How do you prioritize knife details when purchasing?

[M_J87]

4" FRN lockback MIUSA or Japan is my go to. Lock type probably being most important.

[kobold]

my first set of filters:

no black handle material, unless it can be swapped out
no made in china. maniago can be iffy too
no ball bearings
no tactical
no riveted frn scales
no compression lock
weight must be sane (no buck 110 for me)
price must be sane

after that it comes down to the intended use, how it fits in my collection, price and if the knife offers something new i am interested in trying out

[vivi]

my first set of filters:

no black handle material, unless it can be swapped out
no made in china. maniago can be iffy too
no ball bearings
no tactical
no riveted frn scales
no compression lock
weight must be sane (no buck 110 for me)

after that it comes down to the intended use, how it fits in my collection, price and if the knife offers something new i am interested in trying out

Weight weenie! :o

[Flash]

Ergos and handle aesthetics for me. If a handle looks like it’d feel wrong then it has no chance. If I have one in hand and it feels wrong, then it gets passed on almost immediately.

[JoviAl]

Size, steel then ergos in that order for me. Country of origin matters to me about the same as who specifically made it, as in I don’t want to support anyone treating employees poorly, but I didn’t select it as it’s a peripheral consideration for everything I buy, not just knives.

[JoviAl]

my first set of filters:

no black handle material, unless it can be swapped out
no made in china. maniago can be iffy too
no ball bearings
no tactical
no riveted frn scales
no compression lock
weight must be sane (no buck 110 for me)

after that it comes down to the intended use, how it fits in my collection, price and if the knife offers something new i am interested in trying out

Weight weenie! :o

Massive knife or tiny weighing scales?!

[Wartstein]

......
Lock - If it isn't a lockback variation, fixed blade or slipjoint, chances are incredibly low I'd even consider buying the knife.
.....
Sharpening notches - Obnoxiously large ones are another thing that instantly kills any interest I may have in a knife. I would never own a jack wolf knives knife, even if they were US made, for this reason. Theirs are terrible.
...

Two points I can strongly relate to...

- I am not into slip joints, but with locking folders if it is not a backlock or CBBL:
A folder (in my case exclusively Spyderco these days) has to offer something really special to get even considered in the first place...

- Sharpening notches: They really and only annoy me, and I still can´t see why one would rather want a large, snag-prone "chip" right where the blade starts instead of in the worst case a less-sharpened portion right there without that notch...
On top of that: I think pretty much everyone can add a notch diy (technically easier than even sharpen a knife properly), while one can´t get rid of one (at least not without a ton of work, loosing a lot of blade height and as a consequence make the cutting geometry worse)

[gooeytek]

In order:

Aesthetics
Steel Type
Ergonomics
Handle Materials
Lock Type

[BeggarSo]

Ergonomics :
If it has a 50/50 choil or close to it I can hardly resist I like the way it feels because I do. I won’t pass up on something like a Bodacious though it’s not a deal breaker but a big selling point for sure.

Handle material’s:
I honestly prefer G-10 or Carbon fiber and Micarta but not Micarta like they did on the Cruware Manix2 XL that was not contoured and is uncomfortable.

Weight: I don’t care about weight at all I am a big guy a few ounces here or there don’t matter.

Appearance: Appearance will get me to look but not buy.

Materials: The right materials in a classy combination will get me to buy take the drunken for example. But it has to be balanced for me to pay a high price.

For example Drunken $500.00 that is a yes, there is allot in that product. A Chaparral, or a Sage6 for $400.00 plus dollars absolutely not. I vehemently protest internally.

Steel: Yes I will not buy any VG10, the rest are pretty much so advanced now that it will be the model that makes the sale. I confess a partiality to 15V, K390, REX121, Magnacut and S90V these do get my purchase in models I like and I am willing to pay a bit more but not a crazy amount.

Locks: I don’t like any locks they all have flaws. They all require a compromise, I actually prefer the Slipits like the UKPK. A lock will not get me to buy or not buy. But a lock will make me consider if I am even willing to keep it or if I try it and it is flawed I will not order a model I like even, give me some Lock Rock and I send it back or won’t buy in the first place anymore.

Size: I am currently contemplating a $500.00 Chris Reeves Mnandi. Size really doesn’t stop a purchase it all depends on the knife. I probably won’t buy it though because it is overpriced for what goes into it.

Anything between 2 and 4 inches I will look at in a folder beyond that it’s fixed blade territory for me even at 4 inches.

I think the wet spot is between 3 and 4 inches, try carrying a serrated Magnacut UKPK for a week or two and then the larger folders like a Military become rather absurd.

[vivi]

Hah, I moved in the opposite direction. When I joined here I used to carry Native and UKPK folders. After a while I realized Police or Military suit me much better.

[BeggarSo]

Well you are an outdoors adventurer so it makes sense perfect sense. I sure wouldn’t want to only have a small knife they just can’t do what a larger one can.

[CDEP]

I live in Los Angeles, so blade length is the first consideration. If it is sub-3" I can carry it anywhere, but above 3" I only carry it at home, which is where I mostly use my knives.

Ergos is the second consideration. The Native family is perfection in my hands, with the Millie family close behind. With Spyderco, even the models with less-than-perfect-for-me ergos, like the Delica family, still have great ergos, so this is more of a priority with other brands. Ergos are a given with Spyderco, along with heat treat and blade geometry.

