Knife trends you just don't understand?

[ladybug93]

- The Dessert Warrior craze - probably the most disturbing of all. It's kitsch.

i don't get the craze, but i think the original premise is hilarious. i like puns and wordplay, so the idea of taking a misspelling online and making it a reality is funny. what i don't like is overdoing a joke so that it's not funny anymore. it's funny on the desert warrior. it's not funny on a zippo, or a microtech, or an elementum, or a... the joke has gone too far.

[GeofS]

Smooth g10. Just why?

[Bolster]

- The Dessert Warrior craze - probably the most disturbing of all. It's kitsch.

i don't get the craze, but i think the original premise is hilarious. i like puns and wordplay, so the idea of taking a misspelling online and making it a reality is funny. what i don't like is overdoing a joke so that it's not funny anymore. it's funny on the desert warrior. it's not funny on a zippo, or a microtech, or an elementum, or a... the joke has gone too far.

Dang it.

I bought the dessert warrior knife, lighter, scissors, prybar, tactical pen, wrapping paper, and pajamas. And now you are telling me the joke's gone too far? Where were you when I was spending all that money?

[James Y]

- The Dessert Warrior craze - probably the most disturbing of all. It's kitsch.

i don't get the craze, but i think the original premise is hilarious. i like puns and wordplay, so the idea of taking a misspelling online and making it a reality is funny. what i don't like is overdoing a joke so that it's not funny anymore. it's funny on the desert warrior. it's not funny on a zippo, or a microtech, or an elementum, or a... the joke has gone too far.

"Smatchet!!"



...a knife-related joke that's been done to death and beyond over on BF.

Jim

[HolySteel]

- The Dessert Warrior craze - probably the most disturbing of all. It's kitsch.

i don't get the craze, but i think the original premise is hilarious. i like puns and wordplay, so the idea of taking a misspelling online and making it a reality is funny. what i don't like is overdoing a joke so that it's not funny anymore. it's funny on the desert warrior. it's not funny on a zippo, or a microtech, or an elementum, or a... the joke has gone too far.

You're a rockstar.

[kobold]

- The Dessert Warrior craze - probably the most disturbing of all. It's kitsch.

i don't get the craze, but i think the original premise is hilarious. i like puns and wordplay, so the idea of taking a misspelling online and making it a reality is funny. what i don't like is overdoing a joke so that it's not funny anymore. it's funny on the desert warrior. it's not funny on a zippo, or a microtech, or an elementum, or a... the joke has gone too far.

Oh, I wasn't aware of the origin story. Yes, that makes it better.

[horzuff]

- Tanto blades. Why would I want one? It's a mystery.

I also don't "get" them, at least the "american" geometric tantos, but they seem more a trend of the past luckily

- Having a "show side". I don't like janus-faced people,nor knives..

Bugs me as well. Want lightweight? Skip the framelock or make it a sub-frame. And making asymmetric-handled knives with locks locks that don't enforce it simply baffles me... What can be the reason to make one side pretty and the other ugly on a button lock?

- Designs aimed at fidgeting.

I'm a fidgety person, so flicking a knife is a way to decompress a bit. I could use a pen, but I don't care about pens, so flicking a knife it is

- The Dessert Warrior craze - probably the most disturbing of all. It's kitsch.

The genesis has been explained already but it's also nice sometimes to not take ourselves or our knives so seriously. Also increases normie-tolerability

[Ferruginous]

I'm sure it was mentioned somewhere in the last 9 pages, but I still don't get flipper tabs.

I want my thumb in contact with the blade (stud or spyder-hole) to ensure it opens, so that if I need to open my folder an emergency I can personally guarantee, as much as humanly possible, that the blade opens properly.

[kobold]

The genesis has been explained already but it's also nice sometimes to not take ourselves or our knives so seriously. Also increases normie-tolerability

I tried that, but then I usually cut myself
/jk

[vivi]

Seeing this one a lot lately, so.....

...skipping out on a model you otherwise would like because it comes in a steel you already own, or similar to one you already own.

Bonus points if you keep your folders at factory edge angles and never really test the steels you have to see what they're capable of

It'd be one thing if people were doing controlled testing to see how X and Y steel stack up in terms of edge holding or corrosion resistance, but turning your nose up at a given steel when you typically just open the mail and break down a box or two? Don't get it personally.

I'm happy when a design I like comes in a steel I know works well for me. I'll gladly take 440C, BD1N, VG10, S30V etc. in a pocket knife.

#2

Having $5,000+ of 3-4" blade pocket knives and no name brand kitchen knives.

I dunno if knife people are the type to view cooking as a womans job, if they eat out all the time or what, but I get a lot of pleasure out of using high end culinary knives. My tsunehisa 10" aogami super gyuto is among my favorite knives of any type, and the yoshimitsu petty pictured two knives down from it is my most used knife out of my entire collection:



For some reason folks ooooh and aaaah going from gas station knives to Spydercos for breaking down cardboard for recycling but the same enthusiasm rarely translates to going from rachel ray walmart specials to japanese imports and breaking down tenderloins into filets.

