How do you organize and document your collection?

Rev. Pete

Rev. Pete

Joined
Aug 25, 2001
Messages
843
How do you organize and document your knife collection? Database software? Notebook? Stack of receipts? Maybe I reached a milestone after the Blade show but I have now concluded that the simple way I am tracking my knives is inadequate for the size of my collection. I also realize that there is a lot more info I should be noting about each knife (such as steel type, coating, etc). This information is a lot easier to get when a knife is first acquired. What I really want is a simple database where I can enter all info about a knife/tomahawk/sword and include a small picture of the item and any sheath. I have been looking at database software lately but the big commercial packages seem like overkill (and they are expensive). I have an idea that I might take a program I developed to keep track of my reloading activities and convert it over to keep track of knives but before I do that perhaps there is already good software available? How do you keep track of your knives? In the case of software, I'd appreciate it if you could give me whatever details you can. Thank you for your kind assistance.
 
I just recently purchased a program out of Brazil that does just that. It allows you to take pictures of each knife and allows you to popst three different pics for each knife. You can then enter all the pertinent information for each knife.
It's a pretty good program but I am sure there are others. It cost me 29.95 to purchase. I will get you the address of the company.
 
I picked up some software called Collectors Gold, from off of Ebay $10, it's generic and customizable to your type of collection.

Although after looking at the link that tarsier posted I think I might try that.
 
What features are available on a comercial software product that you can't create on Word or Excel? I have a Word folder "My Knives", within that folder are individual files, I have a Blank that I use whenever I get a new knife: I upload a picture, Create a table with as many rows/categories as I need, save it as whatever the knife is called and I'm done. I even have sub-folders like "Fixed", "folders",and sub-sub-folders like "spyderco" etc. Honestly if you want I'll send you my blank for free.
 
I wrote a little database in MS Access to keep track of my firearms collection and I have expanded it to work for knives now that I have built up a collection.

The biggest advatage of a database over a spreadsheet that the data is more protable and can be used in more ways, for reports and such. When my house was broken in to I was able to click a couple of buttons and provide the police with a printout containing just about every detail of the one firearm that was stolen. (Not that it will ever be recovered). This same data can be used to generate a report on which gun (or knives I suppose) I need to clean, track the changes I've made, how much I've spent, blah blah blah.

If anyone is interested I can email you a copy that includes the runtime version of MS Access, so you won't need it to run the DB.
 
I got a knife roll, a CD case, and a coupla shoeboxes...

(Less obnoxious version: I don't, really. Knives go in and out so fast that keeping track of them all would become a chore. If I was starting over though, I would've -- probably would've just had a notebook keeping track of what it was, maybe a few specifics, what I had in it (trading or cash or whatever), and where it ended up. Nothing complicated, just for fun. I'd like to be able to trace the "lineage" of my Chinook, or remember exactly to whom I traded my first Leatherman.)
 
I'm in denial, so I still don't call it a collection. I only have about 55 or so non-kitchen knives (not counting duplicates). I keep most of the folders clipped to a cheap CD-holder meant for a car visor ($9 or so at CompUSA) and hung up in my closet for easy access. The CD-thing has a bunch of sleeves meant for CDs which happen to hold knives pretty well. Dulpicates of folders (I usually get duplicates of knives that I really like) I keep in my secret hiding place. Fixed blades and trainers (I love trainers) stay in one of 2 shoe-box sized plastic boxes. The top box is for blades I use somewhat frequently, and the bottom box is for camping knives and other large blades that I don't need frequently.

I have a database file where I keep relevant info for each knife (blade shape, handle/blade material, price, etc). One important piece of data is a "rating" which I develop over time based on the usefullness, quality or beauty of the knife. If I decide the knife does not deserve the highest rating, it's a candidate for selling/trading/giving away/destuctive testing. Whenever I buy a knife I download a picture and keep it in a folder full of knive pix, and, of course, I keep the receipts in a binder. Whew! It's almost a full time job!

Since I don't consider myself a collector and since I don't buy knives that are outrageously expensive ($375 is most spent so far, and I only have 3 or 4 knives over $300), I don't worry about keeping the knives "NIB" or displaying them.

miguel
 
Hi, my name is Danbo and I'm a knifeaholic. :)

I am just now coming to terms with the fact that I have several thousand dollars worth of knives. No, they are not organized or documented. Simply laying out on our old dining room table, where I can look at them, pick them up, and dash off to the local mall for a quick session of Mall Ninjitsu! ;) :D

I guess I do need to organize them and keep records, but that's almost like work!
 
I just use MSN "Word" to log my knives. It's easy to update and simple to use.

For transactions, I use 3X5 note cards listing the trade/sale items, name & mailing address, email address, date shipped & received and tracking numbers. The active ones, I keep out on my computer desk, the non-active ones, I file for future reference.

..."Organize" my collection???.:D.:D.
 
I lock the knife drawer. My wife knows what they cost, and she has no problem selling off 'toys' to pay bills.
 
Originally posted by Ichabod Poser
I lock the knife drawer. My wife knows what they cost, and she has no problem selling off 'toys' to pay bills.
Click to expand...

:D :D Been there too
 
If you're using some sort of computerized approach, don't forget to keep backups. I'd sure hate to see your whole database on all your knives lost to some virus or some hard drive failure.
 
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