Let's RANT! Has The Knife Hobby Deteriorated?
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 6 июл 2024
- With over a decade in this community I have seen trends come and go. One thing I have learned is that nothing in this life is all upside, there is always a cost.
Развлечения
Someone isn't looking in the mirror! You have way over one GRAND$ on that table! And some Just wanna say I have a Sabenza in my pocket! It's out of control... I have unsubscribed form most knife channels I had, and I carry mostly a fixed blade! I'm done with this trend! Knife manufacturers are out of their mind!
Just a conversation man. I could comment on how I think the NFL isn't as much fun as it used to be, doesn't mean I then have to boycott it an stop watching. And I don't know what you are talking about, knives are now less expensive then ever. What used to cost 1.5k you can have for 200 bucks now.
I don’t know, but you sure love a good exclamation point, I’ll tell ya that.
@@81ghale sometimes it happens. At least I had a point to make, not sure about yours.
@@wildfree4203 it was an observation that had to be made. Couldn’t be helped.
@@81ghale 🤣
Stages of knife collecting:
1. first contact
2. first amazement
3. first contact to next-level knives
4. acknowledgment that Spydercos are not ugly but great knives
5. learning about steel
6. becoming able to differentiate between good and excellent knives
7. realizing that spending a little more on a knife is totally ok
8. and even more
9. realizing that you need to spend more on a knife than you want/can in order to get a better one
10. becoming frustrated about 9.
11. realizing that your collection has reached a point of saturation that makes it difficult to find something exciting (and still affordable)
12. watching videos about how collecting knives has changed throughout the years.
😊
You need to get this published. It should come with every knife purchase
I'm at #11-#12. Bought a grand total of one knife this year. Interested in a couple more and willing to wait 'till Black Friday.
@@felixf5211 This should be 13 long lol, between 11-13 is "waiting patiently for Black Friday in hopes that the exotic high end expensive knife you want might go on sale" haha! Been there lol.
I’m on 12.
The most factual statement I have ever read. I want new stuff, but I don't want to pay hundreds for something different than what I own. I reset from 12 back down to 4 and 5. Spyderco has always been my go to for trying new steels.
I also hate how at Blade Show 2024 in Atlanta, Spyderco won the Blade Magazine award for "Most Innovative American Design" with a Paramilitary 2 that had a magnacut blade with G10 handleds that had a few simple grooves milled in them🤔 How is it innovative to take the Paramilitary 2 which is a knife design that has been around since 2010 and just swap it's blade to magnacut which is a steel that's been around for three years at this point🤔 Why didn't Bryan Winters of Winterblade Co. win that award for his unique innovative designs and or his new magnetic locking mechanisms🤔
I didn't even know that!
Smells like clique-like behaviour to me.
The best knives have already been made. The first good knife I bought was the Chaparral Frn. I still carry it.
Why do you think Víctorionox is by far the biggest knife seller in the world? They are very well made, timeless, useful and affordable. They are simple to sharpen and scare no-one.
The super steel/titanium fetish is a marketing con job. Why would anyone want a knife just to flash around that can't be sharpened without spending a fortune on sharpening tools?
The difference between a Ganzo and a Sebenza is neglegable to a workman or a farmer.
It's deteriorated and knives are way to expensive. Everyone is amazed by flipping knives open and the so called "action". First thing I look at is will it cut. Will it hold an edge. How much it cost. These are all way more important than how good you can flip it open!
And on videos make sure you flip it open constantly
I started collecting in 2000’, but my first two “good” knives were a Spyderco Delica (with the moulded on clip), and a SOG Tomcat in the late 90s. I found Bladeforums, and shortly after the USN in the early 2000s. I used to attend shows and meetups all the time. I spent a lot of money and collecting effort on knives from DDR, Mayo, Crawford, Emerson, Strider, CRK, Ikoma etc. back then, and when you got a blade from a higher end maker you didn’t really question many of the things that are highly scrutinized nowadays.
I feel like the industry changed due to a high demand for certain tolerances and materials, which off-shore OEMs saw a market for. I believe this, coupled with the first few years that COVID, and some disposable income from govt/employer stipends, provided a pathway to over-saturation. Now, folks are expecting a level of fit, finish and materials that rival custom and mid-tech makers, at near budget prices.
Add into that, the whole “drop shut action”, “lock stick is evil”, “must have steel lock bar insert or it’s garbage”, “fidget factor”, or whatever other trend or catch phrase you can add, that created a host of expectations that have definitely split the end user market into factions who don’t tend to agree with each other.
I’m mostly old school. Tip down carry doesn’t bother me, but I also like tip up. I prefer knives on washers over ball bearings. I don’t fidget with my knives, and I actually use almost all of them except for a few safe queens. Lock stick, as long as it’s not too tough to release, is a feature, not a burden. Proper lock geometry is more important than if there is a steel insert over plain Ti (hopefully it’s hardened or carbidized). Benchmade’s prices don’t piss me off. I don’t feel the need to disassemble or mod every knife I buy. I don’t use a folder for batoning wood (I usually carry a fixed blade when I’m homesteading, hiking and camping.)
But I’m looked at like I’m an out of touch dinosaur by new generation collectors. But it’s my money so there’s that lol. When I watch knife reviews now, I can almost do it with the sound turned off, just so I can get a view of the dimensions, and overall makeup. I tend to only partially agree with most reviewers, with a few exceptions.
I'm with you on most of this but steel lock bar inserts, I have learned, are essential. I have a mid-tech framelock that is two years old and I've had to adjust the lock bar to get rid of lock rock, but that's not a big deal, the problem is when I grab the knife to use it, I can feel that lock bar moving in my hand and I hate that, it reminds me every time I touch it, that it wasn't built with a lock bar insert. One more year and the lock bar will be touching the show side scale. What then? It cost me almost $900 CAD two years ago.
@@BorealEDC I was agreeing with everything also until... titanium on steel isn't a feature and no they don't play well over time with such a small surface to wear, regardless of geometry. For the kind of money we are shelling out it should come with an extra slightly longer insert to fit when needed. Any gun I would buy would have parts available going forward but that is guns and knives just aren't like that.
