My granddad always told me that my uncles would spend a dollar 15 times before they'd spend a ten dollar bill once. Once I figured out what he was talking about, it was funny to watch. He was absolutely right.

Hey Nick...you are a pretty good dude...its a pleasure to watch your vids---

nick, i really want a z hunter but don't want to spend big bucks, anything like it but cheaper?

@myfatassdick

2 жыл бұрын

Have you tried knapping stones?

very humble at the end there nick im kinda poor and hering someone whoobviously isnt have this kind of attitude is awesome makes me feel comfortable watching these things

On the flip side of this; I had it in my head forever that I wanted a Medford Pretorian but I didn’t want to spend 600 on a knife. As a result I bought some less expensive (though still quality) knives that are a little larger (like the ZT 0456). After a few, I was able to see that I much prefer a smaller slicer to a post-apocalyptic tank stabber. After all was said and done I ended up spending that 600 on an Olamic. While I agree that you should never buy junk; sometimes less expensive versions of what you think you want will allow you to gain some much needed insight into what you really like.

@cmtptr

Жыл бұрын

Exactly. Any time I get into something new, I usually go with the most affordable, no-frills (but not junk), popular mainstream option first. After using it and getting more experience in the sport/hobby/whatever, if it didn't turn into a spiderweb collector, then I have more informed opinions to drive a higher end purchase.

Brilliant! Outstanding evaluation of "can't afford cheap stuff"; especially distinguishing "cheap" and "inexpensive"! "Cost-Carry-Comfort Curve is golden! Thanks, and keep up the good work!

Then there are the people who cannot afford something and should not buy it....so they put it on their credit cards, promising to pay later. Slippery slope that leads to the poor house.

Wow! Tools, gear, and philosophy reviews! Great job Nick 👍👍

i think that you should strive to buy the best that you can afford and that you are willing to pay for, research what options you have, and buy the thing that makes best sense. thats how i always try to spend my money :)

You're brilliant man Nick. I've never heard anyone articulate these ideas quit as clearly as you have. This along with your curve of diminishing returns video are pure gold.

Try the rest or buy the best. Learned this rule when buying a saddle for my bike lol. Brooks!

@NickShabazz

7 жыл бұрын

+Ugly Puppy Ohh, that's good. Very good.

@Sharpbevel

7 жыл бұрын

Ugly Puppy that saying is "a beautiful thing ".

@mountman5386

7 жыл бұрын

But is the best saddle for your ass the same as the best for mine? Not sure that Consumer reports has that answer quite yet.

@shahirbear

7 жыл бұрын

+MountMan Perhaps not...depends what you're looking for. I was looking for my ass not to hurt and a lifetime of ownership...Brooks isn't easily beat there. I guess the same came down to my folding bike it sits on...I bit the bullet and bought a Brompton bicycle which has been proven to go the distance. No regrets.

@2adamast

7 жыл бұрын

Brompton, that is until you discover the comfort of bigger wheels or solve the problem with a good saddle.

Love this! I think it really covers it all when it comes to making purchases. I think too many people follow a couple of these "rules", but fail to really think everything through. Not that you should stress about every purchase, but this will definitely save you from crying more often. Well done!

Nick, thank you so much for acknowledging the ugly. That realistic, compassionate statement had me looking for the Subscribe button then realized I was already subscribed. So now, I'm ringing that bell. Thanks again, man.

This is really great advice! Don’t spend heavy at first if you don’t know that you’re going to enjoy it or use it. Once you know that you will, save little by little and buy the best that is within your own realm of reality. I did that with watches and realized that I don’t really care to have the Panerai that I used to drool over. I’m fine with my Tissot and Hamilton automatics. I didn’t lost a ton of money. Conversely, I found the opposite with knives. I just bought my 2nd Sebenza, love my first and it makes me happy to own and use. Now I’m saving to step up into something more custom. It’s better to save for what you want (within reason) than to settle for a cheap place holder and never really enjoy it. 👍🏼

Aaaand now I love you. A blend of rationality, common sense, and compassion. Thank you for making this video. I think a point worth making now, in 2018, is that you can spend less than $50 and get a highly functional, durable knife that will last you your whole life.

