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Many of us are users/collectors. But how do we decide what knives to use and what to just look at? A discussion on this topic may help many of us. Points to ponder would be:

l. Am I happy to have some knives I use and some I just look at (collect)?

2. They say life is to short to carry a bad/cheap knife?

3. So, I have some knives worth $100 or more - could I carry them and enjoy them, use them, without hurting there value.

4. What about old knives? ie. Cattaraugus, Robesons, etc. Would I hurt their value by carrying them?

5. How about a numbered collection - like Remington year knives? What if I want to carry some of those, do I hurt the value of the set?

6. Should I worry about value at all? or should I just enjoy the knife whatever the value, by carrying it as often as I like?

7. What about knives I want to pass down to kids or grandkids? Would they rather have a knife that has not been used, and has a better value? or would they rather have a knife that Grandpa actually carried and used?

8. There are many other points to consider - what can you think of? What are your ideas, thoughts, discussions on this topic?

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Ivars, you know I have shipped to you and Alex Noot, over there in Europe, with no problems. I think these people have heard stories and are afraid to ship. Shame on them for not trying.

Nice Knives Ivars. I don't have any of this brand yet.

I save the ones that cost the most for looking at usually, or ones specifically for collecting such as the Remington Bullet knives. I do go and pick up one out of my collection once in a while and decide to use, mainly because I can! I guess, it just depends on each person. I have been carrying a victorinox climber II and a light weight timberline lately and have found no reason to change. The Victorinox seems to get used a lot. I think I have used each device on it several times.

l. Am I happy to have some knives I use and some I just look at (collect)?

I do have some knives that I have no intention of using (at least at the moment).   There are some knives that I wish didn't have a blade etch. Seriously why are you putting a cool etch on the working part of a knife? The first time I cut something I might ruin the etch and the knife just lost its cool factor and the reason I bought it!  Some knives were made to be looked at but I want to use them.  I'm not going to carry it, if I there is potential of using it.  There are also some knives that I took immediately out doors and hacked the crap out of something just so I wouldn't allow it be a "princess knife" living on a pedestal.  I recall doing that with my Woodman's Pal.  That knife just ooze coolness.  I just had to hack something up right away so as to not put it on a pedestal!

2. They say life is to short too carry a bad/cheap knife?

Depends on what you mean by cheap.  If you mean crummy and worthless, you are correct.  If you mean inexpensive then I disagree.  There are some really great low priced knives and I love carrying them.

3. So, I have some knives worth $100 or more - could I carry them and enjoy them, use them, without hurting there value.

Maybe, maybe not. They might go down in street value but go up in emotional worth!

4. What about old knives? ie. Cattaraugus, Robesons, etc. Would I hurt their value by carrying them?

Only if they were mint to begin with or if you abused the heck out of them. I love giving old used knives a second chance.

5. How about a numbered collection - like Remington year knives? What if I want to carry some of those, do I hurt the value of the set?

I usually don't by expensive collector series, especially if they come in tin! They may go up in value but probably not in my life time.  I wonder if the keep up with the rate of inflation.  Most probably don't!

6. Should I worry about value at all? or should I just enjoy the knife whatever the value, by carrying it as often as I like?

My advice is watch the Erich Von Stroheim's silent movie Greed, starring Zasu Pitts. It is about a poor married couple who win the lottery. The husband wants to spend the money, buy some of the finer things in life.  The wife, however refuse to spend the money for fear of becoming poor, again.  The husband then loses his job and tries to use some of the money to survive but the wife refuses to part with a single penny, causing him to murder her in a fit of rage.

Enjoy the knife less you become Golem in The Hobbit and fret day and night over "My Precious"   Value your friends and family, they are what really matter.

7. What about knives I want to pass down to kids or grandkids? Would they rather have a knife that has not been used, and has a better value? or would they rather have a knife that Grandpa actually carried and used?

If you want someone else to have a particular knife ask them if they want it and give it to them. You'll enjoy the experience more and the memories will be fonder for both of you if they get it now instead of after you have moved on.

8. There are many other points to consider - what can you think of? What are your ideas, thoughts, discussions on this topic?

Let me think on it.

Excellent points Tobias, and you and I are on the same page, in this subject and many others also BTW.

I like your points and couldn't have said it better. Thanks for responding.

l. Am I happy to have some knives I use and some I just look at (collect)?

No. Being a "user" rather than a "collector", I only buy knives I am willing to use on a daily basis.

2. They say life is to short to carry a bad/cheap knife?

I will carry and use an "inexpensive" knife, but not a "cheap" one. An Opinel is inexpensive. It is not cheap.

3. So, I have some knives worth $100 or more - could I carry them and enjoy them, use them, without hurting there value.

See answer 1.

4. What about old knives? ie. Cattaraugus, Robesons, etc. Would I hurt their value by carrying them?

I don't buy old knives. I buy users.

5. How about a numbered collection - like Remington year knives? What if I want to carry some of those, do I hurt the value of the set?

That's a personal choice, which I avoid making by not buying such knives.

6. Should I worry about value at all? or should I just enjoy the knife whatever the value, by carrying it as often as I like?

Another personal choice. But, in general, knives are a poor investment. If you are worried about getting your money back out of your collection, I would suggest taking up coin collecting.

7. What about knives I want to pass down to kids or grandkids? Would they rather have a knife that has not been used, and has a better value? or would they rather have a knife that Grandpa actually carried and used?

Beats me. My children are grown and have other interests.

8. There are many other points to consider - what can you think of? What are your ideas, thoughts, discussions on this topic?

I only really need one knife. I just haven't found it yet.

Great comments Knarfeng - we all have our own thoughts on this subject. It is interesting to hear what others feel about this topic.

Now this is an answer!

I only really need one knife. I just haven't found it yet.

Yes, but I have gotten attached to several knives and would hate to settle for just one. Different strokes.

Here is a good example: should this be a user or a looker??? I am going to carry it today. Probably lose some value, but who cares. It seems a bit heavy for the pocket, but I am going to put it in my left front pocket and see. I may need it today and I may not, but it will be there just in case. 

A simple formula

Essentially, you'll will enjoy the knife more carrying it  and once the joy of ownership will actually double once you use it  but the value of the knife will be 1/2 that of mint condition knife if the knife goes out of production or the company goes belly up

So the question really comes down to: Do you want to have fun with your knives -- or are you going to resell it in 20 years -- or are you going to risk having them sold at an estate sell for practically nothing regardless if you used them ot  not?

Good formula Tobias, I enjoy carrying my CS Trapper today.

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