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Your knife collection - Personal likes or for Monetary value?

P

PCL

Joined
May 25, 2012
Messages
989
Just looking at posts of different collections, the size of some collections, the well known maker collections and so on. My initial drive to collect was personal and I wanted knives of all shapes and sizes. I have a modest collection of 70 knives, tomahawks, machete's, folding knives (modern and old), fixed blades (modern and old). I have found myself focusing now on vintage tradionals. Just curious about the reasons behind other peoples choices. And who keeps collections for retirement money.
 
I can't really say, to be honest. If you look at my collection chronologically, you definitely start seeing a lot more money spent on purchases made in recent years. However, all of my knives, I generally have them because I enjoy them. I use most, and have others just to have 'em. If I ever needed some quick cash, I'd probably have to sell most of 'em on That Auction Site because I'd say that less than a third of my collection is "NIB".
 
I definitely buy what I like. If it's valuable to ME then whether someone else values it highly is irrelevant.

I do wonder how many people actually turn a profit collecting, especially with manufactured as opposed to custom blades. Yes some models go out of production and become collector's items but I bet they are greatly outnumbered by those that depreciate as soon as they are bought at retail.
 
There are some art knife makers in the unobtanium category - making museum quality pieces for active collectors, whose pieces will retain value in that very rarified sphere. But the vast majority of production and even custom work is not going to fit in the "investment" category. Predicting which few will be the valuable collector item 20, 30 or 40 years from now, is nearly impossible (scarcity is only one factor, and often not production scarcity, but the number surviving for various reasons).

Short answer. Knifes (in general) are a lousy place to try and use as investment to save or make money. Buy what you like.
 
I've always been the Buy-what-I-Like kind of guy. Just so happens that the things I like tend to climb higher and higher in $$$ as my tastes change. My sweet spot used to be around $60-80, then $90-120, and more recently $150-200. I occasionally splurge and go for a $300+ knife, but that's fairly rare.

I've been sort of lucky, in that I've been able to pick some great knives that have gone up in value, if NIB. Not so lucky in that I USE all my knives! Most of my main EDC knives are now worth $100-200 more than when I bought them, again NIB. I feel a little sad at moments, but I've gotten so much enjoyment and use out of them that it's really just a moment of regret at not keeping them safe queens.

Buy what you like, and USE them. Much more fulfilling than watching them collect "dust" in a lock-box somewhere. Give each knife a life worth living. Investment for profit isn't wise, unless you have the knowledge and capital to invest in customs. Even then, it's a roller-coaster.

My knives will be for my kids. Of course, they'll have to pry them from my fingers, but at least they will have a story behind them.
 
I agree I'm a buy what I like and find collector. I have a few duplicates but the majority of the collection is all different brands. The more vintage the better for me and cleaning the lump of coal for a rough diamond (to me) is great.
 
All personal likes for me. I don't make enough money to have a collection for monetary value :D
 
Like most of you I usually just buy what I like and will use. I love to get a good deal and know its worth more than I paid for but its not because I plan on selling it in the future.
 
marcinek said:
Fools. :D
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Agreed!

Oh it's personal for me. I buy what I want and I don't really care if anyone else likes it.....as long as I do. My collection is really small as I'm having to rebuild it from scratch after selling off my collection of a couple years ago to pay hospital's, rehab's, and doctor's.
My collection is made up of 3 fixed blades, 7 folders, and 1 small multi-tool. But all of them are knives I like and knives I carry, even if I don't need them.....I just love to carry them because it is a personal thing for me. All of my folder's are large with 3.5" to 4.5" blades, and heavier builds, except for my Victorinox Fieldmaster, and Leatherman Juice 2. The only knife I bought to maybe sell down the road was a second ZT0600.

Knife values go up and go down, just dependent on who is hot at the time. If you hit it right you could sell the knives that are hot and then put the extra money into your retirement I guess. But a lot of times these knives are already selling above their purchase price before a lot of people realize it, just take the XM-18/XM-24 from Rick Hinderer. Some people made good profits, but most people paid the high price to own one. Now I do not have any records to show this and am making a wild azz statement based on what I read here. Bottom line is that knives rarely make a good investment.
 
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I buy what I need (chef knives) and a few that I wanted (folders).

My folder collection is about 6 or 7 folders, all users.

I wish I could collect, but I'm one of those guys who opens the package before I'm even home.
 
HwangJino said:
I buy what I need (chef knives) and a few that I wanted (folders).

My folder collection is about 6 or 7 folders, all users.

I wish I could collect, but I'm one of those guys who opens the package before I'm even home.
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I thought we all do that!
 
PCL said:
And who keeps collections for retirement money.
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Yeah, that's funny but not the worst I have seen. I knew a guy who collected "High dollar" guitar picks from various bands. He had them in a shiny binder in little plastic sleeves and actually told my Wife & I that they were his retirement. I remember glancing at his Wife when he said that and she just sort of flashed a "Well I guess we're fuc&%d" kind of look.
 
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