Is this an addiction ?

1

14Jerry

Joined
Jan 4, 2013
Messages
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Can't seem to stop buying knives. Everytime I buy some I say that's enough ! Then I see others and get the itch again. What is this......an addiction? What do you guys do to stop.....or at least slow down ?
Guess I need to start to sell some to balance it out......lol.
 
I swore I would never use the Visa to purchase things I don't have money for until I got this addiction to knives. I can't seem to stop either, and the sad part is the more research you do it seems that the price of the "next knife" goes up and up and up.
 
You don't stop. That's the problem. I've slowed down by buying knives that are at the limits of my price range. So instead of buying a $100 knife a month. I buy 2-3 in the $1000 range per year. It doesn't save me money. But I'm buying less knives.
 
14Jerry said:
Can't seem to stop buying knives. Everytime I buy some I say that's enough ! Then I see others and get the itch again. What is this......an addiction? What do you guys do to stop.....or at least slow down ?
Guess I need to start to sell some to balance it out......lol.
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Whe don't slow down.......we never rest.....we only buy the next knife!

And to answer your question:
YES
 
I started to recognize that I started to accumulate more than what I needed at one point and just wasn't satisfied. I did something that many on this forum wouldn't do. I made a rule: Not counting SAKs, knives I had since I was a kid or my BK9, I will only keep 2 knives. Those knives may change over time but I feel satisfied for now with a sebenza and XM-18. I get more satisfaction out of having a couple very high quality knives than several, lesser quality knives. Just my opinion. Add up what you have spent. If you are like me, you could sell a few knives and get on really good quality mid tech or custom.
 
-NB- said:
I swore I would never use the Visa to purchase things I don't have money for until I got this addiction to knives. I can't seem to stop either, and the sad part is the more research you do it seems that the price of the "next knife" goes up and up and up.
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Very true! It seems my next knife is always a little better than the last one. I said i would never go past $100. Then $150 .. Then 250$... Im scared where im headed:)
 
14Jerry said:
Can't seem to stop buying knives. Everytime I buy some I say that's enough ! Then I see others and get the itch again. What is this......an addiction? What do you guys do to stop.....or at least slow down ?
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It definitely can be an addiction.
If you generally have an addictive personality, it can get to be a problem.

For some it's just an addiction to knives, for others it can get combined with an addiction to spending.
I'm a bit a of a combination of both.
Years ago when I was on a VERY tight budget I discovered I had a physical need to spend. Didn't matter if it was expensive or cheap, I NEEDED to buy something. Took up calligraphy because the pens and supplies were cheap and satisfied the addiction.

Slowing down? Can be hard to do. Coming here and asking is sort of like going to a bar to ask about a problem with drinking.:D
Possibly be more discriminating in your purchases and don't rush to buy. ENJOY the learning and research before the purchase and spend more time enjoying the knife after the purchase rather than just rushing to make the next one.
Embrace and enjoy the social aspects of the hobby....chat with and/or meet others with like interests. When you get to know more about knives, and know other knife people, things like the Blade Show can be an enormous amount of fun without buying a single thing.

On the plus side, as addictions go it's at least not a terribly destructive one (like drugs or alcohol).


-NB- said:
I swore I would never use the Visa to purchase things I don't have money for until I got this addiction to knives. I can't seem to stop either, and the sad part is the more research you do it seems that the price of the "next knife" goes up and up and up.
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Buying anything on credit you don't NEED, is something you really want to avoid. It can dig you into a deep hole very fast and sour you on what can be an enjoyable hobby.

Searching for good deals can be part of the fun and save tons of money. Also, the lower end knives have a lot of treasures...check out Kershaws for example.
 
Limit yourself to 1 knife every month/couple of months and then buy some inexpensive but good quality knives. Sometimes you just need to scratch the itch and instead of shelling out big bucks on something like a Sebenza you can satisfy your craving with an Opinel or Peasant knife.
 
Buying anything on credit you don't NEED, is something you really want to avoid. It can dig you into a deep hole very fast and sour you on what can be an enjoyable hobby.

Searching for good deals can be part of the fun and save tons of money. Also, the lower end knives have a lot of treasures...check out Kershaws for example.[/QUOTE]

I appreciate the advise for sure. I've already traveled this road, and I don't plan on traveling it again. I was just referring to the last 2 knives I purchased for a couple hundred of which I'll pay off at the end of the month. I'm saving up my pennies for a one of those sweet backwood customs knives. Man are those sweet.
 
