Knife Collector: What Personality Are You?

Folks chase blades for all sorts of reasons. As a knife collector, what motivates you?

Have you ever taken one of those personality tests online or at work, like a Myers-Briggs, StrengthsFinder or Enneagram? You end up with a description of your personality tendencies, and invariably some of them are exactly how you see yourself.

While I have the nerd skills to put together a knife collector personality test like that, I don’t think it would be that useful. Instead, I’ll skip straight to the results and describe a few varieties of the “knife collector personality.” Maybe something in one of these descriptions will resonate with you.

Accidental Knife Collector

Collectors in this category are buying and accumulating knives because those knives do certain tasks well. They’re not afraid to buy a knife for one specific purpose and may find themselves in possession of more knives than they realized they had.

I got my first knife at around age 7; a small Case folder. This knife, like many others I’ve owned, was used and then lost. Fast forward 34 years, and I still use a knife. I started making knives because I didn’t have enough sharp knives to accommodate the tasks I was engaged in at the time. I hunt and use a knife to process my deer and other game animals. I use knives in the kitchen. I skin fish, slice vegetables and open packages. I carry a small Swiss army knife with me on my keychain. Am I a knife collector?

Just for kicks while pondering this question, I took a quick inventory. I have three custom and two quality production knives in my kitchen. I have five customs in my hunting pack, not counting the ones my sons have. I’ve got three or four spare keychain knives. I started a minor collection on purpose once and acquired 10 or 12 trapper pattern slipjoints and a few vintage folding knives in other patterns before I decided I wasn’t a collector, but I still have the knives.

In addition, I’ve got various junk knives stashed around in cars, trucks, shops and drawers, including the usual assortment of junk kitchen knives from big box marts, plus all the decent ones that I forgot where I put them. By quick count, I’ve got about a dozen customs and another 75 production knives.

Am I a knife collector? In my mind I am not a “knife collector,” but I figure I might be after all. You might be an Accidental Collector, too, and not even know it.

Investor

Collectors of this type always have an eye on the bottom line. They’re familiar with the primary and secondary markets, and can instantly spot a good deal. They are always looking for the “next big thing,” the knife that is not hot yet but will be soon. They know the value of “buy low, sell high,” but they also watch which makers and knives appreciate over time.

Some folks invest in stocks or real estate, while others apply their knife knowledge as part of an investment strategy.

I think of my friend Jimmy McMahon as an example of this category. I remember back in 2010 when he invited me to my very first knife show. At the time, he was proud of a knife he had just purchased from Kyle Royer, then a 19-year-old journeyman smith. Given Kyle’s continued improvement and his current status in the industry, I’d say Jimmy made a good investment. If Jimmy were to sell that knife today, he’d make a handsome profit.

Philanthropist/Helper

Have you ever met a person who was a real people-person and just wanted to help everyone? When a person like this collects knives, they continue with that approach.

Some collectors buy from makers they know and have a relationship with. Some buy from makers whose story they know, makers for whom the buyer knows that every single sale makes a difference. These collectors may be biased toward purchasing from makers who are newer, younger or less well-established.

One fairly well-known example is knifemaker Lloyd Hale. Lloyd disappeared from the knifemaking scene in the early 1980s, only to reappear 20 years later. Lloyd tucked away for all that time in his shop working for his patron, Owsley Brown Frazier. Lloyd created over 300 knives, daggers and swords for Owsley, who just happened to be one of the country’s premier gun and arms collectors. Many of these knives along with a great number of historical pieces are on display in the Frazier Museum in Louisville, Kentucky.

Another good example is my friend, David Smith. He loves to talk, to share what he has and a good knife. Over the years as I developed in the craft, he has purchased 6 or 8 pieces from me. He’s given some as gifts, but all have been put to use.

One story stands out as a great illustration of David’s character and the Philanthropist/Helper.

One of my first forged knives was made from the tooth of a drag harrow that came from my grandfather’s farm. I’d held onto the tooth for many years until my forging skills were up to the task. The knife also included wrought iron and some figured red oak milled in 1955 that was recovered during a remodel from the floor of my house at the time.

Even though this knife was tied to me in many ways, with two small kids at home I found myself in an economic pinch, so I had to put the knife out for sale. I priced it at what was for me a high price at the time, and David snatched it right up. He also promised to give me the knife back when he passed away.

