If I had it to do over again...

LKJW

LKJW

Joined
Nov 21, 2010
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1,832
...knowing what I know now, I would have a knife collection of 30 or so carefully chosen knives (and family knives of course). Addiction is what it is, but I own a stupid amount of knives. I like them, and it would be hard for me to get rid of them, but if I was starting from scratch, I'd be more selective and stick with a good handful. Food for thought if you're just starting out your collection. Anyone else agree?
 
Yeah but it's easier said than done. It's hard to know what you really prefer until you have too many.
 
Yeah I agree, I'm trying to be that guy now. It's not easy but I'm doing okay. I've only got a couple in my collection where I'm kind of casting around what I might use them for. I certainly don't have a stupid amount (yet :D) and in fact I don't even have 30 yet so actually I'm off to go buy some knives :)
 
My wife,"What are you going to do with all those knives?" My answer "If you out live me, you can do anything you want with them!"

Ok, Ok, I satarted out with one style to collect, then I discovered another I liked as well, then I discovered different kinds of steel, then that all knives arn't created equil, then, and then, and then!:eek: The all those knives question from the wife! Not to mention I build up a lot of fixed blades and make sheaths, and now repairing slip joints.

I have learned to follow one rule for sure. Never, Never, Never buy a pattern, color, blade style, or steel you wouldn't cary.
 
Yeah dan you are right, but with the hindsight we would have knowledge of knives we have let go - and shouldnt have, and also what knives should be snatched up then and there ... so Im thinking I would have about 40 times the amount of knives, and no lady :o
No lady ...as in she thinks Im mental enough now with the amount of knives I have...let alone "what if" :D
 
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It's interesting...the collecting bug. I have knives that I don't even remember til I go through my collection. But at the time I 'had' to have them. I haven't counted, but I probably have 100 or so. No more than 200. But that's insanity if you think about it rationally. But since when was addiction rational, eh? I don't even vary my EDC that much. I end up carrying the same knife for weeks. It's intriguing to me on an intellectual level because it makes so little sense and yet, in the moment, on the hunt it totally makes sense. And I can rationalize it so many ways, but I can also see it the way my wife sees it. My bro in law collects matchbox cars. He has hundreds and hundreds. Worth a good amount of money. People collect coins, stamps, etc. I'd love to know why...is it the hunter gatherer instinct? Do we all have OCD of some kind? Most people go their whole lives devoting maybe 5 mins of thought to knives. We think about them all the time. I'm not saying it's bad, I just kind of find it fascinating.
 
trey999 said:
Yeah but it's easier said than done. It's hard to know what you really prefer until you have too many.
Click to expand...

I agree with this. No one can tell you what you like; you have to find out for yourself. Not having disposable income will slow you down, though.
 
I suppose it depends on why you like knives. If you like using your knives, then thirty is a good number. Large enough selection to provide variety and they should last you several lifetimes. On the other hand if you are a collector your limit is going to be much higher.

I think it is natural for a knife nut to go overboard with knives at some point during his journey. Mine occurred about ten years ago when I was into HI khukuris. As a matter of fact I still have a dozen left. A man only needs 2-3 khukuris and I don't know what I'm going to do with the rest. Fortunately I have a big family and I have a few nephews I can give them to when they get older.

I learned from that early experience with khukuris and am now more deliberate with my acquisitions. In addition to those khukuris, I have a half dozen other fixed blades, half a dozen modern folders, and a dozen slipjoints in addition to a few I've set aside for my daughter and nephew. They're still more knives than a sane man needs, but I derive much more enjoyment from them since I actually put them to use. The best part is that I can now get better knives since my purchasing power is more focused. I'm no longer buying everything that strikes my fancy, but rather doing my research before I pull the trigger.

As a result I've been able to put together a nice little rotation of slipjoints.

slipjoints1.jpg


I don't know if I'd do anything different though. I thoroughly enjoyed my journey up to this point, and I've also learned a lot along the way. I don't know if I'd be as savvy now if I wasn't so imprudent and undisciplined earlier.

- Christian
 
Experience profit is worth more than financial profit. If you spend $4000 on stuff you don't need and only recoup $1000, did you really lose $3000? Hypothetically...

$4000 spent = $1000 profit + $6000 not spent because you now know better

...thus a $3000 loss may be a $3000 gain.

Your results may vary of course, but you get the idea. Experience always matters more than money, because you can't get it unless you make mistakes. If we could all make money by making mistakes then we'd all be rich.

And if you end up with stuff you don't need and can't sell, there's always Christmas.
 
You guys are lucky I still haven't figured out what my favorite pattern is I'm just so indecisive.
 
Believe it or not I haven't purchased a knife in months. I enjoy knives, and always will, but right now I'm content with toting my Peanut around everyday. I just don't really have a desire to own a large amount of knives. But one of these days I'll get around to buying a GEC... :D
 
Less is more, true. And also true that you have to acquire a bunch to learn anything, including what you like and what you don't.

My (imperfect) solution is to buy a few, then sell a few. Learn 'em and churn 'em. A few favorites stick around.

Andrew
 
I don't have a collection I have an exploration.
I keep wanting to try this or that, because, until I carry it, hold it, and use it, I really don't know much about it.

I only need one knife. I just haven't found it yet.
 
If I knew what I know now?

3 custom knives
A small 3 1/2" stockman, and large 4 "stockman and a fine thin 3 3/4" single blade

And walk away from this site....
 
I do like this forum, but sometimes I wonder how much easier it would be for most of us NOT to be knife nuts/collectors if there was no internet, online shopping, and (gasp!) bladeforums. I kinda feel bad about wanting more knives, and I've only got ten. I think I'll get over it though... hah. I guess I'm just starting my real knife life, but I think if I chose 30, I would have about 15 traditional, 10 modern, and 5 fixed.
 
Interesting observation about the learning curve...hadn't really thought of it in that way, but you're right, I know a lot about knives that I wouldn't know if I hadn't gone off the deep end. :)
 
Interesting topic for sure.
Personally, I know I'm no collector, I realized it years ago and I live with it (and I don't necessarily refer to knife collecting, I'm not meant for collecting anything).
I know this gives me a big advantage, cause when I buy a knife (which happens rarely) it's because I want to carry it. I realized I spend alot of time in the "evaluation" process (looking, reading, searching and so on) and I found out that I enjoy this step alot.
Last year, I established a rule for my knives, and so far I'm sticking with it. One of the reasons for it, was that I hear many people "regretting" having bought too many knives, or knives they didn't really like or need. So apart from a few SAK/LM (kept in car, bags and keyring), one fixed blade, and my kitchen and family knives, I decided to keep my knives (the ones I carry) down to five.
I know this seems a ridiculously low number to many of you, but I believe I can be fine with that. So far, I'm more than fine (and I'm even below five :rolleyes: ). I carry all of them, enjoy them, use them. None of them is a really high end custom (although I'd like them to), but all of them are good quality knives that fulfill my needs and make me happy.
I assume I was lucky. I know a few things helped me out of buying "too many" knives: I live in a small place where it's not easy to buy knives, and I usually like to handle a knife before I buy it...and I tend to spend my money for other purposes. So when the knife bug hit me, I was partially protected.
Also, this subforum has helped me in this sense. Yes, I know that being bombed with hundreds of pics of awesome knives tempts us to buy more...but at the same time, the simple fact of learning more about knives, patterns, stories and other people's experiences, helps me quench my thirst of buying another knife. In a way, your knives are my knives as well.

Fausto
:cool:
 
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