10/23/06

Welcome!

  This site is dedicated to knife collecting which for me is a passion some people find hard to understand.  When asked as I frequently am why I collect knives, I have a stock reply.......

 The knife is one of man's earliest tools and as such I am fascinated with the way it has developed over thousands of years.  There is a huge journey from the first tools used by our ancestors made of flint, shell or bone to modern knives made from super steels.  Every aspect of that progression is of interest to me.  The thought processes involved in making a better knife for different tasks, each change adding to the knowledge needed to make the variety of knives we have today.

  The trial and error used in finding new materials and manufacturing techniques is simply incredible.  I can't help but wonder how many blades were discarded when their makers weren't happy with their results.  Today there is not one of us who does not benefit from the efforts of our forefathers.  Each one of us uses a knife every day of our lives whether we use it to eat or prepare food, open packages or boxes or have our daily shave.  Without knives we would still be long haired, bearded individuals tearing meat from the bone with our teeth!  We would all live in caves because there would be no edged building tools.  People would be dying unnecessarily because we would be unable to perform simple operations.  So, without the knife and its associated tools we would be back in the dark ages.

  Knife collecting for me is like treasure hunting.  Searching for a missing knife gives me the challenge of the hunt, the excitement of the discovery and the reward of owning the actual knife. 

  When I started to collect knives I was given some good advice; It is better to own one good quality knife rather than a drawer full of cheap ones.  With this in mind I decided to collect Spyderco knives.  I concentrated on the older discontinued models first as I could see that they were becoming more sought after.  Collectors buy knives for three main reasons, for pleasure, education, as an investment or a combination of one or more of the three.  For whatever reason you collect the key to enjoying the process is to buy well! 

  Bernard Levine says, "The true value of a knife, if such a thing exists, is the actual amount of money paid for it by a knowledgeable buyer to a knowledgeable seller in an unpressured transaction.  In the real world these conditions are not always met, so knives often sell for either less or more than they are worth".  He continues by saying, "To buy knives wisely, you only need to remember two principles.  First, select knives based on your own taste and judgment, buying only types or brands of knives that you really like.  When you like a certain type of knife, you will develop a sense of its good features, as well as its potential problems.  Unless you are willing to spend time and take the financial risk of becoming a knife dealer, don't try to second guess other collectors tastes.  Stick to your own!

  The second principle of buying wisely is to base the prices you pay on both condition and market.  Don't pay high for knives in poor condition.  On the other hand, do occasionally stretch your budget to buy a fine hand made knife or rare antique knife in pristine condition.