Hitting The Wall

I know im at a good spot right now with knives. I've somehow hit a content/don't need mindset. I still love all the new knives coming out, but can live without them. Because i don't want to collect or feel the need to buy anymore, it's made the hobby very enjoyable for me in a relaxed and different way. I hate wanting.

Pretty sure i hit a temporary wall, but this time around i dont mind it, and going to ride it out as long as my brain will let me.
0120181154-1.jpgHere's my collection now, and im going to sell the Opus, so 3 models in my collection. Still waiting on the new Dragonfly2 though :)
 
I haven't hit the wall, I've just gotten so specific with my preferences, that there is nothing out there that meets all of them.

I've seen a few here and there that are interesting enough to get my attention, even though they have little or nothing to do with what my ideas of the "best compromise" knife would be.

I think this is the inevitable process if you're thoughtful about a hobby, because previous experience drives your decisions. The mainstream stuff gets less interesting, because you've been there, and done that.
 
Maybe that is where I am at. I am not finding much that meet my preferences.

For example, I like better blade steels but am perfectly content with G10 or FRN for my scale material. Most of the time it seems like I have to pay for fancier scale material just to get upgraded steel. More often than not, I consider upscale handles a turnoff.

Seems like most makers want to cut corners or give me more than I need or want.
 
sabre cat said:
Hi everyone. It has been a while since I have posted here on BF.com. I figure there are two reasons for my lack of contributions:

First, I recently acquired an older Jeep Cherokee that needs tons of TLC. Twenty-nine years old with less than 66,000 miles on the beast. The thing has just been parked most of the time with little done in the way of maintenance. Much of my time is now spent with the Jeep instead of reading and posting here.

Second, I have found that I am pretty happy with what I am now using.
I look at new knives and even though I enjoy some of what I see, there is little that I am willing to purchase because of poor quality/design or prices are more than I feel the knife is worth. I guess I am at a point of diminishing returns so to speak.

Even though there are a select few knives I still want to buy (a small Insingo, some sort of Spyderco, to name a couple) it appears that I may be effectively done with knife buying.

I've enjoyed my time here on BF.com with all of you but, I find that I wonder if I am burned out on buying knives or have I just hit a wall? Anyone else ever go through something similar to this? If so, how did you make it through?
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What’s the knife your using now?
 
I understand this feeling. I ve always cared most about the practical use of my knives. Currently I have more knives that fill my needs and desires tha I can use. I may become a seller for the first time. I certainly am losing interest in acquiring more.
 
sabre cat said:
It's nothing special. Just a white XJ Cherokee with a grey interior. My cousin gave it to me because he had more vehicles than he could drive.

The Jeep replaces my Mazda MX6 that has 304,000 plus miles on it. KBB trade in value on the MX6 was only $57! So, I gave it to a friend that was down on his luck and he needs to save every penny he can. The MX6 gets better mpg than his other car. He is going to get a few of my knives, too.

His ex-wife really took him to the cleaners in their divorce. Poor guy.
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Every single ex wife has taken dudes to the cleaner’s!!!
I’d rather get a major surgery without anesthetic than go through that hell again!
Major thumbs up for helping your friend!! Major thumbs up!!!
Joe
 
I can relate in a way. Due to the natural progression of what I've been interested in, the price tags have been going up. More than I can keep up with unfortunately. GEC's are more than Case knives, Benchmade and Spyderco knives are more expensive than most Buck's, etc.. Shoot, Buck is my favorite brand and even the knives I want from them are more expensive than what I'd get in the past, even if it's just a different variation of the same model. Everything is going up but the paycheck....
 
I have burnt out on other hobbies, but I think I lacked specificity in them, so I ended up with a collection lacking cohesion, and a lot of space requirements and "wasted" money (Sneakers). I now buy only a couple specific kicks, and have sold a huge portion of my collection.

Since I have gotten more and more into knives, I have gotten more and more specific about what I want/enjoy as far as collecting. My EDC requirements are pretty simple, but for the collecting part I am developing a pretty narrow focus. THis results in me (hopefully) building a small quality collection, while trying to limit quantity. I do agree as many have said, it's the hunt part of the hobby that keeps it interesting, checking for that one knife, keeping an eye on your usual vendors, the forums, etc. So for me the fun is not just in the owning, but in the finding and getting.

Anyway, not the worst thing in the world to take a break, focus on another hobby maybe. Maybe the interest will come back full force.
 
I wouldn’t call it hitting a wall but I’ve been moving from traditional to modern folders for eight or nine years and I have bought and sold, traded or gifted many folders in the last few years and I am pretty happy with my crew at the moment.
While I don’t have plans to purchase any knives this year, I doubt that I will ever stop looking for the next great blade.
 
I've hit the wall a couple times, and each time I did a big downsize in my stuff. Knives, guns, tools whatever.

The first huge downsize was in the 1990's and I sold iff/gave away most my stuff tot he kids, grandkids, nephews, friends. In the early 2000's I did another downsize because of the wall. I figured I just didn't need all that stuff anymore. Possessions became a burden. In 2015 when we moved to Texas the last downsize took place. Now I can hold my whole knife accumulation in one hand. Same for my greatly downsized gun collection and tools. I can hold all my handguns on one finger through the trigger guards and all my tools now fit in one large tool box that I can put in the car truck.

