Early New Years Resolution...sort of...

I tip my hat to you for cutting down to the minimum you have, ive been downsizing too,but then something comes up and it goes back up a bit. Im really getting picky and choosing carefully lately,and I still have around 60-70 folders.Very hard to give up many of what I have now. Don't know how you do it...
 
I like keeping things small.

I daydream about fitting my life into a tiny cabin in the woods. Paring down belongings to the bare necessities, plus a little insurance.

When the meteor hits, I’ll already have it all planned out.
 
For those of you with similar garb and activities throughout the day (at least M-F) it's simpler.

My days vary. If I am doing outside work and wearing heavier canvas duck pants or ripstop BDU style cargo pants - I go with the bigger/heavier knives I prefer; but on those days when I am wearing a S&T or lightweight dress pants ... the Adamas or 4-Max can't come along but the Spydercos or a KaBar Dozier accompanies me.

I sort the knives into families or groups: think/thin - heavy/lightweight - larger/smaller.
I also like to have a beater and a nicer knife so that the beater takes the beating-type tasks while the nicer knife stays nicer. The "nicer" one will typically be the full flat grind or high hollow grind slicey type knife while the beater will typically be the thicker, cheaper, softer type.
 
Ok, so now I have 7 blades from which to put into a daily rotation regiment, which for me so far I am liking. The knives feel like a new carry but not brandy new that much that I don't recall them, nor forgot them either.

From top and then left to right;

Lionsteel KUR
Benchmade Freek
Spyderco Shaman
Spyderco Cali 3.5
Benchmade Mini Freek
Manly Peak2
Ruike P135

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

As you can see...the box does not really accommodate all the knives at one time, which is fine, as one of them will be carried, as the next morning arrives, one will be taken and yesterdays carry put into it's place. I would have liked them all to fit but the box is neither wide enough nor deep enough to allow them to fit and doubtful I can get another similar but larger box :( so, this will have to do!

G2
 
I would like to say that I could do something along the lines of limiting my total pile of folding knives to users. But it just does not work well for me. I tend to stick to a couple knives for a good while for using and then change my modern out to something I had not used or hadn't used in weeks or months.

I don't have a big inner self that keeps pushing me toward buying $400-$600 folding knives or even $200 knives. But I can certainly appreciate them for what they are. It doesn't bother me that I don't yearn for the really expensive stuff. Same would apply to cars and pickup trucks. I just don't.

For the future, I simply want to cut down on the number of knives I purchase on an annual basis and keep the cost range in check to what I am comfortable with. I would hope that in the future when I buy a knife, it gives me a special feeling rather than "should I have done that"? But I know I do tend to buy knives that catch my eye even when I know that I am perfectly comfortable with what I own now. I suppose down the road at some point I will simply tell myself to stop, but it hasn't come to that yet. Baby steps.....
 
I have considered doing with the less expensive un-used knives what I do periodically with socks and underware. I just dump them all in the garbage and start again with new stuff.... Don't get me wrong, I do take a look at each sock or whatever to make a judgement. I am not wasteful. But dammit.... I don't want to wear crappy socks or stained, stetched out underware! Guess that's why I have migrated to Diluth undies in the last year or so even though they are expensive.

Maybe knives should be the same..... use the ones that give you the most comfort, pleasure, whatever.
 
For far too many years I have searched for "THE" knife, only to move to the next one that showed promise... I have yet to find one that stands the test of time fully.

So, this is a compromise of sorts, I may try to find someone that can make a nice case for me to hold all 7 folders, which ultimately end up changing I am sure, but I think 7 is a good set size, practical at least for me.

Of the set I do not have a particular favourite...yet...but the new Lionsteel KUR is pretty nice ;)

And Duluth Trading certainly has some quality items, I was introduced to them through a friend and now have some long tailed t-shirts that are quite comfortable :)

My one pet peeve about the KUR is the screw heads I feel should be on the clip side, and leave the presentation side with a more finished look...but, they made the screw heads 'special' and not able to swap them around, oh well, still a very nice knife and as you can tell, a fav being a new kid on the box...

