Price of the Blade

[Tartar Horde]

I agree that you don't need to spend a lot of money to get a good functional knife, Opinel being the obvious benchmark, and as Midnitemo says they can take a lot of abuse and are cheap enough to replace. That being said there is something satisfying that goes beyond functionality that makes finer knives a joy to use, and their superior construction generally means they will last a lifetime if looked after and used correctly.
My all time favourite blade is the Kukri, and I carry a MKII Tora blades when in the field. It can be used in all but the finest work and a good one will last a lifetime. The only other blade I carry is a BUCK assisted opening lock knife with a skeleton handle. This knife is well made and holds a fine edge and has a lifetime gaurantee. As I am on private land it doesn't matter what I carry, I could take a sword if I wanted to. Everywhere else I don't carry any type of blade at all as it's not worth the hassle.