I now keep my stuff pretty scarce and don't buy anymore. It feels liberating. I still enjoy browsing the forums to see wha the market is pushing, but I don't feel the need to buy anyitng new. I have a good pocket knife on me every day, that's all I need now. Most often it's a SAK. Oddly enough now that I'm retired with more time to go fishing and target shooting, I just don't find the need for a lot of stuff. Having too much dilutes the experience. Now that I own only a few handguns, all the same S&W revolver platform, my shooting is better than ever. And with just a few knives I now know very well, sharpening takes a few minutes once in a while and I can work better with them since they are so familiar in hand.

Less is definitely more in some things.
 
I spent a long while constantly rotating knives in and out of my lineup before I finally landed on a handful of keepers.

I think that it largely depends on why one buys knives. I was never much for collecting, but I do like having a variety of knives for different situations - so I had several niches to fill, and a lot of knives to handle and try for each niche.

Presently, there are only a handful of knives that I’m really considering anymore. There are a few models that I have not been able to check out due to price or scarcity that I keep an eye out for, and some newer models coming out that might bump others out of my lineup, but, I no longer find myself in the buying / selling / trading frenzy I was in not too long ago.

Additionally, knives became less relevant to my daily life when I started going to school full time. I use my knife to pop open Amazon boxes more than anything else, and I could honestly just use my house key for that in a pinch.
 
I find I do the same thing with most of the hobbies that I am consumed with. I have a pattern that repeats itself.

1)The stage where I consume information.
2) I go on a purchasing bender where I buy all sorts of stuff.
3) the tuning stage where I find what floats my boat, and my tastes become very refined and specific.

So far I have bought and used everything from a Sanrenmu to CRKs/Himderer and everything in between. Nothing can dethrone the 940 series for me as being the best all around knife for me. Not that I still don’t try to dethrone it, I just have slowed down immensely. I will try the bugout but that’s the only Knife on my list at the moment:

I sent I be more into sharpening the last few years as it allows me to play with knives and fondle all kinds of stuff but I don’t have to buy them and sell them. Sometimes I even make a few bucks as well.
 
Yeah, I think I am in the same place right now. I was accumulating knives for years, both folders and fixed blades. And for the last two-three years it practically stopped. It does not seem to hold the same attraction for me anymore. New knives have ridiculous looks or a price tag or often a combination of two. I do not sell my collection as yet, but you never know right.
 
jackknife said:
I've hit the wall a couple times, and each time I did a big downsize in my stuff. Knives, guns, tools whatever.

The first huge downsize was in the 1990's and I sold iff/gave away most my stuff tot he kids, grandkids, nephews, friends. In the early 2000's I did another downsize because of the wall. I figured I just didn't need all that stuff anymore. Possessions became a burden. In 2015 when we moved to Texas the last downsize took place. Now I can hold my whole knife accumulation in one hand. Same for my greatly downsized gun collection and tools. I can hold all my handguns on one finger through the trigger guards and all my tools now fit in one large tool box that I can put in the car truck.

I now keep my stuff pretty scarce and don't buy anymore. It feels liberating. I still enjoy browsing the forums to see wha the market is pushing, but I don't feel the need to buy anyitng new. I have a good pocket knife on me every day, that's all I need now. Most often it's a SAK. Oddly enough now that I'm retired with more time to go fishing and target shooting, I just don't find the need for a lot of stuff. Having too much dilutes the experience. Now that I own only a few handguns, all the same S&W revolver platform, my shooting is better than ever. And with just a few knives I now know very well, sharpening takes a few minutes once in a while and I can work better with them since they are so familiar in hand.

Less is definitely more in some things.
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This is sooooooo true! Although I'm still in the accumulating stage, I know that I have way too much stuff (knives, guns, etc.) that I don't really need or use, and have trouble taking care of properly. Hopefully I'll start unloading some of this stuff and simplify things before too long. There's an old saying, which you allude to, that says "beware the man that only has one rifle, 'cause he'll know how to use it!"
 
MAP pricing has helped facilitate myself hitting a brick wall in my enthusiasm. I can afford them but it's the principle... Artificial price increases is not inflation or capitalism. It's crap.
 
Don't worry about it, it's very much a "first world" problem you're dealing with.

Most folks here (I'm guilty ;-) justify working hard by being materialistic, looking for the next thing to buy to make them feel good short term, it helps to provide reason for working all hours, helps to distract from the more serious issues that should be being delt with.

Materialism can last a lifetime if you are lucky ;)




I
 
P2P said:
What’s the knife your using now?
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I am finding that I don't carry knives as big as I used too.

My normal pocket carry is one of three knives, depending on my mood and daily task. My Benchmade 531 or a Kershaw Zing (the US made version) are the two that see the most pocket time. A Cutco 1891 folder is used if I want to carry something with a lower cost.

Well, those are what I carry most of the time. I hope this answers your question. If I am in the mindset to carry something that fills my hand a little more, I reach for a Griptilian 551 in D2 steel. I also have a CRKT Prowler, which is one of my all time favorite knives. Just a shame it's not made from better steel.

Honestly, I could probably be happy with the Benchmade 531/CRKT Prowler combo. That set allows me to have a semi-dress knife and an EDC knife for when I'm not at work. The Zing/Griptilian set up would work nicely for me also.

If I was forced to pick only one knife from the above list and that would be my only knife, from this point forward, I would have to pick the Benchmade 531. It works well with dress clothes and it's still in production.
 
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