What is it that sets a good knife apart from a great one?

[Doc Dan]

What is it that sets a good knife apart from a great one? Is it only materials? Is it simply design? Is it ergonomics? It is too easy to simply say, "All of the above" because many knives are otherwise the same, but there is that one intangible difference that is hard to pinpoint that sets one above the other.

I have knives from several makers, custom and production. They are mostly all good. I also own Spydercos. However, a few designs from Spyderco, for me at least, put them above other makes of the same materials and categories. Sometimes, it is simply my hand loves it better. Other times my eyes do. I do not know.

Any thoughts?

[kbuzbee]

I think your “my hand loves it better” is the biggest factor. Or maybe substitute (or add) “my pocket”....

I used to base knife purchases solely (or even just “primarily”) on single factors like materials, lock, clip, size etc but frequently, though those knives checked whatever box(es) I was focused on at the time, frequently they’d see little use. But then I’d find one that wouldn’t leave.. Vesuvius was that way. Balance too. Currently it’s the Ikuchi. I just love this knife. Carries so easily and that thin blade is just fabulous. Great carry, great to use, “fun”(?) to deploy. But, yeah, overall I’m finding myself looking at knives more “holistically” these days, if that makes sense. “My hand loves it better” is a great way to think of it.

[TkoK83Spy]

Definitely a combination of things changes it from good to great, in my eyes. I find the Manix to be a very good knife and personal favorite.

Having 5 models of the Manix, I've found that I enjoy Rex45 more than any other steel I've used. So that's a nice combination to move the Rex 45 Manix up my list. I love me some G10, but adding the Putman grooved micarta scales (that have been worn in a decent amount now) really makes this my own knife with 3 criteria for me, that has turned it into a truly GREAT knife.

[blades&wrenches]

In my opinion, what sets a good knife apart from a great one, is the feeling that it evokes. Not craftsmanship or materials but how does it relate to the end user. One person may consider their inexpensive traditional knife great because it has served it’s purpose and been reliable for that person, and it makes them feel something when using it. Someone else may consider the same knife sh*t.
For me it’s a combination. It has to feel good in the hand, give me some sort of gratification in using it, made with quality materials, and have good quality control. Probably why I only have 10 or so folders right now, but I’m fine with that. I’m too particular to keep them all.

[p_atrick]

In my opinion, what sets a good knife apart from a great one, is the feeling that it evokes. Not craftsmanship or materials but how does it relate to the end user. One person may consider their inexpensive traditional knife great because it has served it’s purpose and been reliable for that person, and it makes them feel something when using it. Someone else may consider the same knife sh*t.
For me it’s a combination. It has to feel good in the hand, give me some sort of gratification in using it, made with quality materials, and have good quality control. Probably why I only have 10 or so folders right now, but I’m fine with that. I’m too particular to keep them all.

Totally agree. Without this personal element, you could do "paint by number" but for knives and always produce a great knife. Knives would be nearly identical, and this hobby would be terribly boring. The unpredictability of humans keeps the knife industry (especially companies like Spyderco) moving forward and experimenting.

[cycleguy]

Great Knife = a good knife that aligns with your personal preferences.

CG

[zuludelta]

Great Knife = a good knife that aligns with your personal preferences.

CG

This.

I think what makes a knife "good" can be attributed to certain factors that a majority of users can agree on. Things like excellent build quality, premium materials, a design with an eye towards functionality, value, etc.

What makes a knife "great", however, is a more highly subjective thing that may not necessarily be agreed upon across the user base. It may have something to do with a very specific aspect of one's use case, or it could just come down to personal sentiment.

A majority of the Spydercos I've handled (and almost all that I've come to own), I would class as "good", and there are a select few among them that I've come to consider "great" over years of use as work tools and outdoor companions.

[ikaretababy]

The handle.

[cbrstar]

People can say that the material doesn't matter. But some of the best knives ergonomically wise for me that also looked great...Were ruined by 8cr13mov blades. I tried keeping them around but deep down I've raised the standard of my needs and I've become a little bit of a steel snob. I'm not so far gone yet because I'm still happy with S30v, but it's a minimum for me to find contentment.

[Evil D]

Well let's think about that..

Steel? Lots of companies offer good steel options now. It used to be that you had to go to a custom knife maker to get a lot of the steels that are in production now so I don't think steel is as huge of a factor as it used to be.

Lock type? Some brands have built their reputation on their lock designs. Ultimately I think they're probably all just fine for a folder. Some may be better than others or operate easier or even be more reliable but lock alone can't set a knife apart in my book. Two companies come to mind that swear by their lock designs but that alone hasn't been enough for me to buy either one.

Strength? Most can build strong knives. Some can build really impressively strong knives that take a beating and ask for more. Some companies make really nice slip joints too that will serve all your realistic needs so I'm not sure strength alone is it either. Enough strength to be safe is enough, any further and you need a fixed blade.