Close to a thousand bucks is out of my reach for a folder, although if you are a collector or have the money I get it.
A user knife should be designed to last or be cheap and easily replaceable simple as that.
@@BorealEDC I think it depends on the knife. There are Sebenzas out there that are over a decade old with hard use and the lock bar has remained in the same place. I’ve personally seen and used a few myself. It’s not a deal breaker but it surely depends on the maker.
@@LanningKann Sebenza's use a Ceramic ball to interface with the blade. They implemented that very early on. As I understand (could be wrong here) they started with a plain Titanium lockup and then quickly switched to a Ceramic ball to act as a lock insert.
@@BorealEDC ceramic balls on CRK knives other than the Umnumzaan is relatively new. The Sebenza up to the 21 is Ti on steel. The Sebenza 25 which became the Inkosi is the first non Umnumzaan to have a Ceramic ball. The Sebenza 31 is the first Sebenza to have a ceramic ball.
As an avid knife enthusiast for the last 40 years, my rant goes back way longer than yours. I remember the knife industry before the internet. Reviewers still existed, and rarely got the spotlight that RUclips has given folks like you. These were hard use reviewers who carried these knives daily, not treating them as safe queens. They worked 9-5 jobs in the trades or on the farm. They had the occasional knife magazines articles, the industry publications, the newsletters (back when they were on paper) and the early newsgroup forum days of the internet. It didn't start with RUclips, that is just the latest medium being used for Reviewers to speak out. We will eventually move on from RUclips during the next technology shift. Unfortunately, and I mean unfortunately, the quality of reviewing has gone progressively downhill in those 40 years. To your point, when RUclips started, people were finally able to see for themselves what reviewers were putting knives through (beyond the original Cold Steel DVDs of the 90s). RUclips as a format has pushed the knife industry in the direction it has gone in so you and others like you have contributed to the environment you are not happy with. Why would I say this, how did I come to this conclusion? Simple. RUclips as a whole has made knives a fashion statement. Not unlike clothes or shoes, knives have become about the cool factor. The ego driven branding that allows people to think that they are somehow better than others because they have certain branded knives and/or costlier knives. RUclips reviewers have contributed to that hype. The entire market has been driven up in price and while yes, the quality of even the cheapest of knives have improved dramatically, the entire industry is out of it's mind with what they are asking for knives (materials aren't enough anymore to justify the costs). Add this to the fact that RUclips has now been around long enough that society has produced a generation of visual learners. You now have people mimicking previous knife industry professionals through watching their videos (no actual hands on learning). For example, we now have an entire generation of "knife reviewers" that learned from RUclips, who have not actually used knives long enough to know what they are talking about. You have a generation of Knife Makers who have 2-3 years experience trying to sell knives for 10x what their experience and quality should demand. These are all folks who watched RUclips to learn. So yes, you have quite a few horrible reviewers on RUclips these days because they don't have the experience to back up their reviews. They simply do not understand why certain tests are done unless someone on RUclips explained it in a video they saw. Of course they would blow through a review of a knife they received for free in the mail 3 days prior and have spent ZERO time actually using. The easiest way to spot these folks is the fact that their knives all have pristine factory edges still on them. Are there exceptions? Of course there are. But there are far and away more bad knockoff reviewers who are mimicking their predecessors than there are people who actually learned about knives through hard use. In general, our social media driven society has become one that educates itself on the opinions of others vs. actual experience. Just my 2 cents, no insults intended. I have just watched things degrading far longer than you.
You saved me a rant. If I showed pictures of what I used or tested knives for 20 years ago people would freak out. But it's our fault too. Didn't we want more, Didn't we fetch excited? If it wasn't our fault as well why are we posting 😂
Bro. Both myself and OneMoonCollective have had IG posts removed for posting the shirt he sells with knife blade art on them. I've mostly removed myself from content creation at this point. It is a perpetual up-hill battle against the social media overlords.
100% Sucks so bad
Its so bitter sweet, and its certainly not a unique characteristic of just the knife industry. A good example of people always thinking they want more, and that its self evident that more is better, but when you have too much you lose all perspective. Makes me want to move into the country.
I like the current state of the knife hobby, mostly because I am not “just” a collector, I actually use my knives at work and I fully appreciate the improvements in the quality of beater knives.
Several years ago, I had my grail knives ( which are not special anymore these days), but I never take them to work because they were too special, so I mostly use my Tenacious and TuffLite. In my mind back then, I would dream of a time where a “beater” knife can be manufactured in the same level of “niceness” as my expensive spydercos and benchmades.
Fast forward to today. Damn! Most of my QSP and Civivi beater knives are so finely made that except for that fact that their blade steels aren’t premium, I’d even go as far as to say that these cheap knives feel much better made than my FRN-clad, off-centered Benchmades.
The market became oversaturated, and there's very little innovation left. We're basically scraping the pot now, especially since almost none of us actually use these knives other than opening packages.
It’s not true that there is little innovation. We have better steels. You can get Damascus in color now. You can get out the fronts with no blade play. Many companies doing textured titanium handles. Different innovations from Winter Blade Co. Small pocket size fixed blades was an innovation. There are sharpening systems available that make it easier for beginner sharpeners to sharpen knives. There is lots of innovation!
I have over a hundred knives and nothing to cut. Selling them. I now prefer to own useful things
The hobby and the market has definitely become 'oversaturated', flooded by overseas manufacturers and knives being flogged by 'designers' who have never made a knife in their life.
Most YT are shams for freebies and clout
@@Av0cad0YumYum Couldn't disagree more.
Has anyone seen the petition about Instagram?
They're trying to stop knife content.
I have. Unfortinatly won't do any good, but still good to voice our protest. IG is dead for knives now
There are “too many” companies producing “too many” knives. There isn’t time to let a new knife sort of sink in and be enjoyed. The upside is everyone can find what they are looking for, from the “a knife is just a tool, stop treating them like a hobby” crowd to the “pocket jewelry, never cut with it” crowd. The downside is that even great, innovative designs will get lost in the crush of new products.
