Chromatic Fugue
1903
another perspective
We normally speak in positive terms about collectors who have a "passion" for whatever it is they collect. Hobbyist websites like this one tend to bring together people who reinforce one another's need to believe that there is something noble about spending so much time thinking about . . . things (cars, watches, guns, knives, whatever). It comes very close to idolatry. One is reminded of Gollum ("my precious!").
I hope it's not out of line for me to use this space to confess some ambivalence about what we celebrate here: the obsessive pursuit of beautiful ***things*** that often cost more to buy than the normal human family earns in a year.
Actually, it probably is out of line. Sorry. But I'm as guilty of this sin (yes, I'll call it that) as the next guy, so this is a confession, not a sermon.
My first response...
By: tee530 : March 25th, 2010-18:36
....was to spend ten minutes googling the Kershaw Zing knife. If my time here has taught me anything, it is that honestly held passion is worth listening to, if only for a brief time, even if I fully believe I have absolutely no interest in the subject at...
another perspective
By: Chromatic Fugue : March 25th, 2010-20:21
We normally speak in positive terms about collectors who have a "passion" for whatever it is they collect. Hobbyist websites like this one tend to bring together people who reinforce one another's need to believe that there is something noble about spendi...
A Tightrope Walk
By: Heinrich : March 26th, 2010-12:54
Thanks a lot for this thought provoking post. I appreciate that someone has the standing to touch such a topic in this forum. Your reference to the world of Tolkien’s novels made me recognize the tightrope walk between a passion for beautiful things...
Interesting...
By: aaronm : March 26th, 2010-14:27
That the bulk of his collection is production knives. As someone for whom knife collecting came first, i'd say it is a very different, but compatible hobby. When I first started collecting watches I was constantly annoyed at the lack of transparency (ok, ...
This could be interesting.
By: ThomasM : March 27th, 2010-12:25
Hi Aaron. Please define Production piece vs custom. Please share what the practical differences are (besides consistency of fit and finish) Is there a middle ground, say, "tuned" production pieces that gives one 98% of custom at 1/3 the price (using a ben...
Customary use...
By: aaronm : March 27th, 2010-17:27
Custom="the name on the knife is the maker (ground, fitted, polished, etc..." with other participants usually named (engraver, smith, HT) or at least acknowledged (I buy my sheaths, etc). Usually this has everything made unique for that knife(excluding sc...
