>>1407818The Buck 110 is a great pocket knife. The Benchmade 162 is also a great fixed blade knife. Both knives compliment each other really well. Both designs are as simple as possible without special gimmicks in their blades which would ultimately weaken them. If you can find cheaper knives with the same design and high quality, go for them. Keep in mind the type of steel used for the blade plays a major role in how well the knife will perform beyond its mere design. S30V stainless steel should be what you are looking for and that is expensive. The Buck 110 comes in 2 versions, one is C30V steel and costs quite a bit of money while the cheaper one uses 420HC steel. The Benchmade 162 is also S30V steel.
Whatever you do, stay the fuck away from Chinese made knives and their steels. There are several types but most are just 7Cr17MoV, 8Cr13MoV, or 9Cr18MoVwhich are often abbreviated to only the first bit like 9Cr or 7Cr17. When reviewers say, "it is comparable to ___," which they list a German/USA/whatever steel they are lying through there teeth, unless ____ = shit. Because Chinese steels are shit.
As for your dilemma of what to buy instead of a knife, books you can get for pretty cheap unless they are for university classes, or even free if you get digital versions, camera film is getting more expensive and is a consumable that you'll use up soon enough. I would go with getting the tool, the knife that is. It will last your lifetime and you can pass it down to your children or grandchildren. So long as your maintain the tool properly and don't abuse it and teach who you hand it down to the same respect for a tool then it may be around for several generations.
