Wanna see my collection?

BigAl62

BigAl62

Gold Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2024
Messages
89
What do you guys do with your collection? Keep them in a safe? Keep them in display cases? Carry them to shows? Nobody ever sees my collection. . . all I ever do is sit around and hold them. . . and polish them. . . and oil them. . . and talk to them. . . and treat the leather. Not just the knives but also the box of leather sheaths because we all know not to store the knife in the sheath (obviously kydex and nylon sheaths are Ok but it's still a box full of cowhide). I have to tag all the sheaths with a keytag to remember which knife they go with.

So when your wife says, "What are you ever going to do with them?" how do you answer? This whole obsession started when my wife gave me a Frost bowie for Christmas a few years ago (8th knife from the bottom of the list and the only Frost). So I guess it's her fault?

BTW, the ones marked in the funky pink color are sitting in my flea market booth locking case.

I hid the columns that show where I got them and how much I paid. Don't want wifey to see that!

Unfortunately, no, I'm probably not going to get a box and send them to you. . . :)
 

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I am more a user than a true collector so I carry most of my knives on a regular basis

I keep them in a pelicase with foam insert and I pick one everyday as a second carry in Adirondack to my edc knife.

90% of the time I carry a victorinox SAI and either a small inkosi or a Native 5 and when I come back from the office I change my carry for one of my collection
 
I got started in a similar way. Had a small collection back in the 1980’s but lost everything in a mobile home fire so I gave up on it.

Almost 30 years later, my wife wanted a Swiss Army Knife for Christmas. Shopping around for the right one is what got me back into knives again.
 
Therom said:
I am more a user than a true collector so I carry most of my knives on a regular basis

I keep them in a pelicase with foam insert and I pick one everyday as a second carry in Adirondack to my edc knife.

90% of the time I carry a victorinox SAI and either a small inkosi or a Native 5 and when I come back from the office I change my carry for one of my collection
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My edc is a Buck 110 on my belt and the little Bear and Son SD07 in my front left pocket. I have to carry on my left side because my CCW is on my right (when I'm carrying) and I forced myself to get used to the knife being "wrong hand."

I can't seem to make myself carry one of those vintage Schrades, Westerns or Kabars. I'm in construction so I find myself occasionally abusing my knife. I saw an old thread on here about carrying in church on Sunday so maybe that's where I can carry one of the nicer pieces. Yes, I always pocket carry the B&S in church and if I'm wearing a suit, I sheath carry the Buck 110. Here you can carry any blade as long as you don't have malicious intent. Cleaning my nails in the pew isn't too malicious I guess.
 
I have no fixed blade safe queens, but some of my folders are relatively valuable and/or rare, so they stay at home and are only used for light tasks. But I do try to use them all.
 
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This is the way I have gone for now, although with a few more in another box like this. No collectors. Just every man's, everyday kinds of knives. I think all of them were under 100 bucks, and nothing made in China. The boxes are $20 at Lowes.

 
My collection.
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WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No sak, Opinel, Mora, CRK, Spydie, Benchmade or GEC. Where in blue blazes have you been?

Just kidding. It's refreshing to see someone follow the road less taken.
 
abcdef said:
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No sak, Opinel, Mora, CRK, Spydie, Benchmade or GEC. Where in blue blazes have you been?

Just kidding. It's refreshing to see someone follow the road less taken.
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Actually two Opinels. 3rd page, about 1/3 of the way down. But for some reason, I just can't resist a stacked leather handle. I'm mainly into the vintage stuff. . . you know - the stuff from when I was a kid and couldn't afford much more than a cheap pocket knife. . . the stuff I looked at in the hardware store and wished for.
 
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I'm a collector who uses probably less than 5% of the knives I own. I look at screens for a living, and my cutting needs tend to be few. I love knives, and love having knives. I am also long past making up "need" or use-cases for a new purchase. Once you buy that first knife you don't really need, or plan to use, it gets easier from there. I only carry a small percentage of folders I own, and only one or two of my fixed blades. It should be mentioned, I'm not rich. I've just been collecting knives in one way or another for about 30 years. Stuff tends to accumulate. 🤣

As for storage, I have multiple wooden knife chests from Harbor Freight, a few Pelican cases, some cigar boxes, plastic tubs that contain most of my fixed blades (the rest are in a couple drawers). I enjoy having the knives I have, and like you, I will take them out occasionally, fondle, wax/clean or maybe run the edges on my Ultra-Fine Sharpmaker rods, and then put them back.

I have a few knives displayed on small 3D printed racks my buddy has done for me, and rotate those often as they sit on my desk and some weeks I like looking at Spydercos, others, it's Traditionals, right now it's my Les George knives.
 
