Yes, me too....I feel the same. I am not doing any stripping jobs on the knives I presently have until others arrive.I am awaiting some knives to see how they feel in the hand because I can usually tell which ones I will like the best once I know how they feel.

This leaves open the option of discounting some knives before they lose value by using them and these can then be sold on with the hope of covering most of my cost. In the main this applies more to my painted combat grade knives than my only Satin one. Satin knives can be polished back to an as "new" look or even better. Combats cannot be restored....only stripped. Buying a number of knives to pick the ones that feel best may sound extravagant...but what else can you do? Particularly over here? There is no chance of easily getting to a show to handle them.

I guess I don't mind stripping a few knives and polishing them up if they feel right and perform well....but for the later to happen this often means a complete edge re-profile and sharpening. Like HD says...this is a pain when they cost so much.

Some actually will need no work hardly...the DFLE will just need an edge profile as will the DMDC...I have a CE Satinjack which should be good to go from the off and a FSH already stripped and with a professional edge done. These two plus the DMDC and DFLE will easily be keepers. The DFCG and my FFBM and a green Skinny and the YK and the NMFBM may all be resold because the prospect of stripping them or being dissatisfied with a permanent beaten up paint job may just be too much. The RMD on reputation and "feel" deserves another strip and edge job but you do sometimes "blanche" at doing all this work.

Of the knives "painted" the only one so far which I think I will keep and re-do is the RMD.It does have that special "feel" to it. I already have a re-worked Skinny and the Ash LE is a winner now the edge has been done and all told with the other knives that fit the bill for no more hassle....I probably have enough.