Reduce and Refine with Epicsnugglebunny

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Oh my God. Never spending that on a knife. I'm not gonna do it's too expensive. But what we do in the interim we go out and we buy instead of buying a thousand dollar knife. We by ten hundred dollar is. And then we buy three three hundred dollars and then we buy two five hundred dollar knives. And eventually, get to this point, where we're like you know, what after years, you know, some people takes longer, but you're like, you know that doesn't seem to outlandish to carry a thousand dollar knife. Welcome to the knife junkie podcast. You're weekly of knife, news and information about knives and knife collecting. Here's your hosts, Jim person involved, the knife junkie to Marco. Hello, fellow knife junkies. Welcome to episode number thirty five of the knife junkie podcast. I'm Jim person, and I'm Bob DeMarco from the knife. Donkey dot com. Welcome to the show. Another great one. Another interesting conversation with a repeat guest. Bob, somebody that's been on the show before as right? Austin, you know him as Epoc snuggle bunny is coming back on the show. Yeah. Interesting. And, and why perhaps I mean I know it's going to be a great conversation. But yet any particular reason, you know, recently have been talking about the custom knife. Douglas s busy tow from attention to detail mercantile. And you've finally got it right. Yeah. Yeah. He he finished my knife, right after a blade show. I went to his his shop to pick it up, and it was paradigm shifting it. Changed my whole framework of how I look at things and I was kind of acting that and in the lead up to picking it up and after picking it up. I've been watching some. Of Austin's videos, and he's been he's been talking about this concept, reduce and refine in terms of how it relates to his knife collection. He's got an epic knife collection and an epic night collection. And he's looking to refine reduce and that's something I've been looking to do for a long time. I have a hard time doing it. He's indicated he has a hard time selling knives off. So I figured now would be a good time to get in touch with him and talk about this, this kind of topic, reducing not that I'm going to all custom knives. But I gotta say, Jim holding this custom knife. It changes things a little bit. Gotta gotta step it up a little bit of. Yeah. Yeah. Well, you mentioned Douglas Esposito attention to detail mercantile. He was on episode twenty five the knife, junkie dot com slash two five and ethics knuckle bunny as we said, has been on before first appearance back on show, eighteen podcast eighteen so that was the name junkie dot com slash one eight. So if you're a new listener to the knife, chunky podcast and you miss those two shows, you don't have to listen to him before this one. But maybe go back and, and catch those interviews number eighteen in number twenty five. Hey Bob before we get into that interview with the epoch snuggle bunny. I want to ask you a question. Yep. Something you do every day strap my knives. Well, okay. I should have preface that question better something, you do every day, that doesn't involve knives, go to work. I suppose, well, not every day. But no. You know what I drive every day? I really. Yeah. Is true. I, I go somewhere every day I have to do that, too. And, you know, I'm glad you answered that would that driving, because I found an app the other day that I wanted to share with you, and our listeners, I had heard about it before. But I Finally I finally downloaded it, it's a way to save money on gas. It's called get. Upside. Have you ever heard about it? No. I haven't okay? It's actually a way that you can get cash back on your gas purchases, ga- get upside. As an app, you put on your smartphone, whenever you need to fill up the car. The truck the motorcycle, whatever you whatever you're driving, it searches the area that you're in for savings at gas stations. Nice. And what you can do is you actually claim what they call the, the discount fill up, your tank, take a picture of the receipt, that prints out with your phone, and that's it. Few hours later. You've got cash back just like that. Well, yeah, so I know you're doing a lot more driving these days. And that's probably is that what you looked into this. Yeah. I did that I had heard about it, and finally just decided to do it. And I think I say fourteen cents the first time I used it fourteen cents a gallon. And when I filled up and then snapped the picture got the, you know, the seat uploaded, the receipt. Two to three hours later. I had that cash back in my account. So if you're looking save money on, on gas, it's something, you gotta do you know every day drive? You know, you gotta fill up the car. Here's here's a way you can do it. Go to the knife, junkie dot com slash save on gas, and you can get the app and start saving again.

