Your most expensive knife...

[Dave Budd]

I haven't bought a knife for years, but I think the most expensive I did (bare in mind I was about 21 and not long out of uni at the time) was about £170 and was a buper something or other, 7" bowie thing. Bought it to dig arrows out of trees, but that along with several other high end knives failed me. That's why I make my own

I guess the most expensive I have ever owned would be a £300 bowie before I sold it to the bloke I made it for I guess that doesn't count though?

 

[OzaawaaMigiziNini]

So far, my most expensive knives were;

-A Smith & Wesson Bowie Knife for $100
-A striker knife for $100
-A Cold Steel SRK for $90

all Canadian currency, so I'm not sure of the exchange to British Quids. I carry the SRK everywhere, the S&W Bowie when I'm doing demonstrations, and the striker knife remains in my possibles bag as an extra knife, and fire lighter. My best knife though? Frosts Mora Knife with plain birch handle.

 

[Mike Ameling]

Most expensive? Well, there are several, but the most expensive is a custom made late 1700's style Rifleman's knife - based upon a French kitchen/butcher knife. The blade is 512 layer damascus (welded), the bolsters are nickel and wrought iron damascus, and the handle slabs are fossilized mamoth bone. The sheath is rawhide wrapped in braintan deer. I did a lot of trading for it, plus a bit of cash. I got it over about two decades ago. At that time, it would have sold for around $1200 usd. Now it would sell for around $1500. I wasn't really looking for that fancy of a knife, but I got a really good deal on it.

It's a good, tough using knife, and holds up well - when I carry it. It's a bit long for utility everyday use, but great for the 1700's historical interpretation events. And the deal was too good to pass up - the only way I could ever even think about affording such a fancy knife.

So it goes.

Mike - out in the Hinterlands

 

[British Red]

I think we need a picture of that one Mike!

 

[Mike Ameling]

Working on a pic.

 

[British Red]

Excellent.

 

[Mike Ameling]

Well, here's the pic of some of the toys.

If the pic doesn't come through, or is too large, here's the link.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y132/ameling/Doc/BoysToys.jpg

The middle one is the bling. It is 14 inches long. The top toy was a weak moment of a friend - and he proposed the trade (altho, I can't quite remember where he originally got it or what our trade was). The blade was an old file. The bottom knife is my USER - my baby - my friend - my PRECIOUS. Made by a friend, simple forged blade of 1095 tool steel, antler slab handles, brass bolser. A good, utility, using knife. Based on knifes from the late 1700's and early 1800's.

Values? Hmmm ... the top one is probably in the range of $200 to $250, the bottom one around $100 - but hard to judge because my friend made less than a dozen and people are actively looking to collect his knives, so it could be higher.

Boys and their Toys. And then there is the ... knife and the ... and ... and ...

I don't own any Frost's, Mora's, Spyderco's. Almost no production knives. But then there are all those little sharp toys I make myself. Just like blacksmithing, these sharp toys are addictive also.

Mikey - playing Mumbly Peg out in the Hinterlands - ouch ...

p.s. I had to use my scanner for the pic. My digital camera is a junker, and not good for closeups.

 

[Zammo]

I think I've only ever bought about 5 knives, a couple of SAKs, a Frosts Mora, a Tramontina Machete and my most expensive knife a £25 Spanish bowie knife (probably collecting dust in my dads loft). Though I did spend more than this making my Bushcraft knife I recently finished.

I don't like the idea of having loads of knifes, so I intend to only ever have 1 or 2 of each type (folder & fixed), so I can appreciate them more.

 

[British Red]

Now theres a handsome knife - I like that - a lot! Lovely to see such things!

Red

 

[falling rain]

How about one of these nl5cx (bottom of the page) @ £761 http://www.countrytrader.co.uk/acatalog/Fallkniven_Northern_Lights_Series.html

I have the one above nl5 idun I got mine for £140 as far as I can remember and after some initial problems with sharpening (never owned a convex blade before) I really love it. It feels indestructable re-assuringly weighty and a pleasure to use.

 

[Dougster]

I had a play with one of these at the knife fair in Bristol.

