What's the focus of your traditional knife collection?

What's the focus of your collection?
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I try to only buy knives I like. (Said somewhat facetiously, of course, with tongue planted firmly in cheek.)
The knives themselves can be single bladed or multi-blades...it all depends on how the given pattern captures my imagination.

These days the focus tends to be primarily on custom knives that represent (in my view) both value and "best of the breed" type characteristics.
(Fully realizing that the knives of some makers due to price or scarcity will be beyond my reach. I am fine with that limitation.)

I long ago put away the notion that I could happily limit myself to a particular pattern or maker and be fully satisfied.
 
No real direction here. Just amassed a number of knives. I've got single blades, hunters and jacks. I've got 2+ blades jacks, scouts, stockmen, trappers. My favorite design, however, is the stockman. I like the big ones, but my favorite right now is an old Boker. I really wish I could have gotten it brand new when the springs were young. It's still a good user.

I need to get some focus in the slipjoints I acquire, but I am just going for whatever's cheapest that I find at the fleamarket.

Of course, the Tribal Spear that I acquired wasn't that cheap ;).
 
My search revolves around the perfect user, I'm constantly on the hunt for that ONE knife, the one that I carry for the next 10 years, never being swapped out for a different knife, one that I feel bad about retiring.

I love the simpleness of single blade folders, but I'm drawn to the different jobs the congress gets done with ease. Then the Stockman rears it's ugly head just when I think I got everything figured out, and boom I'm back were I started. And carrying one of each isn't as fun as it sounds, I don't know that I won't settle down in my habits of unfaithfulness to a ONE pattern, but I'm trying.

As of late I've been packing a Buck 301, I don't see it leaving my pocket anytime soon, but hey look, a box of knives just waiting to go for a ride in my jeans.

Oh yeah, every knife in my actual collection is an EDC just waiting for me to break down and take it out of it's box, but as long as I have my a rotation box, I'm okay.
 
Elliot pretty much summed it up for me, but I'd also say that I'm mostly drawn to single blade slip joints.

James
 
Currently my focus is on GEC equal end patterns (#53 & #54) but I enjoy knives from a lot of companies, plus customs, in both traditional and modern styles. Right now I'm selling off a few to open up some funds for new purchases, and concentrating more on the GECs, but fancy rules . . . I know, I'm hopeless!
 
Stockmans/sowbelleys and cattleknives, and I've really gotten back into Case made slippies, and damn glade of it! These last two Case 6347s are as good as anything in production knives!
 
I tend to lean more towards the higher end production and custom knives. The collaboration knives are very appealing to me and I have managed to pick those up. I have a few Queen/Schatt and Morgan and GEC but for the most part I would prefer customs. I also have an affinity for zulu patterns and doglegs. If a particular knife speaks to me I will grab it but usually prefer if it has a zulu or spear blade and I tend to stick with stag, ebony, and brown or antique bone.

I guess in the end my collection is like the english language. There are a lot of rules and guidelines to follow but even more exceptions to those rules . . . :D
 
I have finally found THE perfect tactical for me (that's a topic for somewhere else;)) as far as traditionals, I am lately drawn towards two blade knives whether they are jacks trappers or whatever. Carbon is definitely higher on my list of priorities than other steels. That being said my last two purchases have been a stockman in stainless and a stainless moose so maybe I'm as directionless as ever.:rolleyes:.
Can't help myself, just love all slippies.
 
For me my two favorite patterns are Barlows and Canoes so that's pretty much what I'm sticking with. I've got a few other patterns, but I seem to gravitate right back to the Barlows and Canoes.

At the moment all I own in Canoes are made by Case. Barlows I have Case and GEC.

Just trying to branch out now and try a few other brands. Looking at obvious stuff like Boker, Queen and Canal Street.

Probably not ready yet to get into anything on a custom level...but knowing me I'll get there eventually.

Overall though, most of what I buy I intend to use. I've got a few that I don't touch and I treat as safe queens. I'll often buy duplicates too if I find a knife I really like so I have one to use and one as a back up...I'm weird that way I guess.

Traditionals....they're beyond addictive.
 
I used to only collect vintage factory knives, then only customs...now I try to balance my collection with a little of each. I lean a bit more toward customs most of the time because the vintage factory knives I fancy are extremely scarce whereas most of my custom tastes are fairly easily attainable and moderately priced for the market. I do have one "Grail" custom that pushed my limit on pricing and wait though:D I have a mixture of natural and synthetic handle materials and patterns on both my factory and custom knives. I prefer natural handle material for most applications including carry because I'm not a "hard use" kind of guy. Even though I enjoy synthetics, I would never spend a lot of money on a custom knife with synthetic handle material, but that's just me;)
 
I like to find and collect all the different patterns in various sizes. The subtle differences are interesting to me, especially with less common offbeat patterns.

I dont have very many duplicate patterns of the same size.
 
As for tradtionals, I seem to gravitate toward two bladed jacks; peanuts,barlows etc... I really prefer knives that are already used that show a little wear. This makes buying vintage knives more attractive to me but I will buy new too. I put them in my display case for a few weeks or so and decide if they really speak to me to carry; if they don't, they get sold or traded. If it's a keeper, it gets sharpened, carried and used!

I am trying to put together a Peanut collection (all carbon steel) but it's hard to stay focused!
 
No real direction here. I have always loved barlows, the most, but I've never been able to "collect" them. I've thought I should, but then something else will catch my fancy and I get distracted for another year. I'm constantly searching for that one that's better... I know it'll be the next one! ;) My quest for one handers ended long ago. I know what I like, I have them, and I carry them every day. Traditionals are a different story. My taste changes with the wind it seems. Today I'm pinin' for big stockmen and dogleg jacks, whereas a year ago It was the beautiful sodbuster that had all my attention. Maybe some day I can focus myself and start a barlow collection- that might be cool...
 
What's the focus of your traditional knife collection?
They must have at least one blade and I must like it. Now is that focused or what.
Greg
 
In a recent change of heart... my new attraction has been case yeller handles with cv.
 
Add focus to your collection and you'll be broke and crazy inside a year

I tried it with stockman patterns :D:D
 
Lately I've been focusing on wood handles. Especially carbon steel and ebony but... I am like knarfeng: No focus, just shooting from hips and trying patterns.
 
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