In my case, it is some sort of addiction.... Or obsession. Im not kidding. Sharpening is another part of the hobby that is taking my time.

We've been at it for a long time in all four corners of the world. It is perhaps, man's oldest tool.
 
It's an addiction for sure.
Knives are a great hobby though.
What I do to quell my buying is trade.
I also refined my likes a lot by choosing what I really really like in certain knives, steels, and materials.
So there are fewer on my list.
I've decided to only own what I can carry as well and ones that have sentimental value.
And if it's something I like a lot and won't get rid of but there's something missing, I get different scales and stuff so there's nothing missing.
The farther you get along you'll really start to find out what you like and don't.
It does settle down a little. But there will always be a knife you want lol.
 
Luckily I only have this problems, if I got money to spent and I don't feel the need for folders, so I am safe from Hinderers, Chris Reeves etc. But then again, the Bussekin got me by the balls :D
 
-NB- said:
I appreciate the advise for sure. I've already traveled this road, and I don't plan on traveling it again. I was just referring to the last 2 knives I purchased for a couple hundred of which I'll pay off at the end of the month. I'm saving up my pennies for a one of those sweet backwood customs knives. Man are those sweet.
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Sounds like you didn't need the advise, but you're welcome, and hopefully it will help someone else.
Seems we've both learned the hard way. My lesson was out of necessity. Years ago, got married, bought a house and all those things you wind up needing with a house and new living arrangement. Thought I would never get the darn credit cards paid off. Always felt like I was broke. Finally had to sell a car to get rid of the interest payments....never again!

Absolutely nothing wrong with using a CC you intend to pay when the bill shows up, I do that all the time.
Only problem now is with all those nifty little devices that attach to the cell phones, almost all the vendors at Blade can let you charge now:eek:. Way to easy and tempting.:D
 
I was looking for videos on YT for a CRK Umnumzaan and came across an epic unboxing.

About a week later the guy posted another video of himself sitting in his car and boo-hoo ing because he wasn't getting any hours at work and could barely afford to feed himself, all the while playing with his Umnum.

That is an addict in the truest sense if the word.
 
My New Years resolution was not to buy any knives this year.

So far I've only bought two.
 
I am down to 10 folders and 7 fixed.. which I have whittled down from over 100+

I made a rule.. if a new one comes in, then something has to go.. That has slowed me down a bunch. I love my line up that I have, and don't have any plans to purchase anymore. Minus the Direware Solo that is coming soon..

This may sound strange to most.. but once I discovered Emerson's, I am finally satisfied. They are not the best F&F.. but I will tell you they sure feel like my favorite pair of jeans. I still carry my Sebenza 25, Southard when I need a FIT AND FINISH FIX:)
 
Alann45 said:
Sounds like you didn't need the advise, but you're welcome, and hopefully it will help someone else.
Seems we've both learned the hard way. My lesson was out of necessity. Years ago, got married, bought a house and all those things you wind up needing with a house and new living arrangement. Thought I would never get the darn credit cards paid off. Always felt like I was broke. Finally had to sell a car to get rid of the interest payments....never again!.:D
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To funny. This was pretty much my exact situation
 
If the buying is making a negative impact on your life and you find that you cannot stop then yes, it may very well be an addiction.

We all kid about it, but I believe that there are people here who truly have a problem. No one in particular, mind you. It's just the nature of the hobby. It has addictive potential.

In all honesty it's a fine line for me. I really have to watch myself. I know the signs.

Like bladechick I have found a great deal of enjoyment in trading. I have ended up with some knives that I never would have had otherwise.
 
I don't know about an addiction. Like any hobby, it feels like an addiction. When something is pleasing to you, and gives you pleasure in handling, visually pleasing....etc, you tend to want more. So, you collect more. I'm more of a user, and not a collector. But, I enjoy the visual aspects, feel and utility of a knife. I enjoy the different blade steels, and using them for their intended purpose. Knives PLEASE me. And, they are tools that help me accomplish cutting tasks. So, besides being pleasing they are useful, an excellent combination. I have a bunch of knives, somewhere south of 50 of various kinds. To keep from spending too much money I do like many others, trade a few that are just sitting around and not being used. I enjoy trading knives a lot. It's a fun thing to do, and it's cheaper than spending gobs of money buying a new knife all the time.
 
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