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Whenever people are surprised by my knives I tell em about how anything has an enthusiast tier like watches, flashlights, pens, etc, everything goes into the thousands for the best quality versions
@@l4so102 Indeed. And I also like to note that gear generally has an upper limit to the insanity, a limit that collectors of coins, comic books, and paintings don’t encounter. I know that there is some overlap, but I have no interest in a sword or “original” Bowie knife or anything like it that properly belongs in a museum.
Love your content! I propose your next challenge: top 10 for 2024 in the $250 to $500 tier. That's my attainable "high end" segment and there are many outstanding designs in that range. Would like your take on your personal best. Cheers!
Same here , I go as high as 380 to 400 (every so often). On AVERAGE, I usually get 180 to 250 dollar Spydercos, Kizer premium stuff, Hogues, Tuyas, etc
There’s only 1 knife I would have added to this list. And that is the Lamia. It is contoured, milled titanium. Beautiful action. A beautiful knife in general. Probably one of my all time favorite knives and flipping action.
Thanks MC - this video is perfect for me because it's where I'm at in my knife journey. I already have a few in this list. Based on your recommendations, I've moved Skiff up to #1 on the wishlist.
Super enjoyable video and I like how you emphasize WHY and what goes into these knives to make them cost what they cost. Agree with everything you said about Skiff. And the Arius, but I happen to be in love with the design so it checks all the boxes for me!
Going to add a few! Triaxis Midnight Eustler Custom (Duk or Neutralizer) And a Pena custom (so I’ve heard haven’t handled one) Note: I got a LNIB Norseman for a great price so keep an eye out for grimsmo on the secondary!
I’d say the newer holts I have handled have been great! + really awesome customer service. Definitely give one a try some day! I will not you won’t be disappointed with Skiff either so many great options 😂
I have 2 Holts (Renegade and Morpheus) that have been made within the past year or so. I prefer them over my Herman knives. I also use both of them for work around our ranch.
@@zade8586the action of my holt haptic is unbelievable. That knife changed my perspective of what premium should feel like. Can’t wait to try the Skiff fugitive. I regret not picking one up at the Makers Syndicate a few months ago.
@Metal complex you are a huge influence and reason knives are getting better and some becoming cheaper, these companies are listening to you man! Thanks for being one of The leading voices in the knife collecting /enthusiasts community
I have been waiting for a video like this, right before Christmas, so that i can get myself a Christmas present. Additionally i have been waiting for a video for $250 - $500 knives that "almost" compete with the $500 - $1000 range.
If expensive knives make you mad, just think of watches. Both are utilitarian, both collectible, both can cost a fortune. Both can perform their intended job for about $30.
The purpose of expensive watches and knives is not, of course, to tell time or cut. It is, rather, to impress, with beauty and skill at crafting, machining and manufacturing.
Lol. I am new to the knife world, but I am very much a watch enthusiast. A very different world where $ 500 and under is considered a budget piece, and $5000 is entry level for a premium watches.
@@derekwedge09 @ Watches, being much more complex than knives, accelerate in price in the better grades. The best watches can cost 6-7 figures; it would be hard to justify that kind of money for an item with only about 10-15 simple parts. Of course you know that.
MC - great video, and my list is EXACTLY the same as yours! I discovered Hog House and Rob Johnson’s a couple years ago, and this overall space. I think it’s the best of handmade, and also using CNC, small batch manufacturing. On Machinewise, the pivot is a huge differentiator and departure from the norm.
On Skiff, the son has the bearing business. The father makes the knives. Mom handles the business and is great. She called me when I was on a road trip when my build was ready to ship, and I wasn’t answering email! True family business.
Terrific video - really appreciate you taking the time to make it. It's great to see these makers appreciated for all the time and effort the put into these incredible works of art and craftsmanship.
I've been keeping an eye out for a Rook for a while now, but had an opportunity to pick up a full dress Berg Barber. Oooooooohhhhh did that scratch an itch for me. While it is in-frickin-deed gorgeous, the action is toe-curling on the drop(I did do some adjustments for my preference). Other than a standard Rosie, I've no others on this list. ✌🏼🤘🏼
Surprised Kody Eutsler knivrs didn't make your list. His knives are #1 on my list among many you mentioned. Based on your picks i dont think it would be you top pick but if you like the look they are definitely one to check out. My favorite is the Duk then neutralizer then dukling models
Skiff Sr handles his product like luxury watches. The finishing he endows them with is impeccable with no stray marks. He seems to handle them with gloves only and is very gentle while showing them. Cut to some knives that are finished much more roughly/imperfectly, but at the same time very beautifully with various finishes and materials - Olamic. Particularly the Whippersnappers, have incredible fit feel and action to them - very unique, and consistent. Lots to choose from and affordable in this price range, these would definitely be in my top 10 if not 5. The Wayfarers are beautiful too, but they don't have the action.
