New Knife Existential Dread

My problem is that I buy a knife thinking “I’m gonna use the crap out of this one”, and I do for a while, and then the next “I’m gonna use the crap out of this one” comes along, and the previous one is put in the top of the closet, barely used.

I don’t buy as many as you guys/gals do, but I do end up with with a pile of barely used knives. While I never buy a knife intending it to be a safe queen, I do end up with a bunch of knives in nearly unused condition. Eventually I thin the herd and end up giving away some near new knives to people who will (hopefully) appreciate them.
So I say use it until the next one comes along.
 
Lee D said:
My problem is that I buy a knife thinking “I’m gonna use the crap out of this one”, and I do for a while, and then the next “I’m gonna use the crap out of this one” comes along, and the previous one is put in the top of the closet, barely used.

I don’t buy as many as you guys/gals do, but I do end up with with a pile of barely used knives. While I never buy a knife intending it to be a safe queen, I do end up with a bunch of knives in nearly unused condition. Eventually I thin the herd and end up giving away some near new knives to people who will (hopefully) appreciate them.
So I say use it until the next one comes along.
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I was doing the same exact thing until I saw a member here who would post which knife he was carrying for the week. It’s a good system to get all the knives some pocket time. Now I do the same. Only difference is I don’t post.
 
I have used one or two of my GEC's a fair bit. But I do understand the OP in that they are also works of art and almost heirlooms. I love my GECs because they remind me of summers spend back in Minnesota and all the old-timey stuff my grampa had in his garage. The smells of machine oil, old wood, fishing tackle, etc. The GEC slipjoints with their jigged bone scales, interesting logos, wrapped in that oiled paper and cardboard tube with nostalgic art, are all triggers for some pretty good memories. I am glad I got in while the getting was good a few years ago, because goog luck finding a new GEC these days.
 
The burden upon one’s shoulders in obsessing about keeping a knife pristine is a heavy one and causes lots of anxiety. Free yourself by using your knives. Even $1,000 custom knives. Why buy a Ferrari just to park it in the garage? Drive it… and use your knives.
 
Blues said:
Is that when you can't get up enough money for the purchase? I'm sorry, the pill hasn't been created for that one just yet.
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Refer to posts #63 and #66.

Not related to boners. I am conflating NKED and nekked, like, nked is phonetically like necked. So, I hate using new knives like I hate being naked running around in public in my dreams. I like being naked and having sex in my dreams.

To the rest of you, sorry I had to explain the joke.
 
I believe it is not a black or white situation, and there are several shades of gray in the middle. I happily use and enjoy my more expensive knives, but I also enjoy collecting some others. I will try to drive my point with 3 different Swiss Army Knives:

This one is a Tiffany&Co. SwissChamp in sterling silver and 18K gold Victorinox logo. It is valued between $1,000 - $2,000, while a regular SwissChamp is around $70. You may find it stupid to buy, but I consider it as a piece of art. The reason it is expensive is mainly the name, and some more expensive materials. Would I use it? Definitely not. The silver will scratch and bend in a minute, and there is literally no additional functional value over a regular SwissChamp.

E747FE0F-CF47-45F1-BA2D-FE7B62D514B8.jpeg

This one is the first Damascus yearly edition from 2010. The original price was around $400, now it sells for $5,000+. I was lucky to get one at a decent price in 2012, but that was several folds more than the original $400. It is a glorified Pioneer. Would I ever use it when a regular pioneer is around $50 and several limited edition ones are less than $150? My answer is of course no, but I love it and it is not a safe queen, it is on display.

F2C21FB2-D377-4F62-99ED-35055A5994C9.jpeg


Finally this one is tweaked by Porsche Design, and it is valued between $500 and $1,000. The equivalent Victorinox Evo is around $50 (this is originally Wenger not Victorinox). Do I use it? Yes I do, mainly because I have 3 of the same model 😁, but also, the price is somewhere that is “acceptable,” and the metal alloy of the scales with the special sculpting has a functional value to me, it is light, scratch resistant, and more ergonomic in my hands than the regular Evo.

9C384D33-7D21-4AAA-B8C2-9ECA06188BD6.jpeg


To each their own, but there are people who own a couple of Ferrari’s and Porsche’s, in addition to their F-150s and BMWs. They may keep the Ferrari in the garage and take it for a spin every once in a while. If they enjoy it and can afford it, why not?

We all own something that we pay more than its function because we simply like it. Otherwise we will be all writing with Bic pens, looking at the time on Timex watches, using our Kershaw (or Cold Steel) as our knife. If we agree that we paid more not necessarily for the function, why not owning “it” because we simply like and appreciate it and preserve it?

