Which knives do people have to have to call their collections complete?

bld522

bld522

Joined
Feb 3, 2004
Messages
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I imagine this question has been asked before . . . probably on numerous occasions. But tastes and technology change, so it's not unfair to ask it again.

Notice that I'm not asking what your FAVORITE knives are. I'm asking which knives in your opinion EVERY knife collector has to have in order to say that they have a "complete" collection.

Fixed blades: For me, it's a Busse. Any Busse will do. Could be a Battle Mistress or a Satin Jack or a Ratweiler or a Camp Tramp or a RatManDu or a Scrapper 6. But when somebody says "fixed-blade" to me, "Busse" is the first word that comes to mine.

Folders: To me, three folders stand out above the rest as must-haves in any collection: the Buck 110, the Kershaw Leek, and the Chris Reeve Sebenza.

So what's on your short list of must-have knives that everyone has to own to legitimately be able to call their collections "complete"?
 
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I collect the original Schrade-USA Old Timer knives. I have multiple variations of most models, many limited editions and special sets, and plenty of related non-knife items. There are two specific items that would really make it a complete collection, worthy of display:
- First, an Old Timer boot knife that was only produced as a prototype. I've seen a picture...
- Second, an original unused 2OT, the original Old Timer that was first produced in 1958. I have a decent used example; unused examples often sell for hundreds of dollars and rarely come up for sale. There's also an incredibly rare 3OT made around the same time in very low numbers.

Here's an example of what is in my collection, a complete Prince Albert set, including the original inner tobacco wrapper that is still stuffed with tobacco. This particular set once hung in the factory museum in Ellenville, NY.

PrinceAlbertset.jpg


PrinceAlberttinandtabacco.jpg
 
For my own small collection, I'm focused on damascus folders, although I have 2 non-damascus knives (Hinderers). For me, it is less about the brand and more about who makes a damascus knife that looks nice and has good F&F.
 
A benchmade model 49 (the kriss blade one) have the other 4X once but this one is freaking impassible to find...
 
Never complete. I collect survival knives, opinels and ebony wood knives. Part of the fun of collecting is the hunt so I reckon I'd never want these collections complete.
 
Good answers. But I realize that I didn't state it correctly. What I'm really looking for is what you'd tell someone if they asked you what THEY minimally need to have in THEIR collection to be able to call it complete, not what you need in your collection to consider your collection complete. Sorry I wasn't clearer at the outset.
 
bld522 said:
Good answers. But I'm mostly looking for what you'd tell someone if they asked you what THEY minimally need to have in THEIR collection to be able to call it complete, not what you need in your collection to consider it complete.
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Hmm, not sure i understand you? Depends totaly on what knives they collect?

If they collect balisongs i say a BM 42, If they say fixed blades i say they should own a Ka-bar or how do you mean?
 
If someone came up to you who had never bought a knife before and asked you what they need to buy to have a small but complete collection of knives, what would you suggest they purchase? And just for fun, let's put a cost on it. So for example, I'd recommend they purchase a Swamp Rat RatManDu (plus sheath), a Buck 110, a Kershaw Leek, and a Large Plain Sebenza 21. That would give them a pretty complete if minimal collection of legendary knives. And if I've done my math right, it would cost them around $700.00 to create that collection. Certainly they could add to that to make their collection more robust. But it they didn't, they'd still realistically be able to say that they have a complete knife collection with only those four knives in it. That's just my opinion, of course. What's yours?
 
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For my folding knife collection to be "complete", I need to get my hands on a Hinderer. I have a Strider SNG and a CRK Large 21 for my midtechs; once I get a Hinderer I think my folder collection will be complete. There will obviously be other knives out there that I want, but I think these 3 manufacturers define pocket knives.

I haven't even started to collect traditionals or fixed blades yet.
 
I don't think the question has an answer. Everyone has different tastes and will be interested in different things. If you collect traditional knives your collection can be complete without the first modern knife or fixed blade. I like modern folders and think I have a pretty kick butt collection and don't have the desire to own the first knife you suggest for a collection to be 'complete'.

