what's your collection direction?

clovisc · #1

one of the toughest things about collecting spydies -- for me -- is deciding what to buy. $ is limited, and there are just too many choices! i often find myself wondering what direction i want to take my collection in... older spydies? recently disco'd spydies? the newest, latest, bestest spydies? much as i try to have a cohesive plan, i'm afraid my collecting style is a bit too chaotic. :o

lately, though, i've noticed that i've been attracted to and buying a lot of spydies in "different" (non-black, non-SS) colors. the variety of possibilities sure brightens up the collection... think this is definitely a direction i'll continue in...

how would you guys describe your own collecting styles? numbered pieces? NIB-only? sprint runs? EDC only? mostly classics? total spyderlust-driven chaos??

fellyjr · #2

I've got a number of knives in the works right now and most of them consist of older classics which you could say fall under the category of what is affectionately known as "The Golden Era Of Spyders". (That ones for you JD) :p

Currently I am awaiting the arrival of:

Ayoob - PE and SE
Red A.G. Russell Snap-it
Big Calypso - PE and SE
JD Smith - PE and SE
SS PE Rookie
Gunting trainer
SS PE Pegasus
Blue Almite Gin-1 vented Navigator
C44 Dyad
I normally only collect BNIB, which all of the above are, but I have a feeling that I'm going to have to settle for LNIB for a few i have yet to find like the C15 and C19 Terzuola's.

Murdoc · #3

The latter... :-)

but as my collection is growing, I find myself looking at the knives and thinking:

ok, you have one in SE, PE, CE, black, blue, burgundy, BRgreen, big, small, with and without wave, VG-10, S30V, ZDP189, FRN, SS, G10, Kraton. ALL LOCKBACKS!! :eek:

What's missing (and needs to added!!)?

one in foliage green, yellow, huge, gentleman folder-sized, wharncliff, sheepfoot, H-1 (SE, PE), carbon fiber, liner lock, compression lock, magnetic ......(you get the idea :-)

I call this style of senseless collecting "Noah's ark" :)

Truth is, if I could afford it, I would buy them all. Since I can't (thank god), I

1) decide according to instinct :o
2) jump at the chance when there's a reasonable offer for a NIB :spyder: that "I've always wanted" :D i.e. my new Stretch (LOVE IT!)

Not really helping here, am I?

Dennis

zenheretic · #4

Embrace Chaos.

fellyjr · #5

zenheretic wrote:Embrace Chaos.

Been there......still there! :eek: :eek:

Texas guy · #6

I don't concentrate on one aspect, like all Delicas or all SE; instead I like to cover the variety of all knife styles and makes. I like to have the different innovations, like a waved knife, a DLC coated knife, an H1 knife, the ball lock, the compression lock, etc. It is fun when your collection theme is to have variety. BTW, I also collect with the intent of giving ALL my knives at least some carry time. I will admittedly go easy on certain knives, but I want to actually be able to cut with my collection, not just know that I have some pretty knives sitting in a drawer somewhere.

Firefighter880 · #7

I pretty much just go with whatever I feel will fill the current need I have. My Spyders are all users, so I don't really concentrate on any particular style or type of :spyder: .

For instance, my most recent purchases were a Black Yojimbo and an ATR. I was looking for a back-up SD knife and a good work knife. Those two fit the bill.

Now I'm looking at the Chinook 3, Pacific Salt, Endura 4, and Civilian. Just wish I had more cash!! :rolleyes:

:spyder:

KSDbass · #8

I know this sounds obvious, but I really just buy what I need/ want, and it's pretty random. My first Spydie was a Spyderfly from BLADE, then a waved endura, then a trainer so the E4W could have red handles, then a Black Yojimbo, then a Lava, now I'm working on some sort of Rescue blade, THEN a waved rescue, THEN a ZDP Caly, a ZDP Endura, and a Captain. So it's really what I think is cool. Then again, I guess I really just like the newest, latest stuff.

Puyallupknifegu · #9

zenheretic wrote:Embrace Chaos.

