How much of your collection do you regularly use?

[zuludelta]

I regularly use about half of the 50 folders I currently own, primarily for work but also as everyday carry cutting tools.

Of that 25, maybe 5 qualify as my current core "users" (i.e., my primary work knife rotation): a Yojimbo 2, a Li'l Temperance 3, a ZDP-189 Endura 4, a K390 Delica 4, and an S110V PM2 (which replaced my S110V Native 5 LW in the rotation). Outside of work, I use a much larger variety of folders although even then I tend towards carrying versions/variants of the knives in my work knife rotation, such as a blacked-out Yojimbo 2 or PM2, a waved Endura 4, or a regular VG-10 Delica 4 with Zomé Green scales.

[vivi]

And to be honest, I don't use my knives terribly often at work - mostly to cut the odd cardboard or pallet wrapping or some such thing - so I've been content with the Byrd's 8Cr13MoV. I can certainly tell the difference in edge holding versus something like Maxamet but I guess I don't cut enough stuff to really mind the difference.

Is that CPM S35VN on that Resilience?

Both are 8Cr. Blade swapped a regular G10 set of scales on a blacked out CE FRN Resilience. Same hardware length so it was very simple.

I'm the same way with edge holding. I use my knives every day but it isn't frequent I cut very abrasive materials. I cut a lot of plastic wrap, slice tape on boxes, open packages and envelopes from the mail - that sort of thing. I cut some cardboard here and there but not massive quantities.

I can certainly tell an edge holding difference between S30V and 8Cr, but 8Cr holds an edge sufficiently for me. I really like being able to quickly touch up the edge of steels like 8Cr, VG10, BD1 etc. I use those steels daily both in pocket knives and work knives, and they get the job done.

[mikey177]

I regularly carry everything in my collection, but opportunities for knife use aren't present every day. My most used knives are the serrated Salt models that I need for weekend yardwork, so maybe only 5 percent of my collection gets used.

My other knives would jump for joy if there is a loose bit of thread on my shirt or a new package that arrives

[RevMike]

There are about 150 in the regular rotation which comes out to around 40% regular use knives.

[Superflex]

ATS55 CE Delica 3
K390 SSS
Spy Opera
SE Wharnie Endura
XHP Chief
S35VN PM2
PE Atlantic Salt
52100 CE Para 3

The other 26 live in their boxes waiting. Some will never get used.

[RustyIron]

So what I’d like to ask all of you, how much of your collection sees regular use?
Do you try to rotate through everything? Or do you end up only using 3 or 4?

I think I have about a dozen Spydercos. I have a favorite small knife, a favorite mid-size, and a favorite big knife. Those are the three that I regularly carry. There's a Mule in the kitchen that I use a lot, so I guess that should be included.

The others I might carry occasionally, but I quickly remember why those aren't my favorites, and they get tossed back into the Drawer of Unloved Knives.

[Doc Dan]

Out of all of my many Spydercos, I now only use basically 3 regularly. I carry a black UKPK with BD1N in my jeans when I go out. I carry a blue UKPK S110V around the house in my shorts in one pocket. For both uses I also carry a Ladybug Salt SE, as well.

[Teddy0215]

I use every knife I own, but there are 6 or 7 that get the most pocket time/belt time. I don’t ever buy anything with the intent to not use it.

[Airlsee]

I use and have carried every knife I've purchased, but some were bought to cover hypothetical bases, some I had to have, and some were exploratory purchases...these days there are very few new knives that I find intriguing and feel like most of my exploration has turned towards knives I already own.

I don't use knives at work anymore and have found my daily uses becoming fewer and further in-between...I'll be honest and say that I use to hypothetically carry check myself and think that I needed to mix up my carry on a regular basis, rotating between knives that only myself or our corner of the internet could even distinguish between...

Now I usually put an EDC in pocket and keep it there for a few weeks only to switch it out when a particular situation or boredom dictates...

I've got a K390 LB on my keys every day, and think that my favorite carries are the Mantra 1, Swayback & SE UKPK Salt depending on the situation, but honestly that's just because I don't take the time to switch them out enough...I really enjoy all the knives I own but in the last couple of years I've probably carried 8% of them for more than 2 weeks.

My "collection" feels pretty static, there are none that I'm looking to move on, and nothing new I feel like I need to add...it's a strange feeling for a long-time blade addict, LOL!

Favorite Spydies to carry (off top) no order: Chief, Swayback, Native, Mantra 1, Ikuchi, SE UKPK, Air

[Evil D]

A very small percentage unfortunately. Much of my hoard is made up of past "this is the one" models that have been dethroned by other models, along with a few classics that I've bought purely for collecting reasons that almost never get used or carried. I try to rotate on my days off but I've become so strict about my work knife that it never changes anymore, and that makes up probably 90% of my uses outside of kitchen work. It doesn't help that lately I haven't had anything new to play with so there aren't a lot of reasons to switch it up.

