Curmudgeon before my time?

I struggle with this myself. I have a couple hundred knives in my collection of slipjoints, but I actually only carry/use about 15 of those. Out of those 15, there are about three that get carried regularly; a TC Barlow, a 66 HJ6, and a newly added 66 slim. I have two forum knives on the way, two Washington Jacks, and one #77 Barlow on pre-order.

What am I doing with all of these knives?!?

I recently discussed this with my wife. I have thought about selling off my collection, but she declined. She knows I appreciate them, and she said that she wants my daughter to inherit it if something were to happen to me. I agreed, but stipulated that if we ever get in to some sort of financial jamb, the knife collection goes on the chopping block.

I guess I largely agree with Carl. It's still just a collection, but at least the items I'm collecting have some useability compared to what a lot of people collect. At the end of the day, though, my collection doesn't hurt anyone, as long as I can afford it.
 
Curmudgeon?

I came - I saw - I read - I left.

I am a knifeaholic in a knifeaholic's forum - the world's best knife bar. :D
 
Nothing wrong with someone buying all the knives they can afford IMO. I do have some personal leanings to having less stuff, kind of minimalist thoughts..... hence the recommendation to read Walden.


Edit: maybe read Proenneke's journals too. ;)
 
perhaps it me subconsciously trying to get minimalistic
but it seems to me at this point, to try and find "The knife"
not the "do it all" knife since no knife does that, but the one that handles the majority of anything i could expect.

I have a few thoughts
1) bigger than i originally thought, perhaps 4" closed. I am coming around to the theory i can always choke up and use a big knife for small knife duties easier than using a small knife for bigger knife duties.
2) single blade, in carbon steel. NOT a clip point, too dramatic and scary looking to non-knife folks, for some reason i leaning towards either a spear or drop point
3) i would LOVE stag handles

Something that would be equally useful in the warehouse, the woods or just day to day

i am REALLY liking the look of the new forum knife, even though its a clip point :D
 
I'm not sure how long they're going to be, but the upcoming GEC 99 might fit the bill. They'll be making them in spearpoint, too. :D
 
Rsmith_77 said:
perhaps it me subconsciously trying to get minimalistic
but it seems to me at this point, to try and find "The knife"
not the "do it all" knife since no knife does that, but the one that handles the majority of anything i could expect.

I have a few thoughts
1) bigger than i originally thought, perhaps 4" closed. I am coming around to the theory i can always choke up and use a big knife for small knife duties easier than using a small knife for bigger knife duties.
2) single blade, in carbon steel. NOT a clip point, too dramatic and scary looking to non-knife folks, for some reason i leaning towards either a spear or drop point
3) i would LOVE stag handles

Something that would be equally useful in the warehouse, the woods or just day to day

i am REALLY liking the look of the new forum knife, even though its a clip point :D
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This might do you...but it is shorter than 4"

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I'm all for the minimalist philosophy. I have about 15 or so traditional pocket knives. They're all special to me in one way or another, but only 5 or 6 really see any extensive carry time. If I had to go with only one it would be a Stockman, either my Case large Stockman or my 81 Northfield in African Blackwood. Both are full sized and I like having 3 blades on tap for various uses. If I could carry two pocket knives an SAK Pioneer would be my #2.

I'm not a collector but I really enjoy the small family of knives I do have. They bring me a lot of enjoyment for various reasons. My budget allows a few knives each year, but generally if I buy one I sell or gift one of the others because I prefer to not have dozens of knives sitting around. They get at least some carry and use or they end up being passed along.

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Rsmith_77 said:
Let me preface this by stating I am 36 years old, so perhaps early middle aged i suppose?
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Best laugh today.

Thanks!



I carry but four knives. Two daily, a Case Peanut and Victorinox Farmer, and two occasionally, a Craftsman 9473/Ulster 89 in lieu of the Peanut, and an Ahti Tikka on weekends/days off.

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I'll keep one other for whitetail, but haven't been hunting for a few years now. A custom Tom Mayo made me for at modest expense during my last assignment in Hawaii for being the President of the Schofield Rod and Gun Club when no one else was willing to do it.

