Carry or Collect?A Conundrum

D

Duper

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Feb 5, 2016
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Hi guys, do most of you have knives you use in a regular rotation or are you strictly collecting? I have had a number of pocket knives over the years and I always have one in my pocket. They were run of the mill SAKs or a Case or another modern stainless steel folder I could replace easily if lost. I am not a hard user but I have not hesitated to use them properly when the need arose.

Now that I have found GEC and purchased three so far (two more on order) I have not pocketed them. Held them, admired them, opened and closed them but no pocket time. My new Viper in snakeskin acrylic is begging to leave the house and I have GEC leather sleeve to protect it, but still it sits.

Do you double down on your orders? One keeper, one cutter? These are my first non-stainless steel knives and I am thinking the 1095 steel needs more care or caution to maintain them and the short runs could make a knife irreplaceable. I have never hesitated like this before. I have eight or ten watches and they all get worn. I have many fur felt fedoras, panamas and flat caps and they all get worn.

Got to get past the beauty and get to the utility.

,,,Mike in Canada
 
Personally, I strive to avoid the "safe queens", but I do still have a few that I have hesitated to christen with an apple slice or whatnot. Overall, I do try to carry them, and I have even pushed myself to sell off knives that I have for the sole sake of collecting them. The exceptions are ones that I have got through more interesting circumstances like winning in a GAW, or finding overlooked for sale some place, etc. I have never ordered two to keep one mint.

The first wildly colored patina on there feels like you have tarnished the knife, but once you have that deep grey established patina I think it looks really nice.
 
From GECs webpage;

"Our skilled craftsmen and women blend more than 200 individual labor processes with expensive metals and natural materials to produce a reasonably priced exceptional tool that will perform its task for many years."

I say use it as it was intended :)
 
I collect knives to use them, I enjoy using them.
I have a few "old-world" knives from France and Italy that are more for the art than practical, but these are the only few that don't get used.
Some I use way more than others.
I usually rotate, my favs I'll carry for a few days at a time.
I like Northfields, Schatt&Morgans, Queen, Canal Street, Case, Boker, Mercators, Douk Douks, Pattada, Laguiole, Opinel etc....
Traditional American and European folders are my thing.
 
if I don't use them, what good is it having all these sharpening stones, strops, belt sanders, buffers, and other miscellaneous tools I've purchased? :o
 
You must ask yourself why you bought the knives in the first place. That Viper belongs in your pocket and I think you know it.:)
 
I use a few and store the rest. From a practical perspective there is only so much that anyone can cut, and a good knife would be capable of providing for all of your needs for decades, if not a lifetime. My only designated "safe queens" are a few antique knives; those are best preserved for the benefit of future collectors. But, I have other knives that will likely never see use. Knives that are waiting their turn, until my current knife wears to the point where it needs to be replaced. I guess I am a creature of habit. I have a true EDC and unless I have a specific need for a different tool, it only grows more comfortable in my pocket with every passing year.

Don't sweat it. Enjoy your hobby however you wish. It is good to have options but there is no mandate to break in every one of your knives.


n2s
 
I use only a small part of what I have. I collect them because I like looking at them. People collect all sorts of things.. stamps, old coins, license plates, tea kettles, beer steins, pretty much anything... I like to collect folding knives.. among other things.

I have a bunch of artistic vases and ceramic works of art around the house that don't get used. I have them because I like to look at them... same reason I have pocket knives I don't use. Nothing wrong with that. I say you should use your viper, but if you decide to just keep it around because you like it then don't feel bad about it.
 
I'm not a collector, just don't have that mindset and don't get any enjoyment of having a bunch of stuff that I don't actually use. So for me, it either gets used or gets sold.
 
So far, my traditional knives are mostly for my enjoyment. I usually carry moderns. I guess I'm a collector, because I own more moderns and traditionals than I will ever carry. I do enjoy taking them out, handling them, cleaning them, sharpening them (when appropriate), showing them, talking about them.
 
Some people like to collect fake decapitated body parts... with their collection.

650x366
 
Most of the people who post around here tend to be strictly users, but there are definitely people who mainly collect, or accumulate, which is the category I fall into. At some point, it becomes just about impossible to carry every single knife in a collection. All together, I have several hundred knives, which is actually not very much compared to some of the older collectors around here. I suppose I could rotate every single day, but that sounds like a lot of work sharpening, not to mention many of my knives were purchased because I found them interesting, but not necessarily something I would EDC.

I do carry some that are extremely limited. I suppose initially I worried about them getting damaged, but as long as you're not doing stupid things, like prying or throwing or sharpening on a grinder or one of those kitchen can openers, most knives should hold up quite well for many years.

If that snakeskin viper is calling out to be used, then use it! There will be another sweet heart that comes calling someday, and probably not too long from now if you keep your eyes peeled!
 
I like to use my knives. I derive more enjoyment from usage than mere ownership. However, I've always liked knives and buy them. Not a lot, and not that often, but stay at it long enough and you'll end up with more than a few. I guess you'd call me an accumulator.
 
I double down on orders, goal was two examples from each custom maker whose work I like ... but it seemed to grow for some unknown reason ;) My rotation currently consists of four users but the rest are mostly safe queens, maybe my grandson will appreciate them someday.
 
I have traded knives I didn't use, and simply kept in storage because they were patterns I didnt find useful, or too nice to use. I traded them to get something I would use, because I hate not using a knife.

Connor
 
Duper said:
Hi guys, do most of you have knives you use in a regular rotation or are you strictly collecting?...
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I have a group of knives that I use or carry regularly, and others that move in an out of the carry group on occasion. I have others that don't get used at all, so I guess those would be in my collection.

Duper said:
Do you double down on your orders? One keeper, one cutter?...
Click to expand...
The only time I ever ordered two of the same knife at the same time was a knife that was being discontinued, and I wanted to have a spare (Victorinox Alox Bantam).

So in general I am both a collector and user. I have a number of knives that don't get used and are new in box/tube other than having been initially admired, and another group that get carried and used (or are likely to).

Apparently actually collecting knives seems to have a negative stigma for many of the posters here, and I am not quite sure why that has become the forum culture. If I were completely practical about it, I would have about 3 SAKs, 2 modern folders, and 3 Case or Buck slipjoints and be done with it.

You should feel free to carry and use, or collect and admire, however it suits you.


*Edit - My approach mirrors what Draggat described above, though I don't have quite as many total as he mentioned. Maybe 120-150 total, with about 12 that are regularly carried, another 20 or so that get carried sometimes (or move in and out of the regular-carry group) and the rest are on the shelf.
 
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I use all of mine, some when doing electrical, some when eating cheese, ect. But we can't take them with us when we die, so I figure I might as well enjoy them. Guitars and tools I feel the need to use them to justify having them, knives however can be carried and when the occasion warrants use it. I can pull it out of my pocket any time to admire the craftsmanship or design, or back story. I buy each one to carry and enjoy the collection as a whole

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
 
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