Do you display your knives?

[Omega]

Hi, everyone,
After 20+ years of buying various knives, I now have 8-14 knives that I rarely use. Some are quite nice - Busse, Randall, Roselli, Fairbairn-Sykes, - so I wonder if I should display them and take out for use in rare occasions. Any recommendations how to display? I am thinking if I should display them along with some other curiosity items to make a more dramatic display - I have grandfather's medals, some survival kits, some fishing kit, flints and fire starting items
Thanks

 

[gra_farmer]

When me and my wife finally build our dream house, we were thinking of a wide flat sort of picture frame cabinet to display the knife collection, but at the same time being able to open it and take them out for use.

 

[Robson Valley]

As a rule, no, I don't. I have several good knives which live in the day packs that I will select, depending on the hunt. Each pack has redundant knives for food prep. I don't believe that anybody cares what they look like. Carving sharp? As always.

I have 5 cleavers in the kitchen. Two of them cost a bundle and look like it.
The other three are 30-40 years old and serve me well. I don't ever see that anybody is so curious as to want to see them.

I have a few dozen Pacific Northwest, First Nations crooked knives for wood carving. About half of them, I have built up from repurposed blades and my own handles. Those, I am proud of. Carvers see the functionality. Display? no.

At the same time, I can fully appreciate a knife collection that represents BIG BUCKS to put together. I would stop in passing to have a careful look at them all. I've played with Zombie-killers and a Bat'leth(sp?).
Good. Fine. Can you fine dice a carrot?

 

[Van-Wild]

Do what you like buddy. Its your house, your rules!

I saw a cool knife collection in a museum once. It was a flat lay on dark green backing, with soft strip lighting round the edge. The cabinet looked like a large square glass topped coffee table. Looked really cool. The knives were all commando style, some daggers, push knives and such.

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[TLM]

I can't, wifey put 2/3 of my knives some where for storage about 2 years ago, still haven't found them.

 

[Forest fella]

I've still got my knives in a Cabinet but now I've put paper on the inside of the glass, as well lets just say I had a Police man tell me it might be a good idea.
But yeah I've been collecting knives since I was 14 ish when my dad gave me 1 to take and use while fishing and then scouts.

 

[Billy-o]

Keep all mine in Lock & Lock boxes. They only get displayed as such if they find their way into the kitchen rotation; which they do often enough, but not for that long.

 

[oldtimer]

No. And I don't display any other tools either. I use them.

 

[demographic]

Oldtimer kind of took my answer.
Nope, nor do I display the tools I use for work.

The tools generally live in my van toolsafe and knives live in a drawer, the kitchen, a toolbox and in my back pocket.
More or less where they are handy for me to use them or with the ones that don't get use, in a drawer like loads of us have.

 

[Erbswurst]

In my opinion such knives belong into the rucksack, the trousers pockets and at the belt. My knives are in regular use.

I don't collect knives. I invested the money in custom made hiking boots in my individual measures, a Hilleberg tent and other high end equipment.
Would I still have too much pocket money I rather would buy a little forest, an expedition camper van or a cottage next to the woods somewhere.

 

[Billy-o]

If I had too much money, I'd like nice binoculars and a Toyota 4Runner. Maybe better skis, too.

Extra houses houses involve too much maintenance and fussing with Air BnB.

The amount of money that people drop into second homes ... imagine how many whizzer holidays one could have in far flung places. Different kind of investment I guess.

 

[Broch]

Although I appreciate the aesthetic of nicely made knives of many styles I treat knives as tools - to display them seems slightly perverse to me (sorry). Having them in a draw or draws, nicely laid out, so you can select the right one at the right time for the right job/trip, I could go with - or even to show an interested party, but to have them on permanent display would be like having my spanners in a show case.

I'm the same with guns - I love the engineering of the mechanisms, the beautifully polished and checkered wood stocks, and even the smell of them - but I'd never dream of having them on open display.

However, as Van-Wild said, you do what the hell you like - but you asked.

 

[Bolton Andy]

Only when its needed my friend x

 

[Murat_Cyp]

I would prefer to keep them organised in a drawer or in a place that I can easily access to maintain or just to admire them when I feel like it. I would not mind to exhibit them (only for my view) along with my other gear on a wall rack if I had a "man cave". But the main purpose of doing that would be again to keep them organised, in place that I can instantly have an access.

That being said, I would not think negatively if I see someone exhibiting their knives in a display in aliving room. But that is because I am knife guy, I do not know what a non-knife person will think. Still, it is your house and you do whatever makes you happy.

The kind of display might bu suitable could a kind of drawer with openable top window with dark green or red felt background. The types we see in museums.

 

[Erbswurst]

Yes, some kind of glass table would make sense. With drawer or a plate that you can lift.
I wouldn't do it, but that's surely the most sensible and least weird option.

 

[Great egret]

I have a small display cabinet with a lock on my wall. I can really recommend it because displaying them really adds something to your collection.

 

[Kadushu]

I've been thinking about making a fairly rustic display case for my knives. Maybe something that hinges open as a display but can be closed and locked when required.