Where do I lie on the curve? Well when you flipped out that Tenacious and said "I wouldn't carry it" I looked at the one I was fiddling with in my hand and thought "man, this is my favorite knife I own." I don't have a source of income (being a jobless teenager trying to do well in school) and I couldn't buy much more than this with my own money. It's the peak of my collection right now, and I love it, even with all of its imperfections. If I could get a more expensive knife, I'd carry it, but for now my curve is shifted way over to the left
You prolly dont care but does anyone know of a trick to log back into an instagram account..? I was stupid lost my login password. I would love any tips you can give me
@@peteg22397 Oh boy the collection is totally different. That tenacious is long gone, I traded it with my dad. I'd say the current highlights are my WE Pleroma and Arrakis, ZT 0562ti, and Esee 4HM
Great, i really dont know why you dont have more subscribers, excellent review, camera, script. Really great job Nick, all the best to you and keep a pls keep chanel alive at least for few of us.
My rule of thumb is to have two sets of EDC gear: one that I would use for occasions when I am wearing a suit and one that I would use for all other occasions. Formal EDC gear can be a little more luxurious and expensive (and tends to be more compact) whereas casual EDC can be more budget-friendly and harder use gear. One can always mix and match between those two sets of EDC gear depending on the occasion, too. Keep in mind that as one moves up in price, there are diminishing returns in performance. For casual EDC, $100-150 is about the sweet spot for a knife. For a watch, it ranges between $100 and $1000. For a flashlight, between $50 and $100. For a pen, between $50 and $100. Anything above those prices is only going to be for bragging, flexing, and flossing.
Most people are using their knife to open mail, packages, peel an apple or slice a tomato for their lunch. How much does one need to spend on a knife to accomplish those tasks well? I agree if you spend too much on a knife that you're unwilling to use then what's the point of having an expensive tool? This is the reason that I carry the $6.00 Gerber EAB Lite that takes the disposable utility razor blades. I use that for the mail and box opening tasks and anything that will normally gum or damage a blade. This preserves the edge on my regular EDC knife for other items. As of August 2018, there are lots of Chinese manufactures that are making some quite good quality knives in the $20 USD and less category (Ganzo, Sanremu, HX Outdoors). Sure they're using 440C steel or Sandvik 12c27 and not the latest and greatest super steels. At one point, not so long ago, 440C was considered a premium steel. So on these very budget and value proposition knives, if one has to spend a bit of time fixing minor grind and sharpness issues to get the knife to its optimum cutting performance, one is still way ahead on the cost carry curve. Speaking of Chinese knife makers, just look at what We Knives is producing quality wise at very fair price points.
"Skelton's in the Closet." Smooth. Like the Butterfly packet fluttering in during a review. For me, I think the curve is on a case-by-case basis. I wouldn't carry a $14 knife from the gas station or the mall, but a $14 model 0008 I would. Like you said, cost doesn't necessarily equal the best value for each user.
I recently discovered your channel because I wanted a nicer knife than my Tenacious that I have had for years. I have learned so much about knives. More importantly you have helped me understand human nature and the psychology of collecting and the EDC world in general. I think I knew a lot of these things in the back of my mind but you sum it up so well and have helped me think about what is important and what I actually enjoy about the hobby. Your videos have really impacted me and are helping me improve my life, and not just because I have a nicer knife now. Thank you Nick, and keep up the great work!
I just rolled the edge on my ZT0808 which I just spent 6 hours putting a mirrored edge on. If I buy it I will use it. If I don't use it often enough I sell it andbuy something I will use. I've been watching your videos for quite a while and see you have the same philosophy. I like high quality tools and I'm willing to spend the extra cash for them knowing they will outlast/outperform lower end stuff.
This was the second video I ever saw of yours and I'm glad it was. I believe it's both your ability & willingness to make videos that explain these very important areas of knife collecting that set's you apart from most of what I've experienced from other knife reviewers. I am only 2 years into collecting and I feel very fortunate to have someone like yourself share your experiences & understanding of this world with me. Thanks Nick One of my very favorite videos of yours.👌✌
I’ve never really spent big money on any single knife or watch. I’ve purchased several $200-300 knives and a few $400-700 watches. My most expensive watch was about $1,200 and I think my most expensive knife was right around $350 or $400. My Helson Shark Diver is the watch that I wear when I know I’m going to be getting dirty, jumping into a lake, going to the beach, etc. It’s the tank in my collection. I really baby my other watches and the Helson gets assigned all of the dirtier jobs, though I still have managed to keep it in excellent condition. When it comes to knives though, I have no problem carrying my most expensive knives in most situations but sometimes I might be a little reluctant to use them if I have a cheaper knife nearby. However, ever since I invested in a sharpening system and learned how to sharpen and reprofile my knives, I have noticed that I’m more willing to use my nicer knives much more often.
Great insights! I always appreciate hearing other collectors’ thinking processes on this crazy EDC hobby-it can so easily mess with a person’s logic and reason. It’s good to take a moment to contemplate these issues. Thanks!
Catching up on the vast offerings in your channel. Enjoyed this one immensely, a philosophy lesson buried among the rant. Well done sir. I think you are spot on here, its easy to continuously search for something better for the collection, but at some point it becomes something we won't use because of the cost (monetary, time spent to acquire, etc). Not going to question anyone else's value/priority system, and if you want to add "knife as art" to the collection, so be it. IMHO part of what makes a knife lies in its use. Great review, thanks again and keep 'em coming.
Nick your channel has quickly become one of, if not the best channel for knives and other gear. Your a great presenter and your wit cracks me up. "Skeltons in your closet" absolutely brilliant lol. This video was great, entertaining and very informative. I hope you stick with it. I will try my best to share and spread Your videos. Thank you! As far as my curve, I sold four of my favorite knives to fund my grail purchase, a shirogorov. It is the best knife I've ever handled and it's my prized possession. But it just sits in a drawer cuz I'm too scared to let it leave the house, let alone actually cut something with it. So it begs the question, what's the point? Pocket jewelry is great, but only works if it actually goes in the pocket. Guess I gotta but another so I can use one and have one for my collection. that's just insanity, yet I keep thinking about doing it lol.
+Scott Weakley Remember, you can always get another, for the right price. Buying one to keep and one to use is fine, but why not make the one you've got "the one to use"? I'm thinking of doing something similar with the Norseman, actually. If I could put funds together, I'd love to get a Damasteel Norseman as a "safe queen", and then carry my existing one more often. But at the same time, I have trouble justifying the cost for something pretty at home. I've owned one really nice custom fixed blade. It lived at home, and I'd admire it from time to time, but ultimately it just didn't make sense for me to own it, so I sold it.
I find that when knives are discontinued I don't want to carry them, or are produced in limited numbers (usually spyderco) I have a G10 delica and just love it, but damn, those aren't easy to find anymore, and I have like a dozen other delicas...none of which feel like the G10, wish theyd do another run
What a great clip, thank you. I’ve always been taught knives are tools and shouldn’t be kept in cabinets to be admired but to be used as they were intended to be. My 18th birthday present was a Hells Bell Bagwell Bowie which because the tang was to short and I was using it, so it broke, so my 21st birthday present was a 7” Randall made Bowie, I’ve used it until it can’t be sharpened any more and it’s been retired. No regrets nothing but knife using pleasure because that’s what I’ve been taught, however I respect anyone’s choices, it’s their hard earned money, they should be allowed to do what they want with their knives.
