a low low price that you can cry like a baby) for a brand new car, and with 2 years of repayment. But with the reliability of the car, I save up time to earn more money, and I also have more saving in return instead of the waste of time and money for the old car. THAT IS how the cheap but Worthless purchase compared To the more expensive but good value purchase . So my grandfather was right, it's easily to earn a living with any low income job , but you have to be careful to make a plan to spend with that budget. That's why the quartz watches always been my choice as daily beater , because it had a reasonable price, but gets the job done perfectly (more accurate) and less worried or spent . Now the "Eco drive" is more than ever become my favorite of pieces.
At 5:35 when you comment on the price of daily pain I laughed so hard I had tears. The " this is a really crappy knife" bit. Love your videos and you give me laughs. Keep doing what your doing. Thank you
When I was in the service I had a mentor (retired Navy guy) that shared his life and wisdom with me. One time he told me "If you buy a good revolver and a good flashlight they will last your lifetime." 36 years later I still remember that advice.
Nick, I love how you are able to see this issue from all sides. I have been through this, starting with cheaper knives, and being less than happy, to now carrying ZT LEs (0600 and 0392BLKGRN mostly) and being comfortable with using them. Early in my knife collecting, I would not have been comfortable either buying or carrying either one, but now I do without a second thought, but that is where I am at in my life. It may be different for the next guy, who can only afford a $20 knife, or a $100 knife, or finds that the only knife that satisfies to carry and use is a $1,000+ custom. We are all different, and in different places in our lives, but I do wish that I would have started buying nicer knives earlier, instead of buying more cheaper knives. Anyway, love your videos!
I know that it's very hard for people who do well to get by day to day to spend a hefty amount on something. I'm a single full time dad and can feel selfish to buy something nice for myself. I started doing this "buy once cry once" thing and I have alot more pride and trust in my tools. Even if it's hard to justify sometimes just hold off and save for the better knife, watch, tool, etc.
My favourite saying is "there are two ways to do things, right, or again." However I've spoken at length that its more of a balancing act of how much we care, quality, time and maybe cost. I might buy a cheap blender cause i only blend things once a month.
Very true as a guitar player/ hobbyist. I owned a couple of mid rlevel Ibanez RGs and attempted to piece meal modify them to make them more like what I wanted. Finally bought the top of the line version I really wanted and now I’m stuck with two guitars I can’t even sell because of all the amateur modding attempts ruining any resale value they may have had.
You're the reason I bought an ontario R2D2 and lemme tell ya...best 30 dollars I've spent on a knife. It's such a joy to use. I was actually looking at a Benchmade at a local Academy that went for 120 bucks. So glad I went for the R2D2 instead.
I have been banging my head against the wall for more than 20 years trying to get my wife to understand this, I don't think she ever will. But I on the other hand I have always been of the mind to always try to buy the best possible product for my money even if it's alittle more than I planned on spending.
I did the exact same thing with a blender. I bought a Blendtec. It is amazing, the best blender I've ever used. I have to make myself make a smoothie or margarita or something once a month to convince myself that I needed such an expensive blender.
Well put, Nick. I recently realized my taste in knives is not compatible with my cost-carry comfort curve. Apparently I'm a cheap bastard, but I'm ok with that. Thanks for putting my inner pyschic battle into words.
Sometimes, doing your research is actually going out and buying the $5 wrench to learn what is important to you. I learned this with trekking poles. I read all the reviews but couldn't get the top of the line, tick all the boxes $250 pair with anti-shock springs and cork handles because I had left it too late and no stores nearby had them. So I bought the cheapest pair in the store for $82 and got blisters on my hands but they worked great. That turned out to be the most important factor when buying trekking poles, easily solved with a pair of gloves. I know that for next time, and have a couple hundred bucks to play around with as well. Good vid from the archives Nick.
Oh how I wish my wife would buy into this train of thought. I'm a gun, knife and tool junkie and do tons of research before I buy the best one for me. The wife? Well she'd rather buy 10 times and cry 10 times...drives me nuts. Thanks Nick and well said.
At the end of this video I took a screen shot of the page. I'm actually gonna try and remember this as long as I can as I think it's gonna help me a bit when the impulsiveness to buy rubbish kicks in.
I wanted a high-quality left-handed pocket knife. The only thing on the market that fit my requirements was a Sebenza, which was out of my price range. I came to the conclusion that my life could be complete without a high-end left-handed knife, and that I could live happily with my collection of right-handed knives. I did so for several years. Then Kizer came out with a left-handed Gemini and I snapped it up. It's great. My philosophical conclusion is that you need to separate what you need from what you want and learn to be happy even if you don't always get what you want.
