Rory Conner Knives

The first thing is to have a good think about what you want to spend on your knife.

    If it is for the kitchen, spend most on the knives you use often.  Most of us will get by on three knives, a big veg for cutting.  A little one for peeling and small jobs and a knife for meat.   The big veg knife is usually triangular shaped with a wide blade flat ground with a fine skinny edge.   Cutting bones and other hard stuff is not a great plan with this kind of knife unless you want to spoil the edge.  

 1) A blade that is not long enough to frighten you or your family not the kind you see in the movies! 

2) The handle should feel good in the hand,  it should be smooth,  no rivets or handle material rubbing you. 

3) The heft should be good. That is, does it feel well balanced when you hold it?   It should move with little effort when you move your hand. 

  4) The knife should be fairly straight when you hold it out in front of you.   If it looks like a banana it’s probably not worth buying because it is likely that the quality control in that factory is not good.

 5) Another point, not well known, is that most of the larger knife manufactures guarantee their products against faults.  This is seldom mentioned, and, needless to say,  does not cover knife-throwing cutting large sticks for the fire, screw- driving and other general abuse. Look to pay around €50 to€150 for this kind of knife.  The bigger shops usually have good displays of knives of all kinds so take time to have a good nose around before deciding. You can also check prices on line.       

Outdoor knivesWhen buying your knife, take a good look at the sheath.  You’ve spent a lot on something that should last a lifetime. So you don’t want to lose it in the first ditch you jump over.  Make sure it fits firmly into the sheath which should be made from good quality ie thick leather and that any fastenings, such as poppers are made from copper, brass or stainless steel and are strong and close tightly.  Whatever you use on your shooting boots, rub a bit into the sheath from time to time to keep it flexible and waterproof. Prices are about the same as for kitchen knives.