Carrying my Knife collection

Sometimes it’s all about perspective.

For instance, $500 is a lot in the knife world but $500 is very little in the watch world. Some people who would never use a $500 knife often wear a $500 Seiko diver as a “beater”.

I have some knives I use and others I don’t use as much, or at all.

Like Mr. Miyagi said, finding balance is the key to happiness,
 
sgt1372 said:
Why?

My knife collection is worth somewhere between $50-75k, which is MORE than what I paid for it.

That's NOTHING to pity and, as long as I keep the knives in "good" condition, I (or my executor) should be able to recoup all of that $ whenever it needs to be sold. So, pity me if you like but I'm sitting pretty. LOL ;)

BTW, the value of my knife collection is only surpassed by the value of my art and LP collections, about equals the value of my car collection and exceeds the value of my gun/ammo collection.

So, collecting is in my nature and I make no excuses about it.
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Oh I don’t actually care about your collections or money. I don’t even care that you collect that with you do not use.

No I pity you for your intolerance of others that don’t share your opinion. It must be a very lonely existence.
 
I rotate my EDCs so get to carry them.
Here's a pic of me with my Wednesday knives.
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For me, it's not really about collecting. As mentioned before I use or used everything I own. I enjoy using my knives, the opportunity to use them excites me. Flipping/flicking them helps with anxiety. I also appreciate looking at them, and owning a variety of colors, handle materials, blade steels, etc.

For me, most of the time, it's unfathomable to imagine not using a functional item. There are very few things I purchase without the intent of using them, one of which is my lego collection.

I've inherited many things, and much I don't use or even look at, mostly due to lack of interest and not fear of breaking it. I regularly shoot my grandfather's WWII 1944 Underwood M1 carbine.

This is why I have great respect for Jay Leno. He actually drives his cars.

This is not to say I look down upon those who do things differently. To each there own.

I will say that I derive far more joy from my $90 Civivi Riffle in rosewood and Damascus than I ever did the $500 bocote Sebenza 21 I briefly owned. It's beautiful, is fun to open and close, I'm not afraid to use it. It also has surprisingly good edge retention.

I've owned all manner of knives. The only high dollar knife I regret selling is a Brian Tighe custom small Tighe Rod.

I have a limit on my folder collection, the must fit in my massdrop cabinet thingy. Currently, it is full. I have a new knife inbound (birthday gift arriving late) which means one has to go.
 
Some people spend a lot of money smoking, drinking, drugs, gambling, eating out for lunch every day, buy sodas from 7/11, Starbucks, etc., etc.,...
I've "brown bagged" my lunch since 1980 (with VERY FEW exceptions).
I manage my money and take care of my family.
Personally, I like knives and enjoy my knives (regardless of cost). ***I do preserve a few for sentimental reasons.
I don't know that there's a right answer to this. A wrong answer would be spending that would jeopardize one's family's welfare.
Do what you enjoy responsibly?
Best regards and God bless.
 
I enjoy collecting things and one of those things is knives. Began slowly but it picked up. I use many of the knives I collect, but not all. I recently acquired a CRK large sebenza 31 with the night sky graphic. I think of this knife as a work of art to be admired and enjoyed. I like to fondle it. I doubt it will become an EDC for me. I have other knives for that purpose. I think we as humans might be hard wired to be collectors. My daughter enjoyed collecting rocks as a kid and to me, the rocks were no big deal. To her, the rocks were precious and valued. My wife still collects pots, pans and various cookware that we will never use or need. Most are second hand. It gives her pleasure and it is fun, for her. She does use some of these purchases for cooking but many never see the light of day, until she decides to dispose of them. I also collect fly rods, fishing reels, all types of camping gear, canoes, canoe paddles and it goes on. I do this not to make money but because I enjoy owning these things, if even for a short while. Some I will pass on to the grandkids. So, it does not surprise that some of us differ in how we use our “collection” of stuff, other than to the collector it provides personal value and pleasure (fun). There is no right answer to this. Life will move on, hopefully with a good user knife at our beckon.
 
All very good answers, thanks for chiming in gentlemen. Even as I say that going to start using more of them, some will still be like moonpath just said, works of art. I just purchased my first Spartan Harsey "warthog", and it's way too nice looking to use. So I get it both ways. Just I'm going to start enjoying more of them than I currently do. Happy knife collecting, my friends !
 
I go back-and-forth. I have a lot of amazing knives that I carry and use regularly. And if there are some that I enjoy just looking at, and fondling, and keeping nice, then that’s OK. I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything by not carrying them.

And in the future if I change my mind and start carrying them, then I think that’s OK too.

