"Respectable"..... as soon as you start worrying about what OTHER people think about your collection... the collection is no longer yours and your love for the hobby is all downhill from there. I struggle with finding a balance between buying knives that I just want, and knives that i think people want to see in a review. I have ended up primarily just buying what I want... and if people want to see a review, great. If not, I still love my knives. Your collection is only as good as it is to YOU. Great video as always, and great topic.
I am incredibly fortunate to own some very respectable knives but the one I value the most and carry more than any of them is the $22 Kershaw Cathode my six year old son gifted me. Pleasure and joy is not commensurate with cost.
Two things helped me think about my collection - First was moving away from a whole bunch of random impulse buys or chasing the latest 'hard to get knife' and starting to collect the type of knives I enjoy the most especially really great examples of each of those from makers I like. Second was embracing the reasonably good resale market of knives and getting comfortable selling off knives that I don't love (even if Nick has rated them highly! :-) in order to build a collection that I enjoy.
Considering the ridiculosity of this hobby, if we were "thinking carefully about our needs" many folks would not do this at all. i am buying purely for my own entertainment, whatever I want to play with next.
6:41 "In many ways the people who spend less money in this hobby are the smart ones." Yes, yes, and yes. Being a good collector isn't about having the priciest, flashiest, or trendiest gear but about making carefully considered purchases that fit in your budget and make sense based on your needs and interests. Sometimes the best purchases are the ones you don't make.
I like seeing collections that represent clear varieties of intended use. A knife great for food prep, a knife for hiking, a travel knife, a hard use beater, a great whittler and so on. Knives that fill niches, a knife ecosystem if you will.
I've only been collecting for 11 months now and have accumulated approximately 400 knives, but yet i feel like my collection will never meet up to other knife collectors standards. Thank you for this video, it helps remind me that I collect because it brings me joy. I buy what i like and can afford plus I love hand sharpening so D2, 9cr18mov are tops in my collection. Thanks again for helping me feel welcome in the knife community
Good choice having the knife maintenance going on in the background. I oddly enjoy watching, (and learning), the hands-on part of the hobby. For me, a good portion of my interest in folding knives is the great engineering and amazing build quality that is the "modern pocket knife"...even the imported cheapo knives. I credit your videos for making it possible for me to have the guts to pull them apart, and poke around in there. So, to the point of your discussion....Yeah, my knives are budget and unimpressive compared to a large portion of "collections". But I strive to have "one of each". Some with bearings, some with nylon or phospher bronze washers....some with thumb holes, some flippers, some thumb studs...some liner locks, some axis locks, compression locks, frame locks. (You get the idea). So, maybe my "collection" makes little sense as a group unless you understand that basis for purchase! "I bought it mainly to have (this seemingly insignificant) attribute." The little bastards are just fun! ;)
I agree with this, doh my Benchmade collection is..well, just Benchmades, lol. When I started I used to compare myself to people with bigger or expensive collections but when I just stopped and enjoyed what I had, that's when I felt the most joy of collecting.
I think the most important thing about a collection is that it is meaningful to you and you get joy from having it around... It could be stamps, bottle caps, gym shoes, Lego sets, MatchBox cars, coins, etc... The collection is yours and you should not feel like you need to explain it to anybody... If someone doesn't like it, that's their problem, not yours...
Nick, i. Really glad this was the direction you went with this video. I am very lucky to own some very high end knives. And just a lot of knives in general. Ive spent a lot of time and effort putting it together. When i post pictures, people often come out with those humble type “my collection cant compare...” comments. I always try to encourage them to post anyways. And to not judge their own collections based off of mine or anyone else’s. I routinely tell them that i am absolutely insane. I always looked at it like if it is something you love and are passionate about, never be ashamed because it doesnt meet some arbitrary price point or name recognition level. Really appreciate your take. It is very similar to mine. Dont chase trends or what other people tell you is the “best”. Go after what you like and be passionate about the things you can get and enjoy. I was a little worried when i saw the title of this video, but im glad it went the direction it did. Keep doing what you do
This is such a good point, thank You Nick for discussing this. I not one of those who have unlimited budget, and for long time I thought I am not that much of a knife guy if I can't afford a Sebenza. Over the time I realized though that even a $200 knife can already be absolutely amazing and just marginally worse than $500 knife.
I started off on the budget end of collecting knives, but I quickly fell very deep down that rabbit hole and have moved up to high end peaces. Microtechs and guardian tactical otfs and protech knives! I have more knives now than I have ever owned in my life. I really do enjoy talking to people who are also in this hobby of ours and sharing stories of how or why the knives I’ve bought. It really is a wonderful hobby we have!!!
Nick I totally agree! I recently realized on a personal level that my collection had too many redundancies, so I've been slimming down and keeping the one's that bring me the most joy. 1 OTF 1 OTS 1 Axis lock etc. etc. still working on getting down to one compression lock.....
I have everything from beaters to people questioning my sanity. They all have their places, and uses. But mostly, I snag things (if ever available) that genuinely make me happy. Comparing your collection to others is pointless, do what makes you happy. This is a wonderful hobby, and thoroughly enjoy it!
Agreed completely. I enjoy seeing collections that have genuine passion and care behind them so much more than people who have just thrown money at the most popular names.
