Do you hoard knives, and how to break out of this obsession?

jbmonkey said:
realize you will die one day and your family will find brand new boxes filled with cheap user knives. they will see no value in them.

worse case your wife's new husband, after you die, will inherit lots of new value user knives.
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SanRenMu and Enlan knives :eek: , that would actually be amusing. ;)
 
I buy two 50 dollar plus Knifes a year and I try to buy USA made Knifes used off EBay one of twice a month if I find what I want and I set a 20 dollar limit .
 
Quit buying crap. SRM and Enlan have little value. Why buy 6 when you aren't even using 1? Buy 1 if you have to but try buying fewer nice knives like Spyderco or something else. You aren't saving anything by buying 6 $20 knives.
 
The best way to stop is to stop.
If you realize there is a problem then focus on it and change.
The desire may not subside but as you build willpower you'll be able to change your behaviour.
I find myself buying old knives off of ebay as projects and have to just cut myself off. The difference is I probably top out at $20 a month max. Once you're hitting a third of your income you need to take immediate action.

Possible suggestion:
At this point you could set up a table at a knife show or flea market and have a full dealer stock. Use that money to buy one good knife that you force yourself to carry and use. Put the rest of the money back in the bank or in some form of investment. Don't buy any knives for 6 months and concentrate on that one knife to discover what you like and don't like to see if you really need something different to use.

If you get a good account here (only costs 2 ish Sanrenmu knives) you could try to unload a few on the forum too.
 
Etna said:
I suppose my preference for SanRenMu and Enlan knives is public knowledge by now, so i'll skip that intro and go straight to the point.

To put it simply, because of how SanRenMu and Enlan are being so opaque with their production plans and the fact that they are known to abruptly introduce new models or discontinue existing ones (or just simply cease production altogether), i have been going on a hoarding spree where I will always buy at least four or six of any model i set my eyes on. The result is that i now have an entire carton packed with SanRenMu and Enlan boxes and at least a third of my salary goes into those knives every month.

Common sense will dictate that I have way more knives than I will ever use in this lifetime and that this should really stop. And yet, as soon as i start worrying about how I will not be able to get replacements if i lose or damage a knife that may get discontinued in the future thanks to their track record of doing so without warning, out comes the credit card for yet another bulk purchase and it's really eating into my checkbook.

What would be the best way for breaking out of this obsession? Will switching over to brands with a more stable and predictable product lifecycle like Taylor and CRKT help?
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My opinion on this is very simple.Do what makes you happy in life, unless it doesn't harm others.Its perfectly ok to like knives,some may call people like us "obsessed" but I don't see it reasonable.Some people like to collect stamps,others love to collect cars and so on an so on...We love knives and I don't see any reason why we shall feel any regrets for collecting them..How much you spend on this nice and beautiful hobby, it's entirely up to your own budget and will.... As far as it keeps you happy - it's OK, because feeling happy is most important part of our life.

On this forum you can find barrely somebody, who have only one knife, or only knives that he really need to have for his life.By the way, it's still better to invest into knives, that into bad habits like gambling, drinking,drugs etc....

It doesn't matter what brands or types of knives you will collect,you will still need more boxes for your knives and the cheaper the knives will be, the more boxes you will need... If you are unhappy about your spending habit on knives, than the only option is to stop buying them....

Have a nice day and stay sharp my friend.
 
I love the replies gents! :thumbup: You have all nailed it in it's deeper context. Collecting anything can be obsessional. Certainly better to channel your energies, money is energy after all, in more constructive ways. :rolleyes:
 
I know I'm supposed to stop, but today I broke and placed an order for another 49 knives (24 SRM, 13 Taylor S&W + Schrade and 12 Enlan).

Perhaps i really need to go see a shrink.
 
Etna said:
I know I'm supposed to stop, but today I broke and placed an order for another 49 knives (24 SRM, 13 Taylor S&W + Schrade and 12 Enlan).

Perhaps i really need to go see a shrink.
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You might want to think about it.
 
Many years ago, I used to buy about two knives a month. Then I went a few years without buying any knives. Now I occasionally will buy knives, but very rarely, and I am very picky nowadays.

I've developed the habit, whenever I become interested in buying a knife, I hold off on it for anywhere from 2 or more months. More often than not, after a couple of months pass, I no longer want the knife. I do not buy knives on impulse, and that makes a BIG difference. I'm in control; I own my knives, and not the other way around. And it's no coincidence that I also enjoy my knives much more now.

Jim
 
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I first started out thinking the same way. "I now have enough knives to last the rest of my life and able to pass them down." My thought now is very different, I am trying to "finish" my perfect collection. I tell myself that I am 5 knives away from my finished collection. I just hope I can control my addiction once they are all built and in my hands. We will see!
 
I found a solution. I got the GF pregnant (I was 50 and not expecting that), became all grown up and responsible like and got married, got a big fat ugly mortgage to have a better home to raise a family in, and everything now is for her, our beautiful baby boy, now 15 months old, and a great 12 year old stepson, and all I ever seem to do is work 2 jobs just to try and cover the bills.

Problem solved! Well, I may buy 1 or 2 folders a year now, but it's very few.

Sure makes me appreciate the 30 or so nice folders I already have.
 
"Give a man a fish and you will feed him a day. Teach a man how to fish, and you will feed him for life".

Learn how to make knives. That way you can make yourself whatever you want whenever you want and you needn't worry about companies discontinuing knives, etc.
 
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