Excellent video Nick! While I never understood the "watch thing", this video applies to *SO MUCH* more in life. When I'm buying something I'm passionate about, I'll save up (or buy on the second hand market). I'll research the shit out of something & determine what meets /my needs/ at the price point that's appropriate for my needs. I love how you included the "Don't be a dick." factor into your discussion. Wheaton's Law FTW!
thanks man you reassured my purchase of my second leatherman wave i was going to get the black model but i decided to go for the regular and saved money and i wont regret it
I know that this is an old video but I’m just now seeing it so here’s my input. This is all correct and can apply to all people, the important thing is you need to buy what you can afford. My (realistic) grail knife as a college student making 12 an hr should be a lot different than a higher up in the business worlds grail knife would be. Maybe my goal is to have a sebenza when I graduate (it is) but the business man wants a top of the line art knife for a career achievement. All that being said know your budget and your limits and get the best knife (item) you can afford!
Great commentary. Especially in the watchworld there are a lot of people being very unkind to others who are happy to just have gotten a Seiko or something else in that range. Even though Seiko, if we stay with that example are great watches at all pricepoints they are offered at. There is also the problem that some then feel pressured to own certain items and get themselves into some very serious trouble just to own that sub or some other thing that might not be that big a deal for one person but it basically unreachable for someone else. If you can afford it you should get good stuff and you're right.. good or the best doesn't always equal the most expensive.
Great piece Nick, I've managed to talk myself into a few Blender style decisions. Especially with yard tools.. completely forgetting I could rent something for half a day for $20. I really have to ask the same about cars. Do I buy a vehicle for the 3 big road trips you do in a year? But its really tempting, because you have those things that you spend money on, a good tool, watch, or piece of technology and they feel so good. And it feels like "Why don't I just to that for everything".. and such is the path to the dark side!
More philosophy vids please :) I agree, get the best you can afford, where afford also includes inside your comfort zone for if it breaks. For tools there's simply some like screwdrivers, hammers and wrenches, which you over time will use a lot, so might as well buy the quality right away. However if you suddenly find it's a hobby tool, in the sense knives can be a hobby (well, at least I've never heard of hobby hammers), going big will make straight off the bat will mean you'll probably not like cheap. Then you'll find yourself with a hugely expensive hobby, rather than one, where you still see the gems in Z Hunters or anything green with skulls!
Understood Nik. 😁👍 It all depends on the person. Everybody spends to what they want. Certain people are wiser, most are not. Just like making money and investing. Few understands how to make money from money. Few actually did it. The attitude actually counts. Spend what you could afford. Or delay for a delayed gratification attitude. Or buy what you really love if you have the money. Nice video Nik. 👍
One of my favorite expressions is "So cheap it's priceless." Many many times I've bought something economical that turned into a hidden gem. So, a high $ price doesn't necessarily mean quality. Plenty of people fall into that trap, however. A cheap, priceless item turns out to be worth it's weight in....well, it's cosmic. On the other hand, after years of skimping, suffering, doing without, working my ass off, scrimping and saving, taking care of business, paying bills, and putting money aside for a rainy day, at age 70 I can now periodically buy the best, or close to the best, of almost anything and barely feel it. This is worth a lot, maybe even worth all the other stuff. I'm even thinking of buying a second Chris Reeve. ;-)
My mom always needed a car when me and my brother grew up, but she could barely afford putting food on the table. The cheap ones that broke after a year or two was the only option. While it would save money in the long run, it simply wasn't possible.
I like this. Some great advice, and nicely positioned. Personally, I buy cheap cars. Here in the UK, I can get a car between £500 and £1000 which will last (based on experience) between six months and four years. At that cost, I control my risk. If it goes hugely wrong, I'm only out a three figure number. Plus, when I started out I loved cars and really wanted a faster turn over so I could own more 😁 In the knife world, I like my Opinel, my Moras. I'm tempted by a rat 1 or the cutjack D2, maybe a buck 420 HC flipper. Why am I saying this? I think the video is very balanced. By the best you can afford for something you REALLY care about, or put it on your Santa list. Otherwise, by budget and see how it goes. Just don't blast a ton of cash on budget kit once you know you're going to use it and assuming you can afford the initial outlay.
Ill be honest, I hardly use my EDC ever, and yet Ive put a significant ammount of my earnings into the hobby. For me it is a quest for the best. I try new things, do research, and see how far money can go in terms of quality in meterial goods. Ive always been this way, at one point with guitars and another time computers, and now ive fallen into the hobby of knives tools pens and lights. This search for quality is highly ssatisfying and helps give purpose, as well as a good philisophical lesson that there is no such thing as the best.
