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Yeah, but everyone needs those. Doesn't count
The Journey Down to 3 - 2 - 1
- Thread starter GatorMedic
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So do I. Just a great design. Easy to use left or right handed.
I like the Axis Lock so much that I had a difficult time purchasing a Spyderco.
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In the midst of my condition, there have been these fleeting moments in which I briefly see the light of reason and insist on reducing my collection down to maybe 3-5 carry pieces. Not a moment later I'll find myself chasing the next one.
For me, that's half of the fun. I'm a glutton for new stimulus.
I envy your satisfaction.
For me, that's half of the fun. I'm a glutton for new stimulus.
I envy your satisfaction.
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That thought has crossed my mind as well not that I own that many Spydies presently. But I admit, that I am not lining up to buy some new Spydie product for two reasons: (1) I have enough knives right now and why buy something I pretty much know I won't use; (2) Other than the lower end Spydies, they aren't exactly cheap and I enjoy looking at other brands. If I am not going to likely use a knife, it might as well be a new traditional that I enjoy just handling. I just bought a Case Barlow made in 1979 at a show.... I love just messing with it and remembering my first serious knife when I was a kid.
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My current “collection” stands at three knives. Of particular note, not a single one of them is a black knife; might be the only member of this forum that doesn’t own a black (non-kitchen) knife. The blue Benchmade Bugout I purchased a little over a year ago just a couple weeks after its official release. I’ve EDCed it every single day since then except when I flew to Montana for vacation. Some people talk about the endless pursuit of the knife and I’ve found mine in the Bugout. It is literally everything I want in an EDC knife. Next came the Mini Crooked River purchased through the Benchmade custom shop within 24 hours of its availability on there. The grey back spacer and black liners make it just a little different. The orange pivot collar adds a nice touch of color and makes a Florida Gator theme next to my blue Bugout. I don’t need it, but I certainly like it. It’s my knife for dressy occasions or just when I want to change it up for a few hours. The newest one on the block is the just released Benchmade Puukko. I’d been without a fixed blade at all for several months after selling my old Esee 4 and Mora Companion. I was holding out until I found a fixed blade that met the characteristics I was looking for in a fixed blade. I seem to have a Goldilocks issue with most fixed blades—either they are too big/thick or they are too short. Time will tell if this knife will be the long-term solution, but it certainly strikes my fancy and meets my preferences. This will be my camping/outdoors knife. With these three knives I have my bases fully covered for my needs. It’s a great feeling
Are you still only with those 3???
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I admire you and long for the simplicity myself. Issue is have yet to settle on any 3, or 5, or whatever. None of them completely satisfy OR I worry something will happen to em and most are not replaceable (discontinued). Which opens another can of worms I have. Buying rare or discontinued knives makes me not want to use em much for fear of losing, damaging, wearing out, whatever and not being able to get repaired or replaced.
Been considering getting everyday easy to get, grab two of each, and then use the shinola out of em. Screw all the rare birds. Decisions decisions....
Been considering getting everyday easy to get, grab two of each, and then use the shinola out of em. Screw all the rare birds. Decisions decisions....
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Do it. At least get one of each, folder and fixed. Then carry/use the folder for 90 days. You will have used it past the honeymoon stage and really know what the knife can do. Then again with the fixed blade. You will still have your discontinued/one of a kind knives to fall back on.
I have been scaling back on what I own partially because of
GatorMedic
's example. I am finding that I enjoy what I have more. My "want list" is very small and has not changed much over the past two or three years.Very nice.Do it. At least get one of each, folder and fixed. Then carry/use the folder for 90 days. You will have used it past the honeymoon stage and really know what the knife can do. Then again with the fixed blade. You will still have your discontinued/one of a kind knives to fall back on.
I have been scaling back on what I own partially because of
Tell us your history, please.
Tell us your "want list" and you actual "portfolio".
