what's the point of collecting knives?

I dont think theres much to think about. Why does anyone collect what they do? Because they enjoy searching for them and enjoy having them.

I personally dont think Ill ever collect knives. If I have any blades that sit around awhile w/o being carried they get sold. If I was VERY wealthy I probably would have a healthy collection though.
 
", from an outsider perspective, is collecting knives practical? A full collection can run over
$5000, and what's the point? What does it accomplish? Are they necessary?"

This question is just idiotic. You can ask that question about anything..."why do people collect baseball cards, ...whats the point?"

There is no point in collecting anything, other than for the enjoyment of the collector. There is no other point to any collection. Whether it be stamps, coins, watches ect. It doesn't "accomplish" anything and isn't "necessary". I cannot believe you need to have this explained to you.
 
I also like to fish, but I catch and release. You could also ask "whats the point".

...same answer, because I enjoy it.
 
ToneGrail said:
Yeah I was wondering about the fragrance thing myself. Is the OP female? That's typically not a male hobby.
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Really?! Just visit the badger&blade or thestraightrazorplace and you will be surprised. I shave with straight razors only and do not collect fragrances but I have over 50 different shaving soaps and creams and do not think it made me less manly
 
Maprik said:
Aesthetics for me. I see a knife that looks cool and I want to own it. My collection is all users though, no safe queens...Carrying and using my knives is part of the pleasure.
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Well said. And I would like to add, that there worth money.I know If it came down to it and I lost my job I could sell of my relativity small collection of about ~25 and survive for a month or 2. Till I found a new job.

Also I've been wanting to buy a new gun and not really getting much use out of my sebenza. So I'm think I'm going to sell it. and use that money. I really want a nice semi auto .22lr rifle, Im thinking rugar 10/22 or henry AR-7...
 
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I don't collect knives. I buy tools. I buy all types of tools for various things and projects. Some happen to be knives, and they all get used or they get returned or sold or given away.
 
I collect to leave behind some things that will last, and be used by my descendants. Samurai swords passed down for generations have always struck a chord with me. In the meantime, I find well made knives to be things of beauty, of art, and very useful for me in my daily retired activities of chores, hunting fishing and hiking.
 
Over the years I have learned that there is someone who collects everything, not for utility, not as an "investment", but for the love of and obcession with that thing.

For example: http://www.uniformfreak.com/

Who would have thunk it? Someone obcessed with and passionate about airline crew uniforms?!? But, there it is. Crazy, eh? But not to him.

I know a man here in Portland who collects old computers... mainframes. And he has most of them working. He rents a warehouse to keep them. He's got his eye on a Cray supercomputer!

I have a friend who collects Farmall tractors. I think that the nice thing about collecting knives is that adding a few pieces to my collection has never necessitated the construction of yet another outbuilding.

Some people are collectors. Some are not. It may be genetic, a collecting gene; who knows? To those who lack the collection gene (or is it a mindset? Nature vs. nurture? Who knows? And does it matter?) the urge to collect is unfathomable. To the afflicted, it is equally irresistable.
 
What's the meaning if life? Aside from 42, the answer to knife collecting or almost anything else is the same. We exist and do what we do because it brings us pleasure.
 
Because of all the things I have purchased i.e. cars, motorbikes, unit.....,

Nothing has made me smile more than a knife purchase.. They always have and they always will...
 
I'm a searcher for the perfect knife.
My collection consists of knives that are nearly perfect.
But then there are so many different uses, applications, materials, makers,.....
It's about people, friendship and passion.
red mag
 
I'm another "accidental collector." I grew up with a pocket knife in my jeans, and have accumulated many over the years. :)
 
well, lets start with terminology. you got your collectors and then you got your accumulators.

your collector will maybe want a specimen of every brand x knife; all the different sizes, colors, blade materials and other variations. its completionist. or a collector will maybe focus in on model y, made for a short time in limited numbers and rare nowdays. rarity is desirable. some collectors are drawn to pattern z and will have many specimens of that particular pattern made by numerous different manufacturers. variation on a theme. and then theres the antique and vintage collectors who value oldness. theres surely other subspecies of collectors also.
an accumulator will likely be less focused though perhaps no less driven. accumulators may acquire knives because they see one that looks interesting, heard good things about this or that knife or happened to find a deal somewhere and would buy a knife just to 'try it out'.

personally im an accumulator. i work in the environmental industry and frequently use a knife and/or machete on the job. rope isnt going to cut itself! nor will the briars which have the audacity to be growing where we need to walk!
ive bought machetes of differing brands and styles to try out in the field. found out that some are better for chopping heavier wood, some are better for cutting soft green vegetation and some are good all-purpose tools that are good for cutting everything but do not necessarily excel at one end or the other. got maybe ten machetes and will likely try others as time passes. i also have come to like them as objects and enjoy comparing the variations possible in what is basically a length of sharp metal with a handle on one end.
with folding pocketknives i also enjoy checking out the variations on a basic form and suitability for a given purpose. plus its interesting to contemplate things like how they ride in my pocket.

i dont mess with cologne but my wife likes perfume. she will talk about this or that brand being an 'evening' perfume that she would not wear to work or another being a 'daytime' perfume that she wouldnt necessarily wear on 'date night'. she has some stuff that has unusual oils or whatever in it that she just wanted to check out. she can talk about perfume like i can talk about knives. so to make analogies to your cologne-centric worldview; you might buy some sort of old style cologne for the same reason i recently bought a sodbuster pattern knife; because its a classic type. i bought a svord peasant knife because it was an interesting, unusual design in a way similar to how you might buy some cologne or other because it has 'floral-yet-somehow-still-masculine' top notes or something.
 
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