Some excellent points you've made here Nick, but I'm the type to buy cheap(inexpensive) see if it's something I use but also enjoy using then go with the buy once cry once theory
When I was in high school, I had a lot of knives, the most expensive knife I owned was a CRKT M16 which I bought for about $100 (which was insanely expensive to a broke, jobless high school student). I never used it ever, I always sprung for one of my $10 knives whenever I needed to use a knife. I imagine now, that if I had a ~$600+ knife, that it would be the same thing: I would be way to afraid of damaging it in anyway to actually use it. Electronics are worth it to me, I will get my money out of the best of the best, but for almost nothing else will it actually make a difference to me if I have/use a cheap version.
this video explains everything on this topic the best Ive ever heard, recommending this to all my friends, cheers. personally I'm into hiking and outdoors, I usually buy high quality hiking gear and spend more on my knives for hiking (lately a spyderco bill moran drop point) when your trusting your life to gear I think you should buy quality but if you cannot afford to you should buy the best you can afford.
“Not everybody is comfortable carrying an $8000 watch on their wrist everyday, I know I wouldn’t be. Although I hope I’ll be comfortable with it someday” How well did that statement age nick 😂
hey nick great vid i started out with a $8 knife from horbor frieght not a great knife but it worked i decided to get some better knives i cant afford to spend more than 50 bucks but for what i use my knives for all my knives work great some times you just dont need the top of the line stuff to get the job done thanks for the great vids
Perhaps there should be a caveat for risk If the tool is something that could potentially be destroyed, lost, or stolen, is it still worth it to buy something super expensive
Nick, regarding this video, I wanted to ask you how you deal with the issue of carrying or using expensive equipment for fear of it breaking, being lost or stolen? It is a problem that I have, I recently spent a significant sum for a knife and the truth is I am afraid to take it out on the street or use it for these reasons.
Great video as always! Personally, while I do envy the people that can afford Sebenzas and Grimsmos, I honestly think that after $200, you're paying for pocket jewelry. The only knives that could get me to break my $200 rule are a Slysz Bowie, a ZT-560, or if by some miracle, the stars align and the Big Almighty blesses us with a ZT Razel.
Very well said Nick! BTW- I noticed you review a lot of pocket knives, but I've never seen you review any skeletonized neck knives. I'd love to know what your thoughts and feelings are on them, as some people don't like carrying a "pre-broken knife" as one knife maker put it! Lol. For me, the most appealing thing to carrying a fixed blade over a folder is ease of cleaning. Folders can be finicky if crud gets into the pivot and cleaning the knives can be a pain. Furthermore, many knife manufacturers such as Spyderco actually specifically forbid taking the knife apart claiming it will void their warranty! I know many people cite the main appeal for carrying a fixed blade over a folder is "strength", but this honestly means very little to me, because I've never used my pocket knives in such a violently abusive way that caused them to break and make me proclaim that I should have carried a fixed blade! Lol. So for me it's more about ease of cleaning and no moving parts to break, or screws to strip.
I do struggle some times differentiating the best at performing a task from the best because it is expensive. I heard you address this sometimes. When you say that you can get a great knife for about $400. Beyond that you are paying for something else.
Only problem I have here is it comes down to the item. Your blender thing is a great example for how often do you really need this thing, but you also have to consider function. Are you buying a knife to break down boxes, whittle stuff, maybe cut an apple? Then you shouldn't spend 4k on it. Are you buying a watch to wear on your exercise run through the woods, go diving in, or wear playing basketball with your buddies? Casio G-Shock is right over there, why are you browsing submariners? There is such a thing as multiple answers to one question. The "top of the line" pocketknife for a forest ranger out on patrol is not the same pocketknife as the guy who just collects. Kudo's for your computer store example, as a guy who builds computers for fun and for friends/family my first question is always... "So what do you want to use this computer for?"
My general thoughts on this are, if you're buying a new tool, get something inexpensive, if you break it that means you're using it and should get a good quality tool next time.
Do it once and do it right. At least this is the rule I use. It applies to many parts of life. In reference to the “always overpay” point. I’m going to be getting a Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical. Amazon has it at a few different price points and I’m a little concerned about fakes. I’m not sure if the watch is nice enough to fake in the first place. Either way it’s an expensive watch for me. My thought process is currently to go full retail at a trusted retailer to ensure the genuine article. I welcome your thoughts.
A good way to simplify is: what is your cost per use for this item?You absolutely want to buy once, cry once for something like a mattress, maybe not for something like a blender.
Great video! I tend to see people saying this as a way to justify their own over-priced purchases. There's also a hint of desperation, as though they need more people to also make the same terrible, over-priced purchase in order to justify their own stupid mistake.
![[Gegagedigedagedago] NEW Help Gegagedigedagedago Nugget escape from Nikocado Avocado Challenge](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/hJWnwRC2Fz8/mqdefault.jpg)
My granddad always told me that my uncles would spend a dollar 15 times before they'd spend a ten dollar bill once. Once I figured out what he was talking about, it was funny to watch. He was absolutely right.
