Some say they have simple tastes in life. They only want the best! None of this shopping around and comparing. Just give me the best! Acquiring and owning “the best” is not without a price, literally and figuratively. Owning the best can dwindle your bank account in a hurry. Nothing wrong with wanting the best. No, absolutely not at all. For the rest of us “working stiffs”, we may not be able to afford the best all the time. We may not even be able to afford to pick and choose what “best” items to buy and what others can be satisfied in owning the model that is the next tier down, or even the 3rd best of any product. As the saying goes - pick and choose your battles. If you use one product more than others then I would say yes, buy the best in that and then all the others will be the “best you can afford”.

This attitude can apply to knives. If you are a chef or even a foodie and love to cook or make your living by creating meals for others to enjoy - then go for the best kitchen knives in terms of materials and design. Some might be satisfied with a $30 Chicago Cutlery kitchen knife from Wal-Mart, others are going to visit William Sonoma and walking out with a $200 Shun. Let me give you another example. If one wants to buy a fixed blade for rough outdoor use, some might be content with a $30 Schrade fixed blade to do what they need to do while out camping, others may prefer a $400+ Spartan fixed blade because they will be deploying for military service in a foreign country, and this blade is both a tool and a weapon and thus needs to hold up under heavy use/abuse. We like what we like when it comes to knives and other products and when we want to buy a new knife, what’s the first thing we do - just like buying anything else, especially a big-ticket item - we comparison shop. Find out which manufacturer has the model with the features we like and what the pricing is like. Then go out on the Internet and/or visit retailers to see who might be able to be the least expensive in price. Then we pull the trigger on it and officially place the order.

While this mindset can certainly apply to knives, I apply it to other areas in my life. And you should too. Why? It makes living easier, in a nutshell. Though in this throwaway society we live in, it’s often hard to find “the good stuff” without having to just pony-up and buy the best. Simple as that. Overall, products are not made to last like they did back in the 1980’s, and those decades earlier. Back then stuff was made to last. Now, with the prevalence of the mass merchandisers/big box stores becoming the norm in retail here in the USA, manufacturers often have to hit price points in order to remain relevant in such a market and not price themselves right out of that market. And thus, corners will be cut which result in a product that doesn’t last. It’s not to say that it isn’t a GOOD product but rather, it lacks the longevity. And it also depends on your priorities too. If you use your lawnmower more than a set of kitchen knives, and perhaps you mow a few lawns weekly to pick up some extra money, you want to look into buying a good commercial duty mower rather than splurging on that bespoke set of Shun kitchen knives you were drooling over at William Sonoma the other day. Me, I look at buying the best or the best I can afford. The products are more durable in general and have more features than the basic models. And it makes living daily life easier by having things that are more durable as well as having more bells and whistles than basic models.

Think about all the products you use. Take a look around your home and garage. Kitchen knives, kitchen appliances, TV’s, computer, smartphone, vacuum cleaner, washer and dryer, lawnmower, power tools, hand tools, grill, automobiles. And the list goes on and on. Almost all that I just listed, we use on a daily basis. Going the extra mile and spending more money to acquire the best or the best we can afford simply makes living life easier. However, that’s not to say you might encounter a lemon here and there. “The more an item costs the better it is”. To be the judge on what to buy. But I can tell you now, I practice this and while I pay more up front for products that are the best or best I can afford - chances are that I’m not having to replace every few years. “Buy once, cry once”. Wise investments indeed!

Ever since Spartan Blades’ inception in 2008, the company has produced nothing but the best in tactical bladeware for the military and those with discerning tastes. Whenever talk drifts to tactical fixed blades, invariably Spartan’s name will get mentioned followed up by someone making the remark about “I would love one of their knives but I cannot justify the prices they are asking”. This is why Spartan has decided to offer three grades of knives, starting with the Elite or Gold Line, which is the best in design, materials, and execution. 

Next up is the Pro or Silver Line, which offer modern designs using time tested materials. This line’s price points are lower than the Elite but still manufactured in the United States.

Then finally is the Bronze or Field Line. Modern designs using the best materials for the price. This is the bang-for-the-buck line and made overseas. You get a lot of value for the money spent. 

So whether buying the best or the best you can afford in tactical knives, in general that is true but you can end up spending money on a good dishwasher for instance, and it is not worth a hoot and not clean your dishes thoroughly. Whereas a more basic washer will get the full load clean each and every time. It’s just par for the course. Shop smart and spend money wisely. And never settle for anything less than what you want.