State of the collection

[Jakeywax31]

This is it for me as well.

Buying traditional knives got to be a rush for me, like winning the lottery to find a drop and purchase a GEC in the first minute before they were gone. Then after that rush it started to become sort of an “ugh, another knife” thing because I really just wanted the rush of the chase and had no real want for the actual knife, and that behavior pattern kind of took over for a while. Now I just want a manageable collection of traditional users that mean something special to me. I’ll still buy a traditional, modern, or fixed if it really interests me as something different, but that’s become much less frequent as I’ve started really considering the value-add.

I was doing that with recent drops. I am glad to slow that down.

 

[Blades of Glory]

As my taste in knives has moved through the various genres I've done a really good job of selling whatever I was into previously. Making my way into the world of traditionals really changed everything for me in terms of how I look at knives. I know there is a large consensus of "knives are tools and made to be used" and I get it. With traditionals, though, I started looking at many of them as pieces of art (ex. that beautiful gnarly stag on a 47 frame). I'll collect them and show them off from time to time but they'll never cut a thing in my lifetime. Once my sons get ahold of them that's a different story. Do what you will. I have my users and I have my art pieces. Recently, I've realized I have too many knives that are safe queens but I don't appreciate them as art pieces so they are getting moved along. Hoping to do like you and get things down to a much lower number but I don't think ten is that number. Cheers to you as the things we own eventually own us. Trying to avoid my knives ever being a burden...like my vinyl collection, ugh!

 

[Jakeywax31]

The purge begins

 

[sitflyer]

. Cheers to you as the things we own eventually own us. Trying to avoid my knives ever being a burden...like my vinyl collection, ugh!

I had a HUGE vinyl collection, and my wife wanted me to move it up to the second floor of our old place. I looked at them and thought about the sheer volume and weight and decided to sell them off. Found a dealer that would take them all, he took a couple days to go through them...it was a very liberating feeling to never have to move them again. Knives don't take up much space and to me it is sort of like coin collectors. You like what you like and just enjoy digging through them from time to time and enjoying them for what they are.

 

[ddallam]

I didn't realize things had gotten "out of control" until I added up the investment. Yikes. So I decided to trim it back and then hold the collection to 18, as I have a nice 9-drawer wooden box with just enough room for two knives per drawer. Whenever I want to buy a knife I force my self to sell one. Maybe this isn't good for everyone, but I need this system to keep things under control. The reason for my response here is to share the interesting by-product it creates. I find myself focusing on the patterns I love best. My smaller collection focuses more on smaller single bladed knives, with the GEC 14 a little too small and the GEC86 right at the large size. Eric Alber's jack and the GEC 15 is my sweet spot. Interestingly, the GEC 86 weighs 86 grams (exactly 3 ounces), which is as weighty as I like to have in my pocket. I actually find I like my smaller collection even better. It's been a good exercise.

 

[Carboniferous]

That's a pretty great selection you kept! I've done something kind of similar, for a while I had ~15 knives at any one time and was trading/selling them to fund new knives on rotation, just try out as much as possible, I ended up selling all but a handful off; an Opinel no. 6, a Case Peanut, and a GEC #92. I carried just those for five or so years, then swapped out the GEC for a Queen, lost the Queen and replaced it with a GEC possum skinner, and then kept those for another few years.

Just recently I've been seeing what's new and what's no longer available, purchasing new stuff to try out. Back up to 10, there are a few more I'm going to buy and then I'll think about it for a few months, sell off a few that seem superfluous, and then probably do what you're doing.

 

[Ironbut]

I have more knives than I could ever use, but I've never really done a count. Maybe I'll do that some day, but I'm sure I'll miss a bunch of them, because I have the appropriate knives stashed in packs, drawers, glove compartments, tool boxes, range bag, etc.

Even though I add a "new favorite" to the collection from time to time, I always seem to go back to just a handful of knives that get almost all of the pocket time. Knives don't take up a whole lot of room though, so even though I'm not actually using some of them right now, I really don't feel I need to get rid of them.

 

[jc57]

I had at one time thought that the ideal number of pocket knives was somewhere in the 9 to 12 range. That's 3 or 4 in each size category of small, medium, and large. That number, with proper sharpening and maintenance skills, would be enough to cover any legitimate needs while allowing for some variety.

