Are Quality Knives Worth The Quid?

The following is excerpted from the KNIVES 2015 book.

By Roderick T. Halvorsen

One of the grandest campfire knife debates involves the age-old question of whether costly, premium knives are worth the buck paid. Are quality knives worth the quid? Arguments rage one way or another, with the debate oftentimes stalling due to a dearth of experience with the real pricey ones. Truth is, who wants to plunk down the big dough just to treat a cutting tool like a farm implement in order to find out if it was worth all the quid? And, well, what if it isn’t?

Mulling this over, I decided to dedicate myself to the exclusive use of a pair of “high enders” in order to see for myself. Where I use my knives in winter, I must have good faith they will serve well or I may be in it deep. Deep snow and ice that is, and far from home and hearth. I cannot afford failure, whatever the dollar price paid! My work and play take me into remote, high mountains where knives are not just helpful, they are essential.

So it was with a little trepidation I swore off my own handmade and well-proven knives in order to obtain a couple Fällkniven AB models. Fällkniven has earned high praise the world over, and is a thoroughly modern company. The finest Swedish iron is mined 140 miles from its headquarters in Norbotten, Sweden, whereupon it is shipped to Japan. There, Swedish iron becomes Japanese steel, and the knives are made. Some years ago, the company used Hitachi ATS-34 stainless steel, but now favors a VG-10 steel laminate for the toughest of its outdoors knives. Leather scabbards are made in Spain.  

See the KNIVES 2015 book to read the rest of the story. Click here. And let us know your opinion. Are quality knives worth the quid?