How many knives is too many?

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Scout Guy

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I have a bunch of knives. I also have a bunch of guns. However, each of the guns in my closet serve a different purpose: target, defense, bowling pin, metallic critters, etc.. The problem is that my knives don't seem to be as clearly defined.

I know that I don't have as many knives as most of you but I do know that I have far more knives than most people that I know.

Now the problem. Most of my knives just sit in a drawer. For daily carry, I have a Kershaw assisted opening knife which is nice when you need a knife and one hand is busy. For dress up I have a small Camillus lock back.

Now what do I do with the other ten knives (plus two Leatherman tools)?

Do you knife enthusiasts rotate your carry knives on a regular basis?

Do most people think that you are odd for having more than one knife?
 
Relative to most everyone here, I don't have that many knives. I think I have <20 total.

There are a few i don't carry or very seldom carry because I want to keep them pristine. The rest a roate carry as the mood suits me, generally switching every 2 weeks of so.

If I get feeling like I have too many knives, i sell them or give them away.

Do people think me odd? Don't know, I don't share what I have with non knife nuts.
 
For people who routinely carry more than one knife anyway, having a drawerful is not unusual. They are different from each other, if only by a little bit.

Knives generally are cheaper than guns and some can wear out faster, so backups are a good idea.

It's fun playing with (carrying around sometimes) a variety of styles. It can be a learning experience: as we say, people often don't realize how useful knives can be until they begin to carry one themselves. We don't always realize how useful a strange-looking knife can be until we carry something out of the ordinary.
 
I have to many JUNK knives. I think they'd be worth more as scrap metal than as knives. :( Dumb SMKW catalogue and teenage impulsiveness.
 
WadeF said:
I have to many JUNK knives. I think they'd be worth more as scrap metal than as knives.
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You're a platinum member, sell them off for one price. I'm someone out there has some grandkids who need knives.
And then there's always eBay, where people will buy anything.
 
I have a production slippy collection,about 2 dozen,don't carry much,more for collectig.I have about1/2 dozen custom folders,only carry each one on certain occasions,like hunting,and for showing off with the guys.I have about 12 fixed,1/2 custom,some for collection,some for hunting/fishing. I have about another 12 or so for edc,when I'm not painting,that's what I do,I have a BM ascent for that,a real abused thing.So basically you see there is a lot that sits,oh forgot another 6 or 7 that are sentimental gifts.And then there's the ordered one's that I havn't arrived,and just some others on the way,in case.You can also see,I have a big time knife fettish.But i like knives,carrying them,using,and collecting,so as long as I pay my bills and do what I gotta do,I,m having fun,it's something I like to do.As for what people think,well,let 'em think,doesn't really change anything.Oh yeah,I forgot,always looking for knives to give as gifts,I like that,too!
 
Agreed, but then don't those become the beaters?:D I'm scared to count, actually, but I've got somewhere between 80 and 100 folders in my collection (we won't expand to fixed blades, but that would definitely put me over 100 blades - I think I have at least 20 or so fixed blades, very few production, some of I've done plus kits) I do not consider this too many for me.

Do I rotate? Sort of. I'm the type that will buy one or two, depending..... use it until I find something else, put the "old one" one the shelf and use the new one until another comes along. If it's useful, it stays in my pocket, clipped, etc, what ever and then another gets acquired and basically the same process. For me, I get huge enjoyment from trying all these different ones to see how they function in an EDC manner, not to mention how you learn to appreciate some of the designs. I do go back occasionally and will rotate an older one back in for a few days. Bigger issue now, is that in the last bunch of acquisitions, including my Inova X5 and Wave II - my pants are getting pretty heavy:D My Al Mar SERE 2K isn't helping in that area well:) Not too many from a collection point, but perhaps a bit many on me:)

- gord
 
I think there is no magic number of "too many" knives.

Whatever is the right number for you is good. I would like to have many more knives than I currently have but I can't afford to right now.

I have about 10 SAK's and 3 Benchmades. Would I like to have 50 Benchmade's and Spyderco's? Yes. :D
 
gordonk and all,sitting here thinking about it,I started in with custom slips in the past 2 weeks,got a damascus barlow,and a Tomes coming.Also forgot to mention all my Spanish,French, and Italian knives.I have a real lot,of course it's too many,oh yeah,got a pile picked for my son ,too.At least I recognize it's a lot,cause on birthday Christmas,Father's Day,I tell them,"Don't buy me any knives",cause I know I've taken care of that for them.Ocassionally they'll get me a knife anyhow.Through Blade Forum's here in the past few months,I've sold and swapped and bought a bunch,too.That's also part of the fun for me ,also.
 
I just buy what I can afford as I go along. If I find some which seem to sit around too much I'll try to find them a good home. Like DaveH I try to see they go to someone who appreciates knives. But I like to have 15-20 around at all times and if it goes higher than that I have no problem with it.
 
It's like collecting die-cast model cars to me.
I have about 50 from cheap to pricey, from small to large.
You collect what you like.
Most have a purpose or even an "imagined" one (with the fighters!)
My gal doesn't like it, but its my bliss. ;^)
Shop til ya drop is my motto..Enjoy your hobbies to the fullest.
 
Too many knives is when I have to buy a different house or rent a storage unit to hold them. Basically when ownership translates into a monthly storage expense. If your knives need their own bedroom there may be too many (unless you had a spare bedroom you weren't using anyway).

I have about 400% more kitchen knives than I can store in my kitchen (do have 4 full knife blocks plus another 30 knives in the kitchen). I have tubs full of kitchen knives under my bar sink and in the garage so I haven't run out of space yet. I have knives in at least 8 drawers in my bedroom as well as a 20mm ammo box full in the basement. There are more scattered around the house and in the garage. As long as I don't worry about not being able to park a car in the garage (I haven't gotten even one car into the garage in 8 years) I don't have too many knives.

I also have more sharpening gear than fits in the house, but as long as I have space in my office I don't have too much sharpening equipment.
 
No such thing as too many knives to me but.... if you have too many to upkeep then it might be time to cut back a little (pun intended)
 
I have about 30 knives. Out of 30, about 3 of them get regular carry and use. I think it is too many but I keep on buying more.
 
I can tell you for a fact that 230 is not too many.

How many of those do I carry? Exactly one. And it's a duplicate so no biggie if it gets lost.

Best Wishes,
Bob
 
About a thousand. More than that may be to many.
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Finally a difinitive answer to the age-old question. I've often wondered myself how many was too many, and had no idea. But notice the qualifier, "More than that may be too many." So it's possible that the correct answer is actually much higher than one thousand?

How many you got LJK, and is it too many? :)

-Bob
 
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