Thank You So Much But...

sabre cat

sabre cat

Joined
Jul 4, 2014
Messages
6,191
Hello Everyone,

I have been trying to scale back on how many knives I own and how many I plan to purchase over the next couple of years. My goal is to have a smaller but, better collection.

Any upcoming purchases have to fill a void in my collection or replace what I already have. All replacements will be measured against what I own, with performance, ergonomics, and price in mind. At least that is the idea. Right now, I am pretty happy with what I own so I don't expect too many upgrades.

But, here is my problem. Because all my friends know that I am a gun and knife guy, they keep giving me knives as gifts. Some of the knives are even halfway decent but, very few are anything I would be willing to carry. How do I say "Thank you, but, no thank you," without insulting my friends and destroying friendships? The same problem holds true for extended family. I don't need any more low budget, foreign-made paperweights.
 
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I think it's pretty easy with family, extended or otherwise, communicating to them that you've simply have enough knives and don't want/need anymore. It's more difficult for friends of course, although if you insert it into normal conversation it should stick though, maybe focusing on the fact that you only carry a particular knife for a while and don't see yourself interested in any other knives. Of course bringing it up now and not when they come running with a knife for you. :D
 
If you have a chance ahead of time (like around Christmas or birthdays when people are actively looking for hints) just outright tell them that you are fully knived up, and are looking at downsizing.

If it's after the fact, something along the lines of "Wow, that's a very thoughtful gift. But I've been trying to downsize my collection. Would you be insulted if I wanted to pass on your generosity to someone else who might appreciate it more?"

Perfect situation would be if you had a friend who owned a liquor store and was just getting into knives, and work out a barter system. Win-win.
 
During a non-gift giving period, tactfully let people know you’re full-up and have enough knives.

After that, if/when someone gives you a knife, graciously accept it.

Once you have a beater for your truck, your tool box(es), your tackle box, range bag, etc., pass the knives that don’t interest you to some boy scouts or flip them on the exchange if they’re nice enough.
 
I have a bit of the same problem and have no answer to explain the situation without sounding snobbish-and I admittedly am a bit snobbish when it comes to knives. I carry what I like and very few friends or family have the knowledge to find something I would like.
When I do get them I usually find someone to gift them to that would appreciate them, otherwise they would just sit in a drawer.
 
These folks clearly want to gift a knife to someone who will appreciate it.

So accept it, then find someone who will appreciate it, and re-gift it to them.

Then the giver and receiver both get what they want, and you have served as the intermediary.

If you are counting, this is a win-win-win situation. :D
 
Advertise to your family/friends the knives you are interested in and share your idea of having a smaller/better collection. Let them know how much you pay for knives and they’ll get the message about giving a knife you won’t use.

Worked for me, now my co workers will show me a knife and the first thing they say is “ I know it’s not up to your standards but look at my knife.”
My family knows the price I pay for knives and they let me buy my own knives :cool:
 
Although my knife buying is at a standstill, my interest remains very strong. I have resolved this problem by asking for gift certificates to different knife sites or even one from the Big Jungle site.

I make sure well before any gift fine time comes up that I reiterate that I have plenty of knives and at this point a knife has to be something very special to catch my eye. That is actually the truth so it isn't a big leap for anybody that knows me. And they feel good if they can get me a gift certificate knowing that I'll buy something that I really like. When I do, I make a big show out of letting them see what I bought with the gift certificate and then overcomplicate the the complexity of the knife features so they think there is a lot to buying a nice knife. Then they are really glad they bought me a gift certificate! This has work great for me over the last several years, and I haven't gotten any knives that I won't use, or knives that will collect dust because I don't want to sell them and hurt the giver's feelings.

And on my side of the equation I can hang onto the gift certificate until I actually do see something I want. Win/win!

Robert
 
Here’s what I do.

I graciously accept it. Sometimes it’s a decent knife. Sometimes it’s crap.

Then I make a note of where and who gave it to me.

Then I make a point the next time I see them to bring that gift knife out and use it. (Birthday or Christmas) and make a point to say. “Thank you so much for the knife you gave me last year.”

Sometimes that $12 Gerber they bought at Walmart can give happiness and joy back.

Then if they ask for next time. Tell them you are saving up for something special and ask for a gift card.
 
The issue I have is when someone gives me a knife they expect me to carry it and when I pull a custom something out of my pocket I see the disappointment that it wasn't that gas station Schrade they laid on me for my Bday.
It's difficult to explain my tastes in cutting implements without coming off like a pretentious snob so I don't, but I don't want any hard feelings.
So those knives have their place in all those locations where I may need a knife but would never think of using my pretty thousand dollar custom.
And guess what?
That twenty five dollar Schrade just did an awesome job scraping the gasket off of my carburetor and I'll take a few minutes in front of the TV and touch up the edge so it'll be ready to do it again.
 
sabre cat said:
Hello Everyone,

I have been trying to scale back on how many knives I own and how many I plan to purchase over the next couple of years. My goal is to have a smaller but, better collection.

