What is your number?

[arthurfowler]

My name is Gareth…..and I have a spreadsheet too!! The number is 74.

Gyuto - 57
Nakiri - 2
Sujihiki - 3
Petty - 2
Paring - 4
Honesuki/Butchers - 3
Yanagiba - 1
Mioroshi Deba - 1
Güde Bread Knife - 1

Sold - 28

I started collecting in 2015 and started off with 4 knives, a TF Maboroshi 210 western, a Ohishi Sakon Suji 240mm, a Akifusa (NAO Yamamoto) AS Kurouchi/Tsuchime/Suminagashi Petty 135mm and an Asai Suminagashi VG10 Paring knife. All of which are still with me today. I started building sets of knives that I would rotate each week which consisted of 2 Gyuto, a Suji, a Nakiri, a Petty and a Paring knife. I got up to about 6 sets and then I realised that I mainly used my gyuto’s so I changed my approach to predominately Gyuto.

What is the end point?
I don’t know the answer other than not yet. It is the sheer variety and nuances in each knife that I have always enjoyed since I started collecting. I have considerably reduced the amount I buy each year albeit I have bought a few this year from the classifieds as and when something that interests me has popped up. I don’t have a particular vision of what my collection needs to look like. There are a few that I really want to add like the Hado Blue 1 Damascus that are relatively available at times and then there are the rarer elements like a Toyama Honyaki that I would like to add to the iron clad, Damascus and Kurouchi that I already own. I also dream of owning a Kato Yanagiba but I wouldn’t pay the current values for one. I also often think that I would like a Yanagiba, Deba and Usuba from one blacksmith in a consistent line. Nothing to flash just something nice to have maybe even from something the Masamoto KS range.

None of us are here out of need, the number, the shape, the mix of everyone’s knives is personal to them and there isn’t a right, wrong, more or less approach that suits or is right for everyone. Another factor though is I really like how I currently have them on display in the kitchen and I don’t have much room for lots more knives.

Sorry for the long post so in short 74 and I don’t know!!