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I inventoried my knife collection the last few days. I've got a little over 500 knives in the collection ( and about 200 knives that aren't really in the collection).

What I discovered. About 1/6 of the collection is fixed blades. Of the fixed blades at least half of them are knives made for anglers (fish knives) if you include bird and trout knives it goes even higher!

Overall 1/5 of the collection, over 100 knives are fishing knives of some kind. If you include five inch toothpicks the number is closer to 140! I do not consider toothpicks a fish knife.

The most collected single pattern is the 4 blade camp knife or Boy Scout knife. Around 120.

Next in line are Marlin spike knives and toothpicks. Both around 40-45.

As for money spent on a single pattern
1 large toothpicks
2 marlinspikes
3 scout knives

Which brands I have the most of:
1 Rough Rider
2 Victorinox
3 Case

As for the direction that my collection is going
1 fishing related knives
2 issued military fixed blades, particularly bayonets
3 Swiss Army Knives.

I can expect my return on invest to be in the negative column!

What direction is your collection going?

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Wally, it is hard to go wrong with Rough Riders, especially if you're looking for a variety of patterns.   I've been of fan of them for a long time.  Great users and great for collecting.

And the latest addition to my ever growing collection is yet another  5" Toothpick.  My latest is another Bear & Son; this time it is from their Kodiak line.  The knife features Autumn Feather Jigged Bone scales.  Essentially that is burnt orange bone with sort of a pocket work texture to the jigging.   I managed to get it for around $25 shipped!   (I was willing to go quite a bit higher.)  I've yet to be disappointed with a Bear & Son toothpick. 

The collection is being upgraded continually with old classical antique knives, also with many Canal Street Cutlery knives.

 The inexpensive knives are being sold; also knives that aren't old classical folders are traded or sold off.  Knife condition, quality, size,  and materials...stag, complex designs, beauty...are a plus factor for keeping them.  Having extra cash and a few good trading knives at a show facilitate the upgrade. The larger a folding knife the more interest I have. Sunfish and hunters are prime candidates.

Having extra cash and a few good trading knives at a show facilitate the upgrade. Paul S.

Most folks do not think to bring that few good trading knives to a show but Paul is 100% correct, the above combination, especially if a show is not to busy on the day you are there can be helpful in upgrading. 

Mine has not really went much of anywhere for the last few years, maybe 10 per year. I need to get back to chasing down the rest of the Remington bullet knives I do not have. I did buy around 3 or 4 RR on ebay last month. I ran across a couple of yellow box early models. I usually buy the yellow box when I can find them at a good price. I have so many knives that it is hard to keep up with what I do have anyway. I also like to find older USA and German made knives in good shape.

I know what you mean Billy. It isn't that my enthusiasm for knives have waned. It's more that I've got so many that I've become very selective in what I'm going to buy. Mostly it is bucket list stuff.

As much as I had thought that Perhaps There was a direction to my knife collecting. I find myself looking at all knives and buying those that interest me as to style or type.

  There are more lockbacks than any one particular style and I seem to go for the ones with the 3 and a half inch blade or better. I also have a fondness for the folding hunter style knives. I have 4 or 5 of those at present and am looking for more.

 Collectable knives are third on the list and right now I'm focused on the R.R. Civil war boxed knives. I have three and want to get the other two before they are discontinued. The Colt knives are another interest but it seems they are a bit more hard to find. I have found a few but I need to build up a bit more funds.

Boxed sets from various knife makers are a bit of an interest and I've seen several sets on the bay for reasonable money as well as being on the makers websites. The Taylor Schrade knives, now that I've replaced the Schrade knives like I had owned before and picked up a few others, Do not hold much interest for me. Not that I don't like what I have cause I'm very glad I was able to purchase them.

  Rite Edge still holds pretty decent interest. More to the style of a few of their knives that I like. There are a few other brands I've purchased from sellers on eBay. Ka-Bar folding hunter..... a massive knife. The main blade has been sharpend and the secondary looks as though its never been sharpend or used. A couple of Kutmaster LB's and a Kershaw LB, however I kind of wonder about that one to weather its the real deal or not. If not who ever manifactured it knew what they were doing as it is a well built knife.

 For me a direction for my knife collecting has not been defined yet. Its still entirely to much fun to look and see whats out there........  :) 

Wally,

Other than the ebay, dont forget to watch the auctions of Bruce Voyles.  It is another way to get some knives that have been hiding in collections and not pay too dearly for them.  He often has a great many older Schrades and boxed sets

My collection is not nearly as large as yours Tobias, but it is my collection and I like it. For many years I collected what ever caught my eye or other's eyes. My parents used to buy me knives for Christmas and birthday. Other family members and friends often gifted me with ones that they thought I would like. Even the cheap ones are cherished, mainly because of the thought that was put into giving them to me, from their hearts. Recently, I have been getting more into camping and outdoor activities, so my collection has gravitated towards more fixed blades. Just a couple of years ago, I had very few fixed blades, in comparison to my folders. Now, the fixed blades probably make up about 40% of my collection (if I were to make a guess). I still buy whatever appeals to me at the time (when I have the money), but my taste has changed over the years. Love my knives, big and small. Love my knives, I love them all. 

One thing I have noticed about your fixed blades Jeremy is that you have added more from the smaller companies



Jan Carter said:

One thing I have noticed about your fixed blades Jeremy is that you have added more from the smaller companies

That is very true Jan. I like supporting the smaller companies when I can. Especially when I see the quality of work they do.

Jeremy, I think one of the reasons you have fewer knives is because I probably bought quite a few shiny, sparkling, knives that were inexpensive. My Rough Rider addiction was one example.

And then my desire to collect camp/scout knives. Why buy one or two when you can buy dozens!

But I think I've gone from amassing large quantities to be more discerning in what I desire. The last year or so has been looking for quality examples of items on my bucket list. Thus, the number of knives I'll buy will be fewer but the money spent will probably be the same, if not more. At the same time, I'm happier with the items I'm buying.

Does this mean I'm no longer buying the low priced shiny bauble? Unfortunately the answer is no. It's a hard habit to break.
And I still cannot just have just one of any pattern. Why have one when you can have three or four or five?

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