Did you ever look at your knives and say enough is enough?

C

csisland

Joined
Aug 8, 2013
Messages
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I've thought about this lately and as I look at the dozen or less knives and multitools I own, how many do you really need? If you're a collector, I can see it's no different than say a baseball card collection or comics, but I like to use all of my knives and I don't feel much of a need to buy much more. Almost like I'm starting to feel like too much of anything is not a good thing. Thoughts?
 
That feeling will come and go. You will be satisfied and may even sell some. Then something will spark your interest again.... A new gadget or design....then you will end up trying something new out, or maybe remember when you owned a certain knife or tool and you want to own it again.....i have thought the same thing many times. I have owned many knives and multitools as well as woodworking and mechanical tools. I have everything that i will ever need, but i will always be looking for more cool stuff. I thought once i got a sebenza it was all over, but i still find myself looking on the exchange time and time again. Sometimes i think the search is more fun than owning - at least thats my 2 cents!
 
csisland said:
I like to use all of my knives and I don't feel much of a need to buy much more. Almost like I'm starting to feel like too much of anything is not a good thing. Thoughts?
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Absolutely. But then I see a really nice new design or a new steel, and all such thoughts disappear.

How many EDC folders can one carry? Not as many as I already own, but then I came across Elmax, and really had to try it out. But that's enough. No more... but I've never really compared Elmax to M390... and it begins again!
 
YES, in fact i did say that after using Spyderco PM2 for a solid 3 weeks and really thinks of it as a great blade and I would not needing any other knife. and exactly 3 seconds later my bud send me a message he gonna sell his szabo folder... "well I never liked that big tacticlol knife and I don't need it. thanks for your offer" --- I erased that text and replace them with: "ok how much" and here I am now. but it is a great blade anyways!!

and I agree with you, Loulasher.
 
csisland said:
I've thought about this lately... Almost like I'm starting to feel like too much of anything is not a good thing. Thoughts?
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I have thoughts like this frequently and I stop buying any knives and use what I what I have for a while. Then a new something or other is offered and I become interested again..... tis the way of knives. Just have fun and don't worry about it.
 
Yes, I looked and my knives and realized that I had been picking quantity over quality. I made a list of 12 "grail-ish" knives, and since then I have only purchased knives off that list. I changed the list a few times, but I am trying to keep it at 12 knives. I have sold and traded off many of my other knives, and I only miss one of them.
 
Yes!

I felt that way more and more as I got older, and by the time I was in my late 40's, I was downsizing. By my 50's, I had downsized both my knife collection and gun collection, as well as my tool collection, and fishing gear collection. It was soooo liberating. In my younger single days I had build up a nice collection of customs like Randall's. George Stone, Harry Morseth, and others. High end production for back then, to include Pacific Cutlery balisongs. One day I looked at it all, and asked myself what I was doing with all that shite. Gave away what the kids and family wanted, sold off the customs, had a giant yard sale for other stuff. It felt like a ball and chain got cut off of me. Used the money to take a month trip around the country, camping out at Badlands, Yellowstone, Bryce, Canyonlands and Arches national parks. Stayed at the Bright Angel Lodge Grand Canyon, toured Mesa Verde and the Pueblos. Had a ball and made memories to last our lifetime.

Too much of anything gets ridiculous after a while. I had knives and guns that had not been used in years. Now I just have a small amount of everything, and I can even find stuff in the house enow pretty quick. All my knives will fit in one small container in the drawer. Last count I had less than a dozen knives. My new rule is; one in=one out. If someone gifts me a knife, I gift one out to keep the karma level.

With any bobbie, it's easy to loose sight of the fact that there are way more important things in life than this collection of inanimate objects that we obsess over. Life is not about knives, or guns, or cars, or any other thing. It's about living. Going out and doing. And about the people in your life like your kids, your parents, and friends that are way more important than things.

But I still like knives, and wouldn't dream about going out the door without at least two on me. JUst have to keep it in perspective.
 
No and here is how I justify the addiction. If you buy right and dont abuse your knives you can enjoy them and typically atleast get your initial investment back, maybe a slight loss, possibly a gain. If you arent hurting for $ then buy away, support the industry. If in need of $ in the future, sell it and you are back to where you started before you had the knife minus a little time. Not may toys out there you can do that with. Cheers
Eric
 
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I know how you feel. I am in the same boat right now. I have probably 50 knives many I carried once and they just sit. I'm thinking its time to thin the herd.
 