I'd be interested in hearing which part of the knife (or entire knife?) you think are made in china, as they're pretty transparent about every part being made in-house except for ball bearings in the production knives (which they also make a point to source domestically) Shirorogorov's not a small outfit, they have a few more employees than CRK does. their russian dealer does a good 3 part detailed tour of their facility and shows off a great deal of what goes on there if you are interested th-cam.com/video/WIBM7zSh1Po/w-d-xo.html
Shiro and Oz is on my list of future knives. I wonder about the carry ability of the XL Roosevelt and how it truly feels using it and carrying it in your pocket….Thank you for saying the price should come down on the OZ. I think you talked me out of Koenig by reinforcing what I don’t like about it (greater value within this price range and overall appearance of the knife) while trying to defend its place on the list. Loved your final choice. The #1 should have that many superlatives attached to it and receive that level of praise from the person choosing it as the top choice. It’s YOUR list at the end of the day but it was a great list.
I have to say, as an owner of three strider knives, im not at all suprised they arent on the list lol. Pretty good list IMO. If you love koenig quality but dont like the arius get a mini goblin. I had a proto of it that i regret selling every time i think of it
I’m actually more interested in the custom stuff at this price point and above. If I’m not going to use it, might as well display a true one-of-a-kind piece of work made by someone’s hand and not CNC.
Since MC doesn’t do it, I will… Greg Medford is a piece of trash as a human being, and doesn’t deserve any of our money, even if his knives were not designed using crayons and it didn’t cost three times what they are worth. And no, this isn’t a political statement. Politics has nothing to do with pointing out a racist, xenophobe, and all around jerk within the knife community that I am in you feel don’t deserve our time and money.
@@tscottedgingtoniii I guess MC didn’t agree and/or approve since he deleted my post about Mr. Medford and his knives. I didn’t realize strong (and factually derived) opinions about someone in the knife community are not allowed on this channel. 🙄
Skiff knives are a mystery to me; They have all the features I tend to love, together in one place, and I just feel ehhh about them. I can't quite put my finger on it, but there's just something missing. I don't feel that excitement, that tingle down my spine. Maybe I ust need to hold one, but it's a big gamble for something I feel very meh about.
Thanks for the list. I have to say after my time this is the area of knife collecting I like the best. Right now I know what is next on my list to obtain would be Koenig, followed by Rob Johnson, then Hog House. Curious for me are two that were omitted that are at least HM would be the SPK Lamia and Grimsmo Rask, that is my opinion.
I've wanted the cortex xl for quite some time now. If I ever decide to step up to the next tier, it'll be due to brown knives putting a button actuated liner lock and contoured scales on the cortex xl
Great video! I have all but 3 of these, and love them. I don’t like the looks of the Rosie and passed. I blew my wad on a pair of Hawk deadlocks and a pair of Hawk Shortcuts so I had to skip the recent preorder, and the Skiff was just never available when I still had the money to get one. With a few in this list I’m lucky to have more than one 🤓
I'm surprised about your thoughts on holt. I think their lock bar is thicker then Herman's. At least it is on the morpheous composite to my slim. It also falls shut where as my slim needs assistance. Idk, i think my holt is nicer then my herman and cost the same.
Honestly, man, fantastic list. Very few disagreements, and most are picking nits like order. But I will strenuously disagree with disregarding Holt. 100% deserves to be included and can absolutely go toe-to-toe with any of the rest-in design, execution, or functionality. Have most and some on the way, and my Holts would be one of the very last to go. Otherwise, though, one of your best lists!!
Should clarify... I get that you might not appreciate Holt because of their liner lock. That's a fair point - a liner lock has some compromises. But, I don't understand why Herman gets a pass, while Holt is disqualified. As far as I can tell, the liner on my Sting is no better nor worse than the lock on my Haptic.
@@mstuehler Except MC has always been an advocate for liner locks at this tier. Plus, there are definitely framelock Holts. Just don’t get discounting Holt outright, but including Oz, Brown, Skiff, Koenig, Herman, Rob Johnson, Hog House. All great, all fantastic knives, but I’d honestly take and use my Holts first. And do.
I didn't care for the v1 model T but these new versions or amazing. I really need to pick one up because they are so dang cool and wow, the quality is sick. Great video, I agree with 90%. 👍🔥🔥🔥🤘
You and some of the other knifetube community should do a series about the soul of knifes. There is something about a knife that has a good “feel”/soul that you cant always put into everything even if it is a “flawless“ knife. Sometimes the “perfect “ knifes seem too sterile. I was thinking about stuff like victorinox not even close to perfect but we all love them. Or how ugly Spyderco is yet we can’t put them down.
Holt is known for very light lockbar tension helping with the drop shut action. Not always because geometry plays a huge role but they have been known to have lock failure because of the light lockbar tension and early lockup. Now not all knives experience this but is a known problem. What's confusing is Herman knives is exactly like Holt but he likes Herman, they have a very similar lockup feel and easy to fail. I sold both Herman and Holt but not because of lockbar issues because they were fine on mine. It's just flipper knives aren't for me.
