It's a lonely pursuit...

[Eli Chaps]

I have very few people in my circle that appreciate knives the way I do. I did get a co-worker pretty deep into it so we chat about stuff when I see him. My grand-nephew's fiance has also taken a real interest in kitchen cutlery and sharpen so that is fun.

All my friends and family know me as the knife nut and most all of them have received a knife or multitool of some fashion from me over the years. Many of those being Spyderco's. I can tell ya, my very outdoorsy son in law and daughter love that I enjoy giving away Spydercos! When I was a little kid, all the older folks would give me their knives to sharpen.

I enjoy engaging in forum discussions and watching videos but this has always been my thing so I never really thought of it as being lonely.

Now, I will say, that at least for me, it is important to keep things fresh to keep me engrossed. I've been doing this so long, I know what I like in a knife and outside of Spyderco, there's not a lot in the modern-EDC-style knives that turn me on. So, I'll occasionally stray off into Case, or French knives, or Italian slip joints. And I have a healthy interest in Japansese kitchen cutlery that may distract me from the EDC world altogether for a bit and then I drift back.

I also love sharpening and learning and progressing so that is another huge aspect of the hobby to keep you entertained.

I always come back to Spyderco, I just broaden the playing field to keep me from burning out.

[DSH007]

Ah, hahaha!

Bolster, in my time I’ve learned that most of my mates think I’m strange. Non would give a flying duck as to what I think is a good blade steel, knife or sharp edge. Ah, hahaha!

Even on the odd occasion they’ve asked my advice on a knife it always ends with, I’m not paying that for a knife! Ah, hahaha!

Sounds about right!

[TkoK83Spy]

Wish I was a kid again and had that orange gun...right up to the tv screen to make sure I didn't miss my shot haha! Good ole duck hunt

[DSH007]

I have a few friends and family members who carry knives, but none are really "into knives" hahah. A few know that I am, and occasionally, they will express a casual interest for my sake.. which is enough to get me going about this model or that, this steel, grind, lock-type, etc. or that.. I can typically determine the exact moment in which their eyes glaze over and I've lost them hahah.. usually around the 20 - 30 second mark.

This forum is a happy place in my life hahah. I sometimes do a lot more reading than posting, but its always a treat to spend time among like-minded people here. Some of you even make me feel pretty d@mn "normal"..

Happy New Year all!

[Evil D]

Literally zero people in my actual personal circle, the closest I've got is Nate down the road but I also have such a busy life that he could be my next door neighbor and I still wouldn't have a lot of time for it…

Don’t worry mate. I’ll break into your actual personal circle when we finally road trip out to Golden together for the seconds sale. 2022 or bust!!

Man I even have family in Colorado but they're still 4 hours away from Golden. I've thought about it from many angles

[DSH007]

Wish I was a kid again and had that orange gun...right up to the tv screen to make sure I didn't miss my shot haha! Good ole duck hunt

A classic for sure! Till this day, I still have no idea what manner of 1980s wizard magic made that little plastic gun capable of shooting a tiny flying duck on a tv screen..

Hah damnit.. that duck picture was supposed to be a gif..must have uploaded it incorrectly.. I guess that's what I get for trying to "bloke" the master..

[JRinFL]

Me searching for someone to talk about pocket knife collecting.

[Soanso McMasters]

I have very few people to talk about my hobbies with, including knives. My wife humors me a bit, and my son thinks knives are cool and loves his Spydercos, but he’s 8 and doesn’t want to talk knives for 30 minutes straight. When I get a new one he always asks if he can have it though! His knife collection is better than anything I had until I was 43!

[Pokey]

I have only a couple of friends and coworkers that geek-out over knives, and a few more just carry them. Of the two that geek-out, one can tell you what steel he likes vs. the job at hand. The other one can tell you which one he likes best for camping, hiking and back country skiing based on the build or weight of the knife.

I recently found out an exdoor neighbor was using dull, semi-pointed objects that would eventually gum, (as in dentures removed,) its way through whatever he was trying to cut. He had seen (gas station) knives with holes in the blade, but never thought much of them. I sent him a Tenacious/S35VN CE for his tool bag, a Native 5 for his pocket, and a Spyderco catalog. He was an instant convert. His son geeks-out on knives more for their utility, but he's getting really interested in steel, too. I sent both of them an Assist FRN for Christmas because they live in a very rural, mountainous area with lots of drivers that constantly defy the laws of physics while driving. They're now wise about the utility of a good knife, and they like Spyderco's. The conversion is beginning to work.

Then, there are those others that come to me to use my knife every time they need to cut something.

[Qcrazy]

I wrote this last month and waffled on posting it. Now this thread comes along, and this seems to fit.

Show and tell at 65:

I thought I’d write about an interesting day I had recently. I’ve lived in a small town for seven years since retiring. I found golf to be a challenging way to fill much of my time and have made many friends on the course. There is a hugely active men’s club here and I can find a game every day of the week.