Yep. All the time. The majority of my collection is composed of blades that are way too much for my own personal edc needs. I make a point of carrying those on my days off.

Other than that, it's just fun to collect them and enjoy them as a collector.
 
Still waiting to get my hands on the ever elusive and exceedingly rare Jarbenza. Otherwise, I'm happy with what I have.
 
I have about 30 fishing rod setups and I will continue to buy more just to have something different. Im not any different with my knives especially some are just for collecting
 
No.

I'm not always actively looking for new knife purchases, but there is always a "wanted" list in the back of my mind in addition to desireable new product releases. Looking at the collection reminds me of how many I don't have. Heck, the Knifeworks website has more knives than I do - unacceptable! :D
 
Loulasher said:
That feeling will come and go. You will be satisfied and may even sell some. Then something will spark your interest again.... A new gadget or design....then you will end up trying something new out, or maybe remember when you owned a certain knife or tool and you want to own it again.....i have thought the same thing many times. I have owned many knives and multitools as well as woodworking and mechanical tools. I have everything that i will ever need, but i will always be looking for more cool stuff. I thought once i got a sebenza it was all over, but i still find myself looking on the exchange time and time again. Sometimes i think the search is more fun than owning - at least thats my 2 cents!
Click to expand...

I could not agree more! I have all I need but not all I want. I just spent the weekend camping with a Military, Pacific Salt, and Bravo I & II. These knives could reasonably cover all my knife needs forever. That said, I justify all my other carry knives as spicing things up a bit. As I find my usage tastes changing I look for different options and get rid of what isn't being used. Just when I think I have it all figured out, something else comes along that I would like to try. If it works, great! If not, I'll move it along.
 
jackknife said:
Yes!

I felt that way more and more as I got older, and by the time I was in my late 40's, I was downsizing. By my 50's, I had downsized both my knife collection and gun collection, as well as my tool collection, and fishing gear collection. It was soooo liberating. In my younger single days I had build up a nice collection of customs like Randall's. George Stone, Harry Morseth, and others. High end production for back then, to include Pacific Cutlery balisongs. One day I looked at it all, and asked myself what I was doing with all that shite. Gave away what the kids and family wanted, sold off the customs, had a giant yard sale for other stuff. It felt like a ball and chain got cut off of me. Used the money to take a month trip around the country, camping out at Badlands, Yellowstone, Bryce, Canyonlands and Arches national parks. Stayed at the Bright Angel Lodge Grand Canyon, toured Mesa Verde and the Pueblos. Had a ball and made memories to last our lifetime.

Too much of anything gets ridiculous after a while. I had knives and guns that had not been used in years. Now I just have a small amount of everything, and I can even find stuff in the house enow pretty quick. All my knives will fit in one small container in the drawer. Last count I had less than a dozen knives. My new rule is; one in=one out. If someone gifts me a knife, I gift one out to keep the karma level.

With any bobbie, it's easy to loose sight of the fact that there are way more important things in life than this collection of inanimate objects that we obsess over. Life is not about knives, or guns, or cars, or any other thing. It's about living. Going out and doing. And about the people in your life like your kids, your parents, and friends that are way more important than things.

But I still like knives, and wouldn't dream about going out the door without at least two on me. JUst have to keep it in perspective.
Click to expand...

Exactly how I feel but you put it in words a lot better. I'm not taking away from the hobby or anyone that loves it, but I only have so much money, and there are other things to pay for. I think about making memories by being with family and friends, keeping the good ones I have already, and how important that is to me. I like carrying a knife with me, but it seems like every time I get a new one I look at it, flick it open, observe it, use it and than it goes into the pile with the rest of them. Seems like years ago a hard worker would carry a knife and use it right down to the knub before looking to buy another one.
 
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I did. I cut down to a handful of folders. It's worth it for me. I still look at what's coming up, but I've yet to buy anything. It isn't the money, it's the concern that the whole thing got to consuming and weird. I cut something maybe three times a day. Certainly enough to edc a nice knife, along with the fact I just like having a nice knife, but not enough to justify a bunch of them lying around.

Think I'll try out fishing...
 
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