Psych explanations for knife love

I think collecting behavior is a very fundamental behavior pattern that exists even in reptiles, certainly bird and mammals. As pointed out it's almost always helpful in survival.

The implementation of that pattern, then is up to the individual, knives, shoes, art, clothing, jewelry, coin, cars, etc.

What's really weird to me is collecting things that have no intrinsic societal value, like beer cans, or yard yuckies (cement ducks etc.)
 
Well, I suppose everyone has there own reasons...

One reason that I carry a knife is that I like to be useful to those around me, and having a knife makes me more useful.
Maybe just a desire to help others?
I am a heathcare provider after all.

Another reason is fear.
I grew up in a rather rough part of town and I was kinda on the puny side, so I started carrying a knife for self-defense at an early age (my father encouraged it if you can believe that!).
And now, even though I'm larger and stronger than the average adult male, I still feel better when I'm carrying a blade.

Nothing more than a sharp "security blanket"?
Maybe, but a blade has fotten me out of a few bad situations.

Allen.
 
I guess maybe I should rephrase my original question to "What are the explanations for display case knives?". The using knife, rough part of town/scrawny kid knife, camping trip knife, and outfitting knife all have their valid raison d'etre, and therefore the answer is clear. But what of those in our display cases, the ones we don't want to use... [Because WE LOVE THEM too much!]
P.S. 3 times in my short life I have been at the right place at the right time to put out fires (2 cars, 1 restaurant), but I don't carry a fire extinguisher. I don't carry a knife either. But I would NEVER think of collecting extinguishers...
 
I don't display my knives--all of them are users.

So, I guess I cannot answer your question.
 
Regarding my vieuw on knives as "manly" items i was aware that women collectors would chime in. Of course they would because human behaviour has female and male responses. Some male's have obvious female behaviour and visa versa. Does this mean that these men are not 100% male? No , of course not, just like the fact that when a female collects knives she would not be 100% female.

When i say male i mean that when you look at the male population most men fall into the 85 % area of the Gausian curve. This is the area where psychologist work in. The area in wich 85% of the males show the same response toward certain situations.

This doesn't mean that females could not love knives or feel an urge to collect them. There are a lot of men out there who feel themself attracted towards small children ( on a non-sexual way!)and feel an urge to have maternal reactions toward them.
 
atomic said:
I think that SAKman makes a good point: We are often the opposite of what others would expect us to be. The primordial appeal of a knife as tool, as survival-aid, as instrument of self-defense may be true, but yes: the appeal of a finely crafted knife does evoke feelings in us, and brings out a side of us that is ANYTHING BUT primitive. The passion for materials, craftsmanship, feel, etc, are a highly evolved, and sometimes feminine trait. And yes, to expand on Fishface5's point, like a beautiful woman, knives are nice to look at, but even nicer to hold. there's a tactile element to all this too.
And then, as concerns cutting a seatbelt, I agree. But as concerns defending ones-self, I don't: without intense training, most people are better at defending temselves and their loved ones with 2 "free" hands. Weapons are slow to deploy in the real world, and pose the real threat of injury to the user, and not just to the attacker... this, in any case, is my experience.
And just as Esav said that different people like knives for different reasons, I'm sure different people interpret our passion in different ways...
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I dont think most people buy a knife to cut somebody or a gun to shoot somebody...the craftmanship and overall..its neat and contributes to the passion of my materialistic side
 
I'm with AllenC on this one.

I find collecting to be a waste of energy personally which is not a "dis" on anyone who does. I've just never seen the value in a look-don't-touch hobby.

But I think a persons fascination with knives is probably best classifed on an individual basis.

Some potential classifications would be:
1- Man jewelry
2- Status symbol
3- Utilitarianism
4- How you were raised
5- Preparedness
6- Self defense
7- Simplicity of function
8- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

For me, it's definitely 3, 4 & 7 with hints of 1, 5 & 8.

Let's face it, anyone hanging around here on a semi-regular basis has a little of the OCD.

I like knives for their simplicity, such amazing function can be achieved by something that can fit in my pocket.

I was raised that a man carried a knife in his pocket. Women too, my grandma carried a slipjoint with her all of the time.