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My want list includes the following: 1) LionSteel TM1, 2) Buck Froe, 3) Small forest axe, 4) Sven Saw.
My dream list includes 1) CRK Small Insingo, 2) CPK Field Knife (or their EDC knife). I could easily skip the CPK stuff because I don't use fixed blades that much.
As for my "portfolio", I seem to collect stuff in small groups. A dress knife, an EDC knife, and then a field knife is pretty typical for me. For example, one set up includes a Victorinox Cadet for formal stuff, a Kershaw Zing (US made) for EDC, and a Benchmade 551 Griptilian for field use. Or, I may use a Benchmade 531 for dress/EDC and a Benchmade 162 for field time. These five knives listed see more use than anything else I own. Today was a Griptilian day.
I could live very nicely with what I have above but I am a SAK Pioneer/Soldier junkie. I have a handful of those, plus a few other SAKs. They see use from time to time but not very much. One is a Mechanic (an office back up). Another is a Spartan (in the bug out bag).
Also, own a Spyderco Clip-it Rescue that rides in the Cherokee 1st aid bag and a Spyderco D'Allara 3 that I need to do a 30 day carry write-up about. If I decide it is not for me, the TM1 idea is on the want list to replace it.
Does this meet your idea of a portfolio? I have a few more fixed blades and budget traditionals I mess with, and even more stuff that I never look at or think about. It is all sitting in a file cabinet. My goal is to scale back until I have three knives that I normally reach for and three more as a back-up if something is lost or stolen. Add a few in for special task (ie: rescue knife) and I'm done.
Not sure what you mean by "history." I'm on my third marriage but I doubt if that is the type of Hx you are asking about.
Henry Beige
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Wow. Even before I became enthusiastic about knives, I owned more than three. Now, I can count sixteen in the clutter on my desk. Within a couple of steps are roughly a hundred more on a couple of bookshelves.
But I carry only three (well, five, if you count the keychain knives). All three are in the RFP of the pants hanging in my bedroom. It’s the same three, every day for months on end. Every once in a while, I will switch one out for a couple of days, just for a change of pace.
Those are some nice Benchmades. I would gladly own any of them. I gave my boy the Bugout, and was handling it the other day. One day, I could pull the trigger. Same thing with the Puukko. I almost bought it a couple of months ago
But I carry only three (well, five, if you count the keychain knives). All three are in the RFP of the pants hanging in my bedroom. It’s the same three, every day for months on end. Every once in a while, I will switch one out for a couple of days, just for a change of pace.
Those are some nice Benchmades. I would gladly own any of them. I gave my boy the Bugout, and was handling it the other day. One day, I could pull the trigger. Same thing with the Puukko. I almost bought it a couple of months ago
Thanks for your explanation. I think is a very reasonable logic.
H
I might get my collection down to my 25 favorites, but it would take a real effort get rid of the rest. And that 25 is all different knives. That wouldn't include the back ups I have of my favorites. I d have to keep those.
I had three knives long before I ever became a knife knut.
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Looks like a solid selection. I would need something bigger for the kitchen if it was a hard 3, but those would take care of anything I need to do outside the kitchen.
I'm down to 3 fixed blades--personal knives, not counting my kitchen and toolbox utilities--and a small pile of folders that have been gifted to me by family and friends. I like my gifted pocket knives more than the super fancy stuff I used to buy for myself. Have a few too many of those as well so when my nephew is old enough I'll pass on some to him. Save a couple for myself and possible future offspring haha
I'm still on here dang near every day lurking at pictures of awesome knives and constantly exclaiming "cool!" in my head, but I've learned I'm picky, cheap and don't like clutter. There are people who have warehouses full of collector cars that are too valuable to drive and there are daily drivers who race on the weekends. Takes all types! Would not be here if everyone shared my opinion.
