Advice on how to narrow down collection

Kllrbee

Kllrbee

Joined
Jan 26, 2019
Messages
69
Hey all,
Ive been in the folding knife hobby for a couple years now. I definitely consider myself to be a novice or beginner though. Over that time, Ive managed to obtain roughly 100 folders. Problem is Im still at that stage where anything that looks "cool" or "interesting", I gotta have it. That would be fine if I were a millionaire, but Im not. Im sure many of you who have been at this for much longer remember those days.
So what did you all do to hone in on what you preferred to collect and use? Obviously, with experience and usage, one can see what they like or dont like. But what else? Only certain brands? blade steels? blade lengths? Lock type? Etc?
Kind of a weird question, but Im just looking for ways to corral in the collection so its not such a hodgepodge of everything....lol.
Please share.
 
Find out what you really like. Buying things because they look cool is simply impulse buying.

I was there once, and now I just mainly focus on buying Microtechs. It’s just what I enjoy. There are a ton of vintage models that are constantly popping up and some will take me a while to find. Mostly, I just like automatic knives so occasionally I’ll buy Protech or other brands if it’s something really intriguing. Find your niche.
 
That's a tough one. I found I would buy stuff and sell it for one reason or another. So I would see what else in my collection had those traits and moved those too. Also things I didn't carry got sold. I don't buy stuff just to sit in a box. Also brands or makers with shitty custom service went on the chopping block for me.
 
I've recently gone through a small purge, kept knives gifted by family and use, then sold/traded knives I don't use
I'm not so much a collector anymore, but more so a multiple user lol

I know what works for me and I enjoy using now so that's what I keep or purchase
 
I focus on knives I will actually use and that are legal to carry in my jurisdiction. That keeps me from going over board on $1000 knives, self defense knives, zombie slayers, etc..

Next I focus on knives between $150-500. This price range generally offers a good selection of desirable knives with good resale value. That will help you sell knives faster should you decide you don’t like a particular model. Unless you’re into sub $150 budget knives. There are some excellent ones but resale may be more difficult.
 
To each their own. Just gotta find what works for you tbh. Find what really works for you... brand, style, steel, lock type.. idk if you use all your knives or possibly use some collect and fidget others? I have a few knives I don’t even touch anymore and I’ve personally only sold 1 knife in my 7 years of collecting but then again I don’t have over a hundred knives either. I know and understand what kind of quality and price range knives I generally like now so I only lean in that direction. Mostly $400-$700 high end production/mid tech is what I collect and I use all my knives and I also collect GEC and Northwoods knives but recently I’ve purchased more GEC’s than I can use so I guess I’m a collector now too lol. I’ve recently gotten into custom Swiss Army Knives as well so it’s fun. But sell whatever you don’t really like I’d say and reinvest in stuff you’d really enjoy. Do I see myself owning more than a hundred knives one day? It’s entirely possible. But now that I know I like the higher end production stuff like CRK, Spartan, Hinderer’s and such it’s not knives I can afford to buy left and right whenever I see something that appeals to me so it makes getting one that much more exciting. Good luck friend!
 
J0LLY71M3 said:
I don't buy stuff just to sit in a box. Also brands or makers with shitty custom service went on the chopping block for me.
Click to expand...

This 💯. all my recent acquisitions have been from American made companies and makers with the exception of my spyderco matriarch 2.

Customer service and warranty is at the top of my things to consider list when I’m purchasing a knife nowadays.
 
I’m right there with The Aflac Duck The Aflac Duck I went through stages where I’d buy a lot of different knives, try them out, some I’d let sit, others I just wasted my money on basically. I have found what works for me and I’m very content at where I’m at with knives. I don’t really have that itch that I used to. I have sold a ton of other knives off that I accumulated along the way that never got used anymore. I like what yoko yoko said, I’m not a collector either but basically a multiple user.

It’s nice to settle in to one brand/knife tho. I remember when Levi’s quality went south and really weren’t good for work pants anymore. It’s all I had wore for years. I finally found a good replacement tho after going trying several others
 
Knife collecting here is like Cabbage Patch Kids or Beanie Babies. Personally I am only interested in antiques at sane prices. Remember coin collecting?
 
For me... pocket time. Knives are tools that are meant to be carried and used. If something sits in a box and doesn't get carried ... then it goes.

If I find a lot of knives are being carried and I still need to thin the herd, again, which knife/knives do I carry the least amount?

Things that help me achieve a balance.

