Collecting Knives: What are your preferences?

[golok]

I am not a serious collector of knives but I do collect them. I know there are thousands of very serious-minded knife collectors out there who spend much time and even much more money on this hobby.

How does one begin an adult-version of knife collection? I know of some people who only collect folders. There are others, of course, who narrow the scope to 4-inch-and- below folders. That may be taking things a bit to the extreme but that's their style.

There are also some who only buy and collect custom knives - folders or fixed blade. Nothing else thrills them.

But all these boil down to one thing: How great is thy passion for knives as a hobby?

If you are like me, a mere mortal with a very breakable budget, then you will have to play it by ear, or even by feel (like handling the knife), with an eye always on the wallet.
How does one go about collecting knives when a personal monthly budget does not stretch very much? I guess it again comes down to how deep is your interest.

I believe when a collector is determined to possess a particular blade, he will simply have to sacrifice some other less important things. He may have to save for months. He may have to give up his weekend movies. He may even have to take a second job, or give up smoking, for a while.
All these sacrifices add to the value of the knife he craves.

How do we then embark on this wonderful hobby? Do we set aside a certain sum of money every month to buy a new blade? Do we categorise our collection to two sections: customs folders and production limited editions?
Or do we get a bit more ambitious and narrow the interest down to two or three famous custom knife makers. We can just concentrate on those few names and nobody else.
If you are like me, an ordinary Joe, then you would probably spend nights on end about which direction this knife collection is heading. Should I stick to folders and forget about fixed blades?
Perhaps in future when I become more acquainted with the art of collecting knives, I may gather the courage to purchase the high-end customs folders.
Whatever the destination, one thing's for sure, it provides endless hours of pleasure and a lifelong education of a tool instrumental in the advancement of man since time immemorial.

It also brings people closer together and sometimes form great friendships. This, I am only begun to learn, is one of the wonderful fringe benefits of this delightful hobby.

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Make Love your strongest weapon. Compassion your shield and forgiveness your armour.

 

[richard rosvall]

Because of budget issues, my small custom collection is mainly limited to small fixed blades by various makers. I'm partial to these anyhow because I can carry them pretty much anywhere and find them extremely useful. It never ceases to amaze me how many custom makers produce excellent quality small fixed blades for the price of a good production folder. I'd recommend going to the Custom Makers link here and just start browsing. Even on a limited budget you can find some real gems.

 

[Tom Anderson]

Golok:

If you're collecting knives for their investment value, talk to one of the top purveyors. If you're collecting knives for their performance, talk to manufacturers and other users. Otherwise, collect what YOU like. (That will make you happy!)

Just be careful - I started as a collector. Now, I don't have to worry about saving money for that next knife... it's already spent on equipment and materials!

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Tom Anderson
Hand Crafted Knives

 

[RattlerXX]

Good post! I started collecting Case knives at an early age, and still enjoy adding to the Case family. However, I am a pushover for a good blade, and recently discovered that I own as many different brands as I do Case knives. Oh well!! Collect all good brands, and unusual pieces.

RattlerXX

 

[Paracelsus]

I buy what I like. What I like to collect are knives that represent different styles, materials, and techniques of the art of knifemaking. Because smaller fixed blades are the most inexpensive way to get into collecting great work by famous makers, I have concentrated on fixed blade utility knives and hunters in 3 to 5 inch blade lengths until very recently.

I do not collect any knife thinking about investment or resale value and have never sold any knife. I just buy things I love, and can afford.

For the most part I have purchased knives at shows and on the internet. I don't exactly have a budget, or a timetable for knife purchases, sometimes going for months without buying a new knife, and sometimes buying several within a short period of time.

Although I do have a few knives on order, for the most part I like the instant gratification of buying knives that I like when I see them. I have little interest in having a maker produce a knife to My specifications, preferring to buy their vision of the ideal blade. But I have friends who feel that designing their own blades, and specifying materials, and having a talented maker produce the knife is the most satisfying part of knife collecting (these could be called true custom knives).

I have a fondness for forged blades, but I haver some outstanding example of stock removal knives also. I have an admiration for the goals and purpose of the American Bladesmith Society (ABS) and have several knives made by ABS Mastersmiths.

What I am mostly interested in is that the knife be somewhat unique, and different from other knives that I have. I have knives made by relatively unknown makers, and some made by very famous makers. I have a strong preference for natural handle materials, and carbon steel blades (the most inexpensive way to obtain high quality forged knives). I also like damascus blades, and appreciate the newer stainless steels like 420V.

There is no end to enjoyable aspects of knife collecting and admiration. The history of knifemaking is fascinating. I enjoy reading about metallurgy and the making of pattern welded steels (damascus). I get a thrill when folks notice a knife I am carrying or using and ask about it. Most think I am completely nuts, but some have developed a fascination for edgy things too. The community feeling and friendships that one can develop in this hobby are very rewarding. I probably enjoy looking at knives, and talking about them as much as owning and using fine knives.