[Coastal]

Having $5,000+ of 3-4" blade pocket knives and no name brand kitchen knives.

I dunno if knife people are the type to view cooking as a womans job, if they eat out all the time or what, but I get a lot of pleasure out of using high end culinary knives. My tsunehisa 10" aogami super gyuto is among my favorite knives of any type, and the yoshimitsu petty pictured two knives down from it is my most used knife out of my entire collection:

My kitchen knives range from dirt-cheap Kiwis and Rapalas to traditional Western Wusthofs/Henckels and a couple of Shuns. They are fine for my uses, but I'm usually willing to try something that might be better. I haven't tried traditional Japanese cutlery because, first, I only recently became aware of it through this forum; second, the handles tend to be round or maybe octagonal in cross section; and, finally, the tangs are not full-depth and maybe not even full-length. I think the handle shape and balance would feel alien to me. On the other hand, steels that rust easily, need frequent sharpening, or are hard to sharpen don't bother me at all. You obviously have tried everything, so some questions:

1) Are the handles easy to get used to? Are they better than the slab-sided Western handles with full-depth, full-length tangs?
2) Are the steels significantly different or better than those used in, say, the Wusthof Classic line. What characteristics make them different?
3) I guess if you had to pick one Japanese culinary blade to start with it would be the petty depicted above, since it's your most-used knife? If I could find one I might try it.

[vivi]

1. For me they were. I prefer octagon to round for better control, but that 10" gyuto is round handled and I love it. I find them more comfortable during use than western style handles, despite western style handles feeling better when I'm simply handling a knife in a store.

1. I have no issues with hidden tang vs full tang here - I'm not batoning with these and I like the light, fast feel of them. Of course for some tasks having a little more weight can be nice, kind of like a Buck 110 is better than a Pacific Salt at times for the same reason. But for quick rocking cuts to process large amounts of food I like the nimble japanese knives better. Doesn't matter very much if you're doing a medium dice on half an onion, but if you're making 10lbs of pico the difference becomes huge.

2. The biggest difference is in the hardness and geometry. Japanese knives are often closer to 65rc while western knives are generally closer to the 55-57rc range. Japanese knives also tend to be ground thinner than wustof, henckels, etc.

3. For a more traditional style knife the yoshimitsu line is a good budget option. I got mine here but it looks like they're nearly out of stock of their budget white steel line - https://www.chefknivestogo.com/yofuwh1.html they do have plenty of their super blue knives in stock - https://www.chefknivestogo.com/yobl2.html if you aren't set on a japanese style handle the basic vg10 line from tojiro is incredibly high value - under $50 for the 200mm gyuto -
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/tojirodpa1.html

I have all sorts of kitchen knives from henckels, victorinox, kiwi, spyderco, dexter russell, old hickory, tramontina, etc. My japanese knives in harder steels show much better edge retention and edge stability. They suffer far less edge deformation when used on plastic cutting boards. If you've ever read BBB's posts about edge stability on high RC steels his words mirror my experience.

[kontei]

I don't understand why so many people love the so called multi-tools like victorinox. Who needs such nonsense like can-opener, mini wood-saw, trashy mini-scissors, and so on..? All you need today is a good little knife like a manbug or even a small opinel. We don't live in 1920 anymore.

[Mushroom]

Seeing this one a lot lately, so.....

...skipping out on a model you otherwise would like because it comes in a steel you already own, or similar to one you already own.

Bonus points if you keep your folders at factory edge angles and never really test the steels you have to see what they're capable of

It'd be one thing if people were doing controlled testing to see how X and Y steel stack up in terms of edge holding or corrosion resistance, but turning your nose up at a given steel when you typically just open the mail and break down a box or two? Don't get it personally.

I'm happy when a design I like comes in a steel I know works well for me. I'll gladly take 440C, BD1N, VG10, S30V etc. in a pocket knife.

I agree with this. Especially if the model is being skipped with the expectation that it will be released again with a different steel. Sales tend to dictate the future of certain models, so it’s generally counterintuitive (or maybe spoiled ) to omit buying the first version of a knife with the expectation that there will be enough sales to support a following version.

In my opinion, blade steel gets blown way out of proportion these days. To me it seems like blade steel marketing over the past few years has done a lot to skew the perspectives of many buyers but especially new buyers. It’s almost as if all blade steels must placed somewhere in a strict hierarchy of worst to best and there is often a correlation with price.

Not everyone has what it takes to be a true “Steel Junkie” but they still want to feel like their part of club. (I have to admit there are some cool people in that club, so I don’t blame anyone for wanting to be included.) In their effort to become a “steel junkie” some people are unknowingly just becoming “steel snobs” instead.

[Coastal]

1. For me they were. I prefer octagon to round for better control, but that 10" gyuto is round handled and I love it. I find them more comfortable during use than western style handles, despite western style handles feeling better when I'm simply handling a knife in a store.