I completely agree with you Nick. I just put together my first EDC kit and tried really hard to get it right the first time. My Current carry: Olight M1X Striker Leatherman Skeletool CX Spyderco PM2 all black I love my EDC...I've only had the PM2 for a few weeks and couldn't believe I bought a $125.00 knife but the quality is there and I know I can rely on it day after day. But the over $100 for a knife makes me reluctant to use it..I find myself using the 154cm blade on the skeletool which handles most tasks with ease. Having a wife and 3 kids I consider my carry to be high end and would really be devastated to lose one of the three. But to be honest if I did lose one of them I would definitely replace with the exact same one because that's what I'm comfortable with.
Makes sense Nick....inherent to the curve is to know why you are buying things....I'm trying to incorporate my more expensive knives into my EDC rotation (which isn't too terrifying because most top out at a practical price point of about $200.00 ) ...
+TantoFan Agreed. When he does go "downmarket", he speaks truth. My only real objection is that he usually mentions the good and omits the bad. Makes him a great reviewer for Knifemakers, but not as helpful for people thinking of making buying choices. His reviews are great for "Oh, I didn't think about how that's awesome", but aren't reviews in the classical sense.
Nick Shabazz Yeah, you want brutal honesty, you go to ApostleP ;-) Jim ignores some really glaring flaws you see right in his videos. But if they don't bother him.. that is his business. You have your brutal moments too of course.
I don't know if they don't bother him. He's got his head screwed on right. It's more like he's a fan of "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all". Again, it's why he gets loans from the makers and the shops, but I get loans from the gear geeks. Makers want marketing, gearheads want fact.
For me it's more what I'm gonna be doing in a day. If I have a pretty good expectation of a normal office day I'll take my 940-2. If I'm in going to the range I might only take my Gerber 25$ multitool with a beater like my Gerber paraframe 15 dollar knife. If I'm going to the field for a month or probably take my Gerber and rat-1 cause it's affordable hard use. I'm sure most people think about it a little but since there is more variance in my day to day work activities than many others I figured I'd post
Yeah for me, I just got into quality blades, just picked up the ZT 0562, wow what quality!! So happy I did it's great for tasks at work, I'm in construction. I have ZT 0909 arriving tomorrow, couldn't pass up the deal on it. Happy carrying everyone!!!
Well the PM2 is my most expensive knife yet and that's probably the maximum I'll spend on others in the future. I look at them like tools, so ease of use, carry-ability and maintenance are important. So the top of my curve might be 120-150 bucks.
As a fountain pen fanatic who is recently getting into knives, this curve is completely accurate. Having been years into the hobby, my edc is a $100 pilot VP, which I saved up a bit for. I've learned that if I'm not willing to carry it regularly or find a use for it as a non-decorative item, I don't want it. This is leading to some interesting conclusions, but my EDC is a microtech ultratech hellhound, and I'm planning on getting a Swisstool XAVT to throw in my bag since I figure I will get a large amount of use from these things.
1:43 so true! Someone will always say ”you can afford a little more”. But the thing is - this purchase 10 things and think that way every time it’ll be a lot
A great to thing hear coming into collecting/EDCing. I am just getting started, looking for my first knife and this is just perfect advice for anyone getting into this arena. Thanks Nick
My point is at 130-150 USD. Fair price for really good knives i can use every day, deteriorate them, break or lose and it wouldnt hurt me so much. 200$+ knives i tend to use as toys at home ;) i just dont want to break or lose them
Great video Nick. I too have that rule of not buying anything I won't carry. I don't have a problem with people who do, but I am an accidental collector because of it. Anyway take care, nice video.
Sometimes things get a lot more expensive later, too... I bought it at a comfortable price, but can't possibly replace it at a comfortable price, later. A new safe queen is born. (My curve for this skews pretty far to the left compared to yours, too, I bet!) This is a very good presentation. Like most every video on this channel!
Again firing on all cylinders! I agree with your curve and how it depends on the situation of the person. Treating the knife as a tool that will get used up at some point is how I try to treat my tools. With that said, enjoying the tool and wanting to keep it as is makes decisions on higher end knives difficult to justify, but knowing the limitations of lesser materials keeps lower end stuff out of my hands. Options like the delica, native and so on get carried more often because of their cost and quality. With that said, I was in the category of thinking crkt was the best I could do at the time. All in all, I try to learn to enjoy what I can afford and use, understand the limitations of each value knife and try my best to make appropriate decisions for my self!
Fantastic video and so true. My center arc is about 150.00 and I have a Spyderco Rubicon that I love to handle and play with but have never "used it" because I'm afraid to put a scratch on it.
Yeah I agree with this. I remember when I started off with a Spyderco Tenacious. It was nice and did everything that I needed it to, but when I got the Paramilitary 2, I carried it a lot more and it was a joy to use and my Tenacious just sat in a drawer. It's sad, but that's just reality as your upgrade.
Great video!! I can totally relate. I've been buying higher end knives for about 10 years. My curve is pretty close to yours for the knives. For my EDC knives day in and out it's one of the following: Delica zdp189, standard BM Griptilian , ZT 0808, (this was my first and only ZT and has quickly become my all time favorite knife after carrying it for 10 months), Lionsteel TM1 (but it's almost too big for EDC) so... I recently sold a couple knives on the forums and purchased a Reate Horizon CF in M390 ($400). I bought it for the blade steel but haven't used it!! I've carried it a bunch but it's almost like I don't want to scratch the blade by using it for whatever EDC task may come it's way. As far as watches go I wear a Archimede outdoor black every single day when I get off work and all weekend. While at work I wear a $160 Bertucci just because it's so light. I've been looking at an IWC pilot mark XVIII ($4000) if I get it I'll tell you now I'd wear it often!!! Great video. Thanks!!
I guess I'm still pretty low on the curve after a couple years. My midpoint is around $30-50 with stuff like the Kershaw Skyline, Victorinox Explorer, super tinker, Mercator Cat. I recently splurged on a Spyderco Chaparral, so we'll see how that goes. I have yet to ever spend more than $100 on a knife, but maybe something like a TRM Neutron 2 would be a grail knife for me. I have definitely gotten rid of a couple junky Schrades and others from when I started out, but even some inexpensive knives like my Opinel are perfectly fine to me for some uses.
you know I found you on here like a month ago I was reluctant to sub at first but your making sense bud !!!!!! I never broke it down like that BUT a huge part of my knife sensation truly is 40 years down the road a big factor for me is I wanna pass my collection on to my kids whether it be 100$ knife or a 600$ knife kinda have to assume in 40 years that 100$ knife will go up in value I hope lol keep making vids Nick!!!!
Great video as usual Nick! I'm normally an "EDC tool user" that wants a good combination of quality and durability and cost effectiveness but hadn't ever taken my thought process to the degree of formalization you just have. Thinking about your CCC system, I have different curves for different items (a knife might have its CCC peak at $200 or a watch $1000 for me). And you are perfectly correct, the location on the curve has a big influence on how often its carried. I've recently been considering some higher end watches, well to the right on the curve and have been struggling with "could I be comfortable routinely carrying something worth that much?" Your video helps crystalize those thoughts. So thanks!