If you can afford something you enjoy, just get it.
 
Dimashkieh said:
I believe it is not a black or white situation, and there are several shades of gray in the middle. I happily use and enjoy my more expensive knives, but I also enjoy collecting some others. I will try to drive my point with 3 different Swiss Army Knives:

This one is a Tiffany&Co. SwissChamp in sterling silver and 18K gold Victorinox logo. It is valued between $1,000 - $2,000, while a regular SwissChamp is around $70. You may find it stupid to buy, but I consider it as a piece of art. The reason it is expensive is mainly the name, and some more expensive materials. Would I use it? Definitely not. The silver will scratch and bend in a minute, and there is literally no additional functional value over a regular SwissChamp.



This one is the first Damascus yearly edition from 2010. The original price was around $400, now it sells for $5,000+. I was lucky to get one at a decent price in 2012, but that was several folds more than the original $400. It is a glorified Pioneer. Would I ever use it when a regular pioneer is around $50 and several limited edition ones are less than $150? My answer is of course no, but I love it and it is not a safe queen, it is on display.




Finally this one is tweaked by Porsche Design, and it is valued between $500 and $1,000. The equivalent Victorinox Evo is around $50 (this is originally Wenger not Victorinox). Do I use it? Yes I do, mainly because I have 3 of the same model 😁, but also, the price is somewhere that is “acceptable,” and the metal alloy of the scales with the special sculpting has a functional value to me, it is light, scratch resistant, and more ergonomic in my hands than the regular Evo.




To each their own, but there are people who own a couple of Ferrari’s and Porsche’s, in addition to their F-150s and BMWs. They may keep the Ferrari in the garage and take it for a spin every once in a while. If they enjoy it and can afford it, why not?

We all own something that we pay more than its function because we simply like it. Otherwise we will be all writing with Bic pens, looking at the time on Timex watches, using our Kershaw (or Cold Steel) as our knife. If we agree that we paid more not necessarily for the function, why not owning “it” because we simply like and appreciate it and preserve it?

If you can afford something you enjoy, just get it.
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So very well said Sir. I truly enjoyed reading your well thought out take on a subject I admit to not looking at both sides of. Thank you for helping to open an aging rednecks mind a little more.
Clay
 
Knives fall into 3 categories for me.

1. Users. I buy these with the intent of using them. They can be expensive or inexpensive. Sometimes I buy spares of these types of knives I’ve “landed on” as my proven favorites. Ya never know when knife companies will decide to discontinue your favorites.
2. Safe Queens. I buy these knowing I will probably never carry, cut or sharpen these. They can be expensive or inexpensive. Sometimes one of these turns into a user because I‘ve just gotta experience the knife. I may buy a replacement spare to resume Safe Queen duties. Rarely do these ever get sold. I’ll die knowing there’s a lot of unused awesome sitting in the safe. Maybe one day I’ll relax on this and use them more, but I appreciate them in their pristine condition. Thus, sometimes buying spares.
3. Catch and Release. I buy these with the intent to hold onto - either as a user or safe queen, but for whatever reason the knives just don’t do it for me. Most all are great knives, just not me. They get sold in unused, perfect condition. Rarely do I return things to the seller as I think that’s bad for the industry, but there’s been some occasions where the knife has an unresolvable defect, or it disagrees with me so much I cannot stand it longer than a day and back it goes.
 
rocketbomb said:
I get "new edge existential dread." After sharpening a knife and putting a good edge on, for some reason it's hard to put that pristine edge to work at first.
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I feel attacked! Haha

This is me. I really have no issues using a new knife but once I put a crazy nice new edge on it I always pause for the first few cuts. Once I break down the first couple boxes or zip ties it is no longer a thought.
 
John_B said:
I just scored a GEC and now I find myself afraid to use the knife. Do any of you guys suffer the same thing? Should I shelve the GEC or throw it in my pocket and use it? It's just so damn pretty!
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I tend to buy multiples of knives that I love, so I still have a perfect one while I use the other. Of course it hurts more when it’s a $550 CRK or Randall Made, or even a $300 Guardian Tactical.
 
I do with some of my knives but not because of looks

My SAK climber (for example) is pretty beat up but is still my favorite safe queen due to sentimental value

Other knives are safe queens due to the horrible Rand Dollar exchange rate (I'm from South Africa) and thus too expensive to replace
 
DocJekl said:
I tend to buy multiples of knives that I love, so I still have a perfect one while I use the other. Of course it hurts more when it’s a $550 CRK or Randall Made, or even a $300 Guardian Tactical.
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Ha that gets expensive real quick!
 
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