I miss my old trusted friend

Railsplitter

Railsplitter

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Oct 31, 2010
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Like many of us, I rotate my EDC knives so that I can get the most enjoyment out of all my user knives.

Before I started collecting knives I would just carry the same knife all the time. I never even considered buying another knife unless I broke or lost the one I already had. Back then, I carried a knife long enough for it to earn the title of "My old trusted friend".

My ever growing collection currently consists of about 85 or 90 knives. Not a one of them is a knife that I can honestly call "My old trusted friend".
I never carry a knife long enough to give it a chance to earn that title.

I miss having that "old trusted friend" and lately I have been thinking very seriously about doing something about it.

Anybody else have similar thoughts?

Thanks for reading.
 
I sorta know what you mean, the first knife I ever touched was a yellow handled, small knife in my dads toolbox at the farm house when I was no more than 10. No clue what kind of knife it was, but I'd throw all my knives away to have that one now.
 
Ive been trying to carry just one for awhile now. I make it about 75% of the time. Eventually I will get to the point that I carry the same knife everyday. Im carrying a Uncle Henry 885UH stockman that 75%. I to hope it becomes an old friend.
 
Years ago I had a Case 6318 and a Buck 110. Not only were they the only two knives I had I considered myself knife rich. Sadly both were lost after years of service and tho both have been replaced, it's just not the same.
For better than a year now I have had in the back of my mind the thought to really simplify my edc concept. No more rotating between a half dozen or so trappers. No more adding a second or sometimes third smaller knife. Just pick one and run with it. Clean the others up and put them away. No need to buy anymore either.
In addition to a large slip-joint I always carry a sak. I also have far more of these than one man needs and rotate through them like a mad man.
I guess part of what keeps me from really committing to a knife or in my case a combo is worry. What if I choose wrong and find that I need more to accomplish a days chores? Pretty silly huh. Maybe even weird.
Plus I like lockbacks and old school fixed blades and tho I don't carry them often every once in awhile I feel the need or just get the itch. You can see where this thinking can lead. I am a mess I tell ya.;)
My name is Jim and I really am a knifeaholic.
 
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I think a lot of us started out that way. Once you start getting a few more knives and hanging out on here, its to late :D
I have carried the same knife everyday for a period of a couple years in the past. I did get to the point where I was getting bored with it though. It would still do the job and everything I asked of it, it was just nice to have a change.

There have been a few here that tried to carry only one knife for a long period of time, IIRC very few have made it full term.
I use to be guilty of having a lot of "Safe Queens". I finally got to the point where I realized I was missing out by not carrying them.

As much as I enjoyed taking them out and fondling them, wiping them down and putting them back in the safe, I found it put a bigger smile on my face to be able to pull a knife out of pocket and admire it. Maybe even use it :D

I'm 49 years old, so I don't think I will worry to much about building an "Old Friend" relationship with them.

There are a few knives that I will never, ever get rid of. My Dads, my Grandads, and a few that were given to me by friends.
So in 30 years I guess they will be old friends anyway. They do get carried once in awhile, but I always have the fear of losing them. With the sentimental attachment, they could not be replaced.
 
My longest carry knife was a Gerber Silver Knight in abalone which I carried for about 14 years before losing it.
Since that loss I carried a Buck Lite for a few years at which time I broke an eighth inch off the tip and stopped carrying it.

Since then it has been a constantly changing round robin. Too many to choose from now to stick with just one!
 
Some interesting replies here so far. Thanks for the feedback.

I am really torn on this subject.

On one hand: You just can't beat a knife that has been your companion for many years and that you have that rare bond with that no other knife can duplicate.

On the other hand: Carrying the same knife all the time means that all of my other knives, past, present, and future, will never get carried again. Or at least they will never substitute my permanent EDC. It would be a shame to have all those knives but only ever use one of them on a regular basis.

I think I am a mess too.:D

The "one knife for life" concept would force a drastic change in my collecting habits. Not sure I could hack it. But I sure would like to have a loyal companion.

One thing is for sure though. I am very thankful that I'm fortunate enough to be faced with this decision in the first place.:thumbup:
 
I am only just starting to get what you mean...., why not try this...carry two...one would be your trusted old friend...... that knife will sit in one pocket...and keep your rotation flowing by carrying the second knife in your other pocket...then when sitting with mates...if you are anything like me...they become a conversation point.
I am waiting for most of my knives to come back from my mate Cossack-(who you will see now and then here giving me a hard time)....he can sharpen a knife fantastically...and tidy as well-which is important for me..so when they get back...everyday I will have my two with me...my favourite, and the edc rotaters!!
 