Hey Nick...you are a pretty good dude...its a pleasure to watch your vids---
very humble at the end there nick im kinda poor and hering someone whoobviously isnt have this kind of attitude is awesome makes me feel comfortable watching these things
On the flip side of this; I had it in my head forever that I wanted a Medford Pretorian but I didn’t want to spend 600 on a knife. As a result I bought some less expensive (though still quality) knives that are a little larger (like the ZT 0456). After a few, I was able to see that I much prefer a smaller slicer to a post-apocalyptic tank stabber. After all was said and done I ended up spending that 600 on an Olamic. While I agree that you should never buy junk; sometimes less expensive versions of what you think you want will allow you to gain some much needed insight into what you really like.
Exactly. Any time I get into something new, I usually go with the most affordable, no-frills (but not junk), popular mainstream option first. After using it and getting more experience in the sport/hobby/whatever, if it didn't turn into a spiderweb collector, then I have more informed opinions to drive a higher end purchase.
nick, i really want a z hunter but don't want to spend big bucks, anything like it but cheaper?
Have you tried knapping stones?
Brilliant! Outstanding evaluation of "can't afford cheap stuff"; especially distinguishing "cheap" and "inexpensive"! "Cost-Carry-Comfort Curve is golden! Thanks, and keep up the good work!
Try the rest or buy the best.
Learned this rule when buying a saddle for my bike lol. Brooks!
+Ugly Puppy Ohh, that's good. Very good.
Ugly Puppy that saying is "a beautiful thing ".
But is the best saddle for your ass the same as the best for mine? Not sure that Consumer reports has that answer quite yet.
+MountMan Perhaps not...depends what you're looking for. I was looking for my ass not to hurt and a lifetime of ownership...Brooks isn't easily beat there. I guess the same came down to my folding bike it sits on...I bit the bullet and bought a Brompton bicycle which has been proven to go the distance. No regrets.
Brompton, that is until you discover the comfort of bigger wheels or solve the problem with a good saddle.
i think that you should strive to buy the best that you can afford and that you are willing to pay for, research what options you have, and buy the thing that makes best sense. thats how i always try to spend my money :)
Wow! Tools, gear, and philosophy reviews! Great job Nick 👍👍
Nick, thank you so much for acknowledging the ugly. That realistic, compassionate statement had me looking for the Subscribe button then realized I was already subscribed. So now, I'm ringing that bell. Thanks again, man.
You're brilliant man Nick. I've never heard anyone articulate these ideas quit as clearly as you have. This along with your curve of diminishing returns video are pure gold.
Love this! I think it really covers it all when it comes to making purchases. I think too many people follow a couple of these "rules", but fail to really think everything through. Not that you should stress about every purchase, but this will definitely save you from crying more often. Well done!
This is really great advice! Don’t spend heavy at first if you don’t know that you’re going to enjoy it or use it. Once you know that you will, save little by little and buy the best that is within your own realm of reality. I did that with watches and realized that I don’t really care to have the Panerai that I used to drool over. I’m fine with my Tissot and Hamilton automatics. I didn’t lost a ton of money. Conversely, I found the opposite with knives. I just bought my 2nd Sebenza, love my first and it makes me happy to own and use. Now I’m saving to step up into something more custom. It’s better to save for what you want (within reason) than to settle for a cheap place holder and never really enjoy it. 👍🏼
Aaaand now I love you. A blend of rationality, common sense, and compassion. Thank you for making this video. I think a point worth making now, in 2018, is that you can spend less than $50 and get a highly functional, durable knife that will last you your whole life.
Great video. Especially about that last bit. We who can afford to have nice thing must remember to be grateful for it. And humble ourselves at time. Thank you
Then there are the people who cannot afford something and should not buy it....so they put it on their credit cards, promising to pay later. Slippery slope that leads to the poor house.
Nick you make so much sense, and I love your voice. You have a new and loyal subscriber here. I limit myself to $250 for knives that I carry. I may go into the $300 or $400 range at most, but those I don't really carry, so it's harder for me to warrant spending $400 on a knife.
This is such a great video piece Nick. It is a privilege to be able to indulge on occasion and I think those who are able to do this without forgetting this position of privilege are well placed to give back in some way, either through charity or through a vocation centred around providing for the disadvantaged. Some cultures do this better than others and it's refreshing to hear you talk in this way.
Another channel that’s bike related likes to say “Only a rich man buys cheap tools” I keep that in mind with every purchase. Your “ugly” point is spot on.
I love your outlook on all aspects of buying guide in this video. You literally cobered the pros and cons to a tee ❤
I finally dropped the pretense and bought a Sebenza, I'm happy now.
This was absolutely me recently. Bought a clone and thought it was cool, decided to finally drop the money and got a small Sebenza Tanto. I felt directly targeted when Nick mentioned buying Sebenzas
i'm a fan of the lifetime warranty socks from bass pro because short of a traumatic injury I will be wearing socks fairly frequently for life and they are very comfortable.
