• The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is ready to order! See this thread for details: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/bladeforums-2024-traditional-knife.2003187/
    Price is $300 $250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
    Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/ - Order as many as you like, we have plenty.

  • Today marks the 24th anniversary of 9/11. I pray that this nation does not forget the loss of lives from this horrible event. Yesterday conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was murdered, and I worry about what is to come. Please love one another and your family in these trying times - Spark

Gave up smoking 7 years ago, quitting my knife addiction tommorrow ;)

N

NetshadeX

Joined
Oct 17, 2013
Messages
694
Nah, j/k, I'm not addicted, I'm just an enthousiast right :D anyway...I'm putting a stop on my collecting as of tommorrow. No particular reason, I just feel it's that time. I'm weird like that.

To top of my collection of production folders I decided to end on the ZT 300 Blackwash. I already have the 0301 but that BW finish has tickled my jimmies ever since I first layed eyes on it. It just makes sense on that knife more than others imo.

Anyone else ever thought of quitting their collecting or have you ever quit and returned? Feel free to share.
 
I am at a point where I am trying to not spend any more money on pocket knives since I already have way more than I will ever need in my lifetime, unless something truly compelling comes along. The only area of the hobby I may continue spending on might be improving my sharpening equipment and possibly a storage chest or display case to better organize what I already have. So in general, I'm planning on focusing on enjoying and using what I have rather than adding any more.
 
I wouldn't say I'm addicted either. I may buy one knife in six months then suddenly go on a binge and buy two or three in a month. I don't "need" more knives at all. But sometimes I see something I like and jump on it.

But then I tend to bounce back and forth between my various hobbies. Photography probably gets the most time, although I have "enough" (?) gear so I don't spend that much money on it anymore.

And after 30 years of smoking I quit in April of 2009. A nasty habit that I don't miss one bit.
 
I'm kind of doing something similar. I am cutting back the amount I spend on new ones and just planning to use what I've got!
 
I'm kind of on the same path. I have more knives than I will ever use, and considering I now live in suburbia, I could probably get by with a SAK classic. With a family and 3 kids, there are other things I should be spending my money on. A new kitchen table, oil change, spark plugs/wires for my now-paid off-car, and some SAVINGS in the bank look a lot more appealing to me right now than a new knife.
 
I find that it is more of a "transferrence" rather than "stopping". I used to smoke and drink, gave up both but started collecting hockey cards. Quit that and used the money I'd been spending on BMX bikes, parts, and collectables. I have the bike I am happy with, and occasionally pick up some parts and decals, but don't go hog wild like I used to. Now I'm getting into knives, something I've always admired, but never had the money for.

I am trying hard not to spend hundreds of dollars a month on this stuff, as it mostly gathers dust. I pick up a few knives here and there when I find them cheap, but I'm focusing on other things now. Paying off the cars should be my hobby! Not just making the monthly payment, but putting extra money towards it.
 
I quit buying knives years ago but about two years back I started again but now it's run it's course. It's just excess greed and the thrill is gone. I have some really nice knives and I do not want one more knife. I will just enjoy the knives I have.
rolf
 
I once was a collector of custom sheath knives. Had Randall's, Bone, Hastings, others. High end folders were there as well. I think I had between 50 and 100 knives all considered. Then I sort of had an epiphany. One day the vague disquiet I'd been feeling came to a head, and I looked at it all and thought, "What the hell am I doing with all this stuff?" And not just knives, but gun collection, tools, too mu ch outdoor gear. I had a great giveaway for the family. Kids, grandkids, nephews, nieces, friends. What was scarfed up was sold off. I felt liberated, like a ball and chain was sawed off my leg.

Now I just keep a small handful of pocket knives, two fixed blades. My gun collection is down to just what I actually use at the range. A few handguns, and couple rifles. I feel way better. I still like my knives very much, and I recognize they are so handy, I won't leave the house without one in my pocket. But It's not a fetish or obsession anymore with me. Now that he better half is also retired, we're doing more canoeing, hiking, camping and fishing that ever before, yet my very modest collection of a half dozen knives does everything I need. Travel is taking way more of our attention now that we both have the time. And in my 'older' age, I've become extremely pragmatic in my choice of tools. Gone back to using what my dad and granddad used.
 
I recently moved overseas for work, so all my guns are in long-term storage. :( In the abrupt absense of buying reloading components, mags, holsters, sights, and of course new guns -- combined with the odd sensation of being CCW-less in a new and dangerous country -- suddenly I'm back into knives and looking for IWB Kydex for the Ratmandu. (You realize you've changed AOs when you catch yourself seriously considering IWB Ratmandu under your suit.)

The steel addiction came back quick. Not that it ever really went away.
 
I never smoked, don't drink that much, maybe just at the holidays or on my birthday. Even then, it's just hard cider, nothing heavy. Never got a taste for beer, except for on a boiling hot day after I've been working outside. Could be a Coors light or the best microbrew in the world, I'll drink about half and that's it until next year.