Totally agree with you, my FRN Spyderco lock backs definitely bring more joy to me than some of the higher end knives. I've had a Sebenza, XM-18 and Norseman which I almost immediately sold back (I do have a Norseman back in the collection though)
Some beautiful 1911's and Colt SAA's that are works of art. Classic S&W K-2 Masterpiece, Winchester Model 70, Holland & Holland double rifle. Or more prosaic classic military arms such as an orignal M1 Garand from WWII, a 1903 from WWI, an original AK47, or an M14, BAR, Thompson. A classic lever gun such as an 1873 Winchester or an 1886 Winchester. Or even more prosaic carry guns for concealed carry - Glocks, Sigs, S&W, Walther, Ruger, etc..... Knives are much the same - historic knives from japan, europe, the middle east. Folding knives, fixed blade. Early American trade knives, Bowie knives, pen knives, woodcarving knives, chef knives, paring knives, electricians knives, farrier knives. Some people collect for the sake of collecting, some collect in the process of acquiring tools to use. All can have nice and different collections. Someone who obtained an M1Garand from WWII from the CMP, inherited a Winchester model 70 from their father, got a S&W Masterpiece from an uncle, found a 1903 Springfield at a farm auction, got a WWII 1911 from the widow of a father's friend, and picked up a 1897 Shotgun at a pawn shop has a very very nice firearm collection.
This little rant here turned me from a "i like the way this guy talks about knives" to a lifelong fan. Mindets like these are great! I've been enjoying collecting knives for a while now but it's fairly recently that i actually have to begun learning a bit about knives so it's only been recently that i've been looking into more as "i like the look of this". So up untill my benchmade superfreek which i bought recently and i've been enjoying a lot, there barely went any thought into the knives i bought, well except for i have to be able to use it. So over time my collection will turn from a thoughtless one to a "respectable" one because the more i learn the more i think about the knives i buy. ^ ^
We have an addiction my friend. The sooner you get out of denial, and admit you are addicted to collecting knives, then sooner you will realize logic doesn't apply on addictions. People used to collect butterflies, stamps, soda bottles, balls of yarn, train sets, rabbits feet, action figures, old photographs of totally anonymous people, etc... We call them collectors, but they have an obsession, addiction, passion, for their hobby. As long as your "collection " doesn't become a financial problem for you, Have Fun. It's not a bad time to enjoy a variety of knives at any price range.
I had a Casio watch and a cold steel for a decade. The knife broke and my “collection” started. I now have a handmade leather wallet, streamlight, two watches and two knives. One watch is a stowa and one knife is a sebenza. I like the idea of having a minimalist and super usable EDC. I’d only add a watch, like a sinn 104 or 556, or another knife if I wanted it for a solid year. Otherwise it will grow and I’ll need to purge it.
Thank you! Once again you hit the nail on the head with your topic and showed why I subscribe to your channel, love these videos almost as much as terrible knives! 💕
My collection started in Ganzos and Opinels and after taking a journey through most knife brands i found my home at Spyderco and Cold Steel for now. And then random knives/tools that chatch my eyes at the right time :3
Watches, knives and pens are really very similar in that we collectors have a need to collect what most people just have for utility. I have just dipped a toe into pens and to a lesser extent, knives, but I am a decades long watch collector so that is what I am more familiar with. I bought two relatively nice pens recently and somewhat to my surprise, I find that I do indeed enjoy using them more than cheap pens, so I may buy a few more as I learn more about them. As for knives, I went from one Swiss Army knife I have had since I was a kid and a few really cheap knives sitting in my kitchen junk drawer. Funny thing. I could never find a knife when I needed one. Since I started buying pocket knives, I always have a knife when I need one, which is a nice thing. I have a knife I keep on my keychain, I have a pocket knife by my computer, one in my car, and one I keep in a little leather organizer with one of my two nice pens, and some business cards. Before COVID, I kept the thing in the breast pocket of my jacket or suit coat and that was a good thing. I should probably stop at this point before things get out of hand because honestly, I have enough pocket knives for 99% of my knife using things, and my life has improved about as much as it can by collecting knives. Then we get to watches. In this area, I have more watches than I need in the sense of, nobody really needs more than about 3 watches, and honestly, you can get by with as few as zero to one. But in general, 3 is a good number. A beater for when you are doing something where you might lose or damage your good watch, a good every day watch, and a change of pace watch, which could be a nice dress watch, or alternately, a funky or sporty weekend watch. And I have a lot more of that, because it is a kind of itch that from time to time needs to get scratched. But it is absolutely fine. Some guys collect stamps, or sports memorabilia. I collect watches. Edit. I forgot about shoes. I fell down that rabbit hole a few years ago and as a result, every day I have to spend more time thinking about what shoes I will wear than most guys who only have 2 or 3 pairs of shoes.
Knock 'em back down to Earth Nick. I feel that the inclusive disposition shared especially by those of us who are "veterans" in the field welcomed them(posers and flexers) with open arms. We greatfully have stewards such as yourself to voice our practices and perspectives. I really enjoy these videos. Much thanks for what you do bro.
I worked at an abattoir for 17 years and went through loads of knives but because I used so many and had to buy them i always got the cheapest ones and found they did the job just as well as the most expensive. This cheapness leads to my knife collection now and I tend to lean to good cheap work horse type knives .
