The strangest thing just happened to me

About 20 years ago I sold most of my collection off to one person. He was an avid collector, and offered me a price I couldn't say no to.
I still have probably 40 or so knives (most of them kept for sentimental reasons) and realize that the person who bought my collection treated them like royalty.
Sadly, that person passed away a few years back and his children sold them in an estate sale.
I haven't missed a single one of them.
 
Most folks here on the forums are hobbyists in addition to knife users - everyone who gets on the bladeforums wagon does accumulate a dozen or so. Eventually, you become wiser, smarter, and also shortlist the exact knives that meet and exceed your requirements and expectations.

And then you sell everything one day keeping that shortlisted. But you couldn't have arrived at this shortlist without wagon.

So yes, I sold quiet a few knives over last few years and now maintain a smallish user collection.
 
Although not as extreme as what you've described, a similar thing happened to me awhile back with watches. I went through a period of mechanical watch collecting where I bought one or two, every month, for about two years straight. Then, for no particular reason, one day a couple years ago I just stopped. It was like flipping off a light switch. I still really enjoy mechanical watches and there are a few that remain on my wish list, but I'm content for them to stay there for now. Since then I've sold a few that I don't wear that often, but I have not purchased any. So far I've retained around 2/3 of my collection.

My knife collecting has sort of paralleled that. But since knives cost so much less, the time it took me to accumulate most of the ones I'm interested in was dramatically compressed. After about 6 months, my knife purchases have significantly tapered off although not entirely stopped like it did with my watch addiction. I haven't counted recently but I'm probably up around 40 knives. That's about the number I got to with watches before I stopped, maybe a handful less.
 
I can honestly say I could live with only owning my TSF Beast. Does everything I need it to and in style.
 
I go through phases with knives and guns.

I used to have a lot of different handguns in several calibers and different systems, one day I sold them all except for my revolvers. Then I sold some more revolvers and only kept stainless steel double action revolvers in .357 or .22.

A while ago, I went through my collection and sold a lot of the knives I didn't absolutely love. Mostly low quality stuff that I didn't use or even enjoy having.
 
I went through a week when I sold $500+ dollars of production knives which was almost everything I had. It happens from time to time. It's called consolidating or downsizing etc.
 
I've always been a less is more kind of person, but when I started getting into knives a year or so ago I just couldn't stop myself. There are times when I'm almost ashamed at how many I've accumulated in this short period. Unfortunately I'm showing no signs of slowing down, well actually I've gone from one a week to maybe one a month(hey, it's progress). I'm somewhat content with my folders. The only folders I'm interested in are zt's(I've got to see what all the buz is about) and a bm 710. However I got my second fixed blade last week, and I'm already drooling over all the sizes and styles I've yet to try out. We've all got our vices though I suppose, and its bound to taper off at some point(hopefully).
 
I find it easier to give away my knives rather than sell them. The other day i gave my brother one of my rather nice Buck knives just because he mentioned to me he lost his plastic Buck knife. I have no regrets about this but I do think I'd regret selling my knives even the ones i once in a blue moon.
 
This is MADNESS! MADNESS I say!!!! You will all come to your senses or leave this good forum immediately!


Just yanking your respective chains, gentlemen!

Knives are like any "hobby". The urge, the need to buy newer and better is there in the beginning, and suddenly, it's just gone. Sometimes replaced by something else, sometimes not.

For me, it seems to be cyclical. I'll buy a bunch, sell off what I don't use, lose interest for a while because all my needs are covered, take a hiatus (and when I say hiatus, I mean it. One day I didn't get on bladeforums. Then I didn't get on it the next day, or the day after that - for 5 years.)..... Then I'll pop back up a while later to see all the new designs and do it all over again. Having done this several times, I've come to find out what I really do like, and what I definitely don't.

I have owned damned near everything coming and going at one point or another. Almost all of it has been sold or traded off. Some I've regretted (some BIGTIME), but most of em I don't miss a bit.

I have now what I would consider a small "collection". I only keep what I use. Sure, I lust after a knife or two here and there, but I am much more selective. All of this stuff comes and goes in cycles, but I have a "core" of knives I would never, ever get rid of, and even when I lose interest for a while I keep em.

It's different for every individual, but I'd wager a bunch of y'all are in the same boat I'm in.
 
I sold about 40 knives off some of them really nice customs. Some high end. They were in the safe and not getting used so figured maybe they would be more loved in the hands of others. A shame to keep them in the safe. Didn't feel bad about selling them. Still have a bunch of really nice ones I like. Now I am starting to use them. Even the safe queens.
 
Quiet said:
One thing that has definitely changed is the advice I give out. When non-knife friends would come to ask me what I thought they should get, I used to be like "top end ZT!" or "Higher end Spyderco!" or "Oh man, you need a Benchmade!". These days, when asked, I say "Get a decent, inexpensive folding knife, and use the rest of the money on a Sharpmaker or other sharpening implement. LEARN TO SHARPEN A KNIFE."
Click to expand...
True wisdom indeed, and good advice.

People are quick to try and push their passions on others, but if we give people good, solid, reasonable advice that is more suited to their actual needs, those people will benefit far more than if they went out and bought something just because we like it.

An inexpensive, decent quality knife that a person can sharpen themselves is far more valuable than an expensive knife that gets dull and useless because the owner can't sharpen it.
 
I recently had a buddy ask me about kitchen knives just moving out on his own, I talked to him for a bit about his knife knowledge (next to 0) and what he had been looming at. His uncle is also a knife guy and told him the only kitchen knife to own was the double Henckles. As in uncoated carbon steel afaik, and big wampum.
I told him to buy a block of tramontinas made in brazil and a Smiths pull thru sharpener until he got some more experience and practiced sharpening on something cheap with a flatstone.
 
Oddly enough I'm selling off most of mine as we speak... No particular reason. Just lost interest in everything except Striders and Emersons haha
 
A little different perspective here. We assembled a great kitchen of Kershaw Shun "Classic" knives (w/ Damascus blades). The one carry knife I was looking at was their DM5900 "Personal Steak" knife, the one you whip out at a Ruth's Cris steakhouse, I guess.

But at the time I was looking, we were overnighting in West Yellowstone MT, so I wound up with a couple Kershaw folders on sale instead. Then I found this forum, studied a gazillion knives, and to add to my Kershaw Leek 3-ounce EDC a new ZT 0770CF ... which is a very different knife, but also only 3 ounces.

And that's going to be it. No Spydercos. No Bucks or Case folders with heavy metal handles. I'd consider a Junkyard Dog II because the blade is longer, but at 5 oz+, I'd never actually carry it. I'd also appreciate a ZT 0454, but not with the crazy prices on Ebay. Maybe a year from now, I can find one at a reasonable price; in the meantime, all those cardboard boxes can wait. :)

I find that companies beyond the 3 KAI knife divisions make stuff I can live without. Their emphasis on function and using the best available technology to make reasonably-priced tools is fine. Why look farther?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top