Have I Become A Knife Snob?
- Thread starter sonofodin
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I you want to talk about knife snobbery I'm the poster boy for it. I started like everyone else with good production knives and it was down the slippery slope after that. 
I have customs, prototypes, no-longer-made and no-longer-in-business blades. Almost every exotic blade material available from 154CM to VG10 to Beta Ti to ceramic. I have an antique keris that is over 100 years old made with meteorite damascus and a hand made nodachi that the maker cut the tree to make the charcoal to smelt the ore he had dug into tamahagane that he forged by hand into this perfect sword blade. After all that, I'm still looking for more knives.
I have customs, prototypes, no-longer-made and no-longer-in-business blades. Almost every exotic blade material available from 154CM to VG10 to Beta Ti to ceramic. I have an antique keris that is over 100 years old made with meteorite damascus and a hand made nodachi that the maker cut the tree to make the charcoal to smelt the ore he had dug into tamahagane that he forged by hand into this perfect sword blade. After all that, I'm still looking for more knives.
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Haha HSO I guess I know what kind of cutlery treasures I have to look forward to if I keep collecting "knives I don't need". I love how everyone that tells me I don't need another knife/gun/box of ammo is constantly buying something that completely wastes space.
coelacanth
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well heck. . . . .
If you're gonna be knife snob AND a pipe tobacco snob I guess we're just gonna' have to arm wrestle or or maybe face off with Dunhills at ten paces or something. Loser has to cut the end off the winner's ceegar with the latest unobtainium uber tech semi-folding fixed blade multi tool and then we can relax and drink adult beverages and tell all sorts of lies.
If you're gonna be knife snob AND a pipe tobacco snob I guess we're just gonna' have to arm wrestle or or maybe face off with Dunhills at ten paces or something. Loser has to cut the end off the winner's ceegar with the latest unobtainium uber tech semi-folding fixed blade multi tool and then we can relax and drink adult beverages and tell all sorts of lies.
HAHAHA sounds like a deal. Your ON! hahahaha. If you lose, you have to fill my pipe, pack it, then scrape it when im done. Better yet, lets do a duel with paint ball pistols, only get ones that look like the old cap and ball pistols. I got dibs on an eye patch! Areeeeeee
coelacanth
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works for me! LOL
I'm curious though about your nom de plume my friend. It wouldn't have anything to do with a pipe tobacco of the same name would it?
I'm curious though about your nom de plume my friend. It wouldn't have anything to do with a pipe tobacco of the same name would it?
coelacanth
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- Mar 5, 2007
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- 455
ok. . . . .
I guess I'm the ONLY pipe tobacco snob on this thread - But I have to admit the idea of flintlock paintball guns at ten paces sounds interesting
Do we go to throwing knives for the tiebreaker?
I guess I'm the ONLY pipe tobacco snob on this thread -
But I have to admit the idea of flintlock paintball guns at ten paces sounds interesting Do we go to throwing knives for the tiebreaker?
It's more of an addiction (and that's not just hyperbole). I've found myself trying to bend family vacations around knife shows, hammer-ins or visits to knifemakers/manufacturers. I've skipped making purchases on reasonable things in favor of putting the money into, yet again, another blade. I've rationalized the price on a knife/sword/tomahawk by saying, "What a deal! If I'd gotten this from (insert name of big name nose bleed prices custom maker) it would have cost twice this!".
Addiction, yep.
Joe Demko
Member
Precisely why I liquidated almost my whole collection last year and am doing my best not to start accumulating a new one. The amount of money I had tied up in knives was frightful. I turned a very nice profit and took my family on vacation_twice_with the proceeds, but you have to know your limitations. I admit that I used to spend way too much on knives.
auschip
Member
I used my Stars & Stripes Graham Bros. Razel (CPM154CM) to trim the cap off my cigar (Ashton ESG), and to cut the seal off my bottle of port this weekend. Does that count as snobby? 
MarshallDodge
Member
You sound more like an educated consumer rather than a snob.
I believe that you should research any product that costs more than $50 before purchasing it. I learned the hard way a long time ago that if you don't fully understand the product and how it works before making the purchase then you have a high risk of getting something that will not perform to your wishes. Many people make purchases based on what the item costs or the packaging looks better but know very little about the actual product.
It sounds like you have done a lot of research on knives and now have a good understanding of the materials they are made with. That's a good thing in my opinion.
