The Pain of Parting with Knives

[Infinite Zero]

Does anyone else feel horrible when they realize that a knife you own no longer has a place in your collection?

As I’ve come back into the Spyderco fold after a decade away, I’ve recently realized that some knives that survived my hiatus don’t really engage me like they used to. In addition, due to a huge relocation, I no longer have the luxury of a local knife shop that carries most of the Spyderco line, meaning that I’ve had to order some models purely based on photos and review, instead of actual hands-on experience.

Because of this, I’ve had to get used to the fact that my knives may be rotating out of my collection a lot more than they used to. In the last 30 days, I’ve sold my Raffir Noble Chaparral, my original Chap Lightweight (which I used without a clip due to the fact it was from the first run pre-CQI before the clip mounting point was redesigned), my Native Chief BD1N Lightweight and my Police 4 PD#1 Sprint. I also gave my Chaparral Slipit to my son. That’s a crazy amount of letting go for me, and definitely a financial loss for the recent models.

How do you all cope with selling or giving away your knives? Also, for those of you who’s only access to new Spydercos is through online ordering, how do you evaluate new models to minimize the chances of ordering something you don’t end up liking?

[8th_Note]

Does anyone else feel horrible when they realize that a knife you own no longer has a place in your collection?

As I’ve come back into the Spyderco fold after a decade away, I’ve recently realized that some knives that survived my hiatus don’t really engage me like they used to. In addition, due to a huge relocation, I no longer have the luxury of a local knife shop that carries most of the Spyderco line, meaning that I’ve had to order some models purely based on photos and review, instead of actual hands-on experience.

Because of this, I’ve had to get used to the fact that my knives may be rotating out of my collection a lot more than they used to. In the last 30 days, I’ve sold my Raffir Noble Chaparral, my original Chap Lightweight (which I used without a clip due to the fact it was from the first run pre-CQI before the clip mounting point was redesigned), my Native Chief BD1N Lightweight and my Police 4 PD#1 Sprint. I also gave my Chaparral Slipit to my son. That’s a crazy amount of letting go for me, and definitely a financial loss for the recent models.

How do you all cope with selling or giving away your knives? Also, for those of you who’s only access to new Spydercos is through online ordering, how do you evaluate new models to minimize the chances of ordering something you don’t end up liking?

I also don't have a local shop where I can handle knives before buying. I rely on online reviews, YouTube videos, and careful consideration of specs.

I recently spent a lot of money on an exclusive Manix 2 that I thought I would love. But it just didn't do it for me (it's a very nice knife, it's just not the knife for me). So I sold it on bladebinge.com and was able to recoup my money and make a small profit too.

I recently bought a Kizer Militaw that I thought I would like too. But I'm going to have to sell it as well.

But most of the time, I'm happy with my purchases.

I recently bought my first Ladybug, and it's great in every way

[Halfneck]

Learning to come to terms with it myself.

Mostly related to the fact I'm getting older, work an office job, and have more than enough knives for my knife needs. One consolation is having 2 sons that I can give my no longer needed/used knives.

[kobold]

If I don't like a knife and it was just lying around unused, no problem. Unused means good resale value.
I usually realize a knife is not for me early on.

If I do like a knife, but don't carry it, it could be because it is too nice to EDC. I will still keep it, JIC I change my mind one day.
Very rarely, when I sell a knife that I like, I promise myself that I will get the upgraded or better version later. Like when I sold my camo/DLC PM2 I knew I would get the Military version.

[Switchback]

I never feel any grief or regret from selling knives. I only sell knives that no longer speak to me and I have no problems selling them for that very reason. No sense in keeping knives that I don’t like anymore.

I buy mostly online but I do live about 85 miles from Grand Prairie Knives and I drive right by another knife store about 100 miles away on my delivery route. Sadly, that store doesn’t carry Spyderco. I can handle knives before buying them if I absolutely must.

When buying online, I know that there is no guarantee that I will like the knife but that’s okay. If I lose any money selling it, I consider the loss the amount it cost me to rent the knife and/or the amount that I would have spent on gas driving to GPK and back.