Though I would have to add an exception for SAKs as a separate category, for which 6 is the bare minimum.

Right now, I have 10 sitting in a row on my desk - 6 traditionals, one SAK, and 3 modern locking folders, that I tend to grab and use for when I need a knife outside of the kitchen. That need is almost always cutting packing tape on boxes of cat food and litter, and then cutting down the boxes to go into the recycle bin.

I don't even have a full count. At one time I could add them up in my head, based on patterns from each manufacturer, but I can't do that now. I think it's somewhere over 150 in total, but under 200. Maybe a dozen modern folders out of that total.

All of them were at one time bought for various reasons - some to have multiple variations on a single pattern that I especially liked. Some to fill a hole in my collection for a pattern I did not own, so I would have at least one of each. Or some were to see what a different brand was like. They all had their reasons for making their way into my collection.

Some were carried for a while, most never made it into a pocket but were some day going to. Most are still waiting on that day.

I gotta go through a downsizing while I am still alive. Would hate to leave that burden for my wife. No kids to pass things on to, so I figure better to sell everything before I die.

 

[Blades of Glory]

II gotta go through a downsizing while I am still alive. Would hate to leave that burden for my wife. No kids to pass things on to, so I figure better to sell everything before I die.

I think about this part from time to time. If my boys don’t show a true appreciation for knives as they get older I’d rather sell them to someone who does and hand my kids a check. If something were to happen to me I’ve given my wife a few contacts she can send everything to and get an honest value back. My worst nightmare is for them get let go for pennies on the dollar at a garage sale

 

[Angry Waiter]

I think about this part from time to time. If my boys don’t show a true appreciation for knives as they get older I’d rather sell them to someone who does and hand my kids a check. If something were to happen to me I’ve given my wife a few contacts she can send everything to and get an honest value back. My worst nightmare is for them get let go for pennies on the dollar at a garage sale

My wife has my contact for this as well. If I were to pass abruptly she is to reach out to him and my brother. Wife keeps what she wants. Each nephew gets a rifle with the trimmings and knives of choice. The rest is to be sold to help the Mrs.

 

[JohnDF]

Whole different topic.
But when I depart this world, my wife can sell my knives, toss my knives in the garbage, or hand them out like candy... I won't care.
Heck, I give away far more knives than I sell as it is. Knife value means nothing to me, although I won't over-spend on one and I generally won't make a profit on one.

 

[jc57]

My widow's next husband is going to have some nice knives and guns to play with. Hope he appreciates me.

 

[Chocula]

Doing an occasional cull is a great exercise. I've done a few culls over the years on my knife collection, along with my flashlight and backpack/edc bag collection. I don't regret selling off the backpacks because those take up a lot of space, and it was nice to free up cash to get new stuff, but I do wish I had kept some of the classic or more elegant knife or flashlight designs.

I had the attitude back then that there are always new, attractive designs around the corner, so there is no point in holding on to models that I don't regularly carry. But after the dang flippers took over, I started to realize in hindsight that the late 2000's and early 2010's were a golden age of nice designs and reasonable prices.

These days I almost never sell knives, but I also buy them much less frequently. There is "personal taste" learning curve that can take a few thousand dollars to learn, but once you figure out the details that are important to you, it can really cut down on your knife buying. It reminds me of the Marie Kondo way of thinking: knives can spark joy, and some a lot more than others. I think it is best to hold on to the joyful ones until you need the money or space, and then sell them without regret.

 

[btb01]

Good for you, Jakeywax31 (and others who are able to keep their collections down to a certain low number). I couldn’t do it! I’m not opposed to getting rid of knives — I do, from time to time, sell or gift one — but not often, and I don’t think I could force myself to choose something to sell something just because I bought something else. (Of course, if it were necessary due to a financial situation or emergency or some sort, that would be a different story.)

I learned a long time ago that if I sell or get rid anything, at some point down the road I find myself regretting it and saying “I wish I still had that” and usually I end up going out and buying another (at a higher price).

I’ve had that happen enough times that I’m very selective now before getting rid of a knife. If I have one I think l might want to sell or trade, I’ll store it away from everything else for a while (out of sight, out of mind). If a couple months go by and I don’t miss it, it makes it easier to let it go.