FYI they are nothing close to $50 US so in the long run the price should not be that different when compared to less comfortable socks.(which I am still in the process of slowly phasing out)
Good vid. I agree with your observations on the ugly. And with gear elitism
Near the end of your video, Nick, you gave a great piece of advice: "Do your research." Some people never do and others do it sometimes. Some people think it is beneath them and others think that doing their research is too difficult or time consuming. Example. I was looking for a high quality adjustable wrench (which when I was small I thought was defined by the word, "Crescent.") Not only did I want high quality, I wanted that to mean that when I turned the knurled thumb wheel, I get precision without a lot of "slop" in the wheel. Backlash and that sort of thing. By its very design, it is going to have slop in it. Also, I wanted the wrench to have markings for measurement and I wanted the wrench to be thin in the jaws area, so I could use the tool in tighter spaces. Of course I found out that thin jaws requires thin other parts of the tool to have proper access to where the jaws have to be thin in the first place. After looking on the Internet with key words, I found a wrench entitled the best adjustable wrench of 2018 or 2019 or something like that and I bought one. Then I bought one for my son. Then I bought a two-wrench set. And after all of that, I saw something about a wrench that was not so highly rated. The main reason is that it cost so much. Then when reading up on it, I found out that it was a favorite of professional plumbers. It has great metal construction, and had really thin jaws and the wrench itself was also thin meaning it really could get into the tight places where I wanted to use it. This way I didn't have to run out and buy a set of professional bicycle wrenches when this one wrench will do. So, I bought it. All that fuss because this last wrench cost $10.00 more! I thought I'd done my due diligence and thought I'd done my research. But I fell for the "best wrench of..." and spent three times what I should have, overall. In the end, I will probably give one of the wrenches to someone who needs it. Likely though, if I had done a little more research and found that 30% more expensive wrench that turned out to be ten dollars more, I just would have bought that one wrench and been done with it. And that is the good, the bad, the great and the ugly of not really doing my research. Did I leap before I looked? No. Did I look before I leapt? Yes. But I should have looked a little more. Your are right, Nick. Do your research!
This reminds me of a story about Charlie Parker and a plastic saxophone he used once in a recording session. The lesson, it ain't the instrument, it's the artist that's important.
No one agreed with my grandfather saying. He said :"it's easy to earn money 💰 than spent it.. ".
And I started completely understand what's his mean as soon as the second time purchase my car.
The first car because of the limit of the budget I had to buy a cheap second car with a lot of problems, and l end up not only spend a lot of time,and aslo a big amount of money to repair and keep it go on and on. (break down on road side many times) , after 5 years with the price of purchase plus the repaired spending equal a brand new car that can last at least 5-8 years with worry free every day driving....
So I had to trade it in (for a low low price that you can cry like a baby) for a brand new car, and with 2 years of repayment.
But with the reliability of the car, I save up time to earn more money, and I also have more saving in return instead of the waste of time and money for the old car.
THAT IS how the cheap but Worthless purchase compared To the more expensive but good value purchase .
So my grandfather was right, it's easily to earn a living with any low income job , but you have to be careful to make a plan to spend with that budget.
That's why the quartz watches always been my choice as daily beater , because it had a reasonable price, but gets the job done perfectly (more accurate) and less worried or spent .
Now the "Eco drive" is more than ever become my favorite of pieces.
Excellent insights that we all need to be reminded of because second best often trumps saving.
At 5:35 when you comment on the price of daily pain I laughed so hard I had tears. The " this is a really crappy knife" bit. Love your videos and you give me laughs. Keep doing what your doing. Thank you
When I was in the service I had a mentor (retired Navy guy) that shared his life and wisdom with me. One time he told me "If you buy a good revolver and a good flashlight they will last your lifetime." 36 years later I still remember that advice.
Nick, I love your videos, and I love your attitude. Thanks.
Nick, I love how you are able to see this issue from all sides. I have been through this, starting with cheaper knives, and being less than happy, to now carrying ZT LEs (0600 and 0392BLKGRN mostly) and being comfortable with using them. Early in my knife collecting, I would not have been comfortable either buying or carrying either one, but now I do without a second thought, but that is where I am at in my life. It may be different for the next guy, who can only afford a $20 knife, or a $100 knife, or finds that the only knife that satisfies to carry and use is a $1,000+ custom. We are all different, and in different places in our lives, but I do wish that I would have started buying nicer knives earlier, instead of buying more cheaper knives. Anyway, love your videos!
Absolutely fantastic video, Nick. A lot of valid points that I've never even thought of. Keep the videos coming!
Thanks Nick, it's good to keep perspective.
