I have been doing the knife thing a long time, but I want to relate the beginnings of buying fixed bladed knives in my case. I grew up with folders and used folders (traditional knives) for everything. If something was too big for my knife, I used a hatchet, axe or saw. The world was much simpler for me and it still is for many. My brother in law showed me a couple Randall's (as well as some custom knives) that he owned. I was taken by the Randall's as they captured what I thought was a woods "knife" in the classic sense. It was an all around use choice with an emphasis on hunting applications (dressing game, clearing some limbs, skinnng, etc.) and camping. It was a simple time for me.
I had started going to gun shows during the mid to late 80's. The shows were pretty good; bargains, lots of choices, old stuff, new stuff, interesting conversation, and knives. This all changed by 2000-2005 and the internet. Dealers were pricing things to sell nationally (as on Gun Broker) and not for the local gun show market area. Prices shot up on many older guns and dealers were less willing to haggle. Knives were sold and I purchased my first fixed blade knives either directly or by trading. Then there were the knife only shows like BLADE..... things got interesting for knife knuts!
The Rambo movies had a tremendous influence on my knife interest. I didn't run out and buy a Rambo knife immediately. But I can honestly say that I handled many of them at gun shows, show after show I would pick them up and look at them. Just never spent the money as I knew they were "cheap" reproductions. Some were better than others obviously. I wanted a tactical survival knife! I got a couple Randall's and an EK..... those were in essence my first fairly useless but interesting knives I purchased. I was seriously considering some of the high priced Randall bowies that I knew I would never use for anything... I must re-enforce the concept that I still really didn't use fixed blades even though I was buying them. This is where the knife accumulation (pile) really started to grow.
So, this thread pretty much reflects my interest in knives. Call it what you want, collecting or accumulating, need or want, special purpose or general purpose, edc or just "too fancy or costly to carry".... It's a fun hobby.
) I try not to visit too often and now I have KSF to visit. But ultimately, it's a SAK that gets carried day in and day out.
