Why do you have the knives you do?

[u.w.]

Well I'm not gonna list all my Spydies, because that would be a lot, a lot, a lot... So, I'll summarize

Initially as inexpensive or free folders (I worked for a considerate, thoughtful, generous Uncle for over two decades). Those were the Enduras, and later a smattering of H1's, and I went through quite a few. Great knife!

I hunt also. I saw and then read a little on the Stretch. It reminded me of the Wegner colab. I had and broke in the Maroon Bells wilderness area. So I got a Stetch - Man I Love that knife! So excellent in hand! I liked it so much I got another, then a few ZDP bladed ones too (blue and green). Perhaps my favorite Spyderco in hand and use.
Then Spyderco came out with the Stretch 2... I got one and tried it out - I Do Not like it as much as the Stretch. They took something that was perfect (for me, in my hand) and made it a little worse... I still have the Stretch 2 and will use it of course, but it aint as great as the Stretch IMO.
Delicas I got because they're a little smaller. While maybe not as great in hand/use as say, the Stretch - they are lighter and smaller, and do work exceptionally well. So they are in a way handier... It's the knife I hike with. Big enough, small enough, handy enough... could be a bit lighter - I do wish they were linerless though. Great knife for me, for sure. I have many.
All the rest are/were more or less either smokin' deals, or to try out different steels. For some of the different steels: UKPK both S110V & BD1N, Urban K390, a few PM2's: M390, M4, REX45, 20CV, 52100.

As long as they keep making & selling them, I'll keep buying & using them.

u.w.

[NickShabazz]

Because I HAVE A PROBLEM.

(More seriously, I talk about this in this video: https://youtu.be/-xb-5rTQJXQ)

[bearfacedkiller]

I have kitchen knives because I love to cook. I have folders because I see the utility in always having a knife. I own fixed blades because I am an avid outdoorsman.

Why do I have a truckload of knives that I cannot really justify? It is a hobby and I am a knife enthusiast.

What drives my purchases? I still am not always sure. Sometimes it is the steel junky itch. Sometimes I like the look. Sometimes I convince myself it fills a void in the collection. Sometimes it is just another variation of a knife model I really like. Sometimes it is just curiosity. I am way past telling myself that I "need" a knife and have accepted that I just buy it because I want it.

[MichaelScott]

Because I HAVE A PROBLEM.

(More seriously, I talk about this in this video: https://youtu.be/-xb-5rTQJXQ)

Interesting collection. I heard the jets overhead. August. You said, “Pacific time”. Our son who works in San Francisco mentioned the Blue Angels practicing. So… How do you like the sushi?

[timlara]

What Nick said...

I'm not as much of a collector as I used to be, so these days I lean more toward utility than "cool factor". I also lean toward smaller knives, so my current sweet spot is the 110v UKPK. Super light and easy to carry, thin and slicey, and the slipjoint mechanism + choil is plenty secure for me as I don't ever do any hard-use type of tasks that require a lock. Opening packages and breaking down boxes is pretty much all I ever need to do.

That said, the occasional big or unusual / special use model still catches my eye now and then, even though I don't really have a practical need for any of them.

I have a Caribbean sheepfoot because I wanted to try out LC200N and actually like the funky bee-like G10 and love the handle ergos and blade shape.

I will definitely buy a Shaman sprint or exclusive if we ever get one as it's the most comfortable folding knife I've ever held.

I keep trying to talk myself out of picking up the KW CF/Ti Millie exclusive, which is a model I've always wanted to like, but in practice I've never ended up carrying the Millies I've had because people at work would freak out if they saw it. I'm not much of a weekend warrior either, other than light hiking / trail running, so I just have no real use for large blades in any situation. But I still want one.....

I also kind of want a Yojimbo trainer, even though I doubt I'll ever take any MBC classes and would be better off spending my time trying to improve my sprint speed and endurance for running away, given my fighting abilities and general lack of coordination. :D

[MichaelScott]

I believe the “want one” is often a good reason. I have accepted that I don’t have to have an objective reason in order to want a particular knife. Will I ever use a Para Military 2 the way it was designed to be used? Probably not. Do I really need a One-Eyed Jack? No.

My motto for knife buying is: “Life is too short to smoke cheap cigars.” (Credit to Wild Bill Hickok)

[ChrisinHove]

I used to wonder why people gardened, or painted, or spent ridiculous hours renovating old cars or motorcycles etc. I have concluded over time that it is because we are so imperfect and occupy such an imperfect world, we can only hope to see perfection in small things.

What’s smaller than an edge? (Ok, a point, but you get mine).

I don’t *need* anything more than my first, SG Delica, but every subsequent Spyderco has been a little better than the one before.

[abbazaba]

Because I like knives? I'm not sure there is anyway other way for me to honestly answer that question. I tell others that I have more knives than I can count, which is true because I'd rather not admit how many to myself! :o

[curlyhairedboy]

Use cases, most of the time. Shaman, PM2, DF2 hawkbill, Lil Native, PITS - these all see a lot of daily use and carry. The PITS less so at this point, but I'd make sure to have it on me in slip-joint only areas.

The other times, it's design that speaks to me. The Zulu and Euroedge are fantastic collaborations that really speak to me.

And of course, the Southard and 40th Anniversary Native I have for sentimental value.

[The Meat man]

1. Dragonfly 2 Salt SE - my first Spyderco. Bought it mainly to try out the brand, as well as H-1 and a serrated edge.

2. Manbug ZDP-189 - I bought this one before the Dragonfly had arrived, to try out the steel.

3. Native 5 Maxamet - I bought this one just for the crazy Maxamet steel.

4. Advocate - I bought this one because I liked the design. I tend to favor slim blade​ profiles (something of a rarity with Spyderco). It's still one of my favorite designs offered by Spyderco.

