The knife market is a bit strange. Good stuff is coming from everywhere and bad stuff is coming from everywhere. While I love the genius in the wilderness designer trope as much as the next person, the reality is there aren’t that many geniuses. This is when an editor really makes a difference. A lot of the self-published blades out there are a few tweaks away from being a good knife, but if you are a solo or part of a “design house” firm that does not make knives, it might be impossible for you to spot the problems. Iteration is not a bad word. Collaboration is not a bad word. And, as a lawyer, I can tell you that juries do an excellent job. All of this is a way of saying what should be obvious—we work better together, especially when it comes to product design.
The other thing that has happened is that steel has really become standardized. American and Italian made knives tend to top out at Magnacut. Chinese knives top out at M390. I am not sure if I am thrilled with the standardization, but the two steels at the top end are both pretty darn good. I do miss the spread of exotic steels. We could be between generations or it could be that the steels at the common top end are so good there is not much incentive to innovate. Either way, I miss a new steel every few months. After all, are you really a knife knut if you don’t get your head turned by a new steel?
I’ll admit that these two things have tempered by enthusiasm for the knife market this past year. I still purchased new knives, but the number of knives I was genuinely excited for has diminished significantly. You’ll noticed quite a few repeat winners. There just has been that much to get excited about. Second, I am just not a believer in production knives that cost more than a Sebenza. If its in the ballpark, like $450 and it is special, then I’ll consider it, but with my stable of customs setting an exceedingly high bar, I am just not sure what I am getting when I buy a production knife that costs a grand. Is it better than my Thys Meades custom that cost the same? Is it better than my Sawby that cost LESS? These knives sate the appetites of people that WANT custom quality but don’t want to a) wait; or b) pay 300% more on the secondary market. Trust me, waiting is worth it.
I find it strange to release a Best of 2024 article before Blade Show has even taken place. But I love Anthony’s writing, and its a solid selection.
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