I'm down to 3 fixed blades--personal knives, not counting my kitchen and toolbox utilities--and a small pile of folders that have been gifted to me by family and friends. I like my gifted pocket knives more than the super fancy stuff I used to buy for myself. Have a few too many of those as well so when my nephew is old enough I'll pass on some to him. Save a couple for myself and possible future offspring haha
I'm still on here dang near every day lurking at pictures of awesome knives and constantly exclaiming "cool!" in my head, but I've learned I'm picky, cheap and don't like clutter. There are people who have warehouses full of collector cars that are too valuable to drive and there are daily drivers who race on the weekends. Takes all types! Would not be here if everyone shared my opinion.
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I daily carry a BK-14 in a pocket sheath, as a super robust and easy to carry drop point 3.25" blade will do 95% of things without a problem. It's black, so it's not flashy and doesn't seem to scare or shock anyone. It's low profile. It's basically all I need.
BUT.....
There are other tasks that are better suited for other tools...
So I carry a serrated hawkbill for emergency use, like seatbelt and rope cutting. Also useful in gilling fish!
I also try to carry a Wharncliffe blade, for utility purposes as well, where a nice pointy tip without a belly will work best.
That's all my bases covered for daily carry (straight edge Wharncliffe, sturdiness and a decent belly in a drop-point and a concave serrated hawkbill).
BUT... I'm a diverse / multi-faceted of guy. I don't just go to the office, the grocery store and home.
I also fish, Spearfish, Freedive, camp, hike, etc.
So I have specialty fillet knives, dive knifes (for different sized fish, entanglement risks, etc), trailing point woods knives and scandi Mora's for wood carving and always as a cheap, lightweight backup blade.
Knives are my most useful tool, bar none.
Now, the internal combustion engine might be my most useful technology.... but if it stops working and I have to get back to where I need to be... There's always a knife ready for me.
Ask any handyman / mechanic / tradesman / butcher / fisherman / outdoorsman... there is NOTHING as satisfying as having the right tool for the job ... And there is also nothing equally frustrating as knowing the right tool for the job... Owning one... But not having it on you.
I like the utility of these tools and how easy they make tasks and I like to have several, so that all of my bases are covered.
But I'm not one of these guys that will have 20 EDC pocket folders of similar length and only slight differences in blade shape.
That, I don't really get... At least, it's not for me. I figure out each likely use case scenario / task that I might need a knife for and find the single iteration of that type of blade that I find most ideal for my purposes and use those optimized tools.
BUT.....
There are other tasks that are better suited for other tools...
So I carry a serrated hawkbill for emergency use, like seatbelt and rope cutting. Also useful in gilling fish!
I also try to carry a Wharncliffe blade, for utility purposes as well, where a nice pointy tip without a belly will work best.
That's all my bases covered for daily carry (straight edge Wharncliffe, sturdiness and a decent belly in a drop-point and a concave serrated hawkbill).
BUT... I'm a diverse / multi-faceted of guy. I don't just go to the office, the grocery store and home.
I also fish, Spearfish, Freedive, camp, hike, etc.
So I have specialty fillet knives, dive knifes (for different sized fish, entanglement risks, etc), trailing point woods knives and scandi Mora's for wood carving and always as a cheap, lightweight backup blade.
Knives are my most useful tool, bar none.
Now, the internal combustion engine might be my most useful technology.... but if it stops working and I have to get back to where I need to be... There's always a knife ready for me.
Ask any handyman / mechanic / tradesman / butcher / fisherman / outdoorsman... there is NOTHING as satisfying as having the right tool for the job ... And there is also nothing equally frustrating as knowing the right tool for the job... Owning one... But not having it on you.
I like the utility of these tools and how easy they make tasks and I like to have several, so that all of my bases are covered.
But I'm not one of these guys that will have 20 EDC pocket folders of similar length and only slight differences in blade shape.
That, I don't really get... At least, it's not for me. I figure out each likely use case scenario / task that I might need a knife for and find the single iteration of that type of blade that I find most ideal for my purposes and use those optimized tools.