I've been in the knife collecting game for almost a decade now and I've gotta say out of all my various hobbies, this is one of the only one that's rapidly industrialized, received specific chemical advancements (Magnacut, spy27, ARPM9), lowered its barrier to entry and increased its quality across all levels all while having even more options for everyone imaginable!
Think of the last time you've heard about a knife model being a complete and total dud that everyone should stay away from?
If anything it's certain makers words and actions that are pushing away customers rather than their products.
Knife manufacturing has gotten so good that its now to the point reviewers are having to make up the most minor nitpicks on models such as *"not liking how it sounds when closing"* just to seem unbiased.
We are honestly spoiled for choice and somewhere along the way it's kinda lost its soul.
All very good points!
Totally agree but arpm9 shouldn't have been mentioned. I truly believe it's a trash steel from the bottom of my heart. I give my respect for trying out a proprietary steel but that one shouldn't have been it. The spy27 is good stuff though definitely better then s30v and s35vn without a doubt!!
@@jimmycricket7946 ARPM9 is just 8cr13MoV made via the SprayForm process. It's not terrible but it's not anything to write home about either. I only mentioned it because it was specifically developed by Artisan Cutlery in collaboration Crucible FOR Artisan Cutlery with the intention for cutlery uses.
You may not like the end result steel (I don't either) but I can't deny that it got researched and made into a reality by and for this specific niche of the steel industry as a whole.
You're absolutely right The knife market is saturated, and I blame it on companies like civivii which flooded the US market with Chinese knives. The other thing that drives me nuts is everyone wants a knife to flip open especially reverse flip, which is like nails on a chalkboard to me .I don't know why everyone thinks that is so cool. News flash is not cool it looks stupid. If you need something to open fast buy an automatic.
I don't feel as strongly about flippers as you but I also still agree. 80% of the market is bearing flippers with some weird scale material. It's not my thing and I don't get it either. I've had pretty much the same thought. Everyone wanted better and cheaper knives, and this is what happened. Market got flooded with what people wanted, everyone wants to cash in, and now there's dozens of companies making the same knife. Kind of been that way for quite a few years and I think that's why I've always gravitated towards conlmpanies like spyderco. They don't look like the rest of the market, they do their own thing, they do it well and that's it.
There are just to many fashion knives. Flippers, ballbearings, fancy milling patterns and so on. Its fast fashion. After a year the knife influencers stop talking about it and discontinue the model to create something for the latest trends. Thats why i love Chris Reeve, Fallkniven, Winkler and brands like that. They have a select assortment of models and make them to perfection. Build to last.
I fully agree with you!
Some people don't really use them and should probably just get a fidget spinner.
@@shawnpatrick1877 they still make those!? 😂
@@tarik1816 I love “pretty “ knives. I love the exotic materials, and customization in pocket knives
@@ericmack001 I absolutely respect that. And to each their own. And you can have gorgeous knives without being fast fashion production.
Just because a knife is fashionable doesn't mean it's not a real working knife. Back in the 2010s I thought Fiddleback Forge knives were just collecting knives until I realized how well they held up with bushcrafting.
I just got an Anso Aros(orange G10/blue anodized titanium hardware/pocket clip) and I absolutely love it👍 The Anso Aros is an in house build made by Jens Anso and his team of five knife makers/machinists at his small shop in Denmark👍 The Aros is my favorite button lock flipper of all-time😁 People just don't cherish knives like they use too😞
Many industries are reaching a plateau. Their typical products are what we once would have called "outstanding." Further improvements will come, but they will be smaller. They're not watered down; they've improved so much that quality differences are less noticeable.
I’ll say this. I love knife content on social media and other outlets. The internet like many other products have ruined the industry. They get reviewed and they go out of stock immediately because “Knife influencers “ who get the knives free recommend them. There’s guys who have 10,000 dollars worth of knives to open Amazon packages and blister packs… and to say that they have a particular knife in high demand…. The knife industry is like the shoe industry….
This is what happens when any hobby goes from niche to mainstream, what was a small community with small output and few makers explodes to a huge community with high output and countless makers. From an oldschool perspective you used to be able to kind of know about everything available and a new release would be something special, innovation of new design and material would be exciting and game changing, and when things weren't perfect it would be a point of community interest. The highs were high and the lows were low.
Now the market is flooded with countless makers and designs, and the price to quality ratio of Chinese manufacturers is hard to ignore. USA made stuff seems to be getting more expensive without really doing anything new.
As a collector there really has never been a better time with the endless choice and rising quality, especially for budget friendly options, but because everything is just generally good and every company does similar designs it all gets a bit beige, and makes it hard to stay excited.
Right there with you. It's been sad to watch. Knives have become fashion accessories for most people these days vs. being actual tools.
Completely agreed with your sentiment, and that's as a new knife collector. I've amassed probably 20 knives this year and feel like I'm about done or will even get rid of some. I certainly spent enough, every knife is knife is unique, certainly functional, and each I'd be proud to carry in my pocket or show. I see no need to spend high end prices (>$150) for something that might be the slightest more impressive and I'd be afraid to use it. I wear them per occasion and what I'll be doing, but just like shoes, I've got enough until I wear one out which will probably be never. Some are to get dirty and some are for dress, but in the end, they're just shoes or knives.
That's a great way to look at it.
The over saturation is real. A good friend of mine and I use the word spam -especially in regard to production knives. That being said I’m still very much into the hobby and take the social media stuff with a grain of salt mostly due to the effects of infotainment, instant gratification and constantly moving on to the next thing.