-Mike
 
Agree. I think it's safe to say we all like, enjoy, appreciate, knives. Whether used and/or collected.
Unfortunately for me, it is pretty much a solitary interest. I really have just one old friend that's local to me that also enjoys/appreciates knives.
Being able to share the appreciation with others on this site brings me happiness.
Enjoy.
Best regards and God bless.
 
If I don’t at least carry it, I usually sell it in search of the next one. I might not use it for the dusty plastic or the tin can, but I love carrying my expensive folders. In fact, there’s only one expensive knife that I owned that never really saw a day in my pocket, and that’s because I immediately hated that sucker. It was a 15 year old Brian Tighe Custom Breaker, and I just didn’t see anything to like about it, aside from the fact that I almost immediately got rid of it for more than I paid.
 
I am a relative "newbie" to the knife world. Hence I have a lot of catching up with regards to knowledge and purchases. I'm a kid in a candy store. My intention is to buy and enjoy not buy and sell.
Like art I appreciate the the talents of each knife creator but value the usefulness and what I can do with each knife.
At worst they get muddied and make me bleed..the least they do is become a pocket fidget.
No safe queens for me.
Though I have sold a few new knives which never left it's box because I knew that knife was not for me.
When I pass it will be my wife's new hobby.😁
 
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Personally I prefer using my blades. I don’t normally expose them to tough tasks such as heavy chopping or cutting through tin, aluminum or thick plastics. However I wear them daily and love when the natural wear and patina starts showing through. Safe queens are not my thing.

Recently I came into a decent vintage Case XX collection and tried to move a few. But because I’m not interested in any online transactions I was unsuccessful. They’re definitely tough sells compared to say a Spyderco, Benchmade, etc.. My LGS wasn’t even interested in consigning them! Not tacticool enough I guess. Oh well. So it appears for the time being I’m stuck with the bunch. With that, and the fact I’m not a collector at heart, I’ve recently decided to start carrying some of them as secondary blades to my edc. They vary in condition from VG to heavy patina/wear and display some of the best walk and talk I’ve personally experienced. Keep an eye out as I’ll be posting some of them on here soon.
 
I only started to "gather" knives fairly recently. I originally was just looking for "the one" knife, but wound up buying lots at ever increasing prices. Because of having more than I need, some get only occasionally fondled and some get carried (used) fairly regularly. It has now become rather "meh" and I haven't been tempted to add to my "collection" for a couple of years.

Quite frankly, if I lost all my knives in a disaster and the insurance gave me full value, I'd probably only replace a handful and get "obsessed" and start collecting something else.
This is one that I would be quite happy with as the "only one".
KrLDduZ.jpg
 
I can understand buying a knife (insert brand here) with mammoth inlays and Damasteel that will sit in a safe- that’s more art than a tool……Or a cheap Kershaw Natrix your kids bought you that they had engraved. I will not use that one either. Everything else is fair game!!
 
I have a large collection of Spyderco knives. The only one i don't use is a WTC knife. I never buy a knife as an investment. I'm always in search for the ideal knife so i buy knives to find the ultimate EDC knife. I keep the boxes now but most of the knives i bought since 1986 don't have boxes anymore. I never expected to sell them or keep them in pristine condition. In those years Spyderco knives where a rarity in Europe and i didn't think anyone wanted to buy those weird looking American knives. It struck me as weird that so many people collected knives with the intent to sell them later for a profit. Not much of a hustler myself apparently.
 
I enjoy all the knives I have, whether they are used for carry or to be admired. I would be lying to myself if I ever thought I'd carry one of my CRK Halloween knives, but I enjoy them just the same. Besides, I've got too many other CRK's that I do use on a daily basis that bring a smile to my face.
When I buy a knife, I immediately know if it's going to be used or for collection to be admired. Here lately, I've bought users.

Knives I use (Recycled pic)
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Knives I admire
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I am a use them kinda guy so I only buy knives to use. I’ve no desire to own pretty bobbles to admire. With that said I sure have no problem with folks that do. If it makes you happy and hurts no one have at it I say.
I however have a couple that are very important as they were gifts from my girls that I rarely carry them any longer. They all saw carry as my EDC for a time and got used as such but as I get older they become more special so I don’t risk loosing them before I can had them down to my grandkids.
 
If I buy something, I am ok using it. While I may use a $500 knife differently compared to a $50 knife, I plan on the $500 getting some handle wear or a scuff or two.

I have no idea what my collection is worth. I don't care, really. I bought every knife in my collection for ME. I'm in my early 40s. I hope to have a fee more years left in me ;) When I do go, I'm guessing my daughter might pick through a few. My knows how I am and will most likely just give my collection away. I'd rather it go to someone who might enjoy it or use it than worrying about what it is worth.

Hopefully, my actual fiscal investments will cover her needs more than a 100lbs of random steel in a drawer ;)
 
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