Originally Posted by Moonduck

As an aside, I also have similar troubles with folks what carry expensive knives for no apparent purpose. For some, they carry the expensive knife because it is a piece of fine, if functional, art, like im2smrt4u above. As someone with "Apprentice Smith" in his signature, I'd be surprised if he did not carry something nice and probably hand-made, and it is totally appropriate.

As for others, I wonder. Much like I called the giant folder above a tool for those who seek to compensate, I have similar thoughts about super pricey pocket knives. I carry what I carry because it suits my actual needs, not because I want to impress anyone with how expensive my knife is. The most expensive knife I own is a well-balanced (to my hand) fighting knife that fits my hand, my grip, and the style of knife-fighting I trained in. It's an Applegate-Fairbairn made by Blackjack Knives (and it was not expensive by any stretch). I bought it simply because I wanted what I thought was a good fighting design and it fit me so very well. I cannot see ever using it, but I considered it an extension of my martial training at the time I purchased it.

Then again, I'm rough on my use-knives. I would have a lot of trouble with the idea of beating up a $600 custom folder, and I won't carry a knife I'm not willing to use. Still, while I may not have any truly expensive knives, I have an absolute ton of blades lying around. The Gerber that I mentioned above has three sibling multi-tools scattered about in various places. I love em, like I said, and would hate to be without them in a pinch. Thus I have one on my belt, one in the junk-drawer in the kitchen, and a spare in the glovebox. I also have more inexpensive folders (aka $30-$50) lying about than I know what to do with, as well as a profusion of field knives. This is due both to how rough I am on knives, making it a good idea to have spares, and because I spent a few years where it seemed like I lost whatever knife I was using every other month. They would eventually turn up again, but never before I gave up looking and bought a new knife =P