What's the focus of your traditional knife collection?

eisman

eisman

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This past year I've managed to accumulate 15 slipjoints. Last night, while going through them and making sure they're all oiled and cataloged (a task that mad me feel slightly like Gollum with an assortment of riches) I realized that I am inevitably drawn to single bladed knives.

It was never ment to be that way, I tend to think that having two or three different blades in one package is a great idea, but somehow I've only managed to pick up three multi-blades in this time frame. One is a Buck 373 that I bought when I just didn't have a blade on me and needed one right this minute; which now sits on my desk and does minor chores. Another is one I picked up off eBay because it was not what the seller represented it to be and it was fairly cheap. I carry that one on a regular basis, although I'm still not happy with the edge on the main blade.

The single blades all run from 2" - over 4", half a dozen blade styles, and mostly natural colors to the scales. There's no real sub-set to build among them, other than I like the feel in my hands and pockets.

Now all this got me wondering what my focus is (or was). The thread on the Boy Scout knives may have started this, but I look at some of these threads and see someone with a dozen of any one kind of knife and I can't help but to be impressed; I don't tend to think (or accumulate) things in those directions.

So, I guess the question is do you think to like types, or to the unique and strange, or just what interests you at that point of time?
 
I have an "amalgamation", not a "collection". "Collection" implies order as opposed to my aimless wandering. I buy what interests me at the time. It may be a pattern. It may be an alloy. It may be a size.
 
I've thought of trying to collect based on say, handle material, or a particular line by a manufacturer. But the problem I have is I just don't like some of the patterns and don't want to spend the money on them just to finish out say, all of a Case issue in a particular bone & jigging pattern.

So, I kind of just go with what pulls at me. Even with that there are some knives/patterns that I want, but just haven't found the right ones at the right price. I still want a vintage fishing knife in decent shape. I'd love to have a Texas Toothpick, full size, but just haven't found the the right one at the right price at the right time.

I do tend to like trappers and even after thinning the herd, I have several trappers still on hand. Kind of like Congress patterns for sentimental reasons, but only have a couple of those, both yellow handled Camillus. One standard, the other a Yello-Jaket with one serrated blade.

Got carried away on the old "Sportsman" knife and have 5 or 6 of those by different makers. Even have the knife & ax combo. Naturally I had to get a couple of old Kamp Kings to go with them.

I'm more of a meandering gatherer than a collector though. Mostly the knife has to just really appeal to me in terms of looks, material, character, and feel in the hand. Oh yeah, it needs to cut well too.
 
I dont really have a focus, if it looks nice and has a good handle material I'll likely want it. I do want to start buying only higher quality knives like Queen, GEC and eventually custom. But the cheapies like RR I'll still buy for work beaters.

That said if its made well, I'll own it...and I dont resell knives, I have given knives away but have yet to sell a blade.
 
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I have so many different knives, it's more of an assortment than a collection. I buy what I like. I have a much better idea of what I like now, and will work more towards that.
 
I tend to buy different knives and patterns depending on their intended use. I am not a real collector, but it seems I have become one.

When I was working outside in construction full time, I had big knives that were suitable for work. When I became a supervisor, I bought smaller knives. When I started doing consulting work for different businesses, I bought knives like peanuts, butterbeans, and mini jacks for EDC in my slacks. A 4" stockman looked like I had a piece of rebar in my pants!

No back in the field full time, I carry a big knife again, one that clips to my pocket (mostly a JYD II laminated blade). BUT... the big difference is that I can't leave without one of my peanuts or my favorite butterbean.

I noticed a gap though, and over the last couple of years I decided I needed a few more traditionals for weekends, etc. So on came a couple of small soddies, a new Jim Burke Barlow, a small half whittler, a large S&M whittler, and a couple of more.

After not buying a knife for more than ten years, it seems that I can find a reason to now at the drop of a hat. I don't ever recall seeing such a fine crop of traditionals as is available now across the internet. So many blade shapes, scale materials, steels, etc.... I actually go to one of my favorite sites just to see what he has for sale.

I will find a reason to buy another folding knife if I have some cash. The knife has to catch my eye, but if it is a pattern I like from a maker I like, I can be had pretty easily sometimes.

Robert
 
Interesting Q. I am definitely a meandering type. I buy what appeals to me. I like older knives. I find that knives I really like (and buy multiples of) aren't the ones I carry. For instance, I love the TL-29 pattern and have maybe ten from different makers. But I rarely carry one. I have a lot of fishing knives. But I do love to fish and carry one of them every time I go (the same one).

This sounds dumb, but there are some knives that I feel like I SHOULD have, but never even consider carrying. I have four nice Daddy Barlows. Never even think about carrying them. I like carrying smaller knives. Same goes for fixed blades. Sharpfingers are a good example...I have a few Old Timers, an Uncle Henry and a Camillus, but I never carry them. I think they are beautiful knives. But they stay in storage.

Some knives I pick up because I know they will appreciate in value. Some because they intrigue me. Sometimes I find an old knife that seems to need a good home. Some because I will carry them. There is very little rhyme or reason. If there is a classic pattern, I feel like I should have at least one, but it doesn't have to be expensive. I have a lot of rough riders. I have never spent a huge amount of money on a knife and probably never will. Generally, I like old, used American knives. And they can be had for pretty cheap. I like getting a new knife, but I get a lot of joy out of picking up a beat to crap old knife and cleaning it up and bringing it back to life. That said, been carrying my sway back jack a LOT lately.

