Knife Use

I buy knives that catch my fancy and picking one to use is like grabbing a vegetable or fruit out of a garden. My excitement stems from looking at the collection and peaks from knowing I have the right tool for the job. Have I used _every_ knife I own? Nah, not yet...Not Yet. What fun it will be when I do??!!

 

If I think enough of it to buy it, then I'm using the ever lovin dog poo out of it. If it doesn't work out to my satisfaction, then it goes bye-bye.

 

I know a lot of people just rotate through a bunch of their knives so they all get used but since their using a new one everyday it may not look like it. Also some people carry a beater knife and a non beater. I however find I’m just really hard on all my stuff and recently haven’t been rotating as much. So it don’t take long for my stuff to look like above.

 

I carry and use some knives more than others, but all get used. To me knives are more than anything tools meant to be used, and it's in their use that fulfills their purpose. Even my fanciest custom knives get duty cutting rope or fixing lunch.

 

Not all my knives get used equally. But those that do, show it.

 

Same here. I buy knives to use. Like my watches and firearms. Different functions suit a particular purpose. I try (though don’t always succeed) to not have redundancies.

On the other hand, I respect people who collect things as objects of art. It’s their prerogative to spend their money as they wish.

 

I can't afford "safe queens" ... and I don't own or have access to a safe ...
If I buy a knife it is to use. I may not have a specific particular use for it in mind (example: when I get a duplicate of a pattern I already have and use regularly, like a Canoe, Stockman, and Barlow)

 

Every knife I buy is bought to use. The key word in the poll question is “much”. I have to be realistic. With the number of knives I own, few of them can get used much.

 

I only have a couple non-users, oddly both are Case. I did answer no the poll, but that's not 100% accurate. I have a 5 blade Case medium stockman that I got a smoking deal on. It didn't come in a box but it has never been used. I did buy it just to have, mostly because of the novelty of it, and I got such a good deal. I have other stockman knives to use, the additional pen and awl doesn't add that much to the usefulness of it really. Plus I have a 5 blade Parker sowbelly user that scratches that itch lol. The other is a Kentucky commemorative sodbuster, and that one I just dont want to mess up the colored blade etch. But I got it in a package deal,so I didn't buy it specifically not to use

 

Everything I buy gets used. Hot wheels get opened. Cars get driven. I believe in enjoying things what they are meant for. I won't abuse them, but I do use them.

 

Some I just keep to admire. Some I use and admire. Others go on sale. I usually keep my users in clean and polished condition. Not a fan of patina.

 

That’s the reason I answered “yes” to the poll. I don’t own any knives that I *won’t* use, but any knife I buy is unlikely to see much use.

 

I'll admit it, yes.

 

i buy knives to use, to collect, and as gifts.

i have a few that are just so nice........ they are more like works of art and hard to choose when its time to slice an orange.

 

Wow. That is a beauty!

 

The guns I own, I shoot. The knives I own I use. If I feel I can’t use them I sell them.

 

A lot of my knives don’t get used for fresh goods, so most of them likely won’t cut something that will patina them, though I may get peppering or light patina spots from carrying them all day in my pocket. I’m not adverse to patina at all, I just don’t force ‘em. I let them occur naturally so some just take a while.

 

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My intention ALWAYS is to use the knife I buy. REALLY! The truth is though some knives just are too nice in hand and so I may use them lightly for a while - for the experience - but then move them on through the exchange. You can see from my sig line that I encounter some ambivalence.

Still, some very fine customs are definitely users and keepers. I am approaching my end of knife buying days but there will be a core group of 6 to 8 knives that will stay with me to the end. Someday I'll create a thread on those.

Here a few user/keepers ->







Best laid plans ...

Ray