When I first started at KnifeCenter, I carried a $20 knife that I purchased from a county fair. I had always enjoyed pocket knives, even when I was a 9-year-old kid and stole a Swiss Army knife out of the junk drawer of my parent’s kitchen. Thinking back to that time of my life, I had no idea what kind of hobby I was getting into.
I started at KnifeCenter in November of 2020, in the midst of one of the most challenging and confusing times of our lives. I didn’t know much about knives, but being thrust into a world full of everyday carries and being around knives all day, I quickly caught on. No knife I’d owned until that point cost more than $100, and suddenly I’m surrounded by $4000 knives and the individuals that purchase them.
While I did my best to resist the temptation to purchase pocket knives, I felt obligated to familiarize myself with the products that my company sold – and I dove in head-first.
One of the first knives I purchased from KnifeCenter was the SOG Terminus XR and it was sharper than any knife in my kitchen at the time. I continued my quest of increasing my collection by obtaining a CRKT Lanny, which tempted me with the hammered appearance of the handles. This knife was even sharper than the last.
I began trying to find the sharpest knives I could, because for some reason, having a sharp knife in my pocket felt nice, even if I rarely had anything to cut anymore. I purchased Bokers, Benchmades, and Microtechs – each of them sharper than the last. My desk began to become decorated with knives and I started asking my colleagues, “Which knife should I carry today?”
One of my favorite knives in my collection is the Pro-Tech Malibu. I carried that knife every day for around 2 months straight – the reverse tanto blade shape fit all of my needs and the action is still the smoothest I’ve ever felt. I personally believe that the Pro-Tech Malibu is one of the best fidget-friendly knives out there right now, if you’re lucky enough to get your hands on one, as they can be pretty elusive. My only gripe with the Malibu is that aluminum scales can be scratched if there was any other metal in my pocket.
I came to the realization that adding aftermarket titanium scales to my current knives greatly helped my opinion of that knife; while I very rarely have complaints about my knives, I felt as though they could always be improved.
My first scale conversion was on a Spyderco Para 3. In fact, I bought some titanium scales before I even bought the knife because I loved the design on the scales so much. The next day, I came into work and bought a Para 3 – my first Spyderco. This knife was razor sharp and immensely pleasurable to flick open; I learned how to ‘Spydie-Flick’ within an hour. That item became my daily-driver for a while, but I began to get the new-knife-itch once again.
My next scale conversion was on a Benchmade Bugout. I selected some MetonBoss scales and got to work with my trusty Torx driver and after minimal struggle with installation, I had a titanium Bugout that is almost always in my back right pocket due to the general thinness and versatility of the knife.
I eventually purchased a Chris Reeve Large Sebenza 31 – much to the displeasure of my wallet, but there was something different about this knife. The quality was something that I’d never experienced in a knife before – the titanium scales felt like utter perfection in my hand and the action was on a completely different level. Comparing a Sebenza to something like a Para 3 feels unfair to Spyderco, even though their knives are fantastic in their own respect.
This brings me to my latest knife purchase – a Spartan Harsey Folder. I have loved this knife ever since I saw a picture of the ‘Plague Doctor’ variant. I have kept my eyes peeled for a few different variants, however these knives always sold out so quickly, and for good reason – they are fabulous knives! I saw that we had received a batch of SHF’s and I quickly purchased one. Once I had the knife in hand, I realized just how overbuilt a knife could be. After a few flicks, I knew that this would be one of my favorite knives of all time. The anodizing and laser etching on my “Spartan Babe” model are gorgeous accents which provide a level of distinction compared to plain titanium knives.
I don’t think I’ll stop buying knives any time soon – the knife-bug has caught me in its wallet-harming clutches, and I couldn’t be happier. Knife collecting helps me better understand the people I deal with on a daily basis in customer service. Many of our customers are knife fanatics, and it can be extremely refreshing to fit in with such a tight-knit community, even if there are disagreements between the fans of brands like Spyderco and Benchmade.
While I may not know everything about every knife or every detail about every brand, I can proudly say that I have learned so much since entering the industry, and I’m sure that my knowledge will continue to grow, just like my preferences will change.