My first arius cost me $700 and that was including a second shore side scale that was a bronze groot milled ti scale. Back 3 years or so ago at that. It was great, but I got bored with it fast
I want a Herman so bad. It would have to be my only knife purchase next year otherwise I wouldn't be able to afford it. But I don't know if I have the willpower, with how many great knives there are out there under $250 that I also want to buy.
33:35 I’m perfectly happy to NOT be shopping in this territory- this stuff is art, it’s awesome to see what people are making regardless of its status as a commodity. Yall don’t get mad at how expensive paintings and artifacts in museums are do you? 😁
I really would like to buy more US made knives but the taxes where I live are so high, a 800$ knife will cost me around 1100$!! Sometimes it is worth the extra bucks but mostly not. Too bad.
I've owned every knife on this list except the Sinora (thankfully) and I can easily say the Oz Machine Rosie sits above all of these especially over the Koenig Arius, I will say the fidget factor of my serge rook is unmatched though, but if the Rob Johnson Cedar was a bit smaller I'd say it has everything best but it's just to big for me personally
I can tell you, before even hitting play It’s not on this list There is nothing special, or interesting about the Sebenza The only real reason to buy it, is to buy into its history, and to support US knife making Otherwise, there are a TON of much better knives
The Sebenza isn't special anymore. It was special until about 2015 or so. It's an evergreen knife for sure, but it's now surrounded by other superior evergreens. There is nothing that will allow the Sebenza to outlast anything else that's built the same or better
@ im gonna guess that 1/2 the boutique brands currently around, won’t be at the end of the decade. Trust me, I hope they are… i have shiros, grimsmos, and a herman… but i think the Medfords, Hinderers and the Reeves’ will be here when brands like these on this list are gone due to market saturation.
@@sethgunn8256 Shiro’s and Herman’s will outlast them just due to them being much better quality Chris Reeves knives are good knives, but again, not special whatsoever I’d argue the same about hinderer’s They are good knives, but the quality compared to a Herman or Skiff just isn’t there Especially with the heat treatment issues of the past Besides, what is your point? That Hinderer will last longer than Shirogorov? Hinderer is likely to go when Rick Hinderer goes, as in, once Rick retires or Passes, he’s not gonna make knives anymore, and the company will move in a different direction Same with Shirogorov, once the brothers retire or pass themselves, the business will go to someone else, and they will likely make changes Look at Benchmade, Kershaw, Buck and all the rest Happens every time Your “point” doesn’t exist, as Herman and Shirogorov Knives aren’t only customs, it’s not like the brand will disappear cause no one wants them They will always be popular
Hi there, my name is Austin Fox, I'm a custom knife maker and engineer, and I've been a big fan of your channel for years. I was wondering if you would be open to reviewing a knife I designed that is out now from Real Steel Knives? It's called the Hoeft, and it has a new lock invention that I think has some really cool advantages. Let me know what you'd be willing to do, thanks!
Metal Complex, you BASTARD! You made me get the F3 in Alutex... It's AWESOME, though! I was thinking about an Arius for just about the same price, but I'm kind of over the exposed frame lock.. Thanks for the content - I don't comment often, but I watch all the time!
Are there a lot of fake shirogo knives being made and sold? I bought a knife pretty cheap at a pawn shop years ago, and it made me believe it's fake, this was before i knew of the company. I discovered it after doing research, the blade is so heavy and detent so light, you can wrist flick it open. The orange scales feel incredibly fake and plastic like. I'd love to send it to you, maybe you could make a video about it. Exposing a fake shirogorov
@tscottedgingtoniii I know. I was picking at MC's wording where it could have been understood if everything he hadvshow was $900, which would you pick.
Possibly due to their quality being quite poor in the past They need to have a record of high quality, 1 year just isn’t enough for people to recommend dropping the kinda Dough that Olamic tends to ask I like some of their designs but For some of their knives, I could get a Skiff or Shiro!
I can see spending 2 or 300 on a great defensive knife, but for EDC use cutting boxes and other utility stuff you gotta be crazy spending more than 50 bucks on a carry knife with all the great options out there. Hell, Walmart now sells essentially the same knife as the bugout for just 5.00 !! These $1,000 knives are never going to be used for anything more than looking at, except by lunatics. I just don’t understand why they even sell in the first place. If thats your thing more power to you.
Why do people buy cars that go more than 3x the top speed allowed in the US? Why do people buy works of art? Why do people buy a samurai sword when they are not in fact a samurai. Why does anyone buy anything that you wouldn’t buy? Because they can and they want to.