00:05:01 - 00:10:09

Just go to the knife, junkie dot com slash save on gas, save money on gas, put the money back in your pocket, or on, you know what that means more knives. That's right. But we're reducing refining. Oh, that's right. Right. Get better knives. Yes. That's okay. Were and better or epic. Snuggle bunny is with us on the knife junkie pied. We'll get into that interview next. Do you use germs like handled a blade ratio walk into all hair, pop, and sharp or tank like than you are a dork and a knife junkie, so blade show this year? How many times have you gone to blade show? This was my fourth in a relatively. Who within a row. So what's the experience? Like, I, I haven't been there as, as I mentioned, before we started rolling, I came somewhat close this year. But I didn't plan ahead far enough in advance in workout it's talons into me. So I couldn't go. What does the blade show experience? You know, it, it depends on on what depends on if it's your first time or not the first time you go. It's incredibly overwhelming because you're not, you know like if you don't live somewhere like near blakich Q or, or GP knives or smoke at one of these big stores. You've never had the experience to go through in handle everything at once, and that's what these shows are. It's, it's an overload of knives and is not just in the show. But then it's after the show at the pit you're talking about knives. I mean you literally geek out for two to three days straight on nothing but knives. And so everyone mentions first year, sober well-meaning, they're just running around, like crazy and just trying to see everything feel everything. And then. Having conversations in your your passing stuff around you're going out. Hopefully, you know you have a group of friends you go to dinner with his. That's to me. You know, seeing my friends and going out to dinner and spending time with them at the show now side, the shows also an integral part of the experience. So I you're, you're overwhelmed second year. You kind of have more of a game plan, what to expect then you're a bit more focused typically, you know, each each consecutive year that you go you're more than likely going to be bringing spending more money than prior years. She may have very specific tables. You're trying to get to specific makers, you're trying to see. So again, I think the more years that you go, the, the more focused you become rather than just trying to take it all in. So I was watching your video recently of, of all of your pickups. The the blades you the knives. He bought at blade show, and it made me wonder, well, I knew going into because you mentioned, the, you know, specifically that Todd beg knife. You really were looking for that. You've. Been looking for it for a little while. So you kinda you kinda high tailed it there. But for the rest of the show, are you going and looking to discover something new, or are you going with the specific scores in mind that you think you can get a good deal on? You know to be honest. I'm kind of disappointed in myself I should be going and looking for, what's the new, what's new. What's interesting who were makers of people don't know about. That's what I should be doing is content creator. In, I have failed to do that because I've been doing this for so long, that I have very good friends in industry at some larger companies custom makers and so I find myself just going over to see my friends, and, you know, again, I'm five known Mark over beg knives for a number of years now. And I had that osteo stuck in my head since last blade show. It's just been on my mind. And so my new this year I had hit over there. I had to see that one that I wanted 'cause I had in my mind and idea what I wanted and oddly enough, this was the exact Bill that I wanted it hadn't sold yet. So that was an expensive, but a wonderful opportunity for me. So, you know, get I should be going out in trying to find more in trying to find new. But there's I have so many friends of somebody different companies that I found myself just kind of wondering around to the same tables throughout the show. And I didn't really do the, the deep deep because the problem is, if there are new maker, everything's probably I come for serving you go to the table, you buy. So if you're not there. Like as soon as the show opens going up and trying to find these new makers by the end of the day, or, or the second day, even they may be out of knives. You know, which is good for them. It's wonderful for them, but for them. So that's, that's kind of the trade off. It's you run in you get the stuff you want, or you take the chance that, you know what I'm going to save my money, I'm going to go try to find something new. So it's, it's always a trade off. There's never a perfect scenario with these types of shows. Right. And if you're someone like yourself a content creator of for YouTube in elsewhere, begs, the question who am I collecting for, or who am I buying this for am I trying to expose the world to it or am I am I in this for myself? I'm spending my own hard earned money. Uh-huh. Yeah. And, and that's something that again, I do struggle with I would like to say that, you know, I would like to be the guy who finds new things and introduces it to people because it's better content. But as you know, as you pointed out in his of illustrated this year, I keep going back to the same people in buying the new models that they produced because I know them.

