Individual Threshold for a User vs. Safe Queen

BigDogg795

BigDogg795

Joined
Apr 29, 2013
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168
I was perusing my firearm collection and realized that I've started to collect more and more expensive knives. For years and years I've carried a Spyderco ZDP189 Endura4 and when I bought it for the $100 or so back then it was the most expensive knife I was willing to EDC...with my most expensive knife being a Benchmade CLA which ran about $170 if I recall correctly. Fast forward to today and I just received my brand new (rare?) ZT 0452Ti that I intend on carrying daily and it cost me double of what I spent on my Endura. I also added a Heretic Manticore X which I've been carrying every so often. I guess I'm starting to believe the adage that not using or enjoying a knife, gun or car is ridiculous.

So out of my own sheer curiosity, what makes a knife one you carry instead of locking up in the safe for posterity?
 
I don't have any safe queens. My most expensive knife (~$900) gets carried and used. It would absolutely kill me to lose it but I can't see the sense in not enjoying such a nice example of the cutler's art.
 
I have multiples of quite a few knives. Even mass-produced factory knives usually have small variations ( scratches imperfections ,lock-up ,etc.) It is that one I put into service most of the time , and keep in new condition the other.
Almost all my handmade knives have small variances( Fixed blades) Factory knives(usually folders ,not so much.
That just seems the way I do it.
 
I would never buy a knife with the intention of not using it. It's funny to think that all these advances in technology, metallurgy, design, and manufacturing are being used to create wonderful tools/objets d'art... only to have them locked in a safe and occasionally stroked by a gloved hand.

I'll admit that I'm a bit nervous about one day losing my Mnandi or other knives, but such is life. The funny thing is I am pretty sentimental about things and would rather lose some of my $200+ knives than my crappy Pakistan Buck 110 clone that I've had for years (a knife that got me into sharpening, knife maintenance, and knives in general not to mention was by my side for a lot of experiences).
 
SpySmasher said:
I don't have any safe queens. My most expensive knife (~$900) gets carried and used. It would absolutely kill me to lose it but I can't see the sense in not enjoying such a nice example of the cutler's art.
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If I had the disposable income, I would totally get a Shirogorov. And that's the rub, it's a $900 knife that I would never want to risk damage or losing it yet, Darkera summed up perfectly, the alternative is locking it in a safe and stroking it once in a while.
 
if i want it, and can afford it, I"ll get it, and use it.

right now, I'm looking at the $300 range, but that hasnt always been the case.
the one thing I keep reminding myself is that I haven't (knocking on wood) lost a knife in my adult life.
i hope i dont regret that statement
 
jackknife said:
If it's not being used, then it's useless.
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Thankfully, there are plenty of "uses" that a knife can fulfill other than just cutting things. :)

I have carried my most expensive knives fairly often, although I don't use them whenever rough cutting chores might need to be done. For example, I am not going to break down a bunch of boxes with my custom Olamic hand-rubbed mirror finished Rainmaker. But I've opened mail and used it to cut my food at restaurants many times. It still looks pristine as a result. I have several knives that were wretchedly expensive, and some I use, and some rest in my knife chest and I take them out, flip them a few times, appreciate having it, and putting it away until next time.
 
I have a few knives that are set aside in their boxes, but they are either spares for regular users or ones that just don't get used regularly enough. The only knife I'm hesitant to use is a custom fixed blade that has my initials engraved in the pommel (my avatar picture). I'll inevitably decide it looks too new and give it some "character" one day though.
 
BigDogg795 said:
If I had the disposable income, I would totally get a Shirogorov. And that's the rub, it's a $900 knife that I would never want to risk damage or losing it yet, Darkera summed up perfectly, the alternative is locking it in a safe and stroking it once in a while.
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Yet most of us don't bat an eye carrying a $700-$1000 cell phone, or driving a five figure car every day.
 
GermanyChris said:
Yet most of us don't bat an eye carrying a $700-$1000 cell phone, or driving a five figure car every day.
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That's an excellent point my friend. I think it's the perception of how we view these things. I was having a discussion with my mother a few days ago about having my car detailed and her response was "it's a car...as long as it runs and drives who cares?". She does have a point to a certain extent.
 