Thank you for mentioning nostalgia a bit. Even the trinity wasn’t perfect: the Sebenza couldn’t (“shouldn’t”) flick open and the studs anodization would wear off, hinderers didn’t flip, and striders lockup/pins has issues (plus they cut the lanyard). That being said I have an Umnumzaan, XM-18, and Strider SMF. I love them. The market is saturated, and prices are way up while liquidity per most individuals are down. Looking back, remember how few production knives had carbon fiber? You almost had to get a custom, midtech, or limited edition. Now most budget knives feature it. Overall we’ve been climbing almost exponentially incremental “improvements” or features. Call it hedonistic adaptation, but I’ve been more and more picky about what I collect, after having had dozens of Benchmade, ZT, Emerson, Spyderco, Striders, etc over the years. I’ve almost horseshoed back to appreciating a few really well done knives, and some really solid budget knives. There are still a few on my list to try, but I’ve snagged most models that I’ve wanted to try. They seem to fall in that ~10/20 years ago. Spyderco Southard Flipper, Benchmade LFTI, Emerson CQC-8, etc. I wanted those so badly during the early RUclips days. Now I have them and they are great. But again, I’m rambling. Lots of micro brands, OEM contracting out, the big names from years ago seem outdated by comparison sometimes. Everyone is trying to stay relevant, and be seen. I wonder if this always the way things will go, each of us reaching this split in the knife collecting journey? Who’s to say.
very well put
This is why i have become more picky about purchasing a knife. I go more for longevity when choosing an edc. I want something thats going to last for years to come. I dont care for spyderco or benchmade. I dont need a fidget toy, i need a well made long lasting tool which is why i prefer chris reeve for my folders and esee for my fixed blades. Both have the best warranty in the game and that just promotes you to use your shit.
I believe that you all are making such a big difference that the knife makers have to do what's best for the consumer now. You have accomplished your goal, and I don't mean that in a smart ass way. Yes, the knives are better, all around. Material, tuning, cost, and also, popularity. I attribute 90% of it to content creators/ knife influencers like yourself. Thank you and keep up the good work!
Time to ride out into the sunset..😁
I think the saturated market is good for the industry because you can now get fantastically manufactured knives at very low prices due to CNC and Chinese labor.
This is definitely the upside. Consumers are getting better quality for less
The Chinese manufacturers have really moved up in quality. That is why there are really nice $200+ options.
Turned up production too, most brands now have x3 tiers of models plus they do commission work.
The hobby is flooded
RUclips kinda turned the knife hobby into a TV series. How many seasons will it survive until popularity wanes and it gets cancelled...
🤣 I was thinking of this the other day. Like all things it will eb and flow...not go away...unless YT flat out bans the content. Honestly wouldn't mind it going back to a smaller tighter knit group
The first season is usually “The Best”...lol. Something to be said for the Grassroots of a hobby before major corporations get involved and delude everything...
@@edged_mindset I have to say that after seeing the trends and gazing into the crystal ball, YT would end up banning all content that they deem "weapons" and fall in line with the other snowflake laden media companies who have been infested from the inside by ignorant green haired sensitive activist types. I hope not, but it isn't looking good! As someone who is just getting off the ground on YT it is somewhat disheartening to work hard creating high quality content, building up your catalog and audience just to have them yank the rug out from under you. For me it would suck but for you, someone who has dedicated so much time and effort I can only imagine what a bummer that would be. Someday freedom will be back in fashion again and I look forward to that day. I appreciate your insight and your videos, thank you!
I discovered the Spyderco Delica around 2004. I believed then and I believe now that it is the only knife you need for the rest of your life. Having said that I've has over 300 knives come and go and am still buying and trading. Its an amazing hobby but unfortunately social media treats edc blades as dangerous weapons. Shadow banning and censoring is the new normal. Glad to see you making amazing interesting vids. Been a follower for a long time. Thanks
👊😁👊
👊😁👊
There’s nothing new in the folding knife world, when there is it’s far too overpriced. I’ve gone back to fixed blades which is where I started in the first place.
Is there anything new in the fixed blade world? Genuinely curious
I have been into knives for almost 30 years now. But didn't find the online community until about 4 years ago, and yes it is way different now
Excellent points and I agree with you. I just got into collecting knives about 4 yrs ago and it's been a lot of fun. It was a great hobby to get into during lockdown. I enjoyed watching so many knife videos during that time and I still do. The past few months tho I'm noticing my interest is waning. I've accumulated about 50 knives and am quite happy with what I have. It's pretty overwhelming, all the different makers and models that have sprung up but in most cases it's taking more than just the knife of the week to catch my interest and when it does happen the prices are getting ridiculous. Overall too much of the same thing. On a positive note, it's great that there is so much good quality product out there that can be had for a reasonable price. I just think there are too many in the game now. I've reached the level with SOC and Chavez and to go higher is money I'd rather spend on something else TBH.
I’ve only been actively collecting for three years. Recently I’ve stopped purchasing brand new. The last new knife was an AD 20.5…. I never carry it. My last 5 or 6 are older models, second and maybe third hand discontinued gems. I missed out on some good knives and so now I just hunt for the older ones.
👊
When you have 10,000 good options to choose from why does it matter what you chose?
Great video! Just subscribed!
I remember back in the early 80s seeing the first Spyderco knife at a knife shop in Colorado. The saleswoman had it clipped to her tank top upper breast. I thought wow, she's cool! & what a great idea it has a pocket clip on it! Wish I would have bought it. I ended up leaving with a Kershaw, which had the basic profile of a buck 110. Back in those days I only owned one pocket knife and I owned it until I lost it then I would buy another one. Then in the early late 1980s I caught the knife bug again and and finally got my first Spyderco - "Standard". Still have it. Back then if a knife was made in China it was no doubt a piece of crap. Now China make some of the nicest knives out there
Thank you for jumping on board!
I think a massive problem in the hobby is the influx of pocket jewelry collectors that don’t actually use any of their shit. Perfect example - they were the ones that fueled the incredibly stupid “pocket tank” trend. They also drove up the prices on steel variants, which I always find absurd since they can’t tell the difference between AUS-8 and M390.
A good way to weed out the bullshit - only look for production knives that run on washers. Don’t buy the borderline gas station knife styling. I’ve purchased 7 knives for myself over the past 4 years, and 3 of them were replacing knives that had been stolen (long story). They are all users.
X4CTO was cool too. Love all you guys , no homo
Oh yeah. I am worried about him. I know he was having heart issues just before he disappeared
Interesting topic. It feels like the knife hobby turned into something similar to the sneaker hobby. Hype based derivative fast fashion. There’s a lot more choices but I can hardly keep up with new releases.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve went to buy a Civivi I liked, only to find it was discontinued and left in the dust by several new models.
