Safe queen logic?

I have a few not many but I did carry one at a wedding where I knew it wasn't going to be used. I don't really want any more safe queens; just to flip open or close and handle seems like a waste after a while especially if theres 700+ into it...
 
I am guilty. Somewhat guilty at least.

I use 90% of my knifes but I am from Germany and we have strict rules here. To keep it short (and a bit simplified): Fixed Blades cannot be longer than 12cm. Folders cannot be one hand opening and locking if you want to carry it outside of your property. If you carry a knife that doesn't meet this criteria it is pretty much up to the policeman/attorney/judge what will come out of it. Knife will be gone for sure, you might have to pay a fine or worse. It is highly probable that you lose your gun license if things get really shitty and you work in a certain line of business (law, justice, administration) you might even have a problem in your job.

So in my opinion carrying a one hand opening locking knife in Germany just isn't worth it if you are an (otherwise) law abiding hard working citizen.

Thus I don't carry knives that could result in trouble. As anyone can imagine a lot of US made folding knives are problematic under these premises.

On the other hand I enjoy some quality US made knives (or one hand opening and locking knives in general) as much as the next guy, maybe even a bit more. So over the years I somehow accumulated some nice knives that I never carry. I do my best to keep this list as short as possible but there are some knives I just had to get. Right now I have a Benchmade Northfork Folder, a Zero Tolerance ZT630CF, a Kershaw Link, a Lionsteel SR-1 Ti-Br, an Extrema Ratio BF2-R. I also had some Emerson CQC-7s until recently.

I have used most these knives for cutting on my own property once or twice but as one might imagine most of the time they stay in their drawer.

Recently I started to get rid of some of the knives I don't use but I guess some of them will stay with me. Maybe I will buy another knife soon. A Spyderco Paramilitary 2 or PPT would be a nice addition to my collection. Maybe an Emerson A100 or this new Benchmade SOCP 390. It isn't reasonable or anything but I just like to play with them from time to time and there isn't enough interesting "carry legal" stuff released IMO. Maybe that will change because of Canada's new knife laws.
 
I disagree, some are just too rare or too nice looking to use and beat up on. And for those of us who aren’t rich, like myself, it’s nice to just take it out every once in a while, flip it and put it back. At least half of my ZT’s are safe queens.
 
its like driving a collectible car....if you had a 1967 Shelby GT500 would you drive it everyday? I wouldn’t, but then again I’m not rich. If I had $1,000,000 that would be a different story
 
If I can't use it, why bother to have it?

Also, I don't own or have access to a safe.
 
tony281sc2 said:
its like driving a collectible car....if you had a 1967 Shelby GT500 would you drive it everyday? I wouldn’t, but then again I’m not rich. If I had $1,000,000 that would be a different story
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Yes because what’s the point of putting all the work and money into it to make it right and not drive it? I don’t live my life in fear
 
I feel the need to clarify my original intent. A knife is designed to be carried and used to cut things ergo My barometer of a good knife is as follows “is it enjoyable to carry and use to cut things”. I liked the analogy one poster had about sports cars - they are designed to be driven and the best way to derive enjoyment from a ferrrari is to drive it.

There is nothing logical about owning 25 blades like I do, but I carry and use them all, from a $20 kershaw to an xm-18. None of my knives are too sacred to use. I enjoy them by using them. I’m not a hardcore operator or abuser and I cringe when they get damaged -but such is life, very little is irreplaceable.

I see all of these knives for sale and see them labelled “safe queen, never carried or used” and I wonder to myself, what was the point for that dude to own that knife? He bought it, stored it and sold it. How could he have enjoyed it?

We should all do what brings us joy, and I agree not much about this hobby is logical, i pass no judgement how or why you collect, I wanted to understand the philosophy behind the practice of “queening” because it is counterintuitive to my philosophy on knife collecting. By the way, I meant no derogatory implication from that term, lol - it just felt like it was a such a unique practice that it should have its own verb.
 
In theory the philosophy behind having a safe queen/s should not be a difficult concept to grasp. Some of us buy knives strictly to use (I believe you fall into this category). Some of us buy knives strictly not to use. And some of us buy both. That choice is completely up to the consumer. To each his own. I personally buy both. And when I’m on the hunt I usually know ahead of time which category the knife will fall into. I have had knives that I originally thought were going to be safe queens turn into users and vise versa. And like I said in a previous post “I” can personally find just as much enjoyment out of both and that is good enough for me:thumbsup:
 
If every owner of an old and rare Ferrari drove it to work every day, there’d be a time when they’re all gone. Nothing wrong with preserving and curating things that are rare and collectible, whether a car, knife, watch, whatever.

