What’s the most you’ve ever spent on a knife?

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The most money I have ever spent on a knife is a Dozier Straight Personal that I bought 20+ years ago. About $115.00 back then which was a lot of money at that time. I still have this knife and it's worth it's weight in gold to me.
Does it look anything like this? I think that's about what I paid at roughly the same time you bought yours. This one was on the shelf at the A.G. Russell store. Just had to have it. Not sorry.

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As good of a knife as I own. Probably actually the best.
 
Knives are still $$. There is relative value in some of the knocked off imports where those can be had at $15-$30 in many instances. Are they good? That depends on the users perspective. At the custom knife shows and among some collectors I know that amounts of $ spent is crazy. It buys a car, Euro vacations, a fair down on a house, whatever brings them enjoyment. Same can be said for time pieces, high end audio, cars, etc.
 
In the days of knife shows you could count on that, but internet and social media has pushed custom knives into less friendly territory while expanding the market.

There were a few makers that were trusting to allow me to pay them later. Granted that was a way to get a sale yet the trust they extended is what I recall of those early 90's. I made several payments for knives that would otherwise would not find their way into my accumulation.

There are still those out there where one's word is solid today.:thumbup:
 
$50 on a Kershaw auto been eyeing a custom made knife. Something I can pass on to my sona he pass it down. Haven't pulled the trigger yet.
 
$100 and it was just a few days ago.

Prior to that the most expensive was about $50. Most have probably been around the $35-$40 range.
 
Here's an interesting perspective.

*Cost* vs. "... ever spent..."

So, there I am, doing things in ways with guys at places in The Yemen and I'm moved to make a movement.

Roasted vegetables would often times have that effect upon me.

I stroll to the hole in the floor in the W.C. as is the custom in the area - (and arguably more sensible at that).

As I finish my business and hitch up my britches I forget that I have my G Shock and my Spyderco forward of my first belt loop on the right and note their absence by a VERY disconcerting *spl..splah!* below me.

Damn it to hell! There they be in the un-Holy-hole. Yet another example of gravity and my own poor judgement mocking me.

So then commences an internal cost-reward debate as the perpetual flow of the Arabian slow-flush and the upstream effuse and refuse stream around and over them.

In the end (no pun intended) I note the ridiculous nature of my sentimental attachment to both of them and before I can change my mind, I dive in. That is to say - my hand does.

Out they come and then quick as a rabbit I'm off to rinse them and my hand and then off to find my medic for alcohol, beta dine, benzine, gas or a Silkwood-shower of all of the above.

Still to this day have the knife and the G Shock and never regret my pooh-pilfering decision.

So, to point, while anyone looking at my highly prized knives in my knife drawers might understandably think; "Cool an' all but, what's THAT doing with them?!?" I would note to them that though it's clearly the least expensive knife in the *collection* it has plausibly *cost me more* than any of the others.

You decide.

Todd.
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Well, definitely wins the "Who's had to put up with the most cr#p to get a knife?" category. :thumbup:
Kind of like the "offal price" my uncle paid for his prized vintage Schrade *Sharp finger* 152.

He found it in a pile of guts from someone's kill on his land. Caught the guy trespassing AND poaching and ran him off his site. Then, my uncle commenced to scour the campsite for all he left behind and found an otherwise fine Schrade in the pile.

It was he who came up with the "offal price".... He was a funny-guy.

His story was funny - mine just stunk.;)

Todd.
 
You win, hands "down", but I spent an eternity upside-down in a minor rapid clinging to a rock with one hand while grabbing Golum-like for a Spyderco Terzuola as it spun in slow motion away from me. Caught it too, but had to explain to my wife why I was under so long and ignoring her pounding on the bottom of my boat with her paddle and not rolling up for an assist.
 
You win, hands "down", but I spent an eternity upside-down in a minor rapid clinging to a rock with one hand while grabbing Golum-like for a Spyderco Terzuola as it spun in slow motion away from me. Caught it too, but had to explain to my wife why I was under so long and ignoring her pounding on the bottom of my boat with her paddle and not rolling up for an assist.
See, you get-it. A fella has to stand by his priorities!

Todd.
 
So this involves a bit of a story. Bear with me, as I considered making this its own thread but I think it fits here just fine.

A few years ago, a second cousin of mine was diagnosed with leukemia. To fund her medical care, her family hosted a benefit at a local roadhouse bar which included a raffle and auction. As part of the latter, a distant relative/family friend and the subject of the story who I'll call M forged a custom knife free of charge and donated it to be auctioned off for the benefit.

This was it:

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I'll spare you the details on this particular blade for a reason that will become obvious in a bit, but something that these images don't do justice but was very obvious in person at the auction: the pattern-welded/"Damascus" pattern on the blade was unlike anything I've ever seen. Whereas most are a sort of charcoal black with waves of nickel, this one instead had waves of a coppery-bronze color interspersed through the sea of black (a bit like this). It was absolutely gorgeous. The knife came to be aptly known as the Copperhead. As I later discovered upon meeting and chatting with M, the story behind the Copperhead's unique coloration was entirely accidental: he basically had a Three Stooges moment and spilled a bunch of powdered copper into the forge during the smelting process, resulting in it becoming part of the faux Damascus billet. He thought he'd just ruined the blade, but it ended up making for a novelty piece that sold for a very pretty penny.

