Collector or user?

I like "selective user" as it covers what many most of us do. Re. 22-rimfires comment about "man jewelry" I also agree and suggest them same. If you have several knives and choose which to carry on a daily basis based on whim, without regard for that day's possible application then it is jewelry, which I think is fine. With the exception of my Zieba, which has a scalpel for a blade, I'm always ready for the Amazon package sitting at my door. I'll go out on a limb and say at least 25% of the knives owned on this site are pretty much only used for opening packages and mail, and I think that is a low #.
 
I'm a collector and a user.

Some I carry and use. Others I never use. I just like knowing I own a pristine example of a certain knife tucked away in the knife drawer.

Then I buy duplicates of knives that I'm especially fond of. And if I need to thin out the herd from time to time , I sell a few only to make room for new acquisitions.

It's all fun. And that's what matters most to me.
 
5881 said:
I like "selective user" as it covers what many most of us do. Re. 22-rimfires comment about "man jewelry" I also agree and suggest them same. If you have several knives and choose which to carry on a daily basis based on whim, without regard for that day's possible application then it is jewelry, which I think is fine. With the exception of my Zieba, which has a scalpel for a blade, I'm always ready for the Amazon package sitting at my door. I'll go out on a limb and say at least 25% of the knives owned on this site are pretty much only used for opening packages and mail, and I think that is a low #.
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That was me not .22 rimfire.
;)


But again, I'll support any "brother of the blade".
Whatever "polishes your steel" is good with me.
I personally won't buy safe queens.
Knives or guns.
 
I was a user before I became a collector. Let's face it; knives have a very long life cycle. Even if you use a single knife constantly, it will likely out live you, unless you damage it through abuse. So as you gradually increase the number of knives you will drift into collector mode. Even if you rotate your knives daily, you still have way many more knives than you can use; and, you will still end up collecting.

n2s
 
Goal is to be a user vs collector, but I end up "collecting" knives I don't use. As a rule, if I don't use them within a year I sell them. A few years back I decided that the things I owned owned me back, and I focused on downsizing, so knives, firearms, watches etc down to what I will actually use if possible. Yet, something catches my eye, I convince myself I will use it, and I don't. Such is life.
 
That's my goal as well (users only now). Knives that I buy and are never used are still not collector knives for me, just unused knives. Had a fella read one of my posts a while back and wanted a certain GEC slippie that I owned and had not used. I sold it to him as he was in fact a collector. I think it went to a good home and I hope it made him happy.

I don't see anything wrong with selective user knives. The reality is that most of my knives are selective users as if the task is really nasty or abrasive, I may well grab a utility knife and not dirty up my pocket knife.... examples are cutting asphalt shingles or opening more than one bag of concrete mix.
 
I don't consider collecting to be something that just happens unless you make a decision to do so. For example, as a young man I purchased a number of Colt revolvers (Pythons, Diamondbacks, Detective Special, and so forth) that were being sold retail. Years later I decided to become a collector and began buying pieces that fit into my developing collection. At that point, I shot only a couple of my Colts and started buying S&W revolvers. Arguably, most the S&W ones are now collectible also but I was never a S&W collector.

Man jewelry, just fine. Barbecue knives.....
 
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I remember when I used to carry a splintered stick then one day I saw a guy with a pile of sharpened bones, my mind was blown, granted I was a Neanderthal back then so I was easily impressed.

So I ate the guy and added his bones to the collection. Later I stretched his skin over a hollow tree trunk and beat his bones to a war cry. Those were the good old days, I really miss that guy, I think his name was Food.

Moral of the story, use what you carry but be prepared to use your collection or you may be boned.
 
22-rimfire said:
I don't consider collecting to be something that just happens unless you make a decision to do so. For example, as a young man I purchased a number of Colt revolvers (Pythons, Diamondbacks, Detective Special, and so forth) that were being sold retail. Years later I decided to become a collector and began buying pieces that fit into my developing collection. At that point, I shot only a couple of my Colts and started buying S&W revolvers. Arguably, most the S&W ones are now collectible also but I was never a S&W collector.

Man jewelry, just fine. Barbecue knives.....
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I shoot my BBQ guns, but then again, most of the custom goodness is inside and they are built to fly.

:D
Carrying a knife you won't dare use is like carrying a fancy unloaded gun.
o_O

If that's your thing, more power to ya, and I'll support that freedom loving decision,....but I don't see the logic.
 