Many now close to me know that I carry a knife. One friend in particular asks to use it often and for various tasks. From work on a vehicle to work in the water under his houseboat he’s used my knife and used it hard. The abuse it takes, the edge it holds and the work it gets done, always impresses him. Since he used it so much and truly harder than I wanted my knife to be used, I gifted him his own Native 5. He’s now a believer and carries it everywhere.

My collection had risen to numbers that make me shake my head. I cherish each knife in my collection though I have found that seeing the happy faces of friends and family when given a knife makes me as happy as them. This week I gifted 3 more knives to other members and was recently asked to bring some knives in for all the club members to look at. So yesterday comes around and I bring in 3 spyderpacs as well as my 911 WTC knife.

I’m a knife nut and I know it, so my request was that they should leave when they’re bored, or tell me to shut up when they’ve had enough because I can talk of knives forever.

The show and tell went really well and the pass around was well received. There were many comments on the quality and feel of the knives, as well as surprise at how keen of edge all of the knives had. (Most of the edges were factory, so very little credit to me here). Much of the knowledge I was able to pass along came directly from this forum and the people that contribute here, as well as Sal and company from their input and website.

I’ve never been a public speaker and try to avoid that at all costs. Though right then I found that when there is a product of quality that stands out amongst its peers and talking about something I have a passion for became very easy.

Everything went very well and no one told me to shut up or left until all knives had been fondled. It amazed me that all had such interest in knives and that side stories kept coming up of knives that they’d owned or memories around collecting interests they’d had. The strangest things can bring people together and inclusiveness in sharing interests brings us closer together.

[Ramonade]

Not really anybody around me, at least in my familiy or friend group.

If I want to talk knives, it's only with elders in my village or the surrounding villages.
I know some makers not far from me that I go see sometimes. This thread reminded me that I'm supposed to go forge a fixed blade at someone's workshop !

[attila]

I also have essentially no one to talk to in detail about knives, steels, or sharpening.

I got one of my colleagues a Clipitool Standard last year. He likes the utility of it, but he’s still not a knife guy.

Most others at work are all unprepared or into rubbish automatics like the tactical SOGs. One guy has a nice Benchmade, and a new employee has a Microtech, but they’re still one-knife-types.

My wife doesn’t care, but appreciates having something sharp to borrow periodically.

Thanks to everyone here for sharing an interest of mine.

[jdw]

I appreciate the people who frequent this board for that very reason. I know quite a few people who use knives but hardly any who share my love of all of the quirks and interests of the hobby part of knives. I have learned immense amounts about knives, knife making, and I have particularly upgraded my sharpening skills from interacting and reading posts from the great members here. What I lack in a physical knife hobbyist community I have found on this forum and I appreciate all of you.

[JRinFL]

I appreciate the people who frequent this board for that very reason. I know quite a few people who use knives but hardly any who share my love of all of the quirks and interests of the hobby part of knives. I have learned immense amounts about knives, knife making, and I have particularly upgraded my sharpening skills from interacting and reading posts from the great members here. What I lack in a physical knife hobbyist community I have found on this forum and I appreciate all of you.

Amen.

[bearfacedkiller]

This is a good reason to attend the seconds sale. You get to camp out overnight with tons of knife geeks. I don’t have anybody to talk knives with except you guys but over the years I have been fortunate enough to meet quite a few of the forumites. The majority were at the seconds sale but I also have met a few that were visiting Denver while I lived there.

[VooDooChild]

Ive only met 3 true knife nuts in my local area who even knew what spyderco was and actually carried them.

Ironically one of them was my former boss and another was a coworker. So it was nice being able to nerd out about spydercos with them at my old job.

With that said, yeah most people just dont care. I still show off whatevers in my pocket and talk about spyderco to anyone who has the unfortunate pleasure of seeing me pull out my knife and then asking what it was.

[Steeltoez83]

I choose to journal my knife hobby on instagram. I understand most have little to no interest in that. Started doing that when my better half was in a coma and havent looked back. Its essential for me to take interest in the hobbies of others. Therefore they feel more comfortable discussing interests of mine whenever the discussion sways that direction.

[Bolster]

Me searching for someone to talk about pocket knife collecting.

LOL! OK, just keep walking west for about 2,300 miles and you'll find me!

[standy99]

I was a butcher for nearly 20 years and there was some good knife guys
Surprisingly not all had that much of a interest outside of work.

Had a BBQ a few weeks ago and had a decent knife on a cheese plate. Plenty loved the knife and commented on how nice and sharp it was. Somehow price came up and I could see the cringing come from all...

[JSumm]

Wish I was a kid again and had that orange gun...right up to the tv screen to make sure I didn't miss my shot haha! Good ole duck hunt

A classic for sure! Till this day, I still have no idea what manner of 1980s wizard magic made that little plastic gun capable of shooting a tiny flying duck on a tv screen..

Hah damnit.. that duck picture was supposed to be a gif..must have uploaded it incorrectly.. I guess that's what I get for trying to "bloke" the master..

Please let me help. We are in this together.