>>When I used to say to my mother "Why have you got two ... {whatever identical things}", she'd reply sarcastically, "In case I get sick of one"
>>
>>You have 2 of this , 3 of that, but you only have two hands and two ankle straps max. Do you just sit and worship the others, clean them all the time, brandish them menacingly, what? Why so many!? :-)
>
>We have a friend who collects sabers (?) He has a very fine collection of antique sabers and swords [what's the right word?]...

I don't know - A "Clash" of sabres? :-) This friend of yours - he doesn't have long hair and speak in a phoney Scottish accent, live in an expensive penthouse and keep saying "There can be only one" does he? :-)