Your New Knife Ritual

[Mr. Pick]

Being a lefty, after a quick inspection for any obvious flaws, the first thing I do is move the pocket clip to the other side - or as often as not, install a deep carry clip on the appropriate side. I try to carry it a few days before adjusting the pivot screws and then make any adjustments, if needed. On Seki FRN models I also usually smooth the edges of of the scales with some emery cloth to make them a little beveled and more comfortable.

[standy99]

Open box have a good look.
Put in collection to await its turn.
Buy another Spyderco knife.
Dam# you Spyderco.......

[nerdlock]

Is it weird if one of the first things I do is to smell the knife and the literature that goes with it?

Some habits from comic book/trading card collecting when one was younger by a few decades ago truly dies hard...

Yes, but I only know because I do this too. :)

Ain't nuthin' like the smell of factory fresh paper and cardboard...

[Naperville]

I usually go in to deep meditation. Descending. Deeper and deeper. I continue on until I see myself in the Thermopylae defending my people against the crazy hoards and then....I put the knife away before I cut myself!

:p

[Cambertree]

Is it weird if one of the first things I do is to smell the knife and the literature that goes with it?

Some habits from comic book/trading card collecting when one was younger by a few decades ago truly dies hard...

Ha ha, I do the same thing with books and comics! :D

Can’t say I do it with knives, though.

I do like that smell of carbon steel blades though!

Reminds me of that guy who just bought his first Spyderco and complained that he didn’t like taste of it! :D :p

I’m sure that went straight onto Sal’s list of CQI improvements for the next model! Don’t recall what model it was now. :D :rolleyes: :)

[Tucson Tom]

I open the box and get the knife out, see how sharp it feels. I put the box away in a box with its brother and sister spyderco boxes. Then in my pocket it goes -- unless it is a fixed blade. Anything new gets carried -- and used -- for the next week at least.

An exception is mule team blades which get carefully set aside for the day when I start making handles.

I've never thought to smell knives. My smeller ain't all that sensitive to be honest. So I reserve it for things like fruit, fresh baked bread, the latest shaving soap and such.

[jpm2]

Tighten screws. Surprising how many I've found loose fresh out of the box.
Check operation, lock up & smoothness. Disassemble and fix if necessary.
Check edge and usually sharpen right away. The recent k390 delica was an exception, it came very good.

De-horn and start shaping the blade and handle to my liking.

[nerdlock]

Is it weird if one of the first things I do is to smell the knife and the literature that goes with it?

Some habits from comic book/trading card collecting when one was younger by a few decades ago truly dies hard...

Ha ha, I do the same thing with books and comics! :D

Can’t say I do it with knives, though.

I do like that smell of carbon steel blades though!

Reminds me of that guy who just bought his first Spyderco and complained that he didn’t like taste of it! :D :p

I’m sure that went straight onto Sal’s list of CQI improvements for the next model! Don’t recall what model it was now. :D :rolleyes: :)

Ahhh yep, books too. The smell of newly opened books or comics gives me a different kind of high. Lol.

But we don't want to be that guy that didn't like the taste of new Spydies... Gotta have limits to personal quirks! :D

[Cambertree]

Is it weird if one of the first things I do is to smell the knife and the literature that goes with it?

Some habits from comic book/trading card collecting when one was younger by a few decades ago truly dies hard...

Ha ha, I do the same thing with books and comics! :D

Can’t say I do it with knives, though.

I do like that smell of carbon steel blades though!

Reminds me of that guy who just bought his first Spyderco and complained that he didn’t like taste of it! :D :p

I’m sure that went straight onto Sal’s list of CQI improvements for the next model! Don’t recall what model it was now. :D :rolleyes: :)

Ahhh yep, books too. The smell of newly opened books or comics gives me a different kind of high. Lol.

But we don't want to be that guy that didn't like the taste of new Spydies... Gotta have limits to personal quirks! :D

LOL, yeah. I used to work for a book publisher and it’s funny how books and even cardboard from different countries all smells different.

I cracked up thinking of Sal telling Eric about the ‘complaint’.

‘Say what?! So this guy’s saying we need to improve the taste of our knives?!’ :D :D :D

Put me down for a preorder of a 2021 CQI’d oyster flavoured K390 Delica please, with a tuna sashimi flavoured HAP40 Dragonfly and a lemon sorbet AEB-L Urban for dessert, thanks. :D :p

Man, those IPA Z-wear Shamans are going to sell like hotcakes! :D

[Menipo]

I always check the Mrs isn’t looking before I open the package....