1. I have no issues with hidden tang vs full tang here - I'm not batoning with these and I like the light, fast feel of them. Of course for some tasks having a little more weight can be nice, kind of like a Buck 110 is better than a Pacific Salt at times for the same reason. But for quick rocking cuts to process large amounts of food I like the nimble japanese knives better. Doesn't matter very much if you're doing a medium dice on half an onion, but if you're making 10lbs of pico the difference becomes huge.

2. The biggest difference is in the hardness and geometry. Japanese knives are often closer to 65rc while western knives are generally closer to the 55-57rc range. Japanese knives also tend to be ground thinner than wustof, henckels, etc.

3. For a more traditional style knife the yoshimitsu line is a good budget option. I got mine here but it looks like they're nearly out of stock of their budget white steel line - https://www.chefknivestogo.com/yofuwh1.html they do have plenty of their super blue knives in stock - https://www.chefknivestogo.com/yobl2.html if you aren't set on a japanese style handle the basic vg10 line from tojiro is incredibly high value - under $50 for the 200mm gyuto -
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/tojirodpa1.html

I have all sorts of kitchen knives from henckels, victorinox, kiwi, spyderco, dexter russell, old hickory, tramontina, etc. My japanese knives in harder steels show much better edge retention and edge stability. They suffer far less edge deformation when used on plastic cutting boards. If you've ever read BBB's posts about edge stability on high RC steels his words mirror my experience.

Thanks, Vivi. This is exactly the info I was looking for.

[Flash]

1. People spending thousands on folding knives that may or may not get used, then baulk at the idea of spending over £100 on a kitchen knife, which invariably will see more use in one week than the entirety of their folding knife collection combined…

…But on the flip-side, I suppose anyone who lives (and shares their cutlery) with a partner who has little understanding of knives, edges and how 52100 perhaps shouldn’t go in a dishwasher, then I guess it’s ok to buy from the cheaper end of the scale. Just make sure it has a steel and geometry worthy of your time. You owe that to yourself.


2. Lanyard tubes. Especially ones which appear to take priority over the pocket clip positioning and ultimately the ergonomics of a handle. This must stop. Please don’t do it anymore Spyderco. Aside from competition cutters, lanyards on knives are pointless and a bit poo anyway.

[TkoK83Spy]

I don't understand why so many people love the so called multi-tools like victorinox. Who needs such nonsense like can-opener, mini wood-saw, trashy mini-scissors, and so on..? All you need today is a good little knife like a manbug or even a small opinel. We don't live in 1920 anymore.

Sounds like you've got a lot to learn. I've got a Vic Tinker and used it at work MANY times.

Someone used the electric screwdriver and never charged the battery...there's my flat head or Phillips head to do the job.

Someone took the wire strippers from the stockroom, needed to cut some electrical cables...there's the wire casing stripper

Toothpick, self explanatory. Tweezers for that annoying nose hair tickling your nostril, or that sliver that's sticking out just enough to grab. And if not...there's 2 different blades to use.

Those tools are all plenty useful.

[Notsurewhy]

I don't understand why so many people love the so called multi-tools like victorinox. Who needs such nonsense like can-opener, mini wood-saw, trashy mini-scissors, and so on..? All you need today is a good little knife like a manbug or even a small opinel. We don't live in 1920 anymore.

Different strokes for different folks. I don't understand why people carry a tiny little knife with no other tools. Even in places with restrictive laws, you could at least carry a Chicago, dragonfly, lil native or a UKPK.

If you are already carrying a larger knife, what does a ladybug bring to the table? With a sak cadet, I can file a ragged nail, open a beer, tighten a screw, do a little light prying and even cut something if I forgot or lost my larger knife. All without having to go get a real tool. That's useful in my life, your mileage may vary.

[vilePossum]

Releasing gazillion sprint runs and limited editions instead of sticking to a release plan (which was supposed to make everything better and more reliable).

[James Y]

I don't understand why so many people love the so called multi-tools like victorinox. Who needs such nonsense like can-opener, mini wood-saw, trashy mini-scissors, and so on..? All you need today is a good little knife like a manbug or even a small opinel. We don't live in 1920 anymore.

Everybody's preferences and uses are not the same. During a period of more than a decade, before I ever even heard of Spyderco in the late '90s, my sole EDC knife was a SAK Spartan. It did everything I needed a pocketknife for at the time, and more. There are things an SAK or other quality multi-tool can do that only a single-bladed knife cannot.

Yes, I've opened many cans with my SAKs. Not all cans have pull-tops. Also turned screws (within the limitations of a folding tool), did light prying and staple removing with the bottle opener/screwdriver blade, loosened overly-tight knots with the corkscrew, scraped with the can opener blade, tightened the screws in my glasses with the mini-screwdriiver that's stored in the corkscrew, etc. Yes, the implements can be used for multiple purposes they weren't originally intended for. Uses that could easily chip or snap the tip off the blade of a single-bladed pocketknife. All it takes is a little creativity.

The only other alternative is to carry a toolbox with the dedicated tools everywhere you go. I don't know how many people are gonna be willing or able to do that.

I like my Spydercos, but I still always carry a Victorinox SAK on me, and I always will. It always sees some use on a daily basis.

Jim