Am I in the right place?

M

mtownca

Joined
Jan 31, 2006
Messages
4
I just found this site today and wonder if I have the right forum. I've inherited a knife collection. All the knives were purchased before 1992. I was told many are old and somewhat rare and most are in perfect condition. Trapper, Tobacco Jack, razor and whittler show up on the list a lot. Parker USA, Parker Edwards, Parker Eagle, and more Parkers, United Boker, Boker, Case and lots listed as unknown but I can tell they are old.

I've done a quite a bit of reading from the old edition books that came with the collection, but can't seem to find a lot of the knives on the list I got with the collection.

So, I guess what I'm asking is there a different forum for helping to identify different knives and finding out what they are worth?

Thanks for any help you can give me.

mtown
 
As Jeff Clark mentioned, those forums are good. Also, look into getting some pictures online, it will help a lot. :)
 
Notice the forum section, "Manufacturers Forums." If any of the knives match up to the companies represented (Schrade, Buck, etc.), then ask in those forums. There is also a search funtion for the forum. Chances are, many of your knives' brands have been discussed already.

As far as values, eBay has pretty much replaced guidebooks for collectors' values. At eBay you can do a Completed Items search for knives like your's and see how much they actually sell for.

The Bernard Levine and Traditional forums are great places to ask for help. But they won't be able to tell you much unless you take photos or scan the knives. Close-ups of the markings are critical.

Keeping records of what you learn is important. Also, any records, receipts, sheaths, boxes and factory paperwork, etc. that came with the knives. A knife with the original packaging will sell for considerably higher than an unboxed loose knife.

Just curious, how many knives are in the collection, and do you plan to keep the collection intact?

Best Wishes, and Welcome to BladeForums!
-Bob
 
They're all worthless! I'll take them off your hands for FIVE WHOLE DOLLARS!:eek:

Just kidding. You can check out BRL's forum mentioned above, the Boker Forum here, and the traditional Folders and Fixed blades forum, also.
 
Thank you all for your excellent suggestions.

Bob, I haven't actually counted them all yet. I am certainly open to selling the entire collection after I've gotten some idea of what they are worth. Pictures are a great idea. I'll have to get started on that.

Thanks again.
 
Photographs work well, but scanning them might be simpler and faster, especially if you don't have a good digital camera. Simply lay the knife on the scanner bed and cover it with something. Here's a scanned image I did with a piece of canvas drop cloth:
8OTnailnicks.jpg

Plus you can easily zoom in and enlarge the important parts, such as the tang stamps and makers marks.

It's always a tough call, what to do with someone's belongings after they pass. My grandfather had a box of pocketknives and he handed them out one at a time to the grandchildren. I still have the one he gave me, and it's one of my prized posessions.

Good Luck with you quest,
Bob
 
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