The newer knives overall feel less special, but that’s just made me appreciate the ones I already have, so I guess that’s a win.
Great points
I’m from the old school (early 2000’s) and I remember exactly what you’re talking about. In those days the hobby was purpose driven, generally by the designer.
Nowadays there is more market reactivity to what’s new and what’s on social media. In a way it’s good if a collector is purpose driven.
One of my next episodes shows off my collection which started in the early 2000’s. I myself marvel at the evolution of the art industry based not only on your observations, but how my own collection has evolved.
I immersed myself in collecting just this year after hanging on to some misc knives I’ve received throughout the years. For what it’s worth from someone who likes to budget, I appreciate all the reviews out there today. It’s been a valuable resource in decision making. The knives you have are still special. Choose to be an optimist. Make knives have more worth by showing them to a few younger men in your life (grandkids or mentees). If you are able to pass them on to them eventually, that knife’s value & appreciation went up a lot for an individual, trust me.
I personally like the knife community now. I think it’s very diverse.
It is! And way bigger than ever before. I also like the re-emphasis on using your knives
@@ShawnCantwellKnives The knife community is a lot more diverse now, but the knife community now just doesn't have that tight-knit brotherly fell to it anymore😞 Back in the day(late 90's/early 2000's) there was no term as a "bro deal" because every secondary knife market sale back then was essentially a bro deal, and it was all about friendships, being honest/straight forward with each other and everyone had integrity👍 Now there are way too many shady/untrustworthy people involved in the knife community that only want to obtain knives just so they can flip them on the secondary market to make a profit🤨😞
@@ThomasConnolly I like 👍 it just fine now. I think it’s better than ever.
@@ThomasConnolly I have a brotherly connection with the founding fathers that are on money. 💴 My favorite bro is Benjamin Franklin.
Sounds like burn out to me. If you find you’re moving onto the next thing or not finding value/love in the knife you’ve chosen to adopt then I think one needs to take a step back and take a break from the hobby. Take that time to actually miss the thing you enjoyed for so many years. Remind yourself what’s important to you in a knife, and when you start to really miss it, dip the toes back into the addiction.
Very good point
The biggest thing that's been killing the hobby for me lately is the secondary market. It honestly feels like there's 5 scalpers for every 1 collector these days. It's only worsened by the fact that so many people in the hobby are willing to keep paying them. It's permanently soured me to Strider knives. It seems to be the brand of choice for scumbag scalpers.
This^
GEC for me, though. I don't even try now and drops are awful, not thrilling.
I would say it is a good time to get into the hobby and to be here as an oldschool collector. The knives are so much better for all the reasons you mentioned and designers can get in the market with cool ideas even if they don`t have a big name.
More knives should not bring the frustration to keep up with them all but to seek the onces that are special for the collector.
Maybe it is good to come back to the knives that really sparked something and bring the emotions into that kind of reviews.
It just sucks the breaking in and growing with a knife is totally lost on guys these days. The part that hit home was the old reviews after x amount of time.
Not only this market, every market. With continuous small innovations, people start questioning the need behind the pushed products. Let’s say that they want their capitalism to sustain and nit to help on building true freedom.
Same thing is happening in software apps. We already made all the important cool stuff, but they are still trying to keep that momentum going
I reached saturation about 7 years ago. I liquidated 95% of my collection. I carry a Chris Reeve Small Inkosi and a Victorinox Swiss Army Knife. I have a couple small fixed blades and that's where my interest is now. I'm just not excited about all the locks, steels, actions, etc. I remember vividly discovering Bladeforums around 2000. I was rabid. It wore off.
Totally get it
Never thought of it the way you put it, but I think you hit the nail on the head. I’m older school, handful of knives that move in/out of my collection & a larger pool of knives that are just mine.
The knife community has been obsessed with NEW for quite a while now. In my opinion, solving the technical hangups (which I'll say is certainly improved but far from a non-issue) just leaves room to appreciate the design. There is still room for improvement- Artisan won't do captive pivots; I'd like to see more lockbar relief cuts on the inside (Buckhorn included). Yes, the market for quality knives is a crisis of plenty, but there's still room to dial in further and for timless designs that are well executed. Ultimately, design is subjective, so I welcome having the basics nailed down so a designer can showcase their unique vision and refinement of an ancient tool.
I’m fairly new to the hobby, only 2 years of collecting sharp metals, but not a new hobbyist. It was so, and I repeat SO, overwhelming to get in to. Steels, locks, finishes, etc. The tons of budget knives allowed me to learn what I like safely and at a lower investment so I can now spend $300 confidently because it checks enough boxes. It’s a great time to like knives, but a hard time to get in to them.
That's a good point too. I couldn't imagine getting in now with everything available.
I haven’t been in the knife community for years. Trying to save money. I just got back in and I’m not believing Ontario is gone. Lots of really good Chinese knifes comparable in quality(fit finish) to good Japanese knifes of the 1980s but with better steel choices. I bought a Microtech from luvthemknives and a few lightning offs. Lots of the people doing these videos you mentioned have never even used the knifes to see if they work long term. I use mine for deer and carry my Microtech. It ain’t in no box. Knifes are for using. That Strider is still in my list:)There are weakness in these new knifes. Time will tell
All knives are "Dime a Dozen" now days though. THE ONLY ones that are not, are the classics that have remained RARE are HARD to get ahold of, and remain exclusive to lottery and intentional shortages. For example: Full Titanium Demkos USA made MG-AD20's, Holts, Browns, Koenigs, RobJohnsons, Skiff Made Blades, Oz Machine Factory, Hermin, etc. Those knives (doesn't matter model) will RETAIN their value and always be sought after.
👊
Nick Shabazz called this 2 years ago
He is a smart man
People with more money than the average upset that their knives are not as special anymore that they of the few were able to get. 😢
I jumped into the knife world about 3 years ago when the Elementum was all the rage. I started slow and then went hard, owning about 60 knives worth about 18k total. Even from then until know it has changed tremendously. I've cut my collection way down and I don't buy a knife unless it's an absolute must have. Like you said, there is so much out there that's basically great, that it almost takes the fun out of it. But I still love knives and always will but it's definitely hard to be impressed anymore. Also, did you just remove ano from that Buckhorn or what? I didn't get one because I didn't like the brass pivot collar.