I am in the UK so knives ( most of which are illegal here ) can't really be my thing. I still subscribe and enjoy . I totally understand where you are coming from. Mid 1960's seiko sportsmatics. weekdaters, seikomatics etc If I got my credit card out I could buy a bunch on eBay right now. Over 3 years I have 4 ( all under $100) There is a reason behind each one. I went higher end once a Seiko "Pogue". I read everything I could find and looked at every guide and pictures .It took me over a year to find one I was happy with. I found it from a seller from Venezuela! Less than $400 . I could double my money on that but never will. For two years maybe more I have been on the lookout for something completely different. A Bulova Accutron with yellow hands ( as worn by the late Richard Rogers the amazing architect) .Nothing. I will wait. Bottom line. My watch collection is worth less than $1,000. If I cost in my time at say minimum wage that it took and continues to take to get a few bits and bobs it's worth more like $10,000. (I have not actually done a calculation ) but I am on point. Good ponts Mr Shabazz
I love watching the high end stuff and the top end needs to exist. However, I would wager that the budget and mid range levels are where the real action is. Getting the bang for the buck using the best steels and materials feasible is the interesting part. How the market develops in that area is what fascinates me. My particular obsession is in the 3 inch under 3oz section. Added to that is the leftie handicap. I find plenty to interest me within my limits and requirements. So to each his own. I don't consider having high end pieces as a goal I wish to aspire to (a wife, three kids, cat and a greyhound say no to that).
My collection reflects me. I buy what I like. Although I have a sprint run, there is no knife that I will pay scalpers with for a sprint run or discontinued knife. Today 1 hour after smock DLT sold out 3 were on eBay for 300.
I have and enjoy my many very pricey folders but my most carried knife is my Sivivi Statara. (Hope that is the correct spelling), I love that smooth sharp tool.
My hobby is djing, and I often see some folks with 6000k gear posting images of their gear, and then comes in the question, where are their mixes and can they dj ? The thing that bugs me in hobbies is the pride of owning expensive gear instead of a pride of showing skill. I much more impressed by an artist doing amazing stuff on cheap gear, than someone doing basic things on high end gear. The time and investment, the work is more important than the size of the wallet I guess. Not quite the same as a collection but I end is kind of the same. Cheers for the vid!
Part of the problem I think in these hobbies is that there's not as much 'skill' even showable. Maintenance (e.g. sharpening, etc) is a skill. Or in watches, being able to service and maintain your collection, or having that knowledge. But I agree completely, what's the saying, 'it's a poor fisherman who blames his tools'.
I have a few rules for whenever I consider purchasing a knife or other EDC related things. 1. Nothing over $30 except multitools. 2. Every purchase has a purpose. Either I have identified a situation I'd like to be prepared for or I want to try something new (brand, design, lock type, steel, handle material). 3. Research every knife before purchasing. See if the value is as good as or better than the price. Find out any potential issues that may occur with the piece. 4. The knife must be legal to own (obvious one).
You don't think $30 limits your options too much? I know there's some good knives you can get for $30 or less, but I feel like you could definitely broaden your options so much more even if your increased your budget $10-20 dollars.
Amen, Brother. This is some of the best advice framed as critique that I have heard about fetish properties in general. It's a great way to look at a number of things. guitars, record players, sneakers, wrestling masks....... I love it. Thanks for putting the idea forward, Nick.
Passion separates collectors from those who simply hoard shiny things. I think the underlying philosophy here is important. A collector can explain why each and everything in their collection is meaningful to them.
I like tactical knives for self defense so I started with the CRKT Advant-Tac, Defcon Jungle Karambit, Cold Steel Tiger Claw my next knife will be the SpydercoTropen.
Nice thoughts. I would add that when I do get something high end it has to not just look good-- the build quality of a $500 cattle knife w/ mammoth ivory better be damn good or it reduces the inherent value of the piece.
What makes me sad is that anyone who collects anything would care what someone else thinks about their collection. Do it for your own joy and forget about outside judgment.
Some people just like the anticipation of getting a new piece of gear ......today it’s the Olight Warrior Mini ....like I really need another flashlight 🔦
I bought a stick of loctite last month online and forgot about it cooking in my mailbox for about a week. Is it supposed to be a sticky kind of consistency? Mine is pretty dry and not helping with screws very much compared to liquid loctite
Buying what you like should be the most important factor. But outside the internet we often don't know anyone interested in knives. People can get peer pressured into buying something "respectable" if they go to a knife forums and get bashed or ignored by all the elitists there for not having only $200+, USA made latest shiny flip toys. That the elitists think are the only proper knives, but they never used them for more than social media photos.
I find the people posting their collections on IG to get praise or approval from the community, are the SAME as people posting their bodies on IG looking for approval or praise. In either scenario, this is not a healthy situation.🤔
I'm not going to condemn exhibitionism as a way of getting your kicks in any sense, but I agree that if your own internal happiness requires the validation of others, that's a dangerous state to be in.
Hi Nick. Greetings from Russia. Like your point in this video. I also have my own way of making a knife collection that is great for me. I just like trying something new. I started with Kershaw Cryo II. Than I thought that a supersteel would be interesting to check out and got myself a Recon I in CTS-XHP. Than I wanted ball bearibgs and got a Chinese flipper. Than I wanted to ckeck out some real "made in the USA" stuff and got myself Spyderco Military in S110V. Hm... I wonder what compreccion lock is like. Here comes the PM2! An Axis Lock? Benchmade 810! Let me check out some real action masterpiece. ZT 0452CF should do it (thanks for the review, by the way). Than I tryed some skeletonized knives. Quartermaster Alf-4 (and it sucked because it was too damn thick behind the edge, it would not slice), some custom knives by a small Russian workshop called 1st Tsekh(1-ый Цех) (and they are great), thanTRC Speed Demon... Some other fixed blades. Why not try a Sgian Dubh sort of blade? Found a good Russian knifemaker Yury Strizhov (Apus Knives) and got one of a kind from him made accoding to my own specs. Convex grind should be fun (they say it slices through wood like nobody's business) - time to check out Owl Knife North-S. Another skeletonized knife by Russian company Wolve's Age with an unusial chisel grind with three cutting edge (one is basically the sharpened back of the blade) in Nialox steel? Take my money! A respectable collector with bunch of CKFs and Shiroyorovs on board would laugh at me, but why should I care? I now have 30 blades, and I've put so much passion in choosing each one of them. People will always laugh. Some jerks on Russian forums would say that a skeletonized knife is not a knife, though they have never actually tried one. Others would say that Spyderco knives suck because they have a hole in the blade, weakening it, and also the blade shape is ugly as sin. So what? Why should I care about what other peple think about the knives I am using as long as I like those knives? Thank you for your reviews. Very helpful. And I really like the videos where you share your thoughts on the knife industry in general. The one about tye big "Why?" was aspecially good. Keep it up!
