Safe Queen vs. Usage knife - which has real value

T

Trout Tamer

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I just foound this line in a post by burkstar in another thread and it really resonated with me. It pertains to the choice of using a knife or keeping it locked up.

"My Simonich Pikuni brings a smile to my face every time I pull it out of my neck sheath and I can't think of a single "safe queen" that gives me the same feeling."

I totally agree with that sentiment. Every time I use a knife, it becomes more valuable to me. While the "safe queens" make for pleasant eye-candy, the users make for good companions. Given the choice, I'll take the companions.
:)

What are y'all's thoughts?
 
I thought much the same way until a few days ago. I lost my favorite knife that I carried every day. Yes I found it but am now worried about loosing it. I'm sure I'll start carrying it again sometime but for now I'm carrying an Opinel.
 
PWork said:
If it will never see pocket time, there's no sense in having it. YMMV.

Paul
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I agree. If it's so exotic that I'm afraid to carry it--I'll pass on it. I have no problem carrying a custom, but it will see use--at the very least to some extent. ;)
 
I've always been a proponent of the user (still am), but I've actually found a knife that will be a safe queen for me and still gives me that same "Oh WOW" feeling that a great user does. It's nothing too fancy, just a long fixed blade made from a piece of cable with some filework on the spine and an etch to bring out the pattern, but it's really unique and interesting. I could use it, but I prefer to keep it pretty and display it on a wall. So there is definitely room for both camps, sometimes even in the same collection. My users still FAR outnumber my safe queens though. :p
 
I presently own about 29 Busse Combat knives. Now there is no way that I can use that many knives, nor do I want to. I have four Busses which are designated as users and fill any possible niche for which I may need a fixed-blade knife. The remainder are unused safe queens. I have no plans at present to re-sell them, I just take pleasure in owning them and in interacting with the great bunch of people at Busse Combat and on the Busse forums. Every one of these knives have real value to me, because they obviously satisfy a need. If I or my heirs ever have to sell them, then quite obviously the safe queens are going to be of more value. If I ever get in a life-or-death situation, then of course the user which I have with me is going to be of more value than all of the others combined. Right now, all of them are of great psychological value to me and I intend to acquire more.

Moral: No one else can determine the value of your knives for you. The only time that the opinion of others enters into "value" is if you are trying to sell, or if you are getting some kick out of owning the latest "status symbol."
 
I have four customs now, a Lochsa and three Obenaufs. I've started carrying them all (even the Lochsa) but I must admit they don't see heavy or dirty use. However, my daily cutting chores aren't very heavy or dirty anyway, so it works out well. For weekend work and heavier chores, I may have a custom in my pocket, but I'll reach for one of my two work knives in those instances, a Kershaw Leek and Spydie Calypso Jr.

I definitely baby my customs a bit, but they still make me happy having them in pocket or in hand knifesturbating.
 
What I do with what I own is my business. I stopped rationalizing about "safe queens" vs. "users" ages ago. I have some slipjoints that are small works of art that just happen to be in the shape of a knife. I wouldn't use them to cut anything any more than I would use a piece of sculpture as a door stop or an oil painting as a wind-break on our patio.

We all walk to the sound of a different drummer, and as long as you don't bump into me, we'll all get safely and happily to our destination of choice.
 
Having a knife and not using it is like putting a brain in a Democrat, if it's not going to be used then what's the point of having it.

Just kidding about the Democrat comment, some of them have brains. :rolleyes: just kidding :D
 
Have more I don't use than use always.

15K in collector one of a kind bowies, a few custom slipjoints, many spyders, etc etc.

Can't carry them all nor do I want to. Didn't buy them to carry for the most part.

Those who insist people should use what they own should not own more than they can carry IMO. I'll bet thats not the case though for most and that means they have knives they don't use like the rest of us.

Got more than two? Why if you are of the mindset they should all be users.

I collect antique trasure ship gold dablonas and pieces of eight [ silver ] from the 17th century and 19th US Gold coins, should I spend those as well [ use them ]?

I've made some pretty good profit on buying, holding, and then selling safe queens, I see no reason to have to use them and deface their value. OMMV dependant on their particular financial situation and interests.

