Do You "Use" The Knives In Your Collection....

And a very nice looker it is too. But, I might just use it if it were mine. I would carefully weigh the opportunity to lose it or abuse it before I put it in my pocket though. For instance that knife would not accompany me on the water and I wouldn't use it to scrape valve cover gasket remains off of a head either. Whittling, if I was inclined would not be an issue though and for sure it would get sharpened if it needed it before carry.

You can tell I'm addicted by the number of times I posted here. and in the "totin" thread.

Ed J


bdev said:
Timely thread. Just this morning I was thinking "why am I buying all these knives if I'm not going to use them"! :rolleyes:
The thing is......I like them because I like gadgets and a knife, for me, falls into this category. The "use" of them is more in the appreciation of the workmanship and the beauty of the handles and blades.
If you're reading this you know exactly what I'm talking about.

I do have my carry knives but most of what I own are "lookers".

Here's one of my favorite "lookers".......

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I've always bought users, but lately I've gotten a few that are especially nice that I'm thinking about saving.... but I'll probably just use them.
 
There is use and then there is used. A well cared for knife can easily outlive it's original owner and a few other generations. I figured out a while back that by by rotating knives I was literally barely scratching the surface on use. Like most things a knives seem to get more comfortable as they wear, the more years you keep that old knife the more useful it will seem. It gets to the point where you begin to wonder if you could walk straight without that old familiar knife in your pocket. To me it is better to play with the same-old-same-old then to continually scramble through the latest gagets. It is not that I fail to enjoy all knives, it is just that I know what I will be missing if I change my usual carry of many years.

n2s
 
The knives I don't pocket or sharpen up are the ones I eventually cycle out in the Exchange or give away to friends. I am not really in a position in life to have large sums of money tied up in collectibles that are just for admiring (at least, that's what I tell myself when I am struck with a fit of fiscal responsibility.) The only exceptions would be family heirlooms and when I buy repeats, like my favorite EDC:

 
I started collecting knives a few years ago. Nothing very expencive, usually in the $35.00 to $90.00 price range.
I currently have about twenty traditional pocket knives.
For some reason I was only carrying one or two of them. I like carbon steel blades and I found that the ones I wasn't using started to develope a little rust even though they were well oiled. The ones I used on a regular basis didn't have that problem.
I now decided to pick one of my knives and carry it for a month and then switch it out for another one in my collection.
I think using them adds character to the knife.

Eventually I want to give them all to my son and I think it will mean more to him knowing I personally used each one rather than giving him a bunch of old knives that were never used.
 
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I wouldn't buy a knife that I wouldn't use out of fear of scratching, chipping, shattering, devaluing, or losing it or getting it stolen.
 
If I have it, I'm gonna use it. If I'm not gonna use it, then it goes down the road. I used to horde some things when I was young, but now perspective has changed. It's only stuff, not as important as the people in my life, so I'm going to enjoy using a fine tool as it was meant to be used. Fine cutlery, Leica binoculars, anything, is going to the field. No more sock drawer queens.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

Carl.
 
Years ago , I ended up having to sell off most of my collection for financial reasons...funny how the only ones that remained were the ones that had meaning...given to me by friends, ones I got direct from the makers , ones made by friends.

I have a few in the safe that I won't use , not because I am afraid to , but because those will be given to my sons at various "levels" of their lives.

I always have 3-4 knives on my person ( forgive me father, one is a non-tradtional ) , knives in each room in the house , in the car , desk , etc. Just enjoy the using aspect of a knife , much more than storing them ;)
 
not2sharp said:
~snip~ I figured out a while back that by by rotating knives I was literally barely scratching the surface on use. Like most things a knives seem to get more comfortable as they wear, the more years you keep that old knife the more useful it will seem.... To me it is better to play with the same-old-same-old then to continually scramble through the latest gadgets. It is not that I fail to enjoy all knives, it is just that I know what I will be missing if I change my usual carry of many years.

n2s
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This is where I come from.

To me a knife that has years of use/carry on it begins to build character. There is just something about a knife that has seen years of pocket time that cannot be faked or rushed. The best looking knives, to me, are the ones with lots of pocket polish on the handles, a deep rich patina that developed naturally, and that has been carefully honed to save the blade material.

These are masterpieces. And there are only so many of them that a man can generate over his lifetime.

Will
 
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