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Everything else is collection. Many to be traded or given away. There's really only one other I'd like to pick up IF I ever find it again. A Vintage Wenger AllSport. Let one escape my grasp last year over $10 in a haggle. Wish I'd have picked it up.
 
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mnblade said:
Owning and carrying a knife or two is just something a man should do.
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+1 on the comment above. It is such a useful tool on a day-to-day basis.

To the OP: I recently turned 36, so we're at the same point in life. I recently went through the same mental gymnastics you described above with regard to my knife habit. I call it a habit, because I'm not sure there is a better way to describe (it isn't an addiction yet - definitely trying to halt it before it reaches that stage). I think it hit me when I was really trying to convince myself that I needed a low production, semi-custom folder that was going to cost me more than my conceal carry firearm - I am on the border of having a problem. Don't get me wrong: if someone offered me one of those, I'd take it. But why do I feel the need to buy it when I already own a knife that is VERY similar in materials, grind, and function that was substantially less expensive. So, I'm prepping to sell off a good chunk of my collection. I have identified 5 folders that I'm keeping (not counting the Frost Cutlery Little Copperhead that I have for sentimental reasons), 3 fixed blades, and I think I'm going to make a rule that one in means one out. Do I like having all these options? Absolutely! Do all of them get carried regularly? Nope - makes me think they should go to someone who will get use and enjoyment out of them.

Anyway, good to find a fellow knife guy at a similar crossroads in his thinking.
 
I suppose there is a relative aspect to this thought. There may even be an ethical and or moral one as well, if you dig deep enough. Should someone have vs. should someone be envious of those who have. I myself, do not need half of what I own. Not just talking about knives. And, we joke on here that our hobby is an addiction, but sociologically speaking it has been proven we live in a society (western civilization/USA especially) that teaches "happiness" is found in 20% more. So, there is truth to your thought, but where it is rooted may or may not be necessarily rooted in a higher virtue.

I am 34, married, and have a 20 month old girl. My wife and I are both teachers. So, funds are budgeted. Due to my parent's health I had to move my family in with my parents so I can take care of things. I rented out my home and have no time to really do much else of what I used to enjoy. I say this because information on traditional knives and the history of them is free on here. I can spend time on here learning about them and enjoy a hobby that I can grow old with and not worry about my knees giving out, or it costing a maintance fee. Plus, the folks on here are just as "addictive" as the knives.

I budget some to enjoy it tangiably and then do side jobs to get those special ones. I do not put my family or responsibilties before my hobby. I suppose I collect, but through my perspective I like to think I am more of a preserver for future generations who will have a chance to own a few I kept watch over.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It's cool you had the guts to be transparent and question your point of view. I could benifit from doing that more often. If, I could ever stop looking at those knives long enough. :D
 
Any knife content in any of this? I don't get the whole thread. Why would any one come to a Knife Collector's Forum and start a thread about "one knife is all you really need"? I come to talk about knives. Not "feelings" or morals or whatever the heck y'all tryin to talk about. I have no Moral Dilemma! I like knives! I buy knives! And I post knife content.


15TCBarlow3rdcutstag_zpsf23c16d4.jpg


How's that for a Moral Dilemma?
 
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rma100 said:
Any knife content in any of this? I don't get the whole thread. Why would any one come to a Knife Collector's Forum and start a thread about "one knife is all you really need"? I come to talk about knives. Not "feelings" or morals or whatever the heck y'all tryin to talk about. I have no Moral Dilemma! I like knives! I buy knives! And I post knife content.


15TCBarlow3rdcutstag_zpsf23c16d4.jpg


How's that for a Moral Dilemma?
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No moral dilemma here. More of a financial one. Beautiful Barlow there.
 
leghog said:
It's good and healthy to remind ourselves of the truth every now and again.
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I don't see any truth in that. You're not going to skin a squirrel with a bowie knife. Like I said, I come to talk knives, not morals.

And I post knife content:

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rma100 said:
I don't see any truth in that. You're not going to skin a squirrel with a bowie knife. Like I said, I come to talk knives, not morals.

And I post knife content:
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It's easy enough for us to ignore threads of no interest to us. And there is certainly knife content in this thread. The whole thread is about collecting knives.
 
And we can also comment on threads if we so choose. While actually showing some knife content.

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