Collecting knives..

1

Hi folks,

How many of you anglers are also knife collectors? Well, to start off with this topic, let me first say that there are two categories of collecting knives. First, there’s the guy with a collection - a mass quantity of knives of all sorts, hoarded and picked up where most are low in value or have very little significance. Next, there’s the collector – a person who researches trends and places his focused collection as an investment. Doesn’t matter at all if you have a collection or have become a purveyor of fine cutlery. Most important of all, its the learning factor i.e. - type of steel, function of the blade geometry and qualities of steel used in making a knife…

First and foremost, the knife is a tool and the oldest implement known to man. It has a basic utilitarian role in our day to day lives and can be interpretated as a ‘weapon’ as its secondary usage. Now as man progresses, laws are established to protect the common man from being a victim under the knife. Are there laws governing knives? Yes. Act 357 of the explosives and offensive weapons Act 1957 Amended 1982 clearly states a list of scheduled weapons. But the law itself, is a matter of intrepretation. Do you need a permit to collect or carry a knife? Technically - no. Is there a legal limit for knife carry? - no. But you are prohibited from openly carrying the Keris, Spear, Bearing Scraper, Double-edged dagger and sword.

Is it expensive to own a knife? - Yes. The average price of a folding or fixed blade knife, manufactured in Japan or the US, is estimated around RM300 and above. So, to overcome this issue, manufacturers have turned to China and Taiwan in the recent years to keep the cost down. In short, you can get a good knife for about RM190 which is made in China. Does it matter? - No if you want to solely use it but yes if you are a steel snob!

What kind of knives defines you? Subjective part because there are different types of blades for different purpose. Not all knives are made as a general utilitarian. Some pieces are specialised for cutting, skinning and precision cutting as well chopping..

Does steel quality matter? Yes. Good steel don’t come cheap and the cheap steel need not necessarily perform as good. So, manufacturers have done plenty of researched and have advanced by creating high-speed steel to hold an edge, giving you more out of your money..

Sam [8D]

have knives will travel..

mkf.has.it

2

Interesting subject. Thanks Samo and also to Zillionmax who started all this.

I probably belong to the first group whereby I pickup blades when I see them, mostly parang, when the price is right and like the feel of it. I had since lost a couple thru ‘good friends’ borrowing and had never heard of them.[V] Looking forward to learn more.

3

Hi Samo, nice collection of knife you got there, i was wondering how many pcs you have in your collection…[:D]

Btw, i just kena poison by Uncle Bob, got myself a Hunting Knife(coldsteel) and a spiderco, hope to learn more about knife from you and ubob…[:D]

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Cool one Samo.

I’m more a knife user/collector. I only buy to use and have since lost 2 Spyderco, 3 Leathermans and my darling Kuala Kangsar custom parang [:(] Other sharp things are my passion too; chisels, wooden planes, carving knife… anything that’s sharp [:D] Now trying very hard to convince wife we need a Gerber set of kitchen knives. [:D]

I believe in the truth of $$ vs quality, if u really want a blade that will function well for it’s purpose and keep a keen edge, you can’t be stingy. [:D] But above all a good blade is a pleasure to use. More ppl are injured by a blunt blade than a well sharpened one.

Wanna slice paper thin fish fillet for sushi? Pay 700 for a sushi knife LOL.

5

Agreed, Lapala bro, 1 good knife = 5 so-so knives. A good sharp knife is less tiring to use and also safer.

6
quote:
Samo, nice collection of knife you got there, i was wondering how many pcs you have in your collection......

Actually bro, a few here and there.. Its hard to keep tab on the lot.. Collecting knives can be fun, but if you go way overboard, you can also burn out. A focused collector knows exactly what he wants from a knife in terms of form and function. If you collect ‘production’ knives, loosely – a term for mass produced factory knives, there are plenty of models to select and those who know either collect ‘prototypes’ or ‘limited-edition’ run. These knives can fetch a decent price and you don’t tend to lose much re-selling it.. And if you count on your knives to save your ass, be prepared to accept a 30% or more depreciation when it comes to factory made knives, even if its dead mint.. Another fine aspect of collecting, is trading for a knife of equal value or higher in terms of its historical significance. I’ve encountered a situation before when a buddy of mine traded silk batik for some fine folding knives..

Well, at one stage in my life, I was obsessed with collecting spydercos…

Enduras are my favourites..

Rescue knives tops my list of ‘what if’ knives..

Small blades like these are purty useful..

I had one specially engraved for my Thai friend..

