Acquisition

What shutdown? We've been working all the way through.... I HAVE enjoyed the fewer cars on the road... that's been nice.
I have lately been backing away from "having" to buy the new GEC's that come out. I've had to exercise WAY more self control than I usually do, but I found that once I skip a purchase, it's a little easier to skip the next one... and the next.
I still will grab one if the mood strikes me, like the #8 Opinel in red painted hornbeam. I didn't need another Opie, but I just wanted to see what the hornbeam is like.

I've got at least 1 of every type of knife I want at the moment, and more than that of some types. That should be enough.
I might gradually add a second of the knives I really like, but there's no hurry for that. I just missed an auction on the big site for a CV tribal lock in pristine shape. Went for around $30....:( but, there's always another deal, waiting 'round the corner.


As Garfield the cat said.... "it's not the having... it's the getting".....
 
Generosity is a beautiful solution to acquisition sickness. One of the reasons I love this form is the frequency of the generosity displayed. I have been blessed by several forum members!

Many of us truly do have expendable incomes that can responsibly be spent on knives. I’m nearly a year into knife collecting and I’m just starting to amass enough volume to enjoy selecting knives would be perfect to give away to friends and family. Not everyone receives love through gifts, but for those that do, giving them something that means a lot to you really creates a stamp of affection that is lasting.

Fasting has been a beneficial discipline in many areas of my life through the years. Even fasting from this forum from time to time is helpful! Backing away from knife collecting for a week or a month or for half a year maybe just what the doctor ordered. If this forum drives up your blood pressure and pisses you off regularly…hmmmmm...maybe time for a break.

So, thanks to the generous culture that was set by those who started this community and here’s to enjoying acquiring knives...until I don’t!
 
I don’t have a lot to do except every three weeks to drive to Denver and have an afternoon of chemotherapy. Then there’s always the following days, not too many, which I am too sick to do much of anything. Being that my immune system is trashed I’m very much quarantined at home against the Covid virus. What are the things that brings me joy? My family and of course the fact that every day is a good day regardless and my fascination with traditional folding knives. I have almost sold all of my nontraditional’s and I think I’ll be done with that in a week or two. I don’t have very many traditional knives but a few I do have I enjoy whether I’m using them or just taking them out and admiring how well they are made and how much they recall my early early days.

I think the desire to collect things that are meaningful to us and which give us joy when we look at them or use them is the key. I enjoy looking at other peoples collections because they’re always are knives that are new to me and are extremely interesting and I wouldn’t get to see them elsewhere.

So, I guess I am a collector so it is more a matter of collecting those knives that ring some sort of joyful aesthetic and oddball bell in my head.
 
JonMcD said:
Generosity is a beautiful solution to acquisition sickness. One of the reasons I love this form is the frequency of the generosity displayed. I have been blessed by several forum members!

Many of us truly do have expendable incomes that can responsibly be spent on knives. I’m nearly a year into knife collecting and I’m just starting to amass enough volume to enjoy selecting knives would be perfect to give away to friends and family. Not everyone receives love through gifts, but for those that do, giving them something that means a lot to you really creates a stamp of affection that is lasting.

Fasting has been a beneficial discipline in many areas of my life through the years. Even fasting from this forum from time to time is helpful! Backing away from knife collecting for a week or a month or for half a year maybe just what the doctor ordered. If this forum drives up your blood pressure and pisses you off regularly…hmmmmm...maybe time for a break.

So, thanks to the generous culture that was set by those who started this community and here’s to enjoying acquiring knives...until I don’t!
Click to expand...
Two of my favorite knives are 15s, in ebony and jigged bone that a member here sold me for less than he paid for them, and that’s before pp or shipping. Generosity of some of our members is amazing and I get pissed when I think it’s being taken advantage of by someone. Little off topic but I wanted to add that and maybe giving away a few knives is something I need to look at doing.
 
There is a difference between collectors and buyers as OP describes, given a collector has to buy items for the collection.

Collectors derive value from the collection as it has meaning in tradition, culture, history, time, place, people and actions.

Discarding the last thing as quick as you can buy the next thing is completely different and unrelated.

The first is high IQ, the second is mental illness.

As for the lock down absolutely nothing has changed in my private life except I have been getting vastly more enjoyment than normal with less traffic, less tourists and more peace and quiet.

I get how tough it's been for most others and my condolences, empathy and understanding to them.
 