I always try and shoot for value. Not the total overall worth, dollar wise. Getting the best stuff for the least amount of money is a goal. Efficiency is key.
Lol I only have 10 folders took me a few years to get to thst point and the most expensive knife I own is the reate jack 1.0 but my collection is between the 200 and 250 range so I can't afford to have dozens and dozens of 200 plus pocket knifes I also have a few watches my most expensive is the Bulova watch i have
What's the tiny pin sized hole next to the pivot hole on the blade? I noticed my Spyderco Caribbean sheepsfoot has it too Is it related to a locking pin?
It’s probably the detention hole which helps to keep the blade closed and provide enough resistance in the closed position that the blade flips open when deploys.
Is there such a thing a a budget friendly mechanical pocket watch? Id like to get one as a wrist watch is out of the question as I will destroy it rapidly.
My goal is to make a collection that Nick Shabazz respects. What you know about that Frost Cutlery Safari Dweller 15-586CA. Z-Hunter ain't got nothing on these stripes.
I call MTs and knives holes, as in I need another like I need another hole in my head. That said, I'm swiss cheese and have some new or unique pieces. There's a light and pen collection too.
Using monetary value as a measurement of collection quality is plain stupid. You could pick up all sub-$100 spydercos, benchmades and CRKTs, and you'd have a great collection, where some of the knives would even be considered good and great. Shopping around only in customs means, you'll find trash knives, which on top of being trash cost a shed load of money. Buying lots of knives will give you a better qualified opinion about knives, but in this you'll also see brilliance in budget stuff. While the $50 knife might not be as good as the $5000 one, you'll still get lots of the qualities, as the ROI really starts to plummet, once you find a knife being good at being a knife, and then you start wanting the "extras".
It's like a guy looking to buy a watch for about 150€. If he puts it against a Daniel Wellington watch instead of a Tissot, you know he doesn't really care about watches.
Yeah, definitely don’t get into this hobby if you’re trying to keep up with Joneses or you’ll definitely be let down. I’m sure even really high end collectors envy other higher end collectors. I buy what I like, want, or what my budget will allow.
I lose interest in knives that are hard to get or limited sprint runs. I still want a Malibu and a trm atom but my interest has diminished greatly. I gotta keep my fomo in check or I'd have a lot more knives just sitting in a drawer. The next greatest knife is Always coming out
I believe the Malibu will become widely available in a little while. It is still early in its production and very popular. I hope TRM scales up their batch size to meet demand. I understand that it takes a company time to get the resources to grow.
Anyone’s collection should provide an insight into their passion and knowledge of whatever it is they hold an interest in and not just tell others how fat their wallets are.
It's conspicuous consumption. There is no defending collecting. You do it for selfish reasons, period. You can't defdend it beyond I want it. No matter how carefully you consider your needs once you get beyond one or two it's just greed.
If you want a nice knife design and dont have a lot of money to spend just go check out dhgates selection of microtechs and benchmade knives they are not bad quality and if you fall in love with them you can go get the American made overpriced "real one" or whatever if that's important to you and your a material girl like a lot of knife dudes are... LTK confirmed the the blade steels were in fact accurate on the higher end clones so rn you just cant beat it and why not support a benchmade clone after the benchmade team disrespected the whole knife community by destroying guns.. I see it as them getting their comeuppance.
"Respectable"..... as soon as you start worrying about what OTHER people think about your collection... the collection is no longer yours and your love for the hobby is all downhill from there.
I struggle with finding a balance between buying knives that I just want, and knives that i think people want to see in a review. I have ended up primarily just buying what I want... and if people want to see a review, great. If not, I still love my knives.
Your collection is only as good as it is to YOU.
Great video as always, and great topic.
I specialize in Z-Hunters and thrift shop finds. I work tirelessly for Nick's approval but alas, shall never receive a drop.
Consider yourself dropped.
I am incredibly fortunate to own some very respectable knives but the one I value the most and carry more than any of them is the $22 Kershaw Cathode my six year old son gifted me. Pleasure and joy is not commensurate with cost.
Two things helped me think about my collection - First was moving away from a whole bunch of random impulse buys or chasing the latest 'hard to get knife' and starting to collect the type of knives I enjoy the most especially really great examples of each of those from makers I like. Second was embracing the reasonably good resale market of knives and getting comfortable selling off knives that I don't love (even if Nick has rated them highly! :-) in order to build a collection that I enjoy.
Considering the ridiculosity of this hobby, if we were "thinking carefully about our needs" many folks would not do this at all. i am buying purely for my own entertainment, whatever I want to play with next.
That's the reason why my "collections" of anything end up more as an accumulations.
6:41 "In many ways the people who spend less money in this hobby are the smart ones."
Yes, yes, and yes. Being a good collector isn't about having the priciest, flashiest, or trendiest gear but about making carefully considered purchases that fit in your budget and make sense based on your needs and interests. Sometimes the best purchases are the ones you don't make.
