I updated the OP with a group picture (and also posted it here in this comment)!
1. Victorinox 12" Straight Butcher - My true "daily driver". I use one five days a week at work (my work version has a white handle) and it does the job well.
2. Jaguar - Cheap sharpening fodder. I have no idea where it came from... But I've had it for about 25 years. I feel bad about what I'm gonna to do to the blade, lol.
3. Kershaw Blur - Picked this up to practice sharpening a curved blade so I don't mess up my s30v... But now I'm thinking I'll just sell it.
4. Kershaw Blur s30v - My current EDC. I love this knife... Maybe slightly too large to be perfect in my eyes.
5. SOG Field Pup AUS8 - I honestly can't imagine a better "field" knife for $11. This thing was a steal! I wish I had another.
6. SOG Seal Pup Elite - Meh. But it's about to get better after a little TLC.
7. Spyderco Chapparal Gray FRN - Picked this up for under $75. Still deciding how I feel about it. Feels AMAZING in the hand and cuts very well. Pocket clip sucks (I don't use them anyways so I'll probably remove it) and the lock back could be a bit wider or softer.
8. Kershaw Leek CF CPM-154 - My "gentelman's knife". Purchased as a gift from my fiance... This is quickly become my favorite out of the knives I own. Fits my hand like a dream and just feels like a step up in quality compared to everything I own but the Chapparal.
9. Opinel No. 7 Carbon - Given to me by one of my professors... I like this knife a whole lot more than I thought I would. It's my favorite knife for eating fruit, lol. I can definitely see why they have such a following.
10. Gerber Air Ranger - $10 Cabela's special. Solid knife for that price. Good looks, good build quality, feels good in the hand. The blade dulls if you look at it wrong however.
11. Kershaw Dimension - Bought this because I wanted something with titanium scales. That's about the only thing it has going for it. Yuck.
12. Gerber Gator - Has sentimental value... Dog got a hold of it a couple years ago and chewed up the grip a bit, lol. Talked to Gerber and they offered a replacement knife(pretty cool of them) but they couldn't send me a new handle/scales.
*Not pictured
Kershaw Leek Sandvick (fiance is carrying it)
Victorinox Swiss Army Compact (at work)
Ontario Knife Company Rat 2 D2 Carbon Fiber (in the mail)
IMHO sharpening systems are things that you have to dive in head first, because if you want to get michael christy sharp on a system (yes I will be counting freehanding as a 'system') you need to progress through the right steps. Luckily he has posted his 'budget'/travel system for those of us that want to be cheaper. IMO the two things that ANY basic system can't do effectively is reprofiling and polishing (without add-ons.) Reprofiling will be using the same grit/technique to revive dull edges. Polishing will get you addicted to having sharp knives. When you shave arm hair back and forth, your jaw will drop! I'll message you with my links/suggestions after I have a second to compile everything
Edit: Michael Christy has shown how to get hair whittling edges on sharpmaker stones alone (TBH you can't avoid the add-on stones), I am complaining more about my technique than about the system, Sal is most definitely a genius.
I look forward to your links.
I've been dipping my toes in and reading a bit... But holy cow... There is a LOT that goes into being an effective and efficient blade sharpener.
It'll be exciting to reach the point where I can shave with blades I've sharpened myself!
Sharpening is a funny subject. I’d almost predict that it’s the greatest area of divergence on these types of boards.
The Sharpmaker is a great system to get. Many people wind up staying at about that level of kit. Some supplement it with add-on rods. Some branch out into WorkSharp, Wicked Edge, or Edge Pro. Some dive into mastery of free hand. Others opt to send their valued pieces out for professional sharpening.
Whichever route you take, I believe that getting very familiar with sharpening will change your relationship with this passion. Taking the step of putting stone to steel breaks the mental barrier of preserving the integrity of the blade, and it’s the key to getting a real sense of the differences between steels. For a lot of us, it helps break the mania of chasing the hardest steels on the market, and opens up an appreciation for balance. Having worked on a lot of blades to this point, I now favor steels with strong, but not quite extreme, edge retention, and value corrosion resistance a bit more. Consequently, my sweet spot is now S35VN or Elmax, instead of M390 or its clones.
I... am rambling.
I think I’ll end this and go whisper sweet nothings to the Edge Pro now.
After reading the forums a bit, I get the feeling you're right. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.
I'm looking forward to the almost meditative zone you can get into when working with your hands. I spend an inordinate of time maintaining my bikes and PCs... It's one of my favorite things to do. I have a very strong feeling I'm going to like learning to sharpen just as much.
I bet you start to think twice about purchasing an s125v or CPM-15v knife, when you remember you have to sharpen them, lol. Funny though... I've heard that Elmax is a pain in the butt to sharpen. I guess it's all relative.
Something made of Elmax or M4 is actually next on my wish list...