Quiet said:
I'm a collector who uses probably less than 5% of the knives I own. I look at screens for a living, and my cutting needs tend to be few. I love knives, and love having knives. I am also long past making up "need" or use-cases for a new purchase. Once you buy that first knife you don't really need, or plan to use, it gets easier from there. I only carry a small percentage of folders I own, and only one or two of my fixed blades. It should be mentioned, I'm not rich. I've just been collecting knives in one way or another for about 30 years. Stuff tends to accumulate. 🤣

As for storage, I have multiple wooden knife chests from Harbor Freight, a few Pelican cases, some cigar boxes, plastic tubs that contain most of my fixed blades (the rest are in a couple drawers). I enjoy having the knives I have, and like you, I will take them out occasionally, fondle, wax/clean or maybe run the edges on my Ultra-Fine Sharpmaker rods, and then put them back.

I have a few knives displayed on small 3D printed racks my buddy has done for me, and rotate those often as they sit on my desk and some weeks I like looking at Spydercos, others, it's Traditionals, right now it's my Les George knives.
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😁
 

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With only 1 exception, my collection always sits in nylon cases in my safe or in boxes elsewhere.

I know what I have & have no need to keep them all on display in my house. The same thing applies to my guns. ;)

The only exception is a Shawn Vallotton custom auto that I keep in a fancy wooden box (that I bought before I bought the knife & w/o any intention of displaying a knife in it) that I always keep closed on top of a dresser in my bedroom & that I can open to take a look at &/or play w/anytime I like.

I do occasionally pull out a case or box to just look at what's in them them but I usually open the cases or boxes only to pull out a new knife to EDC or to add a new knife that I recently purchased to the collection.

Beyond that, I always share pics of my latest acquisitions &, as appropriate, groupings of various knives from my collection based on topics raised in various threads, which is all that I care to do to "display" them.
 
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Been accumulating for around 15 years now. That first knife, I researched for months! It was going to be the one and only. Also, how could anyone in their right mind spend over $100 on a pocket knife?

Now, here I am with over 250 pocket knives, and that's with regular sell offs where I swear I'm done! One key thing for me, I usually need to justify it as something that I would want to use and carry, but I rarely do. Also, I try not to spend any new money on the collection. If I want something new, I have to sell.

I store them in a stackable tool chest, drawers lined with felt and a nice wooden knife chest with a hinged display top for my favorites. Truth be told, no one cares about them, especially my family (they think I'm nuts and I probably am). I would say that a large percentage of people here don't really care for a lot of them either..... a lot of French, Spanish and Italian traditionals.


Like BigAl62 BigAl62 I frequently look them over and do any required lubrication, check for corrosion, bugs (lots of horn handles), etc. My wife seriously thinks it's weird. 🤣

Here's an example.... the jars of cloves supposedly will help repel carpet beetles which feast on horn.


 
draggat said:
Been accumulating for around 15 years now. That first knife, I researched for months! It was going to be the one and only. Also, how could anyone in their right mind spend over $100 on a pocket knife?

Now, here I am with over 250 pocket knives, and that's with regular sell offs where I swear I'm done! One key thing for me, I usually need to justify it as something that I would want to use and carry, but I rarely do. Also, I try not to spend any new money on the collection. If I want something new, I have to sell.

I store them in a stackable tool chest, drawers lined with felt and a nice wooden knife chest with a hinged display top for my favorites. Truth be told, no one cares about them, especially my family (they think I'm nuts and I probably am). I would say that a large percentage of people here don't really care for a lot of them either..... a lot of French, Spanish and Italian traditionals.


Like BigAl62 BigAl62 I frequently look them over and do any required lubrication, check for corrosion, bugs (lots of horn handles), etc. My wife seriously thinks it's weird. 🤣

Here's an example.... the jars of cloves supposedly will help repel carpet beetles which feast on horn.


Click to expand...

Beautiful...👌
 
draggat said:
Been accumulating for around 15 years now. That first knife, I researched for months! It was going to be the one and only. Also, how could anyone in their right mind spend over $100 on a pocket knife?

Now, here I am with over 250 pocket knives, and that's with regular sell offs where I swear I'm done! One key thing for me, I usually need to justify it as something that I would want to use and carry, but I rarely do. Also, I try not to spend any new money on the collection. If I want something new, I have to sell.

I store them in a stackable tool chest, drawers lined with felt and a nice wooden knife chest with a hinged display top for my favorites. Truth be told, no one cares about them, especially my family (they think I'm nuts and I probably am). I would say that a large percentage of people here don't really care for a lot of them either..... a lot of French, Spanish and Italian traditionals.


Like BigAl62 BigAl62 I frequently look them over and do any required lubrication, check for corrosion, bugs (lots of horn handles), etc. My wife seriously thinks it's weird. 🤣

Here's an example.... the jars of cloves supposedly will help repel carpet beetles which feast on horn.


Click to expand...
Beautiful!
 
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