I believe that you should research any product that costs more than $50 before purchasing it. I learned the hard way a long time ago that if you don't fully understand the product and how it works before making the purchase then you have a high risk of getting something that will not perform to your wishes. Many people make purchases based on what the item costs or the packaging looks better but know very little about the actual product.
It sounds like you have done a lot of research on knives and now have a good understanding of the materials they are made with. That's a good thing in my opinion.
Size will definitely make a difference in "ideal" steel types and hardness. Longer blades have a lot more leverage exerted than smaller ones, so basically, the smaller the blade, the harder it can be treated. Like everything else, perfect hardness is open to debate.
CPM154? Yep, you're there. That is if, and only iff, you won't have any other knives around with other, notice I wouldn't say "lesser", steel. If that's the case please send all that old fashioned damascus to me.
Yep, you're there. That is if, and only iff, you won't have any other knives around with other, notice I wouldn't say "lesser", steel. If that's the case please send all that old fashioned damascus to me.auschip
Member
S30V and Talonite also. I must be truly evil!
Whatcha got in Talonite?
Gorgoroth and others:
What do you all know about the Marttini knives from Finland? I bought one when I was last in Santiago, Chile. I have never seen them here in the USA, although they probably do exist here. The steel appears to be laminated, or folded...can tell for sure. It has one of the best edges I have ever seen. When I used it for the last boar that I hunted, the blade seemed to curt even through thhat thoough hide like soft butter. Oddly enough, the handle is wood! Even with the US - Chile exchange, it still cost very nearly $100.00 US. Anyone know anything about them? I would take a pic, but my camera is out of town for the week.
Home page:
http://nordicarts.com/articles/marttiini_company_info.htm
This is the closest to what I have, but mine has no ornation on the blade:
http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=FINNM2350
Here is a nice pic of their collection of styles:
http://nordicarts.com/karesuando_kniven_knife_01_HUB.htm
Doc2005
What do you all know about the Marttini knives from Finland? I bought one when I was last in Santiago, Chile. I have never seen them here in the USA, although they probably do exist here. The steel appears to be laminated, or folded...can tell for sure. It has one of the best edges I have ever seen. When I used it for the last boar that I hunted, the blade seemed to curt even through thhat thoough hide like soft butter. Oddly enough, the handle is wood! Even with the US - Chile exchange, it still cost very nearly $100.00 US. Anyone know anything about them? I would take a pic, but my camera is out of town for the week.
Home page:
http://nordicarts.com/articles/marttiini_company_info.htm
This is the closest to what I have, but mine has no ornation on the blade:
http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=FINNM2350
Here is a nice pic of their collection of styles:
http://nordicarts.com/karesuando_kniven_knife_01_HUB.htm
Doc2005
http://www.marttiini.fi/puukot/shop/english/default.htm
Manufacture site
All I can tell you is that they are nice Nordic/Scandinavian blades, high carbon content. Might look at Helle knives and ragweedforge.com
Scandinavian grinds are very flat, producing a thin, razor sharp edge. Some of them are Laminated, like Helle and Frosts Moro of sweden.
Manufacture site
All I can tell you is that they are nice Nordic/Scandinavian blades, high carbon content. Might look at Helle knives and ragweedforge.com
Scandinavian grinds are very flat, producing a thin, razor sharp edge. Some of them are Laminated, like Helle and Frosts Moro of sweden.
"1. The B l a d e
The sharpness (razor sharp) of Marttiini® Knives is world-famous. The good reputation comes from the special Marttiini®-Steel and the high quality manufacturing process.
The blades are made from a special stainless chrome steel. Many tests and developing work have been done until the right combination of chrome and the other materials have been founded. The tempering at just the right temperature - determined from Janne Marttiini’s developing work - ensures the durable and strong blade. The composition of the materials (containing 13% of chrome) tempered to 54-56 on the Rockwell hardness scale (HRC) is the best combination for knife blade. The 13% of chrome assures the steel to be durable, absolutely stainless and saltwater resistance (even acid resistance). The hardness under 54 HRC is too low for knife blade, a softer blade is definitely easier to sharpen, but the sharpness will be not a long-lasting and the edge of the blade is too flexible for harder use. If the hardness is over 56 HRC, the blade is certainly hard and retain an edge, but will break more easily. The sharpening is then even impossible without the sharpening wheel.
