Collection and user pieces

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raymond454

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Jun 10, 2016
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I have knives that I put in my collection category. These are pieces that are all LNIB condition from Microtech, Herucus Blomerus, Greg Lightfoot and Protech. These are handled and admired for my enjoyment but never used. I have other pieces that are users. My concern is that as soon as a collection piece becomes a user, its value (the price paid) goes down substantially. Understandable. My question is, do many knife enthusiasts take the hit and use a fine piece or preserve their condition? I don't need to use these pieces because I have others that fill that nitch. They're not "safe queens" because I handle and enjoy them often, but I do keep them pristine so they will maintain their value. What' your perspective?
 
I use what I have. I try to baby the nicer ones and not carry them as often or where I think I may really need to work them, but if I'm carrying it and a task is at hand I won't hold back.
 
I believe it to be important for an individual who is concerned about monetary value of a collector knife to spend the effort to keep those items as pristine as possible.

Materials tend to degrade over time, and by lessening the potential for degradation from environmental exposures you can prolong the life of an object.

How I wish my family had the financial aptitude to afford purchasing a few factory fresh 1970 Barracudas to lock away and store...



From my personal perspective though, I find value in the joy of using knives. The memories and experiences gained outweigh my interest in the dollar value.

If I was a wealthy man I’d invest in things other than knives to maximize profit.
 
I tend to preserve my customs, and if I decide to use a production or mid-tech piece, I’ll buy a second one to put back into the collection.

I know some disapprove of owning a knife without using it, but everything eventually gets passed on. I take care of my collection pieces not only to preserve value, but I also like to think that if those who will possess my knives in the future continue to maintain them well, then someday some of my knives may see actual use in a galaxy far, far away…
 
I’ve used everything I have, but I rarely use or carry most of them, these days. I have a habit of settling in with a 5-6 day/week knife, rotating the last 1-2 days. So, while I don’t care about monetary value retention, I can’t act like I’m better than anyone who buys safe queens. Their safe queens get almost the same amount of use that some of my stuff gets. I took my 0550 to work today and realized I’ve probably only carried it a handful of times since 2015 or so.

A big part of this, for me, is appreciation through use. I haven’t carried my Persistence for years. The pivot is gritty as hell, and the blade is in contact with the right side scale. I refuse to clean it up, because it has earned those battle scars. So, it sits, occasionally coming out to be fondled briefly.

We’re more similar than we are different.
 
I won't own a knife or firearm or mechanical watch I won't use. Since the vast majority of my collections are vintage, it rarely matters. Different strokes for different folks.
 
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I don't own enough knives YET or acquired any grail's so I use them all. I have work knives and Go out to dinner and a show knives but I use them all. My grandmother who was into collecting and and selling at flee markets told me never try to clean up a petiena on something old and never take it out of the box if it's new. As a twelve year old I never understood that but being older and wiser, or at least older, I get it now. love ya grammy and i'm sorry for refinishing that antique curio cabinet you gave me but it looks 50 years younger now.
 
I use most of my knives ... some nicer ones don't see as much use that's just their roll in my usage ...

I do have a number of duplicates that I am learning that for the most part I will probably never need so some will be getting listed to sell ...

I don't have any that were bought and not expected to see use but the duplicates and then a few that just weren't quite what I hoped or don't fit my hand right ... again I hope to start moving those a few at a time ...

I do have certain knives that get alot more use than others the just work great for my uses ... but I do gave a few guns that are the only things I have bought with no intention of really using ... and most of those have been fired ... but not carried hunting or as a carry handgun.

The older I get the less I want things that I'd just leave sit unused.
 
leghog said:
I won't own a knife or firearm or mechanical watch I won't use. Since the vast majority of my collections are vintage, it rarely matters. Different strokes for different folks.
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I own vintage guitars and gigged with them regularly (I'm old now). I never played a '50's Les Paul at roudy bar as I have other guitars that I prefer to put in harms way. Never wore a fine watch when I was doing something that would damage it aesthetically or mechanically. I use and enjoy my guitars now for home and studio use. I just sort of have the same mind set for my "collection" knives. They fit a different category for me especially when I have users at hand. Hard to explain my respect and appreciation of things, but you're right. Different strokes.
 