Absolutely fantastic video, Nick. A lot of valid points that I've never even thought of. Keep the videos coming!

Great video. Especially about that last bit. We who can afford to have nice thing must remember to be grateful for it. And humble ourselves at time. Thank you

I finally dropped the pretense and bought a Sebenza, I'm happy now.

@alexhill828

4 жыл бұрын

This was absolutely me recently. Bought a clone and thought it was cool, decided to finally drop the money and got a small Sebenza Tanto. I felt directly targeted when Nick mentioned buying Sebenzas

No one agreed with my grandfather saying. He said :"it's easy to earn money 💰 than spent it.. ". And I started completely understand what's his mean as soon as the second time purchase my car. The first car because of the limit of the budget I had to buy a cheap second car with a lot of problems, and l end up not only spend a lot of time,and aslo a big amount of money to repair and keep it go on and on. (break down on road side many times) , after 5 years with the price of purchase plus the repaired spending equal a brand new car that can last at least 5-8 years with worry free every day driving.... So I had to trade it in (for a low low price that you can cry like a baby) for a brand new car, and with 2 years of repayment. But with the reliability of the car, I save up time to earn more money, and I also have more saving in return instead of the waste of time and money for the old car. THAT IS how the cheap but Worthless purchase compared To the more expensive but good value purchase . So my grandfather was right, it's easily to earn a living with any low income job , but you have to be careful to make a plan to spend with that budget. That's why the quartz watches always been my choice as daily beater , because it had a reasonable price, but gets the job done perfectly (more accurate) and less worried or spent . Now the "Eco drive" is more than ever become my favorite of pieces.

Nick you make so much sense, and I love your voice. You have a new and loyal subscriber here. I limit myself to $250 for knives that I carry. I may go into the $300 or $400 range at most, but those I don't really carry, so it's harder for me to warrant spending $400 on a knife.

This is such a great video piece Nick. It is a privilege to be able to indulge on occasion and I think those who are able to do this without forgetting this position of privilege are well placed to give back in some way, either through charity or through a vocation centred around providing for the disadvantaged. Some cultures do this better than others and it's refreshing to hear you talk in this way.

I love your outlook on all aspects of buying guide in this video. You literally cobered the pros and cons to a tee ❤

I've been watching your channel for a bit now and enjoy your videos. Subscribed. Thanks for the great content.

Nick, I love your videos, and I love your attitude. Thanks.

Thanks Nick, it's good to keep perspective.

Another channel that’s bike related likes to say “Only a rich man buys cheap tools” I keep that in mind with every purchase. Your “ugly” point is spot on.

Another great and thought provoking video. Thanks again Nick.

At 5:35 when you comment on the price of daily pain I laughed so hard I had tears. The " this is a really crappy knife" bit. Love your videos and you give me laughs. Keep doing what your doing. Thank you

this is my favorite video on KZread. This spoke to me

I enjoy it when you do these videos. Nickims.

This is great content. I plan on supporting the channel sometime in the near future.

Love your attitude as always. 100% on point as per use

I have been banging my head against the wall for more than 20 years trying to get my wife to understand this, I don't think she ever will. But I on the other hand I have always been of the mind to always try to buy the best possible product for my money even if it's alittle more than I planned on spending.

@MotivatedMetalworks

5 жыл бұрын

That's a philosophy called "smart money". The smart money buys what's adequate for the task, not what the user thinks "should be", but isn't.

Excellent video Nick.

Excellent insights that we all need to be reminded of because second best often trumps saving.

I really enjoy your point of view!!!

Nick, I love how you are able to see this issue from all sides. I have been through this, starting with cheaper knives, and being less than happy, to now carrying ZT LEs (0600 and 0392BLKGRN mostly) and being comfortable with using them. Early in my knife collecting, I would not have been comfortable either buying or carrying either one, but now I do without a second thought, but that is where I am at in my life. It may be different for the next guy, who can only afford a $20 knife, or a $100 knife, or finds that the only knife that satisfies to carry and use is a $1,000+ custom. We are all different, and in different places in our lives, but I do wish that I would have started buying nicer knives earlier, instead of buying more cheaper knives. Anyway, love your videos!

Oh man that hit! Loved this one man. 👍 thanks

Fantastic video! Thank you for creating it :)

"You should not be a dick." Sage advice.