It was lovely, but I'm fairly sure that at that price, barring a lottery win, I'll never own one. Even though it is 64Rc!!!!!!

I'm one step on, the £90 blade has arrived so with materials at over £100 this will be my most pricey yet. I'll post pics when I'm finished.

 

[Tiley]

I think it might be my Alan Wood stainless bushcrafter in Powder Metallurgy's RWL-34 with giraffe bone slabs and black fibre liners. It's a wonderful knife though does suffer from that perennial hiccough of not being a 'true' Scandi grind: it's slightly hollow ground. It holds its edge brilliantly, feels really good in the hand and AW managed to get it to me in under a year!

 

[Mike Ameling]

Sorry for the poor pic on my sharp toys. My digital camera is a cheap junker, so I had to use my scanner, and it has problems with proper lighting. So you can't see the detail of the damascus blade and bolsters. So here is a link to the site of the guy that made it where you can see other examples of his knives.

http://www.damascusknives.biz/

His name is Jim, or J P Miller, and he's been making knives for at least 3 decades - started as a hobby but progressed to his retirement "business" - well, that and smallmouth bass fishing. Now that he's retired from his machinists job (after recovering financially from a kid in college), he works on fewer and fewer knives. Fishing, camping, and the hammock in the back yard seem more important nowdays. His knife making was his stress relief therapy - from work and those union contract negotiations. And then he got REALLY GOOD at making them.

If you like sharp toys, you will enjoy the "eye candy" on his site. Just be carefull to wear your bib - don't want too much drool on your keyboard.

Mike - out in the Hinterlands of Nouvelle France

 

[stuart m]

Here is my most expensive... My Nexus 7

I did want to show a photo of my most treasured also but can't seem to find one.... I'll get one tomorrow

 

[edispilff]

woohoo, some beautiful edges and descriptions.
Realistically though, when we weigh the value of what we paid for them on the open market and what we've used them for, it seems that the higher priced blades seem to end up on the "investment edge".

Saw BritRed's new blade on another post... and hey, Red? are you going to take that jewel out into the field and use it?.. I hope so. i hope you forgo the price it cost.. and use it for what it really is. It really is a nice knife. It is your brainchild.. and for that.. it should be taken out and tested to the extents of its ability... and then some!

Gentlemen, put those knives to use!.. I often mock myself in gest when it comes to bush fashion. Will the squirrels laugh at me when i use a knife instead of an axe? Do the Beavers care what they're skinned with?

The only thing that separates the value of any edge from another is the value you sacrificed to have it.
Any edge can be brought to "shave sharp" but are you really ready to sacrifice something which you value more... when you have something that will do the job equally as well for which you monetarily value for less?

The crafty bushman says, "I'll find my materials and make what is needed when it is needed. Only then will it carry to the next function".

On parting, an old Sioux saying -"the difference between a warrior and a brave is that the warrior walks through the woods while the brave will run."

Use those blades gents!

edispilff

 

[stuart m]

On parting, an old Sioux saying -"the difference between a warrior and a brave is that the warrior walks through the woods while the brave will run."


edispilff

I like that....

 

[Joff]

My most expensive knife is my Northstar which cost £60 secondhand. All my other knives cost about £50 except my Clipper which was about £8.

Joff

 

[British Red]

Saw BritRed's new blade on another post... and hey, Red? are you going to take that jewel out into the field and use it?.. Iedispilff

Thats what its made for - see no point in ornaments!

Red

 

[Too Much Kit To Carry]

This is mine: -

As for the price..... it would have been acceptable if I had not been charged by customs as I found the knife for sale in the US

Phil.

 

[FGYT]

Mine is a kitchen knife one of the Big Globals

http://www.headcook.co.uk/global-gf35-chefs-knife-30cm-blade-p-1060.html


Bush crafty cutting is a Kukri @ £70 slightly longer than std and with a lanyard loop on the Butt

also shows my most expensive ( read only) axe
and Grandads Old Helle-bard Knife no idea on its cost but it was one that was copied by Helle for their 75th anniversary though the Handle is rectangular to Romboid with flat faces its very comfy

other than that most are cheap stuff or home made


ATB

Duncan