Why do we collect knives? Or for the sake of the argument – why do we collect anything? To us here at Arno Bernard the immediate answer seems quite obvious – we like knives! This of course does not sit well with the people who crinkle their noses and furrow their eyebrows when we tell them we are knife makers and collectors. “Knives? But why?” they ask us. We have thus decided to write a correspondence regarding the why  part explaining a few reasons why we enjoy collecting (and of course creating) these cutting-edge items.  It is of course imperative to keep in mind that motives are not mutually exclusive and that the drive for collecting knives differ for a multitude of reasons. Nonetheless we hope that this list might shed light on a few reasons answering the infamous why question.

Kicking off this discussion we’ll start by referring to man’s primitive beginnings and primal urges. Knives are widely regarded as man’s most basic tool. Stemming from the beginning of man, knives can be deemed as an integral part of the human race. We believe that acquiring knives remind us of our rough and unsophisticated selves. An instinctive tool reminiscing the idea that beneath this surface of normalcy there still lives a hunter-gatherer whose everyday life is a survival of the fittest. This is why our knives here at Arno Bernard’s are not only wonderfully beautiful, but also very practical. When carrying an Arno Bernard Knife you’re primitive self will be able to warn off any saber-toothed giants while at the same time perform daily chores like cutting ropes, opening cans and crunching nuts.

Seeing that hunting is a specialized sport, quality equipment is needed. Outdoorsmen and hunters therefore collect knives because of the versatility of the tool. This is why hunters choose Arno Bernard’s knives. Our nifty knives are handy in all cases. We as the makers and collectors of knives like to use and explore the potentialities that knives offer during an exhilarating hunt and camping trip. Hence the devoted hunter becomes an ardent collector researching all the possibilities a new knife can offer. But of course collectors not only search for knives that satisfy our primal urges and hunting needs we also have a knack for beautiful-looking blades and handles. So we will now turn our attention to the finer and more cultivated incentives of knife-collecting.

Knives are like usable art to us. The craftsmanship that goes into making knives and especially Arno Bernard’s knives are a cut above the rest. As we like to say: our knives are tough enough to use and nice enough to collect. As pieces of art, knives maintain their value quite well. This might also explain why collectors love to collect our knives based on their custom Bohler N690 forged steel; exotic handles inspired by Africa’s wildest animals; and precision craftsmanship. Like most art collectors knife collectors start out by acquiring every different kind of knife they can, adding to their collection at random and only later start specializing based on a variety of different fascinations. Arno Bernard’s knives are ideal for this seeing that we offer such a range of different knives. We believe that the aesthetics of knives are a big incentive of why we love to collect them. While knives are works of art to us they are at the same time stories forged in steel. 

Specific knives remind us of the hunting trip we took a few years ago or the time we impressed that special lass by effortlessly opening a can of baked beans while camping. We enjoy the stories knives tell. They are our own little slices of times gone by. That's why when you add an Arno Bernard knife to your collection you’re not only buying a knife you are also adding a new story waiting to happen.

So, let’s cut to the chase… we like knives and that’s the main reason why we will keep on collecting them.