One that I didn't mention is that to me knives are a way to connect with loved ones who have passed away. For years after my grandpa died whenever I would show a new slipjoint to my dad he would say "your grandpa would have loved this one". Since losing my 59 year old father earlier this year every time I get a new slip I can hear my dad saying that phrase and picture him rolling it around in his hands and checking all of the blades. My dad loved the knives as much as I do but never really got into them, he was a one or two knife kind of guy. I love slipjoints not only because of all the reasons above but because it gives me more of a connection to my roots.

After he died I had a rough time with my knives because every time I picked one up I thought of him, now it's the opposite, I want to pick them up to remember him.
 
Has anybody ever noticed that some knives share lines and forms with objects and icons of almost universal aesthetic appeal: A Brend Number 2 has a silhouette identical (ok, I mean, with a little imagination) to a shark's. And the shark was itself designed to emulate a mid-year Corvette. (Or is it the other way 'round? I forget...)
As a result, much as the Coke bottle was intentionally designed to resemble the female body (and thus to attract, subconsciously), some knives evoke shapes that we find in nature and throughout history (sharks, flames, birds, tusks, sharks, sharks, sharks), transcend the universe of cutlery, and therefore elicit a gut reaction which is hard to control.
I think that for some collectors, there's a knee-jerk reaction to some knives...
By the way, cpirtle, I think it's really cool that you associate knives with your dad and grand-dad. It makes it all the more worthwhile.
 
Good question. I basically have no idea why I occassionally have an obsession with knives. It's a mystery.

I don't associate knives with weapons. I don't find myself in situtions where violence would be helpful or appropriate, and I have no desire to hurt anyone.

Scary looking knives don't even look scary to me. They either look morbid or silly.

To me nice knives represent a synthesis of art and functionality, and I would buy nicer knives if I had more money.

I've also been obsessed with flashlights.
 
I think we all have knives for many reasons, but judging from this thread, we are all above average in intelligence and are largely the glue that holds our society together. We would rather be the sheep dog than the sheep. We are the "keepers" of what is good and right about democracy, and without us, the wolves of the world would prey at will...
 
I think people like flashlites because they resemble a phalis and when you turn it on it's like it's ejaculating. So everyone who likes flashlites is gay. Well not really Im just kidding you guys.

So, there are several things to say on this subject one there are multiple reasons to have knives
1. utility
2. the art aspect
3. self defense
4. Toys (i.e. Balisong)
Why there is a need to have the more expensive knives? Well I dont really know the reason why there. Except maybe that some people just like having expensive things.

Really I have no idea what I'm talking about so you can disregard this entire post.

:p
 
I blame it all on Star Wars. I was five years old when the original Star Wars came out, and wanted a lightsaber the moment I saw one. My pocket knife is my lightsaber, especially since my wife will not allow me to carry a katana.

:)

Professor.
 
Originally Posted by SAKguy
7. They don't like math.
"
I think that was a typo. I think he meant to say, They don't like Mat. I know I don't like Mat.:)
 
I don't know that collecting knives is psychologically different then collecting art, decoys, beer cans, etc... It's just something we do that keeps life interesting. We could live life just paying attention to function, but without form there is no fun. I like knives for the same reason I like wine, bbq, fast cars, etc.....without passion, you are only surviving.
 
Since reading this post, even "lay" people (that is, without any formal studies in psychology) have given quite articulate responses. I must say I can't contribute to anything that hasn't been touched upon previously.

Having a degree in the said subject myself, all I can contribute though is to say that though Sigmund Freud's school of thought (Psychoanalysis) and concepts are central in the study of behavior, it is not by any means the ONLY school of thought recognized. Human behavior is complex, and there are just as many "tools" and concepts used to explore it.
 
thombrogan said:
Shouldn't we know all there is to know about them by now?

just kidding. :)
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The evolutionary aspects of knives keeps us coming back. I'm still waiting for that folding laser cutter that makes steel knives obsolete. But didn't I see something like that in a Stars Wars movie once?!!!

Look what has happened in the past 50 years. We have holes in the blades. Liner locks, etc. Serrations out the wazoo! Lots of neat colors like black. Lots of variety.

I still maintain that we like them because they make it easier to stuff food in our mouths! Most knives are used in the kitchen by women. For what purpose?

Just look at the pizza knife/cutter as an example of evolutionary knife making skills!

Thom, how do you sharpen your pizza cutter? Waterstones?
 
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