Hahahahaha! Same here....

- Another knife, darling?
- How many do you already have?
- Don't have enough?
- What's new this time? The number of screws of the handle?
- Are you gonna stop this any soon?

[Ankerson]

If I am going to use it I reprofile and sharpen it before doing anything putting my edge on it etc.

Once that is done it becomes my user and or I might do some testing etc. depending.

[DukeNiemand]

I'll do a quick check to make sure everything looks right, and then so long as the factory edge is acceptably sharp (it almost always is) I put it in my pocket and will use it and fidget with it constantly. That lets me get a feel for the cutting ability, and gets the action broken in. After a week or two I'll break it down clean, oil, and dial in the action. I will sharpen with the factory edge starts getting dull.

[aicolainen]

I’m not sure it’s a conscious ritual, but I see a pattern evolving.

Unconspicuously get my self to the post office to pick up the package, usually by walking the dog in the late hours after the girlfriend has gone off to bed.

Untraceably remove and dispose of the external packaging before I enter the house.

Sneak down to the man cave to finish off the final stage of unboxing.

The Moment of Truth. Seeing the knife in real life, usually for the first time (I live in the outskirts of nowhere, remember). This is where it makes or breaks. Where I get the first feedback on my research and feel the joy or disappointment of how well the actual look and feel aligns with my expectations.

Enjoy (usually, cause I do very good research :rolleyes: ) the knife for a little while, getting the initial feel of its action and usability.

After this, the knife is usually stowed away in my knife drawer. I often acquire activity specific knives/equipment, so the new arrival is very rarely required or fit for instant duty.

Now, my relationship with my girlfriend might come across as a little false and deceptive, but that’s not the case at all. She knows about the knives, the watches, the guns, the tents and the backpacks. All of it. It’s just a thing, or ritual if you will, that has evolved around the process of bringing the new acquisitions into the house. We’re all good :)

[qwkzotc]

I have accumulated a lot of knives over the years so I got a digital picture frame for my desk that changes pictures every few minutes and put a picture of each of my knives in the rotation. So my first thing is to take pictures for ID (if lost/stolen) then load the best picture of the knife into the rotation. Then it's off to fidgeting, maintaining, sharpening, using and/or the safe depending on why I bought it.

[Tucson Tom]

Checking and tightening screws sounds like a worthy addition to the process.

[Chieforman]

Open the box, enjoy the feel of a brand new knife and Spyderco craftsmanship, spend a few minutes asking myself how I could possibly justify buying yet another knife...

[Evil D]

Immediately start opening and closing and get a feel for the pivot and adjust as needed. Then I find something to cut. I reprofile them pretty soon after buying them. Most new knives immediately go into use because they're usually new models or steels that I want to try out.

[Pokey]

I usually get my knives at brick and mortar stores or at the SFO, so I give them the once-over on the spot. Once I get them home I'll hit the high spots on the edge with the Sharp Maker to smooth it out. Some are real sharp right out of the box so I'll skip that until they need a touch-up. I'll leave the action right where it is and let it work-in, then I'll adjust it accordingly.

I've only had to exchange three knives out of 40 or 50. One fixed blade didn't play nice with the Kydex sheath. One was, (I'm guessing,) sharpened on a belt that was slapping the edge. It ended up with fine/course serrations and waviness, (on a PE,) down the edge you could feel with your finger. The other had a fair amount of lock-stick for a back lock, then it quickly went away when the pivot loosened up. (They're probably available at the up and coming Seconds Sale.)

Then, I climb up into the closet, pull down the big cardboard box and put the empty Spyderco box in with the ever expanding collection.

[Blnd]

I so very rarely buy a new knife that I don’t really have any set ritual. I just picked up a replacement VG10 dragonfly - one look at the Orange scales and I sent it back for black.

When that got here I push tested on a receipt - it was fine so into the pocket it went. Gave it a first sharpening a couple weeks later. No big deal.

[Ez556]

I usually fidget with the knife like crazy for the rest of the night and then carry it a bunch. That generally wears them in quickly and then they fall into the normal rotation. I will actually do the same break -in with knives I gift people, I'll take them out and open and close them a bunch (possibly over 100 times) to get them a bit worn in before I give it to them, as well as knocking down the edges on the hole if its a little sharp. I'll usually then lubricate the knife and clean off any finger prints. That way the action works nice and smoothly and first time they open the knife will feel the same as the 100th time they open the knife.