Is anybody tired of collecting Knives?

Biginboca said:
Yep, I felt that way for sure!

My knife hobby went from hobby to obsession to career and I then burned out. Until this x-mas I hadn't bought a knife in many years, and I just logged back on these forums for the first time in about 7 years 2 weeks ago as I am starting to feel the "itch" again.

IMO it's normal to go through this Vince. Take a break and after some time away you'll come back into it.

Regards,
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I had a similar experience and purchased almost nothing for 8 years....
Last year I had a bad accident and was laid up at home for two months.
I began visiting BF and eventually joined.I Became PayPal verified and started buying the odd knife. Now the bug has bitten me again and I have begun to start collecting again...

It is also nice to know that many of my knives have risen in value dramatically. I never bought them for investment or resale but it is nice to know that they have become a sound investment.

Taking a break for a few months or years is natural and I am sure you will return......
 
I don't necessarily collect knives. I buy knives that I can actually see myself using regularly. I've been more focused on firearms for the last few years, so the frequency of my knife purchases has gone down.

As others have stated, over the years I have become extremely picky about my knives. I haven't really seen many knives lately that really interest me.
 
It never crossed my mind that some companies were on to us, i guess i never was into collecting enough to pay that much attention, however the frequency in which spyderco is allways changing the line up never made much sense to me, but now i know why. tnx.
 
donny bee said:
It never crossed my mind that some companies were on to us, i guess i never was into collecting enough to pay that much attention, however the frequency in which spyderco is allways changing the line up never made much sense to me, but now i know why. tnx.
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Maybe they are just as passionate as we are about knives.
But, if you think about how some of the older companies have gone out of business in the past decade, while a couple have thrived you will see the difference is that the older companies kept right on producing the same stuff year after year and the ones that thrived have brought out new designs that not only are different, but radically so.
I didn't mean they were taking advantage of us, I sure don't see it that way at all. I'm glad we have companies like Spyderco to shake up the knife world!
 
Donny bee:

it's a pretty common practice from what I've seen. And that's what I meant by the industry being "hurt" by a collector's mindset. The manufacturers catch on, make a few limited runs, then the knives get flipped on the secondary market for 50% markup. The knives are sold as "mint" or "unused."

Meanwhile, people who want to buy these knives for utilitarian purposes, but were a bit "slow" to buying the limited runs are simply out of luck, and have little choice in terms of purchasing a knife that they really want.

For example, Swamprat knives put out AMAZINGLY affordable products a few years ago. The ratweiller, the safari skinner, rat daddy, all affordable high-performance products. Now, you'll be lucky to even find one of those knives anywhere, let alone at the price that it was sold at the time.

In the meantime, its parent company, Busse (I'm a fan of their products) is selling a "limited run" NMFBM which actually reminds me a lot of...the now difficult to find Rat Daddy. The NMFBM, mind you, runs 3x the MSRP of the original Rat Daddy.

BTW: I have a Rat Daddy - great camp knife, very versatile and sleek. Got it for just a little over $200.
 
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I avoid limited runs. Years ago I was on a Microtech kick. I bought a limited run CFO2 while I was in Iraq. I only bought it because I wanted a front opening auto of that size and I was going to use it. I can't see myself buying any MT customs but I understand the customs are what keeps that company doing so well.
 
Case has been catering to the collector crowd for decades. The practice has just spread to other brands/types not traditionally looked at as "collectible" over the past 20 years or so.
I think it's because there's so much high quality stuff to choose from now. Back in the 60's and 70's and even up into the 80's there just wasn't nothing like we have today, available in production blades.
 
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Back in the 60's and 70's and even up into the 80's there just wasn't nothing like we have today, available in production blades.
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That's a good point. There weren't things like high performance stainless steels, steel junkies researching, testing and taking polls on bladeforums and talking trash about steels which we would have gave our left arms to have back in 1975.

I blame a lot of this on Sal Glessar and his printing the steel names on the blade, and including steel charts in the catalogs.

It started me dreaming, and comparing.....and on, and on. Before that only the custom makers knew or cared about different steels, and everybody knew stainless steels were junk! :)

Oh Sal, look what you did! :D Joe
 
It didn't take me 30 years like it did you, but, yeah... after 3 years of intense collecting, I quit. I had sold off all of my collection and kept a folder and a fixed blade (that I didn't even use). It's now funny to me that I had all the knives that are hot and very collectible now. I laugh it off 'cause I know it'd never stop. Certain knives that are readily available now, will most likely be just as discontinued as they were when I was into knives. I found something a bit more useful to collect... watches.