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

and my first folder with this type of steel, took a nice edge;

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

G2
 
Gary W. Graley said:
my EDC rotation. The 'method' I have planned is that as you select what clothes you are going to wear, you also grab the next knife in the line up for that day.
Shown here in order of carry...
Jan 2020 as that is the month I figure on retiring from my day job...
G2
Click to expand...

Gary...allow me to edit a bit to show my ideas...
I am long retired; my daily outfit is sandals, jeans, t-shirt, G43.
Daily carry is clipped folder...either Spyderco Slysz Bowie or CRK large Sebbie.
My fixed cross-draw is Bradford G3 or Busse Game Warden 3"
no tools...(I try not to work)
I don't know what your day job is, but nobody ever loved me THAT (2020?) much...
You must surely be one SUPER FELLA...no wonder we like you so much here.
Don

I just received a MassDrop Keen Laconico...awfully impressed...
 
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crocogator106 said:
I usually keep 3 to 4 knives that I carry/use. I carry a Gen 6 3" Hinderer XM and stainless ESEE Izula at work. I've got a Spyderco Delica Salt 2 I carry while fishing, Spyderco Dragonfly and ESEE stainless Izula in my truck. I'll rotate either a RAT ll folder or Steel Will Modus as my beaters for yardwork and messing around in the shop. I also carry an ESEE Junglas and Becker BK16 while hiking and/or goofing off in the woods. Plus I've got the Bugout I recently purchased from you which I plan to work into rotation for work carry.......sigh......I just realized I've got too many knives-lol!
Click to expand...
I have owned a Modus for a week or so...had to return it. I WILL buy another. Great design and operation. (I prefer it over the Cutjack)
 
Sonnydaze said:
….
I just received a MassDrop Keen Laconico...awfully impressed...
Click to expand...

I bet that's a classy folder right there!
and thanks sir, been here an awful long time it seems :) lots of friends here for sure!
G2
 
No Gary this one knife at a time idea is not good. :( This was a better method. Just carry them all, all the time. I liked knowing there was at least one person that had more knives in their pockets than me. :)

O.B.

Gary W. Graley said:
I wear these special Carhartt pants thanks to @ChapmanPreferred that made that suggestion, many pockets and very strong material all work together to keep things in place.

So tonight as I was changing out, I removed everything from my pockets and put into a pile on the table, not neatly but close together, as you can see, I carry a great number of knives, each has a purpose while a few are just making a cameo appearance, meaning I haven't carried in a while, or I am deciding which I like better and the extra pockets allow this convenience.

In this group you will see
Comb
Round zippered pouch holds two Moment lenses, the superfish took this photo
Spyderco DoubleStuff 2, also thanks to @ChapmanPreferred too, picked up at Lewisburg PA show
Manly Wasp in S90v thanks to @Lyubomir Trayanov
Benchmade Mini Freek
Benchmade Freek
Buck 704v
Tina 606 thanks to @harronek
Pioneer SAK
Executive SAK
Fisher Space Pen
Custom made pen by @rustysocket
Thorfire flashlight
Olight flashlight
Whistle from Tops
TigersEye worry stone thanks to @Win Heger and my grandson Ian :)
coughdrop

and while that may seem like a lot, it carries well and the pockets help distribute things fairly evenly,

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

and of course that isn't everything I have with me, I carry a small travel case by 5.11, which carrys odds and ends that I won't dump out, would take too long to put back ;) suffice to say, several more folders, mostly SAK's and a Swiss Army Tool, a fixed blade, small paring knife for the lunch apple thanks again to @Win Heger and various cables, chargers and the like. It is a very handy bag!

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

So, that's it, for today, the two Freeks are battling it out to see which one will stay, right now I like both about equally with the larger Freek slightly ahead.

