The price of our obsession

[Gerhard Gerber]

Several threads about collections and collecting recently.......

Thankfully my ego allows me to admit my mistakes, and more importantly learn from others and their mistakes.

My knife collection started bothering me shortly after I finished a big knife for myself.

I realised the knives I had bought with the intent of using them were now a "collection" of non-collectibles, might as well be buying kitchen cutlery.

Been playing with the idea of selling some of my knives for a while, finally got together the courage and advertised on a FB group, my 7 most expensive production fixed blades...

What came as a shock is one guy asked me for my best price for the lot of them, and unlike me he'd totaled the lot.....

He actually lost me for a moment because I couldn't quite believe the amount.

To my great surprise and shame I realised these knives could easily pay for the proper belt grinder I so badly want to buy. 


Sorry to say no happy ending to this story, as expected only vultures circling in search of desperation bargains   

I'll have to face my demons, sit on my collection and save up for the grinder the hard way.

Most difficult part, I have to start by saying no for a very reasonably priced Husqvarna hatchet! 

 

[Grant Lamontagne]

I get where you are coming from- years ago I bought a Victorinox Helmsman for no other real reason than it was part of a package deal with some other knives that I wanted.  I had no real interest in it specifically, and a year or so later I sold it.

Selling it bothered me so much that a few months later I paid more than I sold it for so I could get a new one, and the worst part is, it is still in a drawer in a box somewhere, completely unused.   

I've done that a few times and it never really gets easier!   

Def

[David Bowen]

I am in the same boat, I've traded away knives and tools I've regret trading away. I have many items that I never use and can't part with if I tried. I'm more of a user and not a collector. I've got many things that are rare, collectible and hard to find.  Holding on to something even though I don't use it is hard for me and I feel compelled to let it go. Truth is its an addiction, I appreciate the designs, the quality and the ingenuity of the people that create these products. There are times myself where I bought back something like Grant did and paid more the second time than before simply because I felt bad getting rid of it in the first place.

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[Aloha]

When the "bug" bit me on collecting Leatherman tools I had a somewhat clear path I was going to take. 
1.  It didn't matter if the tool was used just so long as the condition was good.
2.  Dont pay more that the tool was originally worth. 
3.  Theres nothing I must have.

This was to a lessor extent my personal marching orders.  My collection grew rather quickly and yes I did break a rule or 3  but not regularly. 

My collection was never purchased as an investment which for me makes owning a lot of tools fun rather than a burden.  I can always liquidate them for their current "value" and make out or break even.

I can get rid of most of what I have if that time ever comes.   

[Ron Who]

SAK collecting is a hobby, and hobbies always will cost you something. Some guys are better of collecting gold nuggets, won't lose any money on those.

[Old Boy]

Same boat for me. It helps though that I've started to give away some of my LM MTs to friends and family. Good to know it's helping someone I care about.

[metasyntax]

It's a lot easier to spend money in $50 increments on stuff I don't need, than to save up and spend $2000 on something I do.  I hear you on the whole collection of non-collectibles (you summarized my situation right there), but at the same time, it's very very hard to truly collect all the collectible pieces.  Plus, a lot more expensive... it would be worth more later, but the real test is whether you're happy with it as a collection; if not then it's time to liquidate!

[Gerhard Gerber]

3.  Theres nothing I must have.

Bit too personal to get into the reasons here, but I was utterly compulsive.....

Thing is, I fully planned on using the 2 Beckers at the time I bought them.  Same with the Silent Hero 

I do of course have a reason to be thankful in this, it started with using a red tupperware lid to add liners and generally pimp out a CS GI Tanto, graduated to making micarta and replacing handles on cheap knives.

Next step was making knives, so for this happy accident I'm eternally grateful, and the will to improve is also driving me to the next ridiculously expensive purchase 

I'm definitely never parting with the hand made knife I bought for my 40th birthday present to myself, ditto for my cheap and cheerful Mora collection which is likely to grow, and I do believe I might buy some more chinese folders in the future.

    

[Gerhard Gerber]

I badly want this......