+Jim Boutilier Somehow, watches feel different here. Partly because it can't "fall out of your pocket". And maybe because society accepts expensive watches. But this is definitely true. I was handling a Rolex GMT-Master today, and it's really nice, but yeah, the CCC is all wrong for me. Glad to help!
I love this video! For me, with knives theres one other factor. Ease of sharpening! some knives are easier then others to get razor sharp and if a knife has caused me frustration to get sharp I won't be as likely to carry it once it is sharp. I don't want to dull what takes me an hour to fix when I have others that can be sharpened in 20 minutes.
Very interesting, how about days of enjoyment (usage) against dollars spent, then maybe deduct resale value? I bought an IWC mk12 in the 90,s I wear it as a beater on a NATO strap, goes on construction sites, had a few character marks and dings, but given me 1000's of enjoyment days, and is still virtually worth what I paid for it. I had it fixed a couple of times and consentrate on wearing it everywhere. Same could go for a high end knife, use it and gain days of enjoyment rather than minutes as a safe queen you are not so attached to? Some items need to be given a life?
+Simon Feeney Long term durability definitely plays a role. It makes more sense to spend $1000 on something you'll use for 20 years, rather than something that'll be dead or outmoded in two.
Great video. To some extent you gotta buy something that you can afford to lose or damage, so that you're not too scared to use it. I also consider the cost per usage. If I'm using an item 300 days per year over 5 years, it's worth to splurge if it makes me enjoy it a bit more each time. But if I'm buying something just to use for "fancy occasions" like 1 time per year, a $100 item is gonna cost me $10 per usage over a decade - not worth it.
Started at 100-200-300USD is highest i can "beat up", But I really love Chris reeve ti-lock and i do carry in leather sheath. And of course I carry 2nd knife i can use for anything, Which is CRKT Jettison compact(30USD)
great video (though an old one at this point) My personal budget is low, so i favor low cost knives. I've carried a RAT 2 for about 6 years now b/c A: its a great knife for my needs and B: I have no stress at all about losing or damaging it. That lack of stress is part of what makes it such a great tool, I use it for everything, beat on it mercilessly b/c i can replace it for next to nothing.
Great EDC philosophy video! I know my curve hits pretty low (I'm young and don't have a job at the moment) so I know right now, my Ontario R2D2 is one hell of a knife that I'm totally fine beating on but also take the time to sharpen it up. I would probably go up to about $100 for a knife or multitool but for other things like a watch, probably only about $30 because they're not that important to me.
Great rant. Personally, my curve started far to the left but with time and experience it has moved gradually to the right. How far it creeps is hard to foresee but I still don’t expect any $200 purchases, I just don’t get that much use/pleasure out of any knife
I feel im most comfortable around the 100 dollar range currently im carrying a rovy von A24 titanium flashlight a bigideadesign ti arto with a mont blanc amethyst rollerball refill a little waterproof pocket note pad a titanium keybar grey fabric card carrier looking at getting a leather one thats like 75 bucks and a ontario rat 1 D2 im looking at flytanium scales (when im not working) im also looking into a leather pocket organizer that can fit the note pad pen flash and knife
the value proposition is huge as well, im still mad about buying a manix 2 lw at $100, but my zt 0452 is one of my favorite knives and has a great value to me at $250.
I think the statistical outliers may be the most interesting actually. I would say the peak of my curve is somewhere around $300, and yet my Rockstead (which is well above my normal price range) has gotten the most carry of any knife since I got it in late January.
+Misanthropia I have a Rockstead CHI ($940) on the way now. I waited months for them to make more of them. It will be my most expensive knife and I plan to EDC it. That being said I seem to never carry my Devilliers. And the Reate/Rike knives have thrown a huge wrench into this cost/carry curve for a lot of people ( in a good way). I have three Reate knives and they were my favorites by far to EDC, until I got my ZT 0456. I don't care very much for the crazy "blingy" stuff, and I have pretty much avoided the sub-$200 world. The statistical outliers may be the most interesting thing about collecting actually, because they highlight where your passions are. My grail is the Rockstead SHUN (that I would never likely spring for). And the top of my GET list now are probably a Rogovets (not a blingy one) and maybe a Medford.
Agreed on the outliers being interesting. My Norseman and NeOn get pocket time where other $600 knives never would, but there are some $400 knives which feel "too pricy". Go figure.
I try to keep the curve to where it just stops at the peak. Once i decide how much i can afford, i start to look for things that are useful as well as useable. Dont get me wrong, i love art and i love craftsmanship. But if its something that im afraid to use because of the cost or because i cant bear to lose or damage, then im looking for something else. I recently inherited a custom joe kious dagger thats worth probably around 1200 bucks. Beautiful knife, very special to me. But it sits in my closet because im afraid to even look at the damn thing too much.
I carried a Tenacious for a year before getting a PM2, best decision i made, since my cost carry curve went up, I've since bought a Benchmade Osborne 940 and love it and switch between carrying those two. i plan to get a Chris Reeve Mnandi and edc that, i have a rule where i wont buy something super expensive and baby it, it'll be put to use, within reason.
Saw a review for a Norsemen the other day where the guy was wearing latex gloves to handle the knife, not kidding. Good example of what you're talking about here I believe.
+jeff goodyear LOL, somebody went *way* too far up the curve. I might not cut paper on a concrete floor with mine, but damnit, it's a solid chunk of Ti and Steel built for durability. You're not going to hurt it with body oils.
I've been wanting a Sebenza for a while now but it would only reside at my office desk (I don't have HR to worry about). It wouldn't be a safe queen but I wouldn't carry it at all because it's to the right of this curve.
+Ian Medina The Sebenza's a good example of this. I've heard a lot of people say things like "It's a really great knife and I like it a lot, but I can't see being $350 into it." Particularly when there are other really high quality knives at lower prices, every single thing CRK makes is troubled by the CCCC. They're great, but relatively few of them (the TiLock reaches this for me) are greater than their price is bad.
I totally want a PM2, but I know I wouldn't carry it for fear of losing or breaking it. I suck at sharpening, so that would wreck it too. And the PM2 is waaayyyy more knife than I need. My plain jane delica serves me just fine.
Been kinda thinking about buying Leatherman Wave for my work. Been carrying TTi for a long time and it kinda starts to show in that tool, used it maybe 5000 times. Now my curve has changed so that I want to go cheaper to save up the TTi. Then again it doesn't make any sense, as I'm planning to use more money to save something that isn't THAT much more valuable. Human mind is a knot that no one can ever untie.
+Nick Shabazz I'm kinda afraid of the knife steel of the Wave, since I don't EDC separate blade. But as I am kinda lacking in money department I would like to save TTi for home/free time use only, and not ruin it in my work.
Great video Nick! It really got me thinking! I have kind of a really lopsided curve, because the more expensive knifes tend to be bigger and I can't carry them anyway because of law things. I do have knifes way right to my Delica, but just like to have them and use them in the forrest (when I'm there). I guess I'm okay not using them daily, but if I did I think I probably got more expensive ones. I'm eyeballing the 940, PM2 and much more to buy, but that's a bit too much to not use :-)
Buy good, buy once is the old adage, got one fridge, one car but at least 50 knives over £100 a few gems, well there all gems to me. I have started giving some away as gifts to appreciative buddys but still buy more as I am a bloke that likes good knives, crazy aint it.