Nowadays Marttiini orders the special Marttiini®-Steel from the steel factories in Germany and France. In manufacturing process the sketches of blades are put through the rollers, which change the design of molecules from round to ellipse shape. This processing makes the metal composition more density and therefore makes blades more durable and flexible and the edge remains sharpness notable longer.
In Rovaniemi the tempered sketches of blades go through the 7 different production stages until the blade is ready for the final hand polishing. The blades are always sharpened to the final shape by machine. This machine adjusting requires ultimate carefulness and all time adjusting, which presumes a very high knowledge of blade sharpening. The edge of each individual blade is finished by hand polishing with grinding wax and polishing wheel.
The specialty in sharpening of Marttiini® filleting knife is the very elastic grinding stone. This elasticity makes the sides of the edge round. This round shape of the blade is well know feature for Marttiini® filleting knives. Even the blade is razor sharp, it doesn’t cut or injure the fish bone. The knife slides easily through the fish and the result is fine.
These procedures guarantee the blade to be Marttiini® razor sharp." - From manufactures website.
The sharpness (razor sharp) of Marttiini® Knives is world-famous. The good reputation comes from the special Marttiini®-Steel and the high quality manufacturing process.
The blades are made from a special stainless chrome steel. Many tests and developing work have been done until the right combination of chrome and the other materials have been founded. The tempering at just the right temperature - determined from Janne Marttiini’s developing work - ensures the durable and strong blade. The composition of the materials (containing 13% of chrome) tempered to 54-56 on the Rockwell hardness scale (HRC) is the best combination for knife blade. The 13% of chrome assures the steel to be durable, absolutely stainless and saltwater resistance (even acid resistance). The hardness under 54 HRC is too low for knife blade, a softer blade is definitely easier to sharpen, but the sharpness will be not a long-lasting and the edge of the blade is too flexible for harder use. If the hardness is over 56 HRC, the blade is certainly hard and retain an edge, but will break more easily. The sharpening is then even impossible without the sharpening wheel.
Nowadays Marttiini orders the special Marttiini®-Steel from the steel factories in Germany and France. In manufacturing process the sketches of blades are put through the rollers, which change the design of molecules from round to ellipse shape. This processing makes the metal composition more density and therefore makes blades more durable and flexible and the edge remains sharpness notable longer.
In Rovaniemi the tempered sketches of blades go through the 7 different production stages until the blade is ready for the final hand polishing. The blades are always sharpened to the final shape by machine. This machine adjusting requires ultimate carefulness and all time adjusting, which presumes a very high knowledge of blade sharpening. The edge of each individual blade is finished by hand polishing with grinding wax and polishing wheel.
The specialty in sharpening of Marttiini® filleting knife is the very elastic grinding stone. This elasticity makes the sides of the edge round. This round shape of the blade is well know feature for Marttiini® filleting knives. Even the blade is razor sharp, it doesn’t cut or injure the fish bone. The knife slides easily through the fish and the result is fine.
These procedures guarantee the blade to be Marttiini® razor sharp." - From manufactures website.
OrvilleYertleson
Member.
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2003
- Messages
- 398
I prefer good blades with good steel for every day carry and for field blades...I know they can take abuse and will hold up much better than a cheap knife. I still carry an old benchmade-emerson cqc I bought at a gunshow for $70 when I was a little kid....I haven't been able to destroy the knife, and it still performs well provided I sharpen it every couple of months. I still carry it because it has held up through things that trashed other knives. At one point I had to use it to split wood, using it as a wedge I pounded on it as a club and it worked like a champ. When other peoples expensive auto knives wouldn't open because they were too clogged with sand and mud, mine still would...though it was a bit gritty. I have broken the tip off of it probably a half dozen times, but never the whole blade and a little time with a stone has always made it as good as new. I have shucked clams and oysters with it, opened beer bottles, cut barbed wire, opened many cans, dug holes, etc. That knife has really made me appreciate what a well made tool can do.
I don't think it is snobbish at all to purchase a high-end tool if it can perform better than something less expensive. Especially if you need that extra performance.
Besides, most men wear nearly no jewelry...If you can afford it having a nice watch and a nice pocket knife are just part of a gentlemans attire (I'm still working on the watch).
I don't think it is snobbish at all to purchase a high-end tool if it can perform better than something less expensive. Especially if you need that extra performance.
Besides, most men wear nearly no jewelry...If you can afford it having a nice watch and a nice pocket knife are just part of a gentlemans attire (I'm still working on the watch).
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