You think that knife collecting interests you?  Here are a few guides to get started with collecting knives.

1.) Let you search begin!  But not so fast there alright?  Your search here is not about looking for the best knife that you can purchase just yet.  Instead, this is a search on your preference of knives.  You can start off with a self-assessment.  Ask questions like, what in knives are you interested most?  How did you know about knives and why do you think you have what it takes to be a genuine knife enthusiast?  These are questions that are necessary in starting out because, you might not notice, being a collector of collectible knives entails a big responsibility and capability.
   
2.) On your marks and be prepared. After finally deciding that you are pledging to get involved with this hobby, arm your self with the sufficient knowledge.  This way you can determine how to start with knife collecting.  You have to know that you can not possibly own all sharp blades that you see and add it to a collection. 

To begin, see how you would focus in your collection – should it be by patterns, handle materials, brand names, or specialties.  With this, when you are about to purchase collectible knives, you would know which specifications you need.

a.) To attain sufficient preparation, invest on reference materials such as books and magazines whose markets are knife collectors. These reads are substantial and are aimed to inform their readers about knives.  They could provide you with histories, features, news, trends, and knife values. 

To give you a hint, genuine antique knives are said to be expensive because they did not only survive the tests of time, they are also rare so a lot of collectors would die to have a piece of those precious kinds.  Take note, they should be antique and not simply looking like antique.  Now you know that collectible knives could actually make good investment.  You read it right, INVESTMENT.

b.) Keep your self posted through the internet.  Aside from print materials, the web will offer you loads of information and most likely, the most updated news about knife auctions, shows and knife forums.

c.) And your getting set would not be complete without knowing the right manufacturers of quality knives.  There could be thousands of knife makers in the market, but rare are those that produce premium quality products.  You can begin the investigation through telephone directories if you wish to hear from them literally.  But the reads from magazines, books, and from the internet will make the process easier though.


3.) Get armed. Aside from your knives collection, you may also get collectible knives and swords that are useful to you.  Some people who are the adventurous and the wild type would prefer knives that can keep up with multitasking and out-of-the-world activities.  They would choose hunting knives if they are always in the wild.  There are also tactical combat knives which are considered survival knives useful as weapons and for self-defense.

Bowie knives could be a wise option in knife collecting too.  But of course, remember the Crocodile Dundee Bowie knife?  He sure did a great job with his Bowie, don’t you agree?

The most common, on the other hand, are the affordable pocket knives from automatic switchblade knives, fixed knives, and butterfly knives or Balisong.  These collectible knives are easier to find, handy, and practical for daily uses as tools.

4.) Handle with care is not really a cliché.  Your wise buys would not work if you don’t take care of your priced collections.  Different kinds of knives require different ways of maintenance and care.

a.) Firstly, keep your knife clean and sharp.  If you have knives that you constantly use such as pocket knives and combat survival knives, clean them very often with hot, soapy water and spray them with penetrating oil.

b.) In the cases of antique knives which are primarily for display, store them in glass boxes or in their cases.  You would need the right way of preserving these collectible knives and you might need someone with professional knowledge.  Basically though, there should be proper waxing or oiling to preserve this knife.

c.) How to sharpen knives may be done in many methods, it can by the use of whetstone or slipstone with fine grit.  The easiest way, however, is to have a knife sharpener which is available in knife stores.  For desperate cases of dull knives, have them professionally sharpened.
 
5.) To cap it off… Why don’t you join knife clubs?  Truly, this would be one of the best moves to do when you see yourself really into collectible knives.  Here, you will not only meet knife collectors and knife makers, but professional ones at that.  They can be very helpful to knife enthusiasts like you who want to know more.  They would not only help you out, organizations will also be very fun.  There could be knife shows, auctions, and the exciting barter of knives!  There are also other enjoyable activities such as knife handling and flipping skills and competitions on how to throw a knife!  Well, knife throwing is a popular sport to many knife buffs.

Then again, knife organizations are the best avenue for education about your collectible knives.  That, for sure, you would not want to miss!  After all, the best company is those people that share the same rare interest towards your enthusiasm with knives.