I like seeing collections that represent clear varieties of intended use. A knife great for food prep, a knife for hiking, a travel knife, a hard use beater, a great whittler and so on. Knives that fill niches, a knife ecosystem if you will.
You forgot knives that you play with then put in a box never again to see the light of day.
Your videos enabled me to do all those things 3years ago, you've educated a bunch of us thank you ,keep 'em coming
I've only been collecting for 11 months now and have accumulated approximately 400 knives, but yet i feel like my collection will never meet up to other knife collectors standards. Thank you for this video, it helps remind me that I collect because it brings me joy. I buy what i like and can afford plus I love hand sharpening so D2, 9cr18mov are tops in my collection. Thanks again for helping me feel welcome in the knife community
Good choice having the knife maintenance going on in the background. I oddly enjoy watching, (and learning), the hands-on part of the hobby. For me, a good portion of my interest in folding knives is the great engineering and amazing build quality that is the "modern pocket knife"...even the imported cheapo knives. I credit your videos for making it possible for me to have the guts to pull them apart, and poke around in there. So, to the point of your discussion....Yeah, my knives are budget and unimpressive compared to a large portion of "collections". But I strive to have "one of each". Some with bearings, some with nylon or phospher bronze washers....some with thumb holes, some flippers, some thumb studs...some liner locks, some axis locks, compression locks, frame locks. (You get the idea). So, maybe my "collection" makes little sense as a group unless you understand that basis for purchase! "I bought it mainly to have (this seemingly insignificant) attribute." The little bastards are just fun! ;)
I agree with this, doh my Benchmade collection is..well, just Benchmades, lol. When I started I used to compare myself to people with bigger or expensive collections but when I just stopped and enjoyed what I had, that's when I felt the most joy of collecting.
I think the most important thing about a collection is that it is meaningful to you and you get joy from having it around... It could be stamps, bottle caps, gym shoes, Lego sets, MatchBox cars, coins, etc... The collection is yours and you should not feel like you need to explain it to anybody... If someone doesn't like it, that's their problem, not yours...
This was a truly adult idea that you brought to the fore-front, in a bunch of hobbies that often seem like lemmings following each other.
Nick, i. Really glad this was the direction you went with this video. I am very lucky to own some very high end knives. And just a lot of knives in general. Ive spent a lot of time and effort putting it together. When i post pictures, people often come out with those humble type “my collection cant compare...” comments. I always try to encourage them to post anyways. And to not judge their own collections based off of mine or anyone else’s. I routinely tell them that i am absolutely insane.
I always looked at it like if it is something you love and are passionate about, never be ashamed because it doesnt meet some arbitrary price point or name recognition level. Really appreciate your take. It is very similar to mine. Dont chase trends or what other people tell you is the “best”. Go after what you like and be passionate about the things you can get and enjoy. I was a little worried when i saw the title of this video, but im glad it went the direction it did. Keep doing what you do
Yay love these disassembly discourse videos
This is such a good point, thank You Nick for discussing this. I not one of those who have unlimited budget, and for long time I thought I am not that much of a knife guy if I can't afford a Sebenza. Over the time I realized though that even a $200 knife can already be absolutely amazing and just marginally worse than $500 knife.
I started off on the budget end of collecting knives, but I quickly fell very deep down that rabbit hole and have moved up to high end peaces. Microtechs and guardian tactical otfs and protech knives! I have more knives now than I have ever owned in my life. I really do enjoy talking to people who are also in this hobby of ours and sharing stories of how or why the knives I’ve bought. It really is a wonderful hobby we have!!!
Nick I totally agree!
I recently realized on a personal level that my collection had too many redundancies, so I've been slimming down and keeping the one's that bring me the most joy.
1 OTF 1 OTS 1 Axis lock etc. etc. still working on getting down to one compression lock.....
I have everything from beaters to people questioning my sanity. They all have their places, and uses. But mostly, I snag things (if ever available) that genuinely make me happy. Comparing your collection to others is pointless, do what makes you happy. This is a wonderful hobby, and thoroughly enjoy it!
Another home run vid straight out of the bat cave shazzman, love your work 💎
Agreed buddy! I find way more enjoyment from the peices that speak to me as opposed to whats just considered the most "high end" or higly praised.
Collect what you like and don't put anyone down very good advice love you videos
Agreed completely. I enjoy seeing collections that have genuine passion and care behind them so much more than people who have just thrown money at the most popular names.
Totally agree with you, my FRN Spyderco lock backs definitely bring more joy to me than some of the higher end knives. I've had a Sebenza, XM-18 and Norseman which I almost immediately sold back (I do have a Norseman back in the collection though)
This reinforces my decision to start a lower budget collection I’ve been considering. Thank you sir
Some beautiful 1911's and Colt SAA's that are works of art. Classic S&W K-2 Masterpiece, Winchester Model 70, Holland & Holland double rifle. Or more prosaic classic military arms such as an orignal M1 Garand from WWII, a 1903 from WWI, an original AK47, or an M14, BAR, Thompson. A classic lever gun such as an 1873 Winchester or an 1886 Winchester. Or even more prosaic carry guns for concealed carry - Glocks, Sigs, S&W, Walther, Ruger, etc..... Knives are much the same - historic knives from japan, europe, the middle east. Folding knives, fixed blade. Early American trade knives, Bowie knives, pen knives, woodcarving knives, chef knives, paring knives, electricians knives, farrier knives. Some people collect for the sake of collecting, some collect in the process of acquiring tools to use. All can have nice and different collections. Someone who obtained an M1Garand from WWII from the CMP, inherited a Winchester model 70 from their father, got a S&W Masterpiece from an uncle, found a 1903 Springfield at a farm auction, got a WWII 1911 from the widow of a father's friend, and picked up a 1897 Shotgun at a pawn shop has a very very nice firearm collection.