Because I USE the fuck out of my knives at work and in general, they get very dirty and scuffed. I own NO “Safe Queens”. When I pay for a knife in the price range mentioned, things like build toughness, type of steel definitely come into play as well as where it’s made/built and WHO made/built it! I do not buy from hipster sissies whose values do not align with mine. I am entertained and appreciate MC’s video’s. One of the very few knife content TH-camrs whose video’s that I’ve turned into a drinking game. Cheers!!!
lol Would be like saying “I’ll never trade my SRT Dodge Charger for one of those cars” And you are looking at a BMW M5, a Mercedes AMG E 53, a Ford F450 Limited, and a Hummer EV Like, sure You can like the Dodge, but my friend, you ain’t fooling anyone
Cope more. Not everyone wants to carry a $50 civivi. These knives exist, lots LOTS of people buy them and are interested in them. Go find one of the 78 billion garbage budget knife videos out there and ignore this one if it makes your fee-fees hurt.
So i can cater to literally every other budget, but when I make a SINGLE video showcasing my opinion on the best at a higher price point, it's a "shame post"? L take dude. Zero thought went into that comment.
@ yeah myself and many others are at the point in our collection where we’re reaching into that $500 and up stuff and this was a perfect video. Appreciate you as always MC keep the haters hating!!
I already know about all of these, but this video does a good job of putting all of these in a list of “what should I get first” Wdym a shame post? Wut Who or what is shamed? He SAID AT THE START “Most people won’t be shopping in this price range, but that’s okay, this is a video for people who are” Brain dead take
Shouldn’t your Higo II be on here since it lost about 500$ in value because of a broken tip!? lol jk man love your videos. You have an amazing collection. I actually bought my Higo II because of your video on it 🤘🤘🤘🫡🫡🫡
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For all you plebeians stumbling across this video.. we know a Milwaukee Fastback can also open our Amazon packages.. we just don’t care lol
Whenever people are surprised by my knives I tell em about how anything has an enthusiast tier like watches, flashlights, pens, etc, everything goes into the thousands for the best quality versions
@@l4so102 Indeed. And I also like to note that gear generally has an upper limit to the insanity, a limit that collectors of coins, comic books, and paintings don’t encounter. I know that there is some overlap, but I have no interest in a sword or “original” Bowie knife or anything like it that properly belongs in a museum.
@@AndyMcGehee yeah, there's 100k art knives around but they've never been as interesting to me as small batch production or semi custom stuff
Aka pocket jewelry. Like women with diamonds
Im of lower class but I've always had expensive taste 😂. Great word use.
Love your content! I propose your next challenge: top 10 for 2024 in the $250 to $500 tier. That's my attainable "high end" segment and there are many outstanding designs in that range. Would like your take on your personal best. Cheers!
Agreed!
I wasn’t very interested in this $500 - $1000 range but I know very well the $250 - $500 range has a lot of really good candidates
Same here , I go as high as 380 to 400 (every so often). On AVERAGE, I usually get 180 to 250 dollar Spydercos, Kizer premium stuff, Hogues, Tuyas, etc
Thanks!
Amazing thank you!
99% of these would be on display and not EDC for me if I owned them, Beautiful knives. Thanks for the list and I will use this list for reference.
There’s only 1 knife I would have added to this list. And that is the Lamia. It is contoured, milled titanium. Beautiful action. A beautiful knife in general. Probably one of my all time favorite knives and flipping action.
I’ve been waiting for this list for a long time! Thank you for doing this MC. I have a few of those on the list.
Can't argue with anything on this list. I think a few others that deserve consideration are the SPK Lamia, Blaurock BRB4 XL, and RH Knives' Taska 2.
Thanks MC - this video is perfect for me because it's where I'm at in my knife journey. I already have a few in this list. Based on your recommendations, I've moved Skiff up to #1 on the wishlist.
Super enjoyable video and I like how you emphasize WHY and what goes into these knives to make them cost what they cost. Agree with everything you said about Skiff. And the Arius, but I happen to be in love with the design so it checks all the boxes for me!
Going to add a few!
Triaxis Midnight
Eustler Custom (Duk or Neutralizer)
And a Pena custom (so I’ve heard haven’t handled one)
Note:
I got a LNIB Norseman for a great price so keep an eye out for grimsmo on the secondary!
Finally. The man goes right to the top
i recently nearly bought a holt, glad i watched this first. Think I'll hold out for a skiff
I’d say the newer holts I have handled have been great! + really awesome customer service. Definitely give one a try some day! I will not you won’t be disappointed with Skiff either so many great options 😂
I have 2 Holts (Renegade and Morpheus) that have been made within the past year or so. I prefer them over my Herman knives. I also use both of them for work around our ranch.
Holts are just as well made. Can't go wrong with either.
@@zade8586the action of my holt haptic is unbelievable. That knife changed my perspective of what premium should feel like. Can’t wait to try the Skiff fugitive. I regret not picking one up at the Makers Syndicate a few months ago.
Shirogorovs are not made in China lol, where do you even get that from? They literally have a full factory tours on TH-cam.
Definitely not my tier of knives but it's certainly fun to hear about them and especially hearing about them getting ranked.
