Collector....EDCer....Admirer....Addicted to packages being delivered ;-)

Gary W. Graley

Gary W. Graley

“Imagination is more important than knowledge"
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Mar 2, 1999
Messages
28,064
Hi, my name is Gary...and I think I'm more addicted to packages being delivered ;)

Let me start from the beginning, a very long time ago, before I was in school, my grandmother remembers me sitting on the curb in St Albans WV, rubbing a very old pocket knife against the corner of the curb to try and sharpen it. I've been enthused about knives since that time, actually I think it's in the DNA, which stands to reason that some people can appreciate a good knife, while others literally go bonkers of the next super steel that is announced, we are victims here guys/gals, it ain't something that is fixable I'm afraid!

At work I had just one guy, ONE GUY, that liked knives as much as I do, he retired and now I feel like folks there just tolerate me and probably rightly so, crazy knife guy, but he has cool knives that they've never seen and have never seen knives cut as well.

I have gone through several phases, as most people probably do, where if I had the means, I 'Collected' various knives, often in families by the makers. Such as Chris Reeve knives, owned many of his folders through the years. William Henry, also I had a small T10 museum, sweet knives that I just had to get every scale they were made with. That's the trouble when you have the means, there isn't a limit to what you will buy. But lately the means is not up there, or more like, the desire to HAVE a collection has passed. Maybe I'm growing wiser? or just poorer ;) I still get a knife now and then so I'm leaning toward wiser...

In order for me to move to a new knife, I usually sell one that has lost favour or is just not used as much as I had figured it would have been, so I have some followers...hangeron's as it were, waiting for the forsale thread to pop up. Some have placed dibs on knives that I only JUST got, thankfully they are friends as most are and I understand their intent.

A good friend that moved from the wilds of NJ to the tamer land of UT said, 'I think you just like getting packages in the mail' and you know, there's some truth in that too, always nice to get a package in the mail! But I do enjoy the good knife.

SO, even though for a while I was more a package delivered guy, right now I find my self more in the EDCer camp, as I'm getting very Spartan in my outlook on what knives that are kept in the household. Only those that I would use or have need of during the day. Here's a short listing right now of those;

SAK Executive...I sure wish they'd make that in an Alox version, but this is probably one of the oldest knives I've owned, carried every day
SAK black Alox Pioneer...One of the more useful SAK's I've gotten, just one blade but that's fine
Kizer Gemini...my most recent find and lord of my right front pocket for the time being, great knife, great cutter, just great
Case Peanut...This is the fancy one with green dyed bone that is laser etched with vines, pretty much none slip grip, both blades have pretty strong pull both are razor sharp, heck all my knives end up razor sharp, but the longer clip point blade is an excellent splinter picker!
Opinel #10 Slim olivewood...Food knife, plain and simple

Those are in the pocket every day, yeah I can hear you...but they are. Also in a small kit bag are a few more SAK folders that have some other tools I sometimes need as well as the Swiss Army Tool, one of the best multi tools IMNSHO

Also a Bradford USA Guardian 3 Wharnie in M390 steel and G10 scales will be worn beneath my shirt as a neck carry, and the larger Guardian 6 sometimes rides along in my car door side area.

So, right now that is about what I consider my needs, I can't think of another knife that I HAVE to have, there are many I do admire but my collecting days for the sake of collecting are past.

There, now I can finish my coffee, enjoy your weekend folks! Please feel free to chime in if you find yourself named in the subject line...:)
G2
 
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I hear you an the package thing. Makes the day just better knowing you have something pointy in the mail to you!
 
I think you seem to have it dialed in pretty well, Gary. I follow your serially monogamous knife collecting escapades with interest and amusement. I will see you post the most gorgeous pictures of some new knife you have just received, and then I go start my egg timer and start watching the exchange forum to see when it comes up for sale.

Since you do such a great job of sharpening and occasional improvement to the patterns, and often add on some of your outstanding custom leather work, I sometimes think "I hope Gary buys a knife I want so I can snag it in a week with perfect edges and a great sheath!" :D

I used to think you were crazy until I think about my drawer and shelf full of knives that I will never get around to using and I realize that you are crazy like a fox. You get to enjoy all of these interesting knives without tying up your capital sitting in a bunch of barely used knives.
 
