Why I sold most of my expensive knives (anyone else feel like this?)

Lot of nice knives out there. The pictures are free, buy what you can afford.
 
I don't know one person who doesn't "collect" something - ammo, guns, knives, tools, etc.

I think all collectors go through a cycle of collect, purge, collect.

I also think age has something to do with it - the older I get the less I want to deal with. I'm waiting for an internal push to do the final downsizing to a few key pieces that will take me to the finish line.
 
DistortionSlayer said:
But overall, I just can't justify what once seemed like a good deal at 400...500.. and so on.
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Here's the deal. People don't buy $400 knives because they cut better than $60 knives. That's because $400 knives don't cut better than $60 knives. They buy $400 knives to feel good. And when that good feeling dissipates - for whatever reason - the impetus to keep the knife also dissipates.

This knife game is all about filling an emotional void, because none of us objectively "needs" multiple knives or spendy knives. Abe Lincoln and George Patton each achieved their goals with one knife in the pocket, and so can we. Owning multiple knives or spendy knives is 100% about distracting ourselves from our inner turmoil and feeling good, and when the feeling good part evaporates, the reality quickly sets in that there is no reason whatsoever to keep the multiple knives or the spendy knives.
 
I purged my khukuri collection. I ended up with doubles of quite a few vintage models and more "users" than I could ever use. I now have three traditional khukuri "users" to play with and 7 vintage pieces which are WWII era and can only go up in value. I sold almost all my ESEE knives. They were outstanding, but I didn't use most of them. The whole collection was slimmed down and only has a few "high dollar" pieces. To me, anything approaching $100 falls into that category. It's likely to get slimmed more over time.

I learned that physical clutter can become mental clutter. I actually set around wondering which knife to take at different times. It was annoying and caused stress. I also discovered that a $10 Hultafors GK could handle every knife duty I had, including being beat into wood, and come out smiling. We dream up scenarios where we'll need a knife to help justify a purchase, but that GK, a SAK farmer, and a Tramontina machete ($50 total for all) will do everything as well as any $1k combo. Probably much better, actually:D

Never, ever, go into debt for a knife either! Good luck.
 
powernoodle said:
Here's the deal. People don't buy $400 knives because they cut better than $60 knives. That's because $400 knives don't cut better than $60 knives. They buy $400 knives to feel good. And when that good feeling dissipates - for whatever reason - the impetus to keep the knife also dissipates.

This knife game is all about filling an emotional void, because none of us objectively "needs" multiple knives or spendy knives. Abe Lincoln and George Patton each achieved their goals with one knife in the pocket, and so can we. Owning multiple knives or spendy knives is 100% about distracting ourselves from our inner turmoil and feeling good, and when the feeling good part evaporates, the reality quickly sets in that there is no reason whatsoever to keep the multiple knives or the spendy knives.
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Well, and very clinically, said!:) Nice knives can be a pleasure to hold and possess, but man, can we go overboard like a Kardashian on Rodeo dr.:o
 
Don't get me wrong. My leg still tingles when I play with a Sebenza. I just try to be honest about what's going on.

20150325_172212_zpszuohpb7l.jpg
 
powernoodle said:
Here's the deal. People don't buy $400 knives because they cut better than $60 knives. That's because $400 knives don't cut better than $60 knives. They buy $400 knives to feel good. And when that good feeling dissipates - for whatever reason - the impetus to keep the knife also dissipates.

This knife game is all about filling an emotional void, because none of us objectively "needs" multiple knives or spendy knives. Abe Lincoln and George Patton each achieved their goals with one knife in the pocket, and so can we. Owning multiple knives or spendy knives is 100% about distracting ourselves from our inner turmoil and feeling good, and when the feeling good part evaporates, the reality quickly sets in that there is no reason whatsoever to keep the multiple knives or the spendy knives.
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Beautifully written and to the point. Maybe one of the most honest posts I've seen on the subject.

As a former collector of customs, I've been there and down that. In the 1960's and very early 70's I had collected Randall knives and a few other custom craftsmen. I'm not sure what I was after, but I had heard so much that I think I had put Randall knives on some sort of pedestal. In the end, I sold off mostly all of my knife collection, keeping only a few factory production knives. In the end, they didn't live up to the hype, and I went back to what really worked well. These days my love of knives has diminished greatly, and while I still like them, my outlook has taken a very hard pragmatic view. I won't bother owning anything that I really can't use in my day to day life, and I won't carry and use anything I can't replace easy.

It's easy to loose sight of things in a hobby. Sometimes we just need to take a step back and look at what we're doing. Sometimes we just have to adjust our perspective.
 
powernoodle said:
Here's the deal. People don't buy $400 knives because they cut better than $60 knives. That's because $400 knives don't cut better than $60 knives. They buy $400 knives to feel good. And when that good feeling dissipates - for whatever reason - the impetus to keep the knife also dissipates.

This knife game is all about filling an emotional void, because none of us objectively "needs" multiple knives or spendy knives. Abe Lincoln and George Patton each achieved their goals with one knife in the pocket, and so can we. Owning multiple knives or spendy knives is 100% about distracting ourselves from our inner turmoil and feeling good, and when the feeling good part evaporates, the reality quickly sets in that there is no reason whatsoever to keep the multiple knives or the spendy knives.
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Hobbies are rarely about needs, most of what ones does in their daily lives is not just about needs. We do these things hopefully because we enjoy them not just to fill some emotional void. If we defined everything we do just on needs, we would live one very boring life.