Steel type is big for me. I've tried quite a few and settled on Cru-Wear/VG10 as my premium/budget favorites from Spyderco. If I'm considering a buy and it is in either of those steels it is a plus, but not a requirement. I also carry a lot of MagnaCut, 15V, K390, and M4. Base steels like S30V & S45VN are great, and not a negative. I also love the BD1N on the Golden Lightweights and the Polestar & Alcyone.

Cost is, sadly, a consideration for everything these days. It really holds more effect if it pairs with another quality - a blade length that I can't carry away from home will be more of a negative if it is also an expensive model. But, for example, I am carrying a Military 2 CruCarta today at home. Pricey, and I can't carry if I leave home, but the Cru-Wear steel and Ergos made it irresistible. My most carried model at home is the PM2 CruCarta.

The only knife I've ever bought because of how it looked was the Viele Phoenix Sprint, but I love it as an EDC carry. Aesthetics are usually the least important for me.

[BeggarSo]

Wow yes I feel sorry for our California brothers, prices for just basic living are so very, very high.

We are seeing this in Florida too the rich are pushing everyone out, Miami is at $3.500.00 just for apartments, where I live they are $2000.00 plus. Fortunately I bought my house years ago.

I honestly don’t know how people are surviving by and large.

[JARHEAD]

1. Made in USA!

[kobold]

my first set of filters:

no black handle material, unless it can be swapped out
no made in china. maniago can be iffy too
no ball bearings
no tactical
no riveted frn scales
no compression lock
weight must be sane (no buck 110 for me)

after that it comes down to the intended use, how it fits in my collection, price and if the knife offers something new i am interested in trying out

Weight weenie! :o

Massive knife or tiny weighing scales?!

"satan scale"

[skeeg11]

The top priority above all else is functional purpose. All else is simplistic refinement of various degrees. I wouldn't choose a $400 custom fillet knife to skin a wild hog or elk. I would rather use a $15.00 1095 carbon steel Old Hickory 6" skinner every time. Aesthetic beauty comes from the design of it's function. For example add up all the features of a SpydieChef and you have all the defacto standards of excellence for a folding pocket skinner.

Purpose is the determinate priority in any knife I purchase. Fine tune from there.

[cjk]

....

Vivi, does Buck 420HC not rust for you?

Do those slim lightweight Bucks still have the issue where you can squeeze the blade further into the handle where the edge touches the backspacer?

[vivi]

....

Vivi, does Buck 420HC not rust for you?

Do those slim lightweight Bucks still have the issue where you can squeeze the blade further into the handle where the edge touches the backspacer?

No, it doesn't. It's my favorite blade steel at the moment in fact. Nothing else in my collection gets as stupid sharp. I've come to enjoy fast and effortless sharpening over long edge holding,though I have no issues getting 15V or K390 hair whittling sharp.

Most lockbacks and slipjoints have that issue. Spydercos Centofante 3 & 4's, for example, or swiss army knives.

In day to day life it hasn't ever been a problem for me.

[Scandi Grind]

Size is the first thing I look at. It needs to have close to 4.5 inch handle to be comfortable for all uses, and at least a 3 in. blade, preferably 3.5 in. Next tends to be ergos, although for a pocket knife I deffinitely am less picky than I am with fixed blades. Then country of origin, and weight. I do have some steel preferences, but it is that I like simple, lower carbide steels, which tends to be easier to get than high end stuff, so I don't usually have to try hard there. Not picky about looks, handle material (except that I hate soft touch materials), lock type, etc., all that has marginal influence over my decision as long as I trust the overall build quality of the knife. So simple list:

Size
Ergos
Country of origin
Weight
Cost
Steel
Lock
Aesthetics

I think that's about where I am at.

[Evil D]

The first three things I always go by are size/ergonomics/aesthetics. I think they're all three very closely related. Size and ergonomics are two sides of the same coin, and aesthetics for me are along the lines or form following function, I think I've gotten pretty good at judging the looks of a design and making a reasonable assumption about how they'll perform. If I know the dimensions of the handle I can pretty much go by looks and know if I'll like it.

I pay attention to steel a lot, I'd say the majority of my purchases are steel driven, but if a new design comes along and is only offered in the standard steel options it won't stop me from buying. But, interested/more appealing steels will absolutely get me to buy more than once.

Weight is low importance, but I do appreciate low weight when it happens. I do actually prefer the G10 Grasshopper for it's low weight vs the stainless version, so it does matter sometimes. I carry it on my keys and the difference is significant and very noticeable.

Country of origin is basically irrelevant. This has never disappointed me. I do happen to like Golden models the most though.

I don't know if I'd say handle materials matter much. I think I like just about every type that's used. But just like steel type, this is a category that will get me buying more than one if more than one good option comes out.

Cost is the final one, and it really just comes down to all the other priorities combined. I don't have a spending limit, but as price increases my requirements for the other things definitely go up with it. If a design checks all the boxes and the size/ergonomics/steel/aesthetics just blow me away, I'd probably just put other purchases on hold or even sell some knives to make the purchase. I would rather funnel a lot of money into a few designs that are perfect for me, than to have the same money tied up in 20 options that are hit and miss.