Any upcoming purchases have to fill a void in my collection or replace what I already have. All replacements will be measured against what I own, with performance, ergonomics, and price in mind. At least that is the idea. Right now, I am pretty happy with what I own so I don't expect too many upgrades.

But, here is my problem. Because all my friends know that I am a gun and knife guy, they keep giving me knives as gifts. Some of the knives are even halfway decent but, very few are anything I would be willing to carry. How do I say "Thank you, but, no thank you," without insulting my friends and destroying friendships? The same problem holds true for extended family. I don't need any more low budget, foreign-made paperweights.
Click to expand...

For family I would outright tell them you don't really need any more knives, tell them your new hobby is pants.
You can never have too many pairs of pants.
Socks too, those damn gnomes are always stealing them from the dryer and it's good to have as many pairs as you've got room for :D


when a friend gives you a knife as a gift, I would tell them you really appreciate the gift but you've got too many knives and you wouldn't feel right taking another that could go to someone who may need it more than you.
That's what I would do anyways.
 
Barman1 said:
The issue I have is when someone gives me a knife they expect me to carry it and when I pull a custom something out of my pocket I see the disappointment that it wasn't that gas station Schrade they laid on me for my Bday.
It's difficult to explain my tastes in cutting implements without coming off like a pretentious snob so I don't, but I don't want any hard feelings.
So those knives have their place in all those locations where I may need a knife but would never think of using my pretty thousand dollar custom.
And guess what?
That twenty five dollar Schrade just did an awesome job scraping the gasket off of my carburetor and I'll take a few minutes in front of the TV and touch up the edge so it'll be ready to do it again.
Click to expand...

Yes, trying to get non knife people enthused about what makes your knife valuable or special is like a stamp collector trying to tell us what makes their stamp special.

I have basically given up on trying to show my cutlery to friends. Most people have no idea or interest in what makes a knife good beyond;

Can it cut things?

And can I pry this heavy thing with it?
 
Take the time to explain your knives to friends and family. Discuss steel choices, handle materials, ergonomics, features and even price.

They'll soon realize they're in over their heads when it comes to picking a knife to gift you. You may bore them to tears but the message will be sent.

If you get one anyway, accept it gracefully and realize you can't always control things around you.
 
Ah, yes. OP; I understand completely
In that you find it hard to appreciate some of the gifts
which do not meet your criteria or level of knife appreciation.
Which like in the case of many office christmas gifts,
are for the sake of customary niceties.
No matter how bad the gifts are
one is bound by civility to just accept with
the greatest of appreciation it seems...
I suspect a good many people are easily slighted
once they find out just how "appreciated" their wonderful gifts are.
For close friends, you can probably hint continually
that you are aiming for perfection in workmanship.
And that you wish someone would be kind enough
to surprise you with :
A) the actual knife you have in mind
B) a blank check
C) help make you some real money
D) a cash voucher from you favorite knife store...
Yeah, they might be taken aback,
but i suspect one they get the message,
they would either surprise you with your true wants.
Or you end up with a true nightmare of gaudy socks and neckties :+)
Seriously, its far easier to let it slide ignore the quality of the gift
and just be happy knowing that someone had tried
to actually reach out to a knifenut.
Imho, such show of affection is well worth
the pain of having drawer full
of tackiness.
 
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I'm of the opinion that one should not gift collectors anything that has to do with their hobby unless one has precise information about what they may want or if it's something only vaguely linked to their hobby (like a t-shirt that says "I like knives").

I wouldn't buy a pen for a guy who collects them. He might not like it and since it was a gift he might feel uneasy about trading it or selling it for one he really wants. A waste of money.

Some of my close friends are knife enthusiasts (one of them is my main source for knives) and know what I have and what I like. They usually chip in to give me a knife for my birthday and it's always spot on (a model I've been looking for for ages, even something out of their collections that I liked, etc.).

My girlfriend saw that and talked to them about my last birthday present. She gave me a knife I really like and wanted for a while, because of their advice.

If you have a shop you go to often, maybe hint to family/friends that that's the place to shop for you (I do that with a mate's gun store, he texts me to keep an up to date wishlist!).
 
Yup. Been there more times than I can count with my other obsession.......pool.
I play a little bit. Have a few bad ass custom cues. My playing cue is worth a bit over $4,000.......I have been gifted about 5 of the Budweiser cues. Cost??? Bout $10. What are they good for??? Kindling maybe??
Still appreciate the thought........but.
 
Much like coffee cups...everybody gives me a coffee cup...birthdays, Christmas, "happy to see ya" gifts. I only have one cup (Noritake) that l like and use. I dropped it and chipped it in two places on the rim and I still use it. All of the others are fine for when company comes visiting..
 
I've received plenty of gift knives, depending on the circumstance or occasion I will either display them (even $10 Gerbers) or re gift the knife to someone I know who is in need of an EDC. I actually used to display all my knives but as my collection grew I decided to keep them locked up in my safe (in case of robbery) but now I use my display cases to show knives i've been gifted. It's nice to have that memory of special occasions with family and friends.
 
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