Great point! And yes, I used acid to remove the ano on the pivot collar then hand sanded the pivot to a satin finish
@@edged_mindset sweet thanks. I may have to get one then!
Once i find my VECP I'm done. I can't stand the disappointment of opening another titanium knife with magnacut on bearings. They're all the same. Maybe one day ill splurge again on a Rosie or Lamia but other than that I'm out. The rotten evo 4 showed me this.
I remember back in the day enjoying watching hour long videos from Randy Johnson a.k.a Solo Knife Reviews👍
Same! Randy is the man. He still uploads
@edged_mindset I know Randy still uploads, and I enjoy watching every one of his new videos👍 Unfortunately Randy now only releases a few new RUclips videos a year😞
Removing the ano really did make that buck horn look so much better. It actually holds its own in that group of REALLY nice knives....great mod:)
Thank you sir!
Don't agree. He turned a brass casing into dulled steel look. The brass accent gave the knife unique character.
@@protomon sorry, I don't think the brass casing looking pivot matched with the rest of the details on this particular knife, I don't have this knife myself but if I get one I'd definitely remove the ano for sure....no big deal most people won't and you can leave yours just the way it came: too:)
Knives feel like a commodity now. There are non stop new models and the best way I can describe it is a lack of soul. I still buy, collect and use but I’ve jumped off the new, new, new bandwagon.
Steered towards select overseas knives and the American companies to make it a bit more substantive
Great video been thinking these thoughts for a bit now
Very well put
Man, I remember watching your videos 10+ years ago, I totally agree with your points. Knife culture has been super saturated for awhile now and with the downturn in the economy people are only buying from their top brands, or not at all. On top of that it’s become difficult to sell online making it even harder to keep the knife economy alive.
Sucks because I just started making knives and now I gotta deal with this environment instead of the one that made me fall in love with the hobby.
With this economic downturn we may see it desaturated quickly 🤣
@@edged_mindset which would suck in its own right, I would welcome a desaturation but it’s smaller makers who will suffer, the large companies have already started to downsize and will most likely weather the storm.
Maybe "deteriorated" isn't the correct word. Perhaps "oversaturated" would be better. The explosion of social media gave such an urgent reaction to knowledge. However, the snake bite of the situation is that attention span are extremely short, and makers of every kind are working to create products to overcome attention spans.
Great points
I think having lots of high quality knives has a pro that it's higher chance to find the "perfect" knife for one's palm. Durability, blade? It's really easy to find those but the handling is always the thing one cannot solve by watching videos.
We live in an era where technology has advanced so far that any ol’ Schmo can create content. I’ve been looking at this for years now in terms of media content, such as books or music or videos that are self-published on any number of online platforms.
But the truth is that even manufacturing has reached this point. Outside of knives, I’m interested in exercise equipment, barefoot-style shoes and physical therapy devices for recovery after exercise. You’d be rather floored to see just how many “companies” have a website that offers a single product in their “catalog”. Sometimes these websites find enough success to add a second or third product, but many times they don’t.
So, from that perspective, I think knives are opening up to a wider supply. Does it dilute the overall market? Sure. Does it also pretty much guarantee that you’ll eventually get knives that fit your exact specifications? Probably.
I forgot to touch on that point. The barrier to entry on making content has gotten lower and lower
You know you've been in the know when you can look back to the mid-70s. Back then, you didn't have internet. You had a paper catalog or a knife shop. If you were lucky, you could go into it, and the best steel you could get your hands on was 440C. Today's buyers are spoiled little babies 👶 that have nothing better to do than complain about: is the knife blade centered, how well does the new fangled lock hold up. Wa wa wa... We are in the heyday of innovation. I'm truly impressed by so many of the knives available regardless of where they are made. Fantastic times. Yes, maybe a little over-priced, sometimes way over-priced. But you can get your fix. Just get real people!
The market is crowded, but the advancement in metallurgy, steel quality, tech, and other inventions are a great thing. It’s become similar to the wine industry and that’s kinda lame, but there will always be improvements to keep things interesting.
I miss looking at a piece of art. I am not big on looking at 5 pieces of just expensive metal.
Not sure what you mean. Can you explain in more detail?
I am an older dude the fell into this EDC trap that includes blades, pouches, heat, and back packs. Tough to find honest straight forward reviews online. Most seem to be pitching something no matter the item. My best issue is the so called break in period for blades. Do like that you are calling it like you see it.
Hey all, so I can only speak from my own experience but I’m from the UK and I LOVE knives! But it’s hard posting on RUclips or instagram because I find my content not being pushed out. Personally I’ve slowed my collection down, I have enough. Good video
Thanks for watching
Honestly it's great that anyone can get a good knife these days for cheap...we've come a long way from the time where the only decent budget options were Kershaw and maybe SOG lol. With that said one day I looked at my collection of about 100 knives and decided that i just really have no interest in having all these knives anymore when a $40 Civivi can satisfy that itch lol. So I sold most of the collection and just kept 5. The constant buying and selling was becoming tedious and i just couldn't be bothered anymore. I still check in from time to time to see what's new but really I'm just done with it.
I hear that I am about there with my channel
Designers seem to be getting bored and are borderline Gas Station designing.
i'm feeling personally attacked 🤣🤣🤣
ah, so it’s more like The Bored of Doom. 😅🙏🏼❤️
I remember watching videos on how to tune your hinderer flipping action or how to fix the centering on your emerson blade or how to fix lock stick on your strider. All that stuff is gone now. I feel like everything is made to exact tolerances or they get negatively reviewed into oblivion
Oh yeah. There was a whole group of content on tuning your knives. Now it's just, throw in skiffs, and "maybe" you will notice a slight difference
This is the reason I stopped making knives after 10 years. It’s so saturated and so much design theft etc. great video
I think there is a lot of innovation still taking place. The hawk rook with its locking toggle detent, botton liner locks, sharp by design detent nub, no blade play otf's and the list goes on. I'm late into the knife game and there is a ton of variety but is that a bad thing?
the variety is definitely a good thing. The point of the video was to point out everything is a give and take. We lost stuff from back then, but gained other things. I can't believe the knives you can get for 100-300 now. It's truly amazing
This video is on point.