There's nothing quite like the feeling of finding that USPS box waiting for you when you get home from work. I love the delayed gratification of changing out of my work clothes, doing chores or whatever bullshit things I need to do and then with nothing weighing on me and in full peace and quiet opening my latest possession! One of the simple joys in my life :-).

Mike
 
Nice guys, good to know you're not alone, I forgot to mention one other aspect, I guess it would fall under the Admire category, but sometimes I think I get a knife because I want to take a photograph of it, as I already envisioned what it might look like, one of those was this Boker War Toad, such great grinds on this thing, made for a nice study for the photo;

War_Toad_blade.jpg~original


G2
 
yep, three great words right there lol

Here's a shot just taken of the group named in the first post;

daily.jpg~original


G2
 
Hi G2!
I have a parcel arriving today, actually.
BM909BK. :)
See you at the Keystone Show.
rolf
 
It's been a great knife week for me. I got a grail knife and three users. Four knives all on different days, I watched tracking, I watched my mailbox like a dog waiting for its human, and hugged my assistant when she came home with my grail. Despite taking an extra shift on Thursday night and an extra busy Friday night in the ER, I could not be happier. I will admit, I totaled what I've spent this year on knives, and I was a little surprised; but hey, what's it all for?

I think, I'm now a knife idiot savant. My LTR GF (15 yrs) won't quit rolling her eyes at me or look at a knife right now.
 
Sweet Rolf ! and yes see you at the show in Feb

HST, man my family has that eye rolling thing down to a science with me!
G2

edited to clarify, my collection isn't down to just those few, but, it is close, I do have a few others that were gifted to me that make cameo appearances from time to time at work ;)
 
Gary, how did this come to pass: "collecting days for the sake of collecting are past." ?
Did you struggle at all trying to stop collecting ? Or, did the change just occur on it's own, no conscious input from you ?
kj
 
Age? Funds? hard to nail down, just sort of happened, could also be when I busted my ankle, it made me take stock of my life 'stuff' and things?

G2
 
Gary, my family thinks something is wrong with me. They are probably right. :D . I like to get that new knife from the mailman too. I wondered why your knives look better than mine.(blade envy). Finally figured it out. You take great pics. And I do not. I enjoy looking at the pics. It's ALMOST like I get a new knife too. Anyway keep it up. You have supporters here. :thumbup:
 
Gary I also think the farther we travel down this road the more our desires change. I now most enjoy old beat up knives and seeing how well I can clean them up and sharpen them. I am slowly headed towards trying to mod some old traditional knives and am gathering up tools and materials as we speak. I believe what ever path we find ourselves on as long as we are enjoying the journey it is the right path.
 
Ya named me twice in the subject line, Gary.

I used to be the Collector type, but I gave that up when the kids came along. Man I had some stuff... gave lots of it away and kept what I thought I'd use... thousands of dollars worth of stuff.

Now the kids are old enough and lo and behold they appreciate knives too. Damn the luck. They'd have really appreciated that Tom Mayo Odessa II.

These days I won't purchase a knife unless it's an EDC possibility, however I also have the Admirer in me that will grab up something on a whim. Sometimes you have to take home a piece if it speaks to you. I have a couple of knives that simply give me enjoyment just by picking them up and admiring them.

Dibs on the Guardian 3 ol' boy. ;)
 
My twin brother,
Love that little case. Gorgeous!

Ebb and flow. I think that's just how it works. The key is just to finding what makes you happy, and sticking with it. :)

Sorry I missed Ashokan, this year. We need to plan to catch up.
 
It's a journey to be sure! and Matt it was a great weekend there, next year is Swords so make one :)

and that Case peanut is pretty sweet, here is a crop from that photo, you can see how the laser engraving into the bone provides some nice texture, it also flows into the engraved bolsters too

Ivy_peanut.jpg~original


G2
 
I've been known to run home on my lunch hour to grab the package frm the Mail box
 
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