As “knife people” we often seem to be obsessed with categorizing ourselves, finding ways to separate ourselves from the rest of the segment. Phrases like, “I’m not a collector, I use my knives,” or “You’re not a real collector until you start buying custom knives,” are pretty common on forums and other social media.
But what do these words mean? Are you a collector, enthusiast, or a user? Maybe a combo of all three? Is it based on the price of your “collection”? The rarity?
For example, while I personally own about 100 knives, I still consider myself an enthusiast more than a collector. None of them are safe queens. I will and do use almost all of my knives on occasion. I do have a handful that are pricey enough that I won’t HARD use them, but they still get used.
It’s hard to define, so we gathered some comments from a recent YouTube video on the subject and collated them for you here.
Dante Martin:
“I would consider myself all 3, although there is a fine line between them. I like folding knives for foldability, for the appreciation of locks/materials/ finishes, etc., and for cutting. I got my first custom about 2 weeks ago. Yes, I’ve used it, although 6 months ago I wouldn’t have. I’ve realized that I buy things because I want them, not because I want more money if I decide to sell it. I remember getting my first guitar and treating it like it was glass. Now I look at it and its all dinged up, but I love it even more.”
BIONICK:
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Esta historia es de la edición September - October 2020 de Knives Illustrated.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
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TIP TALK
UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BLADE TIP SHAPES AND WHY IT MATTERS
HOLDING FIRM
GETTING A GRIP ON KNIFE HANDLE BENEFITS, MATERIALS, AND FUNCTIONALITY
EDGE UP
TIPS, TRICKS, AND TECHNIQUES TO SHARP WHEN ADVENTURING FAR FROM HOME
THE COMBAT KITCHEN
SLICE, DICE, CHOP, AND CUT: FOOD PREP WITH BLADES FROM POPULAR TACTICAL KNIFE COMPANIES
MORAKNIV Classics
THESE TIMELESS BUSHCRAFT KNIVES HAVE BEEN UPDATED AND ARE BETTER THAN EVER
ONE FOR THE ROAD
CHOOSING AN “EVERYWHERE KNIFE” CAN BE DIFFICULT DUE TO COMPLICATED KNIFE LAWS
TRAVELING LIGHT
SOMETIMES, INEXPENSIVE UTILITY BLADES YOU PICK UP AT YOUR DESTINATION CAN GET THE JOB DONE
MATCHED PAIR
JB KNIFE WORKS LAYMAN KNIFE AND GAMBIT HATCHET COMBO: ONE PICKS UP WHERE THE OTHER LEAVES OFF
WHEN BIGGER IS BETTER
THE CAS IBERIA CHOP HOUSE IS A MACHETE THAT PROVIDES BIG BLADE CUTTING POWER
KITCHEN KNIVES DON'T HAVE TO BE DULL
I have a confession to make. See if this sounds familiar. I take meticulous care of the knives I use for everyday carry, hunting, and general woods wandering. I wipe them down with an oily cloth after use and I never let them get too dull. Seldom do I have to restore a damaged edge. Most of the time I simply touch up the edges of my pocketknives with a few careful strokes across the rough bottom of a ceramic coffee cup. That’s usually all that’s needed. I don’t use my knives as screwdrivers or pry bars. As a matter of fact, I still have the very first knife I ever owned, an old Boy Scout knife that was handed down from my older brother. The blades have a deep patina that comes with using carbon steel over the years, but the knife is very usable still.
