If you buy knives as an investment or art object you will want them to remain in mint condition.

I buy knives to use. I remember an interview with a knife-maker, Pauly I believe, and his take was that even though his custom knives are held as art pieces he considers a knife that goes unused as a waste. He makes them to be used. He said that he considers a knife that has been used hard, shows wear, and sharpened to a fraction of its original length to be beautiful.

He made his reputation making knives using exotic materials and highly polished blades but with this realization, and a certain level of financial security, he shifted to less flashy materials matte finishes and single color micarta handles.