A realization

[Hickory n steel]

I went through this reasoning when I bought my first custom. Keep it pristine, or use and enjoy it. I'm one of those people who are just easy on stuff, fortunately, so I somewhat gingerly started to carry my customs and some of the more expensive factory knives. I've put a few unwanted scratches on blades with some careless sharpening, but overall I'm glad I decided to use them. Much more satisfying for me, anyway.

This is how I can acquire every single knife that I do with full intention to put them in my pocket and use them.
I may sharpen my carpenters pencil, open various packaging, mail & boxes, cut thread, and cut paracord, and I can do all these things without putting heavy wear on my knives.
I don't use a knife slip, but most of my pocket knives fit into my pocket organizer so they're right were I want them upright for easy retrieval and this means the bolsters are inadvertently being protected as well.
They don't look pristine, but most of my knives with SS blades have been carried and used far more than anybody would guess by looking at them.

 

[Murphy Slaw]

My father allowed me to carry an old equal end jack starting at about the age of 6. I've been enthused with cutting tools ever since. No one thought it was unusual for a boy to have a pocket knife in his pocket in that time period. So I pretty much always had one with me.

I think I was about 10. Mine was a Barlow type. I also got a Browning .22.

When I think of how so many 10 year olds get ripped off by not being allowed to carry a pocket knife it infuriates me.

 

[jackknife]

This is how I can acquire every single knife that I do with full intention to put them in my pocket and use them.
I may sharpen my carpenters pencil, open various packaging, mail & boxes, cut thread, and cut paracord, and I can do all these things without putting heavy wear on my knives.
I don't use a knife slip, but most of my pocket knives fit into my pocket organizer so they're right were I want them upright for easy retrieval and this means the bolsters are inadvertently being protected as well.
They don't look pristine, but most of my knives with SS blades have been carried and used far more than anybody would guess by looking at them.

I think that's called used, but not abused.