I think I'll stop buying traditionals for now.

[hank_rearden]

First of all, I think well-made traditional slip-joint folders, especially vintage ones, are the most collectible of all knife classes. But as I keep looking at pictures of beautiful bone handled knives made by gnarled old hands long put to rest, showing the patina of lifetime use, I realize I couldn't recreate that look with my own knives. Why?
Because I already own too many slip-joints and hardly ever put them in my pocket. I can't remember the last time I whittled a piece of wood or bamboo. The only use they ever get is when I have letters to open and I happen to be near the collection tray. There are times when I get negligent and forget to oil and clean them, so they get rusted. Ugly black splotches and pits that tells one the knife is hardly used and often neglected.
And so, I now oil and clean them regularly, and rotate them for daily pocket carry. I put them in a cotton or nylon pouch to keep keys and coins from scratching the nickel silver. There are so many that I now rotate.
Result: They're all starting to look like real pocket knives again. The blades are clean but not polished out. The bone inserts are no longer collecting dust. The steel is now getting the patina of regular handling. It doesn't have to be soaked in mineral oil all the time. Like a loyal dog, it just needs to be patted and held regularly.

 

[Houlahound]

Sounds like a good strategy, stay strong.

 

[cudgee]

It doesn't have to be soaked in mineral oil all the time. Like a loyal dog, it just needs to be patted and held regularly.

. That is the best knife maintenance advise you could possibly give my friend. I like your style.

 

[ddavis]

Great post. I think knives look better when used regularly and taken care of, like an old leather jacket they look better with wear and age.

 

[Jsega51]

Don’t stop, buy stainless. They take a lot less maintenance

 

[Campbellclanman]

I think this is a natural problem as one starts to accumulate a number of knives.
So like everyone else you come to a point where you can stop and decide do you continue? Sell off a few to get back down to a usable number of your preference, Or do you keep a smaller edc and then buy a few and sell a few to keep up a bit of change/ trial a knife pattern etc
There are those who will use every knife, then the Collector who loves knives and buys certain ages or patterns of Knives - the amounts vary per taste.

There are some knives that one may obtain where using it just wouldn’t makes sense and it be an actual shame as it may be a very tidy and rare knife and to use it would be detrimental.

Knife collecting / Knife hobbiest is such a personal thing there is no real “ right way” or “ wrong way” .

 

[hank_rearden]

Make no mistake, I still browse ebay and the GEC distributors every morning. There's a collector in all of us and yes, there's one vintage case that will likely stay on the collection shelf permanently. My other point we're living in very different times from the previous generations. Back then, good pocket knives were rare and expensive. A man in the city gets by with one watch, one fountain pen, and one pen knife. All three will carried and used until the owner stops working. My old man owned only one Case and he carried it for years (until one of his sons lost it.)

 

[Houlahound]

until one of his sons lost it.

Does that same son post on the BF's?

 

[A.L.]

Leave them in a shower/bathroom closet for six months and they look nicely used.

 

[JohnDF]

I used to worry about this too.
But I have some carbon steel knives that have been sitting on a shelf for years with no rust issues.
Perhaps there is one good thing about living in Kalifornia... the nice dry weather keeps my knives in good condition.

 

[hank_rearden]

In tropical Philippines. Leave your carbon steel knife untouched for one week during the rainy season and rust starts to appear.

Does that same son post on the BF's?

Knew I shouldn't have mentioned that. Yeah, it was I. One of my greatest failures is I never got to gift him with a new Case pen knife before he died.