00:10:09 - 00:15:00

I trust them. I value their friendship. And, you know, you recently got your first customize, and you got to go to the shop and pick it up in it's, it's a world of difference. I think you should probably talk about that experience in how it different from ordering a knife on the internet because it is completely different. And the way that we feel about it in the way we value. It is a whole different experience. Will the I actually that's why I got in touch with you, because you've been you've been on a reduce in refined Jag this year. You've mentioned a couple of times, but you made a, a video dedicated to that recently and a resonated with me for a number of reasons, one of which is I fear slipping into just a brash materialism, and every new thing that comes out, made by a company that I know and trust, I have to get because of the steel in the materials in the look and this and that I I've slipped into that a little bit. I gotta say, I find it, you know, watching other people manipulate blades in their hands in listening and stuff. It's a it's a it can be nodding in pornographic in a way that makes you kind of. Order things that you might not order ordinarily. And so I have a fear of going down that alley, but also having gone to. So I got this knife from Douglas Esposito he's the maker he was at monkey muster an offended like to ask you some questions about. But he's got. He's a new knife maker in his company attention to detail mercantile. It's just him. He's a Brazilian Jiu jitsu black belt in teacher. He's got a great studio. And then in the back, he's got he's got a knife shop and to me, that's a that's my estimation of living the dream in a way the perfect or. Yeah. Exactly. And so I've been I m up on YouTube by up his knives. And, and then I had him on the podcast and talk to him to me. He makes them. So right now, he's only making fixed blades, and he's got a couple of models off of which he riffs aesthetically. And also in terms of size, key makes gentlemen, assassin Ives. That's, that's what I. Attell. I see them and I got this, this beautiful, mid length fighter that he makes in, in s thirty five yen, and Peavey decoding and double edged with a nice big run of jumping on top and tortoiseshell handle skills. And I'm a sucker for tortoiseshell. Always have been. It just reminds me of kind of a bygone era, but, but, you know, the accoutrements of, of a gentleman in abide. Gone there. Anyway, I picked up this knife, and it, it, it kinda changed things for me. And I was kind of expecting that. And, and I was correct. I kinda came home with this knife in my hand and it fuels great and it looks great. And I've already tested it. And I kind of wish I didn't I have marred the coding a little bit. But I opened up my drawer of fixed blades, and I have some tops knives. Have some couple of bark rivers in some nice fixed blades, and I'll just kind of like slumped. When I looked at them. They just don't compare now. So now now, things are changing for me. I'm feeling this paradigm shift in this reducing refined refrain. Penna goes through my mind now and, you know, there's, there's nothing wrong with with going out and doing the buy everything have huge collection because it's part of the process, you know, because I'm sure this customer, he picked up was expensive. You know, handmade is, as it should be. But I'm sure a couple years ago you'd be like, oh my God. I've never spending that on a knife. I'm not gonna do it's too expensive. But what we do in the interim we go out and we buy instead of buying a thousand dollar night. We by ten hundred dollar is. And then we buy three three hundred dollars and then we buy, you know, two five hundred dollar knives, and eventually, get to this point, or like you know what after years, you know, some people takes longer, but you're like, you know that doesn't seem to outlandish to carry a thousand dollar knife. I've, I've been there, and I've done everything else, and I, I take care of my tools. I know I won't lose it. It. And I would rather have one piece that, that brings me an incredible amount of joy than ten pieces than I only carry them. I don't know what maybe once or twice a month. That's the point. Yeah. And so that's kind of where I'm at me, you know again. It's Mike election at this point is probably over one hundred knives again. I haven't counted I haven't wanted to count. But, you know, all of them are excellent. Everything I own. I like I enjoy in its well-made, and I opened might might nice case. Then I'm like, like I wanna carry that Uber. I wanna carry that I want to tell you that. And it's like, well, I'm only carry will knife at a time, you know, it's I'm not because I'm only gonna use one knife at a time. And that's just me if you carry more than cool, whatever. Floats your boat, but I'm at the point. Now, it's like I'd rather have something that just tickles me every time I throw it in my pocket. And I use it rather than I'll have one in my pocket. A couple of hours later back. You know what I really did want to create that other one? I'll go on.

