Ever feel guilty about the knives you have?

I have to admit that I do go through short phases of feeling guilty about my knives. But, like others have said, as long as it isn't keeping me from paying the bills, who cares? I contribute my time and money to charitable causes, too. So, there's a good balance. Plus, it's not hurting anybody, and it brings me a lot of happiness. That's what live's about, right?
 
Yes I know its a problem & can,t seem to control my self when its a good deal on a knife I like.
Money is meant to be spent, but saving is something I have not mastered.
ADDICTION, ADDICTION, IT IS A PROBLEM, Is there such a thing as knife buying
Rehab!!!
 
What, are you only going to have one baseball card? The hobby is collecting. I think of it like that.
 
axtalan0 said:
You're joking, right? If I took all the money I've spent on knives, and donated it to a charity that works with the starving poor, it would have been money much, much better spent.

Yes, I do feel guilty, and I dread to think that in some way shape or form, my soul will one day be held accountable.
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If the guilt of gluttonous knife shopping becomes unbearable, I'll be happy to relieve you of the source. Yes, I will shoulder your burden and remove the blemish from your eternal soul!

(New unused knives only; scuffed-up users will be returned. :grumpy: )

:D
 
cziv said:
Just so you don't feel guilty about your next knife acquisition. If you donate a money to Charity after salaries, bonuses, expenses you're lucky if a few bucks out of $100 gets to the needy people you see on the TV. You're better off to donate something directly to a local cause or family in need, than these big organizations that run in excess of 80% overhead. :)
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I think people just tell themselves this to rationalize not having to give to charity. Ok, yes there are organizations that eat up a lot of what they take in, but there are many charities that are very efficient, and there are good impartial resources, such as http://www.charitynavigator.org which helps keep track of which charities "eat up" too much of the donations.

Sorry, don't mean to derail a knife thread, but hey, its for a good cause! :p

Getting back to knives, I have found it much more enjoyable to buy one and use it for a few months, to really get to 'know' what its capable of, rather than buy a new one every week, and not get a chance to really put them through their paces.
 
I try not to buy a new knife when there is already one on the way to me. I also only buy knives that I genuinely think I might use. Also, as my collection grows, my tastes are refining - it is getting harder to find knives I want. However, they seem to be getting more expensive (Except that sweet BEE L-05). I feel the pull of the Sebenza....yikes!
 
Your blades are a bit like your friends. You always seem to be collecting more and more as you get older. But as you get older, some will die, you'll grow apart, they might move away or get lost, some get tarnished, and some get cleaned up. But others you will have for a long time, cause they got your back and you got theirs. No guilt in that. Make sense mack? :)
 
Never Felt guilty, been collecting since i was about 7 with my first Swiss Army Knife my grandfather gave to me, now i am up to about 35 pieces. How can you feel guilty about pursuing a collection you enjoy?
 
axtalan0 said:
Getting back to knives, I have found it much more enjoyable to buy one and use it for a few months, to really get to 'know' what its capable of, rather than buy a new one every week, and not get a chance to really put them through their paces.
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Very good point. I've had some knives that I love but after some use decided they're not for me or just not really necessary. Other knives I've not been that impressed with but given a chance I've really come to appreciate. Don't rush to judgement has been the lesson learned.
 
Hi Klinststeve -

I do not feel guilty about my knives, not at all.

I can afford to buy the knives I buy, or I would not buy them.

I work for a living, and I deserve to be able to buy myself the things that I think will give me enjoyment.

I do my part for charities, and my kids are grown and want for nothing.

My small collection will be useful long after I am gone, but that will be someone else's worry, not mine.