Hi Nick,
one of your better videos. Thank you!
🤯 - Wow!
U must be a hands model!
Ur so clean & no knife scars?😉👍
This little rant here turned me from a "i like the way this guy talks about knives" to a lifelong fan.
Mindets like these are great!
I've been enjoying collecting knives for a while now but it's fairly recently that i actually have to begun learning a bit about knives so it's only been recently that i've been looking into more as "i like the look of this".
So up untill my benchmade superfreek which i bought recently and i've been enjoying a lot, there barely went any thought into the knives i bought, well except for i have to be able to use it.
So over time my collection will turn from a thoughtless one to a "respectable" one because the more i learn the more i think about the knives i buy. ^ ^
We have an addiction my friend. The sooner you get out of denial, and admit you are addicted to collecting knives, then sooner you will realize logic doesn't apply on addictions. People used to collect butterflies, stamps, soda bottles, balls of yarn, train sets, rabbits feet, action figures, old photographs of totally anonymous people, etc... We call them collectors, but they have an obsession, addiction, passion, for their hobby. As long as your "collection " doesn't become a financial problem for you, Have Fun. It's not a bad time to enjoy a variety of knives at any price range.
Thanks for the work you do nick!
I now want to see knife collection pictures/videos organized on a timeline. Where did one start, and where did their journey take them.
Great video. Spot on thoughts of the collections.
I had a Casio watch and a cold steel for a decade. The knife broke and my “collection” started. I now have a handmade leather wallet, streamlight, two watches and two knives. One watch is a stowa and one knife is a sebenza. I like the idea of having a minimalist and super usable EDC. I’d only add a watch, like a sinn 104 or 556, or another knife if I wanted it for a solid year. Otherwise it will grow and I’ll need to purge it.
Thank you! Once again you hit the nail on the head with your topic and showed why I subscribe to your channel, love these videos almost as much as terrible knives! 💕
My collection started in Ganzos and Opinels and after taking a journey through most knife brands i found my home at Spyderco and Cold Steel for now.
And then random knives/tools that chatch my eyes at the right time :3
Watches, knives and pens are really very similar in that we collectors have a need to collect what most people just have for utility. I have just dipped a toe into pens and to a lesser extent, knives, but I am a decades long watch collector so that is what I am more familiar with.
I bought two relatively nice pens recently and somewhat to my surprise, I find that I do indeed enjoy using them more than cheap pens, so I may buy a few more as I learn more about them.
As for knives, I went from one Swiss Army knife I have had since I was a kid and a few really cheap knives sitting in my kitchen junk drawer. Funny thing. I could never find a knife when I needed one. Since I started buying pocket knives, I always have a knife when I need one, which is a nice thing. I have a knife I keep on my keychain, I have a pocket knife by my computer, one in my car, and one I keep in a little leather organizer with one of my two nice pens, and some business cards. Before COVID, I kept the thing in the breast pocket of my jacket or suit coat and that was a good thing. I should probably stop at this point before things get out of hand because honestly, I have enough pocket knives for 99% of my knife using things, and my life has improved about as much as it can by collecting knives.
Then we get to watches. In this area, I have more watches than I need in the sense of, nobody really needs more than about 3 watches, and honestly, you can get by with as few as zero to one. But in general, 3 is a good number. A beater for when you are doing something where you might lose or damage your good watch, a good every day watch, and a change of pace watch, which could be a nice dress watch, or alternately, a funky or sporty weekend watch. And I have a lot more of that, because it is a kind of itch that from time to time needs to get scratched. But it is absolutely fine. Some guys collect stamps, or sports memorabilia. I collect watches.
Edit. I forgot about shoes. I fell down that rabbit hole a few years ago and as a result, every day I have to spend more time thinking about what shoes I will wear than most guys who only have 2 or 3 pairs of shoes.
Knock 'em back down to Earth Nick. I feel that the inclusive disposition shared especially by those of us who are "veterans" in the field welcomed them(posers and flexers) with open arms.
We greatfully have stewards such as yourself to voice our practices and perspectives. I really enjoy these videos. Much thanks for what you do bro.
I worked at an abattoir for 17 years and went through loads of knives but because I used so many and had to buy them i always got the cheapest ones and found they did the job just as well as the most expensive. This cheapness leads to my knife collection now and I tend to lean to good cheap work horse type knives .
I am in the UK so knives ( most of which are illegal here ) can't really be my thing. I still subscribe and enjoy . I totally understand where you are coming from. Mid 1960's seiko sportsmatics. weekdaters, seikomatics etc If I got my credit card out I could buy a bunch on eBay right now. Over 3 years I have 4 ( all under $100) There is a reason behind each one. I went higher end once a Seiko "Pogue". I read everything I could find and looked at every guide and pictures .It took me over a year to find one I was happy with. I found it from a seller from Venezuela! Less than $400 . I could double my money on that but never will. For two years maybe more I have been on the lookout for something completely different. A Bulova Accutron with yellow hands ( as worn by the late Richard Rogers the amazing architect) .Nothing. I will wait.
Bottom line. My watch collection is worth less than $1,000. If I cost in my time at say minimum wage that it took and continues to take to get a few bits and bobs it's worth more like $10,000. (I have not actually done a calculation ) but I am on point.
Good ponts Mr Shabazz
Nick, you are the gem.
Rants are always interesting. Keep doin em
I love watching the high end stuff and the top end needs to exist. However, I would wager that the budget and mid range levels are where the real action is. Getting the bang for the buck using the best steels and materials feasible is the interesting part. How the market develops in that area is what fascinates me.
