Collecting vs. Use Patterns

rmill7

rmill7

Joined
Dec 28, 2018
Messages
98
Over the last year and a half I have diverted all my fun-money from firearms to knives. I went from shooting every day to shooting once or twice a month. Small town to big city move will do that I guess. :( Everyone here who is into firearms can attest; ammo costs more than pretty much any gun you buy (if you’re shooting regularly). That money adds up!

Last night I pulled out all of my nice knives, cleaned some, tinkered a little, and noticed a pretty strong pattern!! I keep buying a big and a little from my favorite designers/manufacturers:
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In some of these pairs, the first knife I bought was a standout and the second doesn't do it for me. In other pairs, the second knife makes so much more sense that I stop carrying the first!

I know a lot of members here have collections with a strong pattern. Do you stray from that trend but ultimately return? Do you buy knives but keep carrying the same trusty companions?
 
I buy knives mostly from my own research, I try to stick with 3.3-3.5”, see who’s doing some great work and get a knife from them, only knife I have 4 of is Holt and CRK, I have some nice ones on the way but I know how you feel, I use to shoot IPSC/USPSA/IDPA, but I found that I can enjoy my knives everywhere as opposed to guns
 
rmill7 rmill7 You leaning toward carrying the smaller of the pairs or larger?

I have really slowed down all knife purchases this year. I have been going small in general as my usage doesn't really justify the extra pocket space for the larger knife. The other trend has been buying traditional knives over modern knives. I don't need any knives and the traditional knives attract me regardless of whether I carry them or not. I definitely have preferences on patterns. I don't buy anything that I know I won't use any more. Not really a collector.
 
I have carry all of my knives
In fact when I don’t carry a blade I end selling it.

i think my collection has evolved according to what knives I think I was needing at some point
After experimenting different shapes and manufacturers, increasing, cutting down and rebuilding my small collection , I realise that 80% of the time I carry only a couple of models.
The rest of my collection is really used to bring some fun and to bring a rotation in my EDC
 
Grandmaster Grandmaster I think that's the biggest reason I slowed down my gun spending. I get to enjoy my knives pretty much everywhere I go. I also left behind all of my friends that I shot with, very few of my new friends get it :(

22-rimfire 22-rimfire I carry very different knives to work than I do for date nights and beer gardens. The only knife in this picture that I find myself regularly taking everywhere is the small Sebenza. I bought the large first, and it is a fantastic knife, but the small.... It feels like it is the modern version of what everyone's grandpa carried. With the XM18's, the 3.5" was the second purchase and the larger version feels like the correct size for me. Maybe that's why I started getting the pairs.

Don't get me wrong, I carry and use all of my knives! There are just some that I don't carry that often, and they will probably end up on the Exchange. Including some in this picture!
 
As an office drone, most of my knives will never see abuse, or much use at all. Even the knives I carry most often tend to look new for the most part because A. I take care of them and B. I don't abuse them. Those knives I use whenever I have "hard use" task requirements usually end up being the same two or three knives (usually Cold Steels). After all, why would I mess up something nice when I can abuse something replaceable? As is, I have more sharp edges in my house than I'll ever dull in my lifetime, and I like that just fine. I usually have two or three knives on me at any given time, and do so purely for the enjoyment of owning and being able to use finely made tools. There's an elegance to a finely made knife that's equaled by few things, I feel. It's what works for me.

Like others here have already expressed, I used to be much more into guns before realizing that I just don't get the time to shoot as often as I used to since the range nearest to me closed, and the next closest one is like 45 minutes to an hour away in traffic. Knives however, you can take out of the box, put it right in your pocket and head out. Cut some food at lunch, open a box, cut some tape, trim a shirt thread, scrape something off of something else, much more useful.
 
I started with military, famous models. Then moved to higher end tacticool practical tactical knives. Then I pursued very famous names and models I wanted to experience in my own hands. Some fancy, some not so much, but "flagships" of the market.

Now I rarely buy, and I use every single one of them, or else I sell them. Some that Im tempted to keep I try to at least use in the kitchen.

I have noticed I keep around just two or three, and they all look like crap after mods and use ;)

The next logical step for me is to either end my knife hoarding days or jump to the custom department. However I do feel hoarding something someone made with care juar for me and letting it rot in a drawer is just not right. Something that doesnt happen to me with production or mid-tech generic knives.
 
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