Do you consider yourself a collector? A post on philosophy and terminology.

I buy knives because I like them. Sometimes with the intent of using them, sometimes not. I keep an Excel spreadsheet with specific information about each knife and I almost always take photos of my newest acquisitions.

I'm a collector. No doubt about it. It's in my blood.
 
I never gave my thoughts on the term collector so here goes.

Knives you bought with the attention to use are simply an accumulation of tools.

Knives you bought and don't intend to use are a collection.

To me things you collect are never used otherwise they're no longer collectibles. I think a true collector does nothing but collect. ( for example my dad collects hot wheels, by that I mean he buys any hot wheel car he likes and hangs them on our wall with the hopes of them eventually having some value )
I would say that there's no such thing as a mere general knife collector as we all use knives, so I think we should just forget about the whole knife collector thing and just call ourselves aficionados👍

( I'm actually a general knife aficionado, but a novelty knife collector as I don't use those )
 
I own knives. The pile accumulates. There is no focus to my buying or cutlery acquisitions other than either I like it or I want to try something out for the knowledge. I do not display my knives nor ever want to. One thing about knives however; it is a very up front hobby. There is no locked dark closet or safe dedicated to the pile of knives I own.

The car collector mention earlier is a good analogy. Many car collectors do in fact drive some of their cars. But it is very limited and certainly they don't want any apparent wear showing on them (scratches, dents, rust, and so forth). These cars are loved, fondled, and babied in terms of maintaining condition (or they are into restorations). It can be much the same with knives. 42 Blades mentioned he collects scythes. I have a modest firearm collection with a limited focus. But I own more firearms that do not fit within the constraints of the collection.

The point with knives is that you like knives and are interested in knives. You acquire stuff because you like them and probably use them. You may feel that you need them. Eventually you may focus on a certain design or brand or whatever and a portion of your knife pile becomes a collection.
 
Nah, I'm an accumulator with mini collections.

I used to have a quote in my sigline a while back.
T. Erdelyi said:
Of all the knives I own, the one's I'd buy would be significantly less.
Click to expand...
 
I am trying to get a handle on a person who buys many different knives, uses most of them, and then sells most of them that are less loved or not used. But there is no intent (or end result) on accumulating a pile of knives that are not used. The other side to this activity is that this person may in fact want to be a collector or knife accumulator but for financial or practical reasons limits the number of knives they own. But this person is probably gaining significant knowledge on knife designs in the process.

An analogy with firearms is a person who is very interested in guns, buys a lot or many, and sells for whatever reason because they decided the gun is unneeded or unwanted. There is no internal need to accumulate a safe full of guns as you can really only shoot so many and that is the reason for buying and owning. Then this money is put into buying another firearm and the process repeats. This person is neither a gun (or knife) accumulator or collector.

My take is just have fun and enjoy the hobby. The reasons really don't matter.
 
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When speaking to other people about knives, I keep it simple and say I collect knives. In reality, I own a couple knives at any given time. Hardly a collection, but it keeps things simple.


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Someone who buys a lot of knives for themselves is a collector, regardless of whether they use any of them, some of them, or all of them. For example, I collect comics...and I read every issue I buy. I likewise collect music I like, and I listen to every CD I own. Considering my book library numbers in the hundreds, I guess you could call me a book collector too, and I've read the majority of them(with the ones I haven't being the next things on my list to read, I spend most of my work nights reading so I go through books fast, always try to have a few lined up in advance), many of them more than once.
 
I'm an unabashed traditional knife collector with over 40 years under my belt. I sort them by pattern like Boy Scout, trapper, barlow and folding hunter. My main focus is not confined to these. I also have a limited number of switch blades and military edged weapons. I keep everything in a separate room under lock and key. I don't have an end game in mind.

Naturally I have a rotation that could be anything I feel like carrying. I do have couple modern knives like ZT or Spyderco that are part of my EDC.
 
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I also lack and "end game inmind" and my collection follows no patters. I buy knives to use and carry daily when I feel they could improve my EDC in some way, or if I've gotten rid of some folders and want to try something new.

On the other hand, I have many tools for my garden and yard tasks, like machetes, axes, etc.
I own many ethnical and antique weapons which I have no use for, but since I like them and fondle them with joy I just keep them oiled, clean and nice.
I don't collect or buy any blade as an investment or with re-selling purposes, but I tend to get rid of those I barely use or the "dust collectors".
I also have many, many SAKs and MT but I can only carry one each day, so I have a rotation much like with the folding knives and fixed blades.