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I'll swear again we'll, we'll definitely raise their hands for first world problems here. The, the no doubt that life is short. You know, you never know when your tickets gonna get punched in. So if you can then do. And that's what it is for me. Yeah, my, my grandparents who definitely, you know, we're, we're not. Extravagant people were always kind of. I think that generation always kinda preached get the best you can possibly afford, you know. And you know, when when we're talking about disposable income in things, we don't need like like luxury knives. We can call him that, you know, it whether or not you need to buy them, that's, that's that's up to the that's up to the buyer. But there have been plenty of times when I've been walking around with a thousand dollars worth of knives on me, because I, I am one of those guys who carries multiple knives, because I have opportunities at work to play with them, for instance, to pull them out and to use them and will not use them. But. Sure hand. And so, you know, there are many times I've have these all and I carry very few of them, you know, on any regular basis, I should, so why not trade, those in and and start start trading up a little bit. I feel that I try and cover basis. Well, ZD put out all of these twenty CV models this year. I should have, you know, an example of why why it's ridiculous. Well, you know, again there's, there's nothing wrong with it. Because if you didn't go through that phase where you basically worked yourself up than, you know, let's say you went out and you, you just said, you know what? I'm not gonna make those mistakes. I'm just going to buy that thousand dollar ninth. But what if you haven't gained an appreciation for it isn't a tool, yet or you're too scared to use it? Then you're just gonna again, put it in your drawer, and eventually, you're just going to sell it. So I think that's part of the journey in you know, I've seen guys coming this hobby, and they have incredible disposable income, and they will go through that process in entire year. You know. From a spider co to whatever whatever, and then for, you know, they're buying five thousand other knives. We'll once they've gone through the entire process in a year. They're pretty much done their burned out. Then they move onto other thing watches or something. Yeah. Door to cars. You know, get that's totally fine. But that's part of the process in. So I think a lot of people do need to go through that again. It took me, I don't know. I mean, I've been doing this for maybe eight or nine years now but I didn't feel comfortable carrying some of these knives until maybe a year ago, you know, because again, my battle with the value equation, that's part of my journey, and that's part of what makes a beautiful. So if you wanna go out and buy whole bunch of production is cool. You have something to look forward to potentially down the line if you feel comfortable, so totally fine. I also think it's a it's important to win thinking about reducing in refining. It doesn't necessarily mean selling up. In other words, it doesn't necessarily mean getting something with mocha may and getting something that's, that's fancier necessarily. I think it has lots to do with z. Zeroing in on what your actual taste is and, and seeing that I can watch your videos and, and, and watch you handle a Challinor or something and not need to go get it myself, but to be able to appreciate it in your hands and, and understand that I just have always veered towards the tactical in, in aesthetic. It's just my, my thing. I I I've recently been into automatic knives and protects. And the and I just got bench made af. Oh, and they're you know, it's, it's kind of touching on the aspect of me that likes guns, you know, it's different kind of mechanism. And, you know, when you're when you're dealing with the top makers in that field, you're getting the best representation, so to me getting a hundred fifty dollar. Protect for instance, is refining if I'm getting rid of a two hundred and forty dollar Z T that I'm never gonna carry the zero four six to a knife. If I find very attractive, but I never I never carry. So, you know, even though I'm, I'm selling it off and getting a lesser knife, in terms of value. It's something I'm gonna be carrying more often. I feel like it's more worth it in. So that's a wonderful point. You're absolutely right. Doesn't necessarily have to be associated with cost at all. In fact, most of the ones that I bought from blades show were based more on relationships than they were on, perhaps a specific model. So that's something that I value is the relationships with the maker in what they produce and their friendships for multiple years. So I think that's a great point. And I love that. You brought up the if you watch my video, you don't have to own it to appreciate it. And that's something that, that I think a lot of people fail to get online. They think anytime someone shows a custom knife. You know, they're just trying to flex translate. You'll look at me. I have something nicer something expensive or may be something that's one often it, it kinda discouraged. Because it's like that's not the point here.

00:20:00 - 00:25:02

The point is to appreciate something together. I see plenty of custom knives, that I think are absolutely stunning. One of my friends nearby Chris, he collects Michel Raymond's. You know in their absolutely incredible. They're crazy expensive and I appreciate them. But I just don't feel the need to own them. But it's really nice when he brings him out that I get to take a look at them, but I, I don't aspire to own those either. So that's some that are more people kind of understand is, is that point you don't have to own it to appreciate it. I love Ferraris. I don't think Oliver own one. Right. I love seeing them if you can't afford when good for you. Let's let's keep the company in business. Right. Right. Right. Okay. So here's a perfect example, but just looking at your the blades, you got from blade show, the Riyadh Jack to if it were in my wheelhouse, I still don't think I would get something about the two piece blade wigs me out, but I'm fascinated I can't wait to see your video on it. Tell me about that. That thing. Will. That's exactly why bought it is because it's interesting. You know, sometimes I do make concessions, for this would be an interesting video more so than this is something that I absolutely have to have. So that's an example of that. You know his two piece played necessary. Absolutely not. Is it necessary in combination with an integral frame? No, we're, we're going be complete opposite direction instead of a one piece played in a two piece handle. We've switched it but people will wanna see it. You know it's, it's unique. It's interesting. It's not a question of, of why? But it's a question of how did they do it? So again, you know, long-term my going to keep that one, probably not, you know my in my even carry it. I don't know. It's, it's a large blade, but I'm fascinated by I hope that people will enjoy seeing the video on. That's why I bought that one. So so promote from a practical standpoint just in looking at it does seem I mean obviously you can, you can cut the Aaron threat thread off of your shirt collar in that kind of thing. But does it does it seem to you to be a practical knife, given the? Kind of the spaces between if you will. Yeah. I mean, it's, you know, think about it this way. Like let's say someone really hard uses their folding knife. Does the handle fall apart in use answers? No, it's well made and they have the threats locked tided than no, it's, it's not gonna fall apart in use. If if it's a piece of junk will, it's the same thing with the blade. We've got two pieces held together by screws. It's well made by a company of every not you good. Yeah. So, you know, people wanna sale it's just gonna fall apart. And we'll know it's, it's absolutely not an I'm never gonna push that knife to its limits Norwood. Anyone who buys it right on? But could you go out and beat the thing yet? Absolutely. It'll hold up in if it doesn't than well, no other knife would have held up in that instance anyway, at least folding knife. So again, it's, it's kind of a moot point. But people always want, you know, one of the possibilities limited in, in the tactical application of cutting a tree down, or tree fell Miller road on my Jack to when I'm gonna I'm gonna chop it in half drive through the roadblock. Yeah. So. When when I'm scaling that wall, you know to, to get into the bad guys Lehrer will it break on. That's my, that's my question. Because s the kind of life, I lead, the Todd beg you picked up absolutely gorgeous, the at now now that that's like a, my dream knife. Maybe two years ago that at recurvature tanto shape is just a drool drool worthy. Yeah. And in this one just to just to clarify. So this one is from beg Norwich. Not Todd beg. So it's not a Todd beg. Custom beg knives of California. So not to deepen details. But, you know, Todd bag leftback knives in, they've always produced these knives, which are from the California, custom shop. So it's made by maybe two guys in there, California, custom shop kinda, similar to maybe what Alantic used to do a lot more of or, you know, maybe in the same way, that Bill Koenig knives will do some really interesting one off nights this kind of long those lines. So it is custom, but. It's two people instead of one but yeah, it's, it's absolutely incredible beautifully made beautiful fit and finish. I need more info on. But the amount of handwork that is in this knife, I, I'm pretty comfortable, saying it exceeds any of the other customs that I currently own or have ever owned. Wow. I mean it's got a just from looking at it. It's got a real blend of kind of menace and gentlemen. Yeah. Or even like Faberge egg like, like it's, it's part, it's part kind of artifact artwork artifact part like like melee weapons. Something about it. It's really it straddles a couple of John RAs, for me in terms of type of knife. Yeah, it's, it's a beautiful beautiful design. Again, this one's stuck with me for a year. And I knew that I had to have one. So this design is from a Jared van autre Lou. He's a designer out of. Canada. And then it was produced by beg Nuys in their California, custom.