My main interest is in the Art of knives. I do not mean collecting 'art' knives. I mean the art of making a superior, functional, and beautiful tool. Recently, I have started to get very interested in small traditional sort of folders. I am not a fan of so-called tactical knives, but I have nothing against them either. I just buy what I like. Everyone will have their own reasons for liking particular styles, makers, materials, sizes, etc. There are probably as many reasons for enjoying knives as there are knife owners.

My first post here at BFC was a long explanation of my collecting criteria. It is posted at www.knifeart as an article called Collecting Knives as Art. My point was not to emphasize collecting 'art' knives, but to explain that I think all handmade knives can be considered as art. Even if they are simple, unadorned, and inexpensive.

Paracelsus

Some of my knives

 

[C Ben Susrool]

Wow Tom,
Beautiful little knife!
Details?

 

[glockman99]

I collect Cold Steel knives.

.

I buy/trade here at BladeForums (mainly), and at KnifeForums and BuySharpForums.

I look around in pawn shops, 2nd hand shops, flea markets, yard/garage sales, knife shows, and gun shows.

Collecting knives is fun, and gives me a chance to meet some pretty great folks!.

..

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Dann Fassnacht
Aberdeen, WA
glockman99@hotmail.com
ICQ# 53675663

 

[PhilL]

I collect Stag. It doesn't seem to matter much to me if it's a folder or fixed blade, production, handmade or custom made to my drawings. I like different styles with a tradional look to them. Right now in stag I have; 2 Bowies, 1 Fighter, 3 Daggers, 3 Hunters, 1 Skinner, 3 slip joints, 1 lockback and 1 custom linerlock folder. It's starting to look like a collection.

Money is an issue and I don't buy or order a knife unless I have the cash to pay for it, even if I know the knife won't be ready for a month or more. I set a budget for the year and I usually stay within $100 of that number. I look for a quality knife makers that price there knives to sell, and there are a bunch of them to choose from. It's not that I don't appreciate the well known makers , or that they aren't a good value. I know I'm slowly moving in that direction where I'll be buying more expensive knives, just less of them.
I'm still new to this collecting thing. I buy for me and not for resale, all of my knives are special in one way or another and that may be because I don't have hundreds of knives. Nor do I particularly want a ton of knives sitting in a safe.

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"Will work 4 Knives!"
My PhotoPoint Site

 

[redvenom]

I'd like to think I buy knives to use and if those knives look as good as they perform, that's an added bonus. Fortunately we are pretty spoilt for choice these days as there are lots of companies and craftsmen making beautiful, high performance knives.

I don't worry too much about the investment value and such. Knives are meant to cut stuff and for me the very best part of owning a good knife is using it. As a result, most of my knives have little scratches and scuffs but I don't lose any sleep over it. If I just wanted knives to look at, I'd buy Jim Weyer's Points of Interest book. I tell myself I can always earn more money but a great knife is a treasure I can use until the last days of my life.

Just my 2 cents worth
Red

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"Praise not the day until evening has come;a sword until it is tried; ice until it has been crossed; beer until it has been drunk" - Viking proverb

 

[WKeating]

Having over 100 knives in my collection I'd say that large locking folders are my favorite. I'v never paid over $100 for a knife and really like production knives from the 60's,70's and early 80's. This was a time when Japanese made knives were becoming some of the best knives made and due to the yen vs. $ were of exceptional value. I love bone,stag,micarta and some of the exotic hardwoods used in the scales along with the brass bolsters. A lot of the steel in these knives was 440C or 154cm and they were very well made. The big Gerber,Kershaw, Western,Katz, Rigid,S&W,Puma,Lokata,Bench Mark (Rolox) and Browning folders really turn me on and reminds me of being in a deer camp after supper in front of a fire with a hot toddie when everyone took out their carry knives and started comparing them. I also like odd ball knives from this time period like the Jody Sampson designed knives (I have 3 of them) and some of the imports from Precise, Gutmann (German),G-96 Italian Fox line and other excellent imports like Atlanta Cutlery used to have. These looked liked real using knives with interesting and inovative designs with well made leather sheaths to be carried for years and then handed down from father to son like a fine rifle or shotgun. My only regret is not being able to get a Barry Wood (Colt) folder (I have a well made Italian copy but alas not a BW) or the early Gerber hunting folder with all hardwood scales. The price on both of these are now out of sight! (If you can find one) I also have some early BM,s when they first started using 154 cm and ats34. The fun was going to guns shows,old hardwear and gun stores and finding some real deals. Weldonk

 

[golok]

Dear Para,

I have read your "Collecting Knives as Art" with great interest.

Now that I am better informed and certainly a little more knowledgeable, I hope to have half your luck in looking for the kind of knives I want and as much as of your joy in possessing them.

I share your well expressed sentiments on buying and appreciating knives from relative unknown knifemakers who have put their hearts and souls into their metal creations.

Sometimes we do get lucky. Most of the time, no. But those few lucky times make up for those endless months of searching, and the pleasure lingers on long after the search is over.

Thanks for your illuminating and enlightening piece which has helped me a lot and I am sure a lot of others, too.



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Make Love your strongest weapon. Compassion your shield and forgiveness your armour.