To collect or not collect...

[driftless]

How might you gentlemen store these knives - so as not to compromise them?

 

[OldSarSwmr]

How might you gentlemen store these knives - so as not to compromise them?

I'm not an expert and I'm sure someone will have a better opinion but here goes.
Don't store the fixed blades in the leather sheaths.
You can put a thin layer of food grade mineral oil on the blades. (real inexpensive)
If any of the folders have cellunoid handles, do not store them with the others. They tend to off gas and can ruin the blades.
Fixed blades can be tricky to store compared to folders IMHO. I have a dedicated drawer in my dresser that I store my fixed blades in.

Hope this helps

Dan

 

[Bob W]

How might you gentlemen store these knives - so as not to compromise them?

I don't think you need to anything special, like a humidity controlled chamber. Just the basics: keep them out of the sun, and store them where the temperatures and moisture are somewhat constant (not the attic or basement).

Security might be an issue for some of the more valuable knives, or the collection as a whole. I bet the knives on that white table add up to thousands of dollars when combined.

 

[chiral.grolim]

Yes.. we live on 134 acres in the Driftless region. WISCONSIN'S well kept secret. My knowledge of knives has always been from a utilitarian standpoint ( hunting/fishing).

How might you gentlemen store these knives - so as not to compromise them?

Umm... how about in my house J/K I'm not far from you, establishing a homestead on (so far) 5 acres in Arena township (hence familiarity with the Driftless Region). If my wife would let me buy, I'd happily see your collection in person, am quite envious. And for the record, most of the knives you inherited were designed/made for utilitarian purposes - hunters, skinners, fillet-knives, and folders for the average Midwestern non-urban American... but made of quality materials with an eye to detail on some of them. Their history is a lot of what gives them their value.

I'd keep those for selling wrapped in cloth in a secure place with (as mentioned above) relatively stable temps and humidity, blades outside of sheaths. Putting a light coat of mineral oil on metal parts and beeswax on the leather might'nt be a bad idea either.

 

[BePrepared]

GET OUT NOW!

don't let yourself be drawn into this horror. If you actually learn about knives, you're going to want one... and you'll get that one, thinking everything will be good once you have it

a few years later, you'll be adding a knife room to your home (which will have a third mortgage that got you the money for your Busse collection).

This never ends... it's shiny crack in a sheath!

 

[not2sharp]

How might you gentlemen store these knives - so as not to compromise them?

First in foremost, in an airconditioned space. Secondly, store them outside of their sheaths. You have a first rate collection there; there is a lot of history on that table.

n2s

 

[frenchmade]

Very interesting situation you have there. The only thing that I have to say is, if you're going to get into this knife collecting thing you've got to figure out what kind of knives you like.
You have yourself a beautiful collection there, but they're mostly fixed blades and slippies. How will you ever know if maybe your passion lies in folders. (which I think judging by the threads on this forum, most people are collecting folders)
The problem you have is that you're being pushed into a very specific niche of knife collecting -late model fixed blades. And you may find out eventually that you don't have a thing for 8-inch blades with bone handles. Maybe you like high-end benchmades....

Whatever. Its great that you're into this, its a fantastic hobby with a strong community. And I disagree with anyone who says that you should get out now because you didn't work your way into collecting or you stumbled on it accidentally. I think that's BS. Everybody stumbled into knife collecting one way or another. I don't know what made me buy my first knife, but for whatever reason that was the beginning of the end for me. Maybe this is yours

 

[BladeChick777]

I Would Keep Them.. At Least For A While.

I'm More Of A User Than A Collector.
But By Any Means.. I Am A Collector.
I Have A Small Number Of Spyderco Knives(The Kind Of Knives I Collect), And A Small Number Of Swiss Army Knives(My Other Knife Passion.)
I Have Very Few Knives That Are Unused.

You May Be More Of A User Than A Collector. Among My Favorites Are My Knives That Are Well Used...
Spyderco Para2 Camo/Satin
Spyderco Manix 2 Black/Black
Spyderco Persistence
Victorinox Silver Alox Cadet
My Custom Swiss Army Knife

All Are Well Used And Well Loved.

If You Feel Any "Connection" At All With Any Of Those Knives.. Keep Them.
I'm Connected Especially To The Knives I Listed.. And They Will Probably Stay With Me Til The End.

 

[jimw451]

GET OUT NOW!

don't let yourself be drawn into this horror. If you actually learn about knives, you're going to want one... and you'll get that one, thinking everything will be good once you have it

a few years later, you'll be adding a knife room to your home (which will have a third mortgage that got you the money for your Busse collection).

This never ends... it's shiny crack in a sheath!

Aaahahahahaha! That's awesome.

Very interesting situation you have there. The only thing that I have to say is, if you're going to get into this knife collecting thing you've got to figure out what kind of knives you like.
You have yourself a beautiful collection there, but they're mostly fixed blades and slippies. How will you ever know if maybe your passion lies in folders. (which I think judging by the threads on this forum, most people are collecting folders)
The problem you have is that you're being pushed into a very specific niche of knife collecting -late model fixed blades. And you may find out eventually that you don't have a thing for 8-inch blades with bone handles. Maybe you like high-end benchmades....

Whatever. Its great that you're into this, its a fantastic hobby with a strong community. And I disagree with anyone who says that you should get out now because you didn't work your way into collecting or you stumbled on it accidentally. I think that's BS. Everybody stumbled into knife collecting one way or another. I don't know what made me buy my first knife, but for whatever reason that was the beginning of the end for me. Maybe this is yours

+1 Wow. Yes, this. Nicely put!