Summarize your collecting "style" or tendencies ...

I've been giving this some thought lately. I have realized that I prefer smaller traditionals. If I want a larger knife I'll usually pick up a modern. So that has narrowed me somewhat. I like 2-blade single spring knives and whittlers, so now I'm on the lookout for those.

But I'm thinking of creative ways to limit myself, especially with GEC. I may work toward only one of any single cover option (like, I have a red sawcut bone, so no more of those, but a tan sawcut bone would be OK). I am pretty much there already, somewhat by chance, so I should be able to keep that going. Also trying to diversify by shield, but I'm not sure I can hold myself to one of each. Maybe it will be used as a tie breaker.
 
I have a pile of knives but it isn't from a desire to collect per se, but rather explore different designs in hopes of finding ones I really like. More of a utilitarian adventure if you will. I have very few duplicates of any design and even among those they are in a different steel, handle material, etc.

Since diving back into traditionals, it has really been the same theme. I'm really focused in on Case right now as they check a lot of my current boxes; decent price point, wide selection, acceptable (if not sometimes excellent), quality, stainless steel, etc. I've been purchasing a wide range of patterns to narrow in on what I like. I haven't found a pattern yet that I don't like but I am whittling it down and fine tuning the list. Right now it's the Canoe and Mini Copperlock.

I can see me buying multiples of these patterns for sure.
 
I have a #1 criteria of the knife being usable I want users above any other collecting criteria

The rest is just about if it interest me in some way and usually weather or not it fills a gap if I already have that gap filled it needs to be able to draw me in more than what I have does.

I have some patterns I have interest in that could result in some duplicates such a toothpicks(mostly small and medium), doctors, electricians, and peanut(or just any peanut sized). I am also interested in modernized traditionals as well like those Collector Knives has had from many of the Italian makers. I love to see the blending of modern manufacturing with traditional design.
 
The styles and materials that I was partial to early on have stayed pretty consistent over the years. All but a few of the knives I have, have most of these styles and materials in common.
I am quite partial to lockbacks, mainly the Buck 110 inspired style. I grew up with these and they remain my go to knives. The largest portion of what I own are these, and the largest portion of those are Schrades.
The Queen Mountain Man/R1306 style or pattern is distant 2nd.
My other preferences are clip point blades, hollow grinds, stag, and brass. When I come across a knife that hits every one of these, I have a realy hard time not buying it. Throw in some scrolled bolsters and it's a no hesitation done deal.

On a note outside of the traditional, please forgive the intrusion. I do like titanium modern folders, and I found that my preferences carry over. I don't have but a few moderns but a couple years ago, a talanted maker and a great guy made a great titanium flipper with a clip point blade. Bought 2.
 
Even if I don't have any plans of ever using it, I can't bring myself to keep a knife that I wouldn't be comfortable using due to design, size, aesthetics, whatever.

What this means in practical terms is I have very little over 3.5" closed, most are single spring designs, and stainless rules the roost in my knife drawer.
 
My knives, both modern and traditional, are overwhelmingly drop points (main blade).. Most of my traditionals are either GEC or Case If I have a specific design that I collect it would be whittlers or stockmans (such as a Case medium) that have a drop point main blade, a pen blade and a coping blade.. That is a matter of nostalgia as I settled on that design when I was nine years old as the most practical for my day to day needs.. (I am now 81.) I hate spey blades.. They were useful forty years ago when I smoked a pipe; but now I don't see their function.

My new passion is collecting stag handled pocket knives I just started this part of my collecting illness last November. I am now up to four. Three GECs and last years Forum knife.
 
I have a wide variety of both traditional and modern blades. I tend to carry a modern locker and a traditional slippy daily. Recently I've been able to indulge in stag. Boy do I love a nice stag knife! For brands, I enjoy Case, Buck, and love GEC. The temper on my GEC knives is just superb. It would be more accurate to call what I have an accumulation rather than a collection. I also use each one, no safe queens. For me the joy is in using the knife. I also very much enjoy reading the posts and seeing the pictures you guys put up. Thank you!
Bob
 
Spear point, long pull. It can have nail nick secondary, but has to have a long pull on the main. I don’t recall when this happened to my taste, but anything without a long pull just looks odd to me...for now.
 
In folders, mostly scouts and/or military issue. 30 of these are military.
Folder%2520Collection%252010%2520February%25202019.jpg


Started out focused and got out of hand.
Sound familiar?
I started out unfocused, then gave away many to focus my collection.
 
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Although a nice swedgy clip point blade with a long pull is probably my favorite and I like to hunt for Tortoise Shell GECs...I have found that I am totally open to try anything (and everything) else. At one point, I didn't like gunstock patterns...now they are one of my favorites. I definitely never thought twice about a Toothpick pattern...but appreciate them a lot more now that I own a couple. On the other hand, I dove right into barlows but found out pretty quick those weren't for me.
So my preferences are all over the place but my tendency is to be open minded and try new things. It is a much more costly approach but, ultimately, provides me with a lot of satisfaction.
 
My collecting is governed by a very strict set of rules that have been defined, by others, as lunacy.

First and foremost I'm a Buck collector. Next up comes Western. If those aren't around, it'll be Henckels. Next comes just about any traditional from the old time German, English and American makers. And the occasional fixed blade or auto. I've been buying Lionsteel lately. And if all else fails, I'll buy the occasional GEC.

So, as you can see I'm pretty disciplined about what I buy.
 
For traditionals it's single blade for me...so far ;) I have 6 or so Case Mini Copperlocks. That said, my outliers are a Case Collectors Club Peanut, and a Mini Trapper with a bottle opener. My large Stockman sits in my desk drawer, and may end up as a GAW or pay it forward knife. My three GEC's are all single bladed, and I'm looking to increase their number. And finally, for now, I have a few A. Wright Lambsfoot knives on order, as well as the new GEC Lambsfoot and Ramsfoot. Oh, and I also have a Victorinox Cigar Cutter with 1 blade, file, scissors and cigar tool...it get's fairly regular use.
 
My collecting started out acquiring all the NKCA Youth knives, and prototypes. Then the NKCA magazines, and some of the commemorative knives.

From there I turned to collecting some of the Remington Bullet Knife remakes in the 80's, and all the sales posters.

After that, and currently, I am focused on the Tuna Valley brand of knives. Originally sold by Case, then relaunched 100 years later made by GEC, then by Queen. Now still alive and made in the USA, but I'm not sure of who the maker is yet.
 
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