My EDC budget always depend upon what will create an impression. I like to spend more on my watches, pens, wallets, bags which I would bring in front of people and those would create an impression about my personality. But other than these I would like to choose more affordable options.
I won't buy anything I won't carry. Usually starting around $60 and ending around $250. Past that and I'll be hesitant to use it and so I can't really justify it in my mind.
Prefer traditional knives and there's the ''pretty'' factor there too, some knives are just too pretty to take out like the Taylor's Eye Witness premier knives or some of the higher end French stuff and it's a big life decision to become a ''fondler'', you just take the knife out of the box, occasionally fondling it, do you want to be that guy?
the curve.... the 50% rule 25 on either side. for me, my guide is no more than 2 hours gross wages for any one item (center of curve) consider your EDC: cash carry, flashlight, handkerchief (bandana), knife, lighter, multitool, pen, etc. how much $$$ are you carrying and how easy to replace if something happens. I prefer the Rat2 (under $30) over the CKRT Drifter (under $20) I prefer the SAK Harvester (in my line of work) over the smaller dime or squirt types A leatherman Wingman over a Wave. Tools that can do the job without big investments.... or another way to look at this is how many ounces of silver does this cost. for $100... 5 ounces of silver or the Sage, or instead buy a Skyline and 3 ounces of silver or a Dragonfly 2 and 2 ounces silver. I would rather pass down silver/gold than a knife... a knife is a tool to be used.
Interesting perspective, I have a table saw, knife and arrowhead that I got from my grandfather, total street value? $50 for me priceless. If I had gotten 10oz of silver or gold no doubly would have spent it. Money doesn't have stories, I can always get more money.
Yogi Lilly Im in college and i carry a zt0450cf and a 0562cf every day, one in each pocket, i wish i could carry my cf rat 1, but it feels too cheap for me, that being said i barely have any money in my bank account lol
+Nick Shabazz Jim Skelton is a collector of very high end custom knives, and he's exactly the kind of guy you mentioned where he has no issue carrying expensive gear, at least to my understanding. When you said "skeletons in the closet," it sounded like "skeltons," which would have been a funny pun
+Daniel Kompolt Hah, nope, well aware of Jim's work, he's one of the best (albeit optimistic) custom reviewers out there. Good God do I wish I had his funding...
what I think really matters is if you use the knife. I see pictures of people holding a nice custom on IG all the time but I never see pictures of them being used or looking used...
+EDC_PLUS Some of us don't actually use a knife more than a few times a day, and never really hit "hard use". I agree, it's great to see a custom used and loved, but at least for me, carrying it is half the love :D
My knife price range is from like 40 to 260 Watch range is 30-50 And my pens... well a pen it a pen and I just use the pilot g-2 pens that r like $2 a peice
Clever, but it does not apply all the time. I am not new to the "knife game", but watching my consumer behaviour i realised that I cannot justify spending more than 25€ on a folder. That's why I usually buy used. So that is where my peak shoud lie. Although I have crossed the line several times (GEC). I have a few knives aroud that pricepoint but it is still 14,50€ Victorinox Sportsman that gets almost all the pocket time. No mather what the price, other knives are just too bulky and do not have the function I need daily. So when I press myself to cary something else, I usualy miss something on that bloody knife.
I agree 100%. I've been bitten and thankfully was able to flip them and get my money back and that's something that's more exclusive with your high ends too. If you buy a $60 Delica and carry it a month and decide to sell it, you probably won't make your $60 back because the market is flush with them and why would I pay $60 for a used knife when a brand new one is also $60? Well, on the high end guys, they are rarer and not as many are available and there is s higher likelihood I'll sell my $500 high end for close to the money I paid of its in great shape. So my chances of a successful flip after getting bit are higher if I go high end.
Great video Nick! I can relate as I also won't buy something I won't carry or use. I guess my curves are different depending on the category. My knife vs watch vs pen curves will differ but ultimately I have limits as to how much I'm willing to spend on each. But with that said - if someone GAVE me a Rockstead, would I carry and use it as much as one of my current EDCs? Oh hell yes I would! Oh and since you brought it up in your video - would I wear a fauxlex? Absolutely not. If I cannot afford the real thing I won't go around pretending I can afford one. Some people are okay with that, I'm not. This goes for buying any kind of knockoffs - I just can't do it.
+Luc Albert I wouldn't wear a fake Rolex, for sure. But I don't have problems with a good quality design homage (like the Steinharts). Then again, I would prefer something unique and high quality in its own right. And a real gem is an item with all the function and quality of a Rolex, but with a unique design without the price bump caused by the brand name. I'm looking into it :)
+Nick Shabazz Oh totally! I love the looks and would wear a Steinhart, Glycine, Squale, etc.. although I'm more of a fan of watches with full Arabic numerals - like Marathon GSAR/JDD and Fortis B-42
i always think,can i replace it if i loose it.for a randall attack survival you have to wait 5 years to get one.if i loose mine i go kill myself.so i rather carry a spyderco para 3 or a benchmade 940.
Where do I lie on the curve?
Well when you flipped out that Tenacious and said "I wouldn't carry it" I looked at the one I was fiddling with in my hand and thought "man, this is my favorite knife I own." I don't have a source of income (being a jobless teenager trying to do well in school) and I couldn't buy much more than this with my own money. It's the peak of my collection right now, and I love it, even with all of its imperfections.
If I could get a more expensive knife, I'd carry it, but for now my curve is shifted way over to the left
You prolly dont care but does anyone know of a trick to log back into an instagram account..?
I was stupid lost my login password. I would love any tips you can give me
@Ira Jose Instablaster ;)
How's the collection going now? Any changes over three years?
@@peteg22397 Oh boy the collection is totally different. That tenacious is long gone, I traded it with my dad. I'd say the current highlights are my WE Pleroma and Arrakis, ZT 0562ti, and Esee 4HM
@@holdonasec3266 Those are some cracking knives, congrats dude. Glad to hear you gave in to the sickness like the rest of us do!
Don't remember hiw many times I've watched this video, it's just so good.👌
Great, i really dont know why you dont have more subscribers, excellent review, camera, script. Really great job Nick, all the best to you and keep a pls keep chanel alive at least for few of us.
+SK9Wolf7 I appreciate the kind words! Feel free to share this around if you're loving it :)
@@NickShabazz looking back on this comment must be pretty cool
@@tee918 even more now.
My rule of thumb is to have two sets of EDC gear: one that I would use for occasions when I am wearing a suit and one that I would use for all other occasions. Formal EDC gear can be a little more luxurious and expensive (and tends to be more compact) whereas casual EDC can be more budget-friendly and harder use gear. One can always mix and match between those two sets of EDC gear depending on the occasion, too. Keep in mind that as one moves up in price, there are diminishing returns in performance. For casual EDC, $100-150 is about the sweet spot for a knife. For a watch, it ranges between $100 and $1000. For a flashlight, between $50 and $100. For a pen, between $50 and $100. Anything above those prices is only going to be for bragging, flexing, and flossing.
