Are the higher end knifes that much better?

[Wrench]

I've watched my buddies fiddle with their replaceable blade knives, trying to get the blade to sit in the mess of a knife and what to do with the old blade.....and old reliable vic just keeps on doing the work while they screw around.

 

[mod7rem]

I've watched my buddies fiddle with their replaceable blade knives, trying to get the blade to sit in the mess of a knife and what to do with the old blade.....and old reliable vic just keeps on doing the work while they screw around.

I got really turned off replaceable blade knives hunting antelope in wyoming one year. It was antelope and 1st couple days of deer season (very busy) in the unit I was hunting and almost every gut pile I came across had blades and blade wrappers laying all over the place. I know not everybody does this but it was enough to make me not want to own one.

 

[Venom One]

I had NO intention of getting dragged into this knife discussion, yet couldn't resist boarding the "research" plane which wasted no time leaving leaving the terminal....we've been flying for hours now.

A few that caught my eye:

Argali Serac
ESSE Xancudo
ESSE-3 S35V

 

[Venom One]

I came across had blades and blade wrappers laying all over the place.

This is my biggest concern with replaceable blades - guys who flick their used blades into the brush without a second thought about who or what might be stabbed. Likely they are the same a**holes who will hunt right on top of you because "public land, man."

 

[Caconym]

Replaceable blades? Damn, I guess I've been away from the scene for too long. Sounds gimmicky, but I'm open minded.
I'm still impressed by how the convex grind on a Bark River changes the way the blade works. One of these days I'll get one in magna-cut and see what the fuss is about.

 

[manitou1]

Replaceable blades? Damn, I guess I've been away from the scene for too long. Sounds gimmicky, but I'm open minded.
I'm still impressed by how the convex grind on a Bark River changes the way the blade works. One of these days I'll get one in magna-cut and see what the fuss is about.

I believe you will like it.
I am throughly impressed with the drop point hunter in S3v I have... and I used to forge knives before my neck injury.

 

[Szwampdonkey]

Yes, they’re better and they’re worth it.

Havalons and those like them are cheap, disposable blades that of course don’t hold an edge but my beef with them is they can snap. A good full tang blade made out of S30V or A2 steel simply will not do that.

You can cut up an animal with any old knife of course. But a good knife can be used hard without fear of failure, neglected, then be handed down to your kids with all the history it holds. To me, that means something still even though we live in a largely throw away society nowadays that values little.

 

[Szwampdonkey]

Lots of these “high end” knives are nothing more than a blanks cut into blades and ground down. They slap their label on them and charge the fudds 300+ dollars. (MKC and bark river come to mind).

Ummm, that is how you make knives??? There isn’t some kind of black magic where knives are grown out of molten cauldrons or something.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Ummm, that is how you make knives??? There isn’t some kind of black magic where knives are grown out of molten cauldrons or something.

My point is that these expensive knives arent anything special. Why is a MKC knife 300 dollars?

 

[Shortschaf]

My point is that these expensive knives arent anything special. Why is a MKC knife 300 dollars?

Niche, small batch production, high QC knives made in the USA, with likely a lifetime of support from a company that is local to some and pro-hunting? Custom knifemakers have families that eat too. Nothing wrong with a luxury level knife if that's what people are into. They have many knives that are under $300 for the record.

OP's question of if they're worth the extra money? No, after probably the $50 mark, twice the money won't get you twice the knife, but some people like those other extrinsic things that go with it. The example of passing on to kids is a great example. And who am I to say "it's not worth it" then

 

[Wrench]

Just boned another elk with old reliable yesterday. Never touched a stone or steel once.

 

[Drenalin]

I did two whitetail with one of the Victorinox paring knives this weekend; I only half believed other posters on this site, but it worked damn well.

 

[rcook10]

Good steel and good technique make for fast processing, clean cuts, and less danger. I like my knives to stay sharp for an entire process and a sweet spot i’ve found is magnacut. I was given a north arms mallard by a friend and have processed 10 big game animals and dozens if birds and rabbits this fall with it. The flexibility of the blade coupled with great edge retention has made easy work of every animal I have cut up. I do gutless method and am not a moron so i really don’t have trouble with bone or dulling my edge. It has been really easy to process two or three deer at a time or a whole elk without needing a hone. I just did a fresh stoning for next year but probably didn’t even need to. Looking to get one of their boning knives next year.

 

[Shraggs]

If it’s sharp they all work, but for me ergonomics and blade shape matter. Above all, again personally, I prefer full convex edge and blade hood steel.

 

[fshaw]

To me they're a lot like rifles, an entry level rifle will reliably get the job done for a lifetime of hunting and the new ones are impressively accurate. There’s just something about the fit and finish of a custom rifle that’s built for you that makes them special, even though they make no sense economically. Same thing with knives. You can find a Mora Basic 511 for $10 online. That knife and a DMT Diafold cut up any big game animal will serve most hunters for a full lifetime. I’d rather carry something else even though they both do the same job. The replaceable blade knives hold no interest for me. I’d warn you about the custom knife thing though. It’s a slippery slope.