Well lets see, I got my own ultra chinees pen blade around 6 or 7 and a classic SAK by 8 ,I always went to gunshows with my dad and I knew I couldn't buy a gun for 10 or so years so I looked at the knives they had at the tables, a couple of Boy Scout knives and other misc. folders(mostly slip-joints) later I got a CRKT Komdo? (early model)(my first fixed blade) fallowed by a Stiff k.i.s.s. and for christmas a Leatherman Supertool (I still EDC and love that beast) My dad got me a ultra cheep one handed linerlock from a pawn shop, then I relly got started with the "tactical" folders. Benchmade 350 was my first big one $50 bucks is a lot to a 14-15 year old. later a K-bar, and a Spyderco Rescue, it was the first knife I really used and abused I cut everything with it sandwhiches to sand paper it never failed. I would spend lots of time in the magizine section at the grocery store. I loved the cold steels they looked so cool, got a few. I knew of Busse, but understood that they were $500+ and nearly impossable to find so I didn't focus on them. In years later I caught an add in Blade Magizine for Swamp Rat, and was on their sight as soon as I could, at blade west 2005 I got a howling rat and spent alot of time lurking on rat chat and blade forums and reading cliff stamp stuff. Then Dec 2006 my dad got a S6 the first night they oppened up, wow Bang for Buck(but I didn't ::cures::). I had my heart set on a Busse Basic 9 or Battle rat but they were $200-$250 or more, then Enter the mighty Dodfather, I got one that night and been on the Yard ever sence, heck I even got a coin.