There is no 'thread' that runs through my collection. Except that they all caught my eye for some reason at the right time. I like the idea that someday my collection will go to my daughter and she will have a neat spread of knives...a good representation of knife history.
 
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I tend to buy what I will use, most of them are EDC knives, I have though some duplicates (2-3) and a couple I'm not currently EDC'ing due to size like the #36 and #53 stag gecs wich I may carry and use in other locations

sometimes I buy because I like the knife itself, other times I look for something specific, I also like to try different knife sizes, patters manufacturers and makers

Maxx
 
Most of the time I just buy whatever I like with no real logic to my collecting.

In do have a small collection of Primitive Bone GEC's and a small collection of Railspltters. Those small collections will continue to grow but aside from that there is no real pattern to my collecting habits.

If a knife "speaks to me" I usually buy it if I can.
 
I pretty much never had too much a "certain focus". But recently that changed. Now ,weather it a fixed blade or folder,I almost exclusively will go for micarta handles and ss blades.
On slipjoints,I like single bladers & multi bladers.Currently I only have two bladers but have a three blader on order.
I love all the natural scaled knives & the beauty of them.I like stag,over most of it.But I get the micarta becasuse I see it like this,if it gets used,it won't be affected.I do have micarta scaled custom knives that are safe queens.But the day I decide to employ one,I do not have to worry that it won't hold up.

I have seen natural handle materials on various custom knives that I have owned,change,very dramatically,with very little useage.Because of thier cost,this in itself is what brings me to this focus. So I collect,but its user type versions.
Patina on steel & all that,its nice & cool & everything.Been there done that,but if you can get ss that performs & stays good looking & resist stains & corrosion,just makes sense to me.If you want your slipjoint to patina & look old,then get an old one,just me

Edit to add - I dabble in in Old Knives,every so often the urge to hunt & purchase them comes over me,the only hunting grounds that are convenient is the net,except on occasion if I'm on the road & wander into an uncharted antique store,or someplace like that
-Vince
 
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I don't consider myself a collector, until I look in my knife drawer and see all the ones I have. Most have been carried/used over the years, and many were gifts. I guess we end being collectors(?) whether we intended to or not.
 
Without reading anything but the title of this thread, my response has to be that my "accumulation" has had focus for only very short periods of time. I have lately been trying to get examples of patterns I've never owned or used before. If I run across something that really strikes my fancy, I'll get more than one example. There are a couple of patterns that I keep coming back to and buy others of the same pattern, but likely different manufacturers. I definitely am not a "Case collector" or a "GEC collector" or a "Schrade collector"; I just acccumulate knives that I like and I'm not afraid to use them either.

Ed J
 
I like hunting for knives at thrift stores, pawn shops... So my accumulation is varied.
 
I took a shotgun approach to find out what I like. I have found that I prefer knives in the 3 1/4 to 3 7/8 size range that either have one or two blades (or two blades and a punch, a la the Schrade 899). I tend to prefer GECs. I am not a huge fan of stag, as I prefer the perceived warmth of wood and jigged bone. I like my knives to have at least one clip blade (not sure way, I just like the lines of the clip blade). Lastly, working in an office, weight is an issue, so I like a lighter knife. So, the #33 Conductor pattern and the #66 Moose are my favorite GECs. For some reason, I also like birdseye stockmen. So, I like carrying the 882Y and 835Y Schrades I was lucky to find.
 
No real direction in my collecting, but looking at the history of it it's plain to see how I would get really into a certain pattern or maker, go whole-hog for a while and then move on to something else. One year it was Scagel repros, another year would find me hunting original Gladstone, MI Marble's patterns with lots of fervor. Last spring it was sowbellys and stockmans. Summer and fall I got into barlows real heavy. Certain patterns and makers I swore I had no interest slowly become appealing when I see postings of them, and soon I find myself with several. I only keep about 10% of the slipjoints that I aquire. I really have to be in love with it or I move it on after a while. As a result my collection is not enormous like some here, having maybe 50-60 productions and 10 or so customs.
 
I don't collect...I accumulate. Think of an isle in a grocery stocked with nothing but boxes of slip joints. Think of tripping while running down the isle and grabbing for boxes as you fall. This is a good analogy of how I buy production slip joints. :D
 
I accumulated a lot of knives in my life, but there was never any kind of end goal or pattern. I've carried anything and everything from a very large almost 5 inch closed Eye-brand yellow sodbuster, to a little peanut. Stockman, barlow, sak, all get pocket time. I have to admit I'm a flooze when it comes to pocket knives.

The only thing that has become constant, is that as I have aged, I've come to prefer the more compact little cutters. Smaller sak's, peanut, and I find myself admiring the new Conductor penknife in stag from GEC. I feel a dangerous tug in that direction.

Carl.
 
Trappers have been the main focus of my collection but I'm trying to try out new patterns. If I find one I like, I tend to buy a couple more in different handle materials and/or from different makers.

I have a catalog of my knives that I started to maintain while the collection was still small. From memory, the majority of my traditional knives are single bladed and stainless although I've gotten more multi-bladed and carbon knives in the last few months.
 
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