Everyone is different and will have a different answer. There is no right or wrong answer.
 
What I'm really looking for is what you'd tell someone if they asked you what THEY minimally need to have in THEIR collection to be able to call it complete
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Depends on what they collect. :confused:

In my definition, a Collection is a group of knives that all share a similar trait. Whether it's a certain maker or brand, a particular age, a favorite material, style, country of origin... If you picked ten serious collectors at random and put them in a room together to discuss the focus of their collections, I doubt any two of them would be the same. ;)
 
I've gone through many folders and fixed blades within the last year. Very few of them are still here, as I must sell one or two to buy another.

For me, it's the eternal search to find that ONE knife that serves my every-day carry needs, plus a bit on the heavy-duty side of things...just in case. I'm not a collector by any definition.
Sonnydaze
 
Its funny, I was just thing about this last night. There is 3 knife out there I think every collection should have. I chose these 3 because they are probably the most copied knives out there IMO anyways.

1. Buck 110
2. SAK - Either Victorinox or Wenger
3. Kabar USMC fighting knife

And if your Canadian a Grohmann knife just cause its Canadian.
 
There you go, Matthew. That's exactly the kind of answer I was looking for. And I don't expect us to agree with each other, FMB. I just wanted to know what people felt were the knives absolutely everyone had to have in their collections in order to consider them complete. Framing my question in the context of helping a complete newbie build a small but complete collection from scratch seemed like the most objective way to accomplish that. Matthew appears to have grasped the spirit of what I'm asking for better than anyone else has so far and I'd be interested in hearing what others have to say. So here's the question again:

If someone came up to you who had never bought a knife before and asked you what they needed to buy to create a small but complete collection of knives, what would you suggest they purchase? Remember, I'm not asking you what you need to buy to consider your collection complete. I'm asking you what you would tell them to buy to make their collection complete.
 
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Hi - I'm new to the forums, but I'd recommend the following:

Ontario Rat 1
Kershaw Random Leek S30V
Spyderco Sage 2
Spyderco Caly 3/3.5 Carbon Fiber ZDP-189

Although I understand that not everybody will agree about these knives, They have been the mainstays of my EDC routine lately for a reason.
 
No such thing as a knife everyone HAS to own.

There's a few knives everyone should have handled at least a couple of times though.
 
bld522 said:
There you go, Matthew. That's exactly the kind of answer I was looking for. And I don't expect us to agree with each other, FMB. I just wanted to know what people felt were the knives absolutely everyone had to have in their collections in order to consider them complete. Framing my question in the context of helping a complete newbie build a small but complete collection from scratch seemed like the most objective way to accomplish that. Matthew appears to have grasped the spirit of what I'm asking for better than anyone else has so far and I'd be interested in hearing what others have to say. So here's the question again:

If someone came up to you who had never bought a knife before and asked you what they needed to buy to create a small but complete collection of knives, what would you suggest they purchase? Remember, I'm not asking you what you need to buy to consider your collection complete. I'm asking you what you would tell them to buy to make their collection complete.
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Again: Victorinox. The low price and high quality on them serves as a good benchmark to compare other knives to, so you're aware of what a good knife is and how cheap a good knife can be. Really helps keep things in perspective.
 
like said, this knife madness would never be completed. but as a knife lover, I think any collection shall include:

anything from Victorinox,
Opinel,
any of ESEE blades,
any of Busse blades,
a CRK Sebenza,
a Spyderco Delica or Endura or Police,
any Puukko should enough,
a Leatherman.

my opinions are based off my subjectivity, since I am thinking any blades mentioned above are categorized as blades that contoured modern knives.
 
Not in any order :

Opinel no. 8 or 10
Any Mora
A custom knife made to your liking.
An edc folder, whatever suits your purpose
Some kind of traditional multi blade folder.

Leatherman (one that is best suited to your needs, so none in particular) a Leatherman can also be a very useful tool, not just something to top off the collection

A good medium to large fixed blade, for light chopping (survival, camping, zombie defense... You name it!) :D

I don't know if it counts but a tomahawk, I think It's something someone should at least play around with once or twice... If not own one
 
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