I wanted that knife bad at the auction -- it was awesome and I'd get to support my cousin. What's not to love? However, I hadn't anticipated the knife being up for grabs and hadn't brought cash. I scrambled to the ATM... but it was completely out. I was out of luck. Had to watch some other lucky man walk out with the piece. A few weeks later, I got in touch with M and talked about getting him to make a similar knife for me. He agreed to make it minus the copper accent to the blade (for a variety of reasons), which was fine by me. I ended up paying a little over $400 for it, if I recall. This is what I ended up with:

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The blade is 5.3" long and hand-forged from 500 layers of various high-carbon steels (pattern-welded, of course). The handle is lacquered maple burl wood. The guard, butt cap, and spacers are all 100% pure copper. The large central spacer is water buffalo horn. He also crafted the sheath for me: just hand-tooled basketweave leather -- nothing special, but functional and good-looking.

M had no formal blacksmith training. He was a self-taught hobbyist who picked it up for fun and basically just about covered his expenses, plus maybe a bit of extra spending money here and there in addition to his day job. He appeared on History channel's Forged in Fire in early 2019, finishing in 1st place on his episode against other blacksmiths with considerably more training and experience than his own.

However, several weeks ago, he was suddenly and unexpectedly struck by a massive heart attack and passed away. I didn't know him as well as I would have liked beyond our transaction and interactions at family gatherings, but I know he was a great guy and I'll always look at the knife he crafted for me fondly. It holds a special place in my safe.
 
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So this involves a bit of a story. Bear with me, as I considered making this its own thread but I think it fits here just fine.

A few years ago, a second cousin of mine was diagnosed with leukemia. To fund her medical care, her family hosted a benefit at a local roadhouse bar which included a raffle and auction. As part of the latter, a distant relative/family friend and the subject of the story who I'll call M forged a custom knife free of charge and donated it to be auctioned off for the benefit.

This was it:

View attachment 897160

View attachment 897161

I'll spare you the details on this particular blade for a reason that will become obvious in a bit, but something that these images don't do justice but was very obvious in person at the auction: the pattern-welded/"Damascus" pattern on the blade was unlike anything I've ever seen. Whereas most are a sort of charcoal black with waves of white-silver, this one instead had waves of a coppery-bronze color interspersed through the sea of black. It was absolutely gorgeous. The knife came to be aptly known as the Copperhead. As I later discovered upon meeting and chatting with Mickey, the story behind the Copperhead's unique coloration was entirely accidental: he basically had a Three Stooges moment and spilled a bunch of powdered copper into the forge during the smelting process, resulting in it becoming part of the faux Damascus billet. He thought he'd just ruined the blade, but it ended up making for a novelty piece that sold for a very pretty penny.

I wanted that knife bad at the auction -- it was awesome and I'd get to support my cousin. What's not to love? However, I hadn't anticipated the knife being up for grabs and hadn't brought cash. I scrambled to the ATM... but it was completely out. I was out of luck. Had to watch some other lucky man walk out with the piece. A few weeks later, I got in touch with M and talked about getting him to make a similar knife for me. He agreed to make it minus the copper accent to the blade (for a variety of reasons), which was fine by me. I ended up paying a little over $400 for it, if I recall. This is what I ended up with:

View attachment 897162
View attachment 897163


The blade is 5.3" long and hand-forged from 500 layers of various high-carbon steels (pattern-welded, of course). The handle is lacquered maple burl wood. The guard, butt cap, and spacers are all 100% pure copper. The large central spacer is water buffalo horn. He also crafted the sheath for me: just hand-tooled basketweave leather -- nothing special, but functional and good-looking.

M had no formal blacksmith training. He was a self-taught hobbyist who picked it up for fun and basically just about covered his expenses, plus maybe a bit of extra spending money here and there in addition to his day job. He appeared on History channel's Forged in Fire in early 2019, finishing in 1st place on his episode against other blacksmiths with considerably more training and experience than his own.

However, several weeks ago, he was suddenly and unexpectedly struck by a massive heart attack and passed away. I didn't know him as well as I would have liked beyond our transaction and interactions at family gatherings, but I know he was a great guy and I'll always look at the knife he crafted for me fondly. It holds a special place in my safe.
That’s a a great knife and a great story to go with it.
 
I collect FS daggers - I came across "my first" 1st pattern and traded probably $1800 worth of guns and knives (at least 4x boxed Cold Steel large knives.)
View attachment 892888

The 1st came in a ragged 2nd pattern sheath. I discovered the 1st pattern knife used a unique sheath, you couldn't just set it in a 2nd pattern sheath.
A fellow collector from Norway had an original sheath and I traded his for a nice 2nd pattern dagger and sheath I owned, worth about $500 mas or menus.
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I try not to think about what I paid for it $2300, or so -
If I had sold the items for their cash value, I could have waited and likely have found myself a nicer condition 1st.
But, that's just not how it works for me, lol.
View attachment 892890

The 1st is on the far right with some other English daggers and a smatchet designed by Fairbairn in the center.
Those pics just needed to be looked at again....

My first thought was $60.00 for a Gerber MkII back in the mid 80s. Then I recalled paying a little over $100.00 for a Phrobis dive knife ten years later. Maybe I can get pics later.
 
20200414_211205_Film1.jpg $125 if I recall correctly, from a knife maker who was set-up next to me at a gunshow lots of years ago.

Fully intended to use it to dress deer...just cant bring myself to do it...yeah I know thats dumb...but its just so purdy....
 
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