Any non-collectors here?

[jackknifeh]

I only buy knives to use. After wanting one knife that would hold an edge for a long time I bought and sold some and this is what I have left:

Michael Walker: dress knife or EDC
Sage1: dress knife or EDC
Gayle Bradley: EDC hard use knife that looks good enough for a dress knife.
Delica4, ZDP-189, FFG: EDC
Native: EDC, great knife
Manix2, M4 blade: Hard use folder
Kiwi slip joint: EDC, especially if I go somewhere that locking knives are illegal.
Byrd Wings: great work knife
Bug: I'm not really sure why :D
SpydeRench: great multi-tool. Discontinued but ByrdRench still available.

Jack

[Waco]

I'm 99% user, maybe 1% collector. I only have one knife (Caly 3 CF) that i don't EDC, other than knives that have been retired or replaced by newer versions. Every other knife sees some kind of carry and use, although some more than others.

I can only think of one knife in my "collection" that has had almost no use. It's a big Case Buffalo folder from the late 60s. Even that one has had its NIB value taken by mild corrosion. Life is too short for keeping things in unused condition.

[SCARLETT]

i've got about 30 spydies. I only use one for work which is an ATR and off work I rotate them all. An ongoing joke with my friends is trying to guess what knife is in my pocket. It's important to have a knife for every day off the month :) . I also gift away far to many. So call me a user and a gifter :)

[dialex]

I consider myself a user rather than a collector. However, in time I gathered a small collection of spydies (which I'm pretty fond of, BTW) :)

[enduraguy]

I've seen pictures of some impressively large collections. Does anyone have just a few Spydercos purchased for "practical" reasons? I have more knives than I need, but I try to justify each one.

I like to think the few I do have are all "practical". I have a Para Military (first gen), Police 3, Zero Tolerance "ZT 301" and a Pacific Salt. I haven't carried or used any except the PS in many months now. I don't try to match a knife with certain shoes or an outfit, I just find the PS fits any occasion and especially during this extra hot, humid, sweaty summer we've had.

[Waco]

I just find the PS fits any occasion and especially during this extra hot, humid, sweaty summer we've had.

I've found that knives carried in my back pocket are wet from perspiration sometimes on hot days. So far, I haven't noticed any rust because of it, but it's a good reason to carry knives in my front pocket.

[Blerv]

I never buy to collect, just to use gently. I'm missing a few boxes even. :o

[Simple Man]

I'm not so much a collector as an informed accumulator... :o

[gull wing]

User/ Collector here. :D
Def - Use most of them then put them back in the box.
Cannot(not) touch them.

[Pinetreebbs]

From the Sprint's turning into Laps discussion.

...Collectors Vs Users, unfortunately, this one will likely never go away. IMO, there might be a handful of knife users that have honestly worn out any knife, let alone a Spyderco, through normal use. The vast majority of us enjoy have a finely crafted tool ready to do any cutting job that needs to be done. In between there are craftsmen and women that use a knife on a daily basis, but honestly rarely need to replace their knife. There are always exceptions, but they are not the norm. Knives are such useful tools, I cannot imagine anyone collecting them and not using at least some of them.

The collector Vs the user arguments becomes especially tedious when it comes to defensive blades, if someone is wearing one of those out I do not want to know how. :eek:
The discussion Pool, How many Spydercos do you own? makes my point about use Vs collection or as some call them backups.

If you own just one, several hundred or can only hope to own a Spyderco knife, I consider you a Spyderco aficionado. How you enjoy your Spyderco knife or knives is your personal business. :spyder:

[jabba359]

I own a few Spydercos and put a lot of them to use. My EDC rotation consists of about twenty knives with an additional ten or so that get used infrequently and I've got others yet that sit unused. That doesn't mean I won't use them in the future, but for now I've got plenty of knives in a variety of styles to fulfill my cutting needs. So I'm a user that also collects but isn't afraid to turn the collection into users.

[warriorsociologist]

Yep --

Over the years I have had dozens come and go. Now, my only spydies are:

(1) Gayle Bradley
(1) USN H-1 Catcherman (just got in -- and it's going back / getting sold. Too big for me)
(1) Native 5 (on the way)

I'm mostly into traditional slip-joints now but having a larger high-quality STRONG folder for woods carry is nice.

[gunnut35]

I now only have 62 Spyderco's and over 80 other knives and I still don't consider myself a collector.. I don't have safe queens and carry all my knives but it might take a while to get to all of them. I do buy multiples of the blades that I really like when I find good sales but that is because I am a little OCD..

[Tripwire]

I have 5 right now. With the exception of the Ambitious and Grasshopper, they all see good use on a daily basis. My Tasmans and Endura have been holding up very well and continue to impress me. Will give an end of deployment review of the Tasmans once I get back stateside. The Ambitious I use not as often but is there for times when I need a small knife for the job. The Grasshopper was purchased for those locales where a locking blade may land me in trouble. That and it doesn't look as "mean" as a SE Tasman when I use it in town.

So I do have a small collection but each has its purpose.

[Jet B]

I only own about 10 knives total so I would consider myself more of someone that likes to collect knives that I can put to good use. I definitely don't buy a knife to just collect without using it.

I first caught the Spyder bug when a fellow I worked with saw how much I used and appreciated my cheapo knives I had and he gave me an original Manix C-95 that he had sitting around and never used anymore and wanted it to have a good home.

I'm kinda like that, I think a good knife should be used. But I do have a hard time parting with them when I get new toys. I have given some away to family when I know they will be appreciated and used though.

[BAL]

I have a few good reasons for collecting
and one has just entered my head.
If a man can't collect when he's living,
how the **** can he collect when he'd dead.

[bh49]

I'm not so much a collector as an informed accumulator... :o

This is how I would define myself. Most of my knives are safe queens, actually display case queens

IMHO I have many more knives than I need to carry and use. I carry Kopa Cocobolo and I cannot imagine that Kopa GMP will cut any different. I have few knives, which in my opinion fit my knife needs the best and edc them. I do not consider myself a collector, because I think collection should have some direction.The only common things between the knives, which I keep is that I like them, love most of them and need them for my viewing pleasure no any direction, just viewing pleasure. Also I would like to think about myself like informed(to certain level) spydernut. So I am informed accumulator too.

[iwolf81]

I consider myself an "enthusiastic user." :)

I'm fortunate enough to have a nice selection of 'users' to chose from each morning. Sometimes, I put more thought into what to carry than into what to wear.

Regards,
Ira

[Jet B]

This is how I would define myself. Most of my knives are safe queens, actually display case queens

IMHO I have many more knives than I need to carry and use. I carry Kopa Cocobolo and I cannot imagine that Kopa GMP will cut any different. I have few knives, which in my opinion fit my knife needs the best and edc them. I do not consider myself a collector, because I think collection should have some direction.The only common things between the knives, which I keep is that I like them, love most of them and need them for my viewing pleasure no any direction, just viewing pleasure. Also I would like to think about myself like informed(to certain level) spydernut. So I am informed accumulator too.

That's a pretty cool setup. Personally, it would drive me crazy to not be able to pick up and play with all those knives but that's just me.

[bh49]

That's a pretty cool setup. Personally, it would drive me crazy to not be able to pick up and play with all those knives but that's just me.

This is not driving me crazy. I use my favorites and I am playing with any knife I want, just do not carry or use. Still any of them can be converted to user if I wish. :)