I think I am going to experiment

[BJE]

I usually, as in 70%, carry my Victorinox Sportsman as my edc, the other 30% I carry my modified friction folder Opinel No.8. Those two perform very well as my regular carry knives, but I have so many that aren't being carried at all that I feel I either need to start carrying some of them, or sell off the ones that just collect dust.

So, I thought I might try a little experiment, I will carry one knife and one knife only for one month, then I will swap it for another knife for another month, I will continue this cycle until I get tired of it.
I figure this way some of my less carried knives can get some pocket time and a month should be enough to decide if I want to keep it in my collection or pass it along to someone who might appreciate it better than I.

The biggest problem I see with this is that my two favorite knives won't get carried at all during this experiment due to them just being rotated out, so they would be last in line for several years.

I have started this experiment with a knife I bought new and never carried even though I like to fondle it from time to time and greatly admire its build quality and design, my buck 303 cadet with the sawcut black valox covers.
I reprofiled the thick factory edges to my liking and dropped it in my pocket ready to go to work. So far I like carrying it very much, although selecting which blade to use is tiring, not used to having multiple blades.

So, what do you folks think of my experiment? Any criticism or suggestion is ok with me.
Have you ever tried anything like this yourselves and if not would you consider it?

Carrying only twelve knives for a year is hard for some and easy for others, lets see how I do.

 

[pmew]

I tried doing something similar, but over a week at a time. It worked quite well and I discovered properties in some blades I had never expected to find. Good luck my friend!

Paul

 

[jc57]

Month at a time? A full rotation would take me over 5 years! I really need to thin out the collection. Though every time I look at them with that in mind I remember what it was about each knife that made me buy them and even the least loved turn out to have some redeeming qualities. *sigh*

 

[burnside]

I think that sounds like a fun experiment. I might have to try something like that for myself, although I think I will go by weeks instead of months.

 

[lutejones]

A while ago we tried something like that, but in the end I think we didn't agree with the next pattern... I don't remember.
But It's a nice experiment
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/978999-Traditional-Of-The-Month-Sodbuster?highlight=traditional+the+month
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/969198-Traditional-of-the-Month-Barlow?highlight=traditional+the+month
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/960623-Traditional-of-the-month-Stockman?highlight=traditional+the+month
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/952279-Traditional-of-the-month-Peanut?highlight=traditional+the+month

Anyway those are worth seeing, lots of great pics and comments to the patterns

 

[jackknife]

So, what do you folks think of my experiment? Any criticism or suggestion is ok with me.
Have you ever tried anything like this yourselves and if not would you consider it?
.

I've done similar experiments before, and it usually shows why I like certain knives over others. Last time I did an experiment, I had some knives that I found out really didn't fit in my scheme of things, so I gifted off some knives. When they didn't perform for me as well as a few of my favorites for one reason or another they went down the road. Now I find I have a favorite few that get rotated on a very frequent basis, or sometimes carried at the same time. Being a knife nut I have a couple on me at one time.

For me, experiments usually result in having less knives afterward.

Carl.

 

[screened porch]

Be sure to take notes. That is, I suggest you keep notes.

 

[jeffwithaj]

Sounds like a tough experiment. Are you allowing yourself to cheat for a day or two each month? If not I'll put the over/under at 2 weeks!

 

[black mamba]

I'd switch every couple weeks instead of monthly. A week might not be enough time, but a whole month will slow the process down to where you might have trouble comparing them. Every other Sunday lay out a different one, and by all means, as porch said, keep notes: comfort in pocket, comfort in hand, ease of use, effectiveness of blade shapes, etc. HAVE FUN!!

 

[BJE]

Every other week might work. I won't be cycling through the whole collection, that would take many many years, instead I will select only the ones that I think I would like to EDC, the chosen few that never saw enough pocket time for me to get a fair opinion of how they perform for me.
I probably only have about a dozen that I think could make me happy as my everyday folder if given the chance, the hardest part will be not carrying my sak or opinel for that time. Also, if I take a liking to a particular folder like I have my cadet so far, it will be hard to rotate in a new knife.

 

[pinnah]

My "experimentation" has taken a different path. (Sounds like the 70s).

I have a very small pile on my dresser. The island of misfit toys. The unused.

I have a large bowl on top of the fridge for change and my EDC knives. It's next to the stand where I leave my phone, keys and money clip. I try to keep no more than 3 knives in the bowl at any one time.

So my experimentation has 2 levels. The first, obviously, is which knife I will carry on a given day. I'm not selecting from the whole pile. Just one of 2 or 3. I take special note of days when I get home and feel compelled to switch knives for the evening. Some thing wasn't working with the days choice.

I also note when I feel compelled to bump a knife back to the dresser. It's like a struggling pitcher being sent down to Pawtucket. Or when I feel moved to pull one up from the dresser.

It's been real interesting to watch which knives stay in the bowl the longest.