Knife snobbery

[Laurentius]

I have just been, for the sheer hell of it, using an old "Sheffield England Slightly Imperfect" vegetable chopping knife to whittle down a piece of willow for whatever I am going to do with it, and do you know what, it ain't no puuko, leuku, kukri, machete, Bear Grylls, Ray Mears sacred riddle of steel, forged in the fires of Mount Doom knife, but do you know what, it does the job as good as anything else.

 

[Janne]

Xxxxxxxxxx.

 

[Nice65]

I have done the lovely handmade knife thing, and still do. There is pleasure to be had from using a tool that has been crafted by a craftsman. At the moment I'm using a Robevs Bushtool, and one of his neckers. This will change, I'll take out my carbon fibre handled Mike Reid fixed blade 3/4 tang, or the Molletta designed bombproof Rasul. Or a Varusteleka puuko.

I have many a Mora etc, I appreciate the simple fact they work brilliantly, but I don't get the same pleasure from using them.

 

[juliojordio1983]

I agree. It may do the job with the same results and same effort expended, but I enjoy the job much more if I am using a 'nice' knife.

Its much the same to me as an old banger and a Ferrari. Both will get you A-B but which one are you going to enjoy the ride in more?

 

[snappingturtle]

I have good knives now but have got by with things most would call trash, like an old 1940's bread knife and a us army cutlery knife, they done most things and lasted an age because they had too, I think of them fondly they surprized me in holding out longer than I thought they could.

 

[johnnytheboy]

Most folk are buying knifes and not using them, how many come up for resale brand new! Every time I see one I honestly thing what was the point in owning it if you never used it!

 

[Robson Valley]

Some collectors are like that. They buy things because they "need" to have them. Usage is never considered.
In fact, unused is additional value ( eg firearms.)

I can see collectors wanting knives from particular bladesmiths, particular steels, particular shapes and so on.

Besides doing a lot of assorted wood carving, I collect carvings done by others.
Styles, and woods, some of it might be pressed into service as kitchen prep cutlery but I doubt it.
Sometimes, a carver does a good piece and plans to submit that to a charity auction.
I'll bid a wad of money, hoping it's enough. So far, several charities have done rather well by me!

The carvings are decorations, ornaments if you will. I like the look of them.
Really good shotguns go bang like all the others. Yes, they are a pleasure to shoot with.
Many of them were designed to fit the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Really ugly to hold.

 

[Klenchblaize]

Most folk are buying knifes and not using them, how many come up for resale brand new! Every time I see one I honestly thing what was the point in owning it if you never used it!

I would liken it to purchasing an LP/CD. It provides a certain stimulation of the senses. In the case of a knife that is visual and tactile.

I've never sold an album or knife!

K

 

[stevec]

Use what you have and are comfortable using, I'm currently on holiday and have taken a sak for general use, tin and bottle opener and corkscrew cause you never know what utensils are going to be like and a manly comrade for food prep. Yes I could have taken any number of other cooks knives or can openers etc. But I'm comfortable using the sak and manly when on holiday. As long as the tang can take the punishment then I don't see an issue

 

[Laurentius]

Use what you have and are comfortable using, I'm currently on holiday and have taken a sak for general use, tin and bottle opener and corkscrew cause you never know what utensils are going to be like and a manly comrade for food prep. Yes I could have taken any number of other cooks knives or can openers etc. But I'm comfortable using the sak and manly when on holiday. As long as the tang can take the punishment then I don't see an issue

I am one of the biggest fans of the SAK out there, there is never a day goes by without my using one for something or other, even if it is just opening a bottle of beer. I don't want people to get me wrong however, it is not that I do not appreciate custom knives, I have seen a fair number of mouth watering goodies on this forum, a testament to the makers artistry and skill, but I daresay those blades and handles were themselves crafted from workaday tools. Who uses and intriquetly worked and gilded blacksmiths hammer and pincers?

 

[dasy2k1]

Indeed none of my go to sharps cost more than £25...

I have a Sak from clahs ohlson which I believe is made by one of the 2 big manufacturers anyway.