Great video MC! I loved hearing your thoughts on these knives and very much looking forward to your video on Top 10 Knives Over $1000.
Excellent video ⚔️,as someone that owns all of those,that was spot on😁, little surprised not to see a lamia?
@Metal complex you are a huge influence and reason knives are getting better and some becoming cheaper, these companies are listening to you man! Thanks for being one of The leading voices in the knife collecting /enthusiasts community
I have been waiting for a video like this, right before Christmas, so that i can get myself a Christmas present. Additionally i have been waiting for a video for $250 - $500 knives that "almost" compete with the $500 - $1000 range.
If expensive knives make you mad, just think of watches. Both are utilitarian, both collectible, both can cost a fortune. Both can perform their intended job for about $30.
The purpose of expensive watches and knives is not, of course, to tell time or cut. It is, rather, to impress, with beauty and skill at crafting, machining and manufacturing.
Lol. I am new to the knife world, but I am very much a watch enthusiast. A very different world where $ 500 and under is considered a budget piece, and $5000 is entry level for a premium watches.
@@derekwedge09 @ Watches, being much more complex than knives, accelerate in price in the better grades. The best watches can cost 6-7 figures; it would be hard to justify that kind of money for an item with only about 10-15 simple parts. Of course you know that.
MC - great video, and my list is EXACTLY the same as yours! I discovered Hog House and Rob Johnson’s a couple years ago, and this overall space. I think it’s the best of handmade, and also using CNC, small batch manufacturing. On Machinewise, the pivot is a huge differentiator and departure from the norm.
On Skiff, the son has the bearing business. The father makes the knives. Mom handles the business and is great. She called me when I was on a road trip when my build was ready to ship, and I wasn’t answering email! True family business.
Good stuff MC. Herman is definitely on my list, and has been for some time.
Terrific video - really appreciate you taking the time to make it. It's great to see these makers appreciated for all the time and effort the put into these incredible works of art and craftsmanship.
Great list compiled here. Happy to go through and only be missing one off the list from my own collection (Hawk).
I've been keeping an eye out for a Rook for a while now, but had an opportunity to pick up a full dress Berg Barber.
Oooooooohhhhh did that scratch an itch for me. While it is in-frickin-deed gorgeous, the action is toe-curling on the drop(I did do some adjustments for my preference).
Other than a standard Rosie, I've no others on this list.
✌🏼🤘🏼
Hell yeah! this is the video I've been waiting for!
I love the higher end Semi- Custom, mid tier knives.
Surprised Kody Eutsler knivrs didn't make your list. His knives are #1 on my list among many you mentioned. Based on your picks i dont think it would be you top pick but if you like the look they are definitely one to check out. My favorite is the Duk then neutralizer then dukling models
Aren’t most of them over the 1k mark? I assumed that’s why they didn’t make the list. Waka and Transient also, just a bit above 1k
Skiff Sr handles his product like luxury watches. The finishing he endows them with is impeccable with no stray marks. He seems to handle them with gloves only and is very gentle while showing them.
Cut to some knives that are finished much more roughly/imperfectly, but at the same time very beautifully with various finishes and materials - Olamic. Particularly the Whippersnappers, have incredible fit feel and action to them - very unique, and consistent. Lots to choose from and affordable in this price range, these would definitely be in my top 10 if not 5. The Wayfarers are beautiful too, but they don't have the action.
I'd be interested in hearing which part of the knife (or entire knife?) you think are made in china, as they're pretty transparent about every part being made in-house except for ball bearings in the production knives (which they also make a point to source domestically)
Shirorogorov's not a small outfit, they have a few more employees than CRK does. their russian dealer does a good 3 part detailed tour of their facility and shows off a great deal of what goes on there if you are interested th-cam.com/video/WIBM7zSh1Po/w-d-xo.html
This dude is always talking on things he doesn’t fully know about
Shiro and Oz is on my list of future knives. I wonder about the carry ability of the XL Roosevelt and how it truly feels using it and carrying it in your pocket….Thank you for saying the price should come down on the OZ. I think you talked me out of Koenig by reinforcing what I don’t like about it (greater value within this price range and overall appearance of the knife) while trying to defend its place on the list. Loved your final choice. The #1 should have that many superlatives attached to it and receive that level of praise from the person choosing it as the top choice. It’s YOUR list at the end of the day but it was a great list.
I have to say, as an owner of three strider knives, im not at all suprised they arent on the list lol.
Pretty good list IMO. If you love koenig quality but dont like the arius get a mini goblin. I had a proto of it that i regret selling every time i think of it
A lot of custom stuff out of South Africa, and not just Trevor Burger, also competes well in this range.
I’m actually more interested in the custom stuff at this price point and above. If I’m not going to use it, might as well display a true one-of-a-kind piece of work made by someone’s hand and not CNC.
