box or no box ?

[Papa Smurf]

I am new to this forum but not to Schrade knives . From about 12 till now at 72 I have had a knife in my pocket or on my belt . Most were Schrade some Ka-Bar. I now have 21Schrade knives , 14 still in original boxes ,all but 3 of the 21 never been used . My question is what does the box add to the value? All knives were made in the USA before 2000 . Thanks for any help. -------------Papa Smurf

 

[aggiebuilder2003]

I think it goes without saying that the more "bling" you have to go with the knife the more value it adds. How much depends on the buyer. For me, I collect knives, not boxes so to answer your question in my case it adds little. I can buy the same knife, sometimes substantially cheaper, all because I don't want the cardboard.

Chuck

 

[Bob W]

I follow Old Timer knife prices, well not so much recently, but I can say that having the knife in it's original box can add significantly to the resale value. This is especially true with Old Timers due to the fact that most models were made in very large quantities and are therefore commonly available in the aftermarket. With dozens, or even hundreds, of 34OT (the most common model) knives available at any given moment, why would a serious collector settle for an incomplete example? And from the seller's aspect, what's to set one guy's 34OT apart from all of the others?

Let's say there's a dozen guys looking for a 108OT for their collections. And there are a dozen guys with a 108OT for sale. Of the dozen for sale four are new-in-box, four are unused but without their original packaging, and four are used. A likely scenario, the dozen guys will bid against each other for the knives in the best condition, which is obviously the N-I-B examples.

Now, a different example, say you have a knife that is very rare. The serious collectors will 'chase' it regardless of whether it has a box.

Even a third example: say you have a knife, even a semi-rare model, that no one cares about. The box won't really affect it's value either.

It's all about supply and demand.
And the answer to your question is, "It all depends."

Consider too that many knives are produced for years, sometimes decades, without even a tang stamp change. The original packaging is the only way to determine or even narrow the age of some knives.

One more thing I'd like to point out is that some collectors are specifically interested in vintage knife boxes. Some were very ornate, colorful, and detailed and help tell the story of a cutlery company and it's products. You sure won't find the company's full address or warranty information printed on the tang. Some beautiful examples in this topic:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...ld-Pocket-Knife-Boxes?highlight=vintage+boxes

 

[koldgold]

I always try to find the best NIB knives, however I will alway pay top price for a knife in a box, that is in a sleve. The sleve protects the box.
I have some Schrade 34OTSS knives that came in woodern boxes; with-out the sleves, the wooden boxes fade in the sun ... Ken

 

[Dave Thinkstoomuch]

I second Bob's excellent assessment. Bling will never hurt you value-wise but it will never make an undesirable knife a big-buck item.

 

[tongueriver]

I see endless references to "value." For me, personally, I have seen no indications that knives have ever proven to be an investment. I buy them for aesthetic pleasure. I always keep the boxes and other errata, but to me they are just a necessary evil. When I pass, all my stuff will dissipate into the ether with probably little benefit to my loved ones. That is the way it usually goes. For now, my mantra is "buy high and sell low." It has always worked for me. There is a limit, however; I might not get that beauteous Schrade switchblade BIN for $800, for instance.

 

[Codger_64]

For those collectors who are interested in such trivia, the boxes, if original to the particular knife, do add to the value in that they put that knife into historical context. Company names and logos, etc. on the boxes and papers tell a lot more about the exact era of production than do the markings on the knives in many instances. Also, older unused knives with all of the factory packaging intact are far less common than used (even lightly used) or new knives whose packaging was tossed by previous owners. This same holds true for most collectables.

Do they add to the value/worth (what someone will offer if it is sold)? Whatever the market will bear. Being more uncommon, they will generally attract higher prices from fewer buyers, those who recognize and seek out the uniqueness of original condition knives in original packaging. I tend to give more for knives like that in my favorite patterns because they represent the pinnicle of "original" knives, like a 1956 T-bird with no mileage and original window sticker.

ETA: I agree, knives are a poor investment. Using an inflation calculator, the guy who bought a knife for $20 in 1969 lost money if he sold it for less than $117.58 today.

 

[Larry303]

.....and if the boxes were not worth more to collectors why would some folk have continued to re-print Schrade reproduction boxes as they invariably have??......
I personally have many vintage complete sets of Schrade Fixed blade and folders, because its exactly the way I saw them in the original old hardware shops years ago...how do you put a price on nostalgia?.......before I let go of many of my Schrades I would like to take one last photo of all my Schrades in their boxes in an old time shop situation....something to look at when I'm in the "Old Codgers' Home".....
To answer the question re value....would you pay a premium for example for my 153UH 'Walden' in its original box with original sheath or my 'Walden' skindivers DHandle knife complete with origial sheath in original box as issued or even my complete Ulster Barlow Card containing the 6 mint Ulster Barlows as originally found years ago on the wall in a small mid west boarded up/closed Hardware/Fishing tackle shop...nostalgic pieces from an era when nostalgia still meant something to the individual...IMO...I paid extra at the time to get these pieces however little in relation to perhaps what they would achieve today or perhaps tomorrow....Hoo Roo