My particular obsession is in the 3 inch under 3oz section. Added to that is the leftie handicap. I find plenty to interest me within my limits and requirements.
So to each his own. I don't consider having high end pieces as a goal I wish to aspire to (a wife, three kids, cat and a greyhound say no to that).
I love that watch your wearing.
My collection reflects me. I buy what I like. Although I have a sprint run, there is no knife that I will pay scalpers with for a sprint run or discontinued knife. Today 1 hour after smock DLT sold out 3 were on eBay for 300.
I have and enjoy my many very pricey folders but my most carried knife is my Sivivi Statara. (Hope that is the correct spelling), I love that smooth sharp tool.
'Statera' is I think the formal name of that guy. But nice knife.
I love watching budget reviews, QSP Penguin review please :)
My hobby is djing, and I often see some folks with 6000k gear posting images of their gear, and then comes in the question, where are their mixes and can they dj ?
The thing that bugs me in hobbies is the pride of owning expensive gear instead of a pride of showing skill.
I much more impressed by an artist doing amazing stuff on cheap gear, than someone doing basic things on high end gear.
The time and investment, the work is more important than the size of the wallet I guess.
Not quite the same as a collection but I end is kind of the same. Cheers for the vid!
Part of the problem I think in these hobbies is that there's not as much 'skill' even showable. Maintenance (e.g. sharpening, etc) is a skill. Or in watches, being able to service and maintain your collection, or having that knowledge. But I agree completely, what's the saying, 'it's a poor fisherman who blames his tools'.
I have a few rules for whenever I consider purchasing a knife or other EDC related things.
1. Nothing over $30 except multitools.
2. Every purchase has a purpose. Either I have identified a situation I'd like to be prepared for or I want to try something new (brand, design, lock type, steel, handle material).
3. Research every knife before purchasing. See if the value is as good as or better than the price. Find out any potential issues that may occur with the piece.
4. The knife must be legal to own (obvious one).
You don't think $30 limits your options too much? I know there's some good knives you can get for $30 or less, but I feel like you could definitely broaden your options so much more even if your increased your budget $10-20 dollars.
@@spanishnavaja I don't use them enough to justify going above that price point.
@@chefboiarby304 I see. A $30 max budget makes a lot of sense then in that case.
Amen, Brother. This is some of the best advice framed as critique that I have heard about fetish properties in general. It's a great way to look at a number of things. guitars, record players, sneakers, wrestling masks....... I love it. Thanks for putting the idea forward, Nick.
Very well said my friend.
Passion separates collectors from those who simply hoard shiny things. I think the underlying philosophy here is important. A collector can explain why each and everything in their collection is meaningful to them.
I like tactical knives for self defense so I started with the CRKT Advant-Tac, Defcon Jungle Karambit, Cold Steel Tiger Claw my next knife will be the SpydercoTropen.
Great Vid Nick, definitely can relate to it. 👍🏻
Nice thoughts. I would add that when I do get something high end it has to not just look good-- the build quality of a $500 cattle knife w/ mammoth ivory better be damn good or it reduces the inherent value of the piece.
What makes me sad is that anyone who collects anything would care what someone else thinks about their collection. Do it for your own joy and forget about outside judgment.
Some people just like the anticipation of getting a new piece of gear ......today it’s the Olight Warrior Mini ....like I really need another flashlight 🔦
Thanks for the video Nick!
LOL @ the SAKs... yep, some of their price tags would make Sebenza buyers wince.
I bought a stick of loctite last month online and forgot about it cooking in my mailbox for about a week. Is it supposed to be a sticky kind of consistency? Mine is pretty dry and not helping with screws very much compared to liquid loctite
Buying what you like should be the most important factor.
But outside the internet we often don't know anyone interested in knives. People can get peer pressured into buying something "respectable" if they go to a knife forums and get bashed or ignored by all the elitists there for not having only $200+, USA made latest shiny flip toys. That the elitists think are the only proper knives, but they never used them for more than social media photos.
Well said, as always!
I find the people posting their collections on IG to get praise or approval from the community, are the SAME as people posting their bodies on IG looking for approval or praise.
In either scenario, this is not a healthy situation.🤔
I'm not going to condemn exhibitionism as a way of getting your kicks in any sense, but I agree that if your own internal happiness requires the validation of others, that's a dangerous state to be in.
where can I find replacement screws for my civivi elementum?
Hi Nick. Greetings from Russia. Like your point in this video. I also have my own way of making a knife collection that is great for me. I just like trying something new. I started with Kershaw Cryo II. Than I thought that a supersteel would be interesting to check out and got myself a Recon I in CTS-XHP. Than I wanted ball bearibgs and got a Chinese flipper. Than I wanted to ckeck out some real "made in the USA" stuff and got myself Spyderco Military in S110V. Hm... I wonder what compreccion lock is like. Here comes the PM2! An Axis Lock? Benchmade 810! Let me check out some real action masterpiece. ZT 0452CF should do it (thanks for the review, by the way). Than I tryed some skeletonized knives. Quartermaster Alf-4 (and it sucked because it was too damn thick behind the edge, it would not slice), some custom knives by a small Russian workshop called 1st Tsekh(1-ый Цех) (and they are great), thanTRC Speed Demon... Some other fixed blades. Why not try a Sgian Dubh sort of blade? Found a good Russian knifemaker Yury Strizhov (Apus Knives) and got one of a kind from him made accoding to my own specs. Convex grind should be fun (they say it slices through wood like nobody's business) - time to check out Owl Knife North-S. Another skeletonized knife by Russian company Wolve's Age with an unusial chisel grind with three cutting edge (one is basically the sharpened back of the blade) in Nialox steel? Take my money!