MC! You’ve become an outstanding critic in the business. Love the Medford reference 🥶
Since MC doesn’t do it, I will… Greg Medford is a piece of trash as a human being, and doesn’t deserve any of our money, even if his knives were not designed using crayons and it didn’t cost three times what they are worth. And no, this isn’t a political statement. Politics has nothing to do with pointing out a racist, xenophobe, and all around jerk within the knife community that I am in you feel don’t deserve our time and money.
@@spironatotally agree
@@tscottedgingtoniii I guess MC didn’t agree and/or approve since he deleted my post about Mr. Medford and his knives. I didn’t realize strong (and factually derived) opinions about someone in the knife community are not allowed on this channel. 🙄
@spirona i have no idea what you're talking about. I didn't delete anything. You can say whatever you want about Medford. Makes no difference to me
@spirona dude I just checked. Your comment is still there. It never disappeared.
Even more confused now
Dan Carraher 904 integral. Not only the $500-$1,000 price range but any price range. Criminally under-rated and one of the best knives of all time.
Very cool territory, one day I will have one of these!
Skiff and Hawk are definitely my top two at the price range
Been thinking about selling my Arius for a while now. But man is it smooth you are right
Herman sting is still my grail knife.
If you buy one some day make sure to get a perfect one. My herman had a big scratch on the handle :(
Skiff knives are a mystery to me; They have all the features I tend to love, together in one place, and I just feel ehhh about them. I can't quite put my finger on it, but there's just something missing. I don't feel that excitement, that tingle down my spine. Maybe I ust need to hold one, but it's a big gamble for something I feel very meh about.
Nice list thanks
Thanks for the list. I have to say after my time this is the area of knife collecting I like the best. Right now I know what is next on my list to obtain would be Koenig, followed by Rob Johnson, then Hog House. Curious for me are two that were omitted that are at least HM would be the SPK Lamia and Grimsmo Rask, that is my opinion.
I've wanted the cortex xl for quite some time now. If I ever decide to step up to the next tier, it'll be due to brown knives putting a button actuated liner lock and contoured scales on the cortex xl
Very nice, skiff is on my grail list, at this point all I can afford are the bearings 😂
Good picks.
You forgot about the "reverse tux Excalibur"! That thing is so dope!
Great video! I have all but 3 of these, and love them. I don’t like the looks of the Rosie and passed. I blew my wad on a pair of Hawk deadlocks and a pair of Hawk Shortcuts so I had to skip the recent preorder, and the Skiff was just never available when I still had the money to get one. With a few in this list I’m lucky to have more than one 🤓
I’m putting my phone in a bowl of rice to soak up all the drool from watching this video…
😂
I'm surprised about your thoughts on holt. I think their lock bar is thicker then Herman's. At least it is on the morpheous composite to my slim. It also falls shut where as my slim needs assistance. Idk, i think my holt is nicer then my herman and cost the same.
No mention of the Lamia?
Konieg and hinderer make it but not CRK? interesting
Hinderer didn't make it. It was also an honorable mention.
Koenig is 100% in a different league
@ ahhh okay! sorry about the mix up!
Honestly, man, fantastic list. Very few disagreements, and most are picking nits like order.
But I will strenuously disagree with disregarding Holt. 100% deserves to be included and can absolutely go toe-to-toe with any of the rest-in design, execution, or functionality. Have most and some on the way, and my Holts would be one of the very last to go. Otherwise, though, one of your best lists!!
Couldn't agree more with this. I hope MC takes another close look at them - I think they deserve it.
Should clarify... I get that you might not appreciate Holt because of their liner lock. That's a fair point - a liner lock has some compromises. But, I don't understand why Herman gets a pass, while Holt is disqualified. As far as I can tell, the liner on my Sting is no better nor worse than the lock on my Haptic.
@@mstuehler Couldn’t agree more. Problem is they’re probably the hardest on this list to come by. Outside of a kinda weird secondary market.
@@mstuehler Except MC has always been an advocate for liner locks at this tier. Plus, there are definitely framelock Holts.
Just don’t get discounting Holt outright, but including Oz, Brown, Skiff, Koenig, Herman, Rob Johnson, Hog House. All great, all fantastic knives, but I’d honestly take and use my Holts first. And do.
Alright alright. I'll take a look at a new Holt and tell you what I think 👍
I didn't care for the v1 model T but these new versions or amazing. I really need to pick one up because they are so dang cool and wow, the quality is sick. Great video, I agree with 90%. 👍🔥🔥🔥🤘
The Hog Housee pair... dayummmm. the bottom one looks like a friggin shark - super sleek.
but are any of these better than the Benchmade Bugout?
Edit* he got me good 😅
@ i know lol im just joking😂
@@EliPenderDrumsoh haha man that was convincing! 😂
You and some of the other knifetube community should do a series about the soul of knifes. There is something about a knife that has a good “feel”/soul that you cant always put into everything even if it is a
“flawless“ knife. Sometimes the “perfect “ knifes seem too sterile. I was thinking about stuff like victorinox not even close to perfect but we all love them. Or how ugly Spyderco is yet we can’t put them down.
dope vid
Regarding Holt knives, what do you mean by lock bar tension? Like how hard/easy it is to push the liner lock out of the way?