Buying a $1 knife at the dollar store and making it a safe queen, that might seem a bit silly, but not really more so than making a $50,000 Walker folder your edc. They all have their place.

Most of my customs are safe queens. That doesn’t mean they never see the light of day. I enjoy playing with them, feeling and hearing the often almost unheard of in today’s disposable world, mechanical precision, marveling at the incredible details, finish work, materials, I enjoy photographing them, as many are, to me a type of art.

Sure I use Knives. But not the ones that i want to preserve and admire, and perhaps even sell one day without losing my shirt. :)

People collect all sorts of things that don’t get used for anything. Why does someone collect rare vintage toys, or memorabilia? Baseball cards, figurines, paintings, hot wheels, comics, whatever, because they find them interesting, and they appeal to them for any number of reasons that have zero to do with their actual utility, if any.
 
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Wowbagger said:
Here . . . allow me to elucidate . . .
Here is an example that will be perfectly obvious to anyone :
This knife (Para2 all black S30V) is a safe queen. One scratch would ruin the knife for all time.
View attachment 983768

This knife (Para2 Camo scales with black DLC S30V) is a user. It was made to use; marks on the blade makes it even better.
See ? Perfectly obvious right ? Right.
;) :p
View attachment 983757
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I cant see the knife its all black :(
 
my money, my knives, my choices.
sometimes there is not logic behind it - it simply "just is"

on that note, I dont really have any safe/wall queens/kings. I have a few knives that have never been touched. mostly inexpensive knives or sets that were given as gifts. one example is a 3 knife winchester set with some engravings. its really of no use to me, but it was a gift, so it sits in cabinet collecting dust.
 
There being three major schools...

a) compulsive consumerist "more will make me even happier" hoarder, who has no use for any of it, not even a safe, which was bought because everyone else has one.

b)investors, the majority of whom will be lucky to break even after inflation factored in the future, except maybe 1-4 items where a true gain made, almost paying for safe.

c) those who say, "who are you saving them for, anyhow? anyone you actually know?"
 
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There is another school which I am a member; Buying more knives than you need or likely to use.

I can't understand the term "hoarder" relative to knives. You hoard consumables generally. Knives are not very consumable.
 
Many have already said it... But, just one more time... Basically, what another person chooses to do with his/her own purchases/belongings, is their choice to make... no justification is required :)

Enjoy! :)
 
Knives are quite consumable, if used as intended.

So are 1959 Ferarri's....but if everyone drove them, they still would be in production and parts being made for them, too.

And anyone buying quantities of stuff, otherwise unused and useless to them, IS a hoarder.

Paint it any way you choose, justify any way you care to, whether very questionable investments strategy, or art collection, it is still hoarding to accrue quantities of otherwise useless items, and most times, very expensive items.

And those items bought, simply to PREVENT someone else from getting it, gotta hurry up and buy that thing, before somebody ELSE gets it.
 
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aji1 said:
This topic seems to come up fairly frequently, and what I don't get is this: why does anyone care what someone else does with their stuff? They bought it, it's theirs, they are free to do what they like with it. Stick your knife in your pocket, or in your safe, or in your wall. I could care less. I guess the exceptions would be "use it in commission of a crime" or "destroy something of historical value (like those Tutankhamen daggers @Dan of Bazz Clazz posted)".
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^^^
^^
^ In the end, it will always come down to this :)
 
Well at this point going on about how one ‘can’t understand’ it, just seems like crowing about how hard they use their knives (hint: so hard).
 
What is the difference between collecting and hoarding?

Collectors often catalogue and/or display their collections. The collection has a unifying theme.

Hoarders just have piles of useless junk. They don’t feel pride, they feel shame.

I just don’t want folks to confuse collectors with hoarders, they are two very different things.

When I think of someone asking why I would involve myself in a hobby such as collecting... I only have to take a look at any one of my many displays throughout my domain, (a smile then develops), and I then think to myself... "Why not!" :)

I have entered some of my friend's homes, and I think they feel uninspired when they are there. Their decors are usually very bland, and although clean, but they simply don't do anything for me either, except that the overall boring look can feel kind'a depressing sometimes.
On the other hand, when I come home, I instantly feel the coolness factor surrounding me. Much of that feeling are the cool items themselves, and then there is that feeling of pride that I incorporate so many ideas into my interior decor's look.
When folks "don't get it", that is okay, because I myself TOTALLY "get it". And again, that's all that really matters :)

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GermanyChris said:
Yes because what’s the point of putting all the work and money into it to make it right and not drive it? I don’t live my life in fear
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I get the point I guess some people just have different opinions. Drive a car like that everyday and it’ll get dinged-up scratched, etc...and the value will go down to about half....same with knives
 
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