A respectable collector with bunch of CKFs and Shiroyorovs on board would laugh at me, but why should I care? I now have 30 blades, and I've put so much passion in choosing each one of them. People will always laugh. Some jerks on Russian forums would say that a skeletonized knife is not a knife, though they have never actually tried one. Others would say that Spyderco knives suck because they have a hole in the blade, weakening it, and also the blade shape is ugly as sin. So what? Why should I care about what other peple think about the knives I am using as long as I like those knives?
Thank you for your reviews. Very helpful. And I really like the videos where you share your thoughts on the knife industry in general. The one about tye big "Why?" was aspecially good. Keep it up!
I always try and shoot for value. Not the total overall worth, dollar wise. Getting the best stuff for the least amount of money is a goal. Efficiency is key.
That's why I love my Ganzos. They have an extraordinary value for their price.
I'm going to link this video in my watch forum.
Well said, Sir.
You should collect whatever brings you joy, whether that's a $20 knife or $2000 knife .
8:40
Had to listen 3 times before I realized you said THAI FOOD not TYPHOID lmao
Slight difference!
Lol I only have 10 folders took me a few years to get to thst point and the most expensive knife I own is the reate jack 1.0 but my collection is between the 200 and 250 range so I can't afford to have dozens and dozens of 200 plus pocket knifes I also have a few watches my most expensive is the Bulova watch i have
What's the tiny pin sized hole next to the pivot hole on the blade? I noticed my Spyderco Caribbean sheepsfoot has it too
Is it related to a locking pin?
It’s probably the detention hole which helps to keep the blade closed and provide enough resistance in the closed position that the blade flips open when deploys.
@@Thedoctorkirby nice one buddy thanks
Wait? The metamorph has roller bearings? I need a torture test on that!!!!
Is there such a thing a a budget friendly mechanical pocket watch? Id like to get one as a wrist watch is out of the question as I will destroy it rapidly.
Vostok is probably the best choice there.
You keep it 100 I love this
Well said.
You mean I don't need 5 Rocksteads to have a valid knife collectiom?
Nice vid
I think my spork collection is as "respectable" as a spork collection can be.
My goal is to make a collection that Nick Shabazz respects. What you know about that Frost Cutlery Safari Dweller 15-586CA. Z-Hunter ain't got nothing on these stripes.
I have a dollica. And a z hunter..
I... respect?... that.
@@NickShabazz 👍👍👍👍🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I call MTs and knives holes, as in I need another like I need another hole in my head. That said, I'm swiss cheese and have some new or unique pieces. There's a light and pen collection too.
Im pretty sure I'm a little late, but if I'm not mistaken, that little hunk of metal on your left hand means someone doesn't have a fiance anymore
Yup, that's about two years old now, but you're right, I wifed her.
Try to keep only one of those in your collection. They get very expensive as well!!
I'm not a collector, I'm an addict.
Couldn’t agree more
Using monetary value as a measurement of collection quality is plain stupid. You could pick up all sub-$100 spydercos, benchmades and CRKTs, and you'd have a great collection, where some of the knives would even be considered good and great. Shopping around only in customs means, you'll find trash knives, which on top of being trash cost a shed load of money.
Buying lots of knives will give you a better qualified opinion about knives, but in this you'll also see brilliance in budget stuff. While the $50 knife might not be as good as the $5000 one, you'll still get lots of the qualities, as the ROI really starts to plummet, once you find a knife being good at being a knife, and then you start wanting the "extras".
It's like a guy looking to buy a watch for about 150€. If he puts it against a Daniel Wellington watch instead of a Tissot, you know he doesn't really care about watches.
Right now I’m eating the biggest apple I ever seen it’s massive weighs more than my boots it’s delicious
You should do voice stuff
Yeah, definitely don’t get into this hobby if you’re trying to keep up with Joneses or you’ll definitely be let down. I’m sure even really high end collectors envy other higher end collectors. I buy what I like, want, or what my budget will allow.
I lose interest in knives that are hard to get or limited sprint runs. I still want a Malibu and a trm atom but my interest has diminished greatly. I gotta keep my fomo in check or I'd have a lot more knives just sitting in a drawer. The next greatest knife is Always coming out
I believe the Malibu will become widely available in a little while. It is still early in its production and very popular. I hope TRM scales up their batch size to meet demand. I understand that it takes a company time to get the resources to grow.
I collect budget blades -watches ! 😂
Owning this many knives is just plain weird. Only in America.
Anyone’s collection should provide an insight into their passion and knowledge of whatever it is they hold an interest in and not just tell others how fat their wallets are.
It's conspicuous consumption. There is no defending collecting. You do it for selfish reasons, period. You can't defdend it beyond I want it. No matter how carefully you consider your needs once you get beyond one or two it's just greed.
Or obsession.
To yous own selves be trues
Which means your wife's collections is fleek. Did I use that right? Is there the proper amount of cringe?
It would be nice if we could lose the "China crap" expression and stop shaming people's collections.
Absolutely. Quality is about effort, not geography.
Free knife
If you want a nice knife design and dont have a lot of money to spend just go check out dhgates selection of microtechs and benchmade knives they are not bad quality and if you fall in love with them you can go get the American made overpriced "real one" or whatever if that's important to you and your a material girl like a lot of knife dudes are... LTK confirmed the the blade steels were in fact accurate on the higher end clones so rn you just cant beat it and why not support a benchmade clone after the benchmade team disrespected the whole knife community by destroying guns.. I see it as them getting their comeuppance.