I’ve been into knives for the last fed decades, and I remember the days of when you could only readily get steel or plastic handles (w/ steel liners) on your “better” knives, and were absolutely balling if you got a nice knife w/ machined Alumimum handles.
When a premium knife from Spyderco came with G10 & Ats 34.
S30V was “revolutionary” steel.
And CRK was the grail high end production knife to get.
I still think that those were the golden days of the “hobby”.
I still am into knives, and still apply a “picky” approach to my buying decisions, but I don’t watch nearly the content on YT for all the reasons you’ve mentioned.
👊
Great topic! Although I've really only been involved within the community for a handful of months, the Netflix analogy makes complete sense to me. Its not very difficult to understand that the oversaturation of knives available on the market inevitably decrease enthusiasm, whether its in the initial phase or the general length of time one might be "excited" about a knife. Humans can be fickle in that when the supply for a specific product equals the amount of demand, consumers typically aren't quite as enthusiastic about said product. Buyers also begin to consider exclusivity as a reason to purchase, especially as the dollar amount increases.
100%. I am gravitating more and more to knives that won't loose value if I need to resell
I love this rant but I’m envious and bitter your knifes on this opening table is worth more than entire collection
Sorry man. If it's any consolation nothing last forever. My employment situation will be changing soon, and I have a teen about to start driving. So I see me selling my nicer pieces in the future and getting more into budget knives again. Which honestly doesn't make me too sad.
An example of what your talking about during Covid to get a Hinderer you would get on a get notified list, now I know several web sites where there just sitting there,I’ve pretty much got my grail folders even got a CRK Zann so I’ve went back to fixed blades.
When knife reviewers became knife salesman it ruined the “real” long term review and pride of ownership. When everything is great, nothing is great and imo that’s where most knives sit now. I’m a gun guy as well and have many Glocks but I don’t tell people I have a Glock collection, I just have a collection of Glocks. I have many 1911’s but I don’t tell people I have a collection of 1911’s, I say I have a 1911 collection, if that makes sense. My Glocks will never tell a story or hold any meaning but a well used 1911/2011 will always have a story that can last and grow through generations. Knives are losing the stories of the Bucks, Case, Spyderco, CRK, RHK etc because now they sit, as you said.
👊
When the Chinese catch up it cheapens everything. A suite made by the taylor up the street was priceless. Until Chinese factories filed JC penny with them. Our own creativity and pride in product falls ill to our own need to save a dollar.
I used to watch your videos as a teenager. The knives I wanted then are no longer available. All that's out these days are sharp fidget toys with soulless designs with no use purpose. Rarely do companies make reliable tools these days. The writing was on the walls when ZT started making fancy flippers instead of the hard use knives they build their name on
👊
Personally, i have 2 knives that i love and enjoy. It's all i need personally. To each his own of course. But as with anything, it's easy to swap from collecting to BEING collected. We are living in a FOMO society with all things now...not just knives. Good thoughts and video.
Will you make a bunch of videos on It though?
That's a temporary hobby imho and we are buying very similar knives again and again and again... It's becoming a boring cycle and pointless in some point and I ended up with selling all my knives to invest in another area. Sure thing, it can be different for others.
There is definitely a massive variety of knife channels. I kind of narrow it down to just a few I pay any attention to. Also find some good ones if I'm curious about a certain thing.
Different world now for sure. Personally I just try to focus on the fun aspects of the hobby. Still into the ridiculously overbuilt and beefy stuff we all seemed to like back then Guess I am just that kinda caveman If you take Chinese manufacturers outta the equation it’s not as overwhelming. Domestic manufacturers seem to make a few models and stick with em. So in that regard they changed the whole industry. Like it or not they are now the leading supplier for different designs. I’m also conflicted but I narrowed my interest down to what I liked and mostly couldn’t afford from 10-15 years ago
I've seen lots of knives still have lock issues but no one really cares bc they have 10 other knives that do the same thing and it only gets carried every blue moon bc it's not the new hype knife.
Very good point
The fact of the matter is that titanium and S30V used to be something special now we have super steels and everyone uses titanium. It’s become boring. I’m more into the older knives now and I much prefer to carry utility blades that are replaceable.
Man, I still remember when Titanium was a mysterious and valuable substance. Those were the days
I went crazy for a few years trying to keep up, at a certain price point. Circumstances changed and I had to prioritize other things but I still looked at new knives and watched reviews I was interested in. I wound up with a very short list of knives I wanted to own. I finally managed to get a Demko MG AD20s, and a full flat grind in Magnacut at that, and I honestly feel like I might be done. (Sure buddy) How many knives do I need? A lot the designs are so much alike that it's hard to get excited anyway. I'd like to handle some of the Winterblade Co knives out of curiosity and I feel like I'd probably appreciate an Arius but I know there are better things to do with that kind of money.
I need to be done. Then I re-discover some the brand
I used to be way more into the hobby, but there’s just too much - everything. I liked it when it seemed more intimate; a few RUclips channels, a few companies and makers every talked about, etc. I lost a lot of interest when the Spyderco sprint run craze was in full affect and channels like Metal Complex came along posting 50 vids a day like a used car salesman - on top of that the whole Slicey Dicey ordeal.
Love this type of video. Your old stuff is what got me into the hobby. Love hearing your perspective. 🍻
Thank you!
Best time ever for new, upcoming, hobbyist knaff makers.
Let all the corporations down themselves. We'll make kniffs for y'all.
Ppl find anything to complain about. Now knives are too available, and too varied? I think the biggest problem is pricing by companies like Benchmade charging more for the same meterials than Reate who has just as good build quality. It's very easy to go simple in the knife world, I go as simple as possible and carry a TRX Buck 110, it doesn't get any simpler than that, I don't have to look at or buy everything, I like having the variety and I believe the knife community is actually in a good spot. I also believe the gun and knife community is big enough where someone with influence could start a similar platform to RUclips for adult interests or even just guns and knives, and it's connected enough of a community where I think ppl would easily flock to it. To me, ppl are mad they can't do whatever they want in someone else's website, and they're wrongly claiming censorship, when in reality it's no different than thinking you should be able to go on someone else's property and have a campfire if they have a fire pit, it's not yours to use however you want, that's why we value a free market and capitalism so the government cannot tell you what you have to sell your product for and you can decide what to allow on it. I think these days ppl have gotten criticism confused with censorship.
