What is your ideal, steady-state collection of cutting tools?

K

Karl H

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Apr 24, 2020
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While there is a certain joy that comes with trying many different types of cutting tools, there is also a joy that comes from not owning things that will not be used frequently.

While I am sure that there are some people continually accumulate cutting tools without the intention of selling or donating anything, I imagine most people want to be somewhere in between the extremes of owning zero cutting tools and owning all the cutting tools in existence.

I am curious, how many cutting tools would you ideally own for the long-term. Please note that does not include trying out new things, provided that the new tool would either be evaluated and discarded or take the place of another tool.
 
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I haven't sold any of them. I just don't think it would be worth the time hassle or money.
I own more than 25 and less than 100 maybe; I really haven't counted them.
 
I’m working on 182, that way i can change every other day if I chose to. I was thinking 365, one for every day of the year, but then I thought that would be silly :rolleyes:
 
pretty much one more than i have, however one could say an awful lot about the virtues, benefits and efficeincy of extreme minimalism. not against it, just not where i'm at right now😂
 
Including kitchen knives and regular old utility knives, chisels, axes and everything??

I’d probably be happy with a limit of 200.
 
How many cutting tools would I ideally own long term? Pbsheeeeit, bout 10, max. Maybe. And that would be plenty. They’d all get carried, used, and loved and develop plenty of character.

I don’t quite have it pared down to that number, but I think I could.
 
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I have a collection that covered all my needs for years now. For me it was mostly about maintenance, refinement and getting to know some of the supersteels and serrated edges, mainly from Spyderco.
I managed to sell most of what I don't want, replaced Condors with Barkies, replaced plastic scales with custom ones. Even made leather sleeves for everything (except the FRN models).
Then I looked at my SAK and MT collection, sold an unused Rebar and Spirit, bought an Alox X, an Alox Classic, and an AVT SAK, opened up the hex bit socket on the scales of my RangerGrip. Bought fresh batteries for the Lite models, stuff like that.
Now I am looking at the Buck 112 and 113 to match my traditional machetes in the same style.
Not sure if I will be reaching a steady state anytime soon though, because I still want to try steels like INFI, K390, 15V and MagnaCut, and also a few knives.

Right now I have about 40 good knives (not counting SAKs and kitchen knives) and another 30-40 are heirlooms, beaters, specialized carving tools, some are still for sale, and some I consider expendable.
 
Bob Denman said:
I'll let you know when I reach that number.
(At about 75: and climbing!)
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I am not sure, but my collection somewhere between 40 to 50. I have to refer to mine as a " collection" to alleviate my conscience, rather than being the result of an obsession
 
Other than for box/utility cutters, my need to "use" a knife is limited to the kitchen.

I have been using 5 kitchen knives for over 40 years and have been using another 5 for the past 20 years. There are more knives in my kitchen drawers than that but I do not use them w/any regularity.

None of these knives are part of my "collection" of (now) 336 knives; some of which I carry but none of which I "use" to cut anything beyond some paper or string.
 
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celticrogues said:
I want to own all of the cutting tools in existence.
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Sorry. None of mine are for sale. 😀

I think I have enough knives to last me the rest of this life ... and to be honest, the next two or three.
I don't "need" to buy another knife, but there are still a couple I want, and might whined up getting ... A Celtic pocket/neck knife, or Mora Eldris, for example. If I do get them ... worst case, they can go to my nephew when I leave this life, or join the 3 (maybe 5 or 6) that are going into the box with me, along with a muzzleloader, and some Archery. :)
 
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I'm down to about 27 , I more so buy certain blade shapes and steels that I can use at work which is the most fun part
 
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