I do have a huge weight problem, and have a problem with food. Sometimes it rules my life, other times I do really well. It is quite psychological. At times, I have used the purchases of knives, gear, guns etc to fulfill the issue with food. Yeah, I'm broke until I get paid this Friday, and am looking at selling knives off to pay bills. This is a situation only bred out of stupidity, on my part.

So, I have been looking at knives I don't use, knives I can't afford to keep, and knives I will never let go. One that will stay no matter what is my Tusker from Scott Gossman. I won it at one of his Gosstoberfest campouts several years ago. It was carried by SEALs in Afghanistan, and has a ton of history attached to it. It is a well made knife also. I have Chris Reeves I really want to keep, but have a hard time justifying. Same goes for Case Bose annual knives, custom folders and fixed blades. I've really downsized over the year, but not enough. I bought two Strider SNGs this year, and sold both within a month of owning them. If that isn't boredom buying I don't know what is. Guess what, I'm looking to get another SNG! Can't do it right now. I get the most enjoyment finding old slipjoints and fixing them up.

My goals are to save my money in the coming year, trying to hold my knife buying to the Case Bose collaboration for 2013, maybe a few GECs from Waynorth, a custom from Scott Gossman and that is it. I'm also working on losing the weight, it's shedding slowly but surely, but too damn slow for my impatient self. The main goal is to be able to actually spend a night out without my back screaming, or to get in a day hike without my overworked knees collapsing from the stress. I have been looking at grocery receipts, lots of dumb crap. I should be drinking more water, instead I'm buying diet decaf teas and flavored waters. A bag of chips for the weekend, 15 yogurts for the weekend, yeah, they're better for you than ice cream. Lots of areas where I need to cut back. Skills definitely need an upgrade. My Gossman Kephart is the perfect bushcraft knife for me, right now, I should get out into my fathers woods and get a little camp site going, where I can practice bushcraft. It is all intertwined in my case.
 
I can see alot of good points as to why each of you is quitting. I am going to reduce my own acquisitions to deals that may come my way. I've noticed a disturbing trend the last six months of a significant escalation in the prices of all knives, modern and traditional. BUT, I'm going out with a bang as I've bought around 40 knives this month. Quality knives that are still somewhat reasonable in price. After 35 years of knife buying this should pretty much fill my table at the flea market for all the years after I quit farming. As I see it, there will always be alot of suckers out there willing to part with their dough.
 
Yeah but will you make your $ back at the flea market. I've gotten good deals on antiques from dealers that couldn't sell them to save their life, but sold tons of import junk.
 
In my case I started looking for the best, and over the last 8 years or so my dreams basically came true with the ZT0560CBCF (though the 888 still looks really nice), an assortment of Busse knives, a SAK and an OLFA. My collection a few years ago was around 60 knives. After selling off the vast majority of that I'm very happy with what I've got. I could go the rest of my life without buying any more (especially since one pack of OLFA blades will last a lifetime even if you destroy a few every year). At the same time, I still see all sorts of cool knives, neat new designs and knifemakers that I would love to support. Basically my plans moving forward are to keep a short list of 10 knives, if I want to buy something new, something old has to go. I can pick a few models to try out every year, but not cover an entire wall with knives I will never use.
 
Last edited:
One of my biggest weaknesses has been finding too many 'good deals' that I just couldn't pass up on. This leads to unnecessary buying & selling and usually a financial loss when it's all said and done. I'm really trying to be picky now. You see, I've been seriously into knives for just a year or two and I've sold many knives that I regret. I thought they were 'ok' but used them to fund more (mainly spontaneous) purchases. Now I'm starting to realize what I'm more likely to be happy with and hang on to. It's a slow go but some progress is better than none. I've considered giving it up and just sticking with what I have but like some of you, I feel like I 'need' something to invest my interest in...and it hasn't switched from knives just yet.
 
I have thought about it but lately I have just sped up my knife collecting as of late but I have thought about slowing down but not stop collecting completely. One addiction that I did quit which was not quite an addiction but I have benn for six months with out video games (I am 18 and it is a big thing). That is one thing I quit but I so far I will continue knife and firearm collecting.
 
I can make all the excuses I want, but if I wasn't an addict I could sell off everything except the FFG FRN Endura 4 and be just fine.
 
Collecting something enjoyable and being an addict are certainly two different things. I've met a lot of people over the years who have a difficult time enjoying things in a moderate fashion and can only either go all out or cold turkey. I kind of feel bad because it seems when someone has a problem like that, their life is just a constant stream of starting and stopping with no long term enjoyment of anything.

Personally, I got into collecting knives recently and I'm still quite modest in my collection. I plan to use whatever I buy and if something isn't being used, I'll more than likely sell it or give it away. No sense letting something collect dust when it could be great for another person.

Actually, my problem right now is that friends and family have learned that I like knives and I'm being gifted a lot of knives that I won't really carry or use. It seems like everyone has a 'knife in their closet' which they've just been waiting to give away to someone with any interest.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top