Pick your paddaslagter.

No offence - but - would not think of buying any of those ...

It depends on personal things like your pocket, taste and needs.
Knives start at R350, but mostly from R1200 upwards. I would prepare for R3500 to R5000 for a handmade knife. For a functional knife, I would not spend more.
The affordability is the reason why I buy a cheaper knife which can be replaced if it gets lost or stolen.

I would think that most knife makers start off somewhere ..
I would further suggest that a number of knives must be made before "perfection" is reached.
Perhaps THIS is the point at which a reasonable good knife can be purchased - at a reasonable price ?

It depends on personal things like your pocket, taste and needs.
Knives start at R350, but mostly from R1200 upwards. I would prepare for R3500 to R5000 for a handmade knife. For a functional knife, I would not spend more.
The affordability is the reason why I buy a cheaper knife which can be replaced if it gets lost or stolen.

I would think that most knife makers start off somewhere ..
I would further suggest that a number of knives must be made before "perfection" is reached.
Perhaps THIS is the point at which a reasonable good knife can be purchased - at a reasonable price ?

In knife making, few things beat experience. To save money, I would rather have an easy / simple knife made by an experienced smith than a complicated knife by an inexperienced smith.

In knife making, few things beat experience. To save money, I would rather have an easy / simple knife made by an experienced smith than a complicated knife by an inexperienced smith.

contradiction in terms
Inexperienced smith is NOT going to be making a - complicated knife ..

What about an - easy simple knife made by an "inexperienced" smith ? - at a very reasonable price ..

In knife making, few things beat experience. To save money, I would rather have an easy / simple knife made by an experienced smith than a complicated knife by an inexperienced smith.

contradiction in terms
Inexperienced smith is NOT going to be making a - complicated knife ..

What about an - easy simple knife made by an "inexperienced" smith ? - at a very reasonable price ..

I'll rephrase:
An inexperienced smith might try his hand at a complicated knife, and the results will show it.

Or, to save money, get an experienced Smith to make a simple knife (spend less time on it) and have a proper cutting tool.

Has anybody mentioned that your expensive knife is not to be given to the skinners. They sharpen on concrete slabs etc. I will not supply tissues.

Has anybody mentioned that your expensive knife is not to be given to the skinners. They sharpen on concrete slabs etc. I will not supply tissues.

I had that done to a Swiss Army Knife by one of the guys on my grandfathers farm when I was a kid. I couldn't believe how badly he'd butchered the thing and he couldn't make sense of my objection to the sterling job he'd done.

Has anybody mentioned that your expensive knife is not to be given to the skinners. They sharpen on concrete slabs etc. I will not supply tissues.

Two stories from our area:

I witnessed a skinner sharpening an old Wüsthof chef's knife on concrete. I went back and offered the farmer three Mundial / Tramontina knives in a swop; he agreed but he couldn't find it.

In another case, a farm worker was butchering a carcass with a Queen Steel hunting knife in fairly good condition. I tried to buy and swop, but he politely refused and stated clearly that his knife wasn't available. Three weeks later he lost the knife in the field somewhere.

The Kershaw knife performed adequately I think. The sheath worked well enough that I forgot it was on my belt. Only used it for gutting, but it had no problem with piglet, impala or large warthog boar skin. Even when bloody the handle wasn't slippery. The only complaint I can make is that the diamand pattern is difficult to clean once the blood has dried.

I did drop it tip first into the sand to Treeman's disgust. Learnt my lesson there.

We need the story of your hunt please.

I did drop it tip first into the sand to Treeman's disgust. Learnt my lesson there.

************
The man took a brand new kershaw blade, held it shoulder height and dropped it point first into clay,8gravel old seabed ground, for f***sake 😤, like no man, just nooooo.
BUT!, The man can shoot, properly!