[Sean Flynt]

How do the folks here distinguish between "collecting" edged weapons and "accumulating" them? The dictionary treats these words as synonymous, but I see a difference, at least in what I'm doing. I'm inclined to think of collecting as having some logical, consistent organizing principal, while accumulating isn't necessarily logical or organized. I wouldn't argue for the superiority of one or the other approaches--I see value in both--but I'm curious about what others think about the difference. Do you see any difference? If so, does the difference matter to you or influence the way you do what you do?

[Björn Hellqvist]

I "collectulate" - more than half of my collection is acquired with a couple or three plans in mind. One is to have an interesting assortment of swords, another is to have a selection of affordable antiques, the third to have a nice cross-section of medieval weaponry. About a quarter of my collection is more like accumulated, and more transient in nature. Some of it is absorbed in any of the above categories, the rest is eventually sold off.

[Sean Flynt]

Collectulate! Perfect! That describes it for many of us, I'll bet.

[Joe Fults]

I call mine research.

[Kirk Lee Spencer]

I have an "accumulocollection"!

I have a collection of about 5 swords on display out in the open and I have about 10 swords accumulated in the back of the closet. I have great plans for these accumulated swords. Most of them will be taken apart, cleaned, reshaped, regripped, put back together and aged a little. (I have about 3 swords at one of these stages.) If any of these accumulated swords survive my creative/destructive urges or do not get traded or sold for some other "accumulata" before they finish the "accumulocation" process... Then they may become part of my accumulocollection.

ks

[E.B. Erickson]

Interesting question, so here's my two cents. I think that a collector studies and appreciates the things being collected. The collector gets to know and understand the objects that fascinate him. An accumulator may do that, but may be accumulating things for reasons other than appreciation (Like the hope of future financial gain. Or perhaps security).

--ElJay

[Thomas McDonald]

I'm in agreement with Eljay on this !

So by that definition I'm a "Collector" with a heavy "Hieland" slant ;-)

Mac

[Joe Fults]

Guess that makes me a collector but I usually think of myself as a hobbiest. Collector seems a bit more serious to me and I'm not quite sure I'm there yet.

[Glen S. Ramsay]

I feel that, as Eljay said, a collector will feel pride and respect for the pieces in his/her collection, and be knowledgeable about those pieces. An accumulator will purchase without great forethought, "adding to his pile," so-to-speak, with whatever happens to catch his fancy at a particular time. Newly "accumulated" piece soon to be forgotten and left to collect dust, when next attractive piece catches the eye...

[J. Padgett]

So far I have been an accumulator, but I aspire to be a more serious collector. The few pieces I have track my progression in knowledge, and culminate in my most recent purchase; an Atrim. This summer I'm hoping to earn a few extra dollars to give this admittedly basics sword a nice hilt facelift, belt, and scabbard courtesy of CF, and after that begin giving more thought to my collection. Being a college student insures that my purchases are few and far between, and I want to start making them count for a little more than new eye candy.

[Patrick Kelly]

[B. Stark]

I accumulated a bunch of DT's and various other pieces. I have since weeded all but one DT out which I'm keeping for sentimental reasons ( nothing against DT's, I like 'em but I like some more expensive stuff more!! ). Like was stated above, I have a couple of pieces that are planned for rehilting and such. What brought it all to a head was trying to narrow down my scope of interest for actually "completing" a look for a kit. Right now that's Viking era. Flagshipped by my Vinland sword, a couple of old A&A spears, a soon to be procured Albion Seax knife and so forth. All the other past stuff was from such a wide crossection that I never felt I could get a kit together. So now it's a focused accumulation I guess.

[Joshua Hemingway]

I actualy don't have that many of my own swords, 4 total. Even with firearms I don't have a ton, only what I shot and enjoy. But that said, every sword is a full package deal, and the gun's I own all are high end wepons...

[Ben Sweet]

I just seem to accumulate more and more for my collections...

[William Goodwin]

Another nod towards ElJays statment. Guess that would make me a collector, since most of my stuff centers around a certain type. Do have others outside of the main collection,but they are for just the plain fun of being a student/researcher/all-around nut-case for the weapon.


William

[Justin Gifford]

I guess you could call me an accumulator... except, it's not so much what catches my fancy (sharp, shiny, painful = fancy!), but what I have the budget for at the time... I have the respect for the weapons of a collector, but I've never seen myself as really "collecting"; I just love weapons so much I always want more, so I happen to wind up with a collection in the process. No dust collectors for me, though; if they don't fit in, they're usually dismantled for "experiments" or given away.