[TkoK83Spy]

I miss a few of them, some of them just for a week or so. But figure I still have a bunch more that do the same thing. I don't get too sentimentally attached to them though, they're tools that most people I know could care less about, so I never consider giving them away.

[Aladinsane]

I’ve only sold 2 of my Spydercos. They were the Manix 2 154CM, and the Centofante 3. While I really wanted to like the Manix, the handle just wasn’t working for me. I sold it to a coworker and he still carries it everyday! He’s happy with it, so I’m happy!
The Centofante 3 was my gateway knife into Spyderco, but the thumb ramp kept scratching my hand or cutting a hole in my pocket. I sold it to another coworker who also likes it a lot, so I’m happy!

[WilliamMunny]

No knife shops near me so I just use this board for feed back on models I might like.

[Ocho]

As an amateur knife modifier, I love taking a good knife and making it unique. Swapping scales, acid washing, acid etching, rit dye, forced patina, heat anodizing, you name it. It's a passion for me.

But when I've done all I can do to a blade and I'm satisfied with the results, it's off to the next project. So no problem selling one of my blades to pay for the next project.(just take lots of pictures for the nemories) I also am fortunate to have a grown son that will one day inherit a collection of one of a kind blades. (He already has a few)

[Skar]

I keep them all.
So it’s really easy for me to hoard more and more !

[SpeedHoles]

Fortunately I don't make too many ill purchases that don't work out for me...

But one that I occasionally think about and wonder why I bought it is the Burch Chubby. Nothing against the designer, but that's just one knife I bought and just don't see myself ever using or carrying now. I rarely resell knives, but that one might be one I'll eventually put up somewhere.

[aicolainen]

Funny this thread started today.
I was emptying my bathroom knife stash today, and one knife I found in there was my CS Chief. There was no denying I hadn’t carried it for a long time and my first thought was that I need to sell it.
Then I start to clean it and give it a little love to prepare it for a sale… and after handling it for a bit I start getting doubts.
I still intend to sell it, but that kind of scenario is quite a familiar one; rediscovering a knife as I dig it out from my drawer to sell it. So familiar in-fact, that I laughed to myself and thought this could be worth it’s own topic on the forum.

One reason I struggle to sell knives is exactly the difficult acquisition process, I don’t only have to order online, but most of my purchases are from abroad which adds another layer of acquisition cost as well as horrible return options. The only thing worse than buying a knife under such circumstance, is to sell that knife and regret it. This has led me to hold on for too many knives for too long.
I definitively have accumulated to many at this point, so a purge is (hopefully) imminent, but it’s a lot easier to say so than to actually carry out.

[Evil D]

I'm not familiar with this feeling.

[kobold]

I'm not familiar with this feeling.

:-) And who knew bathroom knife stash is a thing.

[8th_Note]

I'm not familiar with this feeling.

:-) And who knew bathroom knife stash is a thing.

are you saying that you DON'T have a bathroom knife stash ?!?!?

[olditguy]

Never sold a single knife before and just picked up another one.

[twinboysdad]

Never and I have sold some really rare Spydies. Let’s be honest- a Sodbuster or Stockman would satisfy 98% of our needs. I never look back on those caught and released and hope the next owner was elated they got something cool. It’s just a tool at the end of the day.

[jwesley235]

I have a PM2 and a Shaman for sale now. The PM2 was a duplicate and the Shaman didn't grab me. As for the pain, I understand but you have to look at is as giving someone else a chance to appreciate it like you once did. I have a few large fixed blades I'm (mentally) preparing to sell because, while I love 'em, most will never be used and some of them I only look at once or twice a year, so why do I have them? I am going to sell them to give someone else a chance to love them.

[jwbnyc]

I'm not familiar with this feeling.

:-) And who knew bathroom knife stash is a thing.

Well..

[Cowboyfromhell]

I should sell a bunch but dont want to be bothered with the whole selling process....guess I just keep them.