00:25:02 - 00:30:07

Shop so well for people listening, who might not know, we're talking about a disc, the model name so they can look at the beg knives. Osteo. A S, T, I O. So is that your prize pickup from blade? You know, I went there knowing that I was going to get the viper from quite Challinor, thou. I knew it was coming. I knew he have a few in new that I had to go to that table. I to get my pick of the sixth that he brought. And then I hoped that there would be an audio the big nice table that would kind of fit my design in material preferences in, you know, luckily, there was one that was absolutely perfect. When I went there Markle's, like, yes, some guy just came over and dropped a couple, you know, like four K. So I don't know how many knives he got. I don't know which steals he left with. But maybe there would have been one that I would have liked better, but this one was perfect. So I was it was very, very high on my want list. But I wasn't sure there'd be. The one there, specifically that would that would meet it. So it was one of the two nine one of the three knives, that I was hoping to score the show. So. Top piece I dunno tied for first and second, I suppose, so, CLYDE, Challinor. Do you have a relationship with him? You have a couple of his knives. And I know he's if not your top, one of your, very atop custom makers when you showed up to blade did he already have something kind of earmarked for you. Or, or was it a mad dash to the table to get what he had? Yeah. It was. It was kind of a dash to the table. I got in to the show a little bit early this year. And so, I was basically there at his table. He had sent me pictures of what he was bringing come. But almost everything was I come for serve. I just, you know, I knew that one had carbon fiber and one heads or Cohen he had some time, ask us, too. But I'd like the way that the, the damage core blade interacted with carbon fiber, the best. And so, yes, I've known him. I think I've had, this is probably the seventh ninth that I've had from him. But I currently have three. So's I've cycled through a couple of his knives. But he's, he's a wonderful person. I think anyone who meets him and gets to handle or pre sheet his work. They're more than definitely going to be coming back for another one at some point, man. That's, that's, that's where I would like to head your new custom wasn't that kind of the experience me getting well, now I want another one from this guy in pre. And then, you know, because this one checked a lot of boxes in scratched, a lot of issues. But while I was at his shop, I saw I saw a lot of other things his case. Now, Zakho cheese, that would fit perfectly in my bag. You know what can I say? Yes, it's, it's one thing to buy production. I from a store online and have it shipped to you. It's another thing to buy a customer from a maker habit, ship team in something completely different to go to someone shop pick it up directly from the maker him handed to you. I mean that to me, the level of enjoyment continues to escalate, the more involved that you become the next for you is. Going to be good to go to a shop and make an eye with him. I mean yes, that's where you go from here. So next that's next Austin, I'm working on it everyone. I talked to him like so can I come by your like? Well, I can't say no. Because you kind of have me in a corner, and in a couple, you know, couple production or I'm sorry folding, customize makers are doing that, like Lee Williams the grind house. Several of my friends have gone, and they've absolutely loved it. In the come home with incredible knives, that they've made basically in Tom crime has also working on setting up kind of like a shopper, thing like that in there's a some fixed blade makers here in Arizona Dawson knives, day, also do that too. So I mean, that's you know, again, if you wanna increase the enjoyment, I think working come up that ladder for me. That's, that's what it is, is you mentioned might be, you know, I'm going to go down to more autos more protects. And that's how you perhaps reduce. But certainly refined the tools and the experience. Yes. But this, but this idea, I've always been in the arts, and I've always been a creator of one sort or another in the idea of going to shop in the even just watching someone make something. But working alongside that would just that would blow me away. Yeah. I mean, the the first time I went, I'd be happy, just watching them make it. All right. He ended maybe the next time it fill the courage to, to actually make it or help, or you do something small so, so another recent video you discussed you managed to sell off a couple of knives or a number of knives. Actually, I think, saw that sales video. And with the proceeds, you bought a rock stead seven hundred dollar a Japanese production, rock, stead cordray sublime. I think probably a the proper term knife. Do you have any regrets in getting rid of those others to get that one, not at all, you know, for me it's? The hard part is the selling.

