WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR KNIFE COLLECTION ARE SAFE QUEENS ?

I have quite a few knives, but generally carry one fixed and one folder for months, or longer. So most of them are never carried, even though they are super knives by most people's estimation. I'm pretty old and pretty sickly any more with covid and a massive stroke, so what the heck...
 
I do not have safe queens. I use every knife I own. If it gets used less, it's because the design is not ideal for me in some way. I usually sell these or give them away.
 
The only ones I keep around are for sentimental/nostalgia reasons. I would probably consider them more shoe box queens.
 
BillZee said:
I'm curious......
What percentage of the knives do you own that are safe queens?
Are the knives safe queens because they are antique, limited edition or special in craftsmanship?
I know some collectors that will buy say......... a Chris Reeve knife.
CRK knives are very good quality, expensive. For them it is a grail knife. Too expensive to use.
All thoughts and opinions welcome!
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I use every knife I own, including my CRK Sebenza 21.
Could somebody please explain the point of buying something you don't use?
 
dericdesmond said:
Because I want to and can.
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OK, I respect that.
We just have completely different mindsets.
I'd rather use the $ to purchase something I actually need and will use.
I assume you have a lot more expendable cash than I do.
More power to you!
 
Zero.

The most expensive knife I ever owned was a cf field grade Bodega. I would take it to work and strip wire with it. I miss that knife, but I do NOT miss disassembling it for maintenance. 15 body screws and non caged bearings was just too much of a hassle.
 
When I started the hobby, >95% of my collection stagnated in dust (spydie sprints, CRK exotic woods/mammoths, >$500 mid-techs, etc.)

Few years back, I underwent a minimalistic epiphany, so nowadays I only keep the bare essentials, thus 0% safe queens.

I realized life is too short; and an unused tool is a sad tool.
 
0%. I do have a tier system of "users" ranging from "might cut some paper with it" down to "dig dog $hit out of my boot treads". I generally don't wail on a Microtech like I would a Mora.

However, all are carried at least a little and used within the parameters of their design. I never buy a knife because I think it will go up in value. I have also never sold a knife because of this. I've given away scores, but because I tend to buy on a whim I probably have about 200 knives that while not safe queens don't see the light of day much.

My edc rotation pretty much is covered by a Leatherman multitool, an otf Microtech, and my large Inkosi. Some days it is just one of those,, some days all three. Everything else is a special guest star until I go back to what works with that trinity.
 
Lenny said:
OK, I respect that.
We just have completely different mindsets.
I'd rather use the $ to purchase something I actually need and will use.
I assume you have a lot more expendable cash than I do.
More power to you!
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We all have more knives than we will ever need. Some of us like to test them all, while others become attached to few specific knives and keep the rest in reserve. I like to challenge myself to do as much as possible with the fewest knives. There is something about a familiar and well worn knife that is just special. Last week I was showing my nephew a pocket knife; the same knife that once open toys for him when he was a baby. He is a college grad now and that same knife has been in my pocket every day for over 25 years. You are free to use all of your knives, but you certainly don’t have to. You can go the waste-not-want-not route and help to preserve a few good examples for later generations. Better yet, buy some antique knives. They add color and help to preserve our knife lore.

n2s
 
BillZee said:
What percentage of the knives do you own that are safe queens?
Click to expand...

Interesting question. I have accumulated prolly 200 knives, Swiss Army Knives and multitools over the years, and in the vast majority of purchases I honestly believed I was going to use and carry the knife. I have, however, ordered many "spares" in case the supply dries up. [I know this is a sickness, and I am okay with that]. I don't consider my "spares" as safe queens, but that's just a matter of semantics.

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Spares or safe queens?

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30%
A lot of these are backups for knives I use and really like a lot. And got on a great sale. Some of these backups were for limited edition knives.

Edit: I just read powernoodle s note and I understand completely. I like having back ups. My wife thinks I m a hoarder!! I call it just being safe. In case I loser a favorite that has been discontinued.
 
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I have 2 knives that were my fathers and grandfathers that don’t get used.

I have a Chaparal, large Inkosi and a Farid K2 that I carry when dressed up and don’t use for yard work, etc. I carried the Inkosi to a wedding the other day and didn’t have to cut anything which was odd.
 
I have two that don't get used. One is a duplicate that I bought as a backup, so it sits in its box on the shelf. The other is a relatively expensive one that I'm not sure I'll keep. My most expensive knife is carried regularly (including today).
 
Bought 2 Large Regular BG-42 Sebenzas back in the late '90s. One is a user which is still going strong so I never got around to using the 2nd one (which I ordered with double lugs and a swedge)...guess that one has SQ status by now. Also picked up a NIB CRK Impofu more recently, which is really too large for any practical use I have for it, but the price was "grab it before some other lucky guy does", so I did.

Then there's a bunch of knives that don't see much, if any, use, but which I would not consider safe queens (yet...).
 
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