About four years later, I was able to travel across country and again visit David at his hunting camp where we used to hang out 15 years prior. True to his word, David gave me back the knife, saying that he didn’t want his wife to have to figure out where to send all the stuff he’d promised folks after he died. He’s almost died four or five times in the last 20 years, but as of this writing is still alive and well. I’ve since adopted that knife as one of my primary using knives, and it’s a treasure I’ll never part with.

Art Appreciator

These people love art for art’s sake, who take the time to stop and admire the roses, who simply enjoy having beautiful things around them. That there would be people like this who gravitate toward knives-as-art is no real surprise. Just like those who collect paintings, sculptures or any other kind of art, these people buy knives simply to appreciate their beauty and the skillful craftsmanship that went into their creation.

I never met David Darom, but with some familiarity with his books, I assume he was an Art Appreciator. His books feature the best knives in the world from a variety of genres, from top makers both stateside and international. If you’re not familiar with his work, The Great Collections is a good place to start.

I remember as an incoming probationary member at the Guild Show in 2013 hearing a buzz in the room when a $30,000 knife was sold by Warren Osborne. As a young guy in the back row, I had no idea what kind of knife would bring that kind of price, nor what kind of customer would buy one. I later saw the knife, with gold and fine engraving on a damascus interframe folder. My guess is that it was purchased by an Art Appreciator.

There are a few fine examples of this kind of knife in the center photo section.

“Squirrel!” Collector

Some readers will recognize the “Squirrel!” reference from the Disney movie Up. It’s a great illustration of the ADHD/impulsivity that goes along with some personality types, mine included. This type of collector simply buys knives that they like at the moment. Rather than a systematic approach, it’s more like “here a knife, there a knife, everywhere a knife knife!”

While some might argue that this isn’t a “real” collecting strategy, I believe that if it’s enjoyable to the collector, then it’s a legitimate pursuit. Even so, these stories don’t always turn out well.

My fishing buddy, Cliff, is a good example. He asked me once to sharpen his knives prior to an elk hunting trip. What he brought me was an imported Buck folder, a decent Benchmade fixed blade and two no-name folding knives from Bass Pro. Each one sharpened differently, and each was designed for a different purpose. None of them were well suited to skinning an elk. Cliff was happy to share them with me and glad for me to sharpen them, but no elk were harmed on his hunting adventure.

Historical/Sentimental Knife Collector

Some collectors specialize in history of one kind or another. Maybe they collect only Case “tested” knives like their grandpa or father carried. Maybe they have a collection of knives directly from their ancestors, or connected to a specific historical event (e.g. Civil War), a specific era (e.g. the American West) or an international genre that connects with their heritage. For these collectors, part of the value of the knife is the connection that it makes with something both personal and historical.

Master smith Jerry Fisk targets this kind of collector with his high-end bowies that include historical materials. He’s made knives from World Trade Center steel. He’s used wood from trees planted by George Washington. He’s made damascus with one layer for every person in the United States.Elements from Thomas Jefferson, Dr. Mudd, the Liberty Bell, the Alamo and Pearl Harbor have been worked into Fisk knives over the years. When a collector buys these knives, they’re buying a connection to a story, not just a knife.

My friend, David Patterson, of League City, Texas, fits this category. He’s been collecting knives for many years and has a great collection of the work of knifemakers from the 60s and 70s like Merle Seguine, Clyde Fischer, Gordon and Ruffin Johnson, Randall and Moreseth. He also has a long-standing collection of a knife from every single master smith in Arkansas.

Grail Seeker

There’s a personality type that loves the thrill of the hunt, for whom the journey is as important as the destination. These folks love to get the hottest new thing, or pursue the rarest or most sought-after knives. If you follow the trends and buy at the peak, you may be this kind of collector.

The market depends somewhat on people willing to play this role. The thrill of the acquisition can be as important as the knife itself. These folks developed the term “grail” knife, that knife for which you’d forsake all others, the knife at the top of the pinnacle.

All About The Knives

Whatever your personal reasons for collecting, and whatever personality traits encourage you down the path you’ve chosen, we all share one thing in common: the love of the knife.

More On Knife Collecting:

• Knife Collecting Tips
• Kife Provenance
• Bowie Knife Collecting
• Knife Buying Don’ts