I have a petit 32 from France that is a great just sub 3" non locker

I have an opinel #6
I have a couple of mora clipper/companions
And I have a husqvarna hand axe that cost £20 and will give a GB or a welkterlings a run for its money

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk

 

[sxmolloy]

I have just been, for the sheer hell of it, using an old "Sheffield England Slightly Imperfect" vegetable chopping knife to whittle down a piece of willow for whatever I am going to do with it, and do you know what, it ain't no puuko, leuku, kukri, machete, Bear Grylls, Ray Mears sacred riddle of steel, forged in the fires of Mount Doom knife, but do you know what, it does the job as good as anything else.

Can I ask how the steel held up? If I understand this right, often kitchen knives aren't tempered to the same hardness on the Rockwell scale. I have a few small kitchen knives that I wouldn't mind using outdoors, but, for this reason am slightly hesitant.

Cheers

Stu

 

[kernelpanic]

Totally agree my EDC for a few months now has been a Sheffield 2pc Clasp knife, it doesn't hold a fantastic edge but it's real easy to sharpen, doesn't rust easy and just keeps on going. I cut a box down today and hit a very large staple that would normally make me cry but didn't care. It dented the edge but I just sharpened it out, there cheap so I can just replace if I need to

 

[Laurentius]

Totally agree my EDC for a few months now has been a Sheffield 2pc Clasp knife, it doesn't hold a fantastic edge but it's real easy to sharpen, doesn't rust easy and just keeps on going. I cut a box down today and hit a very large staple that would normally make me cry but didn't care. It dented the edge but I just sharpened it out, there cheap so I can just replace if I need to

I think I have also posted before how my Fiskars axe is a tool to be totally abused on my allotment, I don't care what it come us against, wire, nails, I don't need to worry about the damage that is doing to my fine piece of steel.

 

[Janne]

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[5teep]

You could drive from London to Beijing in a Nissan Micra if you were that way inclined but you'd make an easier job of it in something designed for long trips. There's nothing wrong with using what you've got and nothing wrong with buying decent steel either, snobbery doesn't come into it.

 

[demographic]

Doesn't matter if its expensive or cheap, if you don't use something you eventually get to the point where you think the latest greatest is mo betterer.
Use something a lot and you develop a liking for it and are more likely to keep hold of it because of that.

The exception to this is those gowdawful Stanley Fubar demolition contraptions where the more you use them the more you want to drop them into the nearest canal.

 

[C_Claycomb]

There is also an interesting snobbery among the users. While people who LIKE expensive knives may not want to use a Mora, may even be a bit sniffy about them, I have met very few who would say that the Mora/Hultafors doesn't work very well and offer great value. More than that, I have never met anyone who likes expensive knives who thinks less of people who are happy with a Mora (although people who sing the praise of cheap Chinese Rambo knives may not be taken too seriously). The same cannot be said in reverse. There is plenty of evidence of folk who like their Mora/Hultafors being pretty uncomplimentary about the skills and intelligence of anyone who uses an expensive knife. Not in this thread, I hasten to add, but I have seen it on this forum. It isn't just with knives, I had someone I had only just met, in a social situation where we were all meant to be friendly, look at my prized Lie Nielsen jack plane and without any humour say something about me having more money than sense.:tapedshut

 

[Leshy]

That sounds like they were just jealous . . .

 

[Hibrion]

There is also an interesting snobbery among the users. While people who LIKE expensive knives may not want to use a Mora, may even be a bit sniffy about them, I have met very few who would say that the Mora/Hultafors doesn't work very well and offer great value. More than that, I have never met anyone who likes expensive knives who thinks less of people who are happy with a Mora (although people who sing the praise of cheap Chinese Rambo knives may not be taken too seriously). The same cannot be said in reverse. There is plenty of evidence of folk who like their Mora/Hultafors being pretty uncomplimentary about the skills and intelligence of anyone who uses an expensive knife. Not in this thread, I hasten to add, but I have seen it on this forum. It isn't just with knives, I had someone I had only just met, in a social situation where we were all meant to be friendly, look at my prized Lie Nielsen jack plane and without any humour say something about me having more money than sense.:tapedshut

I agree. I call them the bushcraft hipsters.