Another great and thought provoking video. Thanks again Nick.
this is my favorite video on TH-cam. This spoke to me
I know that it's very hard for people who do well to get by day to day to spend a hefty amount on something. I'm a single full time dad and can feel selfish to buy something nice for myself. I started doing this "buy once cry once" thing and I have alot more pride and trust in my tools. Even if it's hard to justify sometimes just hold off and save for the better knife, watch, tool, etc.
Great vid. Lot of wisdom here. I have been carrying the same CRK Small Sebenza for 20+ years. But every once in a while I buy a
Love your attitude as always. 100% on point as per use
My favourite saying is "there are two ways to do things, right, or again." However I've spoken at length that its more of a balancing act of how much we care, quality, time and maybe cost. I might buy a cheap blender cause i only blend things once a month.
Very true as a guitar player/ hobbyist. I owned a couple of mid rlevel Ibanez RGs and attempted to piece meal modify them to make them more like what I wanted. Finally bought the top of the line version I really wanted and now I’m stuck with two guitars I can’t even sell because of all the amateur modding attempts ruining any resale value they may have had.
I've been watching your channel for a bit now and enjoy your videos. Subscribed. Thanks for the great content.
You're the reason I bought an ontario R2D2 and lemme tell ya...best 30 dollars I've spent on a knife. It's such a joy to use.
I was actually looking at a Benchmade at a local Academy that went for 120 bucks.
So glad I went for the R2D2 instead.
I have been banging my head against the wall for more than 20 years trying to get my wife to understand this, I don't think she ever will. But I on the other hand I have always been of the mind to always try to buy the best possible product for my money even if it's alittle more than I planned on spending.
That's a philosophy called "smart money". The smart money buys what's adequate for the task, not what the user thinks "should be", but isn't.
Very good philosophy. Thanking you Nick.
I enjoy it when you do these videos. Nickims.
I did the exact same thing with a blender. I bought a Blendtec. It is amazing, the best blender I've ever used. I have to make myself make a smoothie or margarita or something once a month to convince myself that I needed such an expensive blender.
+Jacob J Hah, you know my pain exactly.
Well put, Nick. I recently realized my taste in knives is not compatible with my cost-carry comfort curve. Apparently I'm a cheap bastard, but I'm ok with that. Thanks for putting my inner pyschic battle into words.
Sometimes, doing your research is actually going out and buying the $5 wrench to learn what is important to you. I learned this with trekking poles. I read all the reviews but couldn't get the top of the line, tick all the boxes $250 pair with anti-shock springs and cork handles because I had left it too late and no stores nearby had them. So I bought the cheapest pair in the store for $82 and got blisters on my hands but they worked great. That turned out to be the most important factor when buying trekking poles, easily solved with a pair of gloves. I know that for next time, and have a couple hundred bucks to play around with as well. Good vid from the archives Nick.
Oh how I wish my wife would buy into this train of thought. I'm a gun, knife and tool junkie and do tons of research before I buy the best one for me. The wife? Well she'd rather buy 10 times and cry 10 times...drives me nuts. Thanks Nick and well said.
`Maybe Nick should do a video on choosing a mate?
this video is so true. i bout like 10 or more Kershaw/Emerson. this year i bought a real Emerson and im extremely happy.
"You should not be a dick." Sage advice.
At the end of this video I took a screen shot of the page. I'm actually gonna try and remember this as long as I can as I think it's gonna help me a bit when the impulsiveness to buy rubbish kicks in.
This is great content. I plan on supporting the channel sometime in the near future.
I wanted a high-quality left-handed pocket knife. The only thing on the market that fit my requirements was a Sebenza, which was out of my price range. I came to the conclusion that my life could be complete without a high-end left-handed knife, and that I could live happily with my collection of right-handed knives. I did so for several years. Then Kizer came out with a left-handed Gemini and I snapped it up. It's great. My philosophical conclusion is that you need to separate what you need from what you want and learn to be happy even if you don't always get what you want.
Excellent video Nick! While I never understood the "watch thing", this video applies to *SO MUCH* more in life. When I'm buying something I'm passionate about, I'll save up (or buy on the second hand market). I'll research the shit out of something & determine what meets /my needs/ at the price point that's appropriate for my needs.
I love how you included the "Don't be a dick." factor into your discussion. Wheaton's Law FTW!
thanks man you reassured my purchase of my second leatherman wave i was going to get the black model but i decided to go for the regular and saved money and i wont regret it
I know that this is an old video but I’m just now seeing it so here’s my input.
This is all correct and can apply to all people, the important thing is you need to buy what you can afford. My (realistic) grail knife as a college student making 12 an hr should be a lot different than a higher up in the business worlds grail knife would be. Maybe my goal is to have a sebenza when I graduate (it is) but the business man wants a top of the line art knife for a career achievement. All that being said know your budget and your limits and get the best knife (item) you can afford!
