Do you follow your head or your heart when it comes to buying knives?

golok

golok

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Oct 20, 2000
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I know very often it's that voice "I want, I want" doing a tango in your mind. Seriously though, the ones you always want are usually the ones you can ill afford.

I have had this feeling pulling my heart one side and my mind jumping in and say, "hey, boy, don't do anything hasty!" Sure enough, 24 hours later, that knife doesn't look so irresistable as the day before.

Many just take the plunge and follow their heart when it comes to a newly designed knife of beautiful proportions. And later sit in the corner and sulk the rest of the month when they see other, more beautiful blades passing them by.

Personally, I put my heart on a short leash and let my mind roam around like a guard dog. That way, my wallet won't be too tattered by the end of the month.

The knives which I really want, I eventually get one way or the other. It just takes some time.

Heart or mind, which rules you?
 
A little of both.

My head usually influences my desires. I really like high-end steels. I appreciate G10 scales. I also have an affinity for the Axis lock. So I've been buying Benchmades.

However, I saw a Buck 110 for $25 yesterday, and even though it doesn't meet my current criteria, I was swayed by the sentimental reasons one should own this knife. I bought it. Problem is, now I want a much more expensive one in BG42. It really is a work horse of a design with a great balance and feel.
 
My Mind most of the time...

I have to justify it in my mind before I buy it...do I really need it, or use it?

For my collection it is different...I fill them in when I get some extra cash on hand.
 
Heart. If the knife doesn't "speak" to me, not matter how well crafted, I pass it by.

AJ
 
I think that I come in about 50/50 on that sometimes. Usually my mind is able to control me as to what knives to buy and when, but sometimes my heart will win out. I just bought a BM 970S because of that....
 
I generally buy with my head, but the other day I ordered a Spyderco Navigator. This was strictly an impulse purchase. I tend to buy Benchmades because I like the axis lock and the knife designs. The Navigator is discontinued and I got a good price, but my heart talked on that purchase. I figure at that price if I don't like it I'll put it in the toolbox or on under the motorcycle seat.
 
I buy knives like I buy groceries or anything else. Do I need it? And if so, is it the best example of what I need that I can afford or justify in my budget? It kind of limits one's buying, that's for sure.

It has produced an arsenal consisting of just three knives, other than the usual kitchen stuff and a gift or two. A Wegner jr. plain blade, a Microtech Socom Elite M/A and a Phil Wilson, 8.5" fillet knife (boy does it cut, and cut and cut) with a blde in S90V.

The Wegner was the best I could justify for a small folder at that time. Or more correctly, I didn't know enough about knives, steel, etc, to make any other choice. I'm eventually going to upgrade my "small folder position" (it's like drafting ball players for a football team), with a baby Sabenza, which is arguably the best production example currently available. At least that's my understanding at this time. I'll eventually upgrade the big folder with a particle steel unit of some kind. Because it cuts better and holds it's edge longer. Oh, and all knifes get used or they don't belong to me.

I guess that's mostly a head by.
 
I TRY to use my head firsthand.
But my spinal reflex always betrays me.... I always find mysef with the beautiful piece of steel and an empty wallet. The deal is over.
 
I love my heartknives better then my head knives.
When I fall for a knive thou, my head has to give a final approval.

Matthias
 
Although I have to justify myself the reasons for buying each expensive knife I own, I admit that it's only a way to escape from that guilty feeling I get when each time I waste money...
Lets face it... We are collectors and that status allows us to spend money on things we don't really need...
On the other hand I only buy "that" knife if, after making all the expenses perview for the month and only if the knife convinces me.
 
Waste of money, huh? That is an odd way for one of us to consider the spending of money on a knife.

For me, I guess you would say that it is both, heart and head. I never just go out and purchase a knife because I like the way it looks, but that is what gets me looking into purchasing a knife from that particular maker. After that I do a lot of investigating and questioning of the maker to be sure one of his/her knives is what I really want. Once I am confident that my original first impressions were correct, I will then order a knife. This process takes me well past the buying on implulse stage, but it is still that original impulse that gets me started on the path to finally ending up with this knife. If I still feel the same about the knife after this process is completed as I did when I first saw it, then I know it is something that I must have.
 
:(..Guilty of all of it...


"Hunters seek what they [WANT].., Seekers hunt what they [NEED]"
 
Heart -- but my mind has veto power over the spending.

A perfect example of how this works would be the folder I bought from Frank Centofante at Blade last June. My heart said, "buy it!" and my mind had the good sense not to try and stop me. :)
 
I usually let my heart have a free reign, but when it comes down to it, my mind is the final decision maker. With not a lot of $$ available, my heart just wanders to and fro "window shopping." Eventually my mind will say, "Okay, you can get it." By then, my heart may have been in and out of love, crushed and rejected, and broken over several different knives, but in the end, it's the knife that has held out the longest in my heart that gets to come home with me.

DD
 
I buy first, and regret the lost money later (after I've used it and given myself no chance of returning it). :D
 
i follow my heart but contrain it to what i can reasonably afford... if i can afford it then I tend not to think about practicalities etc. I made that mistake once and wasted a load of money on something I didnt get much enjoyment out of so Ive gone with my heart every other time and I really enjoy all of the knives ive bought since...
 
Definitely ruled by my mind. But then that is only because I am on such a small budget! I see lots of things that I want, but by the time that I can afford them my mind has given my heart a good talking too and I realise that I don't REALLY need whatever it is :grumpy: hehe.

I find shows very dangerous since I don't have the time for my mind to take charge :D
 
i never regret buying a knife
my rationale is as long as i'm alive, i'll be earning more money to get other knives
why feel bad about something that's good to use just because there's something better out there?
cos if i did, i'm sure i'll never get married :p
 
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