Holt is known for very light lockbar tension helping with the drop shut action. Not always because geometry plays a huge role but they have been known to have lock failure because of the light lockbar tension and early lockup. Now not all knives experience this but is a known problem. What's confusing is Herman knives is exactly like Holt but he likes Herman, they have a very similar lockup feel and easy to fail. I sold both Herman and Holt but not because of lockbar issues because they were fine on mine. It's just flipper knives aren't for me.
My first arius cost me $700 and that was including a second shore side scale that was a bronze groot milled ti scale. Back 3 years or so ago at that. It was great, but I got bored with it fast
I want a Herman so bad. It would have to be my only knife purchase next year otherwise I wouldn't be able to afford it. But I don't know if I have the willpower, with how many great knives there are out there under $250 that I also want to buy.
33:35 I’m perfectly happy to NOT be shopping in this territory- this stuff is art, it’s awesome to see what people are making regardless of its status as a commodity. Yall don’t get mad at how expensive paintings and artifacts in museums are do you? 😁
for the most part of your top 10 look very similar to each other
no grimsmo rask? i agree with everything else but the rask is one of my fav 1000$ knives
no spk lamia?
I really would like to buy more US made knives but the taxes where I live are so high, a 800$ knife will cost me around 1100$!!
Sometimes it is worth the extra bucks but mostly not. Too bad.
Nice list, but the Rask should be at #1.
I've owned every knife on this list except the Sinora (thankfully) and I can easily say the Oz Machine Rosie sits above all of these especially over the Koenig Arius, I will say the fidget factor of my serge rook is unmatched though, but if the Rob Johnson Cedar was a bit smaller I'd say it has everything best but it's just to big for me personally
I disagree but I'm glad you're happy 👍
@ it's okay to disagree we clearly have different taste but relatively the same taste non the less 👍🏽
I have a maxace titanis 2 👀 my one and done lifetime knife
30:11 Fun fact: 1/100 mm = 1 micron
Also known as 1/70th of a human hair
Sorry the precision assembly engineer in me couldn’t resist…
Hawk tuah that thing!!
Jeff the machinist 😝
Oof- watching this one begrudgingly. The heart wants what the wallet doesn't.
Can’t wait to see how high the Sebenza places
I can tell you, before even hitting play
It’s not on this list
There is nothing special, or interesting about the Sebenza
The only real reason to buy it, is to buy into its history, and to support US knife making
Otherwise, there are a TON of much better knives
@ it will be here when the others have faded away.
The Sebenza isn't special anymore. It was special until about 2015 or so.
It's an evergreen knife for sure, but it's now surrounded by other superior evergreens.
There is nothing that will allow the Sebenza to outlast anything else that's built the same or better
@ im gonna guess that 1/2 the boutique brands currently around, won’t be at the end of the decade. Trust me, I hope they are… i have shiros, grimsmos, and a herman… but i think the Medfords, Hinderers and the Reeves’ will be here when brands like these on this list are gone due to market saturation.
@@sethgunn8256 Shiro’s and Herman’s will outlast them just due to them being much better quality
Chris Reeves knives are good knives, but again, not special whatsoever
I’d argue the same about hinderer’s
They are good knives, but the quality compared to a Herman or Skiff just isn’t there
Especially with the heat treatment issues of the past
Besides, what is your point? That Hinderer will last longer than Shirogorov?
Hinderer is likely to go when Rick Hinderer goes, as in, once Rick retires or Passes, he’s not gonna make knives anymore, and the company will move in a different direction
Same with Shirogorov, once the brothers retire or pass themselves, the business will go to someone else, and they will likely make changes
Look at Benchmade, Kershaw, Buck and all the rest
Happens every time
Your “point” doesn’t exist, as Herman and Shirogorov Knives aren’t only customs, it’s not like the brand will disappear cause no one wants them
They will always be popular
Why are most of the expensive knives frame lock?
You need timascus wedding rings
great work promoting a baseless conspiracy theory about shirogorov! lord lol
Hi there, my name is Austin Fox, I'm a custom knife maker and engineer, and I've been a big fan of your channel for years. I was wondering if you would be open to reviewing a knife I designed that is out now from Real Steel Knives? It's called the Hoeft, and it has a new lock invention that I think has some really cool advantages. Let me know what you'd be willing to do, thanks!
It’s come to this. $$$
Metal Complex, you BASTARD! You made me get the F3 in Alutex...
It's AWESOME, though!
I was thinking about an Arius for just about the same price, but I'm kind of over the exposed frame lock..
Thanks for the content - I don't comment often, but I watch all the time!
