What will happen to your collection?

S

Smebbin

Gold Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2009
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339
Up to date all of my purchases have been users since I have the "you only live once" approach to life. However I've recently picked up some slipjoints that I plan to frame up and never use. Some of the folks here have some astonishing collections. Not to sound too morbid, but we will all approach the sunset of our years at some point. My question is what do you plan to do with your knives? Will they be heirlooms, sold, gather dust in the attic, etc?
 
When I got to retirement age, which came at the same time as official social security senior citizen status, I did something I had been thinking of. I gave it all away. Well, most of it anyways. Guns, knives, spare tools, fishing gear, backpacking gear. I had a gathering of my kids, grandkids, nephew, nieces, old friends and co-workers, and had a giant downsizing. I figured to have the pleasure of seeing them enjoy the stuff while I was still alive. My grandson Ryan and grand daughter Christy got some display cases and put some of my knives in them with pictures of us doing stuff like fishing, whittling hot dog sticks on campouts and picnics. I was flattered.

So, most of my stuff is gone now, and I just kept a few things to use until that last train west. My better half did the same thing, and I have to admit that the house is a lot neater and easier to find things in now. It felt sooo liberating.

Carl.
 
^^^^^^^^^^ Wow, that was nice of you! I'm too stingy!


I was just thinking about that tonight, my son doesn't seem to have any interest in them and I let my wife know not to let them go at a garage sale or give them away. I've put the approximate worth in each box, hopefully she'll get what they're worth. Same with my guns.
 
My son gets them...he too has the (affliction?)..............................FES

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Beile said:
^^^^^^^^^^ Wow, that was nice of you! I'm too stingy!


I was just thinking about that tonight, my son doesn't seem to have any interest in them and I let my wife know not to let them go at a garage sale or give them away. I've put the approximate worth in each box, hopefully she'll get what they're worth. Same with my guns.
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If your kids don't really want them, why not sell them when you get to a certain point in life?

My kids didn't want the custom stuff, so I sold off my Randall's via A.G. Russell's knife lists,and took the money and me and the better half took a month long trip around the U.S. Camped out at all the big National parks, stayed in Bright Angel Lodge on the rim of the Grand Canyon, and had a blast exploring Mesa Verde. All from the profit of those Randall's selling for 5 times what I paid for them in the late 60's.

In the end, it's only stuff. Eventually you get to a point that the people in your life is more important than things.

Carl.
 
Beile said:
^^^^^^^^^^ Wow, that was nice of you! I'm too stingy!


I was just thinking about that tonight, my son doesn't seem to have any interest in them and I let my wife know not to let them go at a garage sale or give them away. I've put the approximate worth in each box, hopefully she'll get what they're worth. Same with my guns.
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Same here. My grandson doesn't seem to have any interest in knives so I will hope my
wife will know enough to get a good price when I'm gone. These forums will be of huge
benefit when that happens and she knows they are here and how they can help her.
 
Ya know, I really have no idea. I honestly have never thought about it before, and I'm 62. I'll tell ya what though - Carl has just planted some seeds, and I think I'll keep 'em watered. What he said here in the last couple posts just makes so much sense, from so many different angles. Thanks Carl! :thumbup:
 
My son gets them, along with my guns and fountain pens. Fortunately, he enjoys using each of them as much as I do. He knows to sell whatever he doesn't want, at reasonable prices.

I just turned 50, so expect to be here for a while yet, but you never know!
 
My wife collects jewelry and collectible figurines. We'll probably take turns selling them off to buy stuff for the grandkids.
 
All of mine will be melted into a blob and dumped in the ocean, just so you guys can't have them. :D
 
My three kids already bug me to constantly give them knives. They have a collection of their own (two boys and one girl) and use them frequently. Now I do have several customs and about 6 Chris Reeves. I'll probably give them each one and sell the rest, take that money and give to them anyway. As a gigging musician I also have quite a few saxophones in the closet that I'll probably do the same thing with.
 
jackknife said:
If your kids don't really want them, why not sell them when you get to a certain point in life?

My kids didn't want the custom stuff, so I sold off my Randall's via A.G. Russell's knife lists,and took the money and me and the better half took a month long trip around the U.S. Camped out at all the big National parks, stayed in Bright Angel Lodge on the rim of the Grand Canyon, and had a blast exploring Mesa Verde. All from the profit of those Randall's selling for 5 times what I paid for them in the late 60's.



In the end, it's only stuff. Eventually you get to a point that the people in your life is more important than things.

Carl.
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I'm getting to that point too, other interests, but can't seem to part with them yet, I've tried. :-). The only one I use and carry everyday is my XM-18.
 
Kept for my kids, my daughter is a knife nut at 5 (actually well before 5), for my wife, although she has already picked through my pile, and given freely to family and friends if they request a piece of me. Remembering those gone past is fairly important in our family, so at least my accumulation will be appreciated. We draw them in, eventually they are released again- the cycle continues.

Kris
 
I had not thought of this, as I'm only 35. But as someone else pointed out, we never really know when our number's going to come up. I almost bought the farm in a motorcycle crash a few years ago; I SHOULD let my wife know what to do, or actually get our wills signed.

I like Carl's idea too. I'm not to that point in life yet, but I'm sure it'll sneak up on me. My grandpa gave me his mechanical Swiss watches from the 70s. He looked on them as junk timekeepers, but good souvenirs. I had them all cleaned and adjusted, and now they are among my most prized possessions. Seeing this has made home happy too, much more so than selling them in a garage sale for $10 each, as he'd be apt to do.

I remember when he sold his '71 Nova in the late 80s for $100 to some delighted kid. I couldn't believe he did that. It needed a head gasket or something, but had a perfect body and interior. I'm sure that kid (he's in his forties now) never forgot that. I hope he dropped a small block V8 in it and smoked some punks in those obnoxious 5.0 Mustang GTs from the 80s. ;)
 
My daughter (3) has clearly staked her claim. But we're having another in August.... :)
 
Ditto! 51 with a 3 year old son! All his and hopefully ,I still have some time above ground to play with my toys as well as teach him a thing or two.


Doug Add said:
My son gets them, along with my guns and fountain pens. Fortunately, he enjoys using each of them as much as I do. He knows to sell whatever he doesn't want, at reasonable prices.

I just turned 50, so expect to be here for a while yet, but you never know!
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Mine will be carbon frozen beside me and shot into outer space; coasting through the time, imparting their gentlemanly grace upon the cosmos.

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Noddy said:
I'm taking mine with me.
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Yes! Planning on a Viking ship burial then?:D

I think giving most of your hoard away would be the best approach. Nobody in my family is in the LEAST interested in knives, nor my friends. Ideally, I'd like it to go where it's appreciated- a fellow enthusiast. There must be a whole load of neglected collections gathering dust-or horrors-RUST all around the world. Possibly even thrown out...("those dirty old knives...":eek:) Or else bought up by some house clearing vulture for a song.:mad:

Mind you, at least when you're gone you won't have to worry about getting that next and last knife anymore.:D
 
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