No guilt here.

best regards -

mqqn
 
If you use them to the point where you get your money's worth... then yes. I think about hte money I spend on knives compared to the money I spend on forms of recreation and other personal belongings and how they affect my everyday life. I like spending time outside, it's what I do. I see the knife as the very basic functional tool that is the confidence on which I can go out biking or kayaking or hiking or backpacking, because I know I can use one to get out of many threatening situations. Spending a couple hundred bucks every once in a while, or 20 here and there... to me beats the heck out of watching movies, constantly spending 50 bucks at the bar or on eating out... you get the picture. Knives that are close or redundant I see as the path to finding the perfect knife for the niche I'm looking for. For example, I have a number of relatively inexpensive slipjoints, such as the Buck 110, a Sodbuster, a few older Camillus trappers, etc... but the one I find ideal for the job is a Kabar 1184. Rarely you come across the perfect blade immediately, but you use the hell out of it til you can figure out what you really want, get your money's worth, and when you can justify the 'more perfect' blade, you buy it. I'm rambling but that's the way I see it.
 
Nope. Why would I feel guilty? Its a perfectly fine hobby. For me a knife is more than a cutting tool, its a bit of art, a bit of engineering, a bit of tradition and a bit of story telling via the experience you have with it by your side. If you only see at a something to cut with, then you are perfectly fine and happy with just one. But I see it as more than that and I actually enjoy looking at them and playing around with them at home.

The only time I would feel guilty is if it encourages negative behaviour on my part. Meaning if I go into debt to fuel my knife collection or start selling more essential stuff around the house to get that new Spyderco/Emerson/Benchmade only THEN will I take a step back and actually feel guilty.

But really, a far as I am concerned, I only spend a small portion on my income on knives and that is after everything is paid and I have taken a bit for savings. Hey, I worked hard for this money so I will do what I can to enjoy it :)
 
I'd like to say that I don't feel guilty. Then..... , then there are those times that I'm buying yet another new knife and find myself asking friends if its all right if I ship to THEIR address so that my wife doesn't see this next piece of steel showing up at the door. That is the exact moment when I'm feeling guilty. Also, when I'm outside working in the yard or lifting weights in the garage and I find myself running to the mail truck as it arrives to intercept before I'm found out for my steel addiction again.
When I'm here with the other addicts? Na, all's good. Nothin to feel guilty about. After all, I'd never tell any of you that I'll try to curb my knife buying habits for a little while.
 
I feel guilty and sad, because I need more ;)


Ron LaBella
 
As the OP, I guess I should clarify a bit. Maybe "Guilty" wasn't the best word to use in this case. No, I don't feel guilty in the sense that I'm spending all this money on a hobby (albeit, a very expensive one) when I could be donating to charity. I do. I guess I feel "something" that I have all of these little "gems" and I can't use / carry / appreciate them all on a daily basis. I sometimes think I have too many. And I've bought some that I wish I hadn't anymore. But hey, that's what this Forum is all about. I know I can sell / trade the ones that not longer "float my boat" as they say. I appreciate all of the comments from all of the fine folks here. And I agree with all of you when you comment that it's your hard earned bucks that you use, and as long as there is food on the table and the rent is paid, that you have the right to collect and do what you wish. I feel that way too. And (hopefully) we will all know when it appears that it is getting out of hand, and we will be sensible about it.

The bottom line is this: It's a fun hobby. I didn't mean to imply that anyone should feel bad about doing it. I certainly don't. Hope this clears things up a bit for what was inside my head.

And now on to thinking about the 0550/0551 ... Does anyone feel guilty about wanting one of these?

Only Kidding. Peace, my Blade Brothers! :p
 
PayetteRucker said:
...constantly spending 50 bucks at the bar .... For example, I have a number of relatively inexpensive slipjoints, such as the Buck 110, a Sodbuster, a few older Camillus trappers, etc... but the one I find ideal for the job is a Kabar 1184...
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I can agree with the first part of your post. I'd rather spend money on knives than overpriced drinks at a bar.

The Buck 110 Folding Hunter isn't a slipjoint knife though. It is a lockback.

axtalan0 said:
Getting back to knives, I have found it much more enjoyable to buy one and use it for a few months, to really get to 'know' what its capable of, rather than buy a new one every week, and not get a chance to really put them through their paces.
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I have too. I actually enjoyed not being able to buy knives at will because it gave me time to use, learn about, the particular knife I DID carry for a period of time.
 
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