Oh, they get used. My users will never be put up for sell. I enjoy using them too much to take a beating trying to sell one. So, I figure I’d rather keep them. Now, one of my safe queens would go up for sell long before a user.
I agree. Recent Shiro knives (production only, I still hope to get my hands on a Custom Division Shiro) are damn good for normal use -- but my choice for heavy tasks is XM-18 or Inkosi.
I really prefer to buy my knives new either directly from the manufacturer or from respectable dealer, and it usually takes a few weeks (may be months) of handling to decide if I really want to keep/use the knife.
Otherwise I sell it. The only current production models I could not force myself to keep/use are F3 and Quant(i)um.
The rest were customized, sharpened and used (but not abused). Here they are:
But I am not selling my CRK knives neither!.. They are excellent users (except the small Sebenza -- it's a bit small to operate comfortably) and pretty hard to get for a reasonable price on our side of the pond
Usually I have to wait for an opportunity -- a USA resident coming to visit his relatives in Russia or something like that.
I was lucky enough to obtain the whole range of steels since Sebenza 21 release, but no S30V or BG-42 so far:
SL21 / S35VN @ 58-59 hrc
SL31 / S35VN @ 59-60 hrc
SS31 / S45VN @ 60-62 hrc
IL / S45VN @ 60-62 hrc
SL31 / MagnaCut @ 62-64 hrc
Some of those knives may seem almost new on the photo, but rest assured -- none of them looks new upon close inspection.