Knife Doldrums: I might have it bad

Professor said:
70 is the new 45, Gentlemen. :)
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If you say so.

All I can tell you is that my body did not hurt when I was 45.

I find that I am becoming much more picky about what knife I buy compared to a couple of years ago. I don't want as many knives as in the past.

I am waiting to see what Spyderco's PM3 is like. I have my eye on a Case Seahorse or a couple of other traditionals. Also, I think I am interested in a Buck Froe. That's about it unless I've forgotten something. Like a CRK small insingo.:D
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
Honestly, there hasn't been much in the past few years that's really impressed me. A lot of designs on the major market are chasing after customers with only a shallow understanding of what makes a knife tick while costing an arm and a leg. I like tools that are more fun to use than they are to buy, and the market isn't catering to that sector much at the moment. It's not just you that's in a period of stagnation--the market itself kind of is. It's oversaturated with derivative designs that are desperately trying to be aesthetically different instead of picking a functional context and designing around performance factors.
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This is a really great post.
 
Update: I'm still in the doldrums a bit. Slowly climbing out.

My enthusiasm picked up a bit when I won a OKC Carter Prime off Instagram. It's my first Ti. A bit on the heavy side and my detent is extremely stiff but it got me looking at more Ti, for sure. I have yet to be really impressed with something that "I just gotta have"

Except the Para 3. I just gotta have it because I've been waiting on it for so long.

How's everyone else doing?


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Try traditional slipjoint folders.
 
I know what you mean, collecting and using for more than 1/2 century I've experienced the same issues. Sometimes I walk away for a while, lately I've got into autos. If it is legal in your area it is fun reading about the different companies, their, mechanisms, reviews, and finally the shopping part comparing prices and then checking the exchange.

Good luck to you, I'm sure that passion for things sharp still burns in your soul.
 
I am pushing 50 now, and I'm not as tactical as I used to be. I find myself leaning towards more traditional knives. Fixed blades with stag, or leather, and slip joint folders. I see where you are coming from.........I think we just get burnt out, and need to walk away for a spell.
 
I like broad stainless blade hollow handles with blades over 10", and slim pointy daggers that are nicely zero-edged in geometry, and in that design range there is hardly anything to buy that was made less than twenty five years ago, except for a few one-off customs and the occasional Gerber anniversary Mark IIs...

The only design I own that is a "modern" design, and you can easily see how recent it is in the way it is "overdesigned", is the very well made SOG Fatcat (which was dull, but REK to the rescue)... I object in particular to the very fashionable, and utterly useless, recurved edge...

I also got an assisted Kershaw RJ Martin "Tactical" folder for FREE with a 30 year old $500 Al Mar SERE: I have to admit the Kershaw is comparable or better in absolute usefulness, although it is again overdesigned with decorative swirls and needlessly complex shapes/motifs compared to the attractively simple 30 year old knife... This seems to be the curse of computer design...

What is very much missing are expensive 10" by 1/4" stock factory-made fixed blades in stainless. I generally prefer expensive factory made knives for a variety of reasons, and most of the big chopping knives today (excepted Busse) have a fixation on being a bit on the cheap side, with "thinnish" 3/16" carbon steel and clunky Kydex sheaths, none of which is of any interest to me... The Fallkniven Thor is just about the only exception to this trend, along with the similar CS SM III Trailmaster...

Generally overdesigned, with curvy edges, no eye for straight-line simplicity, and very little that is big, stainless, and better in grade than Taiwan or Chicom cheapos... In a way it is a good thing that there is hardly anything for me to buy, as I can appreciate what I have more since I know there is nothing new incoming...

Gaston
 
Gaston444 said:
I like broad stainless blade hollow handles with blades over 10", and slim pointy daggers that are nicely zero-edged in geometry, and in that design range there is hardly anything to buy that was made less than twenty five years ago, except for a few one-off customs and the occasional Gerber anniversary Mark IIs...

The only design I own that is a "modern" design, and you can easily see how recent it is in the way it is "overdesigned", is the very well made SOG Fatcat (which was dull, but REK to the rescue)... I object in particular to the very fashionable, and utterly useless, recurved edge...

I also got an assisted Kershaw RJ Martin "Tactical" folder for FREE with a 30 year old $500 Al Mar SERE: I have to admit the Kershaw is comparable or better in absolute usefulness, although it is again overdesigned with decorative swirls and needlessly complex shapes/motifs compared to the attractively simple 30 year old knife... This seems to be the curse of computer design...

What is very much missing are expensive 10" by 1/4" stock factory-made fixed blades in stainless. I generally prefer expensive factory made knives for a variety of reasons, and most of the big chopping knives today (excepted Busse) have a fixation on being a bit on the cheap side, with "thinnish" 3/16" carbon steel and clunky Kydex sheaths, none of which is of any interest to me... The Fallkniven Thor is just about the only exception to this trend, along with the similar CS SM III Trailmaster...

Generally overdesigned, with curvy edges, no eye for straight-line simplicity, and very little that is big, stainless, and better in grade than Taiwan or Chicom cheapos... In a way it is a good thing that there is hardly anything for me to buy, as I can appreciate what I have more since I know there is nothing new incoming...

Gaston
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I totally get it. I would be remiss in not recognizing the fact that overpricing for (now) common materials plays a small part in my knife doldrums. Ti and CPM steel comes to mind here.

Don't get me wrong....I can afford those knives, but I constantly ask myself....will it satisfy me? Perhaps the chase is what I'm after here and not the actual knives.






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I will never get tired of knives I guess, but I have gotten tired of the hoarding and the chasing. I recently - once again - got rid of the collection and left few true users around.

At the moment I am just keeping my eyes open and snatching few bargains and rarities here and there. Makes it much more interesting for me to make it all random.

But I am not preaching, it is just how I enjoy the hobby at the moment.

And these days I get almost as much enjoyment of knives just browsing the traditional threads, seeing all the various patterns and treasures people have.
 
Still not impressed with much of the releases of the past few years, but we'll see what 2017 brings. The fact that CS is coming out with a bowie machete using their excellent Smatchet machete handle does have my interest piqued.
 
The Stedemon Shy 4 is one of the nicest kwaiken folders designs to date and there's a variety to chose from.
rolf
 
Actually, I saw a picture from SHOT of the OKC Cerberus which has my interest piqued at the moment. Billed as a no frills Ti folder with D2 steel blade, it's right up my alley. Hmmm


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Ahhhh.... more money. I can always use some of that. But I would probably just buy a gun that I don't need.
 
I have 5 more knives coming in, and one to sell, then I have my "perfect assortment" of edc knives. After that, I told myself no more. We will see....
 
As I see it every hobby has it's ups and downs. I collected guns for years but in the 90's I up and sold 40 guns in a few weeks after spending years getting what I wanted ( sometime back I started again ) At one time I collected watches ( I still have some) I won't bore you with all the others but I find that hobbies that collect things you get to the point where you are at the mercy of Mfg's. that make whatever you are collecting, coming up with things to keep you interested.

I still have all of my collections but no where near the level I maintained them at one time. Knives are new to me but after all the decades I've learned to go with the flow and try not to get obsessed, it's easy to do.
 
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