Getting the Knife in the Door

W

Walker

Joined
Feb 28, 1999
Messages
139
Before lurking here, I thought I knew knives and sharpening. I now know better. In introducing myself to the forum, I suggested that the greatest skill I bring to the forum might be my skill at getting yet another knife in the door while keeping domestic tranquility. Due to great demand (all right, there were two who suggested it), I'd like to test my skill against the membership.

What do you say and do when that new knife smiles at you and you know you have to bring it home, when your Significant Other foolishly believes there are better uses for the money?

Mike Razzano, are you really the king at getting knives and guns in the door?

Bob Irons and sing, I know you saved a bundle by buying the knife instead of a shotgun ofr the knife when it was more expensive, but how often can you use that one?

You have to play to win, I have some magnificent failures, too.
 
I always try the bigger $ amount I payed
$500 let her blow smoke then say it was
only $150 she said that was a bargin
 
Walker, First of all, my wife really doesn't care about my knives...as long as she doesn't know how much I pay!!!
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Now, when I want to purchase one from the internet or mail order, I use my friends credit card, have it shipped to his house, then I just bring it home like I had it forever. I pay him in cash and theres no charge on my card.
I make sure that when I buy one at the store if shes with me I only spend between 50 and 85 dollars.(good for spydies, some BM's, Case and many others)
Guns.....A long gun goes like this. Take an empty case out of the house with her watching, but without her knowing its empty.
"I'm going to get this gun repaired hon..be back later"..If the purchase is going to be that night, I leave the gun at my shop for a few days, then bring it home in the empty case...
Handguns are easy cause there small...
To be continued.......
 
Certainly good approaches. We need to mix our efforts, too.

I like putting a little catch in my voice when I say, "It's just like one I had as a kid. It makes me feel young again." That's good for at least a knife, but it won't work for a shotgun. My wife knows I didn't have fifty cents in my jeans 20 years ago.

You know what they say: "Sincerity is the most important thing. Once you learn to fake that, everything else falls into place."
 
Gosh, I never even thought about it. I just bring whatever I bought home. There's generally no questions asked about my purchases, and no effort at telling her the price either. May be hard to believe but in the past week I've brought in two Mad Dogs, and a new Dell laptop with no questions asked. Oh yeah, she may ask a question tomorrow when she asks why my mobile phone is missing from my truck. I guess I'll have to tell her that the new truck is due in Friday and the phone will be re-installed in it then. Did I mention that I think she's the greatest thing in the world? - And I tell her also!
 
My wife doesn’t know about my knives, most because: (1) there’s too many, (2) she’s not home when deliveries are made, (3) I pay the bills & take in the mail.

Now you may ask is this devious? No it’s not. It’s for the greater good, our blissful marriage. What she doesn’t know won’t hurt ME! And I never stop her from buying anything for herself.

But hay guys please keep sharing your tales and techniques we all need to learn from each other. This is as a important to knife collecting as steel types, handle materials, and blade geometry.

(of course Dog tongue planted firmly in Dog cheek, somewhat anyway
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)


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Take Care,

LD

"Every Dog Has His Day"






 
Well, I love you guys so much, I'm gonna tell you about the sweet gig I've got going. When the package comes, I immediately say, loudly and clearly, "Oh, this must be the review knife that <Knife Company> was going to send me." This allays suspicions most of the time, and I am rarely asked later if that knife was indeed the review knife. Since I'm almost always waiting for some company or other to send me *something*, it's not technically a lie. And if I forget to later report that the box actually contained my new $300 Sebenza rather than the review knife I was expecting, I'm sure you'll all understand
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Occasionally she waits until I actually open the box before asking if this was a knife I paid for, and then I get in trouble. Then she asks how much, and I'm in real trouble
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Joe
jat@cup.hp.com
 
Someone around here once mentioned that their method was to say something along the lines of "It cost me $300, but it is worth $550, and I couldn't pass it up!" This method works by playing on the bargain sensing area of the woman's brain. A friend of mine is in real bad shape, because he has to buy three of everything, one for the collection, one to use, and, you guessed it, one for the wife. What works for me is to buy my girlfriend a new Beanie Babie whenever I get a new knife. The happiness of getting a new Beanie helps take her mind off of the new toy. This may not work when we get married.

YEK

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"Will Dremel for Food!!"
"No, it's a Vaquero Grande in my pocket, but I am happy to see you!"
yekimak@hotmail.com
MegaFolderians Unite!!
Dyslexics Untie!




 
My wife Doris is a gem. Never a problem at all.
My first wife, well an example is in order. I walked in the door with a shining new Randall Model 14 attack/survival and showed it to her. She was unimpressed and when I told her what it cost, she said, "YOU BLEW 200 DOLLARS FOR THAT? This is why she is my FIRST wife. I chose wisely the second (and last) time!
I am reminded of something J.D.Jones said when asked a question similar to the subject of this thread. "You've only been married for two years, get rid of her before you get too attached to her." LOL!


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I cut it, and I cut it, and it's STILL too short!

