Collecting or Manipulating?

Collecting or Manipulating?

  • Manipulating :)

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Collecting :cool:

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
ChungSan

ChungSan

Joined
Jul 25, 2000
Messages
816
I know most of us here manipulate and collect balisongs. For me manipulating got me interested in collecting. I find myself spending more time collecting lately than manipulating.

If you had to choose between manipulating balisongs only or collecting balisongs only though which would it be?:confused: If your choice is manipulating only lets say you would limit yourself to only owning two balisongs.:eek:

Lucky you'll never really have to make that decision.:p
 
Great question, a real tuffy. My vote would go to manipulating hands down, I would rather have one jag a year to do with as I please than a batch of 49SPLs to handle with white gloves. In fact, collecting gives me more pleasure in seeing the manipulating qualities of each knife than in just knowing that I have a particular model. I think that there is a balance between the two. If you have no interest in the mechanics, history, or anything beyond using the knife than it becomes only a toy. If you become too obsessed with collecting (cough, cough, dawkind, cough cough) ;) than you burn holes in your wallet and don't get the full pleasure possible from your hobby.
 
What if my hobby is collecting rare knives? I think then I'm living up to my hobby's potential. I do manipulate quite alot myself though.
 
I could deal with manipulating only real easy, but.... owning only two? Good thing I live in the good ole U.S. of A. so that my options are not so limited. :D

However, I have been asked to make a simple choice. ANSWER: Manipulate! of course! Kind of like asking which came first, the chicken, or the egg!?;)

Best regards,
 
Definitely manipulating. In my way of thinking there are really only two reasons to collect knives and not use them, 1.) to invest in something that will bring you a profit later, or 2.) to have something pretty to look at. If you collect for the investing purposes, you can surely find other things to invest in the will bring a comparable profit. If you collect to have something pretty to look at, you can go online and see pics of just about every bali available. While I realize it is not quite the same as seeing the real thing in person, it is close enough to warrant my answer of manipulating over collecting. The way I look at it, it can be likened to the question: would you rather have 50 hot supermodels you can only look at, but never touch, or only 2, but you could do anything you wanted with them? When using that analogy, for me at least the answer becomes crystal clear.
 
Damn. I guess it would have to be collecting.

I have (tried) to limit my knife collecting to ONLY BALISONGS. (it's hard)

I use, and abuse, my 42. But if you have balis that are in mint condition (and will stay that way) in your safe, or under your stairs, or proping up the table, or floating around your sock drawer... Then you know what the love of collecting is all about.

Right now, I only have 4 (4=four) mint condition balis. I just took a count, (it comes out different every time) and came up with 47.
I have seven more on the way and paid for.
I don't see how I could possibly kill 54 people. (assuming I am a cereal killer and used a different bali for each kill (how many people can you kill with one knife?))

Actually, I'm almost good enough with a bali, that I'm thinking of joining a gang. I hear that all the gang members use balis. I might even start dressing more styley...
 
Both, but if I had to choose, the fun one, Manipulate. That was an easy choice. While I also collect knives and enjoy looking at and handling some of the special ones, the real enjoyment comes from using them. I would rather have one to use and play with than ten to only look at. Sorry, but the balisong was made to be played with. But if I had a Darrel Ralph special blue handled damascus blade bali, I might be persuaded to change my mind. :D
 
I think all of us that stay with the "hobby" actually begin to have a presence in both domains at some point. The temptation is certainly to vote for manipulation because we all like doing that..., but as we handle more and more "Variations on a Theme" so-to-speak..., I think most of us, at some point..., do become what an outsider would call a "Collector".

With the current collectable nature of the knife we have all chosen as our Favorite..., it is also easy to rationalize "collecting"..., because there is certainly a very viable secondary market which makes us feel "smart" by seeking highly sought pieces from the past and present. This is not the case with many knives labelled "collectable" (ouststanding knives I might add)..., and as several knowledgeable people have mentioned, our "Preferred Toy" is a really good investment!!

I just like to have 'em all :) ....because I like 'em.., but for those that are more thoughtful..., there certainly is a profit motive in planning what you buy in this arena. With all the excitement generated by new makers and Benchmade getting back into the game.., I really believe it's made us all think somewhat about the collectibility of these knives. Personally I've never sold one Balisong in over 30 years of owning them, but it is a temptation when I see current values on certain models. I have sold and traded other knives.., and will continue to do so to get more Balisongs, but I do think Balisong folks are somewhat different than most people that have lots of "edged implements". We get sort of attached to them..., make up names for favorites...etc. Maybe I'm totally off base, but I think most of the Bali-People I've known have a much harder time parting with knives they've spent "active time" with..., than those who sell collectable Randall Hunters for Mega-Bucks. 99.9% of those that "Collect" that type of knife..., will never have a "feel" for it.., or much less taint it's essence by actually using it to "cut" anything....let alone use it for a hunting knife.

We get our knives...., and we "flip" them.., maybe not too much in some cases :).., but we want to have the "feel" for them all, not just stick them in a vault or safe.

Yeah Yeah...I'm dodging the question :barf: ....and I voted for MANIPULATION.., but I have an embarrassing number of Balisongs that probably make me one of those "other guys." :( Anyway if you ever buy a Balisong from me and I say it's NEVER been swung.., I'm flat LYING. :)

"Collector" makes me feel old..., so I'm not one.... :p

SO THERE!!!


"Hunters seek what they [WANT].., Seekers hunt what they [NEED]"
 
Manipulation without a doubt. If I had to choose, the joy of using outweighs the joy of owning. (If that’s possible. This could take us down the trail of quantum physics… But I digest.);) I think that most of us here have at least thousand dollars worth of metal stashed around their house. Does the first automatically lead to the second?
 
Hey
the blue ano bali works just like a tactical bali. They all can be refurbished. !!!!!!!!!!

Enjoy

geminis coming soon!
 
I've got no problem paying for quality, but, I'm going to get my money's worth out of itand see just what I payed for. I really don't plan on selling any of my knives, I learned that lesson with my guns, so I'll use them but not abuse them.

Mer
 
definitely manipulation...but I still want a Tachyon...!!!!!

maybe the Mom will spring for a Christmas present
 
Originally posted by Darrel Ralph
Hey
the blue ano bali works just like a tactical bali. They all can be refurbished. !!!!!!!!!!

Enjoy

geminis coming soon!
Click to expand...
Bring 'em on Darrel!!!:D
 
I'm really into both, but lately i've been leaning nore to the collecting side. but I still love to twirl a song:D
 
Interesting results, maybe we needed a third category, "can't decide". Talk about a group of "manipulative" people :D though.
 
Manipulating all the way...

If I do buy a bali for collection-starting purposes, it would be something like a Tachyon or a BM-49. My 42, though in need of a good pass or two on a sharpening stone, has been perfect for manipulation. Of course, my next acquisition will be a 47BLK, or a 43A. Of course, that's when Santa Claus makes a deal with Les De Asis... :D:D:D
 
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