00:30:07 - 00:35:04

You know, it's looking at going through my case in thinking, am I gonna part with the seminal let this go, and I wish I could cut off the emotions a little bit more in just be more cutthroat with it. But once you sell it once it's actually gone out of your collection. You don't really miss it. Now, if there is one that you continue to miss miss, and miss, and miss. Maybe that's when you should go back and buy did that with the zero tolerance zero three nine to the original one with the stone-washed Tattenham in the blue hardware. And I was very, very happy that I bought that one back because that just a firm that this is one that I can't live without. But once it's out of the house, once it's out of your hand, and I don't think that you'll really regret it unless, you know, against something catastrophic happens in your liquid any, your entire collection for medical reasons, than that would be a different scenario, but we are simply reducing in, you still have a bunch more knives. I think it'll be fine or at least I am after they leave after their. Out the door in the box. I, I actually concur with that. It selling up a couple of Z, T's will it was. When I discovered cheese could Selami, Z, T, hinders, and actually get a hinder. And, and when I got rid of them, even though I liked them. Yeah, I felt I felt nothing once I had an actual hinder, and the in the funny thing is, is when I'm away from the collection. I'm thinking Hmm, what should I sell so that I could get more and these knives certain knives pop into my head. All get rid of the six oh nine and I'll get rid of. And I come home in than I have them. Michael. I can't this. I mean, you know, this has to be in the collection. It's like a maturity, like not just someone with a with a box full of knives. But I'm curious collection for, you know, after the end of the world when people are like I understand there were folding knives in the old days mobile. Yeah. We had once like this, and we had once like this, like, I'm responsible for carrying on this. Is this the kind of burden? I put on myself. This is why it's so why is it hard? For you to part with these knives. You know, I, I appreciate a lot of things about knives. I appreciate that. They're, they're functional in their tools, and it's something that you can carry news interact with the more interaction, the more. I enjoy something the less interaction the less. I can enjoy it. So, again, I appreciate our, but it's something that sits on the wall, I can't really interact with per se. And so I don't really have a strong tie to, but my watches in my pocket knives, especially being able to take it out and use it to open a box or whatever the hell, you cut twine flip it open. I don't I don't care if you fidget with it, you get to interact with it, and that is to me. That's valuable and that's interesting. And that's what keeps it relevant and fresh. And it keeps the passion going the less you interact with the less meaningful. It is at least to me. I mean, that's how human relationships work. It's, you know, you, you have friends and they fall away 'cause you're not interacting with them. Let's say they moved back in their near you again. And also interaction kicks back up in the. The Yuval you so much about it, and it's not as a something like a fine knife is not as self indulgent as a work of art that hangs on the wall, and can only be appreciated. That's the not that I'm dissing is the only thing that it is good for I mean, that's its definition. Is there to be appreciated in nothing else with a knife? You can appreciate it. You can play it. Yes, it checks a lot of boxes. And it does something the, an art collector might look at what we do and say, we'll that's you know what a waste when you could have it on the wall. So I won't I won't be grudge them for collecting, you know, it's I think we need it, we need something to get us through our nine to five something that excites us in that we've out, you. I mean if I didn't have any hobbies I don't know what the hell I would do what, what are your other hobbies? I know you like watches like watches to just so expensive. I can't I can't really mess with watches too much like gardens. I've got quite a few. Guns. And sometimes I'll go on spurts Mel by a couple more than just kind of sit in the safe. And I'm like, well, how about this weekend, and then Saturday morning, rolls around, and I'm like, I'm not getting out of bed to go shoot, it's too loud. So are you on a reducing refine a kick in other areas of your life, who I don't so guns? I mean but anything else are you. Are you looking to reduce refined watches? I have some. I've got some watches that are on the larger side that I just can't really wear with a long sleeve button up shirt at work, and so like so again, it's if I can't wear it daily, and I it's a weekend watch Maguire, the hell do I have it? I'd rather have watches I can cycle through, you know, Monday through Friday. So the not only has the, you know, I've, I've been drifting towards smaller knives. That can carry a work, but have also been drifting towards smaller watches, because again, I need to have that high interaction rate with it for it to stay around stay valuable. Right. And if it's some big giant, even if it's a beautiful lodge of its big giant, you can.

