The "users" philosophy conundrum

I think the feeling of buying something new, the expectation of it and the novelty of stuff is what a lot of folks get caught up in, myself included. I agree that you should maybe put your extra knives aside and stop selling/buying/trading and use 5-6 knives over the next few months and see how you feel. A giveaway might be nice too, but only if you think you'd feel better by it.
 
I don't keep a lot of knives around at one time as I have about 35 now total although I have owned hundreds over the years. I usually give them away or sell them.
 
DennisStrickland said:
when i hit 60 had 34 guns, no junk
sakos,wheatherbys's&w,ruger,browning,benelli' you get the idea.
sold off a bunch & kept about 10 essentials.
had a friend e-bay the 150 knives,razors, swords.
kept 15 knives.
too many possessions complicate you life.
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I did the same thing ay almost the same age. afterward, I wished I'd done it sooner. Guns, knives, duplicate tools, clothes, all kinds of stuff. The better half did the same. I felt like a iron ball and chain had been removed from my leg; I felt free.

Now I just have a few gun, knives, camping stuff. The Chinese have a saying; too many possessions, and the possessions own you.

It's true.

The upshot of this was, that getting down to just a couple of rifles and a couple of handguns, my shooting got better, and with only about a half dozen knives, I came to really appreatiate the ones I had, and I carry and use the heck out of them.
 
Kaizen1 said:
I think the feeling of buying something new, the expectation of it and the novelty of stuff is what a lot of folks get caught up in, myself included.
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It starts out innocent enough, trying out new grinds, new locks, new handle materail.... Soon you figure out what you like, and by then you are addicted to that new knife feeling.

That one where you say "this, yes THIS IS "The One,"" soon enough that feeling goes away after two or three weeks, and your back on the exchange looking to buy/trade. I'v traded/sold knives I loved, just to try out new knives... then like a true junkie only end up emailing the person to ask if they ever sell to please give me first shot. :o


I'm not saying I'm out of control or it's ruining my life, I just know I was happier when I only had a Vic midnight manager, Mini Manix, delica 4, and a full SE pacific salt :o Carried the Manix in right front pocket and SE salt in left front pocket for well over a year.

My job would not permit this type of carry now, but I'm still thinking simpler may be better. Going to tuck them away for awhile before I do something il only regret later. :cool:


It's nice to know I'm not alone. :)
 
I've just recently sold off my collection. While being no where near yours it was tough to do. But once its done no regrets really I don't miss them as I thought that I would. Atm I'm making do with an carbon opinel 8 as an edc. Which is a bit of a downgrade from what I used to carry, but I'm actually surprised how well its performed all the tasks I ask of it, and makes me wonder why I had all these other high price knives when this 15$ (au) opinel does it all sometimes better and with more charm imo. Other than that all I have left is a couple of rat knives and I seem all set. Only one I miss is my d2 para, should of kept that one i think.
 
Since I joined this site, I have noticed an increase in the number of flashlights, knives, multi tools, etc that are laying around my place. I have also noticed that I use the same knives over and over again while others just stay in the drawer. I am getting real close to cutting loose. It is an addiction. Some people are addicted to stuff...
 
I don't see why this thread has been marked as "off-topic". It seems pretty relevant to me.
 
I've been pondering this also. I have 20 knives and I'm beginning to think it's about 15 too many. Much of it has been curiosity; different blade shapes, steels, lock mechanisms. While comparing G-10 and titanium grips is fun, I've found that I can adapt to just about anything.

Being a lefty, I'm inclined to give my business to makers/companies that make left-hand/ambidextrous variants of their knives. However, it's a right-hand world and I can easily use a production liner/frame lock built for the majority.

Steels: I don't have enough experience yet to discern subtle differences. The half dozen times I might use a knife during the day makes for a long learning experience and I only carry one at a time. I've found that my collection of 1095, 154CM, D2, S30V, and ZDP-189 have all cut what I needed to cut without difficulty. Did steel A cut through cardboard with one micronewton less force than B while B had 3% better edge retention than A after the cutting was done? I haven't figured out how to measure those.

Stones: I think it would be cool to whittle hair but I haven't invested in the time to learn how nor money for premium stones to hone a knife that sharp. What honestly matters most is ease of use. My Sharpmaker puts a good enough edge on my EDC knives for them to handle my cutting tasks. Perfect edge? No, but quick and easy.

