How do YOU define "beater knife"?

[Evil D]

I see this a lot, and I (mostly) can't relate.

Are you doing things with these knives that you know you shouldn't be doing with a knife, like scraping stickers off brick walls or using them as screwdrivers?

Is it because of the cost? A knife is expensive so you don't want to ruin the resale value or something? I just don't buy with the intention of selling it someday. For me the more expensive a knife is, the more I HAVE to use it to justify the cost. The two knives I own that cost me the most money have both been reprofiled and heavily used.

Do you feel that you're "ruining" your knives by using them hard, scratching them up etc? Heck to me that's just character. That's earned patina. That's a well broke in pair of boots that fit perfectly.

One more follow up question, if you said that you're using your beater knives for non knife uses, scraping and prying and screwdriver use and all that, do you carry or have you considered carrying a multitool? I don't ever have to use a knife to turn a screw because I have multitool for that.

I don't think this is a lifestyle thing either, I goof around in my yard and garage constantly, I work on cars, I don't hike or camp much anymore but those kinds of activities seem less "beaterish", I imagine this as more of an urban improvised tool scenario than using your folder while camping.

If I'm working on a car, I have the right tools for scraping or whatever, so unless I'm broke down and my multitool can't do the job, but again do you need a beater knife for this off chance situation?

It's not that I don't fully understand it. I have knives I wouldn't go out and cut sandpaper sheets and drywall with, I have nice knives that I carry on dressy occasions that I don't want beat up. In a way my situation is more like most of my knives are beaters, or most of them are hard use knives that I wouldn't hesitate to scratch up, and a select few that get pampered. So, I get it but I guess I don't get how often people seem to rely on having a beater.

The one scenario I completely get it, is loaning a knife to a non knife person but honestly I just stopped going that entirely. I'll cut it for you or it won't get cut lol.

[TkoK83Spy]

To me, a "beater knife" is one that I've already flawed one way or another. Whether it be scratches on the blade/DLC, rust spots, maybe the hardware or pocket clip is scratched up and worn in, handle scales have scratches, maybe a wonky grind I haven't got around to fixing. If going into doing a job where I know the knife could sustain more damage, I'll grab one of those over one that still looks nice. Having enough knives makes that an easy decision...then it just comes to which "beater" to use!

[Evil D]

To me, a "beater knife" is one that I've already flawed one way or another. Whether it be scratches on the blade/DLC, rust spots, maybe the hardware is worn down, clip isn't pristine, handle scales have scratches, maybe a wonky grind I haven't got around to fixing. If going into doing a job where I know the knife could sustain more damage, I'll grab one of those over one that still looks nice. Having enough knives makes that an easy decision...then it just comes to which "beater" to use!

I think this is basically what I'm trying to say. I guess to me they're almost all beaters

[TkoK83Spy]

Definitely depends on the person. My three favorite beaters are my Rex45 Shaman with the Crucarta scales, my 4V Manix and DLT exclusive Delica in Cruwear. To some people those would be safe queens, but to me I've already flawed them one way or another, so why not use like they're meant to be used! Now, I wouldn't go using them as pry bars and screwdrivers (MAYBE the Shaman if it were an absolute must) But I certainly wouldn't do it intentionally if I had other proper tools.

[MyelinSheath&Borborygmi]

Evil D, what are your 2 most expensive knives that you mentioned?

[Bolster]

Great topic! Would like to respond at length, but for now: my beaters are all fixies.

[Mushroom]

A beater knife to me is a knife that I'm not going to feel bad about breaking.

Rarity, cost, collector value, or sentimental value could all be reasons I wouldn’t consider a knife a “beater knife.”

[bobnikon]

I don't have a store nearby better than basspro, so for me I buy a knife before I know if I will like it. I know what I generally like, but don't know for sure if the new one will meet my tastes.
In my case, the difference is probably between keeper and potential reseller. If I know it is mine, then I will beat on it, to the degree that it is still a knife and is used as such. I like anodizing my ti scales, dying my G10 scales, some reprofiling, sometimes reshaping the scales and/or blade, and generally making them my own. I don't mind if finishes get scuffed/scratched, or clips get bent, reshaped, etc...
If it may be transitory, then I will use it in such a way that it retains the bulk of its resale, until such time as I determine if it is mine or somebody elses.

[Scandi Grind]

Hmm, interesting question.

This is actually harder for me to answer now than it would have been a few years ago. I don't typically use knives for anything other than knife like functions, and I don't work in construction, so most activities I use a knife for won't do much more than produce patina or scratch the finish. Those are both things that I consider a matter of course. I once needed to cut some roots in the ground and used my Mora. I wouldn't want to cut into the ground on a regular basis but it didn't bother me to use it in a pinch.

In the kitchen my beater knives have the obvious function of cutting food that could cause more edge wear or damage than I like to my high performance knives. I have a Chinese Cleaver and a boning knife that get used on semi frozen foods when the need arises as well as occasional rough use.

