My OCD is starting to get in the way of enjoying my knives as tools
- Thread starter rileybassman1
- Start date
What you're describing could be an actual psychological/psychiatric issue. Talk to a health care professional.
Making light of it or trying to laugh off what could be a real symptom won't make your life better.
I have mild OCD around certain things, and have since I was around 7 years old (I’m now almost 57). Not really with knives, though. Yes, I want the knives I buy new to be as “perfect” as possible (as I see it), but I don’t expect them to remain that way. To me, a knife doesn’t really start to feel like it’s mine until it starts getting some use. Some knives I’m more careful with than others, but it has nothing to do with price. For example, I have absolutely no worries around using my CRKs.
One way to see things is that I don’t know what will happen with my knives after I’m gone. So I might as well enjoy them myself while I’m here. For myself, when I worry too much about something I’m supposed to enjoy, it becomes a source of stress and ceases to be a source of enjoyment.
Jim
One way to see things is that I don’t know what will happen with my knives after I’m gone. So I might as well enjoy them myself while I’m here. For myself, when I worry too much about something I’m supposed to enjoy, it becomes a source of stress and ceases to be a source of enjoyment.
Jim
The industry realized this and aswered with different finishes.
Stonewash, Battlewash may be the answer to this.
As mentioned above you can try to differentiate between categories, as users or pieces stictly for collecting.
If you are deep into the topic it might be difficult.
One can enjoy a piece by owning it. Think about a stamp collector (does not use it to send a letter).
hope this helps.
Stonewash, Battlewash may be the answer to this.
As mentioned above you can try to differentiate between categories, as users or pieces stictly for collecting.
If you are deep into the topic it might be difficult.
One can enjoy a piece by owning it. Think about a stamp collector (does not use it to send a letter).
hope this helps.
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I know the feeling, and I have been doing some mental work to get rid of it.
I have for a long time enjoyed wear and use marks in knives, but if something like edge/grind isn't perfect it bothers me as long as I fix it.
But I've also noticed, that after using the knife and the whole thing becoming more worn (not just the blade) the less you actually care about small details.
I think you can actually teach your brain to care less about small details that don't matter. If you keep staring at it then of course it starts bothering you.
I have for a long time enjoyed wear and use marks in knives, but if something like edge/grind isn't perfect it bothers me as long as I fix it.
But I've also noticed, that after using the knife and the whole thing becoming more worn (not just the blade) the less you actually care about small details.
I think you can actually teach your brain to care less about small details that don't matter. If you keep staring at it then of course it starts bothering you.
unwisefool
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But you already have used it correct? So at this point there is no extra value to it being NIB. And really, what is the likelihood of you actually breaking that knife? Slim to none if you aren't abusing it. So pull it out of the safe and get to cutting!
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I learned to appreciate the scratches, dings and marks. All those imperfections are a testament to their usefulness and rugged design they were made for. I see them now as kinda like scars on a warrior that has survived many battles and conquered the oppressors. I know it sounds dramatic but it stirs my lazy butt to get out there and do something great and worthwhile. Lol
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Lol. Wait until you dovetail multiple hobbies at once. About ten years ago I was going out of a northern city on my 650 Kawasaki. I had a retracted metal detector across the back seat, bungeed to the turn signals stocks. And a freakin big Becker Brute hanging down my leg from the belt. I remember one time having the police pull up beside me, eyeball the Brute, then move off..........As for the OCD? Ya somewhat. But most of my tool toys aren't expensive and generally oriented to be used outdoors. I lean more toward toughness and utility than inlayed pearl and abalony. But to each their own, it's none of my business what others value.
rileybassman1
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Oh I have multiple hobbies... I'm a musician, hunter, and photographer... my knife hobby pales in comparison to what I have in guitars/amps etc lol
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Ain't that the truth... Love my guitars and equipment. Don't play much anymore because work, no band, toddler. I do crank the Ole Rectifier on occasion and try to cause a bit more hearing damage, but only when no one else is home.
haha! The problem is it has almost no scratches and very lite use. Think it's time to skip the damn thing across the driveway to get over this psychological block!
