Anyone planning on giving knives this Christmas? 2018, 2019 AND NOW! 2020!!!

enbloc

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Post your Christmas Knife Ideas Here!
~Matt
 
Nothing like a gift you can actually use!

Who you giving to...and why? Family, friend, co-worker...self?
Intended use? EDC, camping, fishing, Gentleman's pocket knife?

I have given many knives as gifts over the years. Usually pocket folder pen-knives and a couple of Buck 110's too.
~Matt
 
I spent 16 years in the restaurant industry. I’ve given more steel as a gift than I’d like to admit. Most of it well received, and, under appreciated. I’m a knife snob and I’m ruined.
I don’t do it anymore. It’s like giving a 64 Ct. set of Crayolas to someone who’s color blind. Sure, they love it, but they don’t really, fully, truly appreciate it.
I’m done buying quality cutlery, just to have it be used as a pry bar or screwdriver or put in the dishwasher. That’s what an Ontario RAT1 is for!
(Buy that in D2 if you must, no better value, the RAT2 in pink is downright cute, even on the T opening a bag of gummy bears)
I DIGRESS!

Amazon gift cards all around. Let them make their own decisions. I’ll fawn over the S35VN by myself.

Glad I got out when I did, or I might sound like an a**h*** around the holidays.

Cheers!
 
Many years ago when I was around other instructors knives were given quite often as gifts. I learned that there is folklore, etiquette, superstition or whatever you may call it in giving and receiving a knife.

The giving of a knife can sever a relationship if not handled correctly. The proper way to mend this is to exchange a coin to repair it. Now, this is where 'how to' differs. Some say the giver gives a coin with the knife and the recipient immediately gives it right back. The other way is the knife recipient gives a coin they have to fix this concern.

I used to like to "give the giver" a Kennedy half dollar. If you follow the 'you have to do it right away' that is hard to do. For this use whatever you have on you. Then, I follow up with a coin and thank you note together.

ETA: Ah, a local knife maker that has a variation of this act:

A Penny?

"Why is there a penny taped to the knife?"
We often get this question.

A Penny?
 
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I have never heard of the coin with a knife. It’s fascinating. A quick google search showed me dozens of articles and forum threads on the topic.
From what I understand now, the giver includes a coin with the knife so the recipient can immediately return the coin and thus “purchase” the knife, keeping the relationship in tact.

This is probably more pertinent amongst friends as I rarely gift family members knives to end a relationship. That’s what drunken Thanksgiving dinners are for.
 
I spent 16 years in the restaurant industry. I’ve given more steel as a gift than I’d like to admit. Most of it well received, and, under appreciated. I’m a knife snob and I’m ruined.
I don’t do it anymore. It’s like giving a 64 Ct. set of Crayolas to someone who’s color blind. Sure, they love it, but they don’t really, fully, truly appreciate it.
I’m done buying quality cutlery, just to have it be used as a pry bar or screwdriver or put in the dishwasher. That’s what an Ontario RAT1 is for!
(Buy that in D2 if you must, no better value, the RAT2 in pink is downright cute, even on the T opening a bag of gummy bears)
I DIGRESS!

Amazon gift cards all around. Let them make their own decisions. I’ll fawn over the S35VN by myself.

Glad I got out when I did, or I might sound like an a**h*** around the holidays.

Cheers!

Agree.....I'm giving LED flashlights because most people can't find one when they need it.:D

I gave a couple of family members expensive Benchmade knives a couple of years ago and both of them lost them in 6 months. I've had my same one for over ten years. No more expensive gifts of knives, as you say, most people don't appreciate them at all.
 
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My mom always told me it was bad luck and that a dollar would be exchanged. Ever since then I won’t give knives.

Soo Tinkermatic. If you were in the market for a new 8” chefs knife. What would you be looking at?
 
My mom always told me it was bad luck and that a dollar would be exchanged. Ever since then I won’t give knives.

Soo Tinkermatic. If you were in the market for a new 8” chefs knife. What would you be looking at?

The Germans have never done me wrong, Wuhstof and Henckles are great bang for buck, but I don't like the heel on most of them. I prefer to have the entire knife be easy to sharpen. Mac is a solid choice, little more $ but you typically get what you pay for with knives. JB Prince has good prices and selection. I honestly haven't looked on Amazon for any kitchen knives. I'm sure they have the big German names. JB Prince and Korin are both well known and trusted industry insider type retailers.

Mac Chef's Knife 8.5 inch

If you dare step in to the world of Japanese knives, Korin.com doesn't sell anything I wouldn't use in my kitchen. Good knives for $100-$200 and if you have disposable income you can spend upwards of $6,000 on a razor sharp piece of handmade cutlery!