Overall I think I am pretty similar to Evil D, all my knives get used hard, but I use them for knife tasks, not as screwdrivers, prybars, or scrapers. Beater has become harder for me to define lately.

[TkoK83Spy]

Prime example today that I totally forgot about in my pocket when posting earlier. Matriarch tip is broken...beater!

[Wowbagger]

PS : many scratches we call " Patina " .
one scratch we call : OH (make it chocolate and take away the bottom part )

I have other answers to this question that I will get into later , much to my personal embarrassment , but here is my first :

A beater knife is what you would be willing to lend to the young (or not so young) freight truck driver who doesn't know he needs to own a G** D**** knife of his own and so asks if you have a knife he can use . (never had a woman ask me such a damb fool question ) .

Here is mine ; lives in that belt pouch . I found the knife in the middle of the street about twenty five years ago (ooooh it's been longer than that ) . Says " Nappa Auto Parts " on it or some such . I DID at least sharpen it .
Ha ha ha ha I had one trucker ask me to borrow my knife and then stand there , way at the other end of the inside of the trailer , as if he expected me to climb up into the trailer and bring it to him . I just slid it down the floor of the trailer to him (closed of course ) (should have opened it first and zinged it into the side of a box near him ) . . . but I was young . . . and had a good attitude . . . then .

My other ( reluctant ) definition of a beater is a Sabenza or a Benchmade Anthem , Titanium Integral , that you have scratched the side of while pulling something else out of your pocket .

[Wartstein]

David, I can totally relate to what you are saying:

- To me every single knife I buy (folders: exclusively Spyderco) always is a "beater knife" in the sense that I use all of them for any even just remotely "knife-ish" task.
Price, value, rarity... is completely irrelevant to me.

- I fully respect if people have "safe queens" or like to keep some or all of their folders more or less pristine, no right or wrong here... but to me it would feel extremely weird to just "own" a Spyderco, perfectly designed to get used... and then not really and without any hesitation using it.

- Of course it helps that the more a knife gets and looks used, the more beautiful and of higher personal value it becomes to me personally.

- I am actually sometimes a bit surprised how many knives on pics here at least look as if they never got really used - no scratches, no nicks, no nothing. Again, perfectly fine of course - but nothing I could even attempt concerning the way mine are all exclusively "beaters".

[Ramonade]

When I first joined the internet knife sphere, I used "beater" a bit weird. If it was a knife I did not care the scratch up using, it was a beater.

Now, a beater is something I don't even take the time to sharpen when it's dull because it's disassembled in my bathroom and used to scratch limestone or glue residues, even cut off invasive plants from the tar sidewalk. I guess that my definition now is more adequate for a "beaten" knife.

And no, I don't use a Spyderco, it's a clone knife that clearly deserved it. Someone gave it to me and I trained myself to grind, make my first swedge, acidwash, etc on it. It had a good life and has given me knowledge . Now it's the sturdiest folder ever, just a blade going places.
All of my knives are knives I use, and there's a few of them on which a big scratch would sadden me, for like a few seconds. That's all :)

[abbazaba]

Interesting question! First thought: A beater is an already compromised item that I don't care if I make it worse, or maybe even break or lose it.

Like that flat head screwdriver we all own that looks like it went through a wood chipper. Same can apply to bicycles, cars, boots, hoodies...

[Wowbagger]

- I am actually sometimes a bit surprised how many knives on pics here at least look as if they never got really used - no scratches, no nicks, no nothing.

The REALLL knife guys / gals buy in multiples :
1 . Brand new in box .
2 . Daily user .
annnnd 3 . the " factory fresh box has been defiled and protective paper / film unwrapped (but other wise new / never been sharpened ) " one to use in photos for the chat room .

EVRYBODYKNOWSTHAT

[aicolainen]

I don't have a store nearby better than basspro, so for me I buy a knife before I know if I will like it. I know what I generally like, but don't know for sure if the new one will meet my tastes.
In my case, the difference is probably between keeper and potential reseller. If I know it is mine, then I will beat on it, to the degree that it is still a knife and is used as such.

Don't even have Basspro, so this is relatable.
I order most of my knives from abroad even, so with added shipping cost, VAT and processing fees, there's always some money involved and I never really know what it looks or feels like until any reasonable return option is burned. So yeah, for those first days I baby them with EASY tasks, in the hope I can recoup most of my money if it's a miss.

If it's a keeper, it's a user. Is it a beater though? kind of.. but what I really have is just different knives for different use cases.
I try to use every knife (and other tool) within their "window of intended use". This will, among other things, ensure that I don't unnecessarily beat on my knives. When I pick a knife for the day- or activity ahead, I do try to visualize what I might run into and pick my knife accordingly. Sometimes I know I may need fixed blade strength, some times I know I need Salt corrosion resistance. But sometimes I fail to predict what I'll need and when I've made my pick, that knife will get me through the day whatever may come my way, so if it has to, it will be a beater.