Great commentary. Especially in the watchworld there are a lot of people being very unkind to others who are happy to just have gotten a Seiko or something else in that range. Even though Seiko, if we stay with that example are great watches at all pricepoints they are offered at. There is also the problem that some then feel pressured to own certain items and get themselves into some very serious trouble just to own that sub or some other thing that might not be that big a deal for one person but it basically unreachable for someone else. If you can afford it you should get good stuff and you're right.. good or the best doesn't always equal the most expensive.
Great piece Nick, I've managed to talk myself into a few Blender style decisions. Especially with yard tools.. completely forgetting I could rent something for half a day for $20. I really have to ask the same about cars. Do I buy a vehicle for the 3 big road trips you do in a year? But its really tempting, because you have those things that you spend money on, a good tool, watch, or piece of technology and they feel so good. And it feels like "Why don't I just to that for everything".. and such is the path to the dark side!
More philosophy vids please :) I agree, get the best you can afford, where afford also includes inside your comfort zone for if it breaks. For tools there's simply some like screwdrivers, hammers and wrenches, which you over time will use a lot, so might as well buy the quality right away.
However if you suddenly find it's a hobby tool, in the sense knives can be a hobby (well, at least I've never heard of hobby hammers), going big will make straight off the bat will mean you'll probably not like cheap. Then you'll find yourself with a hugely expensive hobby, rather than one, where you still see the gems in Z Hunters or anything green with skulls!
Understood Nik. 😁👍
It all depends on the person. Everybody spends to what they want. Certain people are wiser, most are not. Just like making money and investing. Few understands how to make money from money. Few actually did it.
The attitude actually counts. Spend what you could afford. Or delay for a delayed gratification attitude. Or buy what you really love if you have the money.
Nice video Nik. 👍
One of my favorite expressions is "So cheap it's priceless." Many many times I've bought something economical that turned into a hidden gem. So, a high $ price doesn't necessarily mean quality. Plenty of people fall into that trap, however. A cheap, priceless item turns out to be worth it's weight in....well, it's cosmic. On the other hand, after years of skimping, suffering, doing without, working my ass off, scrimping and saving, taking care of business, paying bills, and putting money aside for a rainy day, at age 70 I can now periodically buy the best, or close to the best, of almost anything and barely feel it. This is worth a lot, maybe even worth all the other stuff. I'm even thinking of buying a second Chris Reeve. ;-)
Excellent video Nick.
Not your typical video content. But I like it. Good job. It is more expensive to be poor.
Oh man that hit! Loved this one man. 👍 thanks
My mom always needed a car when me and my brother grew up, but she could barely afford putting food on the table. The cheap ones that broke after a year or two was the only option. While it would save money in the long run, it simply wasn't possible.
Right on! Glad I bought a LaRue PredatOBR instead of a colt 6920. Nothing wrong with the colt at all, but I'm %1000 happy with my LaRue.
Excellent commentary.
My idiom is Buy the best quality you can afford.
It works well amongst tradesmen
9k! Way to go, Nick!
I like this. Some great advice, and nicely positioned.
Personally, I buy cheap cars. Here in the UK, I can get a car between £500 and £1000 which will last (based on experience) between six months and four years. At that cost, I control my risk. If it goes hugely wrong, I'm only out a three figure number. Plus, when I started out I loved cars and really wanted a faster turn over so I could own more 😁
In the knife world, I like my Opinel, my Moras. I'm tempted by a rat 1 or the cutjack D2, maybe a buck 420 HC flipper.
Why am I saying this? I think the video is very balanced. By the best you can afford for something you REALLY care about, or put it on your Santa list. Otherwise, by budget and see how it goes. Just don't blast a ton of cash on budget kit once you know you're going to use it and assuming you can afford the initial outlay.
This is a great video. I think you have some great examples here.
I really enjoy your point of view!!!
GREAT POST NICK!
Ill be honest, I hardly use my EDC ever, and yet Ive put a significant ammount of my earnings into the hobby. For me it is a quest for the best. I try new things, do research, and see how far money can go in terms of quality in meterial goods. Ive always been this way, at one point with guitars and another time computers, and now ive fallen into the hobby of knives tools pens and lights. This search for quality is highly ssatisfying and helps give purpose, as well as a good philisophical lesson that there is no such thing as the best.
Some excellent points you've made here Nick, but I'm the type to buy cheap(inexpensive) see if it's something I use but also enjoy using then go with the buy once cry once theory
When I was in high school, I had a lot of knives, the most expensive knife I owned was a CRKT M16 which I bought for about $100 (which was insanely expensive to a broke, jobless high school student). I never used it ever, I always sprung for one of my $10 knives whenever I needed to use a knife. I imagine now, that if I had a ~$600+ knife, that it would be the same thing: I would be way to afraid of damaging it in anyway to actually use it. Electronics are worth it to me, I will get my money out of the best of the best, but for almost nothing else will it actually make a difference to me if I have/use a cheap version.
this video explains everything on this topic the best Ive ever heard, recommending this to all my friends, cheers.
personally I'm into hiking and outdoors, I usually buy high quality hiking gear and spend more on my knives for hiking (lately a spyderco bill moran drop point) when your trusting your life to gear I think you should buy quality but if you cannot afford to you should buy the best you can afford.