1. Budget. My wife and I each have a "me" fund. The "me" fund can be used for anything we want. My "me" fund needs to pay for knives, handguns, rifles, gear, and ammo (remember when you could buy ammo?). So buying a knife, even a $50 one requires some thinking and planning on my part.

2. I rarely spend over $100 on a knife. That in itself helps narrow down the collection although there are plenty of knives under $100. Especially with the influx of CRJB, CIVIVI, Bestech, Kizer, etc.

3. I just hit 50 years old, I'm past the "I gotta have it" or "ooo that looks interesting". After carrying knives for 30+ years, I got a good handle on what I like and don't like, so I buy accordingly.

Good luck!
 
Just. Stop. Buying.

Spend some time enjoying, carrying, using, or ogling over what you already have.

Somewhere around the 3-dozen point I realized I was buying a new knife without ever getting to know the one before it...or the one before that...and so on.

I forced myself to stop surfing the Exchange, dealer websites, etc.

I started rotating through all my knives. I pulled 5 knives from my collection and put them in my nightstand. These were my knives for the week. Each Sunday at least three of those went back to the safe and an equal number of new knives came out. I did that religiously for about a year—I still do it...sort of...just not quite so regimented.

Once I became semi-adept at sharpening, I started using my nicer knives for more than just pocket jewelry. I’ve come to really enjoy the use-patina I’ve created, along with the screaming sharp edges that may be a hair imperfect—but they’re MY edges.

Those two moves really slowed down new acquisitions and helped me figure out what I really like


New knives no longer interest me for being different or sexy or simply “new.” Now I only consider a purchase to fill a specific need or if I’m convinced I’ll like it better than what I already have. That’s a pretty high bar.

I’m occasionally tempted to sell off some of my collection. I haven’t, mostly because they’re things no longer in production & should I decide to replace something it would be a PITA.

And incidentally, these two knives haven’t left my nightstand for years.

 
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I feel like this is a very personal and subjective question, simply because we carry things that we enjoy the most, and only you know what you enjoy. Nobody else can determine that for you. I've been in the knife world for the better part of ten years now, and even to this day after all the knives I've added to my collection that I thought were the coolest things ever, my collection itself still is only no more than twenty knives max. I too have a sense of what I like as far as design goes, and what really appeals to me in size, materials, and specific use. I really like what approach BD_01 BD_01 has, and I might implement that myself for my knives. That's a great way to give everything some pocket time and find what you really enjoy carrying. The things you don't like as much will quickly become apparent and from there, you can narrow it down pretty quickly I'm sure.
 
just my opinion: keep only those you actually use. sell all your safe queens except for those you really like. you don't have to treat knives, even rare sprint ones, as monetary investments. if you have enough money to buy expensive knives, you have enough money to save and invest. I collect traditional knives with carbon steel blades and all they do is rust. I started maintaining and rotating them regularly and that's the only time they looked like pocket knives.
 
You can narrow down what you want to collect. I have three or four makers I collect and use, because they're hard to find and therefore fun to chase, I enjoy the use quality, and they reliably resell quickly for little if any loss.
 
This is a highly personal question, and one man’s methods may come off as madness to another. In brief though, to answer your question, it boils down to: a) What you find using often, b) What you consider fun to use and own, and c) Superb quality that you know will last for years and maybe even serve your kids well. Maybe if you have a theme or two for your collection, e.g. bushcraft style knives, you can stick with that too in addition to the previous parameters.

If you don’t really use a particular blade often and you won’t lose sleep if you give it away, that may be a good start for narrowing down the collection. As long as you have space for them and money is not an issue, it’s perfectly okay to have more knives than you realistically need.

Not my place to tell another man what to do with his hard earned cash, but I respectfully recommend not to accumulate debt in pursuit of this hobby.
 
Kllrbee said:
Hey all,
...
So what did you all do to hone in on what you preferred to collect and use? ...looking for ways to corral in the collection so its not such a hodgepodge of everything...
Click to expand...
lol! its not much different from asking how to pick the right hot date.
mistakes of which you wouldn't know
until its too late.
fact is you can categorize things according to your personal fancy.
but it doesn't stop the roving eyes
once you're addicted.
if there is one common thing which
stops people dead in thier tracks
from carrying out unrestraint wants,
its has to be personal credit limitations.
in the face of impending financial ruin
one can try to work harder at earning more
or dump the money pit of a hobby completely :)
look at it this way.
its cool to be fashionable
but its all very superficial.
so if you're a slave to fashion
you probably know
the value of a wardrobe
full of yesterdays seasonal trends..
its all about your hard earned money
so do try and choose wisely.
 
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