Enzo Ferrari loved that his cars were admired for their beauty. But he built them to be raced.

I don't own any high end knives, but if I did, I'd still use them for their intended purpose. I might not abuse them as much as I would a less expensive knife, but I wouldn't baby them either. Why buy quality if you're not going to exploit it.
 
I will never look down on someone for having safe queens. That is their right, and everyone enjoys collecting different things in different ways.

That being said, what I find fascinating about knives is the concept of functional beauty. I rotate all of my knives into my pocket. Some I don't use much anymore (tastes change), but I won't own a knife that I wouldn't use. They are not an investment for me (although I do plan on handing them down to my boys), they are something to use and enjoy.

That is why I enjoy both my Reate Horizon-D and Rockstead Higo as well as my RAT-1 and Kershaw Leek.

About the only characteristic of a knife that would have me keeping it but not using it would be sentimentality, as in the case of my great-grandfather's bayonet.
 
I get no joy from owning something and keeping it in pristine condition, while depriving myself of its use until it ends up in someone else’s hands.

Now I do have knives and firearms that are used less and more care given to than others.
 
I currently have 30 safe queens and 17 users. I do often handle (fondle:D) and admire my “safe queens” but do not carry or use them. To me that’s what makes them a safe queen.
 
No offense (which means I'm about to say something offensive), but almost anyone who is collecting knives and is worried about investment value is a running a fools errand. You want to invest? Get some stocks, bonds, gold, or even real estate. Very few turn a profit in the long run and the gains overall would be SOOO much more if you invested your money elsewhere. You want to keep it pristine because you couldn't stand to mar it's beauty? Good for you. It's yours to do as you please. But there is a reason most of us "experts" on the forums are collectors and not retailers.
 
I use all my knives, even the customs, and don't worry one whit about resale value. However, I also don't mistreat any of my knives, even the cheap ones, and keep them clean and sharp. Furthermore, I have so many knives nowadays that none of them spend huge amounts of time being used since there's so many in "the rotation." You'd have to look at some of my twenty-year-old knives if you wanted to find a knife that was considered well-worn.
 
JJ_Colt45 said:
... but I do gave a few guns that are the only things I have bought with no intention of really using ... and most of those have been fired ...
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All of them have been fired. None left the factory without being fired.
 
I know that but unfired means unfired after being purchased ... it used to be they weren't all fired and those that were .. were cleaned unlike todays guns they fire to have a bullet and casing on file for law enforcement ... and they fire and ship them as is ... dirty after test firing.

is just semantics ...
 
NorthernSouthpaw said:
No offense (which means I'm about to say something offensive), but almost anyone who is collecting knives and is worried about investment value is a running a fools errand. You want to invest? Get some stocks, bonds, gold, or even real estate. Very few turn a profit in the long run and the gains overall would be SOOO much more if you invested your money elsewhere. You want to keep it pristine because you couldn't stand to mar it's beauty? Good for you. It's yours to do as you please. But there is a reason most of us "experts" on the forums are collectors and not retailers.
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I never said anything about "investment" value as I have no interest whatsoever in turning a profit. The vast majority of similar and higher value knives that come up for sale on this forum are kept in similar fine condition (handled but not used in a traditional sense). I believe the reason for this is that there is a market for collection knives (those that most people won't use because of their aesthetic appeal). Whether those are made from unobtanium with ferret antler inlays or more traditional materials, they are generally not users. There are better choices IMO. Would one use a $1000+ knife with a mirror finish blade on a construction site? Wouldn't a Cold Steel (or similar) model be a better choice. If you would, then you answered my original question.
No offense meant or taken.
 
leghog said:
All of them have been fired. None left the factory without being fired.
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Most know that about guns and factory test firing. But as to knives, If you don't need or want to use these, don't. They're yours especially when you have the regular users that you like. I have no problem with keeping knives in as-new condition and not sharpening or using them. As to the value decrease, there is that. I don't worry about that myself as this is a hobby, not a business.
 
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