I'm 68, and the only grandson I will likely have was born in March. I've decide to do the following with my collection. Maybe it's why I even have a collection. I'm going to prepare every knife with a separate handwritten letter to my grandson, explaining the provenance of the knife, it's full story, why I bought it, what it means to me, etc. When he is old enough to value a good knife, he will begin receiving one knife from me, on every birthday. My wife is 16 years my junior, so she can distribute them in my absence.

The first will be my 620220 Tidioute Easy Pocket Congress. It's not a favorite GEC of mine, probably not yours either, but they released the knife the day he was born, and that is its story. I will enjoy deciding the order of each knife gift, and the kinfe and life message that would accompany each knife. And this will continue as long as there are knives in my collections. He will grow to know that knives were a hobby/passion of his grandfather. And will (hopefully) look forward to the surprise of each birthday gift, and each message as he grows: life lessons of mine I hope he can learn from. I hope he will cherish and retain them, but all are investments he can draw from if he chooses. All will have a story, and collectively, they will tell a greater story. Maybe my story.

One knife is his great grandfather's WWII-issued USMC 1217 that I am currently enjoying restoring. One will also be my dad's USMC multi-tool issued to Marines. He enlisted in 1942 at 17 years old. We were never close, and these two knives are All I have that was his.

A handful of knives surround my passion for "boys knifes", small single-bladed clips. And a congress, a Boker whittler, a Flexcut, a stockman, a trapper, two SAKs, several jacks, and a couple of modern folders. All with stories. We have too many knives when we forget their stories. And without a story, we really should let those go.

There will be more knives because I want to tell more stories, and imprint myself on his development as he matures and has to make sense of this very crazy world.

He was born under covid restrictions. Moreover, we was born with a congenital issue that required open chest surgery at three days old. He'll be a fighter. He'll need his knives (LOL). Mainly, he'll need his stories.

That's why I collect knives. Not a lot of money with each knife, but enough, and wisely spent. Not just any knives either, just the ones with stories.
 
dsutton24 said:
Gad, I'll be glad when everyone stops blaming their own self control on ADD.
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If I had any self control, I’d have to blame it on something.
Fortunately, I have none.

You know what can cure that desire for more? Getting hosed.
The last three knives I’ve bought have been real let downs.
All three were Schrades. Serious flaws either concealed intentionally, or simply not disclosed.
And it only happened because I like my Schrade Trappers and folding hunter, and thought more would make me happier.
 
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Dave Dallam said:
I'm 68, and the only grandson I will likely have was born in March. I've decide to do the following with my collection. Maybe it's why I even have a collection. I'm going to prepare every knife with a separate handwritten letter to my grandson, explaining the provenance of the knife, it's full story, why I bought it, what it means to me, etc. When he is old enough to value a good knife, he will begin receiving one knife from me, on every birthday. My wife is 16 years my junior, so she can distribute them in my absence.

The first will be my 620220 Tidioute Easy Pocket Congress. It's not a favorite GEC of mine, probably not yours either, but they released the knife the day he was born, and that is its story. I will enjoy deciding the order of each knife gift, and the kinfe and life message that would accompany each knife. And this will continue as long as there are knives in my collections. He will grow to know that knives were a hobby/passion of his grandfather. And will (hopefully) look forward to the surprise of each birthday gift, and each message as he grows: life lessons of mine I hope he can learn from. I hope he will cherish and retain them, but all are investments he can draw from if he chooses. All will have a story, and collectively, they will tell a greater story. Maybe my story.

One knife is his great grandfather's WWII-issued USMC 1217 that I am currently enjoying restoring. One will also be my dad's USMC multi-tool issued to Marines. He enlisted in 1942 at 17 years old. We were never close, and these two knives are All I have that was his.

A handful of knives surround my passion for "boys knifes", small single-bladed clips. And a congress, a Boker whittler, a Flexcut, a stockman, a trapper, two SAKs, several jacks, and a couple of modern folders. All with stories. We have too many knives when we forget their stories. And without a story, we really should let those go.

There will be more knives because I want to tell more stories, and imprint myself on his development as he matures and has to make sense of this very crazy world.

He was born under covid restrictions. Moreover, we was born with a congenital issue that required open chest surgery at three days old. He'll be a fighter. He'll need his knives (LOL). Mainly, he'll need his stories.

That's why I collect knives. Not a lot of money with each knife, but enough, and wisely spent. Not just any knives either, just the ones with stories.
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As a guy with little or no family history or connections I find this rather difficult to read albeit very touching.

Your grandson is lucky that he will be aware that he is part of a broader family picture and position in history if that makes any sense.