Quality has always been important; buy once/cry once. Size is now second on the list. I have a an Emerson Commander, 710, and Mini-Rukus that have never been used or carried because once I received them I found out they're too big for my lifestyle. They're in a drawer still in their original packaging.

Simplicity is the direction I should be headed but I'm a pack rat. Not 6' tall stacks of old newspapers, it's that once I get a hold of something I milk every last cent of value from it. My Busse will probably last my lifetime but I still have my RC-6.

3 knives would easily cover my needs and then some. A custom slip joint for dress carry. A rugged 3" EDC. A 4 to 6 inch fixed blade. Sharpmaker.

It could be that because my finances aren't sufficient for a Rolls, Veyron, Mercedes, Ferrari, and Lexus, I've substituted Hinderer, Benchmade, Spyderco, Reeve, and Busse.

FWIW,

Dan
 
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Basicly a good pocket knife and good fixed blade should take you anywhere. But a good folder is nice back-up.

but I think a good and handy sized fixed blade like a traditional puukko goes alone very far.

Luckily pocket knives like vic's take very little space compared your average fixed blade. But yes, I too think what is too much. Today I gave my el-cheapo Haller Karambit to my friend. I don't need junk knives but I want quality knives. Spyderco, Kershaw, Böker CRKT etc... and of course various KnifeMakers blades are accepted. And Opinel's but I have to thinking limit my collection for Back up knives and using knives, so I should not buy any knife that I would not use as for work.

This limits pretty much Sebenza's and Damascus blades out, since I would personally would not use them as their value. After certain price I really do not want to use my knife.

I think I am covered with Vic Soldier, Leatherman Blast and Böker Wharcom for Urban EDC (while keeping CRKT Drifter and Byrd Robin in edc rotation and small back-ups)
Short strolls in Woods: Spyderco Tenacious
Harder cutting work in home: Kershaw Needs Work
For Cabin trips: Kershaw Zing
Hikes: my puukko + Kershaw Lahar and Spyderco Tenacious cover that.

Of course when I get the Junkyard Dog II Composite, it might change that I just keep Wharcom, Lahar, Tenacious and JYD II for folders and few selected fixed blades.
 
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DennisStrickland said:
when i hit 60 had 34 guns, no junk
sakos,wheatherbys's&w,ruger,browning,benelli' you get the idea.
sold off a bunch & kept about 10 essentials.
had a friend e-bay the 150 knives,razors, swords.
kept 15 knives.
too many possessions complicate you life.
Click to expand...

"The stuff you own ends up owning you"

Tyler Durden
 
Don't kid yourself.

You can try to own just 5 or 6 knives, but then they will release the latest greatest knife and you will have to own it.

I have a steady 5 knife rotation right now, but Spyderco had to release the S90V Manix2 and Leafstorm, so now I have another $320 invested and sitting in boxes in my safe. :o
 
5.56 said:
Don't kid yourself.

You can try to own just 5 or 6 knives, but then they will release the latest greatest knife and you will have to own it.

I have a steady 5 knife rotation right now, but Spyderco had to release the S90V Manix2 and Leafstorm, so now I have another $320 invested and sitting in boxes in my safe. :o
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+ 1 :thumbup:

That is very well said. That is so true in my case... With Exceoption is 6 folders, 6 fixed blades and 6 slipjoints. I don't think I could easily limit my collection to just 6 knives including everything. Not yet anyway...
 
Some people like to collect Beanie Babies. I choose to collect tools. Tools that happen to be knives. It is not coveting unless you are stealing your children's lunch money to buy more knives. So far, no one can prove that I have done that.:D
I may change my mind in a few years, but I enjoy acquiring my knives. When I give up the ghost, I have 4 boys and a girl that already know which ones are theirs. I enjoy to know that they will one day handle those knives, and look at the edge and remember that I used to sharpen up that one. All my knives I carry, some more than others, but I rotate quite a bit. I look at it as a legacy issue. It is comforting for me. Right now, I have no extra spending cash, so I took the time to rehandle a chewed up stacked leather Robeson Navy fixed blade. Collecting and coveting are two different things.
 
Keep my knives down to 5 folders and 1 fixed....got to get rid of the Caly3 VG10...don't use it.

