The Collection (Pics and why you have them)

[007 Agent ZZero]

I thought this would be a great thread to get going. I have been collecting for years and have been through all the lots of phases. What brought me in was a Kershaw my dad bought me, what dragged me into collecting was Swamp Rat knives. As is the way with the Busse family knives it is easy to get sucked in. Since then I have had just about every Busse/Swamp Rat/Scrapyard knife made in my possession at one point of another, and a good deal of different customs. I landed a Hinderer Flame gen 2, before Rick hit it big. Had different Striders, William Henrys, CRKs, and both high and low end custom folders.

After everything this is what is left, or more correctly what I have chosen. These are what I think will last me for the rest of my time, and possibly some to my children. What I have here are my EDC knives, folders as I live near the capitol. I will be posting later on the fixed blades I have.

Please post up your pics also and let's hear some stories


From the top!!: Amherst(Tim Balda) custom D2/stag wharncliffe: This was my intro to slip joint love. I constantly would find this folder in my hand just to roll the sweet stag over in my fingers. I was also very quickly educated in what a thin finely ground blade can do. Now I whittle and carve.....go figure
Tim Britton engraved swayback: Me and the lady went to the Chesapeake knife show and me Tim and the wife. I owned a single blade trapper made by him long ago and missed it. This knife stopped me dead in my tracks, still does. The engraving is baffling, the knife itself is highly functional and everything I want in a slippie. Great walk/talk and super tight fit/finish.
Galyean Pro small JYD: The tank! This comes in the wake of Striders, Hinderer, CRK, Lightfoot, and Carillo. Beats them all for fit/finish and utility. It is sharp, strong, sleek and most of all the best balance of everything you need in a hard use folder
E L Iverson damascus folder: Sweeter than a William Henry and made of top grade materials. Bar none a perfect example of a stunner. This is what makes other people say, I didn't know knives could be that pretty.
B. Foster mini-darksider: This is some of the best damascus I have ever seen, holds one hell of an edge, and taught me that minimalist knives can do everything you need. It is only 1/8" thick but it's absolutely one of my favorite things to cut with.

 

[mqqn]

Hi 007 Agent ZZero -

I really love your traditionals - sweet!

I first got into knives in the mid 70's when my friends and I all had Buck 110's or, in my case, 112's. Those were THE knife back then for guys my age.

My dad had a small two-blade penknife and my grandfathers carried a barlow and a Case jack.

It was my grandfather's black-handled jack knife that got me interested in Case knives.

In the late 80's and early 90's, I started buying an occasional traditional. I had decided that if I were going to collect, I needed to be specific so that I would limit the knives that qualified, and thus limit how many knives I would accumulate.

I decided that I liked the trapper pattern, and I would only collect natural handle materials, and my knives had to be made in USA or Germany (I guess since I bought a Henckels).

Here is a picture of one of my Case trappers -

Here is a picture of a J.A. Henckels trapper in stag that I still have -

I eventually relented and bought some smaller patterns, including this mini-trapper in Apaloosa Bone -

I also had to have this peanut - I love peanuts -

I also bought this trapper that has a fake burl handle, I think it is plastic but it is stunning -

I quit buying knives for a time after the kids started getting old enough to be into sports and I had less time to myself.

When I came back to my love for knives, I found that the hobby had changed - knives now had opening holes and thumb-studs. There were things like G10 and Micarta, and titanium!

I love a nice titanium folder with a high-quality steel alloy, as can be told by my collection including a Kershaw Volt, and Speedform, A.G. Russell Acies, ZT 0551, and a Spyderco CPM M4 Military -

I also developed a love for custom fixed blade knives, specifically those made by JK Handmade Knives -

I have a few more than I have shown here - and a few more on the way!

The hobby can be an expensive one, but it is wholesome fun and keeps me out of the bars (mostly). :thumbup:

best regards -

mqqn