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Every traditional knife collection needs??
- Thread starter redbird063
- Start date
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Yup
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- Jul 10, 2013
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- 1,123
I have to agree with all I've seen above, theme, patterns, money, space. But what's been important to me has been an understanding significant other and a collection of knife nuts like I've found here on this forum. People to learn from, talk and trade with.
So to stay in line with the mods wishes. I think everyone's collection just needs what moves you.
So to stay in line with the mods wishes. I think everyone's collection just needs what moves you.
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2005
- Messages
- 4,251
Common themes among this forum:
Case Peanut
Buck 301 Stockman
Opinel
GEC Charlow/Barlow/Boy's Knife
Victorinox SAK, preferably an Alox model
After that it starts to become a matter of personal preference.
If you notice the 1st three all usually involve Carl as head instigator.
Case Peanut
Buck 301 Stockman
Opinel
GEC Charlow/Barlow/Boy's Knife
Victorinox SAK, preferably an Alox model
After that it starts to become a matter of personal preference.
If you notice the 1st three all usually involve Carl as head instigator.
- Joined
- Nov 28, 2012
- Messages
- 8,811
The original question is flawed, because it presupposes that every collection must have some common underpinning. But that's not true. What some collectors love, others wouldn't want to own. This goes to the "theme" idea.
Some theoretical collections are: "Trappers of all makes, models, and sizes." "Case knives from the 1980s." "Stag handled folding knives."
So I could say "everyone should have a Sod Buster pattern of some kind" and that would not be true for all collectors. In fact, for many years I was not interested in them in the least. Now that I have several, I find that I like them more than I thought I would. But that still doesn't mean everyone should have one.
My particular collecting / accumulating habits tend to go more for variety rather than specialization in just a few patterns or materials. Essentially a theme-less collection. So I'd be much more likely to say "well, you want a stockman, a trapper, and a jack, in several sizes" because that's what I did. I think this is in line with the original poster's approach as well - have at least one of a group of iconic traditional patterns.
Now if I were to give some advice to a new person to traditional knives who had not yet developed a theme, and was searching for what appealed to them, I would say you need at least one example of a US-made Buck, Case, GEC, Queen, Canal Street, and Victorinox.
You need at least one 3-blade pattern, at least one 2-blade jack or trapper, and at least one single-blade knife.
You need one that is pretty and you are proud of, and another that is a workhorse that you aren't worried about getting messed up (which could, paradoxically, be the same knife). You need a small one for discreet use and lightweight carry, a large one for when you have some real work to do, and a medium sized one for general duty.
You need something in bone, something in Delrin, Acrylic, or other synthetic, and something in stag. I personally don't like wood handles but you could add that one to the list.
So that's the "one of everything" approach, and between the different choices you could hit all of those with just a few knives.
My main collection theme turned out to be "At least one of every Case pattern that I found appealing and that I could affordably get my hands on, with multiples in patterns I liked the most in different steels or handle materials, mixed with a sampling of Buck, Queen, Canal Street, Schrade USA, and GEC to get a feel for the brand, plus a handful of Victorinox Alox SAKs for utility." Which also translates to "whatever caught my eye at the time that I had free funds to acquire."
Some theoretical collections are: "Trappers of all makes, models, and sizes." "Case knives from the 1980s." "Stag handled folding knives."
So I could say "everyone should have a Sod Buster pattern of some kind" and that would not be true for all collectors. In fact, for many years I was not interested in them in the least. Now that I have several, I find that I like them more than I thought I would. But that still doesn't mean everyone should have one.
My particular collecting / accumulating habits tend to go more for variety rather than specialization in just a few patterns or materials. Essentially a theme-less collection. So I'd be much more likely to say "well, you want a stockman, a trapper, and a jack, in several sizes" because that's what I did. I think this is in line with the original poster's approach as well - have at least one of a group of iconic traditional patterns.
Now if I were to give some advice to a new person to traditional knives who had not yet developed a theme, and was searching for what appealed to them, I would say you need at least one example of a US-made Buck, Case, GEC, Queen, Canal Street, and Victorinox.
You need at least one 3-blade pattern, at least one 2-blade jack or trapper, and at least one single-blade knife.
You need one that is pretty and you are proud of, and another that is a workhorse that you aren't worried about getting messed up (which could, paradoxically, be the same knife). You need a small one for discreet use and lightweight carry, a large one for when you have some real work to do, and a medium sized one for general duty.
You need something in bone, something in Delrin, Acrylic, or other synthetic, and something in stag. I personally don't like wood handles but you could add that one to the list.
So that's the "one of everything" approach, and between the different choices you could hit all of those with just a few knives.
My main collection theme turned out to be "At least one of every Case pattern that I found appealing and that I could affordably get my hands on, with multiples in patterns I liked the most in different steels or handle materials, mixed with a sampling of Buck, Queen, Canal Street, Schrade USA, and GEC to get a feel for the brand, plus a handful of Victorinox Alox SAKs for utility." Which also translates to "whatever caught my eye at the time that I had free funds to acquire."
5K Qs
Gold Member
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- Jul 20, 2014
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- 15,821
What John writes is a good description of what I'm trying to do (I think). If I have an accumulation theme, it's "diversity" or representation. I want to find representatives of as many handle materials, blade shapes (and grinds?), patterns, and manufacturers as I can, subject to my budget constraints.
(Or else maybe I wanna grab every cheap, beat up, old Imperial I can find and see how many of them I can get back into service.
)- GT
black mamba
Gold Member
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2009
- Messages
- 23,575
Deep pockets! 
Suggestion: they aren't the best for quality, but Rough Riders yes, made in China will let you inexpensively try different patterns to see how well you like them. Then if/when you discover a design that fits your life, you can then safely spend more (perhaps a lot more) on a high-quality version.
Check 'em out for cheap, then get something that'll really last.
Several years ago, I picked up on the bay a bunch of Stockman patterns in small, medium, and large size but then found the pattern isn't what I like to carry. Other designs peanut, toothpicks, sodbusters, congress, lots of others simply leave me cold. But that's me. I suggest you look over the designs, find a couple that look interesting, budget maybe $50, and see how many of those designs (in their RR form) work for you.
You can always give away the "research knives" to a friend once you know what you like.
Check 'em out for cheap, then get something that'll really last.
Several years ago, I picked up on the bay a bunch of Stockman patterns in small, medium, and large size but then found the pattern isn't what I like to carry. Other designs peanut, toothpicks, sodbusters, congress, lots of others simply leave me cold. But that's me. I suggest you look over the designs, find a couple that look interesting, budget maybe $50, and see how many of those designs (in their RR form) work for you.
You can always give away the "research knives" to a friend once you know what you like.
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2004
- Messages
- 18,488
Bingo!