Railsplitter said:
My ever growing collection currently consists of about 85 or 90 knives. Not a one of them is a knife that I can honestly call "My old trusted friend".
I never carry a knife long enough to give it a chance to earn that title.

I miss having that "old trusted friend" and lately I have been thinking very seriously about doing something about it.

Anybody else have similar thoughts?

Thanks for reading.
Click to expand...

Jim, I was in that exact spot a few years ago. Not just knives either, but guns, tools, extra vehicles. One day I looked at it all and asked myself what the heck I was doing.

First I did a giant downsize of my stuff for the family. I gave the kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews the stuff they wanted. What was left over I sold off or donated to my gun club to be auctioned off a tthe next auction to raise money for the club. I ended up getting rid of maybe 70 to 80% of m,y stuff, and I felt like a huge weight had lifted off my. Like getting rid of a ball and chain. The posessions had started to own me. Now I'm down to only a hard core of a half a dozen regular edc knives and a few guns, I feel better. Half of them were my old friends from before I became an accumulator of knives. At one time I had almost a hundred knives. Now I'm back down to my old friends.

Sometimes you have to travel a full circle in life.

Carl.
 
Wow....Carl...that was a brave move...a generous one as well....what a neat way to help your club out...I am thinking that you would be one hell of a respected member in the gun club-pretty much as you seem to be here :thumbup:
 
Campbellclanman said:
I am only just starting to get what you mean...., why not try this...carry two...one would be your trusted old friend...... that knife will sit in one pocket...and keep your rotation flowing by carrying the second knife in your other pocket...then when sitting with mates...if you are anything like me...they become a conversation point.
I am waiting for most of my knives to come back from my mate Cossack-(who you will see now and then here giving me a hard time)....he can sharpen a knife fantastically...and tidy as well-which is important for me..so when they get back...everyday I will have my two with me...my favourite, and the edc rotaters!!
Click to expand...

Thats the only way I've been able to do it. An inexpensive yellow Case CV Peanut has become my trusted old friend. I rotate the others but the Peanut always goes along for the ride.
 
Campbellclanman said:
I am only just starting to get what you mean...., why not try this...carry two...one would be your trusted old friend...... that knife will sit in one pocket...and keep your rotation flowing by carrying the second knife in your other pocket...then when sitting with mates...if you are anything like me...they become a conversation point.
I am waiting for most of my knives to come back from my mate Cossack-(who you will see now and then here giving me a hard time)....he can sharpen a knife fantastically...and tidy as well-which is important for me..so when they get back...everyday I will have my two with me...my favourite, and the edc rotaters!!
Click to expand...

I think this just might be the perfect solution. The best of both worlds, so to speak.

I'm gonna give it a whirl.

Thanks, Duncan!
 
I've never had a "favorite knife" for more than a few months. I've been like that since the 80's so by now I have accumulated quite a few. New ones generally get a lot of pocket time and then it tapers off. Sometimes I "rediscover" an old knife and carry it for a while and some just sit in the drawer. I have no desire to find "one" knife though; I like them all and enjoy rotating them in and out of use. I'm faithful to my wife but knives are just possessions.
 
I have carried the same knife for over a year, a Victorinox climber. I had way to many knives, sold probably 60% of them, the ones that I would never use, that had no sentimental value, just impulse buys etc. I have finally found the brands I like, the patterns I like and don't have the urge to buy a new knife all the time. Still hits me once in a while, and I still have many times the knives I need but I have no safe queens, I wouldn't hesitate to use any of the knives I have, and they have all been used. I've finally got to the point where a half worn out knife that I carried for years has more value than a mint one.
 
Railsplitter said:
I think this just might be the perfect solution. The best of both worlds, so to speak.

I'm gonna give it a whirl.

Thanks, Duncan!
Click to expand...

Hey no problems at all :)...I have two knives now that are in battle for the "old friend" title...that will work itself out soon enough....and some will be safe queens forever...mainly a few of my fixed blades etc...and a couple of mint slippies, but now a good percentage are being used...just for silly every day stuff such as packaging etc....I feel myself searching pockets if I ever forget my knife!
You will have to give us some eye candy photos of your old friend once things are in place eh?...
Take care,
Duncan
 
Campbellclanman said:
You will have to give us some eye candy photos of your old friend once things are in place eh?...
Take care,
Duncan
Click to expand...

As long as my memory holds out I will be delighted to do that very thing.

Now I just have to choose a knife and go with it. Let's see here..Case, Queen, Schatt & Morgan, Buck, GEC,.........this should be fun!
 
I carried an Old Timer 125OT in my pocket throughout school. I remember having it as early as 5th grade and I had it in my pocket until well after I graduated from high school.
It may be in my parents house somewhere but I haven't seen it in twenty years or so. I really miss that knife.
 
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