BTW--The collectors I've made money on over the years finance the knives I carry regularly [ as in free ]. Nada, zip, nothing in monies spent for the users.
Thats reason enough for me to continue in that vain.

Brownie
 
I'll always favor users but there is nothing wrong with owning a few pretty knives that just make you feel good to look at, touch, and wipe off. ;)
 
Let me clarify my quote. As stated, it is true about the Simonich, but I also have a large collection of antiques, minatures and several "art" knives that I have no intention of ever using. I am not of the "knife persuasion" that claims if its not a user you get rid of it. Now I do use many expensive customs on a daily/semi-daily basis, including Blackwoods, Simonich's, Hartsfields etc. But these knives were made to be used and to me thats part of the joy of having a finely crafted custom knife. But then besides the antiques I've also got a '76 Lance Kelly engraved California Bowie that is just about a one of a kind and there's no way it'll ever cut anything, same goes for my Reese Weiland mammoth ivory/damascus Asp and several others in this same category. Everyone has their own preferences/goals/interests in knife collecting/addiction and thats what makes it so interesting.

Other than a suggestion/opinion when asked for, I would in no way make a judgement on another collectors priorities/buying habits/collection standards.
 
Personally, I like the knives that I use. I mean, keeping a knife as an investment really doesn't make much sense to me (only my opinion here people :) ), because when the economy takes a dump people have no money for luxury items. I know a few that I have which don't get used much anymore, but that's because of where I live and not wanting them confiscated if I'm stopped with them. I mean which would you rather have, the knife that your grandfather USED, or the one he pulled out every now and again? I'd rather have the former, because I might remember a special time with him when I saw him use the knife. I wish my dad still had his old Buck 110, because when I think of him growing up I can still recall him pulling that thing out to use. I don't have ANY memories of the camillus that he has- because he never uses the thing. Anyhoo, that's my thought.

Sincerely,
Anthony
 
SpyderJon:

I always remember what my father told me who worked a second job at a Cadillac dealership. "When the economy turns downward, the people who can afford to buy one to begin with have plenty of money to buy another one and the economy really doesn't affect them, they buy another one".

If you can afford a Bagwell 2500.00 bowie to put in the safe, when the economy gets rough you probably have enough money to buy another one anytime you want to. Just an analogy.

People with money don't worry about the economy, they drive their 70,000 Mercedes and can afford the gas and insurance even as it rises in prices duer to inflation. Another analogy.

Brownie
 
I like both users and collectors. Both have value to me. The collectors tend to be more rare knives, but don't necessarily cost as much as what I carry daily and use.

IMO, it would really be boring to have only a few knives that I carried and used. Tried it once, but then started collecting again. Plenty of knives come into my possession and make their way to another owner after a while.
 
Ok, with my original post and quote, I didn't mean to denigrate those who collect knives for their aesthetics, nor was I saying that "safe-queens" are wholly without merit. What I did mean is that I derive more pleasure and satisfaction from using a knife than I do from storing a knife. That has been my own experience. Yep, I do own one non-usage knife and, in time, may acquire more. However, I feel a closer connection to the knives I use than the one knife I store.

Concerning collecting, Brownie had a good point. He said, "I've made some pretty good profit on buying, holding, and then selling safe queens, I see no reason to have to use them and deface their value... BTW--The collectors I've made money on over the years finance the knives I carry regularly [ as in free ]."

So, knife collecting is, at least to some extent, a self-supporting hobby for him. That is very cool.

But, when it comes down to it, I personally prefer my user knives. :cool:
 
Trout Tamer said:
But, when it comes down to it, I personally prefer my user knives. :cool:
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For me it is almost the same thing. My prefered knives become my users, regaurdless of the value.
 
I enjoy both types. One of the areas that I collect are M.S. test daggers. Some were commissioned before J.S. stamps were earned.

Still do not have much "use" for a dagger, but they represent the efforts of folks I have gotten to know to various degrees and the tallent and effort that they used to create a knife that was key to their M.S. achievment. They are special to me.

I get quite a bit of enjoyment out of the knives I use and an equal amount out of the knives I have no intention of using. Just because they are not used does not make them a lesser knife or me a lesser knife nut for having them.
 
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