00:35:04 - 00:40:00

Even pull your cuff over. It's not going to get the attention that it deserves for the money you put out for. Yeah. Just it just becomes a nuisance at that point, which I never thought would would be the case, but it is. And so, Yep. Life changes situations change as change. And again, that's part of the journey. If everything stayed the same in stagnant. You probably move onto a different harm. Well, that's, that's kind of a overarching theme. Not just in my knife collecting, but just in everything I think I'm always kind of spiritually on a on a reduced refined kick. Not though, though. I, I have to be honest. It rarely comes into actual practice. It's something that I feel good about thinking about, but, you know, I I keep saying, I got to reduce refined might diet, I gotta reducing refined my lifestyle in general. You know, it's a good thing to aspire to in something like the knife collection. If that can act as a metaphor will, maybe that's a maybe that's useful. Useful thing. Yeah. I mean I, I would love to reduce the amount of crap in my house. You know I walk into some people's houses in. It's like while you, there's no clutter everything is so incredibly clean and sparse, you know, I find that attractive, but you seem to amass stuff especially as a collector, you know, you continue massing, and so it's probably good thing that, you know, that's a an overarching thought or desire kind of the back of your mind keeps you in check a little bit. So what do you what do you have planned for the rest of twenty nineteen in terms of your, your knife collection in your YouTube content? I have a lot of videos that I need to do have been really busy at work, though. Private network seventy hours a week right now. So. Wow. Yeah. Not fun, but selling stuff can be very, very time, consuming, you put stuff up for sale, Senate people have questions, they want additional pictures, sent me a video will would you take this price and sometimes, you know again if its own, I'm just I don't. I don't really like I don't like my time wasted. And so, I'll just say, no, you know, I don't come back with, like, we'll do this, like, I just know it's that low, I'm not here to deal. It's want it or not. Yeah, yeah. When when your time is, is sparse, you just can't sit there and play those India, plenty of time. And no money than you can spend all day doing that. So I would I would like to sell off, like half and get down to pieces that I just absolutely cherish kind of develop like a core collection. And you know, ninety percent the benchmark for various prices like the rock steady production. I fit seventeen hundred does that set a benchmark? Absolutely do you need one? No. Of course not. But do you want to experience one will go for it? If you have the funds available or you free up some other stuff. Why not the so the working on what's my core collection? I have a I'm on ready, did my down payment for the grant and Kevin hawk deadlock. Because that is the pinnacle of OT, f-, marries. Yeah. Yeah. So of course, that will be in the, the core collection. Sue developed figure out what my core collection is figure out what is not at NC can go through in basically solve just about everything. That is not part of my core collection in that way. I'll carry the things that I really love. And then when stuff comes through videos. I can, you know, arguably spend more time with it. Muslims say it also seems like if you if you do get down to something that you, you seize your core collection it will be easier. It could be easier for you as a content creator to get new knives have come in temporarily to your collection. Make your videos and stuff. And then move them along, because you already know, for lack of a better term, what your values are, you know, this is a great night. But this does not fit into the collection. Now, I've, I've already done the work in reducing it, refining it then. And this is a great thing. And I can re- recommend recommended to people for whom you know if fits but it doesn't fit here Yemen. I think people would be interested to know if something is so good that I that I have to let it into my core collection, you know. Yeah. So I have a pretty big test coming up in July. I don't know if I'm past. But if I do that's gonna free up a lot of time emotional energy to do some other things. So I know all through my wife in a couple of videos, at some point is she also an appreciator of or connoisseur of nights. No, not in the slightest which, which I prefer. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, but getting her in on some videos or content or what she thinks about, you know, certain is or you know, have her go through the core collection which she likes doesn't like, you know, sometimes she'll pick up a knife and be like, how does this one open, and she back no hate that or though time she'll pick it up and Shabangu I kinda like this one that show up in spike. Okay. Like this when I approve an handed back to me, and I'm like, okay, you have no idea, which one this was in five minutes. But that's okay. I right.