Most people are using their knife to open mail, packages, peel an apple or slice a tomato for their lunch. How much does one need to spend on a knife to accomplish those tasks well? I agree if you spend too much on a knife that you're unwilling to use then what's the point of having an expensive tool? This is the reason that I carry the $6.00 Gerber EAB Lite that takes the disposable utility razor blades. I use that for the mail and box opening tasks and anything that will normally gum or damage a blade. This preserves the edge on my regular EDC knife for other items.
As of August 2018, there are lots of Chinese manufactures that are making some quite good quality knives in the $20 USD and less category (Ganzo, Sanremu, HX Outdoors). Sure they're using 440C steel or Sandvik 12c27 and not the latest and greatest super steels. At one point, not so long ago, 440C was considered a premium steel. So on these very budget and value proposition knives, if one has to spend a bit of time fixing minor grind and sharpness issues to get the knife to its optimum cutting performance, one is still way ahead on the cost carry curve.
Speaking of Chinese knife makers, just look at what We Knives is producing quality wise at very fair price points.
"Skelton's in the Closet." Smooth. Like the Butterfly packet fluttering in during a review.
For me, I think the curve is on a case-by-case basis. I wouldn't carry a $14 knife from the gas station or the mall, but a $14 model 0008 I would. Like you said, cost doesn't necessarily equal the best value for each user.
$400-600 watch. $150-200 knife. $40-50 pen, $50-80 light
I recently discovered your channel because I wanted a nicer knife than my Tenacious that I have had for years. I have learned so much about knives. More importantly you have helped me understand human nature and the psychology of collecting and the EDC world in general. I think I knew a lot of these things in the back of my mind but you sum it up so well and have helped me think about what is important and what I actually enjoy about the hobby. Your videos have really impacted me and are helping me improve my life, and not just because I have a nicer knife now. Thank you Nick, and keep up the great work!
I just rolled the edge on my ZT0808 which I just spent 6 hours putting a mirrored edge on. If I buy it I will use it. If I don't use it often enough I sell it andbuy something I will use. I've been watching your videos for quite a while and see you have the same philosophy. I like high quality tools and I'm willing to spend the extra cash for them knowing they will outlast/outperform lower end stuff.
This was the second video I ever saw of yours and I'm glad it was. I believe it's both your ability & willingness to make videos that explain these very important areas of knife collecting that set's you apart from most of what I've experienced from other knife reviewers. I am only 2 years into collecting and I feel very fortunate to have someone like yourself share your experiences & understanding of this world with me. Thanks Nick One of my very favorite videos of yours.👌✌
I’ve never really spent big money on any single knife or watch. I’ve purchased several $200-300 knives and a few $400-700 watches. My most expensive watch was about $1,200 and I think my most expensive knife was right around $350 or $400.
My Helson Shark Diver is the watch that I wear when I know I’m going to be getting dirty, jumping into a lake, going to the beach, etc. It’s the tank in my collection. I really baby my other watches and the Helson gets assigned all of the dirtier jobs, though I still have managed to keep it in excellent condition.
When it comes to knives though, I have no problem carrying my most expensive knives in most situations but sometimes I might be a little reluctant to use them if I have a cheaper knife nearby. However, ever since I invested in a sharpening system and learned how to sharpen and reprofile my knives, I have noticed that I’m more willing to use my nicer knives much more often.
Great insights! I always appreciate hearing other collectors’ thinking processes on this crazy EDC hobby-it can so easily mess with a person’s logic and reason. It’s good to take a moment to contemplate these issues. Thanks!
How to be a smart and conscious consumer 101... Excellent Nick!
What an intelligent approach.. Thanks for this!
Catching up on the vast offerings in your channel. Enjoyed this one immensely, a philosophy lesson buried among the rant. Well done sir. I think you are spot on here, its easy to continuously search for something better for the collection, but at some point it becomes something we won't use because of the cost (monetary, time spent to acquire, etc). Not going to question anyone else's value/priority system, and if you want to add "knife as art" to the collection, so be it. IMHO part of what makes a knife lies in its use. Great review, thanks again and keep 'em coming.
Nick your channel has quickly become one of, if not the best channel for knives and other gear. Your a great presenter and your wit cracks me up. "Skeltons in your closet" absolutely brilliant lol. This video was great, entertaining and very informative. I hope you stick with it. I will try my best to share and spread Your videos. Thank you!
As far as my curve, I sold four of my favorite knives to fund my grail purchase, a shirogorov. It is the best knife I've ever handled and it's my prized possession. But it just sits in a drawer cuz I'm too scared to let it leave the house, let alone actually cut something with it. So it begs the question, what's the point? Pocket jewelry is great, but only works if it actually goes in the pocket. Guess I gotta but another so I can use one and have one for my collection. that's just insanity, yet I keep thinking about doing it lol.
+Scott Weakley Remember, you can always get another, for the right price. Buying one to keep and one to use is fine, but why not make the one you've got "the one to use"?
I'm thinking of doing something similar with the Norseman, actually. If I could put funds together, I'd love to get a Damasteel Norseman as a "safe queen", and then carry my existing one more often. But at the same time, I have trouble justifying the cost for something pretty at home. I've owned one really nice custom fixed blade. It lived at home, and I'd admire it from time to time, but ultimately it just didn't make sense for me to own it, so I sold it.
I find that when knives are discontinued I don't want to carry them, or are produced in limited numbers (usually spyderco) I have a G10 delica and just love it, but damn, those aren't easy to find anymore, and I have like a dozen other delicas...none of which feel like the G10, wish theyd do another run
+RealBushMonkey "Irreplaceable" isn't a great situation for carry, for sure!
Discontinued doesn't mean rare, collectable or unobtainable.
Thank you for your guidance.. Much appreciated, Nick.
What a great clip, thank you. I’ve always been taught knives are tools and shouldn’t be kept in cabinets to be admired but to be used as they were intended to be. My 18th birthday present was a Hells Bell Bagwell Bowie which because the tang was to short and I was using it, so it broke, so my 21st birthday present was a 7” Randall made Bowie, I’ve used it until it can’t be sharpened any more and it’s been retired. No regrets nothing but knife using pleasure because that’s what I’ve been taught, however I respect anyone’s choices, it’s their hard earned money, they should be allowed to do what they want with their knives.
I completely agree with you Nick. I just put together my first EDC kit and tried really hard to get it right the first time.
My Current carry:
Olight M1X Striker
Leatherman Skeletool CX
Spyderco PM2 all black
I love my EDC...I've only had the PM2 for a few weeks and couldn't believe I bought a $125.00 knife but the quality is there and I know I can rely on it day after day. But the over $100 for a knife makes me reluctant to use it..I find myself using the 154cm blade on the skeletool which handles most tasks with ease. Having a wife and 3 kids I consider my carry to be high end and would really be devastated to lose one of the three. But to be honest if I did lose one of them I would definitely replace with the exact same one because that's what I'm comfortable with.
Makes sense Nick....inherent to the curve is to know why you are buying things....I'm trying to incorporate my more expensive knives into my EDC rotation (which isn't too terrifying because most top out at a practical price point of about $200.00 ) ...
Great video.. I appreciate this way of looking at things. Wish you had more views and more people on board with this.
I have to credit skeleton for not being a total snob. With his collection he still gives respect where it's due, regardless of cost.
+TantoFan Agreed. When he does go "downmarket", he speaks truth. My only real objection is that he usually mentions the good and omits the bad. Makes him a great reviewer for Knifemakers, but not as helpful for people thinking of making buying choices. His reviews are great for "Oh, I didn't think about how that's awesome", but aren't reviews in the classical sense.