Buying traditional knives got to be a rush for me, like winning the lottery to find a drop and purchase a GEC in the first minute before they were gone. Then after that rush it started to become sort of an “ugh, another knife” thing because I really just wanted the rush of the chase and had no real want for the actual knife, and that behavior pattern kind of took over for a while.

Distinguishing between a knife you actually want and something you want to acquire just because you can (or because of FOMO or whatever) can be tough with GECs since they go so fast now. There are some that I know aren’t for me, those are easy to pass on, but if it’s something I think I might like, I might go for it just to see. If it works for me, great, if not, it’s easy enough to pass it along at cost to someone (usually another forum regular) who missed out.

Knives don't take up much space and to me it is sort of like coin collectors. You like what you like and just enjoy digging through them from time to time and enjoying them for what they are.mm

I agree with this. Heck, storing the boxes/tubes can take up more space than the knives themselves.

When I first started collecting/accumulating more knives, I bought this old parts cabinet to store them in. The drawers (which I lined with tool box drawer liner) can hold between 8 and 16 traditional knives depending on the size of the knives — 12 GEC #15s fit perfectly in three rows of four.

At the time I got it, I thought it would take me forever to fill it up or need more space. Now (rather than downsizing my knives) I’m looking for something a bit bigger. I’d really like one of those flat file cabinets (for blueprints and such), I think it’d work great for storing knives, but dang they’re expensive.

Here are some old photos of the cabinet and a couple #15 drawers.

(Hey, there are at least two knives in that photo I’ve downsized since I took that picture!)

I didn't realize things had gotten "out of control" until I added up the investment. Yikes.

That can be a bit alarming. I keep a spreadsheet of knives (mostly my GECs, but a few others as well). Just some basic info — when/where I bought it, what I paid, production total, etc. I intentionally have not set up a formula to calculate the total I paid for all of them, but it’s easy enough to guesstimate.

At least it’s a hobby where you can often get most of your money back if necessary (depending on the knife, of course).

 

[Will Power]

One needs to prune back to appreciate, but pruning can eventually lead to new growth

In terms of using, you don't need many, but in terms of aesthetics - taking pleasure in their appearance and function, that's another matter....

Having a lot of knives may lead to redundancy, worry over the collection and even confusion but it's also a luxury to be savoured. I see the need for selective thinning once taste has been honed, but I really do not understand those people who want to reduce their knife heap to an absolute minimum or habitually carry just the same knife or pattern day after day, utter monotony. What's the point of contributing to a knife forum then?

The only nod to reduction I've made this year is being more discerning in what I buy: had no interest in this year's GEC knives- so far - and getting one is not exactly straightforward , I dislike brass liners more and more so I don't see the need to add to an already large assortment, single-blades begin to attract me over multis, again, simply because I have a lot of the latter already, European knives even from Custom makers offer better value as the Euro wilts, postal and other costs rocket. Can't say I've ever got a thrill out of owning something others badly want or can't get, if I've a knife that I don't use and somebody offers me a decent price for it then OK I take them up, I dislike protracted haggling.

The thing is, to be at EASE with your knives whether it's a curated 'collection', an anarchic heap or just a couple of modest users, provided you enjoy them, then the number is irrelevant .

 

[JM2]

I’m wanting to make a wall display, sort of a mini bookcase for a bare spot across from my chair. Then I can put the ones I want to think on or see there, and more easily rotate users. God forbid an earthquake. Maybe a glass front? Thinking on it.

 

[dsutton24]

Ten knives? Sure, no problem.

Oh, wait... You mean ten total, not ten a week? Nope, can't do it.

 

[Jack Black]

I had a HUGE vinyl collection, and my wife wanted me to move it up to the second floor of our old place. I looked at them and thought about the sheer volume and weight and decided to sell them off. Found a dealer that would take them all, he took a couple days to go through them...it was a very liberating feeling to never have to move them again. Knives don't take up much space and to me it is sort of like coin collectors. You like what you like and just enjoy digging through them from time to time and enjoying them for what they are.

My next door neighbour used to keep a huge record collection in his bedroom. It ended up in his living room when the bedroom floor collapsed!

 

[Hyesouljah]

I have this picture only because I was moving things around but I think it might be time to start downsizing a little and going after select knives to keep in my collection. I’d estimate about 75% will never go anywhere.

 

[Txjohn]

Current state of collection