 
Well I love this thread because at least I know Im not alone. All of my explanations have run dry.At first I would go to a show and if I bought myself something I would buy her a little something also. She had a mild interest in knives and liked spyderco's so that worked for a while. After that wore off and she asked "why do you need another knife" I would tell her I hadnt found the perfect knife. That was real open ended and I thought I could skate a while. Finally I resorted to (Im married thirteen yrs)Honey I dont go out and hang with the guys. I come straight home, I dont do drugs and I dont drink.... ssoooooo...all the money I would be spending on those other persuits I use instead for this harmless hobby.
I think she wants me to start going out and drinking. probably be cheaper.
Alex
 
Walker,

The truth is my wife is pretty cool. I don't spend a heck of alot money, EXCEPT ON GOOD EQUIPMENT. Good equipment includes flyfishing, hunting, camping, martial arts training and knife stuff. She doesn't constrain me. She does get surprised by the cost of some of my "trinklets". I actually have to restrain myself. She knew what she was getting into when she married me...
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sing
 
Joe,

I love the review thing. Someday I hope I'll be able to use that one.

Several of you mentioned mixing your purchase and her purchase/gift up together so you both get something you want. Sometimes that works for me. This is particularly effective when we go antique shopping.
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The really hard part here is the credibility issue. No matter whether you buy for your collection, for real use/carry or just because it screamed "buy me" when you saw it, you need to remain credible in your wife or significant other's eyes. I can't/won't practice pure deception or straight out lie to my wife - ever. She knows this and partly because of this - trusts me.

Sometimes it's real hard not to order that expensive custom or other great looking production knife, but in the long run deferring the purchase for later is worth it - if I keep the trust!

It's worked for me for 25 years now!

God bless.
 
Well, lessee...

The last knife I bought, the Axis, I just went in with a friend, bought it on his card, and paid him. Not to be deceptive; he called me up asking advice before he transmitted the order, and I said add another. She never asked the price (not sure she knew it was new, though). I didn't exactly come in and say "Hey honey! Look at my brand new $100 knife." But, I did pass the Endura to her. Lucky for me something came up that very day them made her interested in getting a knife. Whew!

A gun (handgun) is a bigger problem. I probably won't be buying many of those for a while
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Course, I haven't been anyway. But, before I bought this last one, I traded in one to buy her one of her very own
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Now, I just had to buy this new one to replace the one I traded in. It helps that I am working a lot of overtime now to have extra play money
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Evin
 
I agree that pure deception is to be avoided for long-term credibility. In the short term, it's like shooting sitting ducks: effective, but it doesn't much improve your wing-shooting.

"It's a bargain," is also effective, but I have found you need to SELL one knife at a profit to have it believable. I really don't know which one I'd part with.

I worry about younger married types who think that wives don't care, just because they say nothing. Puts me in mind of a volcano.

My wife understands that I'm still in search of a perfect knife; occasionally she enquires sweetly why I keep those that are less than perfect. It's difficult to explain that I don't want to hurt their feelings by selling them, so I explain that they are perfect in their own way, like children. Mothers can appreciate the Offspring Limited Perfection syndrome without understanding how it applies to metal.

On another thread I mentioned distraction. Buying homebuilt aircraft magazines, and explaining how much fun we'd have sanding fiberglass (1600 to 3000 hours worth) and how it would bring us together worked really well. There were no complaints when I gave it up as impractical, but I was so disappointed that I needed a Beretta O/U to improve my spirits.
 
This one worked for me and is best used on a high dollar purchase because you cant use it alot. I bought a new Bow a few years back and told the wife that I won it in a raffle at a wild game dinner. It worked like a charm!!

J.KOch
 
Like above, I have zipper cases for some knives. Sometimes I take an empty case out to the car, "Just want to show the guys my (fill in knife model here) knife!" Then bring it back home full.

If she really gets on my case, I just say, "Why don't we go over your clothing charges at the Bon Marche, Dillards...." Nough Said!
 
I can't wait to show my review model Randall #5 to my old lady.Hehehe
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. I've been just telling her that I traded something of mine for it, or I paid only so much for it(haven't lied yet: trade money for knife). Someone should put a free knife topic up....
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PR




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If you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail!

[This message has been edited by prigger (edited 04 March 1999).]
 
Jeez, sounds like an addiction meeting--Hi, I am Frank and I am a Knifeaholic!! Nevertheless, never let her see all the knives in one place--she will think you may have a few, but if she sees ALL of them, LOOK OUT. Also, comments such as "I bought this one with the $$$ I sold that the other one for--and we made a profit" (yea right), helps. Deception works--if cornered, promise her you will seek help. If all fails, tell her you are enrolled in a Knifeaholic program that meets after the local gun and knife shows.
 
The Force is with you, JP. I think the 12 steps could help most of us. I myself don't need help, as I can quit anytime I want.

On another thread, bcaffrey suggested that all black handles can camouflage the extent of the collection, but can get boring.

 
I've only had to explain one, but that was this weekend. I have two key advantages, though:

1. It really is a deal. I got to mention the words "special meaning for me" and "half price" before the $85 part. This is the Alan Folts knife I'm getting, with the discount for the name. I know 85 is peanuts to you wily veterans, but my girl's never seen an $85 knife in her life!

2. She found out not long ago how much her engagement ring cost me. I figure I have about two years of subtly bringing that one up anytime she questions purchases up to and including $1000, but time will tell.

 
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