Serious Question about Knife Collecting

Mark J

Mark J

Joined
Mar 15, 2001
Messages
2,450
OK folks, I have a serious question to ask regarding knife collecting. I have lots of knives, as most of you probably do too. Way more than I could ever use in a dozen lifetimes. However, I still keep collecting them. It's the “sickness” we all have, I’m sure. :) I suppose it also defines a "collector" in some way.

There have been times over the years, like now, where I have seriously considered selling the whole bunch, minus two or three that I will never part with (e.g., father’s pocketknife, etc.) When I get this urge, I usually wait a while and it passes. Then I’m off to buying more knives, of course.

I’ve been thinking of late that these knives are going to be passed on to my children some day. While they appreciate knives, they don’t seem wired like I am to really collect them. They may keep one or two to remind them of ol’ dad, but that’s probably it. The rest will most likely be sold off to you corkies, or sit in a box gathering dust. Not a great finish for years of collecting.

What I’m wondering is whether it would make more sense to truly sell off the knives I have, and invest in memories for my family. In other words, invest in relationships, instead of "stuff" (don't revoke my man card. just yet :)). For example, take the money and go on more family vacations, buy something I can enjoy more with my kids, spend the money on a romantic getaway for the wife and me. This would seem to be a better “investment” than what I’m doing.

Your thoughts?

- Mark

BTW, here are the perfunctory responses I know I’ll get, among the really useful ones. Thought I'd get them outa the way right now. :D

1. "Just buy another knife, it will pass."
2. "If you’re gonna sell them, can I have first shot at buying some of them?"
3. "You can have both the knife collecting and the memory making"
4. "It's sacrilegious to even think of selling off your collection! Wash your mouth out with soap!"
 
Obvious answer is family/memories are way more important than any knife. If a knife helps in making those memories then all the better. Then just keep like you said ones to pass on to your kids or for personal collection.
 
Wow - Heavy thoughts here. I would hope that you are not just accumulating knives, at the complete expense of your family. :eek: I am willing to bet that you are not. The Dad of the family, has to have his personal passion, as well as working for the benefit of his family. You can do both you know! Take the whole family to a knife show vacation. :):) One passion does not mean you have to forsake your family. But remember, everything we have will get sold at scrapped at some point!! :D
 
I collect knives just beacuse I want to. My kids have little if any interest in knives except for the ones they use for work. I sell off some of them once in while. Mostly to make room for more new ones that I want to try. I have very little interest in custom knives.
 
People collect many different things. My mom loves longaberger baskets. My Dad loves firearms, knives and Indian relics. There comes a point when you look around at all you have accumulated over the years and think "Wow, I've got a small fortune tied up in this stuff!" After all it's just setting there and you really don't need it. If we all only had what we need in reality we'd have very little.
I find I only slow down buying new items (as I can afford) when I become interested in something else. Then there's a period of time when I need to read and research my new found interest in order to try to make reasonable first purchases. But, I've held on to all of my better knives and seem to always come back to them. Just the other day I had a nice offer for my Starmate and toyed with the idea of letting it go. Looking at it closely I saw it in a totally different light than I ever had before. It is a beautifully made, unique knife and I know now I'll never sale it, no matter how much it's worth goes upward.
 
If your family vacations usually work out well and your kids aren't too interested in knives, then spending more time and money on trips/vacations seems like a good idea.

Maybe ramp up slowly and not go full out on selling and vacations until you are sure it's the best thing do do for your family.

Your kids and or wife may have a change in their interests down the road and would be happy to have your knives.
 
Seeing how the only person that might/could benefit from my collection is my 5 1/2 yo granddaughter, I have often wondered the same thing. My wife wants nothing to do with them so I have asked her to see about 'cashing' them in for Becca's college education. That is of course if I'm not around to do it. That being said, I say keep them. They are payed for and won't cost you anything stored away. Later, Bob
 
Dump the whole collection in the coffin and take it with you.

Friends and family will come and go but KNIVES ARE FOREVER!!!

:D
 
doing is more satisfying than having. The doing part of collecting is the buying/selling/trading. I find some satisfaction in the mere possession of a few knives that are keepers, but mostly I shuffle through knives month to month. If your kids don't have an interest in knives then keeping the knives to pass on, with the exception of one each, doesn't make much sense. If it's a choice between keeping a knife or taking the kids on vacation, it sounds like you have enough knives to sell one or more, have the vacation, and still have some knives. But if you can afford to do both - i.e. if your collection isn't preventing you from doing other things - then there's no cause for guilt.
 
Generally speaking knives are not a "good investment". Collecting seems to be about the hunt, the acquisition; not the keeping. I've bought and sold many knives, never cried when one was gone. You can always hunt for the next one.
The knife passion seems to be your passion, not your families'. As long as they don't resent the time and $$ you've put into it, OK. But always, family first.
 
Just 'cause no one else said it yet, send them to me,(for free of course).

Now let the useful suggestions begin. :)
 
Hey Mark

Overall it really is upto you, but you do not have to decide everything today.

I'm at a stage where I have my EDC fully covered. I have many folders, but now am very picky at what I will buy to keep. Therefore the money I will be spending will go towards knives that will hold their value well and can be easily sold at the prices I have bought them or at an increase. (Sebenzas, Spydies or other customs)

Knives are meant to be used and if you have your EDC covered get rid of a few you don't need. After a while you wont even miss em anymore. (But please don't get rid of them if your truly attached) There are some forum members that have bought and sold the same knife 3 or more times, because they regret selling it each time. :eek: I'm not naming names.

aj

P.S If you have any Spydies can I have the first crack at em ;)
 
I know exactly how you feel Mark , I recently sold off some of my knives & rifles that I seldom or haven't ever use and took the money and used it to spoil the kids with some new 22 rifles and some new archery equipment , stuff we can enjoy together.... that and a new digi camera , to capture plenty of memories of the kids , they grow up to fast.
 
I know what you are saying. I love my knife and sword collection but I only use / carry a few of my blades. The rest just sit in a safe only to be looked at a few times per year. I don't necessarily want to get rid of my collection but then again it would be nice to have the cash sometimes to pay bills or do something different. I always say that I don't need another knife and that I am not going to buy anymore then there I am again making a list of knives that I want.

It really can become an addiction if you let it.
 
How about this as an idea...if new knives make you happy, yet your collection has grown so much that it's not just a case of rotating through the ones you have, but rather having so many there are a lot that don't get any use whatsoever, you could do the following.

If you have your eye on a new knife, go into your collection, the ones you haven't done anything with in the longest amount of time, and pick a couple you could do without. Sell them (on here, where they'll find happy homes), make some cash or offset the cost of your new knife, reduce your collection but not all at once with a big selloff, and also get a fancy new knife.

Depending on just how many knives you have, and the relative values of old and new, you could do a 2:1 or 3:1 rule, or maybe a 5:1 rule (or nothing hard and fast, just making sure the outflow is greater than the inflow). Win-win-win.
 
sell some and take the family vacation... you would feel better and so would the family. As simple as that, imho.

Best wishes,

Edalb
 
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