And in the good rapport and years that follow, I too have received some cool Thai blades. Like these ‘E-neps’ which are traditional edge tools used by mahouts in Elephant sanctuaries..

The E-neps are very functional but sadly, like any other tradionally finished blades, rust is its biggest enemy..

Sam

have knives will travel..

mkf.has.it

7

Awesome collection, Samo.

I have only seen some guys with big collection of kris.

8

Wow, see until eyes oso blur laa…hehee…[:D]

Setan, do you know how to ‘Flip-2’ your spiderco oredi kaa…[:D]

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9

Samo, what is the smallest knife that can chop a 10kgs stingray tail, i find those parangs and kapak)axe) are too bulky to bring…[:D]

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..oops, sorry, one more question, you got lobang for the ‘Batu asah’ ahh…[:D]

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11

Facinating.

You give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, you teach him how to fish, you poison him for life and he will never stop buying fishing tackles

12

Well, the Keris is a scheduled weapon and if you procure them from overseas, a police permit is required. Buy them locally, no sweat! Personally, I am no big fan of the traditional Malay weapon which was outlawed when the British colonised us at the turn of the century. Nevertheless, knives became an object of my fascination from young. My first ever ‘serious’ folding knife or ‘folder’ was a Victorinox Swiss Army Knife. (S.A.K.)

Some of my “Swissies”

My love for folding knives led me to brands like Buck, Gerber, Spyderco, Benchmade, Emerson and SOG knives.. This pair, the Spyderco Wegner and Mouse are my fondest..

Spyderco kitchen knives too have found their way to my household, you can see the paring knife, KX-01 experimental and the Spyderco Sashimi knife.. These are super lovely! Where do I get them? They are imported directly from the US. How did I do it? Pay retail price + freight + 10% sales tax + 25% duty which is applicable to knives. So, are they illegal? You pay tax, the Government earned revenue through this legal means - so, arguably, its good in the eyes of the law…

I collect vintage Spydercos. These are a pair of two-screw C-01 workers. The first Spyderco had ever made..

In my quest for all Spydies vintage – I landed myself these rare Spyderco C-15 and C-19 Terzuolas, the first locking liners from Spyderco.. Truly valuable these days because they are low in circulation..

The C-15 and C-19s are good conversation starters..

These are some of my Spydies that has gone to their new home..

And to gain knowledge, I learned a lot from on-line knife-related forums. Last year, I won this knife through a raffle. It felt great!

Here are some of my small fixed blades which are hand-ground..

Subsequently, I moved on to higher end knives.. These are from a knife company called Strider Knives. Their folders can top USD$3000 a piece. Mine are just normal hand-assembled pieces..

I ended up with some fine knives like this pig-sticker from a maker called Bill Siegle..

He made me this 7" utility knife using 5160 high carbon steel.. Cuts like a demon, but rusts like hell!

I found it amusing to slice through coconuts like butter..

This knife became my camp companion..

Eventually, knives became a part of my outdoor life. Like this well-built nessmuk by Bill Siegle..

Form follows function.. You can see the clean lines on this one..

Good knives are hard to come by, but when you snactched a piece like this one, its there to serve you for life..

Sam [:D]

have knives will travel..

mkf.has.it

13
quote:
Wow, see until eyes oso blur laa.....hehee........

Setan, do you know how to ‘Flip-2’ your spiderco oredi kaa…

Sorry la bro, flip-flip tak main lah.. Nanti itu pisau punya joint pivot rosak, habis kita punya harta..

quote:
Samo, what is the smallest knife that can chop a 10kgs stingray tail, i find those parangs and kapak)axe) are too bulky to bring.....

Ini soalan cepumas.. As far as I know, fishermen use a meat cleaver to chop ray tails. And to dress the fish, the cut from the soft underbelly, not against the grain of the ray’s sandpaper like skin..

quote:
..oops, sorry, one more question, you got lobang for the 'Batu asah' ahh......

Batu asah chop kepala Red Indian, mujarab, murah, dan mana-mana kedai barangan logam pun ada. Tapi kalau ada duit lebih, pergi lah kedai Uncle Bob kat Taman Sri Subang.. [:D]

Sam

have knives will travel..

mkf.has.it

14

hello guys, i used to bring a parang with me on my fishing trips too..but found it too bulky. So i recently got an Aitor…survival knife. But no matter how i tried to sharpen it…it wont get much sharper! probably i’m applying the incorrect technic. may i know what is the correct way to sharpen a knife? [:)] and…are there any places that offer knife sharpening services? [:I]

15

Great Collection Samo!

You got a set that will make all angers salivate with jealousy. I too collect knifes but your set make me look like an amateur.