Nick Shabazz Yeah, you want brutal honesty, you go to ApostleP ;-) Jim ignores some really glaring flaws you see right in his videos. But if they don't bother him.. that is his business. You have your brutal moments too of course.
I don't know if they don't bother him. He's got his head screwed on right. It's more like he's a fan of "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all". Again, it's why he gets loans from the makers and the shops, but I get loans from the gear geeks. Makers want marketing, gearheads want fact.
who is skeleton man?
For me it's more what I'm gonna be doing in a day. If I have a pretty good expectation of a normal office day I'll take my 940-2. If I'm in going to the range I might only take my Gerber 25$ multitool with a beater like my Gerber paraframe 15 dollar knife. If I'm going to the field for a month or probably take my Gerber and rat-1 cause it's affordable hard use. I'm sure most people think about it a little but since there is more variance in my day to day work activities than many others I figured I'd post
Yeah for me, I just got into quality blades, just picked up the ZT 0562, wow what quality!! So happy I did it's great for tasks at work, I'm in construction. I have ZT 0909 arriving tomorrow, couldn't pass up the deal on it. Happy carrying everyone!!!
Great points. This is something I think a great deal about while I consider a watch purchase.
Well the PM2 is my most expensive knife yet and that's probably the maximum I'll spend on others in the future. I look at them like tools, so ease of use, carry-ability and maintenance are important. So the top of my curve might be 120-150 bucks.
As a fountain pen fanatic who is recently getting into knives, this curve is completely accurate. Having been years into the hobby, my edc is a $100 pilot VP, which I saved up a bit for. I've learned that if I'm not willing to carry it regularly or find a use for it as a non-decorative item, I don't want it. This is leading to some interesting conclusions, but my EDC is a microtech ultratech hellhound, and I'm planning on getting a Swisstool XAVT to throw in my bag since I figure I will get a large amount of use from these things.
1:43 so true! Someone will always say ”you can afford a little more”.
But the thing is - this purchase 10 things and think that way every time it’ll be a lot
A great to thing hear coming into collecting/EDCing. I am just getting started, looking for my first knife and this is just perfect advice for anyone getting into this arena. Thanks Nick
My point is at 130-150 USD. Fair price for really good knives i can use every day, deteriorate them, break or lose and it wouldnt hurt me so much.
200$+ knives i tend to use as toys at home ;) i just dont want to break or lose them
Great video Nick. I too have that rule of not buying anything I won't carry. I don't have a problem with people who do, but I am an accidental collector because of it. Anyway take care, nice video.
+Nolan Carpenter Yep, me too. The hobby's expensive enough that I can't afford to keep stuff locked away in a safe!
Knives and standard diviaions. Doesn't get EDC nerdier than that. I loved it👍
Sometimes things get a lot more expensive later, too... I bought it at a comfortable price, but can't possibly replace it at a comfortable price, later. A new safe queen is born. (My curve for this skews pretty far to the left compared to yours, too, I bet!)
This is a very good presentation. Like most every video on this channel!
Again firing on all cylinders! I agree with your curve and how it depends on the situation of the person. Treating the knife as a tool that will get used up at some point is how I try to treat my tools. With that said, enjoying the tool and wanting to keep it as is makes decisions on higher end knives difficult to justify, but knowing the limitations of lesser materials keeps lower end stuff out of my hands. Options like the delica, native and so on get carried more often because of their cost and quality. With that said, I was in the category of thinking crkt was the best I could do at the time. All in all, I try to learn to enjoy what I can afford and use, understand the limitations of each value knife and try my best to make appropriate decisions for my self!
Fantastic video and so true. My center arc is about 150.00 and I have a Spyderco Rubicon that I love to handle and play with but have never "used it" because I'm afraid to put a scratch on it.
Yeah I agree with this. I remember when I started off with a Spyderco Tenacious. It was nice and did everything that I needed it to, but when I got the Paramilitary 2, I carried it a lot more and it was a joy to use and my Tenacious just sat in a drawer. It's sad, but that's just reality as your upgrade.
Great video!! I can totally relate. I've been buying higher end knives for about 10 years. My curve is pretty close to yours for the knives. For my EDC knives day in and out it's one of the following: Delica zdp189, standard BM Griptilian , ZT 0808, (this was my first and only ZT and has quickly become my all time favorite knife after carrying it for 10 months), Lionsteel TM1 (but it's almost too big for EDC) so... I recently sold a couple knives on the forums and purchased a Reate Horizon CF in M390 ($400). I bought it for the blade steel but haven't used it!! I've carried it a bunch but it's almost like I don't want to scratch the blade by using it for whatever EDC task may come it's way. As far as watches go I wear a Archimede outdoor black every single day when I get off work and all weekend. While at work I wear a $160 Bertucci just because it's so light. I've been looking at an IWC pilot mark XVIII ($4000) if I get it I'll tell you now I'd wear it often!!! Great video. Thanks!!
GREAT points made! Thank you for this video Nick!
I guess I'm still pretty low on the curve after a couple years. My midpoint is around $30-50 with stuff like the Kershaw Skyline, Victorinox Explorer, super tinker, Mercator Cat. I recently splurged on a Spyderco Chaparral, so we'll see how that goes. I have yet to ever spend more than $100 on a knife, but maybe something like a TRM Neutron 2 would be a grail knife for me. I have definitely gotten rid of a couple junky Schrades and others from when I started out, but even some inexpensive knives like my Opinel are perfectly fine to me for some uses.
you know I found you on here like a month ago I was reluctant to sub at first but your making sense bud !!!!!! I never broke it down like that BUT a huge part of my knife sensation truly is 40 years down the road a big factor for me is I wanna pass my collection on to my kids whether it be 100$ knife or a 600$ knife kinda have to assume in 40 years that 100$ knife will go up in value I hope lol keep making vids Nick!!!!
I typically don't carry knives over 200 dollars. My 2 edc knives are my pm2 and delica
Great video as usual Nick! I'm normally an "EDC tool user" that wants a good combination of quality and durability and cost effectiveness but hadn't ever taken my thought process to the degree of formalization you just have. Thinking about your CCC system, I have different curves for different items (a knife might have its CCC peak at $200 or a watch $1000 for me). And you are perfectly correct, the location on the curve has a big influence on how often its carried. I've recently been considering some higher end watches, well to the right on the curve and have been struggling with "could I be comfortable routinely carrying something worth that much?" Your video helps crystalize those thoughts. So thanks!
+Jim Boutilier Somehow, watches feel different here. Partly because it can't "fall out of your pocket". And maybe because society accepts expensive watches. But this is definitely true. I was handling a Rolex GMT-Master today, and it's really nice, but yeah, the CCC is all wrong for me.
Glad to help!
Thanx for your insight
It's the light pm3 for me now.
I love this video! For me, with knives theres one other factor. Ease of sharpening! some knives are easier then others to get razor sharp and if a knife has caused me frustration to get sharp I won't be as likely to carry it once it is sharp. I don't want to dull what takes me an hour to fix when I have others that can be sharpened in 20 minutes.
I got the dis. Skeleton in the closet. Nice work. Love your point of view. U got a subscriber.