I've learned this lesson on cars. If i get what I want, I'll enjoy it so much more, and usually end up keeping it long enough to pay it off.
“Not everybody is comfortable carrying an $8000 watch on their wrist everyday, I know I wouldn’t be. Although I hope I’ll be comfortable with it someday”
How well did that statement age nick 😂
hey nick great vid i started out with a $8 knife from horbor frieght not a great knife but it worked i decided to get some better knives i cant afford to spend more than 50 bucks but for what i use my knives for all my knives work great some times you just dont need the top of the line stuff to get the job done thanks for the great vids
Great advice Nick.
Perhaps there should be a caveat for risk
If the tool is something that could potentially be destroyed, lost, or stolen, is it still worth it to buy something super expensive
Nick, regarding this video, I wanted to ask you how you deal with the issue of carrying or using expensive equipment for fear of it breaking, being lost or stolen? It is a problem that I have, I recently spent a significant sum for a knife and the truth is I am afraid to take it out on the street or use it for these reasons.
Fantastic video! Thank you for creating it :)
Thank you, oh wise one.
Philosophy-the full nick Shabazz review lmao, just waiting on that disassembly vid now
Great video as always! Personally, while I do envy the people that can afford Sebenzas and Grimsmos, I honestly think that after $200, you're paying for pocket jewelry. The only knives that could get me to break my $200 rule are a Slysz Bowie, a ZT-560, or if by some miracle, the stars align and the Big Almighty blesses us with a ZT Razel.
Very well said Nick! BTW- I noticed you review a lot of pocket knives, but I've never seen you review any skeletonized neck knives. I'd love to know what your thoughts and feelings are on them, as some people don't like carrying a "pre-broken knife" as one knife maker put it! Lol. For me, the most appealing thing to carrying a fixed blade over a folder is ease of cleaning. Folders can be finicky if crud gets into the pivot and cleaning the knives can be a pain. Furthermore, many knife manufacturers such as Spyderco actually specifically forbid taking the knife apart claiming it will void their warranty! I know many people cite the main appeal for carrying a fixed blade over a folder is "strength", but this honestly means very little to me, because I've never used my pocket knives in such a violently abusive way that caused them to break and make me proclaim that I should have carried a fixed blade! Lol. So for me it's more about ease of cleaning and no moving parts to break, or screws to strip.
Nick's cost-carry-comfort in watches skyrocketed, and is definitely now comfortable wearing his $5k seamaster pro 300 on his wrist 😁
I'm with you...
Sensible stuff on TH-cam. An anomaly. ;-) Thanks for a great, succinct, and well-illustrated vid.
I do struggle some times differentiating the best at performing a task from the best because it is expensive. I heard you address this sometimes. When you say that you can get a great knife for about $400. Beyond that you are paying for something else.
Only problem I have here is it comes down to the item. Your blender thing is a great example for how often do you really need this thing, but you also have to consider function. Are you buying a knife to break down boxes, whittle stuff, maybe cut an apple? Then you shouldn't spend 4k on it. Are you buying a watch to wear on your exercise run through the woods, go diving in, or wear playing basketball with your buddies? Casio G-Shock is right over there, why are you browsing submariners?
There is such a thing as multiple answers to one question. The "top of the line" pocketknife for a forest ranger out on patrol is not the same pocketknife as the guy who just collects.
Kudo's for your computer store example, as a guy who builds computers for fun and for friends/family my first question is always... "So what do you want to use this computer for?"
My general thoughts on this are, if you're buying a new tool, get something inexpensive, if you break it that means you're using it and should get a good quality tool next time.
Do it once and do it right. At least this is the rule I use. It applies to many parts of life.
In reference to the “always overpay” point. I’m going to be getting a Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical. Amazon has it at a few different price points and I’m a little concerned about fakes. I’m not sure if the watch is nice enough to fake in the first place. Either way it’s an expensive watch for me. My thought process is currently to go full retail at a trusted retailer to ensure the genuine article. I welcome your thoughts.
Amen Brother.
A good way to simplify is: what is your cost per use for this item?You absolutely want to buy once, cry once for something like a mattress, maybe not for something like a blender.
Great video! I tend to see people saying this as a way to justify their own over-priced purchases. There's also a hint of desperation, as though they need more people to also make the same terrible, over-priced purchase in order to justify their own stupid mistake.
Great advice if you can research first it will help along the way to better understand your need.