Near the end of your video, Nick, you gave a great piece of advice: "Do your research." Some people never do and others do it sometimes. Some people think it is beneath them and others think that doing their research is too difficult or time consuming. Example. I was looking for a high quality adjustable wrench (which when I was small I thought was defined by the word, "Crescent.") Not only did I want high quality, I wanted that to mean that when I turned the knurled thumb wheel, I get precision without a lot of "slop" in the wheel. Backlash and that sort of thing. By its very design, it is going to have slop in it. Also, I wanted the wrench to have markings for measurement and I wanted the wrench to be thin in the jaws area, so I could use the tool in tighter spaces. Of course I found out that thin jaws requires thin other parts of the tool to have proper access to where the jaws have to be thin in the first place. After looking on the Internet with key words, I found a wrench entitled the best adjustable wrench of 2018 or 2019 or something like that and I bought one. Then I bought one for my son. Then I bought a two-wrench set. And after all of that, I saw something about a wrench that was not so highly rated. The main reason is that it cost so much. Then when reading up on it, I found out that it was a favorite of professional plumbers. It has great metal construction, and had really thin jaws and the wrench itself was also thin meaning it really could get into the tight places where I wanted to use it. This way I didn't have to run out and buy a set of professional bicycle wrenches when this one wrench will do. So, I bought it. All that fuss because this last wrench cost $10.00 more! I thought I'd done my due diligence and thought I'd done my research. But I fell for the "best wrench of..." and spent three times what I should have, overall. In the end, I will probably give one of the wrenches to someone who needs it. Likely though, if I had done a little more research and found that 30% more expensive wrench that turned out to be ten dollars more, I just would have bought that one wrench and been done with it. And that is the good, the bad, the great and the ugly of not really doing my research. Did I leap before I looked? No. Did I look before I leapt? Yes. But I should have looked a little more. Your are right, Nick. Do your research!

Very good philosophy. Thanking you Nick.

9k! Way to go, Nick!

GREAT POST NICK!

thanks man you reassured my purchase of my second leatherman wave i was going to get the black model but i decided to go for the regular and saved money and i wont regret it

This reminds me of a story about Charlie Parker and a plastic saxophone he used once in a recording session. The lesson, it ain't the instrument, it's the artist that's important.

This is a great video. I think you have some great examples here.

When I was in the service I had a mentor (retired Navy guy) that shared his life and wisdom with me. One time he told me "If you buy a good revolver and a good flashlight they will last your lifetime." 36 years later I still remember that advice.

Great video, really good points!

Great advice Nick.

Excellent video!

Great video Nick!

Best vid on KZread. Great Vid Didn't expect the Ending lol

I did the exact same thing with a blender. I bought a Blendtec. It is amazing, the best blender I've ever used. I have to make myself make a smoothie or margarita or something once a month to convince myself that I needed such an expensive blender.

@NickShabazz

7 жыл бұрын

+Jacob J Hah, you know my pain exactly.

Good vid. I agree with your observations on the ugly. And with gear elitism

Great vid. Lot of wisdom here. I have been carrying the same CRK Small Sebenza for 20+ years. But every once in a while I buy a

Great video, really enjoyed it

Sometimes, doing your research is actually going out and buying the $5 wrench to learn what is important to you. I learned this with trekking poles. I read all the reviews but couldn't get the top of the line, tick all the boxes $250 pair with anti-shock springs and cork handles because I had left it too late and no stores nearby had them. So I bought the cheapest pair in the store for $82 and got blisters on my hands but they worked great. That turned out to be the most important factor when buying trekking poles, easily solved with a pair of gloves. I know that for next time, and have a couple hundred bucks to play around with as well. Good vid from the archives Nick.

Great piece Nick, I've managed to talk myself into a few Blender style decisions. Especially with yard tools.. completely forgetting I could rent something for half a day for $20. I really have to ask the same about cars. Do I buy a vehicle for the 3 big road trips you do in a year? But its really tempting, because you have those things that you spend money on, a good tool, watch, or piece of technology and they feel so good. And it feels like "Why don't I just to that for everything".. and such is the path to the dark side!

i'm a fan of the lifetime warranty socks from bass pro because short of a traumatic injury I will be wearing socks fairly frequently for life and they are very comfortable.