Very interesting, how about days of enjoyment (usage) against dollars spent, then maybe deduct resale value? I bought an IWC mk12 in the 90,s I wear it as a beater on a NATO strap, goes on construction sites, had a few character marks and dings, but given me 1000's of enjoyment days, and is still virtually worth what I paid for it. I had it fixed a couple of times and consentrate on wearing it everywhere. Same could go for a high end knife, use it and gain days of enjoyment rather than minutes as a safe queen you are not so attached to? Some items need to be given a life?
+Simon Feeney Long term durability definitely plays a role. It makes more sense to spend $1000 on something you'll use for 20 years, rather than something that'll be dead or outmoded in two.
You hit it on the spot Nick. Great video
Great video. To some extent you gotta buy something that you can afford to lose or damage, so that you're not too scared to use it.
I also consider the cost per usage. If I'm using an item 300 days per year over 5 years, it's worth to splurge if it makes me enjoy it a bit more each time. But if I'm buying something just to use for "fancy occasions" like 1 time per year, a $100 item is gonna cost me $10 per usage over a decade - not worth it.
Started at 100-200-300USD is highest i can "beat up", But I really love Chris reeve ti-lock and i do carry in leather sheath.
And of course I carry 2nd knife i can use for anything, Which is CRKT Jettison compact(30USD)
great video (though an old one at this point) My personal budget is low, so i favor low cost knives. I've carried a RAT 2 for about 6 years now b/c A: its a great knife for my needs and B: I have no stress at all about losing or damaging it. That lack of stress is part of what makes it such a great tool, I use it for everything, beat on it mercilessly b/c i can replace it for next to nothing.
Great EDC philosophy video! I know my curve hits pretty low (I'm young and don't have a job at the moment) so I know right now, my Ontario R2D2 is one hell of a knife that I'm totally fine beating on but also take the time to sharpen it up. I would probably go up to about $100 for a knife or multitool but for other things like a watch, probably only about $30 because they're not that important to me.
Very good points made here. So true.
Great rant. Personally, my curve started far to the left but with time and experience it has moved gradually to the right. How far it creeps is hard to foresee but I still don’t expect any $200 purchases, I just don’t get that much use/pleasure out of any knife
I feel im most comfortable around the 100 dollar range currently im carrying a rovy von A24 titanium flashlight a bigideadesign ti arto with a mont blanc amethyst rollerball refill a little waterproof pocket note pad a titanium keybar grey fabric card carrier looking at getting a leather one thats like 75 bucks and a ontario rat 1 D2 im looking at flytanium scales (when im not working) im also looking into a leather pocket organizer that can fit the note pad pen flash and knife
the value proposition is huge as well, im still mad about buying a manix 2 lw at $100, but my zt 0452 is one of my favorite knives and has a great value to me at $250.
I think the statistical outliers may be the most interesting actually. I would say the peak of my curve is somewhere around $300, and yet my Rockstead (which is well above my normal price range) has gotten the most carry of any knife since I got it in late January.
+Misanthropia Agreed! The TiLock is similar for me, way outside my comfort zone, but so damned nice that I carry it anyways.
+Misanthropia I have a Rockstead CHI ($940) on the way now. I waited months for them to make more of them. It will be my most expensive knife and I plan to EDC it. That being said I seem to never carry my Devilliers. And the Reate/Rike knives have thrown a huge wrench into this cost/carry curve for a lot of people ( in a good way). I have three Reate knives and they were my favorites by far to EDC, until I got my ZT 0456. I don't care very much for the crazy "blingy" stuff, and I have pretty much avoided the sub-$200 world. The statistical outliers may be the most interesting thing about collecting actually, because they highlight where your passions are. My grail is the Rockstead SHUN (that I would never likely spring for). And the top of my GET list now are probably a Rogovets (not a blingy one) and maybe a Medford.
Agreed on the outliers being interesting. My Norseman and NeOn get pocket time where other $600 knives never would, but there are some $400 knives which feel "too pricy". Go figure.
Holy cow, my Rockstead CHI is shipping from knife center now.
You lucky man. Post a video or two!
I try to keep the curve to where it just stops at the peak. Once i decide how much i can afford, i start to look for things that are useful as well as useable. Dont get me wrong, i love art and i love craftsmanship. But if its something that im afraid to use because of the cost or because i cant bear to lose or damage, then im looking for something else. I recently inherited a custom joe kious dagger thats worth probably around 1200 bucks. Beautiful knife, very special to me. But it sits in my closet because im afraid to even look at the damn thing too much.
I carried a Tenacious for a year before getting a PM2, best decision i made, since my cost carry curve went up, I've since bought a Benchmade Osborne 940 and love it and switch between carrying those two. i plan to get a Chris Reeve Mnandi and edc that, i have a rule where i wont buy something super expensive and baby it, it'll be put to use, within reason.
Saw a review for a Norsemen the other day where the guy was wearing latex gloves to handle the knife, not kidding. Good example of what you're talking about here I believe.
+jeff goodyear LOL, somebody went *way* too far up the curve. I might not cut paper on a concrete floor with mine, but damnit, it's a solid chunk of Ti and Steel built for durability. You're not going to hurt it with body oils.
I've been wanting a Sebenza for a while now but it would only reside at my office desk (I don't have HR to worry about). It wouldn't be a safe queen but I wouldn't carry it at all because it's to the right of this curve.
+Ian Medina The Sebenza's a good example of this. I've heard a lot of people say things like "It's a really great knife and I like it a lot, but I can't see being $350 into it." Particularly when there are other really high quality knives at lower prices, every single thing CRK makes is troubled by the CCCC. They're great, but relatively few of them (the TiLock reaches this for me) are greater than their price is bad.
This might get you a nomination for the nerd awards 2016
+Alex Ramos It's about damned time. I was shocked that my repeated Star Wars references in the Clone video didn't result in an immediate nomination.
I totally want a PM2, but I know I wouldn't carry it for fear of losing or breaking it. I suck at sharpening, so that would wreck it too.
And the PM2 is waaayyyy more knife than I need. My plain jane delica serves me just fine.
What pen are you using? The ink is beautiful!
Probably has a Mont Blanc refill cartridge, Nick is a big fan I believe.
Been kinda thinking about buying Leatherman Wave for my work. Been carrying TTi for a long time and it kinda starts to show in that tool, used it maybe 5000 times. Now my curve has changed so that I want to go cheaper to save up the TTi. Then again it doesn't make any sense, as I'm planning to use more money to save something that isn't THAT much more valuable. Human mind is a knot that no one can ever untie.
+ViceCommando I prefer the Wave anyways, honestly. But if you've got a TTi, might as well use it until it fails and then wave it up :)
+Nick Shabazz I'm kinda afraid of the knife steel of the Wave, since I don't EDC separate blade. But as I am kinda lacking in money department I would like to save TTi for home/free time use only, and not ruin it in my work.
Gotcha. The steel isn't as nice as the TTi, for sure, but it's easy to sharpen.