I am in Geneva, Switzerland for a month plus now but has already bought lots of Wanger and Victorinox knifes. If you are looking for any particular model of Swiss knife, tell me and I can get them back in Malaysia by end of December. No worry, I can clear customs at KLIA.

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quote:
So i recently got an Aitor...survival knife. But no matter how i tried to sharpen it...it wont get much sharper! probably i'm applying the incorrect technic. may i know what is the correct way to sharpen a knife? and...are there any places that offer knife sharpening services?

Ah! Aitor.. That’s a name I haven’t heard for a long time. I think you can get these from Penang’s TCE shop! If you want to sharpen the knife, invest on a medium grit stone (between 500 - 1000 grit) and work on sharpening the knife by laying it at a 15-degree angle, sliding the edge from the riscasso (end of the naked edge) to the tip. If you dont want to scratch your blade coating, apply masking tape and leave only the edge visible. Line the edge of the masking tape with a felt tip marker so you can actually see your angle and the amount of steel removed. Free-hand sharpening requires skill and plenty of practice and of course – a set of steady hands. For added convenience, you might want to use a GATCO angled sharperner (*Uncle Bob has one on sale) or the Spyderco Sharpmaker model 204 (*many knifeknuts swear by this!). If you live in KL, you might also want to check out the cutlery section at Isetan in KLCC. There is a ‘Global’ kitchen knife booth that offers their revolutionary ceramic sharperner. Once again, the rule of cost applies – these things are very expensive…

Places offering sharpening services? Yeah, sometimes you can find those roadside peddlar. But if you have an expensive folder of fixed blade, do not offer them. You might regret it. There are no professional sharpening services here in the Klang Valley..

quote:
I am in Geneva, Switzerland for a month plus now but has already bought lots of Wanger and Victorinox knifes. If you are looking for any particular model of Swiss knife, tell me and I can get them back in Malaysia by end of December. No worry, I can clear customs at KLIA.

Hey Doc! Nice stash! THe Wegner (now owned by Victorinox) folders are cool! I’ve always dreamed of getting the Victorinox Voyager Lite.. But too mahal for a swissie lah.. [:p] Have a safe return from Switzerland and hopefully when you are back, we can catch up for a glass of teh-o!

For field use, I carry a Kershaw Outcast. This knife was designed by Hawaiian knifemaker Ken Onion for hunting pigs. Below, you can seet the inexpensive Kershaw Echo. These knives are pretty affordable because they are manufactured in China…

The Outcast is built from a solid billet of D-2 steel which holds an excellent edge, but rusts like hell…

This is one robust cutting tool!

One of my most precious keepsake, is this Spyderco Endura given by the company’s owner Sal Glesser. I visited Spyderco some years back..

This is the knife that Sal carries with his initials engraved on it..

Sam

have knives will travel..

mkf.has.it

17

Wah lau eh drooling already! Samo you got open house for showcasing your collection at home or NST office?

Vincent

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18

Samo,
Nice collection you’ve got there. Must have spent a fortune on those knives right?

I also started with swiss army folding knives then progressed to Buck. Now I have a Leatherman Wave as a EDC and I find it quite sufficient.
As for my kitchen, I use Zwilling JA Henckels almost exclusively. I also keep my knives sharp with a steel also by Henckels. I hold a knife in my hands for an average of about 1 hour daily coz I’m a sausagemaker. hahaha

In God we trust, everyone else pays cash!

19


How’s the balance of that Kershaw Outcast Samo? Looks awesome, maybe should do some chopping test, say 10" log both dry and wet.

20

I am a knife freak too, but not as crazy as Samo!

Years ago, I used to blame knives for being useless because they get blunt too frequently and some of them just cannot be sharpened, no matter how hard I try. The problem led me to buy heaps of knives, which eventually ended up as unwanted giveaways.

Then about eight years ago, I started to moonshine as a cook at Tow Foo on weekends and realised that it was expensive to throw away blunt knives every now and then. I did some soul searching and finally after some great difficulty, I now know how to sharpen my kitchen knives to razor pristine.

The chopper that I used to hate, is now my favourite and also the most sought after by the other kitchen hands.

I must thank Uncle Bob for his reluctant secretive tips and Ikea for selling cheap Ceramic Sharpening tools and knives.

My multi purpose Chinese made chopper has been around for at least 4 years, and I miss it when I am not at work.!

Samo,

Can you share some sharpening tips? I know you might have discussed this issue previously, but I am to lazy to go through the archives.

Thanks, mate.

“Fishing Pressure Reduces The Pleasure”