@garethbaus5471

5 жыл бұрын

FYI they are nothing close to $50 US so in the long run the price should not be that different when compared to less comfortable socks.(which I am still in the process of slowly phasing out)

Excellent commentary. My idiom is Buy the best quality you can afford. It works well amongst tradesmen

My favourite saying is "there are two ways to do things, right, or again." However I've spoken at length that its more of a balancing act of how much we care, quality, time and maybe cost. I might buy a cheap blender cause i only blend things once a month.

Great video.

Amen Brother.

You're the reason I bought an ontario R2D2 and lemme tell ya...best 30 dollars I've spent on a knife. It's such a joy to use. I was actually looking at a Benchmade at a local Academy that went for 120 bucks. So glad I went for the R2D2 instead.

Oh how I wish my wife would buy into this train of thought. I'm a gun, knife and tool junkie and do tons of research before I buy the best one for me. The wife? Well she'd rather buy 10 times and cry 10 times...drives me nuts. Thanks Nick and well said.

@norgeloki01

4 жыл бұрын

`Maybe Nick should do a video on choosing a mate?

Well put, Nick. I recently realized my taste in knives is not compatible with my cost-carry comfort curve. Apparently I'm a cheap bastard, but I'm ok with that. Thanks for putting my inner pyschic battle into words.

I've learned this lesson on cars. If i get what I want, I'll enjoy it so much more, and usually end up keeping it long enough to pay it off.

Very good!

this video explains everything on this topic the best Ive ever heard, recommending this to all my friends, cheers. personally I'm into hiking and outdoors, I usually buy high quality hiking gear and spend more on my knives for hiking (lately a spyderco bill moran drop point) when your trusting your life to gear I think you should buy quality but if you cannot afford to you should buy the best you can afford.

Perhaps there should be a caveat for risk If the tool is something that could potentially be destroyed, lost, or stolen, is it still worth it to buy something super expensive

At the end of this video I took a screen shot of the page. I'm actually gonna try and remember this as long as I can as I think it's gonna help me a bit when the impulsiveness to buy rubbish kicks in.

Thank you for this video :)

Great advice if you can research first it will help along the way to better understand your need.

thanks for the good vid I have applied this to my camping gear "within my means" and find it to have saved me quite a lot of money, also I agree with the research thing if you don't have the means,. then take your budget, add it to research and you can apply this buy once cry once thing on a level that is still effective.

Lol wrangerstar's 940

@MotivatedMetalworks

5 жыл бұрын

You meant his everything. ;) Talk about a tool...

@neo187420

5 жыл бұрын

Dingler ⭐'s a self absorbed idiot. "The 940 is the best knife ever. No wait, the bugout is so good I'm getting rid of the 940. Just kidding, the bugout is the worst EDC folder ever because the handle barely flexes when I squeeze it and it just doesn't feel right because it's plastic and I'm getting rid of it. Just kidding the 940 is still the best knife ever made!" Make up your damn mind you indecisive imbecile.

Nick, regarding this video, I wanted to ask you how you deal with the issue of carrying or using expensive equipment for fear of it breaking, being lost or stolen? It is a problem that I have, I recently spent a significant sum for a knife and the truth is I am afraid to take it out on the street or use it for these reasons.

I know that it's very hard for people who do well to get by day to day to spend a hefty amount on something. I'm a single full time dad and can feel selfish to buy something nice for myself. I started doing this "buy once cry once" thing and I have alot more pride and trust in my tools. Even if it's hard to justify sometimes just hold off and save for the better knife, watch, tool, etc.

Some excellent points you've made here Nick, but I'm the type to buy cheap(inexpensive) see if it's something I use but also enjoy using then go with the buy once cry once theory

I'm with you...

Very true as a guitar player/ hobbyist. I owned a couple of mid rlevel Ibanez RGs and attempted to piece meal modify them to make them more like what I wanted. Finally bought the top of the line version I really wanted and now I’m stuck with two guitars I can’t even sell because of all the amateur modding attempts ruining any resale value they may have had.