Folks who have a forward and backward connection to family would have no clue what I am talking about I guess.
 
One of the things that drive some of my acquisitions is just being able to examine a product. Living in Canada I do not have a major knife retailer or a factory store of any significance anywhere near my home. Only a few of our dedicated hunting and fishing shops like Cabelas or Basspro would offer much of a hands on experience for a limited number of Benchmade or Buck models. Even Case knives are hard to find anywhere.

So I see all these marvelous promotions and products and I stare at the million pixels and I get out my tape measure and I read the reviews and then him and haw and eventually sometimes Paypal finally scratches the itch. Then there is the week or ten days of expectation and the postal tracking number to follow.

So I wonder if I did have easy access to a large variety of knives to peruse in person if I would have fewer or more knives?

,,,Mike in Canada
 
Mike,
Plan a vacation to Sevierville, Tennessee and visit the world's largest knife store, Smoky Mountain Knife Works (smkw.com). Two acres of nothing but knives. You'll be itching and scratching like you wiped your *ss with poison ivy.

While you're there you can also visit Smoky Mountain National Park, Dollywood, and lots of moonshine distilleries!
 
If I could handle them before buying, I might have more and I certainly would have different ones than I buy, try and resell now.

I am pretty much stuck on Great Eastern Cutlery and there is no place around here (actually there are few places of any note around here) to see one up class and personal. Buy, sell. That’s me.
Duper said:
One of the things that drive some of my acquisitions is just being able to examine a product. Living in Canada I do not have a major knife retailer or a factory store of any significance anywhere near my home. Only a few of our dedicated hunting and fishing shops like Cabelas or Basspro would offer much of a hands on experience for a limited number of Benchmade or Buck models. Even Case knives are hard to find anywhere.

So I see all these marvelous promotions and products and I stare at the million pixels and I get out my tape measure and I read the reviews and then him and haw and eventually sometimes Paypal finally scratches the itch. Then there is the week or ten days of expectation and the postal tracking number to follow.

So I wonder if I did have easy access to a large variety of knives to peruse in person if I would have fewer or more knives?

,,,Mike in Canada
Click to expand...
 
Dave Dallam said:
I'm 68, and the only grandson I will likely have was born in March. I've decide to do the following with my collection. Maybe it's why I even have a collection. I'm going to prepare every knife with a separate handwritten letter to my grandson, explaining the provenance of the knife, it's full story, why I bought it, what it means to me, etc. When he is old enough to value a good knife, he will begin receiving one knife from me, on every birthday. My wife is 16 years my junior, so she can distribute them in my absence.

The first will be my 620220 Tidioute Easy Pocket Congress. It's not a favorite GEC of mine, probably not yours either, but they released the knife the day he was born, and that is its story. I will enjoy deciding the order of each knife gift, and the kinfe and life message that would accompany each knife. And this will continue as long as there are knives in my collections. He will grow to know that knives were a hobby/passion of his grandfather. And will (hopefully) look forward to the surprise of each birthday gift, and each message as he grows: life lessons of mine I hope he can learn from. I hope he will cherish and retain them, but all are investments he can draw from if he chooses. All will have a story, and collectively, they will tell a greater story. Maybe my story.

One knife is his great grandfather's WWII-issued USMC 1217 that I am currently enjoying restoring. One will also be my dad's USMC multi-tool issued to Marines. He enlisted in 1942 at 17 years old. We were never close, and these two knives are All I have that was his.

A handful of knives surround my passion for "boys knifes", small single-bladed clips. And a congress, a Boker whittler, a Flexcut, a stockman, a trapper, two SAKs, several jacks, and a couple of modern folders. All with stories. We have too many knives when we forget their stories. And without a story, we really should let those go.

There will be more knives because I want to tell more stories, and imprint myself on his development as he matures and has to make sense of this very crazy world.

He was born under covid restrictions. Moreover, we was born with a congenital issue that required open chest surgery at three days old. He'll be a fighter. He'll need his knives (LOL). Mainly, he'll need his stories.

That's why I collect knives. Not a lot of money with each knife, but enough, and wisely spent. Not just any knives either, just the ones with stories.
Click to expand...

You've invested a lot of emotional currency in a grandson enjoying what you like. That's great! But be aware of them as individuals. In my experience, most children grow up and have their own passions. They will be interested in yours for awhile, but around 12 they often diverge from ole folks. Once they hit 16 they often are too busy. You need to be interested in their new passions to stay connected.
 
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