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

[sal]

I think I agree with Zyla. A good design poorly made will still sell. A poor design well made will not survive, in my opinion.

sal

[ChrisinHove]

Us: quality of design, materials and manufacture.
Them: a rave review from a YouTube influencer.

[JD Spydo]

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

There is one Spyderco model that I have owned and used over the years and it's still one of my all time favorites. I'm speaking of the TEMPERANCE 1 fixed blade model. It's great for the following reasons>> the ergonomics are near perfect. The handle fit is essentially perfect for all intent and purposes. It's one of the very few Spyderco fixed blade models that they made in SE and PE both.
It's the one fixed blade model I request the most for a Sprint Run or to be reintroduced into the Salt Series. The PE & SE TEMP 1 models I keep in the kitchen and also use in the field when hunting, fishing and backpacking. There isn't a week that goes by that I don't use the PE & SE both for some food job.
Even with all the great new fixed blades Spyderco has blessed us with I still love the TEMP 1 the most of all and it's still my favorite fixed blade knife I've ever owned and used. Also it's one of Spyderco's "In House" designs. And yeah it's one of the "Great Ones"

[Rp5]

I usually break down good knives by several factors - ergos/design, purpose, materials, and price. Availability also plays a role to a lesser extent.

Ergonomics / design is always subjective. Hand size, lock type preference, aesthetics, etc. - you can't please everyone with any style. You also can't fit every purpose with one style. A knife can fill a couple roles well, but I've never seen a great Gentleman's Bushcraft knife. Materials and price are usually more correlated factors, but steel properties tie into both design and purpose. (LC200N elevates a salt knife's purpose. A slicey knife should have better edge retention + good blade geometry) Price is a relative factor, but it plays a part. Ultimately a design I like with a clear purpose, materials that support that purpose, at a decent price is a good knife.

A great folder is some combo of average/above-average in each factor + great action. I need to enjoy opening/closing and actually using the knife for it to be a great knife. Hate to admit it, but if I get a great deal on a good knife... I probably think it's a great knife.

[Menipo]

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

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.

I don't know, but I think that Zhyla and Rusty define, using different words, what I have in mind. A great knife is one that catches your eye. At first sight one can't say if the blade is made of S110V or M390 (and after using both for an hour I doubt that 99% of even knife nerds would be able to say). But one falls in love with certain knives just looking at them.

Materials used, ergonomics, reliability, customer service ... are all logical factors to be taken into account, for sure. But at the end of the day if the knife does not catch my eye, it could be a good blade but never a great one (for me).

I have read hundreds of comments praising Chris Reeve's products. Top notch quality, unparalleled fit & finish, out of this world craftmanship .... whatever. I have been collecting knives for decades and I would never buy a Sebenza or a Inkosi. I have tried hard to like them because they are basics in any collection but .... no way.

My test to differentiate a good product from a great one: if I have one and lose it, it is discontinued and really hard to find in the secondary market ... would I spend as much time and money as required to find a replacement? This applies to knives and to any other belonging.

Blade to handle ratio is a very important factor for me. I prefer more stylized blades and don't like short and wide ones. PM 2 was on the verge but I finally got one. Para 3 was clearly off limits for my standards but I ended up buying one (the C223PBK Lightweight) to kill two birds with one stone: to have the Military/Paramilitary series completed and to test CTS-BD1N.

I am happy with the knife. It's getting a lot of pocket time since it arrived. It performs well. Would I desperately look for a replacement if I lose it? I have doubts. It is a very good knife, but (for me) not a great one.

[Doc Dan]

I really do not know the answer to the question I asked exactly. I have my opinions, but they are simply that: my opinions. I have bought some nice knives that other people seem to like only to find that I do not really care for them that much. they are not junk, they are made well, and seem to be of good design, but somehow I look at them and wonder why I wasted my money.

Now, take a Delica. I have never, not one time, ever regretted buying a Delica. This knife is perfectly designed, as far as I am concerned. I have some other Spydercos, like the Dragonfly, Endura, Manix 2 that I have bought multiples of so to answer that one criterion, would I buy it again? the answer is obvious to me. I have multiples of all of these. I could wish for a few upgrades, but really the knives are excellent.

There are others, as I have said, that I enjoy playing with, but I would never in a million years buy another one. I won't name names. Some might be dear to someone's heart.

All of the knives above have good materials, sometimes great ones, superior ergonomics, are easy to use, and seem to always be in my pocket when I want a knife.

[Naperville]

I must have loaded this thread 4 to 5 times this week to see what everyone else had said.

I mostly use Knife Center when I go looking for a new knife. Their web interface is above average when it comes to finding most knives with a particular attribute. Their database is not perfect, but it is pretty good.

If I am looking for a Bowie knife, I can find most of them. If I am looking for a steel like 4V, I can find them with the click of a few links.

So, what is it that sets a good knife apart from a great one, is being able to look at all of their attributes and compare them. There is a learning curve involved. You see which knives have the attributes that you seek, and then look at the remainder of their attributes. You might then go to Google Images and look for more photos, or you might go to the manufacturer or bladesmith website and see what they have on the item.

[elena86]

My Cruwear Military is a good knife, my KW exclusive CF/Ti framelock Military in S90V is a great knife. Superb fit and finish, awesome looks, high end materials, proud of ownership. A Military to end all Militaries. A spydie to end all spydies.Enough said.

[Mike Blue]

All the factors previously mentioned figure into a checklist I think I use intuitively at this point in life.

The knife has to feel good in my hand with my eyes closed. If I pick it up to feel it, it's passed the checklist.

Any knife with a story wins.

[TkoK83Spy]

Good knife

Turned into a GREAT KNIFE!

[ZrowsN1s]

I agree with Zyla and Sal that good design is the foundation of a great knife. But for me that good design must be fully realized with good materials and craftsmanship.

That's the difference between good and great.

I won't name names but there are some really good designs out there from other companies that are made with subpar material and subpar craftsmanship and it kills what could be some of the best knives on the market.

The counter to my point is that there are many who place low cost (sub $50-100) above all other considerations. And for them most of my 'great knives' are too expensive, and of no use to them. Which is why many of these great designs are made so cheaply. The sad truth is 'great knives' aren't always big sellers. If price is your number one consideration, a good design cheaply made is 'great' for you.

But not for me.

[NarwhalisnotKosher]

Personally it's where design meets the hand. I've picked up a knife I thought was well designed but then when I went to use it there was a hot spot, badly designed jimping, too thick of grind, the blade shape doesn't flow well with the handle, or some other little thing you'd think a person would catch if they used their own product.

[Glock27]

Good Knife + Wave = Great Knife. :D

G27

[skx013k2]

Every spyderco I’ve ever owned or tried has been a good knife. I’ve never used one that was a “dud” or felt cheap. Good design, baseline level of materials, quality control is high, etc.

What makes it great is the intangibles which includes things like color pallet, perceived value for the $, and where its manufactured. None of these functionally change the knife, but they move it from good to great.

[murphjd25]

Quality of design/usability, and attention to detail.