Dr. Nick, serious question time. When purchasing a high end custom knife, should the climat be a deciding factor? I live between extreams of temprature drops and high enough tempratures to cause drougts Will ambient tempratures interfear with the upper and lower clearence limmits of an emaculet high prescison custruction? Should i be conserned with the possibilities of over wareing the surfaces due to material fatgiue brougt on by thermal distortion? if so, what materials would you recomend building with to insure long life out of a high end priscion custom knife? Please consider this as a 2 part question.

@NickShabazz

7 жыл бұрын

+Matt SxC Nope, that's not a big concern at the knife level!

Well said

Great commentary. Especially in the watchworld there are a lot of people being very unkind to others who are happy to just have gotten a Seiko or something else in that range. Even though Seiko, if we stay with that example are great watches at all pricepoints they are offered at. There is also the problem that some then feel pressured to own certain items and get themselves into some very serious trouble just to own that sub or some other thing that might not be that big a deal for one person but it basically unreachable for someone else. If you can afford it you should get good stuff and you're right.. good or the best doesn't always equal the most expensive.

Excellent video Nick! While I never understood the "watch thing", this video applies to *SO MUCH* more in life. When I'm buying something I'm passionate about, I'll save up (or buy on the second hand market). I'll research the shit out of something & determine what meets /my needs/ at the price point that's appropriate for my needs. I love how you included the "Don't be a dick." factor into your discussion. Wheaton's Law FTW!

this video is so true. i bout like 10 or more Kershaw/Emerson. this year i bought a real Emerson and im extremely happy.

hey nick great vid i started out with a $8 knife from horbor frieght not a great knife but it worked i decided to get some better knives i cant afford to spend more than 50 bucks but for what i use my knives for all my knives work great some times you just dont need the top of the line stuff to get the job done thanks for the great vids

Sensible stuff on KZread. An anomaly. ;-) Thanks for a great, succinct, and well-illustrated vid.

Interesting analysis. Adding a slight twist, if I want the Slysz Bowie but only have a $50 budget, do I buy the Chinese clone or settle for a Tenacious? Both are made in China, one is an IP ripoff but doesn't violate the laws of that country. One is more likely to give me a better idea of the "aspirational knife" if I can afford to upgrade later on in terms of ergos and materials. One might give me a better idea of the company CS, warranty and quality issues.

@NickShabazz

7 жыл бұрын

+400LBGUERRILLA I'd do a RAT 1 in D2. Better to buy a very good knife for the price, than an OK knife (Tenacious) or a potentially dangerous or questionable one (the Clone). And clones don't tell you much about the eventual knife. Watch my take on clones video for why :)

I wanted a high-quality left-handed pocket knife. The only thing on the market that fit my requirements was a Sebenza, which was out of my price range. I came to the conclusion that my life could be complete without a high-end left-handed knife, and that I could live happily with my collection of right-handed knives. I did so for several years. Then Kizer came out with a left-handed Gemini and I snapped it up. It's great. My philosophical conclusion is that you need to separate what you need from what you want and learn to be happy even if you don't always get what you want.

when it comes to watches I think a Timex fits me nicely just want something that will tell the time and feel good my knives though I use so if it has tephlon washers I won't think twice about getting it

Spot on pal !

Philosophy-the full nick Shabazz review lmao, just waiting on that disassembly vid now

I recommend the Blendtec blender. American made. Outstanding quality. Rather expensive.

More philosophy vids please :) I agree, get the best you can afford, where afford also includes inside your comfort zone for if it breaks. For tools there's simply some like screwdrivers, hammers and wrenches, which you over time will use a lot, so might as well buy the quality right away. However if you suddenly find it's a hobby tool, in the sense knives can be a hobby (well, at least I've never heard of hobby hammers), going big will make straight off the bat will mean you'll probably not like cheap. Then you'll find yourself with a hugely expensive hobby, rather than one, where you still see the gems in Z Hunters or anything green with skulls!

Right on! Glad I bought a LaRue PredatOBR instead of a colt 6920. Nothing wrong with the colt at all, but I'm %1000 happy with my LaRue.

Good advice. I need a blender, any ideas....:-)

Thank you, oh wise one.

I do struggle some times differentiating the best at performing a task from the best because it is expensive. I heard you address this sometimes. When you say that you can get a great knife for about $400. Beyond that you are paying for something else.