Are there too many knives?

Have to admit to being guilty of having owned
More knives than I could actually use in this lifetime.
There are favorite working knives, favorite EDCs,
Favorite recreational users, Favorite travel lug arounds,
favorite safe queens, favorite gifted edged keepsakes,
Those are the favorites, and then there are those
Which are just the direct opposite...
Knives which had lost its shine, the forgotten uglies.
The ones which just didn't meet the cut.
The free gifts, the bad choices, the once Big deal knives
which now brings nothing but huge regret.
Yes, collectively these knives are all mine.
I may never use them all with the same satisfaction
But they were all made for sake of making somebody rich.
I may be poorer if I had no self control in spending,
But these purchases have made my life feel richer in some ways.
Any bad day just goes out the door, whenever I think about the safe queens.
And hopefully someday, when I m done with 'em,
someone just as gullible would make me an offer to make me rich too.
Dude, I 'very learnt that we got but two hands and
(knock wood) one natural lifetime to live.
It pays to be focused in what ever we do.
If you can't do that with your knife spending habit,
I would suggest to also build a chest full of knife catalogs.
You would be surprise just how much simpler the periodic flipping
Through of dozens of pages could help keep the itch under control.
Going by history that some catalogs will by itself
become equally treasured by collectors in time.
Mean while, make the best use of what you have
And always appreciate the things you once could afford like a king.
Not everybody has it the same...
 
I am pleased with the diversity of knife offerings these days. I'm not always pleased with some of the prices however.

Been trying to keep things reasonable in terms of financial outlays toward this hobby. For the most part I have been successful. But my wife would not agree with me.

I enjoy browsing through a few of the knife catalogs I get in the mail. But they aren't really necessary since I participate here. I recall looking at AG Russell's catalog years ago and wondering who actually pays those prices for knives. I thought the prices were ridiculous.... not AG's so much as prices in general. I've changed.
 
Last edited:
And to clarify, by catalog I don't just mean paper, a trip to bladehq's site is just as dangerous as flipping the pages though ag russell.
 
I own a lot of higher end blades but what I really love is the fact there are so many quality sub $100 dollar knives on the market. Budget does not mean poorly made anymore.
 
DJC72 said:
I own a lot of higher end blades but what I really love is the fact there are so many quality sub $100 dollar knives on the market. Budget does not mean poorly made anymore.
Click to expand...

I really have to agree, there are so many really good quality knives for about 100 dollars nowadays, I really have been happy with small fixed blades like Childress, Withrow, LT Wright,
Battlehorse, etc that can fit into a pocket sheath. In addition at this price range, I really like good quality simple designs that do not mean they are cheaply made, there are more good makers nowadays making good blades for good prices.
 
Never bought from a catalog, but yes there are a ton of knives out there!! I LOVE it, but my financially responsible side of me hates it!

The best part is finding the knives that are amazing quality, in all price points. I still buy knives that are low cost, high quality. I have been trying to stay away from high cost, high quality lately, but it pulls you in!
 
ATJ999 said:
Never bought from a catalog, but yes there are a ton of knives out there!! I LOVE it, but my financially responsible side of me hates it!

The best part is finding the knives that are amazing quality, in all price points. I still buy knives that are low cost, high quality. I have been trying to stay away from high cost, high quality lately, but it pulls you in!
Click to expand...
Same here. But you know looking online at a sellers website is in fact a catalog. The format has just evolved over the years.

I have to think that the $100 (US) mark is the point where you expect "quality". Everyone has different cost comfort zones on knives and ones ability and willingness to buy "high cost" will vary from time to time. I look at the $400-$500+ folders and just say no for the most part regardless of the reputed quality. I just have better places to spend that kind of money. But I am glad that there is such diversity these days in the knife market to fit (or with a slight stretch) most everyone's comfort zone.
 
There are too many knives on the market due to clones and pure utter crap manufacturers pushing them out in bunches, however, from quality manufacturers, makers, and designers, there aren't nearly enough.
 
This is funny.

Aside maybe Martin Knives (and I don't even know if they make them anymore), there's basically NO quality sawback hollow handle made today that is large enough to really perform as a chopper (which is to say having a blade at least 9-10")...

There's Voorhis that still makes them on occasion: They are 5160 carbon steel and catch as you can: No orders. I have also a large Colin Cox (who died years ago): Even those usually need their handles re-set (both of those I had)...

Don't mention Neeley or the similar Sanders: All of them have 0.060" 0.070" edges, which makes them essentially wall hangers.

There's a lot of cheap-looking dollar store junk...

The only "largeish" quality hollow handle in "real" production today is the Randall Model 18, straight from the 1960s: It is way too small for any real chopping and it has no notch-making saw at all. And no, its saw doesn't even make a slight notch...

In a way fortunately for me, I can't spend money because there is nothing to buy in what I'm really interested in.

Gaston
 
I used to feel like this, but I've found that I get more out of comissioning a custom 1-2 times a year than always looking at the latest production. I'll spend a grand anually on knives, but instead of several to rotate, I have a small and useful collection (Though I always carry a beater Kershaw CQC-4k in my left front pocket for the really nasty stuff). Pride of ownership with a knife you assisted in designing is through the roof as well. With a limited budget, I find this is the best way to satisfy my knife knut-ness.
 
Last edited:
Are there too many knives?

Only in the context that I can't afford them all... and probably don't have the room to store them.

But in the context of "Is there too large a selection" then I say an emphatic no. More = Better.
 
Yep, too many knives, too many good looking women, too many quality, interesting firearms, too many good people on BF! ;) It's disgusting! :eek:
 
T.L.E. Sharp said:
I'm rather fond of the market now. How often do you think to yourself, "I'd like a knife with x, y and z characteristics" and it not already exist? Very rare for me.
Click to expand...

My "perfect" EDC knife is one that doesn't exist yet sadly.
To point of the thread, honestly I feel it is getting a bit repetitive. This is the first year ever I saw the releases and none really interested me. Maybe just too many knives so I can't get them in hand so they just all blend together, just my opinion.
 
My local knife store has this knife index that seems to get put out either annually or semianually and it has every knife being currently produced by a known company.

There is a little tiny picture of each knife next to its name divided by the company that produces it which are listed alphabetically.

Point is this book is so thick it makes a Kwaiback look positively anorexic.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top