At the end of the day do and buy what you enjoy and can afford.
 
powernoodle said:
Here's the deal. People don't buy $400 knives because they cut better than $60 knives. That's because $400 knives don't cut better than $60 knives. They buy $400 knives to feel good. And when that good feeling dissipates - for whatever reason - the impetus to keep the knife also dissipates.

This knife game is all about filling an emotional void, because none of us objectively "needs" multiple knives or spendy knives. Abe Lincoln and George Patton each achieved their goals with one knife in the pocket, and so can we. Owning multiple knives or spendy knives is 100% about distracting ourselves from our inner turmoil and feeling good, and when the feeling good part evaporates, the reality quickly sets in that there is no reason whatsoever to keep the multiple knives or the spendy knives.
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I disagree. I'm not trying to "fill an emotional void" by buying multiple knives. I like variety, and I carry multiple different knives for the same reason I don't wear the same T-shirt and jeans everyday. No inner turmoil here, just a sustained interest in knives.
 
Landshark99 said:
Hobbies are rarely about needs, most of what ones does in their daily lives is not just about needs. We do these things hopefully because we enjoy them not just to fill some emotional void. If we defined everything we do just on needs, we would live one very boring life.

At the end of the day do and buy what you enjoy and can afford.
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At "the end of the day" I'll be dead. Sadly, that isn't far away.

Captain O
 
I have an addictive personality, and anything I get into, it's pedal to the metal. Whether it's material or non-material, I tend to, within my means and ability, absorb until I satisfy my itch. This is all according to my belief that life is short and death is eternal. For the past year, my focus has been on knives and all things related to knives. I have slowly reached the point of diminishing returns that the OP is asking us about. I still love, want, and appreciate the craftsmanship and design of certain makers, and cherish my connection to the knife community, but I no longer feel the need to own everything that comes out. Like other posters have stated, who makes these things, and how they treat me, is even more important then what they create. At the point of self-awareness, that buying another knife or related item was sometimes, just to use as a prop for my Instagram, was time to slow down. A bit. Thank you for this great thread.
 
I'm just trying to refine and zero in on what works best for me. To buy the next better fit, I have to sell what I don't carry.

[video=youtube;3seJk0L9r58]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3seJk0L9r58[/video]
 
jackknife said:
Beautifully written and to the point. Maybe one of the most honest posts I've seen on the subject.

As a former collector of customs, I've been there and down that. In the 1960's and very early 70's I had collected Randall knives and a few other custom craftsmen. I'm not sure what I was after, but I had heard so much that I think I had put Randall knives on some sort of pedestal. In the end, I sold off mostly all of my knife collection, keeping only a few factory production knives. In the end, they didn't live up to the hype, and I went back to what really worked well. These days my love of knives has diminished greatly, and while I still like them, my outlook has taken a very hard pragmatic view. I won't bother owning anything that I really can't use in my day to day life, and I won't carry and use anything I can't replace easy.

It's easy to loose sight of things in a hobby. Sometimes we just need to take a step back and look at what we're doing. Sometimes we just have to adjust our perspective.
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I think many of us adjust our perspective about accumulating "things" as we get older. I still have not gotten to the point that I feel the need to purge knives and may well never get to that point. I still look at new knives because I like them. I just ordered a new knife yesterday and needless to say, I have no serious need for it. Life goes on.

I agree that people that buy a lot of things are generally trying to fill an emotional void or need and they think these things will do it. Nobody really needs a significant variety of knives as long as what they have accomplishes the tasks that they normally have a knife for. So, that means... maybe a couple folders and a fixed blade. Throw in a machete for chopping and you hope you get it right the first time buying a machete because there are differences.

I sometimes envy people who buy a new knife and sell the old one just because they don't need it anymore. Me I just drop them in my knife storage container and move forward. But the pile does build up over time.
 
I'm sorry if I sound so negative. Knives are fun, but in the immortal words of Inspector Harry Callahan, "a man's got to know his limitations." I found mine years ago. Everything that I buy today should have a purpose. (for the most part, what I buy generally does.)

Captain O
 
When did this start becoming a discussion about "filling emotional voids"?

Having an admiration for something and a desire to obtain it does not necessarily have anything to do with someone's emotional state. The dollar amount one spends on hobbies does not necessarily reflect that person's emotional attachment or dependence on those hobbies.
 
The void I am filling directly relates to safety and security.
 
asdf12345 said:
When did this start becoming a discussion about "filling emotional voids"?

Having an admiration for something and a desire to obtain it does not necessarily have anything to do with someone's emotional state. The dollar amount one spends on hobbies does not necessarily reflect that person's emotional attachment or dependence on those hobbies.
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Agreed. Everyone has some sort of hobby, unless they are the most bored person on Earth. It's natural as a human to have interests that are not based on needs, and it does not reflect emotoinal voids.
 
Thanks for all the replies everyone. As many had stated, the transition to a "user" oriented collection is basically what happened to me. I'm only going to live once, might as well enjoy using what I own in addition to enjoying looking at them haha. Charlie Mike, nice watch there bud. I was thinking of getting one of the older Sea-Dwellers for a while (not the new deep sea version.)

In my experience, guns, knives, flashlights, and watches go hand-in-hand.
 
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