Quiet said:
Thankfully, there are plenty of "uses" that a knife can fulfill other than just cutting things. :)

I have carried my most expensive knives fairly often, although I don't use them whenever rough cutting chores might need to be done. For example, I am not going to break down a bunch of boxes with my custom Olamic hand-rubbed mirror finished Rainmaker. But I've opened mail and used it to cut my food at restaurants many times. It still looks pristine as a result. I have several knives that were wretchedly expensive, and some I use, and some rest in my knife chest and I take them out, flip them a few times, appreciate having it, and putting it away until next time.
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Each other own. But I figure it liketnis; our family and friends think we're nuts anyways because of our knife obsession. When I bought a Randall model 14 in 1968 for 175 dollars, they all thought I should be committed. So they don't think any knife is worth more than the 5.99 they will buy one for at the kitchen implements isle at the grocery store.

So, when we keel over with the big one, they will have a yard sale and some guy will buy it for a song, or some relative will got break down boxes with it b because to him theres no difference from a gas station knife. So, I use my stuff like I stole it. Customs knives, Colt Python revolver, whatever. When I die, I'll have had my use out of it in spades. The person who gets my 'prized' whatever will curse me for all the fun I had using the ever lovin dog poo out of it.

The upshot of was, when I finally sold off the Randall's. even with the blades scratched up and handles dinged, I still got twice what I paid for it. I gave the guy at the knife show a good song and dance how I carried it in 'nam, and he paid the money. The Colt Python also mada me money when I got tired of playing with it. :D

May as well use the heck out of it, your heirs will just sell it off for what some con guy will give them.
 
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BigDogg795 said:
I was perusing my firearm collection and realized that I've started to collect more and more expensive knives. For years and years I've carried a Spyderco ZDP189 Endura4 and when I bought it for the $100 or so back then it was the most expensive knife I was willing to EDC...with my most expensive knife being a Benchmade CLA which ran about $170 if I recall correctly. Fast forward to today and I just received my brand new (rare?) ZT 0452Ti that I intend on carrying daily and it cost me double of what I spent on my Endura. I also added a Heretic Manticore X which I've been carrying every so often. I guess I'm starting to believe the adage that not using or enjoying a knife, gun or car is ridiculous.

So out of my own sheer curiosity, what makes a knife one you carry instead of locking up in the safe for posterity?
Click to expand...

The only reason I keep a knife unused is usually I thought I really wanted it and would carry it but had a knife that better fulfilled its role and so just never carry it. These knives are most likely to get traded.

Now there is another side to knife collecting where people collect rare very expensive knives in pristine condition and derive joy just from owning them. Like an expensive piece of art. Often these knives are impractical to carry anyway.

But the idea of keeping a production knife like a zt or a sebenza in a safe? For what? Who are you saving the knife for that will enjoy it more than you?
 
A hinderer is my limit, so 425. Even at that I wI'll only have one, possibly 2.

ZT and Spyderco can satisfy all my other desires for half or less.

I like having 1 or 2 crown jewels, but that's my limit.
 
I'll mention one thing in the interest of full disclosure (not that anyone cares) -- I own quite a few knives that I don't carry all that much but don't intend to sell or give away. Technically, I suppose these would be considered safe queens but the reasons they don't get carried have nothing to do with their monetary value. Actually, now that I think about it, none of them are among my most expensive knives.
 
I use the crap out of my knives, especially the expensive ones. I mean I paid for them so I might as well use them. That being said, I don't own a bunch of knives so I tend to have ones that fit certain roles. When I need em, I use em. When I'm bored....I use them hahaha. Basically, I like knives to use and enjoy. Looking at them just doesn't do it for me. I'm the same with my firearms. I don't own a bunch but the ones I own have many many rounds down them. I think worn finishes and scratches are character marks.
 
My "safe queens" may be different than others. Every knife I own has been handled and cuts things from time to time. The "safe queens" I have are knives I put away to pass down to my sons. Some, even the ones I don't "use", if they're not very sharp from the factory they get sharpened. "It's no fun showing off a knife that's dull".
To be a carrier/user, I have to like the knife more than any other I have for that purpose. To be a "safe queen", I have to like the knife enough to want to pass it down to my sons. Among the knives I carry and use are Shirogorovs and Schrades. Among the knives I have put away to pass down to my boys are CRK's and Bucks.
 
I use all my knives
If one may seems to fragile or too expensive to see some use I won’t buy it

My most expensive knife is a custom damascus large Sebenza 21 and Iuse it on a regular basis
 
Like others here, I have no “safe queens” and every knife I own gets carried. I don’t use knives at work so even though they all get carried, none of them get used to any significant degree.
 
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