As an example. Once on a mountain hunt my radio failed. There was no phone coverage and my hunting mates were scattered around the mountain, so I really needed the radio to work to not mess up the hunt. In an attempt to circumvent the problem I wanted to try the handsfree I had in my backpack to see if the radio would respond to input that way. Only problem was, the accessory port cover was secured with tiny tiny Philips screws.
Like David I mostly carry multi tools and/or other implements that helps me ensure I have a fairly suitable tool for most tasks, but nothing on the LM Wave that I had with me on this day, was small enough to fit in these miniscule philips heads, so I sacrificed my knife tip. It got the job done, and I got the radio working. But the tip took a beating and lost a millimeter or two.

I'm a planner, leaning heavily towards over thinker, so most of the time I have suitable tools for the tasks I run into, but I participate in a lot of activities across many categories, and from time to time I still find myself in situations where I don't really have what's needed, and just have to get by with what I have. Behind many of the things I now keep in my pockets, (back)packs, cars etc. there's a lesson learned. Some of those lessons involves beaten knives.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

My friend, this is a hard topic. For me each Spyderco knife is a work of art. I did get an Endura as a "beater" but prefer to call it an essential tool.

[u.w.]

I see this a lot, and I (mostly) can't relate.

Are you doing things with these knives that you know you shouldn't be doing with a knife, like scraping stickers off brick walls or using them as screwdrivers?

Yes, Yes, and Yes, plus digging, hammering, etc??? Today before coming to work I had my SPY27 Police4 LW on me (as I have for months now) and I used it dig various roots up out of the frozen ground, and cut them off as deep as I could. Didn't hesitate even a fraction of a second, and the knife performed just fine at it, as I knew it would from previous experience. Some might call that abuse. Some might say use an axe, or pick, or shovel, etc... I used my knife, as I have hundreds & hundreds of times. No problems.

Is it because of the cost? A knife is expensive so you don't want to ruin the resale value or something? I just don't buy with the intention of selling it someday. For me the more expensive a knife is, the more I HAVE to use it to justify the cost. The two knives I own that cost me the most money have both been reprofiled and heavily used.

Cost can come into play for me, e.g. I'm perhaps a little more hesitant for some tasks with a multi-hundred $$$ knife vs. a sub-$50 knife. I've not yet bought any knife with any intention of re-selling. The only knives I've bought and not used, are back-ups to knives I already have, use, and like a lot. They're just waiting their turn.

Do you feel that you're "ruining" your knives by using them hard, scratching them up etc? Heck to me that's just character. That's earned patina. That's a well broke in pair of boots that fit perfectly.

No I don't. I bought it/them to get used (¿abused), scratched, sharpened, likely re-profiled, etc...

One more follow up question, if you said that you're using your beater knives for non knife uses, scraping and prying and screwdriver use and all that, do you carry or have you considered carrying a multitool? I don't ever have to use a knife to turn a screw because I have multitool for that.

I don't carry a multi-tool. I have in the past, but have little to no need for one in the last >20 years now.

If I'm working on a car, I have the right tools for scraping or whatever, so unless I'm broke down and my multitool can't do the job, but again do you need a beater knife for this off chance situation?

Hmmm... well I even have specific knives (with backups) that I use nearly exclusively for what most might consider NON-Knife use(s). e.g. cutting adhesives & sealants off metal & metal panels, re-seating, replacing, etc... electrical connectors, wire stripping, screw removal, cement/brick scraping, etc... They work very well for what I use them for, hence the back-ups and continued use of them .

It's not that I don't fully understand it. I have knives I wouldn't go out and cut sandpaper sheets and drywall with, I have nice knives that I carry on dressy occasions that I don't want beat up. In a way my situation is more like most of my knives are beaters, or most of them are hard use knives that I wouldn't hesitate to scratch up, and a select few that get pampered. So, I get it but I guess I don't get how often people seem to rely on having a beater.

Seems like we're on the same page, or very nearly so if not.

The one scenario I completely get it, is loaning a knife to a non knife person but honestly I just stopped going that entirely. I'll cut it for you or it won't get cut lol.

Yep, I also do not lend, let them borrow, use etc... my knives to anyone.


u.w.

[Wowbagger]

. . . I'm working on a car, . . . I'm broke down and my multitool can't do the job, but again do you need a beater knife for this off chance situation?

Let me get this right : You WANT to pass up a perfectly good excuse to buy another knife ?
Am I hearing that correctly ?

The one scenario I completely get it, is loaning a knife to a non knife person but honestly I just stopped going that entirely. I'll cut it for you or it won't get cut lol.

hahaha yeah I had to stop doing that NOW to . I've seen the results too many times of a Sharp knife in the wrong hands . (mostly from sharpening their knives for them ) .

[silver & black]

Just over $100.00.... preferably less, with mid grade steel that I don't care about scratching or using in ways I wouldn't use a "good" knife.