We’re continuing our series on knife misconceptions with another prevalent myth: More expensive knives are always better than less pricey ones and don’t need to be sharpened as often.

When people see an exorbitant price tag on something, most assume that it’s the best in its class. In general, more expensive knives are typically made with better materials and feature better craftsmanship, but that’s not always the case.

Let’s take a quick look at a “cheap” knife that will stand up to some higher end models. Mora of Sweden is notorious for making some of the best low-cost knives on the market and the Mora Clipper 840 will only set you back about $14, despite being considered a highly respected knife with quality that’s above par.

The Mora Clipper won’t break your wallet but still gets rave reviews.

You can also get knives like the Old Timer Sharpfinger, Kershaw Cinder, or Smith & Wesson H.R.T. Boot Knife for under $20. All of these have great reviews and reputation for their build quality.

So why are some knives more expensive than others despite having similar features or craftsmanship. A few things can explain the difference in price:

• Marketing: We all know that Beats headphones are priced higher than Sony headphones, despite having similar specs on many models. So what’s the difference? Marketing, of course. Beats by Dre is just cooler and therefore you will pay more for that brand name. Sometimes, the same thing goes for knives.
• More expensive materials: Why is one Case Jack Knife $200 more than another Case Jack Knife? Mother of Pearl. Other than the more expensive handle material, the knives have the same craftsmanship and general design.
• Custom: A custom-made or limited edition knife will generally cost more. The reason for that is you’re paying for exclusivity and in some cases a name. However, I should say here that a custom knife does frequently feature better craftsmanship than an inexpensive factory folder.

Mother of Pearl and other rare materials can raise a knife’s price.

So now that we know that the more expensive a knife is doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better, we’ll tackle the second part of the misconception: more expensive knives don’t need to be cared for as much as cheaper knives and never have to be sharpened.

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We’re starting a brand new series that tackles some of the most prominent knife myths out there. Many will be false and some will be true, but all will be steeped in facts.

What better way to kick off the series than with one of the most prominent myths out there: Stainless steel won’t stain.

As much as we’d like that to be true, it turns out stainless steel is simply a misnomer. No one sums it up better than our friend Zvi over at zknives.com. Here’s an excerpt from his must-read kitchen knife steel FAQ:

“Technically and precisely speaking, there is no such thing as stainless steel. What has became an accepted term in the industry isn’t correct. All steels will rust, if proper care is not taken. Simply, some steels resist corrosion better than others, and that’s all there is to it. Thus, the correct term is stain-resistant.”

Evidence of rust on a stainless steel blade from UnluckyHunter.com

So where did stainless steel get its decidedly misleading name? It’s true that sometimes things are just endowed with partially true names (many a disgruntled wife will tell you that “morning sickness” should instead be called “all day sickness”), and the naming of the steel is no different.

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