If you listen to people discuss how they got into collecting knives, you’ll find that knife collectors come from all over the world. All walks of life, all races, ethnicities, and cultures. Most collectors with rare collector’s knives have been at it for a long time. They have one thing in common with all novices—they were drawn to collecting knives for difficult to place reasons. Knife collecting is a hobby that can truly consume your time and attention. There are many phenomenal creators of past, present, and yet to be discovered. If you’ve spent many years collecting knives, poring over their details, and maybe even tried your hand at the craft as well, you’d know that it is quite a journey.

As with all hobbies and livelihoods born of passion, one of the most difficult things that can occur is losing perspective and turning what was once a fun hobby into a task. Ultimately, collecting knives is about appreciation and enjoyment, and so this post is dedicated to the beginner’s mind and making sure you don’t lose it.

Why Do People Collect Knives?

First, a question, why do people collect knives? Simple. They just do! It seems like a cop out answer, but why does anyone collect anything? There are many standard reasons. Growing a collection, chasing rare finds, turning a profit, meeting people. All of these things come after that initial, almost strange fascination with the object. Collecting rare custom knives is no different. There’s something so primitively elegant about a well-made custom knife, it is a contradictory quality few items have.

The reason is that they are drawn to them.

Custom Knife Appreciation Comes Before Value

Knife collecting is a true passion and collections often grow as the collector does. Price paid does not indicate a passionate collector, we are all cut from the same cloth. The boy or girl that spends all of their saved-up allowance on a Buck Folder is no less passionate than the adult who spends $1000 or more on a custom knife.

As you grow your collection of rare knives and maybe even start considering what you have amassed, your eyes may turn towards the business end of holding some of these priceless pieces. No doubt, whether you own a knife worth $200 or you’ve welcomed a beauty such as this Ron Lake Gold Framed folder into your collection, focusing on the value of the item can be a pitfall.

It would be foolish to ignore that there are creators that by sheer virtue of craftmanship, scarcity, and name can command hefty prices for their knives. Those that have passed on such as Loveless, even doubly so. But admiration can be a fragile thing, and when we place too much emphasis on the “value” and price of a knife, it can subtly destroy our appreciation for the knife.

Keeping a novice mind means prioritizing your appreciation for the knife and its craftsmanship above all—whether it was made by a relatively unknown maker, whether it is a made by a company that produces large quantities of utility knives per year, or if it is one of the rarest knives in the world. What was the knife that got you into collecting? Chances are, it wasn’t something like this California Dagger by Buster Warenski, it may have been just a simple knife that cost no more than a few dollars.

Rare Custom Knives Online

Exquisite Knives is dedicated to the love of collecting and appreciating custom knives. Check out our shop, where we feature both up and coming custom knife makers to knives created from legendary makers such as Loveless, Warenski, Moran, and more!

Contact us today if you have any questions about our knives.