For me, there's a clear distinction between a safe queen and a collector item. A safe queen is something that's outside of my budget for easy replacement, and that has a build or craftsmanship that is superior to my everyday tools. A safe queen can be replaced with an identical or similar item. It would just be expensive or difficult to do so.

A collector item of mine has a value immeasurable in monetary terms, is a one-of-a-kind, and is irreplaceable. For example, something that "dad gave me" is a collector item and possibly an heirloom. A knife I successfully used to save my life from a bear attack is a collector item. I would buy an equivalent knife to use, but I would retire that particular knife without cleaning it. A rusted knife from the Titanic is a collector item.

Having said that, I do have a few collector items, which I don't even consider as being tools or as subject matter for discussion on this site. However, I don't have any safe queens. I do have some knives and guns that I have not gotten around to using yet. They're brand new, but they're still just tools that I can replace without tapping into my kid's college fund. Also, if my house is burning down, these brand new tools will be low on the priority list of things to save.

Im the kinda person that collects cheap stuff as much as expensive stuff. I also dont have issues with safe queening a 20$ knife because its all about just how much you love somtehing no matter cost or popularity/rarity.

I work as a chef. Maybe 3 or 4 years ago I bought my first $300 kitchen knife, an Hattori FH. It was all gleaming steel and sex appeal. It shipped in a white wooden box lined with blue silk batting. It was beyond beautiful with its ergo-contoured black linen micarta handles. It was so nice in fact that I never took it to work except once to show it off. So it sat and gathered dust for a couple years. When I realized I never used it I sold it. Why own one you don't use?

Six months ago I bought an $800 kitchen knife straight from Japan. It was forged by an artist, a genius. Black-steel at 66 Rc. In your hand it's a living thing; you can feel the energy as you hold it. Even though it's absurdly expensive I take it work every day. I agonized as to whether to buy it, then I just decided to buy it and let go. Sure, it could get a chip or get dinged, but does a carpenter every keep his best hammer in the toolbox so it doesn't get scratched? Besides, I sharpen professionally, too, and there isn't much short of total destruction that I can't fix.

If I'm afraid to use a tool, I don't really own it. It's useless to me.

So, I guess that's what I think about safe queens. I'm pretty liberal politically but tool-wise I'm a hard-@ss man! You gotta earn your keep if you want a spot in my tool box, knife roll or belt sheath.

The IKK is my only SQ and that is for sentiment. I use all of my other gear. In fact, I make a point of buying items to be used. If I ever get a Benchmade Triage, I'll use it, not keep it tucked away.

The IKK is a cool knife. The SAK Farmer is a good modern replacement; it has all the same blades.

Congratulations. I am not big into fixed-blade knives, but that is one I've been coveting for a long time. I could never find the one in black and plain edge, now even the unfinished plain-edge is impossible to find.