Ok, let me try and take a stab at this (no pun intended).
I think that you should do whatever makes you happy. Different people have different criteria, and goals, for the knives they own. There is no single way to define a user's needs, and there are many shades of gray between Investing Collectors, and Using Collectors. Where you draw the line between these two, and which knives fall on which side of that line, is a personal choice.
Investing collectors will not use their knives, because in a market where condition determines value, it would depreciate the price of the knife, the same way a coin collector won't handle their Proof or Uncirculated specimens. Money was "made to be used", but if you collect it, those rules change.
Aesthetic / Hobbyist collectors acquire pieces "programmatically", or by "theme", to build a collection based on personally defined characteristics such as blade geometry (spearpoint, tanto, etc.), knife type (Bowie, Kindjal, Persian, Skinner, etc.) or one of every type by a single maker. This collector buys what s/he likes, and uses it. If it's worth something by the time they have to bury you, then so be it.
If you intend to invest, then don't use 'em.
If you are only slightly bothered by scratches, then use 'em a little.
If you don't care if you scratch your a$$ with the blade, then us 'em a lot!
There is no right or wrong. There just is.
[This message has been edited by Rovert (edited 02-07-2001).]