00:40:00 - 00:45:05

Yeah I don't necessarily want her in on all my decisions. But it is it is always interesting to get a an outsider's view on some on some of these knives, you know. Yeah. And people people seem to like those videos. I did a video with my friend, who's an engineer, and it was interesting to see the number of arguments about whether or not he was a nice guy. I think we might have chatted about the last time. But he's the guy who carried the carries the Kershaw autumn. Yeah. The launch seven. Yeah. Yeah. So, you know, something like that little different try to vary the content because I've had, you know, the tabletop video looking down. You know I've done that for a long time. I've done a lot of videos of that. I think people want something different and I would like to do something different, something that can get you know, that I'm a little bit more excited about two. So, again, if I get through this stupid test in July that I'll have a lot more, you know, mental and emotional energy to focus on different content. You will you will you already passed it. You just don't know it yet. I like what you're saying. But I feel like. You're lying. Already served. Well, it's been a pleasure talking to you. Thank you so much for coming on the podcast. Again. You your, your message not your message, but the what's been banging around your mind at really resonates. With me lately, this reduce refine, and I think looking at your knife collection as a metaphor for, for other things not to get too deep with it. But I think it could be useful, reducing refined than in other ways, too. Yeah. Yeah. Congrats on your your new custom and kinda your next step in your journey and what, what is potentially a whole wide new world of enjoyment? And direction will thank you. Thank you. I appreciate it. I'm gonna responsible with it and I'm gonna make a lot of videos. Nice already, sir. It's been a pleasure. Take you. Thanks for having me. You're listening to the knife junkie podcast coal. The knife junkie at seven two four four six six four four eight seven with your questions or comments. All right. We're back on the knife junkie podcast. Episode number thirty five epoch. Snuggle bunny with us a kind of a talking a little bit about blade show, and this reduce and refine kind of concept bomb the I really think you're, you're kind of taking this seriously. I am taking it seriously. But I also realized that I got in touch with Austin for a little bit of commiseration, you know, I know that I know that he has a hard time getting rid of them. I have a hard to get rid of them. And maybe I'm just hoping that I wasn't reaching out to him to, to hear some excuse as to why didn't need to get rid from. So it was good to hear. He's, he's been moving on this. You know, I think I am serious about it. Well, I you know, a good point. He had, it's kinda like the evolution of collecting anything. And until you go through that the first time you kinda may be in this quandary kind of what to do you know that kind of thing, but I had always heard 'cause I kinda dabbled in NT and collectibles and stuff like that. And always heard by the best you can with whatever money you have. And, you know, there's certain things I collected that, you know, I could only afford, you know, like a great four grade five or whatever. But then went ahead, more money, I would get a grade seven or grade eight so you're always kind of stepping up and that reduce and refine is a great catchphrase, if you will great term to use. But you're always kind of refining the collection. But as I think you've said, it's that reducing part that's hard. But if you're, you know, if you're making those strides to get a better collection at some point your taste will evolve as well. And I think it'll be easier to. Reduce the collection with those first knives that you started with that makes sense. Yeah. No doubt. It's like it's like life itself, you start out as a hormonal teenager, going after anything that will be a time of a and then as you get older, you know, your, your tastes refine, or, or whatever you, you know what you want, and things change. And I think I'm just at the end of my adolescence with this knife collection that I've had for fricking ever. I should Nobre my lessons by now. Just wouldn't remind folks another sponsor. We have on the knife junkie podcast is quick books. You can take managing your small business finances to the next level focus on growing your business. Whether you're a knife maker, perhaps QuickBooks online, handles everything used this special link that I'm going to give you to say fifty percent off your subscription the knife, junkie dot com slash QuickBooks. And you can either get quick books online or QuickBooks self employed again for the first six months of either. Product fifty percent off. Get started with quick book, self employed or QuickBooks online, small business owners who have a to do list that never quits. Well, they need QuickBooks. So if you're looking to simplify your business finances, and your life out, quick book, self employed and QuickBooks online at a special discounted rate.

00:45:06 - 00:46:24

The knife chunky dot com slash quick books. Visit the knife junkie online at the knife junkie dot com reducing and refining Bob final thought as we wrap up on cast episode number thirty five you can do it in your whole life. And that's why I'm going to try to get rid of some of this clutter inside and out internally and externally. All right. Famous last words. Camilla's where no. But I you know. Yeah. I we all need to reduce provides. Let's let's do our best. Okay. We'll be accountability partners. Talk to you. Thanks for listening to the knife junkie podcast. If you enjoyed the show, please rate review with review the podcast dot com for show notes for today's episode additional resources and to listen to past episodes. Visit our website the night, junkie dot com. You can also watch our latest videos on YouTube at the ninth, jokey dot com slash YouTube checkouts over great night photos on the nights junkie dot com slash Instagram and join our Facebook group, but the knife junkie dot com slash Facebook. And if you have a question or comment emailed them to Bob, that the knife, jokey dot com or call our twenty four seven listener line at seven two, four four six six four four eight seven. Can you hear your comment or question answered on upcoming episode of the knife junkie podcast?