So that's what I'm experiencing as I scroll through page after page of Spyders and wipe the drool from my chin...and desk...and can't concentrate on anything other than shiny objects... :eek:

Tim

The Deacon · #10

I've tried to focus on PE front locks, but I have a few pieces that deviate from one or both of those criteria. Not sure about the future, must admit that I've been giving serious thought to thinning the herd and eliminating many which, while "collectable", hold no real attraction for me beyond that.

224477 · #11

to buy anything what I like, dont have yet and can afford :D

Fairlane · #12

Hard to answer question...

My main line in my collection is to have the most collectable of each SKU Spyderco folders. If nothing else makes a difference, then i will have the PE.
This can sometimes be very hard, and i have more than once ended up with several of the same SKU...

Besides that i try to collect all variants Crickets, Civilians, Centofante, Delica and i have also amassed a few Police models....

fellyjr · #13

The Deacon wrote: must admit that I've been giving serious thought to thinning the herd and eliminating many which, while "collectable", hold no real attraction for me beyond that.

Howdy Paul. If you ever do want to "thin the herd" and are looking for a nice ranch to send them where they will be fed and watered and loved on a daily basis then please give me a shout will ya? The vacancy sign is always on at my ranch.

:D

Halfneck · #14

I like the exotic/ethnic Spyderco knives. Got my Schempp Persian (Full size, don't like the smaller as much) & Kris, my PE Jot Singh Khalsa, and my PE Black Handled Dodo. Really wish I had gotten a Shabaria as they are hard & expensive to come by. The Gunting would fit in this category, but it just never appealed to me. I also like my ZDP-189 Burgundy Calypso Jr. because of the laminated blade.

Basically I buy what appeals to my sense of taste.

The General · #15

Due to a great lack of funds and the desire for a quality product that won't break the bank, I find myself going for the Delica/Endura patterns with others like the Caly and Salt series.

I don't know if its as a result of forums, my collecting style, knife understanding or other things, but I have noticed something.

Is it just me or are there more and more Spydies being released? More and more I find myself wanting a Spyderco, but not having the spare cash. It used to be I would go months and months without seeing a Spyderco I wanted!

Spyderco knives are really the only production knives I buy now. I really can't recal the last non Spyderco knife I bought.

I do recal one year many years ago, looking through the Spyderco line up for the year and not really seeing anything I was that fussed with or wanted. Last five years or so I feel like Spyderco are making knives for me, exclusivly for me!

I know its silly, and I say it very lightheartedly, but even the basic models like the Endura and Delica that I thought I would never buy again after getting used to knives like the Military (own 4 myself) and the other flagship models in the range. However, the Endura and Delica has massivly raised the bar IMHO on what I can expect from a knife for the money.

If its good value and performance I want, I always look now at the Endura and Delica range and sigh in satisfaction. Now the SS models have VG-10 steel as well... Might need to get one of those as well! :o

flipe8 · #16

My collection is basically made of knives that serve given purposes. As result, I have thinned down the herd considerably. Like many, I have been looking for the "perfect knife". The search continues, but I'm closer now than I was before.

boxer93 · #17

Let's see Q's
Maybe a few in color too. Here is a link with some color spydies http://spyderco.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16551
Chris

buferoe · #18

hi Guy's,

For me it's quiet simple: I buy (collect) what I like.

This means my what my eyes like I buy, but there are also Spydies I don't like (Karambit ) so that will not be in my collection.
But my son likes it,so there still is a karambit in my house.

kind regards,

Werner

rcbalt2 · #19

When I started collecting it was straight tactical. Now I tend to to collect more gentleman knives and choppers. Weird I know but thats me. I'll still get a tactical model if it appeals to me like the pikal.

Puyallupknifegu · #20

[quote="fellyjr"]Howdy Paul. If you ever do want to "thin the herd" and are looking for a nice ranch to send them where they will be fed and watered and loved on a daily basis then please give me a shout will ya? The vacancy sign is always on at my ranch. ]

LOL!!! Felly, you crack me up!!! :D

Tim