Masanobu VG-10 Gyutou

Masanobu has been the only knife I've ever bought to come out of the box scary sharp. For $320-$400 you can get yourself a serious piece of cutlery. A little rich for most home cooks taste, be sure if you're buying this for someone other than yourself, that they're going to appreciate it.
 
I'm an Italian-American and the rule for giving and accepting a knife as a gift (in my old culture), was the recipient of the knife had to give the giver of the knife a few coins as a sign of good faith. This "ritual" is probably rooted in some old tribal belief that the knife would not be used against the giver. Who knows where the truth lies...
 
lot of strange rituals with a knives. I had an old buddy who always handed his pocket folder to you open and you had to return it open. ??? yeah, I don't know either, something to do with bad luck. another old dude use to spit on the blade before he handed it to you to cleanse any evil that lingered on the knife. me, I gift you a knife, you just get the knife. damn thing was expensive enough without me having to pay you to take it.
 
back on topic, I just gave a pretty expensive spyderco to the only knife guy I know for his 60th birthday. I doubt he'll get another knife at xmas.
 
My birthday is in May.
Just sayin.
mine is 2 weeks from tomorrow, the 1st. just sayin'. lol
this is what I want.

cm6.png
 
Gave my father a Benchmade Proper last Christmas. He's always carried a traditional folder. No pocket clips for him. When he opened it I told him its not a screwdriver, as I know he really abuses his knives. Fast forward to last week, and I see the knife on his kitchen table when I was visiting. I open it up and see a chip out of the blade tip. I didn't care; at least he's using it. That's good enough for me.

I also bought my brother a Fiskars X7 hatchet this week. He'd been talking about wanting one for awhile, and I saw Amazon had them on sale. Ordered it and had it delivered to his house. He was excited when he opened the package. He'd better invite me over for a campfire soon...
 
The Germans have never done me wrong, Wuhstof and Henckles are great bang for buck, but I don't like the heel on most of them. I prefer to have the entire knife be easy to sharpen. Mac is a solid choice, little more $ but you typically get what you pay for with knives. JB Prince has good prices and selection. I honestly haven't looked on Amazon for any kitchen knives. I'm sure they have the big German names. JB Prince and Korin are both well known and trusted industry insider type retailers.

Mac Chef's Knife 8.5 inch

If you dare step in to the world of Japanese knives, Korin.com doesn't sell anything I wouldn't use in my kitchen. Good knives for $100-$200 and if you have disposable income you can spend upwards of $6,000 on a razor sharp piece of handmade cutlery!

Masanobu VG-10 Gyutou

Masanobu has been the only knife I've ever bought to come out of the box scary sharp. For $320-$400 you can get yourself a serious piece of cutlery. A little rich for most home cooks taste, be sure if you're buying this for someone other than yourself, that they're going to appreciate it.


A few Christmases ago, I bought some kitchen knives for myself. Some quick research pointed to Mercer Culinary as a solid, affordable choice. I ended up piecing together my own set from the Genesis line. They use German X50 Cr Mo V15 steel. They sharpen up really well and after two years of use, I have no complaints.
 
A few Christmases ago, I bought some kitchen knives for myself. Some quick research pointed to Mercer Culinary as a solid, affordable choice. I ended up piecing together my own set from the Genesis line. They use German X50 Cr Mo V15 steel. They sharpen up really well and after two years of use, I have no complaints.

I see(Saw) Mercer all over commercial kitchens. Same realm as Forschner or Messermeister. Same as the big name brands, without the marketing. Absolute workhorse!

The only knives I can’t stand behind are spin off types. Such as Cuisinart or Kitchen Aid or blatantly repackaged knives like the Wusthof Culinaire line. They do some things really well, just not knives. I’m pretty sure a $40 Forschner with a plastic handle won best knife over at Americas Test Kitchen a few years back. They may be pompous, but they test like no one else.

Edit- Shun. I can’t stand Shun knives. Over priced crap! If you want a decent Japanese knife don’t buy that garbage. The steel is chippy and it might as well be an overpriced German. If you want Japanese, go to Korin.com and get a real one(and better) for the same price or less.

Edit, edit- I own two Shun knives, saved from a TJ Maxx. I use them, but just wouldn’t support or pay full price for them. There are far better options out there.
 
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I love the Shun handle, feel great in my hands, and that's all that matters to me. The veg cleaver is a beast and I can cube big stuff like that fast.

As far as knife gifting superstition, I always held that superstitions only have the power that you give them. If I were to give someone a nice knife and then they didn't want to be friends after that, I would have to say I'm better off.
 
mr. enbloc has one also...I think the 4 as well. hint, hint.

I love my ESEE's! They are my current favorite brand.
I own and carry the 3P, 4P (sawtooth), PR4, Izula and Candiru...

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