The folks at work always know, if something needs cut, Gary can help, or if they need a blade touched up right away, I have a sharpener at hand...

So, dump away folks !
G2
Click to expand...
 
O.B. it's just something I gotta give it a try, so far I'm liking it and I weigh a LOT less for doing so ;)
but not to worry, my 'tools' are still in that bag so not far from hand!
G2

edited to add, I reworked the lower section of foam, carved in some slots at an angle, the lid closes a bit harder but now all seven knives rest inside!

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr
 
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My resolution came much earlier than the New Year, starting last Spring and developing over the summer and is two-fold--not to buy more knives without selling (both to open up room and to fund), and not to acquire knives that I won't carry and use. I haven't bought a knife for myself (other than one pre-order) since June, though I've been tempted for sure.

I don't think that I could ever pare my hundred or so folders down to what Gary's holding now. What I'm working on is deciding which knives that haven't been will now get carried and used, which might get sold off, and which few might get retained as drawer queens or as collectibles. Collectability for me isn't based on value, but rather preference, enjoyment, or as exemplars of certain makers' work. Those seem the hardest to let go--a couple Al Mars, my complete Sage collection, many Tenaci (soft spot) in various colors and blades, a couple of my several lionSTEELS, various old-school Benchmades.

I did sell off a few, but am not rushing into anything and having so many good folders gives me the leisure to take my time on decision-making while still being able to carry one or two of many damn fine knives every day. I also haven't seen a lot lately that really peak my interest beyond what I have, though there are a couple that have made me look a few times.... :oops:
 
Im surprised out of the 7 that 2 are the benchmades only in different sizes. you must really like that model, I would figure with such a small limit you would want them all completely different.
 
Good eye, I did have the larger one up for sale but no takers so she fell into the mix ;)
G2
 
I'm finding it harder to stick to this routine than I thought it would be...and the reason behind that is, the new KUR is … well... so new and it just wants to stay in the pocket longer than a day !!!

I know, I know... I will see how this goes, today's rotation is this fine full size Freek from Benchmade

Untitled by GaryWGraley, on Flickr

G2
 
Carrying lots of knives helps to build leg muscles. So it's therapeutic.

I want to cut down on hobby expenditures in 2019. That is the same resolution I had last year and I believe the year before. That was like 40 knives ago....
 
I have been sorting out duplicates ... and narrowing down the knives I like and use most ... the ones I reach for when I know I'll need a really good knife ...

I can't even pretend that I'll get close to only 5 to 7 knives ... but I have found my personal "point of diminishing returns" as far as new steels go ... and have just about dialed in for folders and fixed blades what I need and will use ...

so hoping after the Holidays are over I can thin out all my knives and settle into enjoying the ones that make the cut ...

I only had two knives on my buy list for the foreseeable future ... but one came into my sights so that added one ...

but I think I have found everything I need/want ... and hopefully in 2019 the couple remaining purchases will about stop buying new knives (I'm sure there will be an exception here or there through the years) ... but I'm pretty content and happy with what I have.

Planning on focusing on my own mods and maybe trying my hand at leather work and maybe anodizing as the next phase of my love of all things sharp.
 
JJ_Colt45, it's worse than that now ;)

I gave the EDC a day thing a try, I really did, thought it was working but a day each was just not enough time per knife, so, with that thought, I've changed it to trimming the box down to just 4 knives, maybe 5, but most likely 4 and work on carrying one of them for a week at a time. That should provide a solid weeks work and getting use to that knife, and the next week a different knife would be a nice change...at least that's the current plan as it stands.

I've sold the large Benchmade Freek, loved the knife but as others have pointed out a redundancy of knife types and the smaller one was always kind of my favourite anyways.

And I have put the KUR up for sale now as well, also a great knife, but I'm moving away from the coated type blades any more.

I'll let you know when this all settles down, but for now, it'll be one of those for a week at a stretch...hmmm maybe I should pick up a Spyderco Stretch? ….they are also very good knives!
G2
 
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