So what's left?

Ergonomics
Design
Customer service

Ergonomics, companies can do all of the other things above but many don't seem to understand how their end products feel in your hand when in use. So many knives are designed around aesthetics first and ergonomics last. I understand wanting to like how your knife looks but smart ergonomics always look good to me.

Design, obviously every knife is designed one way or another but a lot of companies are either lacking or they've relied on the same design to carry their brand for far too long. It's ok to have "classics" and staple offerings but even if your standard design is one of the best knives ever made and even if most say you can't improve upon perfection, not every knife is perfect for everyone so design and variety are important.

Customer service, people don't always understand what real customer service is and what good customer service means. Some people think it means getting whatever you demand regardless of the situation, others think if they mail you a free pocket clip that's the best customer service ever. Many people overlook being accessable to your customers, being reasonably transparent about policies and things like cost and production, and maybe most importantly listening to reacting to feedback. Good customer service doesn't always happen as fast as people expect it to so they think if posting a complaint doesn't get them immediate satisfaction then that's poor customer service.



So anyway I realized I just rambled on more about what makes a great knife company than just a great knife design but the two are sorta intertwined. There are some legendary knives that are made by companies who's customer service really is garbage so it doesn't matter to me how great their knives may be because I won't give them my money. So, I guess my answer is all of the above.

[standy99]

Rock solid, reliable and comfortable to use.

That’s all I want and Spyderco gives it.

PM2 exceeds it.
GB1 knocks it out of the park.

[mikey177]

For me its a combination of ergonomics, aesthetics, and affordability.

[RustyIron]

One aspect that towers above all else is visual aesthetics. Like a car or a gun, a knife has to look cool or pretty. I have knives in a variety of steels, all of which are fine for most purposes. Optimum handle size is also dependent on the application. Blade shape, handle shape, color, texture... there are plenty of great options. But if I look at the knife and think, awwww, that's disproportionate, or ungainly, then I don't care if it's made of Valerian Steel... I don't want it. Great looks is the most important aspect in the making of a great knife.

[James Y]

For me, it’s whichever knives I end up “bonding” with. Meaning carry and use a lot; enough to make them a part of my rotation. Some I do, some I don’t. Ergonomics, design, comfort, close tolerances, etc.

I own good knives that I never bond with. The ones that are great for me are the ones I end up enjoying and using the most. For somebody else, the definition of good vs great will be different.

Jim

[JMM]

I think it's a subjective and personal thing really. What's a truly "great" knife for me and my big paws, and my tasks, might not even really be a "good" knife for someone else. The most comfortable & natural feeling knife I own is the G10 P4, although my primary EDC is a Shaman more often than a P4 is, I think if the P4 G10 had more steels & different texture scales I'd likely be using a Shaman far less I think. So... the ergos of the handle and the material & texture of said handle are probably the biggest factors for me followed by steel, and certainly build quality, while most definitely important, isn't super a worrisome detail to me whilst considering different models of Spydies.

jm2c :)

[Wartstein]

Pretty much all I could think of is said already, and better than I could.
What is a "great knife" for a person is very subjective in any case.

For me, when it comes to folders, probably there are a few things a knife has to have in order to have the potential to become truly great for me personally, but not every knife that HAS these features is great automatically.
One I can think of is a reasonably thin and slicey blade. My EDC folders are cutting tools, and so while I certainly can and do like thicker bladed knives a lot, a truly great one can´t have an unnecessarely thick and in that regard performance hindering (when it comes to pure cutting!) blade.
Again, totally subjective and certainly not true for people who want to fill their folders different roles to what I want.

[zhyla]

Design is all that matters. The materials and fit/finish are just trade offs for cost.

[JD Spydo]

Doc that's just a really interesting question from so many different aspects. First off when it comes to design you can basically assume the old cliche "Beauty Is In The Eye Of The Beholder". But I don't think you can say that about the aspect of "function">> that is a completely separate subject all together.

When it comes to ergonomics that all boils down to just how well you yourself can use the knife and have advantage with that particular design. And I would say the most important ergonomics are mostly in the handle. But there are exceptions because take the C-60 Ayoob model for instance>> that is one model where the designer ( Massad Ayoob) got it all correct in my humble opinion. Which is why it's been in my top 5 ever since it was first released in 2002.

Also you can put all of those features together and find out just how good a certain model works for you, the individual.

[kobold]

Generosity in size, design, grinds, materials, fit and finish, ergonomics and style (beauty). Just quality and thoughtfulness in all these things.

A knife that is not leaving its owner wanting another, similar knife.

Seemingly insignificant things like billboarding can ruin an otherwise great knife.

[Doc Dan]

The one major question I always ask is: would I buy more of this knife?