Knife Testing, Project Farm

[Pinetreebbs]

Projet Farm, a YouTube content maker recently posted a knife testing video that includes two Spyderco models.

Project Farm is know for innovative and useful testing of tools, materials, and oils.



About Project Farm:

I test all sorts of things, from tools to automotive products, to help viewers make informed purchasing decisions and to avoid getting ripped off. Also, I have awesome Patreon supporters, which allows me to decline all sponsorships and promotional items from manufacturers and to offer the most unbiased reviews you'll find anywhere. Please watch a couple of videos and consider subscribing.

Thank you and best regards,
Todd
Project Farm, LLC

[Giygas]

As usual, the comment section is gold!

[ChrisinHove]

The interesting question is, What Spyderco would you enter to game that test?

I’m thinking a 20cv Delica.

[u.w.]

Actually watched that this morning, well listened to it (along with other stuff), while doing Monday morning PT.
Went back and watched it after PT, but didn't read any of the comments. Perhaps I ought to go do that at some point..

I've watched, and listened to, a whole bunch of Project Farm's (Todd's) videos, and am Very Much appreciative of what/all that he does.

u.w.

[mmadison]

I think Todd is great. But wow, is it fascinating to see a non-knifenut's take. The best brand - derived from a arbitrary selection of models and testing that ignores steel types, ergonomics, customer service, history, etc., is pretty sophomoric.

I was cringing throughout the entire video. That was painful.

[hereiamu1]

It was entertaining

[Kevinim82]

I think Todd is great. But wow, is it fascinating to see a non-knifenut's take. The best brand - derived from a arbitrary selection of models and testing that ignores steel types, ergonomics, customer service, history, etc., is pretty sophomoric.

I was cringing throughout the entire video. That was painful.

I think he did a great job. His show isn’t a consumer reports for the knife obsessed. He is a shotgun at the waist type of guy. This type of research brings people to good questions, they come here (the forum) for the answers.

Viewers picked his knife purchases from what I can tell.

He admits that the heavier knives had more impact on the steel plate due to weight + impact.

As said by many of the experts on this forum, “geometry cuts.” I was surprised the Opinel did so poorly.

He made all the knives 17* per side and then ran the blades through wood and came out with some conclusions. The Spyderco knives rated highly here. This is a legit empirical test with good data points as a start. I’d want him and his brain scoping a edge with Sal.

[Superflex]

"We're going to test that"
I like the work Todd does. No nonsense, fair destructive testing of tools and such.
He isn't sponsored and buys all the items he destroys with his own dollars.
Those who criticize his work ought to put up their own dollars and time before finding fault with his methods.

[Evil D]

Yeah. His testing methods certainly work great for motor oil...not so much for knives where there are far too many user variables. It was a similar ordeal with knife sharpeners.

[attila]

I definitely didn’t enjoy that video. His other videos are usually good, but these tests were a let down.

[bdblue]

I think Todd is great. But wow, is it fascinating to see a non-knifenut's take....
I was cringing throughout the entire video. That was painful.

I watch almost all of his videos, whether the subject is interesting to me or not. His tests are frequently ingenious and always interesting to watch. He may not go into as much depth as I would like and sometimes it seems that he should modify his tests and start the tests over with new specimens, but it is what it is.
I did find it interesting that some of the rankings of edge durability didn't correlate to the steels used. We of course would not understand that and maybe it has to do with the methodology somehow. But also this might be what the average non-enthusiast might expect.

[ykspydiefan]

I'm new to Project Farm. Nice to see the objectivity and effort involved in bringing us a different take on knife ranking.

[mmadison]

Just for clarity, I have seen probably about 70% of Project Farm vids. Love them. Just not this one.

[sal]

Thanx for the link. I was not familiar with Todd's work. I think all testing adds value.

sal

[JacksonKnives]

"We're going to test that"
I like the work Todd does. No nonsense, fair destructive testing of tools and such.
He isn't sponsored and buys all the items he destroys with his own dollars.
Those who criticize his work ought to put up their own dollars and time before finding fault with his methods.

I actually spent a few years writing for a website that did similar consumer-reports-style tests on household appliances etc., and it's a tough job to do well. I think Todd does the "comparing the best [product category]" schtick about as well as anyone who's not a specialist in a particular product category can hope to do.

But let's be clear here:
Even if the tester doesn't get sponsored by one manufacturer, Amazon (and a few other retailers, but mostly Amazon) is raking in cash from almost all of these clickbait testing videos, and *they* are dictating the terms of the review game.

Every time you search "the best [product]" the review you click on will be designed to make sure you click through to Amazon and buy the product. The reviewer makes a commission on *anything* you buy after you click. It's not a huge commission (it used to be bigger), but it's enough that most consumer-interest magazines now use these referral programs as their primary or sole source of revenue. (Wirecutter pioneered the streamlined comparison review in 2011, and the NYT has done very well after scooping them up, even at the price of $30 million.)

Todd is, I hope, helping some people learn about the differences between some products. But for the most part, he's picking a fairly random set of items he doesn't know much about, and running tests that are more entertaining than anything.

As an example, is one 5w30-rated oil better than another? Well, if you test it for qualities outside of the 5w30 spec, maybe... but how would you know if that property is "better" for your engine if your engine was designed for the 5w30 spec?

I also wish Todd would break out of his format a bit and actually investigate the sources for the stuff he tests; there are so many products coming out of the same factory with different badges. Just some basic insight into the differences between how and why design decisions are made would be a lot more helpful than a "test to failure" of a tool.

[gspam1]

I love Project Farm. Without being an expert on every product sold in the world, he comes up with some innovative tests. The beauty is that you see his testing methodology, so you can embrace or discount it as you wish. So, if I'm particularly knowledgeable about something he's testing, I can think of ways I'd do it differently, but the tests are still useful, and he's saved me from many a terrible product.