Anybody who wants a Norseman, secondary has them for 50% or more off. They are ridiculously overpriced from the maker
Are there a lot of fake shirogo knives being made and sold? I bought a knife pretty cheap at a pawn shop years ago, and it made me believe it's fake, this was before i knew of the company. I discovered it after doing research, the blade is so heavy and detent so light, you can wrist flick it open. The orange scales feel incredibly fake and plastic like. I'd love to send it to you, maybe you could make a video about it. Exposing a fake shirogorov
Secret 0 spot - Civivi Vision FG
you forgot the benchmade narrows!!! 😡😡
Top 10 lists = NOT Poopy Pablo
First! Good day everyone!
Have to disagree, MC. If everything you showed was $900, I'm not going for the Hawk. I'm going for that full dress Herman. 😂😂😂
You can’t get a full dress Herman for $900! More like $1850-$3,000
@tscottedgingtoniii I know. I was picking at MC's wording where it could have been understood if everything he hadvshow was $900, which would you pick.
I should not be watching this 😅🎉
The list is very subjective, but thanks anyway…
Everything in any enthusiast community is subjective dude. there's no mystery there
Kinda sad to see olamic not on the list. They are about as close to custom without being true custom and their quality has improved substantially
Possibly due to their quality being quite poor in the past
They need to have a record of high quality, 1 year just isn’t enough for people to recommend dropping the kinda Dough that Olamic tends to ask
I like some of their designs but
For some of their knives, I could get a Skiff or Shiro!
@@bornonthebattlefront4883this sums it up perfectly about olamic.
top ten gas station looking knives, Jesus they were all ugly imo
5th
I can see spending 2 or 300 on a great defensive knife, but for EDC use cutting boxes and other utility stuff you gotta be crazy spending more than 50 bucks on a carry knife with all the great options out there. Hell, Walmart now sells essentially the same knife as the bugout for just 5.00 !! These $1,000 knives are never going to be used for anything more than looking at, except by lunatics. I just don’t understand why they even sell in the first place. If thats your thing more power to you.
Why do people buy expensive cars, watches, guns, or anything else? Because they like it, not because cheaper options will be good enough.
Why do people buy cars that go more than 3x the top speed allowed in the US? Why do people buy works of art? Why do people buy a samurai sword when they are not in fact a samurai. Why does anyone buy anything that you wouldn’t buy? Because they can and they want to.
There’s knives used and there’s knife collect / pocket jewelry collectors. Everyone’s got a different taste
Because I USE the fuck out of my knives at work and in general, they get very dirty and scuffed. I own NO “Safe Queens”. When I pay for a knife in the price range mentioned, things like build toughness, type of steel definitely come into play as well as where it’s made/built and WHO made/built it! I do not buy from hipster sissies whose values do not align with mine. I am entertained and appreciate MC’s video’s. One of the very few knife content TH-camrs whose video’s that I’ve turned into a drinking game. Cheers!!!
Which high end knives do you edc/bring to work?
@ , Medford, Spartan, A.G. Russell, Hinderer, Chris Reeves, Souther Grind. These are the ones in the price range that MC mentioned.
Most of those can be found in the sub 500 range thought @@JohnnyQ714
@@JohnnyQ714I like all of those. What do you think of three rivers? I'm thinking about getting one.
@ , I too have been thinking about getting a TRM! I gotta do some TRM studying.
I would not trade my Spartan 3.25 for any of those knives.
lol
Would be like saying “I’ll never trade my SRT Dodge Charger for one of those cars”
And you are looking at a BMW M5, a Mercedes AMG E 53, a Ford F450 Limited, and a Hummer EV
Like, sure
You can like the Dodge, but my friend, you ain’t fooling anyone
MC - Thank you for pronouncing i-n-t-e-g-r-a-l correctly. It is mispronounced way too often. IYKYK.
I'll keep using my OZARK GRAIL
MC the people that have the money, they already know what they want. This seems like a shame post. Thumbs down on this one MC.
I mean I have the money and haven’t heard of 3/4 of these so speak for yourself broke boy.
Cope more. Not everyone wants to carry a $50 civivi. These knives exist, lots LOTS of people buy them and are interested in them. Go find one of the 78 billion garbage budget knife videos out there and ignore this one if it makes your fee-fees hurt.
So i can cater to literally every other budget, but when I make a SINGLE video showcasing my opinion on the best at a higher price point, it's a "shame post"?
L take dude. Zero thought went into that comment.
@ yeah myself and many others are at the point in our collection where we’re reaching into that $500 and up stuff and this was a perfect video. Appreciate you as always MC keep the haters hating!!
I already know about all of these, but this video does a good job of putting all of these in a list of “what should I get first”
Wdym a shame post?
Wut
Who or what is shamed?
He SAID AT THE START “Most people won’t be shopping in this price range, but that’s okay, this is a video for people who are”
Brain dead take
I cant get brown knives, im sad😢
Shouldn’t your Higo II be on here since it lost about 500$ in value because of a broken tip!? lol jk man love your videos. You have an amazing collection. I actually bought my Higo II because of your video on it 🤘🤘🤘🫡🫡🫡