Benchmade Preproduction 940S

[Steven Roos]

I just got my new 940S, and its a preproduction, #11 of 1000. Should I worry about using it? Will it really gain in value?

 

[knifenerd]

Some may differ with this, but I don't think that manufactured knives, whether pre-production, first-production or whatever, especially when the edition is 1000 or more, will gain in value over the long or short term.

The 940 is a great useable knife that will serve you well. Use it and enjoy. Get your value out of it. Good Luck.

 

[Full Tang Clan]

Originally posted by knifenerd
Some may differ with this, but I don't think that manufactured knives, whether pre-production, first-production or whatever, especially when the edition is 1000 or more, will gain in value over the long or short term.

The 940 is a great useable knife that will serve you well. Use it and enjoy. Get your value out of it. Good Luck.

It depends. I've seen the discontinued Spyderco Q knives going on EBAY for over $70. I think that's double of what it originally sold for. Apparently, many of the Case pocket knives are sought highly by collectors too.

Also, did you take a look at that original AL MAR SERE (circa 1991) that DgrantD posted? It was selling for a premium.

It's all a matter of supply and demand: Once production stops, and if there is a shortage vis a vis the number of people who seek them out.

To me "first run" production knives are a marketing gimmick to create hype. Who cares if you're the first to have it or the 5000th if it's the same knife? Often times, the later ones are better anyway since they have either design or manufacturing improvements made to them. Even Sal Glesser of Spyderco stated that recently.

For investments, I'd rather spend it on a custom, or a limited edition. Even on the limited edition it depends on how "limited", the run is and how highly sought they are after production stops. Simple macroeconomics theory.

 

[J. MacDonald]

The question of true collectability in a numbered production piece is an interesting question. If it seems like it's the same as the production unit, but with a number on the blade, it's worth nothing extra to me. If it's numbered and has a different materials/finish combo tht gives it a bit of a hook, I'll likely pay more attention (and perhaps more money) than with the standard production piece.

The 940 series is a good example of that class of knives. I have a 1 of 500 941D2CF. I carry it almost every day. I don't care if I'm hurting it's value because it's such an awesome knife and even if I'm talking to another 940 series fan, it's got D2 and carbon fiber. They're nice buzzwords, but the D2 really does seem to hold a better edge that the 154cm in the other 94xs I've owned, and the carbon fiber gives the knife a whole different feel than the aluminum scales on all the other models.

While I'm not sure a Limited Edition of a production folder will ever be worth more money, I did buy a 941BC1 1 of 500 with red anodized slabs and a Boron Carbide coated blade. This one is a safe queen. I hope one day it appreciates enough that it'll cover what I wear off the value of the D2CF version from using it.

Another example it the Benchmade 960. I'd probably never buy a standard 960 as the wood and carbon don't do it for me. The kife seems like a nice design, but in standard form hasn't made me entertain buying it yet. A couple months ago I saw a version with carbon bolsters and white linen micarta scales and blue anodized Ti liners (1 of 500). It caught my eye, but I still didn't buy.

Yesterday I saw a 1 of 100 of that same 690 design with the carbon bolsters, the white micarta scales, the blue Ti liners AND a Damasteel stainless Damascus blade. NOW they have my attention! It's a limited enough version of the production piece and is so good looking that I really want it even though I doubt I'd ever carry it.

It's all up to what you want.

jmx

 

[Steven Roos]

Well, I'm going to leave it alone for now...maybe it will become an EDC later, but for now it can be a display piece...