Were does it end?

My addiction began began before my teens. I remember how excited I was when saving up for my first 30$, aluminum handled linerlock made of 440a at best...

The severity of the addiction has gradually increased over the years, from 39.99 KA-BAR's to 150.00 Spyderco's to short run 'mid-techs' (I bought a sweet Trace Rinaldi-made Disciple in 2012)

Last year I commission my first full custom from Dylan Farnam (look him up, really, lookim him up)

It's all downhill from here. I just grabbed Damascus scalpel from Phillip Patton. Despite being kinda broke...

Wife is cool with it though, she carries a Ban Tang reverse LaGriffe with a custom etch..

This addiction is better than most.
 
Take a leaf from my book whenever I feel that I'm getting addicted to a new hobby: I tell myself that it's all about self-control, discipline, fortitude and the proverbial mind over matter.

Then I remind myself that since I don't mind at all, then it doesn't really f*cking matter! :P
 
It hasn't ended for me, just refined it so I only buy a few knives per year. I keep thinking the companies will run out of ideas, for new knives that will tempt me, but they seem to come out with at least a few I can't live without. Since I only use a few of my knives, I've pretty well got what I need. Anything else I buy is just want, at this point.
 
I have seen quite some people people giving up their hobby and selling their collection. Sometimes it's easier to give it up altogether than to keep it within a reasonable frame.

IMO one should have a limit and buy knives one buy one. I know there are times were you might have a shopping spree - try to fight it. Limit yourself to e.g. one or two knives a month (maybe buy one and keep the second one for this case were you stumble upon a bargain). This way you will have the novelty but you will also have time to appreciate every new knife for it's own. Often enough certain knives will also vanish from your shopping list because as it turns out you don't like them as much as you thought you would.

I started collecting knives years ago and I have phases. There were years were I didn't buy a single knife and then months were I bought a hand full. This year has been quite bad in this regard. Right now I could name five knives I'd like to buy but I will stay strong. :)
 
sabre cat said:
What happened? Last I knew you were up to seven.

I have to admit, I am more impressed with your small collection than any other I have seen. Very well thought out.
I am curious, what did you own to bring your collection up to twenty knives?
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After a couple days with the new 940-2 I decided to sell my Ritter Mini Grip. While I did really like the Ritter Mini Grip it was superfluous after I got my Spider Monkey because I never really carried it after that. I was holding onto it as a backup EDC and as a small knife option for places with less than 3" blade requirement. But that doesn't make sense anymore because my 940-2 and Spider Monkey can now fight over the EDC role and I just moved to a state that has a 4" or less blade restriction which all my blades meet that. If I travel somewhere that has a lower legal requirement for blade length I honestly won't even know because I'm not going to look up blade restrictions everywhere I travel before I go. I've been busy with other things but I plan to be putting the Ritter up for sale today in the BST section.

I appreciate the compliment :) I definitely put some thought in the knives I do own and enjoy using them. Back when I had twenty or so knives was when I went on a budget knife buying spree to find my favorite budget blade. At that time I thought I needed to have a knife stashed everywhere--two in each bag, four in the truck, etc. So I had two Spyderco Tenacious, two Kershaw Cryo, Ontario Rat 1, four Mora Companions, etc. Then I realized that was craziness for me since I hardly ever used them because I always carry a knife on me anyway. So now I keep one in my truck (Esee 4) and one in my hiking pack (Mora Companion), but otherwise don't stash knives anywhere.

Wowbagger said:
I'm sitting here quaking just from the suggestion. I can't imagine doing that. No books . . .
nah . . .
couldn't do it.
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I kept my four favorite books, three textbooks, and a handful that I plan on reading immediately. Although after reading those handful will be sold or donated as well. It took some time for me to make the leap. I've been contemplating it for years because I move so much and the books are the hardest and most labor intensive to pack/move. In addition to that I've had the impulse to declutter everything and that was my biggest collection/clutter. But I've always loved physical books and have always owned a good many books. I can tell you I feel refreshed now that they are all gone and breathe a little easier at the decrease in clutter. I still have my Kindle and have access to a decent public library system so I'm all good.
 
I think it will never end. You & all of us will always be into knives. But i see this happening (happened to me once so far) you will hit times where you take a break. Maybe it is caused from life altering moments like maybe getting married or going away to school if you're younger. But you will always go back to you're collection. Maybe years down the road a new knife comes out that sparks your interest again. Maybe you lose interest and sell everything or most of it. But you will go back and buy another down the road.

I guess what i'm saying is. Stop, take a break if you feel that you spent enough and have enough. Your limit might be 5000. Some guy above believes you're limit is when you spend 10's of thousands. We all have a different limit whether it's because of our financial situation or love for the hobby. But take a break and you will come back later down the road for more
 
GatorMedic said:
....I kept my four favorite books, three textbooks, and a handful that I plan on reading immediately. Although after reading those handful will be sold or donated as well. It took some time for me to make the leap. I've been contemplating it for years because I move so much and the books are the hardest and most labor intensive to pack/move. In addition to that I've had the impulse to declutter everything and that was my biggest collection/clutter. But I've always loved physical books and have always owned a good many books. I can tell you I feel refreshed now that they are all gone and breathe a little easier at the decrease in clutter. I still have my Kindle and have access to a decent public library system so I'm all good.
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When I have moved, I've had an entire pickup truck filled with book cartons full of books. They pile up. Now I mostly do the Kindle thing except for reference books. The books are in storage mostly. I may need to make a trip to a used book store and get rid of at least the novels that are years old.

I like Jill Jackson's mention of just "refining" the search or knife acquisitions. That applies to me as well with an occasional foray.
 
I've basically switched from guns to knives in the last few years. Once I had my bases covered with firearms I made a physical list of what I wanted next. Things would come and go from my list but a firearm had to remain on the list for at least one year before I would buy.

I've had pocket knives my whole life, as long as I can remember. Becoming a member here has really opened my eyes and wallet! I've got a couple more purchases to make then I'll implement my list strategy with knives.

I also forge a few knives a year during the winter and early spring when I have time and a little cool weather. Then I spend money on equipment, gas, steel and handle materials.

Based on my accumulation since joining, it doesn't end being a member of this forum.
 
as long as the wife doesnt take the dog when she leaves I think youre still good to go ... another round of Sebenzas for everyone ...
 
End? Hahahaha! Never!

It just slows down.
You find a few you are content with, and then only buy more when you've really put some thought into it, and actually have the money to afford it.

At least that's what happened to me.
 
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