Winterblade is the only maker right now that excites me
He is doing some crazy stuff!
I am going to make a response video to this. What a great video. I am an old-timer who has been watching for a long time. The hinderer dent point made me think of so much. Even my new Striders, its no surprise just perfect.
Please do!
The most new knifes doesn’t have SOUL. I got the (old) knifes en the newer ones from cheap to expensive and i keep coming back to strider, demko, Chris reeve, hinderer
My first knife in the 70s was a carbon steel Barlow and I just bought the Karbon Buckhorn. So knives have come long way. Now people bitch about S35VN being a crappy steel. In the 80s a "good" knife had fancy handle artistry but the same 100 yr old design and junk stainless. We are kind of going back to that scenario again. This time it's because all the technical innovation has run its course. What new steel tech is going to come around after the powdered metalurgy we have now? We are making handles out of 3D machined Ti. Where can you go? Now it's just the style of the knife that matters again becuase everything else is at an apex. Maybe additive manufacturing will be the next wave. I built some DMLS scales for my Lander. They were just simple to try it out, but there are some new frontiers of manufactuing with this tech.
Great job removing the brass finish from the buckshell pivot! You instantly de-gasstationed the knife. Here’s where I fundamentally disagree with you: the new knives are NOT always good! Look at the early MSI - unlocks like a wet paper towel on a lightest spine tap, BM “water” knives that have components rust after a puny 24 hr 1% salt mist test, Yipper who’s blade hits the backstop and chips, Medfords that come as dull as my chewed up fingernail from factory… I see that you are predominantly focused on higher end “investment” knives but there’s a ton of issues happening below the $250 price point. Not being critical to you personally, just saying there’s plenty for us to review, reveal, and share knowledge about with the community.
And so, I’m going to keep on going with my salt mist, lock resilience, and hardness testing. I’m pushing 10K subs and almost all of them know the difference between RUclips knife infomercial style pushers (I don’t even have to name them) and real reviews. As long as we deliver substance over hype, we’re doing our part.
PS. Loved the video on the CRK Unique pattern knife and, literally, 2 days later bought one because thanks to you, I knew “what’s so special” about it! Thanks!
I apologize to your bank account! And yes, I was probably being a little to general, you are right, problems still exist. Case in point the recent Sandshark I recieved that I had to send back
For me I manage to stay satisfied by jumping to different interests. My 2 main obsessions are knives/edc gear & sneakers. I've been a sneaker head since a kid so I've noticed the passed couple years I'll have 3 months just consuming knife or sneaker content & also buying new pieces for the collection & when I've overloaded on one I'll abandon it & jump into the other. Every time I do there's 3 months of new stuff that's happened in the hobby I haven't been paying attention to which gets me excited again. Just how I've managed to not burn out on 1 thing.
I went thought a sneaker phase myself! Mainly focused on Jordans
I'm baffled. Yes, I'm jaded on knives, but I've been obsessed with knives since 1986 and it never wanes. Everyday dreaming of,drawing knives, reading about and watching knife content and I keep finding new things to check out. GEC and button lock flipper folders. I still dig assisted opening. I'm not all about folders and it's a trip people want them so tough and capable when theres fixed blades Right THERE! My lack of status in the knife world is non existent, but if it all came down I got enough enjoyment to carry me to my grave to look forward to. Memories! Going to Rd Fowler's Wind River Ranch TWICE. Working at TOPS Knives, Jantz Supply, and an owner operator in Marengo Iowa. Going to see Bill Burke. Getting one of my blades hardened by D'Alton Holder going to Blade West, my first and all subsequent Randall Made knives, going around town sporting a Randall Made model 2 7 inch like it's nothing. Plaza Cutlery in California. The Solvang show, the Montana Knifemaker's association show, Going to Blades and stuff in Glendale. Seeing Bob Engnath many a time.I mean how many places and times it was all about knives for me. Its a lifetime supply and the Knife Life for me!
I think you’re absolutely right. It is water down quite a bit. I do like having a lot of options though. When I look for a collectible, I want it to be unique. There is a lot of common knives and sometimes I get frustrated when I am looking for a unique Knife and they are sold out. I guess it say bittersweet or better yet a two sided sword lol. Sometimes I wish I could call Microtech and put in a special order for some thing I really want. That goes for any Knife manufacturer really. I know that sometimes used knives pop up for sale aftermarket, but if I’m gonna add a knife to my collection, I want it to be new
I definitely agree with the loss of 'specialness'. I feel this has come down to the improvements of mass manufacturing.
Back in 2010, if you were looking for a quality knife, you were looking for Spydercos and Benchmades or you were putting up the big bucks for a maker knife. You were getting extreme quality and materials you didn't see in the lower end knives.
Today, I can go to Kunwu or Miguron and pick any number of Ti framed super steel knives that just work and work well right out of the box for less than half the price of a maker knife and typically cheaper than a Spyderco or Benchmade as well.
I don't have to worry about the hand made variations in lock up and everything like that because the CNC tolerances are just so damned good.
Others have said it's fast fashion and I agree. We don't hear about the makers of knives anymore. We hear about the designer and the OEM is a sidenote. This is how they drive sales though, you chase the new hotness and they ready have the next three waiting in the wings.
I've really struggled with moving up to the higher end knives because the value doesn't seem to be there. The only reason I would buy a Hinderer or Shiro is so I can check it off the grail list. Is it objectively better than the Padre or ZT I have in the case already? Probably not. The only other people that would care are the members of the knife community, who would say, "Whoa! I'm jealous, take my updoot!" And move on with their lives. Once you start to realize that it's all driven by 1s and 0s in the shape of a thumbs up it loses its luster awful fast.