Bad Ninja said:
...Carrying a knife you won't dare use is like carrying a fancy unloaded gun. o_O
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BBQ guns or knives are FANCY things (engraved stuff, maybe a Bill Moran knife, and so forth) that are expensive and something to just show off if that is something a person likes to do. Me, I don't show anything off other than the occasional picture here. I try to just enjoy the hobby regardless and I have plenty of users that I don't need to use the BBQ stuff. My BBQ "show and tell" would be rather quick unless they just want to see a lot of knives. That's okay too.

I wouldn't carry a fancy gun, loaded or otherwise.
 
I enjoy both using and collecting. I like the idea of being a user only, but something in my brain insists on keeping some knives in mint condition. However illogical, I get some pleasure from knowing I have a knife resting peacefully in its box even if I never fondle it. Yeah I know, weird. I also like displaying some knives.
I do carry a knife daily and frequently rotate that carry. Using the knife, sharpening, modding, buying and selling are all part of the hobby.
 
Most of these discussions end up centering around semantics.
How do you define a user? or a collector piece?
If you visit the forums here, you certainly have more than one knife. You are a collector by some definitions.
Like to try different steels? You are a steel collector.
The Mora under my front seat for an emergency may by some people's definition is a collector piece. Hasn't been needed or used in a long time. It is a under the seat queen. :)
If you bought it to sell it later (for hopefully more), that is a user too! You are using it - just for a different purpose. Again semantics!
Free market baby!
If you like it and it is worth it to you, buy it, and enjoy it any way you want! Flick it all day if you wish! Whittle a stick if you want. Or just marvel at the workmanship, design, execution, or the awesome piece of stag for the handle, or what ever floats your boat. After all, it is yours.
My definition:
No matter how you enjoy it or for what purpose, it is a user. :thumbsup:
 
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They’re all users unless I bought it specifically to resell. I’ve bought a few knives, held on to them for 10-20 years and maybe 2-3 X back what I spent on it.

I bought this 30 years ago not knowing what it was until about 10 years ago. Mid 1800s custom Hungarian Sziráky. I carried it in my watch pocket for 20 years, I even toyed with the idea of replacicing the scales till I found out some history on the maker.

L62Ra41h.jpg


I am more of an accumulator/user and fan of the different types of knives out there. I appreciate a knife for what it was meant to be like I appreciate a classic car, motorcycle or even a classic old school film based camera.

To me if I have it, there’s a 99% chance it’s gettin’ carried and used.
 
22-rimfire said:
BBQ guns or knives are FANCY things (engraved stuff, maybe a Bill Moran knife, and so forth) that are expensive and something to just show off if that is something a person likes to do. Me, I don't show anything off other than the occasional picture here. I try to just enjoy the hobby regardless and I have plenty of users that I don't need to use the BBQ stuff. My BBQ "show and tell" would be rather quick unless they just want to see a lot of knives. That's okay too.

I wouldn't carry a fancy gun, loaded or otherwise.
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I'll get that part.. just not actually carrying around a fancy knife/tool that you don't intend to ever use.
But that's just me.
I'll celebrate a fancy knife owner's choice to do it though.
I love anyone's free choices to collect and carry whatever they want.
I have friends with $7,000 custom rifles, and a few with Loveless knives worth more than my entire knife collection.
They don't use em. But they also don't carry them.

I actually love the diversity of the knife/gun communities.
I think it drives innovation more than practicality.
 
I don't own a knife that I wouldn't carry. I've never spent much over $200 on a knife. A production ZT, Spyderco, Benchmade, etc. is the top of my limit. Unless I hit the lotto, a mid custom, custom, Busse, Sebenza, is not an option for me.

I don't believe in safe queens with one exception. If I found an early Randall or something exotic at an estate sale, garage sale, etc. that might be very valuable, that might go in the safe. That would be a sell it off and put the $ toward a newer car situation.
 
Sorry Bad Ninja, I should get the names straight of those I agree with! I like "whatever polishes your steel". That said I'm waiting for the guy who has been carrying the same fixed blade for 25 years that he made himself Which is cool and noteworthy) to hop on this thread and call me a sissy, which I can live with.
 
22-rimfire said:
BBQ guns or knives are FANCY things (engraved stuff, maybe a Bill Moran knife, and so forth) that are expensive and something to just show off if that is something a person likes to do. Me, I don't show anything off other than the occasional picture here. I try to just enjoy the hobby regardless and I have plenty of users that I don't need to use the BBQ stuff. My BBQ "show and tell" would be rather quick unless they just want to see a lot of knives. That's okay too.

I wouldn't carry a fancy gun, loaded or otherwise.
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The guys I have BBQs with will be much more impressed by a fire arm that's obviously been heavily used, dented, and scarred. A story about how the knife you're carrying took out 9 bad guys in a cave in Crap O Stan a plus. :cool:

Back to out regularly schedule program....
 
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