I had imilar thing bother me with phones... when I just get a new phone I put it inside the case right away and stick tempered glass screen protector...
As time passes by, I stop to worry even when it gets dropped. S10 proved to be solid (no cracks yet LOL)...
With knives, I always saw joy of them in using them. Like beating the crap out of bushes, plastic pipes or stuff like that with my Recon Tanto... I even scaped stuff with it and used it to punch holes through sheets of plastic or cut out bottoms of plastic buckets. It kinda relieves stress too, plus you know you can rely on your knife.
I have only 3 knives, and only 1 of them is not used so far (since I didn't get diamond sharpener for it yet), other 2 see regular use.
As time passes by, I stop to worry even when it gets dropped. S10 proved to be solid (no cracks yet LOL)...
With knives, I always saw joy of them in using them. Like beating the crap out of bushes, plastic pipes or stuff like that with my Recon Tanto... I even scaped stuff with it and used it to punch holes through sheets of plastic or cut out bottoms of plastic buckets. It kinda relieves stress too, plus you know you can rely on your knife.
I have only 3 knives, and only 1 of them is not used so far (since I didn't get diamond sharpener for it yet), other 2 see regular use.
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We scrutinize all aspects of a knife, usually with respect to how that feature improves function. What's so bitchin about some of these pricey knives is how spectacularly they function. It's a shame to not use them.
Of my 35ish knives, I have 2 safe queens. A Busse and a Carl Colson. My Randall 10-3, my Dogwood Echo 5 and my CRK Inyoni all see usage, not abusage. However... I've bent the tip on my Cold Steel Pendleton Classic San Mai. Also chipped the tip of my Cold Steel Trailmaster San Mai. Nothing to be proud of, but... at least I did it and not someone else!! Pendleton is fiiiiine. These are among my more expensive knives, and all of them were an absolute pleasure to (ab)use. All my future knife purchases will be for the purposes of using. I can't wait.
I don't have a point other than... cutting an apple with a Randall Made is L-I-V-I-N!
Now go use your Safe Queens!
Of my 35ish knives, I have 2 safe queens. A Busse and a Carl Colson. My Randall 10-3, my Dogwood Echo 5 and my CRK Inyoni all see usage, not abusage. However... I've bent the tip on my Cold Steel Pendleton Classic San Mai. Also chipped the tip of my Cold Steel Trailmaster San Mai. Nothing to be proud of, but... at least I did it and not someone else!! Pendleton is fiiiiine. These are among my more expensive knives, and all of them were an absolute pleasure to (ab)use. All my future knife purchases will be for the purposes of using. I can't wait.
I don't have a point other than... cutting an apple with a Randall Made is L-I-V-I-N!
Now go use your Safe Queens!
unwisefool
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Well let's see them!
Nice, Skyhorse.Tomorrow is guaranteed no one.
Quoting Thoreau. Will raise the tone of the whole forum. (Not that that I m saying the tone needs to be raised!!?!).
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I was always on a search for a "better knife". Productions quickly led to higher production, quickly led to customs. It was ultimately a rollercoaster of finding what I like and what I don't. (Costly)
Now as a collector" I have scaled down to about 7 I use in my rotation. No safe queening. But out of those 7, if I had to pick one to keep forever,right now I couldn't. But with those 7 I almost always carry my SAK that I had ever since I was younger and usually my small pocket fixed blade (if I need to do some hard cutting work)
I found this is working for me instead of the never ending "search". ..
Oh and customs...customs are cool but don't ever go to sell one if you put it in your pocket and took it back out and it picked up some lint. Real talk. Possibly why ive stopped "the searc"
Now as a collector" I have scaled down to about 7 I use in my rotation. No safe queening. But out of those 7, if I had to pick one to keep forever,right now I couldn't. But with those 7 I almost always carry my SAK that I had ever since I was younger and usually my small pocket fixed blade (if I need to do some hard cutting work)
I found this is working for me instead of the never ending "search". ..
Oh and customs...customs are cool but don't ever go to sell one if you put it in your pocket and took it back out and it picked up some lint. Real talk. Possibly why ive stopped "the searc"
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