What is the focus of your collecting?

I know people that are ADHD, that's how my focus is buying knives. No rhyme or reason when I have the urge to buy a knife.
 
Over the last 30 years, my collecting has gone from having a helluva lot of knives to just keeping the best of the bunch. And sorry, but I no longer show any of the current collection, other than to say there are now less than 30, half of which are daggers by BW............

Oh, welcome to Blade Forums. My avatar image was taken from my balcony. I imagine you will recognize the location...
 
zzyzzogeton said:
I started out with 20th century US bayonets. Then I started adding 19th Century US bayonets and non-US 20th Century bayonets. Obviously, at only 294 bayonets, I don't have all of the possibilities. Still missing a Colt M7 West German made bayonet, several early 1800s US socket bayonets and lots of foreign bayonets.
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I have some M7s including a Colt.
Maybe we should talk.
 
betzner said:
Over the last 30 years, my collecting has gone from having a helluva lot of knives to just keeping the best of the bunch. And sorry, but I no longer show any of the current collection, other than to say there are now less than 30, half of which are daggers by BW............

Oh, welcome to Blade Forums. My avatar image was taken from my balcony. I imagine you will recognize the location...
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Thanks for the welcome... "Morbid Bay"/"Morbid Rock." Just kidding! I couldn't resist a little Central Coast colloquialism... ;)
 
I buy knives that I find interesting and functional.

I've never been into collecting for the sake of collecting and I don't have any safe queens.
 
I've been focusing on the top level of USA made production folders. So far I have a Spyderco Shaman, TRM Atom, Medford Slim Midi, Medford Praetorian T, and a Microtech Socom Elite.

I had a Sebenza but never really loved the way it felt in my hand, so I sold it. I want an Umnumzaan if I can ever find one. I also really want to try a Spartan Harsey next time I have the money for a new addition. I want to get a non flipper XM-18 if my funds and the availability ever align, too.

These are the types of knives that have been bringing me the most joy lately.
 
I have a lot of knives, mostly western traditional style blades, some new, some very old. Lately though I've been more and more interested in the blades of different ethnic cultures from around the world. The Finnish puukko , the Sardinian resolza, the Bavarian jagdnicker, the khukri, the higonokami, the navaja, etc.
 
Arathol said:
I have a lot of knives, mostly western traditional style blades, some new, some very old. Lately though I've been more and more interested in the blades of different ethnic cultures from around the world. The Finnish puukko , the Sardinian resolza, the Bavarian jagdnicker, the khukri, the higonokami, the navaja, etc.
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Me too. I think it's fascinating how different knives develop within different societies. It's also interesting how some knife types survive, and some are lost to history.
 
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What ever speaks to me at the moment. I almost never even look at knives under $100....funny because before I got into this hobby, I was content with a $30 Kershaw.
 
I’ve owned hundreds and hundreds of knives over the years. I used to focus on getting as many of the brands that I liked as I could afford, but I ended up with so many knives that went uncarried I decided to purge all but the best of the best. I now have a small collection of the brands I most enjoy.

Emerson - Custom CQC-6 waveless, Commander, A100, CQC-15

Medford - Proxima, On Belay, Smooth Criminal, Praetorian Ti (arriving in a few months)

Strider - NSN SMF, DGG SMF, ME SnG (aluminum), Protech SnG

Randoms - Microtech SOCOM Elite (service personnel edition), Benchmade 810, GEC 97, Spyderco Rescue 93mm

Each one brings me joy, gets carried at work in rotation, and are what you might call “never sells”. Unless I am in a major financial crisis none of these knives will be sold. Once my Praetorian gets here I’m pretty much set on the knives I want with the exception of a custom Emerson CQC-15. The 15 was my first Emerson, and the knife that started my love for knives that were somewhat expensive. I still have my original 15, and would like a custom to compliment it.

After that I hope to take a long break from buying knives and enjoy the ones I have.
 
I seem to avoid traditionals like trappers and such. I have given away almost every traditional I have ever owned. Nail nicks are not my friend. Maybe this is why.

My collection is more modern folders than anything else. Mainly drop points.

And SAKs that just sit around waiting to be used or given away.
As easy as they are to open, even a SAK can play havoc with my nails.
 
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Asking me to focus is like asking Steve McQueen to not be cool.

I know I posted when this thread started but, whatever. Flicking/flipping/etc a knife open and close repeatedly helps with my anxiety and adhd. Simple fact. Fidget factor is a must. Yesterday was the first day in nearly a year I took a clonazepam. Opening and closing an OTF in the hospital is not exactly an acceptable practice.

I can literally sit and completely zone out opening and closing a knife one handed, works as well as any drug for me. The cyclic sound relaxes me completely. My flippers are constantly going off center from this. This past week I had to tighten the pivot on my Southard, ZT 0095, Massdrop Gent Select, A Purvis Progeny, and the Domino. I flip one open and close 4-5 times before bed every night.

Fidget Factor, color and material variety. I have one FRN and one G-10 knife, everything else is CF, Micarta, Wood, or metal.
 
I like smaller (3" or less blades) folders that are slicey. But not too small. And I don't mind an occasional larger knife. I like elegant and well-executed designs with good form and function. I appreciate good, tight mechanics. I have no patience for blade play or other mechanical issues such as off-center blades. I have no interest in clunky, chunky or overbuilt knives with thick blades.
 
Based on the total number I have built up I feel I would fall into the collector realm but in reality my focus is on finding the perfect performing knife for the following catagories....small folder, larger folder, small fixed and large fixed. Perfect to me is a tool that cuts first but alternatively will perform as a multi tool and hold up when I put it to work! The only way ill find the perfect ones is by trying all thats out there, right?
 
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