Therefore I consider myself a Knife enthusiast, collector, accumulator, user, admirer, hobbyist and hoarder as I fall into those categories to a certain degree, or in one way or another.

Just have fun
Life's too short not to! :D
 
Some people collect vintage---as in old, used--knives.
They are definitely being collected, and some of the collectors then put them under glass.

At what point did these used knives become collectible?
Was it only because the guy who owned them originally died that they become collectible?
What if the guy who used them owned hundreds of them?
They suddenly become a collection rather than an accumulation because the new owner will never use them for their intended purpose?

Weird.
 
stabman said:
Some people collect vintage---as in old, used--knives.
They are definitely being collected, and some of the collectors then put them under glass.

At what point did these used knives become collectible?
Was it only because the guy who owned them originally died that they become collectible?
What if the guy who used them owned hundreds of them?
They suddenly become a collection rather than an accumulation because the new owner will never use them for their intended purpose?

Weird.
Click to expand...

It is weird indeed. I don't know what the defining line is with that type of analogy, but I don't think the item being accumulated makes the collection. It's more about what the person accumulated said items uses them for. When I think of collection I think of items being babies, maybe fondled, displayed under glass, or stored away categorized. Anyone can collect anything. But the term "collection" I believe is defined by its owner and it's purpose.
 
Eh, I used to justify my purchases for reasons like camping or bushcraft, but now I just buy them if I like it.
 
Nope, not a collector. I'm more of an enthusiast. Just like my watch obsession I usually go though a binging phase where I buy a bunch of different stuff until I find out what I really like. I then go through a purging phase and settle into a few references that I like. After a few years my tastes get very refined and I generally know what I will like as soon as I see it.
 
I use all my knives, but I do have a "collection" of knives. Just a big group of knives that are in my rotation, or have a specific purpose, but they all get used quite a bit, some cheaper ones in my car as a backup, but that is a use. Not sure what you call it.
 
Hi! Not a collector here. Not a user only either. I consider myself as knife hobbyist :). The hobby encompasses many things. I like researching around knives: information, curiosities, cultures, historical facts and legends, traditions about knives, makers, etc. I love using my knives. I have a weekly rotation for my few folders (around a dozen) and sometimes I walk my few fixed blades. I put all of them to work in EDC tasks or hiking/camping. I like to read and, sometimes, with no ambitions, even to write something about knives. It’s more a box of tool that I have rather than a collection. But, yeah, I think the term "hobbyist" defines me pretty well :).
 
I think I'd see collector as person who intentionally seeks to collect knives, as opposed to "I buy knife every now and then and I just ended up with bunch of knives". Or as someone who collects certain types of knives, patterns or just knives made by certain company etc.

But then again, if I end up having knives in the future - I guess I am collector.. or hoarder? Acquirer? :D
 
For me the definition of being a collector is when you tell yourself your "collection" is done but you justify reasons a short time later to buy another knife. My LionSteel Metamorphosis was my last knife. Turns out, it wasn't...I definitely enjoy this hobby. The research, the hunt and the buying. And a knife never needs new batteries, software upgrade or told to be quiet.
 
Well I suppose I'm just out to find the "Perfect knife" for me. I don't collect knifes to be put on display, I use every one of them.
 
oh, my goodness, oh, my goodness! A knife is just another type of tool. Our most loved type, the simplest and most useful idea, the one with most variations, and definitely The Most Celebrated! :D

Anyone who uses tools and admires good quality in a tools - be it new or used, name brand or vintage - and sometimes longs to possess a particular tool, for whatever reason, is a tool collector. Whether they posess a sizable tool collection, whether they use all those tools or have some for display only, whether they trade and sell from their own collection, matters little to none. But, for conversation, I have a modest collection which I rarely "use" most of, simply because they are low quality and don't perform as I require. I have several "quality" knives which I don't use, mostly because they (A): are rare and very difficult to acquire, such as TCC safety/production bonus knives; (B): knives of collectible value and good condition which I simply don't 'need' to put through the wear and tear of All my working knives; (C): knives I have acquired new & inexpensive and put up unused to serve as gifts/trade&sale/work knives later on. Currently holding an Aitor Electricista, one of my favorite designs.

Please pardon the longwinded posts: I don't get out much, and I love some of the conversation threads I find on bladeforums. I should save up and pay for a membership - I think it would be more respectful to other users, not just site administration. *tip of the hat*
 
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