Conflicted...

J_Curd

J_Curd

Joined
Jul 26, 2006
Messages
6,038
Im struggling with using my knives vs leaving some in mint condition for my collection. I know the right answer is "just buy a second user" and for some I have, but for others I cant justify another expensive purchase on a rare model during the current economic period.

What do you guys do? Just say to heck with it, Im gonna use em, or do you exercise restraint and keep specific knives in mint condition?

I used to be of the opinion that I used everything I bought, but now I just can't pop the cherry on some of my minty fresh favorites...

Ah the struggles of being a knife addict!
 
I cannot afford to have "safe queens."
If they were meant for use (and I think 99.9% of them are...) USE THEM.
What I actually do, is have multiple folders on me; for instance:
My shiny chive, since it is tip down carry only, and I'm right handed, it resides in my left pocket for cross draw. I use this knife to not scare the sheeple.

My black tanto groove rides in my right pocket, tip-up, and I usually have darker colored jeans on so it doesn't stick out. This is for the majority of my cutting.

My Rainbow leek rides in the 2nd right side pocket (the small one) tip-up. This one is solely used for slicing, however I have given this knife a workout with tons of zip ties, cardboard, and trimmed small branches with this knife with ease it just eats it all. This is also my dress pants knife.

I keep my shiny chive and rainbow leek nice, clean, and shiny with an alcohol rub every once in a while, and except for the pocket clip, can be taken for mint. (And I have extras)

My groove is used for "the dirty work" and it shows.

Hope this helps, and I vote for keep your "user" folders for major use, and if you want safe queens to use, just use them lightly.
 
this is what i do. i assign certain tasks to certain knives. the ones i want to keep in great condition i will use very very sparingly and for very very light tasks. the others i will beat the snot out of, while others dont see the light of day.
 
Yeah, I have a number of knives in my EDC rotation, but I do keep a few in mint condition. I usually end up selling them :o.
 
Depends on the definition of rare...if I think I can grab another one within a year or so off the webz at a reasonable price, I'll carry it every now and then and use it very sparingly. These usually never see a sharpener. If it's a one of 14, 128, 200 or so, discontinued oldie or prototype then no. It stays in the safe. Certain models I accumulate. They stay in the safe. One day some of these may be released, if they appreciate enough in value or I feel benelovent.

Then there are some truly special ones, usually given to me as gifts, that will never see the light of day again...except for the quarterly inspection and maintenance.
 
Yeah, I thought I was so smooth the other day, I bought a knife storage bag that holds 22 folders...thought "cool, this will hold them all and I will have some room to spare"

Took it home, filled it up with my prized knives, then realized I have ALOT more than 22 knives...

Time to buy bag #2. Gonna divide them into safe queens and EDCs.

Dont tell the Mrs. :D
 
I'm kinda in the same boat, J. I'm in the process of buying a house so I'll
probably miss out on the CB and S110V shallot.
As for popping the cherry, if it's a knife I know I'm gonna use, I just suck
it up and rip into some carpet at work. If I have the extra cash, I'll buy a
2nd or 3rd knife to put away.
 
This probably won't help but when I decided to collect knives instead of guns I did so with the intention that most of them will be for the knife cabinet and not as users.

We have an old saying - "beware of the man with only one gun". I've pretty well settled on the everyday users that work for me and see no need to keep rotating them. I've been using some of my knives for over 30 years so you might gather that I don't believe in abusing them - I'm really over the whole WS&S thing and these days use my knives mainly in the kitchen, for fishing and my Leathermans for just about everything else.

Most of the knives I buy these days are for my collection and not as users. This is only because I am at that stage of life when I can afford to and things were very different until quite recently. I don't agree with other BF members that a knife is useless unless used - there's just no way that my 20th and 25th Anniversary LM's or 50th Canadian will ever be used - at least not by me. I don't see anything wrong with appreciating a knife or a gun as a piece of technical art and feel absolutely no need to use every piece of steel I have - let alone thrash it to destruction. Just my 2¢
 
I dont really care what any of my stuff is worth once Im dead. Can't take it with me :)

I just dont want to look back in 20 years and be sad that I dont have a replacement for a knife I really liked. So I think unless Im willing to buy my favorites in triplicate I just need to put them up until Im ready to unleash them.

Maybe I can treat them like I do alcohol...let them sit and age until I get a wild hair to enjoy them.
 
All my knives are used. My purchases are based on knives being different enough to appreciate alongside the others, if they sit unused for too long I give them away. It keeps my collection focused on the knives I actually like, rather than just being a pile of scrap metal.

So far there's only one knife I like enough to say that I would want a spare, that being the Spyderco Caly 3. It's the perfect secondary EDC and complements a larger knife very well. I'm still not set one what constitutes the perfect primary EDC. So untill I make my own, or find something that can't be improved, I won't be buying any doubles of those.
 
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I like the term that Antonio used - "Technical Art". This is the way that I view all of my collection, yet I feel that actually using the knife, honors both the maker and designer. With that in mind, I will usually buy two of my favorite knives, so one can be a backup.
 
ya kno, i actually have a PERFECT example. My Lahar. I love that knife, and i have spent money *serious money* to make it "perfect". That includes the regrind by Tom Krien, and soon to be CF scales by Shadetree here on BFC. All told i will prolly have spent over $150 on this knife. It retails for $100, i paid $60. Am i really wanting to use it, or just admire it?

well i have used it, lightly. The beauty of it is that it has performed exactly as you would think a professional regrind would, simply wonderfully. but I am a sharp nut, so i keep her at peek hair whittling sharp. point is, i really dont touch her, i carry her, but i really dont use her. *yes that is sig material, so run with it :p*

this has gotten me thinking, i should buy another Lahar, just so i can carry it. it is cheap enough thats for sure :D
 
I am not a knife collector, I buy my knives to be used, but I have never abused a knife or "beat the crap" out of one. The sprint runs and collectible knives have never really caught my eye, but that is my opinion. It seems obvious to me that some knives are made to be "safe queens" and if that is what you are into great put them up and don't use them, you would be a fool to anyway. I guess what I am trying to say is some knives are users and some knives are technical art. What it all boils down to is use them today or use them as investments. Either way they sure are an addictive hobby and should be appreciated as art or a tool. They were built to be enjoyed. Just my humble opinion.
 
i agree with most of what you said. i guess it just depends on your definition of enjoyment when it comes to knives.
 
Some I use, some I don't. I suspect, though, if I owned a $2,000 custom, I wouldn't be batoning it through a bunch of firewood. It would be appreciated for its form more than its function. So, yes, "art" is a perfectly acceptable term.

It occurs to me that most people who own swords and battle axes don't really "use" them, either! :D
 
hunter s thompson said:
It seems obvious to me that some knives are made to be "safe queens" and if that is what you are into great put them up and don't use them, you would be a fool to anyway.
Click to expand...

:thumbup:

Titanium Bump? AHahha safe queen :)

Blur Tanto? when i go camping, or outdoors long enough.

Leeks? EDC!

Shun Kaji? i'm definately using this one...
 
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