Rekindling the passion in blades

[golok]

There was a time when I was all fired up collecting knives and some of the related items. These days, the fire is not ablaze with all its glory but it is smouldering in the fire-place, so to speak.

Perhaps it is a case of "running at full speed" and hitting a wall.
I know the passion is still there but it gone into a dormant level.

How do you fan the flames of passion for blades? By looking at new blade magazines? Meeting new knifemakers? Or, buying interesting knives?

Perhaps I have become a little jaded. It could even be "metal fatigue!" But whatever it is, it is slightly worrying.

What do you recommend?

 

[serge]

Golok,

I think you shouldn´t worry. At the moment I´m very interested in knives, but there was a time that it was also a ´smouldering´ fire, just as you describe. This will change in time I guess. You will see a knife of meet a maker which triggers you again.

For me buying my first real custom this year has lit my fire again... I´m now buying very few knives, but I´m also very careful in selecting my knives.

Just my thoughts on the matter

 

[thombrogan]

Passion isn't passive. Active appreciation amplifies affections.

Use your knifes to their fullest and look for more uses. Find out whether or not chopping a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup into a fine powder before snacking really is the wrong way to eat one. Tuck your pants into your socks, put some tick-repellant on your pants, and clear out a friend's overgrown field.

If you can't use a knife because it's soley for being pretty or is too expensive, try painting or drawing it. Fashion a 'trainer' and practice some bladecraft with the trainer.

Read the posts and articles of the knifemakers and try to view the world through their eyes.

 

[Jeff Clark]

Design and make your own. Start with some 5160 and play with multiple quenching and zone hardening. Decide what a modern kris should look like. Get some damascus. Maybe you've too much a spectator.

 

[Burchtree]

I know how you feel, there for a couple of years, my passion was on a backburner for college and just growing up. It comes in waves I think. I say fill an altoid tin with gear, camo up and hit the woods for a couple of days with just a couple of knives and your wits.

 

[T. Erdelyi]

Return to the classics, pick an old pattern, and start searching, I was just reading my new Knife World, and on the cover was a horsemans knife with a fleam, hell how many of those are floating around in mint condition?

My old man used to say," if it's excitement ya want, go after sumthin' ya can't get"

 

[jayharley]

Periodically I also get a bit tired of making any additional knife purchases. I also get a bit tired of knives in general. When this happens I simply don't fight it. Just go with it. Read some blade magazines, and use your "user blades" as tools and it will come back.

Sometimes going to a show also gets me going again.

 

[Bastid]

How do you fan the flames of passion for blades?

Friends that make, use or collect them

 

[Easyrider]

I know how you are feeling. I'm contemplating selling off some knives to either buy a Sebenza or perhaps turn my Benchmade Forum knife into a user and still sell off some knives. I'm thinking along the lines of having one really great knife instead of several ordinary knives. I looked around and decided that I had a bunch of safe queens. What fun is there in having a bunch of knife shaped ornaments?

 

[AlphalphaPB]

I've kind of hit that sweet spot where I have all the knives that I'd need, and also enough knives in the fondle rotation that I'm not too bored with my knives. I've got 17 right now.

That being said, I'm mildly interested in the new designs coming out from CRKT. And perhaps the MOD 685 series. Heh. I'm not done yet!

Go and look at a company that you've never really thought much about before. You just might find a knife, manufacturing detail or perhaps customer service rep that will get you hooked on their stuff.

Balisongs provide many hours of entertainment, so the $20 I spent on my cheap one was definitely a good deal in my book. And every so often, when I'm bored of my knives, I go to BalisongXtreme.com and (try to ) learn a new trick. A knife that you can manipulate for hours on end, maybe that'll rekindle your interest?

 

[Point44]

I don't think you can force things like that...it happens to everyone...after awhile you tend to lose interest for awhile...maybe you should take a break from knives...try doing something else like travelling and camping and using your knives instead...

or maybe just pick out another hobby...

i'm sure that sooner or later you'll be interested again...

take a break for a few months and after that get a magazine...i'm quite sure you'll be interested again 'cos of all the catching up you need to do ...finding out what happened while you were away...ehhehe...

 

[48harley]

If your into custom knives, you might pick up one of Jim Weyers books. Spending some time with one of those books should perk your interest. The books are called Points Of Interests. Try one. 48harley

 

[not2sharp]

You probably just need a change of direction. I recently got pretty tired of the black on black tactical stuff and I am trying to bend the collection towards more exotic 19th century edge weapons. After a while the though, heavy duty, khydex sheath, latest steel, shaving sharp, ninja, darkened blade thing, gets old.

n2s

 

[the45guy]

Going to Vegas classic and getting to hang out with Neil , Trace , Ron Simonich , and other custom makers has really rekindled my passion for the blade. Even got turned on to balisongs , something I thought I would never enjoy.

I would say get to a show if you can.....heck I need my forum fix many times a day , just to see the new stuff fellow forumites have acquired.