Collecting wtf

[The Amazing Virginian]

I have "using knives" and "collecting knives." Using knives get used without thought. Collecting knives get pampered.

Kind of like the having a wife and a mistress.

Just kidding!

The collecting knives are just for display. Like someone might display paintings or vases. A few folks can make money at it, but there is a lot of work/research involved in that. I don't ever expect to sell my collecting knives. They are just to look at - like artwork or decorations.

 

[TwinStick]

For the first time in my life, i bought a set of 3 FPR tweeners & plan not to use them. I plan on giving them to my daughter some day, when i am getting ready to push up daisies. She knows & shares my love a good quality blade & the outdoors & hunting. So, hopfully, as she occasionally gazes at them, she will be reminded of me & what we shared & of the man that created the wonderfull Becker line. Or, she will use them, or she will hock them for some money---who the hell knows. That was my thought at the time of purchase anyways. Maybe it was my conscience just justifying another knife purchase---who the hell knows.

 

[Chameleonbear]

Every knife I've ever bought has been used. I have 2 knives that I don't carry. One cause it is a POS from a gas station down in Mexico from a friend (it really was just the thought that made it special) and the other is a 2 dot Buck 110 that my grandfather gave me when he died. That one even manages to find its way into my pocket for certain occasions. Me and my 3 cousins all got one, so when we meet up we all bring them. It's just something to remember/honor him with.

That all being said, I have several knives (around 30) not the largest collection by any means on here however I do have my favorites that I usually carry. Lately my carry options have been a ZT350 and a BK-14 with Zytel.

 

[CQC86]

I was the same way until my knives starting getting more expensive and rare. Before too long, I would buy something nice like a BM42 in mint condition and just clean it up from time to time. Just knowing that I have something thats sought after gives me a thrill. Some people can make a ton of money on knives. Lets say you bought 10 BM42s back in 2005 for 170.00 each, fast forward to 2012 and they all go for 400.00
That means, a 1700.00 investment turned into 4000.00 in just 7 years. That is earning roughly 19.3% interest every year. Considering that most CDs are in the 1% range or lower, I think it is a great investment. Besides, it's fun and there are worse things to do with money. Also, unlike a lot of things you will have something to show for the money. I'm not saying that you should collect, I'm just trying to help you understand why some people might like to collect. By the way, I wish I would have bought 100 BM42s.

 

[dustyzz]

Well I for one collect production knives... mostly mid-tech folders and fixed blade knives, but I also have a small-ish collection of traditional slip joint knives. It really has nothing to do with "having more toys than anybody else", nor is it about trying to make a profit at a later date. My collecting is more along the lines that someone mentioned earlier in this thread about knives being a form of mechanical art. I enjoy the beauty and artistry that goes into a well executed knife... and being the visual/tactile individual that I am, I like being able to physically lay my hands on knives that interest me rather than looking at knives in a catalog or book. I never tire of looking at or handling the knives in my collection. I have specimens that range all the way from manufacturers like Hinderer and Chris Reeves all the down to Cold Steel, Gerber, and Condor... and a lot of other knives from manufacters that would be considered in between. If it's sharp and at least a little bit "sexy", then I'm a big fan. As my gramps used to say: "Variety is the spice of life!"

Hope this helps.

/dusty

 

[Tyler_C]

I was the same way until my knives starting getting more expensive and rare. Before too long, I would buy something nice like a BM42 in mint condition and just clean it up from time to time. Just knowing that I have something thats sought after gives me a thrill. Some people can make a ton of money on knives. Lets say you bought 10 BM42s back in 2005 for 170.00 each, fast forward to 2012 and they all go for 400.00
That means, a 1700.00 investment turned into 4000.00 in just 7 years. That is earning roughly 19.3% interest every year. Considering that most CDs are in the 1% range or lower, I think it is a great investment. Besides, it's fun and there are worse things to do with money. Also, unlike a lot of things you will have something to show for the money. I'm not saying that you should collect, I'm just trying to help you understand why some people might like to collect. By the way, I wish I would have bought 100 BM42s.

Makes a lot of sense I'm just gonna dumb it down for different strokes. But I understand.

 

[blt-2-drg]

Buy 2 of each knife... 1 to use and 1 to save. Best of both worlds.

Knives, like anything, can be an investment. Something is always worth money to the right person. Look at Busse or Randall for instance, i've seen them sell for 4 or 5 times there original price.

I'd rather invest in guns or knives than pretty much anything else.

 

[ol_sc]

Sig'd that C_Tanner! lmao!

I guess I'm like most people here, I don't have a ton of knives and I use them all, but most people I know look at me and think I'm crazy for collecting so many.

 

[paperairplane]

Somebody's buying all those Gil Hibben knives...

How often do you pass a Corvette doing 65mph on the highway.

If I won't use something, I don't buy it. However, some things get retired - like my dad's Buck 119 he carried to SERE school almost 40 years ago. I'm not going to go baton wood with it for giggles anymore. My Gen 1 Delica - has been reground and a new belt clip installed, also retired after years of loyal EDC.

 

[PapaTango52]

ain't nothing like a virgin. blade. hahaha

 

[K9-Handler]

For the first time in my life, i bought a set of 3 FPR tweeners & plan not to use them. I plan on giving them to my daughter some day, when i am getting ready to push up daisies.

Yeah, but by then anything over 2.5 inches will be illegal!

Really, we've all got WAY more Beckers than we can use -- how many blades do we have to take with us to baton some poor tree? How often do we really NEED to baton a tree? Carrying three Beckers or more would require at least a hand truck! It has to go back to our caveman roots -- which was the first tool -- a rock hammer or a sharp piece of flint that cut? Either one, there is something in our DNA that makes us want weapons. And the more the better.

 

[woody d]

Life is short and money is just paper.

i like this answer best

 

[Zuluninja]

I only have 3 safe queens, and the first one to get that name was not a premeditated action; I plunked down 150 for a benchmade bali 11 years ago, but when I saw how poor was the practicality of it for my type of work (I'm an ag specialist for cbp, we cut a lot of stuff everyday) it went into the drawer, only to be wiped and flipped a couple times on rare ocassions. Last time I checked, the buggers are going for almost triple what I paid for it. Soooo...it stays in the drawer. Not practical, yet valuable.

2nd queen was an afterthought as I realized the Spyderco Forester is the biggest spyder to date, made in Italy by Fox, and discontinued. I bet that sexy slab of steel is gonna be worth a lot more that what I paid somewhere in the future.

3rd was the fpr BK16. Nuff said. The thing is...I don't think I will let go, but I know that if the crap hits the fan, I can make some money from my investments. Every other knife I have gets edc'ed and beat upon.

 

[Myker]

I collect for the future cash in factor mainly, some I love and can never use, like my BK6

 

[SENGVIN]

No point to collect cheap knives ($20-$200) as there will not be increase in value! the hell, what am I Talking about i collect those too dam :-(