My watches just went from 3 to 4...will downgrade the 10 year old Seiko to a yard beater.

Keep my hi-end LED flashlights at 4...sold off a couple of custom lights that were shelf queens.

I love new techie toys, but if you don't use them or play with them, move 'em on.
 
To Sell or not to Sell. Interesting question. There are excellent arguments on both sides of the question. Whether we sell, give or trade away a large or small portion of our collection may in fact not be a reason based decision. Limiting ourselves to just the knives we already have may also not be a choice governed by logic. For many years a simple slip joint scout knife was all I needed. For a long time thereafter a small folding buck knife took it's place. Then a gerber Touche' belt buckle knife held up my pants for over fifteen years and cut everything I found that needed cutting. In retrospect all these knives were useful and logically selected. I used knives but did not appreciate them. A knife is just a knife right. You need something cut you cut it. The knife gets dull you put it to a grinding wheel or a nice electric combination can opener/knife sharpener. Or you just put it in a forgotten corner of a tool box and get another. The majority of people do just that. The fact that we are on this forum is proof that we are not like the majority. In a short period of time, I have found that the depth of knowledge, concern, experience, wisdom, and motivation shown here is staggering. In my limited tenure here, a knife has changed from being a simple piece of some kind of steel that an assembly line worker had shaped into a simi-sharp wedge into something much more than I thought either necessary or desirable. What has been learned cannot be unlearned. Unfortunately, I can now appreciate and seek to experience both the benefits and frustrations involved in this often obsessive association with knives. The pursuit of a better blade has kept many people rather busy from the time of the first pointed rock to the state of the art today. It appears to me that a knife is very personal thing. At the time I acquired each of my knives, the type, style, material, size, weight and color of it seemed to be based on fulfilling a specific logical need or purpose. In fact, the purchases were just as much emotional and personal. I first liked the knife then came up with a reasonable excuse that I could use to justify obtaining it. Buying each knife seemed like a good idea at the time. I did not buy all my knives at one time from one source. They were acquired over time. Each new purchase was influenced by knowledge and experience gained from obtaining the one that came before it. It was a sequential process. Perhaps any decision to liquidate the knives acquired over time should also be done one at a time. What seemed like a good choice yesterday does not seem as important today. A blanket move to dispose of all or most of one's knives today may not seem like a wise decision tomorrow. Many decisions are irrevocable. The two most horrible words in English are "if only". If only I had kept that one. If only I had sold this one. If only I had waited. Perhaps donating or selling parts of a collection one at a time will provide an interval for your interest in them to either revive, expand or become whatever tomorrow dictates. Absent overriding economic considerations that may be the way to go. On the other hand, what do I know? I'm old and senile. OldDude1
 
So-Lo said:
It starts out innocent enough, trying out new grinds, new locks, new handle materail.... Soon you figure out what you like, and by then you are addicted to that new knife feeling.

That one where you say "this, yes THIS IS "The One,"" soon enough that feeling goes away after two or three weeks, and your back on the exchange looking to buy/trade. I'v traded/sold knives I loved, just to try out new knives... then like a true junkie only end up emailing the person to ask if they ever sell to please give me first shot. :o


I'm not saying I'm out of control or it's ruining my life, I just know I was happier when I only had a Vic midnight manager, Mini Manix, delica 4, and a full SE pacific salt :o Carried the Manix in right front pocket and SE salt in left front pocket for well over a year.

My job would not permit this type of carry now, but I'm still thinking simpler may be better. Going to tuck them away for awhile before I do something il only regret later. :cool:


It's nice to know I'm not alone. :)
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You're definitely not alone. If anything, I'd guess that this occurs at some point for the majority of us knife users. After all, how many knives do any of us need? What you might consider is doing this with super low end knives. Something like <$20-$30. Identifying this "issue" for myself, I've tried this a couple of times and the feeling is just about the same, with the exception of waiting on some grail knife that you've wanted for a REALLY long time. More recently, I got a Cold Steel Honey Comb for my girlfriend ($11 shipped) and a Gerber Torch 1 ($17 shipped). I play with them just as much as my more expensive knives/ edc stuff.

I'd try the thing where you just use 5-6 knives first and if you get the itch to buy something, get something cool but on a very low budget and see how that works for you. Reading this post sounds like a nicotine patch for EDCers:thumbup:
 
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