Great video Nick! It really got me thinking! I have kind of a really lopsided curve, because the more expensive knifes tend to be bigger and I can't carry them anyway because of law things. I do have knifes way right to my Delica, but just like to have them and use them in the forrest (when I'm there). I guess I'm okay not using them daily, but if I did I think I probably got more expensive ones. I'm eyeballing the 940, PM2 and much more to buy, but that's a bit too much to not use :-)
+Peet Sneekes Agreed, a preference for smaller knives does help keep costs reasonable. :)
Buy good, buy once is the old adage, got one fridge, one car but at least 50 knives over £100 a few gems, well there all gems to me. I have started giving some away as gifts to appreciative buddys but still buy more as I am a bloke that likes good knives, crazy aint it.
Think I'm at around $180 to $280 Nick, great explanation on this. Funny that I think this without ever realizing it you know. :)
This reminds me of the Gartner technology hype curve
My EDC budget always depend upon what will create an impression. I like to spend more on my watches, pens, wallets, bags which I would bring in front of people and those would create an impression about my personality. But other than these I would like to choose more affordable options.
Killer video, Nick!!
I won't buy anything I won't carry. Usually starting around $60 and ending around $250. Past that and I'll be hesitant to use it and so I can't really justify it in my mind.
Prefer traditional knives and there's the ''pretty'' factor there too, some knives are just too pretty to take out like the Taylor's Eye Witness premier knives or some of the higher end French stuff and it's a big life decision to become a ''fondler'', you just take the knife out of the box, occasionally fondling it, do you want to be that guy?
the curve.... the 50% rule 25 on either side.
for me, my guide is no more than 2 hours gross wages for any one item (center of curve)
consider your EDC: cash carry, flashlight, handkerchief (bandana), knife, lighter, multitool, pen, etc.
how much $$$ are you carrying and how easy to replace if something happens.
I prefer the Rat2 (under $30) over the CKRT Drifter (under $20)
I prefer the SAK Harvester (in my line of work) over the smaller dime or squirt types
A leatherman Wingman over a Wave.
Tools that can do the job without big investments....
or another way to look at this is how many ounces of silver does this cost.
for $100... 5 ounces of silver or the Sage,
or instead buy a Skyline and 3 ounces of silver
or a Dragonfly 2 and 2 ounces silver.
I would rather pass down silver/gold than a knife... a knife is a tool to be used.
Interesting perspective, I have a table saw, knife and arrowhead that I got from my grandfather, total street value? $50 for me priceless. If I had gotten 10oz of silver or gold no doubly would have spent it. Money doesn't have stories, I can always get more money.
2 hr's wage is a bit low on knives and mutitools imo.
for me atleast, i'm not going to carry a 25 dollar mutitool and knive.
Yogi Lilly Im in college and i carry a zt0450cf and a 0562cf every day, one in each pocket, i wish i could carry my cf rat 1, but it feels too cheap for me, that being said i barely have any money in my bank account lol
Ha, I like the reference to Jim Skelton, quite clever.
+GlowWormActual Who? What? :)
+Nick Shabazz Jim Skelton is a collector of very high end custom knives, and he's exactly the kind of guy you mentioned where he has no issue carrying expensive gear, at least to my understanding. When you said "skeletons in the closet," it sounded like "skeltons," which would have been a funny pun
... So much for trying to be coy and subtle and denying the reference. Yes, completely intentional.
Nick Shabazz Haha alright, I was going to say, I'm surprised a fellow knife nut isn't familiar with Jim Skelton, his collection seems pretty crazy
+Daniel Kompolt Hah, nope, well aware of Jim's work, he's one of the best (albeit optimistic) custom reviewers out there. Good God do I wish I had his funding...
Nice videos, man. You got a new sub!
Nick are you an economics professor...
what I think really matters is if you use the knife. I see pictures of people holding a nice custom on IG all the time but I never see pictures of them being used or looking used...
+EDC_PLUS Some of us don't actually use a knife more than a few times a day, and never really hit "hard use". I agree, it's great to see a custom used and loved, but at least for me, carrying it is half the love :D
+Nick Shabazz That's a good point.
My knife price range is from like 40 to 260
Watch range is 30-50
And my pens... well a pen it a pen and I just use the pilot g-2 pens that r like $2 a peice
Clever, but it does not apply all the time. I am not new to the "knife game", but watching my consumer behaviour i realised that I cannot justify spending more than 25€ on a folder. That's why I usually buy used. So that is where my peak shoud lie. Although I have crossed the line several times (GEC). I have a few knives aroud that pricepoint but it is still 14,50€ Victorinox Sportsman that gets almost all the pocket time. No mather what the price, other knives are just too bulky and do not have the function I need daily. So when I press myself to cary something else, I usualy miss something on that bloody knife.
"skeletons in their closet" lmao. I mean, if I could afford it, I'd probably be the same way though.
That curve looks familiar...
+justin laffer It does kind of ring a bell...
Mine doesn't look like that. Should I see a doctor?
Don't worry. That's normal.
Which pen is that?
I agree 100%. I've been bitten and thankfully was able to flip them and get my money back and that's something that's more exclusive with your high ends too. If you buy a $60 Delica and carry it a month and decide to sell it, you probably won't make your $60 back because the market is flush with them and why would I pay $60 for a used knife when a brand new one is also $60? Well, on the high end guys, they are rarer and not as many are available and there is s higher likelihood I'll sell my $500 high end for close to the money I paid of its in great shape. So my chances of a successful flip after getting bit are higher if I go high end.
The wood grain reminds me of Jupiter
delica is sold for 140+ bucks in europe :
Nice Gaussian curve
What knife are you saying at 7:40?
Eric Bowling - Umnumzaan by Chris Reeve
I don't use my knives, its a flatline curve for me,lol
that is me all the way
Jim Skelton
Great video Nick! I can relate as I also won't buy something I won't carry or use. I guess my curves are different depending on the category. My knife vs watch vs pen curves will differ but ultimately I have limits as to how much I'm willing to spend on each.
But with that said - if someone GAVE me a Rockstead, would I carry and use it as much as one of my current EDCs? Oh hell yes I would!
Oh and since you brought it up in your video - would I wear a fauxlex? Absolutely not. If I cannot afford the real thing I won't go around pretending I can afford one. Some people are okay with that, I'm not. This goes for buying any kind of knockoffs - I just can't do it.
+Luc Albert I wouldn't wear a fake Rolex, for sure. But I don't have problems with a good quality design homage (like the Steinharts). Then again, I would prefer something unique and high quality in its own right. And a real gem is an item with all the function and quality of a Rolex, but with a unique design without the price bump caused by the brand name. I'm looking into it :)
+Nick Shabazz Oh totally! I love the looks and would wear a Steinhart, Glycine, Squale, etc.. although I'm more of a fan of watches with full Arabic numerals - like Marathon GSAR/JDD and Fortis B-42
Got burned by my pimped copper keybar I only have to keys T.T
So an expensive knife that you'll never carry is by definition not an EDC. It's more of an everyday safe queen, or an EDSQ.
+gonshocks An Every-Day Collection-piece! :D
i always think,can i replace it if i loose it.for a randall attack survival you have to wait 5 years to get one.if i loose mine i go kill myself.so i rather carry a spyderco para 3 or a benchmade 940.
skelton in the closet?
Law of diminishing returns on investment.
My comfort amount is $25. Just saying.
2000 bucks is not a huge part of your net worth nick come on lol 2000 is a shit load of money but thats chump change in san Diego lol
If its beyong 125-150$ then fuck it I will not buy it. If I cannot carry it every day without drawing attention of a crowd fuck useing it.