Should have done this years ago

N

notcrazy

Joined
May 9, 2023
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After years of buying expensive knives and becoming a bit of a steel snob I decided to pick up a few of the cheaper classics. Knife prices have reached ridiculous levels and the newer designs just don't do much for me.
Just received today an Opinel #8 in stainless with walnut handle and a Buck 112 Ranger with finger grooves. Hard to beat the quality of the Buck, especially at the price and the Opinel is just a marvel of simplicity and light weight. They could both serve me perfectly well for decades if I live that long. Don't really need the rest of my collection except a few of my fixed blades and I'm not giving up my mini grips (2).
Man I could have saved sooooo much money......
Well I guess an old man can change his ways. It just shouldn't have taken this long.
 
Man, I can relate as many of us can.

I have spent the last few days successfully (so far) talking myself out of buying another knife that I want but don’t need.

I will see a knife that I “have to have” and then I ask myself if it’s any better than this or that knife that I already own.

The answer is almost always no because I chose the knives I already own carefully. Inevitably, I end up buying the knife I don’t need anyway just so I can stop obsessing over it.

I once read somewhere that the definition of insane is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

It’s crazy man!
 
notcrazy said:
After years of buying expensive knives and becoming a bit of a steel snob I decided to pick up a few of the cheaper classics. Knife prices have reached ridiculous levels and the newer designs just don't do much for me.
Just received today an Opinel #8 in stainless with walnut handle and a Buck 112 Ranger with finger grooves. Hard to beat the quality of the Buck, especially at the price and the Opinel is just a marvel of simplicity and light weight. They could both serve me perfectly well for decades if I live that long. Don't really need the rest of my collection except a few of my fixed blades and I'm not giving up my mini grips (2).
Man I could have saved sooooo much money......
Well I guess an old man can change his ways. It just shouldn't have taken this long.
Click to expand...
I'll send ya my address and care for all your high end knives like they were my own!
 
I can most definitely relate to this topic.. I have been mulling over getting one of the winkler belt knives to include in my edc.. But when I look at the edged implements I have here on Guam and my home in the Philippines, I let the thought go and it disappears for a few days, then pops back in my head... I have randalls, emersons, benchmade, spyderco folders and a shit load of fixed blade customs that I have made over the last couple of decades when I was working.. This doesn't count the oldies but goodies that I had bought when I retired out of the military and are in my weapons lockers in both locations.. So until the voices start talking in my head again, the winkler is going to be off the impulse purchase mode for a couple more weeks..
 
I've sold the great majority of my expensive blades...and only kept a few of the finest.
My mad-money is at an all-time low, so have looked at less expensive knives. Civivi is a Chinese company
with excellent quality blades, being a cheaper leg of WE knives. Many folks here love them.
There are several Civivi folders in the $60 range that have caught my eye, although I haven't yet decided whether to support Chinese manufacturing. Their quality is excellent, so the question deals with politics. It's a decision I haven't made yet.
 
Typed and deleted several responses
Ive been combating this conclusion for some time and yes--- the money lost is real.
They keep coming out with newer steels, expensive garnishment and adornments, for many, the need for a cutting tool or weapon is long gone after one,
people are satisfying wants at this point
 
It all wasn't a total loss. Whenever I turn on the lights in my display cabinet I get a big smile. And I find sharpening very relaxing and satisfying. Not to mention everything I learned about making sheaths.
Speaking of sheaths I think I have one more to make for the Opinel. Not sure how I want to carry it yet.
 
I remember going into a knife store at the mall when I was a kid. It was amazing. A “U”shaped glass counter wrapped around the perimeter of the single room.

IMG_8879.jpeg

That store is gone now. There are a few displays in a couple hardware stores, but nothing compares to that store in the Arsenal Mall in Watertown.

My collection gives me the same experience on a smaller scale. I open one drawer and its every Buck model to choose from. Another drawer has Camp knives, another has an Opinel display, another every Becker There are carving knives, camping knives, historical knives, throwing knives etc.

Being able to walk into a room in my own house and choose what knife I want to carry today is awesome.

For me to be able to let my children and their children experience that is priceless.

I have no regrets about the money I’ve spent, but there is no need to spend more!
 
Last edited:
eveled said:
I remember going into a knife store at the mall when I was a kid. It was amazing. A “U”shaped glass counter wrapped around the perimeter of the single room.

View attachment 2951296

That store is gone now. There are a few displays is a couple hardware stores, but nothing compares to that store in the Arsenal Mall in Watertown.

My collection gives me the same experience on a smaller scale. I open one drawer and its every Buck model to choose from. Another drawer has Camp knives, another has an Opinel display. There are carving knives, camping knives, historical knives, throwing knives etc.

Being able to walk into a room in my own house and choose what knife I want to carry today is awesome.

For me to be able to let my children and their children experience that is priceless.

I have no regrets about the money I’ve spent, but there is no need to spend more!
Click to expand...
Always room for one more!!😉......
 
Reminds me of hobbyist photographers, after spending tens of thousands on expensive lenses and lights, still end up playing with plastic holgas :)
 
junglefighter junglefighter

The winklers are nice. Dont look at any Volunteer knives. You might have to order one

As far as the main topic of this post, I think we all go through this. Buy, buy, buy, try, try, try and then one day suddenly you realize you have that one that everything is getting measured against. Eventually you realize that IS “the one” and your purchases fall way off to things that you know wont kick “the one” out of your pocket full time. For me the things I buy now are either unique or niche for special occasions or very specific uses.
 
notcrazy said:
After years of buying expensive knives and becoming a bit of a steel snob I decided to pick up a few of the cheaper classics. Knife prices have reached ridiculous levels and the newer designs just don't do much for me.
Just received today an Opinel #8 in stainless with walnut handle and a Buck 112 Ranger with finger grooves. Hard to beat the quality of the Buck, especially at the price and the Opinel is just a marvel of simplicity and light weight. They could both serve me perfectly well for decades if I live that long. Don't really need the rest of my collection except a few of my fixed blades and I'm not giving up my mini grips (2).
Man I could have saved sooooo much money......
Well I guess an old man can change his ways. It just shouldn't have taken this long.
Click to expand...
Good choices, I have both the 112 (Custom Shop, S30V, oak grips) and an Opinel #8 Carbon I picked up in Paris. I keeping all the rest of mine, however. 😁
 
It's not about money. Money is just a tool.

If you have enough of it and use it prudently, what you buy isn't a problem.

If you don't have enough and spend it imprudently, well, then there's a problem.

Nothing wrong with choices...especially if you can afford to make them. But ability doesn't mean you should. I see lots of shiny things that I resist spending money on...or at the levels required to make the purchase.

My parents instilled a philosophy of not buying what one can't afford. It was sound advice.

It's good to like and enjoy the things you own...and to not feel guilty about them. You only go around once. (As far as we know.)
 
I myself have burned out here lately. The fever isn’t gone but has subsided…for now. I’m just completely uninterested/uninspired by most new offerings, even more so the more expensive they are now. Like most I have all the bases covered a few times over, but I’ve also always been the type to not hang onto and accumulate knives that don’t check my boxes.

The process of buy, anticipate, try and sometimes sell, isn’t nearly so exciting anymore. Had I lived in the same town as say BladeHQ or GPKnives it may well be a different story all together. Having immediate access to all the variety and being able to handle them up close in person, before buying.

So I’m revisiting what I have, enjoying some cheaper carry and maybe do a little trading or swapping, but the buying has nearly shutoff as I said…for now.
 
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