Anyway, I'm sorta back into knives now and often times I see myself over thinking knives and my collecting of them as I did a few years back. So, I put number limits on how many I have, for example: just 5 folders, 5 fixed blades... because I know that sooner or later, they'll be sitting in the drawer again collecting dust. If I want something new, something that I already have has to go. And, all I get is knives that I know I'm actually going to use. Enough with spending a $1k or more on a knife that just sits in the drawer not seeing any use - that's no enjoyment. I might as well pick up a $1k timepiece and wear it everyday. Or, pick up a new guitar... and, I'll definitely get MORE enjoyment out of that than any knife out there. Or, pick up a new gun. Or,...

That's my way of doing it.
:D
 
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No, I plan on continuing collecting. I have 4 boys, twins my own, and 2 stepsons that already dig my collection. God willing and the creek dont rise, they will be carrying my collection and remembering their dad/stepdad every morning when they choose which ones to put in their pocket one day. I know I have to be careful, and it has no end, but it is not too expensive of a hobby for me....yet.
 
Still collecting, but I've gotten a lot more sophisticated where knives are concerned. I'm into users only, with some heirlooms tucked away. Over the last six months, I've been purging what I didn't use much.

thx - cpr
 
I do not have the interest that I once did. Yes, I collect knives. Switchblades and balisongs. At one point it was like an obsession and I would see a knife and I just had to have it. The old timers will remember Blade Auction. I saved a lot of $ when it shut down. Sorry Josh. Now days I see a nice custom knife that I would like to have and think, hmm, I could get a very nice gun for that $, or at least put it towards one. No, I do not collect guns, but I do like to shoot em. Priorities change, interests change. I still like my collection and have no intention of selling it, but it is not growing much these days.
 
i buy very few and shop for many. it keeps my interest stronger than purchasing or even just handling every knife i want. too much fondling and research, and not enough actual knife work decreases my interest. using a knife for everything, obviously opening packages, boxes, letters, but also for food prep, spreading mustard, cutting steak (my favorite), and any overly abusive jobs you might find from time to time, really attaches me to my knives. i figure thats why i enjoy owning my fixed blades less when i havent been camping in a few months. i only seem to get attached to knives with aesthetics i really enjoy, that i dont care at all about destroying, and that i use for everything. owning too many ruins that bond
 
I have 15-ish fixed and folders total -- all of them users, production, most in the $100-$200 range, lifetime warranties on the ones I would miss most. I could stand to get rid of a couple folders, but that's probably more hassle than it's worth.

They meet all my practical and tactical needs, and I hope they'll do as well for my son when he's older. I'm pretty much done. Just need a few more kitchen Forschners and a brace of semi-disposable Moras, and then it's just sit back and wait for the zombies to come over the rise.

So yeah, tally me in the "tired of collecting before even beginning the process" column.
 
Sufler said:
It didn't take me 30 years like it did you, but, yeah... after 3 years of intense collecting, I quit.

I found something a bit more useful to collect... watches.

Or, pick up a new guitar... and, I'll definitely get MORE enjoyment out of that than any knife out there.

Or, pick up a new gun. Or,...

That's my way of doing it.
:D
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Sufler you are a freaking Mind reader!!!
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I've been using Knives for over 4 decades now. I don't collect as much as buy what I will use as an EDC.

The thing about being on the Forum has made me more picky about Steel and Handle material.


As for other interests, "Variety Is The Spice Of Life". :)
 
For me no. When I get tired of knives and the friends I have met in this hobby, I figure it is time for me to kick the bucket or shuffle off the old mortal coil so to speak. :D.
 
I've only been alive since the 70's, so I guess I haven't had time to get tired of knife collecting yet. I still have the first few knives my dad gave me, but my main focus is Spyderco knives. I've had to fight the urge to sell them all in a financial pinch, but I buckled down and found the money elsewhere. I also collect comics (since I was in first grade) and I like to buy a gun every now and then. I guess splitting my attention between my hobbies keeps me from getting tired of them.
 
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