Knife budget

I could very easily become obsessed with kitchen knives. They're practical and lots of fun to look at. I only need a couple to prepare great food at home, though, so I'm trying to limit the number of knives I own. The buy and try phase will soon turn into the fix up (old Sabatiers) and sell phase. My plan is to end up with a vintage Sabatier (if I like it), one gyoto (have that... Hiromoto 240mm AS), a brute for chopping nuts and other hard foods (have that... Messermeister Meridian Elite), maybe a nakiri (Martell?), and a couple paring knives (have those).

I don't have a knife budget, per se. I do nearly all the cooking, and my girlfriend doesn't mind what I buy as long as we can both stick to our household budget and saving goals that we developed together. That, and fly fishing gear, a mountain bike, and some wood/steel working tools have most of my mad money tied up at the moment.

 

I am happy with what I got. I think it's time for me to enjoy them for a while before making any further calls

 

Not to dwell on the obvious, but there is no stock answer. Finances, family situation, kids, career, other hobbies etc. all play a part. I'm assuming you're not here from the pro side, thus this is a hobby/interest/(obsession?) It should give you pleasure. Hopefully, it exists at a level where your significant other is happy to see you enjoy something. In my household, I cook most of the meals. My wife loves that, and fully indulges my cooking gear expenses. (OK...and cycling etc. etc.) She has her own interests which I support.

Andrew said it perfectly (As an aside my attempts to quote posts don't seem to work). If you can meet your budget/saving goals, and there is anything left, then you each should have some freedom to do what you want.

 

Yes, that.

to answer your aside, hit reply. it will quote the message. the + quote is for multi-quote. the reply button is the single quote. enjoy.

 

Lots of budgeting. Whatever's left after bills, savings and investments is sock money. We both support each other's habit lol.

 

Last year I had my honey moon with my knife obsession, however I was always able to set my priorities and as I am the one earning 90% of our home income I hadn't to justify

Now, I am leaning my collection cutting down want I don't like, replacing some and making room for 1-2 additions, - a yanagi shig and maybe a 18 or 21cm petty/line ...

But I have to warn you that once you calm down your knife obsession the JNAT syndrome may come and that can be expensive as well.

 

The ones remembering me from the old site know all to well my hatefull tongue, which is true, since speaking was made to communicate, and not talk shite, and on top of that reading this threadmade me realize that I never will fit in here, I just dont see the passion for kitchen knives.

Or do I understand passion wrong? Im trying hard. I remember a thread about eating at alinea and I am not saying its foolish to spend over a 1k on a single knife [even though I think so after trying one or two, with exception for a honyaki mirror polished single bevel knives], everyone does as theyre pleased, but I still have difficulties to see where this is going?

 

Mate, it's all in good fun. Relax.

 

Im relaxed. Yet even relaxed cant understand why a fact that the knife is expensive makes it any better or more useful?

 

A mobile phone does the same job as a Rolex. Even a better job as the Rolex can get out of sync. There are also some differences in the handles ease of use and aesthetics. Different material etc. I didn't spend everything on one knife. I did get a mirror finish honyaki gyuto thou .

 

It doesn't make it always better and definetely it is still a knife but if someone is happy with an expensive knife then it must be a good deal

 

I like to experience the expensive artisan knives vicariously through our passionate members. I am a nerd about the nuts and bolts of design and construction and bask in the warm glow of pic heavy WIP threads and wait with bated breath as I page through new acquisitions. My budget won't allow a high zoot hand made esoteric Damascus blade with exotic custom handle, but I sure do enjoy looking at them. The benefit is that I learn a little bit while engaging in a fun pursuit. I don't understand passion even when I am passionate about something.

 

It doesn't make it better or more useful.

You can purchase a beautiful, inexpensive print to decorate your wall, or spend much more on an original work of art. One is just as useful as the other as decoration. The "better" one is the one that fits your budget and provides you the most pleasure.

It's the intangibles that make the knives worth it to me---the fact that someone made this beautiful work of art by hand amazes me every time I pull one out. Add excellent performance to that, and it's just a joy to use them.

 

It took me over a year to buy 2.5k worth of knives.

 

What can I say, I am all for efficiency.

 

So a general breakdown of the knives i got for anyone who is interested. Your thoughts are welcome.

Yoshikane 270mm SLD damascus suji http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/showthread.php?t=17502

 

240mm Sakai Ichimonji kichikuni Honyaki Wa Gyuto http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/showthread.php?t=17786

 

This Beauty from Ian

 

And a ladder Damascus from Marko. ( I don't even know what it looks like yet).

 

I think that the passion I feel about my knives, has very little to do with worth or unique-ness as such.
It is much more about the craft, the history and the traditions in making a good product.
Now, my knives aren't "collectibles" or top shelf stuff, but still I feel joy and a connection to a tradition when using them.
That's passion enough for me