[wrdwrght]

When my collection was smaller, I used more of it.

[Cheddarnut]

When my collection was smaller, I used more of it.

Yes. I feel this way about money, when i have less i spend more. Or food. I wonder why…

[wrdwrght]

When my collection was smaller, I used more of it.

Yes. I feel this way about money, when i have less i spend more. Or food. I wonder why…

Panicked consumption of money or food in short supply is a thing, I suppose. I was merely pointing out an interesting arithmetic problem of use against a collection’s growing size.

[Sharp Guy]

I currently have approximately 150 knives. There's only 2 or 3 that I know I've never carried or used. Problem with having 150 knives that I like is that none really get carried and used as much as they should. I have a few favorites that I'll carry more often than others and there's a few that have only been carried a few times. As I said I like them all but it's hard to get to them all.

Lately, instead of picking a different knife to carry each day, I've been selecting 10-12 knives that I want to get into my pocket and I set them on my desk. That's what I pick from for a couple weeks. Then, when I get tired of the selection I put them all away and I choose 12 more. It gives me a chance to go through my collection and choose knives I haven't seen in awhile. Speaking of which, I was just going my Imgur account and I saw pics of several knives that I completely forgot about. So those will be on my desk and eventually in my pocket next week

[GarageBoy]

I make like under half a dozen cuts a week with my pocket knives, and have 4-5 favorites that see regular use... Tiny fraction of my collection

Want to try all the steels, but I'm not a homesteader

[Sharp Guy]

I use and have carried every knife I've purchased, but some were bought to cover hypothetical bases, some I had to have, and some were exploratory purchases...these days there are very few new knives that I find intriguing and feel like most of my exploration has turned towards knives I already own.

I don't use knives at work anymore and have found my daily uses becoming fewer and further in-between...I'll be honest and say that I use to hypothetically carry check myself and think that I needed to mix up my carry on a regular basis, rotating between knives that only myself or our corner of the internet could even distinguish between...

Now I usually put an EDC in pocket and keep it there for a few weeks only to switch it out when a particular situation or boredom dictates...

I've got a K390 LB on my keys every day, and think that my favorite carries are the Mantra 1, Swayback & SE UKPK Salt depending on the situation, but honestly that's just because I don't take the time to switch them out enough...I really enjoy all the knives I own but in the last couple of years I've probably carried 8% of them for more than 2 weeks.

My "collection" feels pretty static, there are none that I'm looking to move on, and nothing new I feel like I need to add...it's a strange feeling for a long-time blade addict, LOL!

Favorite Spydies to carry (off top) no order: Chief, Swayback, Native, Mantra 1, Ikuchi, SE UKPK, Air

^ I relate to a lot of this including some of your favorites. I have my Mantra out for carry this past two weeks and that could easily be "THE" knife for me...or...I could pick a UKPK...or....

[Cheddarnut]

When my collection was smaller, I used more of it.

Yes. I feel this way about money, when i have less i spend more. Or food. I wonder why…

Panicked consumption of money or food in short supply is a thing, I suppose. I was merely pointing out an interesting arithmetic problem of use against a collection’s growing size.

I understand, I'm always cross applying principles. Much to my partners chagrin
I use maybe 20%, with the ones that show use in my pocket more often. Its been a learning experience to realize that the less i pay for a knife the more i use it, relegating my ‘best’ knives to the shelf. Another factor that plays in heavily which seems ridiculous is the clip-i can’t stand silver clips these days, and refuse to mod my knives with 3rd party add ons. I end up with the coated ( not painted) clipped knives getting preference. As such, the 52100 para 3 has nested in my pants which brings me down to like 5% of the collection in rotation.

[Manixguy@1994]

I rotate about everything in collection since purging. Although some are designated for good occasions. MG2

[Ranger_Ike]

I try to use them all. Some just get used more than others. I go on FRN kicks, or titanium kicks, etc. so that kind of determines what I carry sometimes. If I have anything I just don’t want to carry, ever, I get rid of it.

[DSH007]

I've never considered myself a "collector" per se.. but I've accumulated so many knives over the last two or three decades (with most of them being acquired in the last 4-5 years) that there's no real denying a collector is what I am at this point. I buy all my knives with the intention of carrying & using them. I don't really have any regular "rotation" to selecting my carry, mostly just whatever I feel like on a given day based on my mood or any expected tasks. I have my favorites and there are definitely a handful that get used a lot more than others, but it's always nice to get reacquainted with one that I haven't carried in a long time too.

I do not believe in "safe queens" and I personally have no issue at all using any one of my knives as a knife. They are, first and foremost, tools. That said.. I just have so many at this point that, unfortunately, many of them do sit unused for long periods of time. Every now and again I toy with the idea of selling some off, but that never seems to happen and the accumulation just keeps growing haha..