5. Military CPM S110V - I wanted to experience the classic design of the Military. It's an obvious favorite on the forum and much larger than any knife I had owned previously. Also I wanted to try out the S110V steel. It's one of my top favorite Spyderco knives of all time.

6. Pacific Salt SE - I wanted to really give a fully serrated blade a fair trial. I never was a big fan of SE even after getting the Dfly. After carrying the Pacific Salt exclusively for a month or so, it has become one of my favorites and is my most carried knife.

7, 8, and 9 - Manbugs in H-1, HAP40, and Super Blue - I bought these because I really like the Manbug design, and I wanted to try out the steels.

10. Mule Team 27 (MM PD#1) - Bought this one to try out the steel and Mule Team design. My first Spyderco fixed blade.

11. Calypso Jr Super Blue - I got this one for the steel, plain and simple.

[Naperville]

I have kitchen knives because I love to cook. I have folders because I see the utility in always having a knife. I own fixed blades because I am an avid outdoorsman.

Why do I have a truckload of knives that I cannot really justify? It is a hobby and I am a knife enthusiast.

What drives my purchases? I still am not always sure. Sometimes it is the steel junky itch. Sometimes I like the look. Sometimes I convince myself it fills a void in the collection. Sometimes it is just another variation of a knife model I really like. Sometimes it is just curiosity. I am way past telling myself that I "need" a knife and have accepted that I just buy it because I want it.

^ THIS ^

"I have kitchen knives because I love to cook. I have folders because I see the utility in always having a knife. I own fixed blades because I am an avid outdoorsman." If I had to amend one thing in this sentence it would be that I use all of my folders and some fixed blades that are for self defense. It's the only reason why I EDC anything.

If I have a box to open, I'm not going to use my folder or fixed blades for self defense, I'll use a box cutter.

[lonerider1013]

I got into spyderco after injuring my hand, the holes are easy to open.
I've always had knives and carried them but up til the last few years never expensive ones. Whether at home or at work or in the woods I've always needed them, for opening, cutting, whatever.
As to the specific knives... I like the slim and light weight profile of the delica, for biking and hiking, and a basic edc. It was my first because it was the only one I really knew about at the time and it was a good place to start (also it's the one I use the most lol). The wharncliff delica was because I liked the blade shape/wanted to try it. I got the endura because I was curious and it had more edge. I got the para3 because it seemed like a really well built knife. Positron - impulse buy first spydie flipper. Dragonfly -- super lightweight edc bicycling knife. Ambitious... tiny cheap knife. The tenacious was a poor man's military. I got the paramilitary 2 because I was so happy with the para3. ..
Gawd help me I still have several others I'm eyeing... zpd 189 delica, orange delica, orange ffg endura, sage, native...

The main fault lies with Spyderco. If they didn't manufacture the dang things I wouldn't buy em! lol.
Lonerider

[Brown_Recluse]

Tenacious & Resilience: My first Spydercos that I picked up on a whim from Wal-Mart. My introduction to Spyderco.

Paramilitary 2: I got this because I wanted to experience what a higher end Spyderco knife presented and I felt like the compression lock would fit my needs.

Para 3: I bought my first Para 3 because the PM2 was a little big for what I needed in an EDC. I bought the other 4 because I got interested in collecting them and they're all sprints or exclusives.

ARK: I wanted a small neck knife to add to my EDC.

Spydiechef: This one had always interested me but was always out of stock so when it became available again I jumped on it and now it's my main EDC.

[tvenuto]

Like others have said, it's mostly because I like them, and think that having a knife on you most of the time is a good idea. I also think that the things you own should be very high quality and you should have the opposite of buyers remorse. Every time you see the item, you should be happy you sprung for the best.

I'd also like to present another reason: I suspect that it's possible that, at any given moment, we might be at the zenith of human manufacturing capability. I think about the amount of know-how and technology that goes into a modern folding knife, and how many minor advances it took to get us here. I'm no doomsday prepper or anything, but I do acknowledge that we're increasingly on borrowed time. If the "lights were to go out" (so to speak) tomorrow, I'd rest easy knowing that I had a decent stock of useful tools that couldn't be made again for quite some time.

[superposition]

Mostly out of curiosity, as I'm just getting started. That said, I'm buying sprints for the most part because it's fun to have them. I work from home, so I don't really carry most of them. I just got started this year, so I have a lot more to learn. Fun hobby that is interesting for many different reasons.

[crazywednesday]

For cutting pizza

[SpyderEdgeForever]

Michael, I would say the main ways I pick a knife are:

1 Price and economics: can I afford it, unless its gifted to me?
2 Blade steel and design of knife. Do I like the shape and grind and find them useful to apply to the cutting chores I need or want to use it for?
3 Rarity, sometimes, if it is meant to be a collector's piece.

For me, unlike many on here, if you have noticed from my posts: I put more of a premium on toughness and strength of the knife than I do sharpness. I do want a knife to be sharp, ofcourse, to be able to cut safely and smoothly. But, I want the blade and handle to be strong and tough and durable. I would thus prefer thicker blade grinds like saber and scandi grinds and flat grinds than hollow grinds, in general. However, as I have said before, some of you on here as well as real world experience has shown me that a properly-made hollow grind can be durable.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

For cutting pizza

LOL Excellent :) Yes!

Which grind do you say is best for that?

[Sjucaveman]

I like all the belly on the spydiechef for cutting things like this.