Boxes? I don't need no stinking boxes!

hhmoore

hhmoore

Joined
Feb 7, 2014
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Somehow, I got caught up in the practice of saving boxes. Not just of knives I considered collectible - that makes sense....I mean all of them. Knives I've had, and used, for years still had the boxes set aside "in case I sell them". Boxes take up more space than knives, and it is silly to save them for used knives. Isn't it?
I get that the value of a "new and unused" takes a hit if it doesn't come with it's original box; but does it (and should it) really matter to people that are buying a used knife?
I got rid of about 15 boxes this morning (admittedly, I didn't toss the Hinderer, CRK, and Tolk boxes, even though I use & don't plan on selling the knives).
THEN, I went by where I have my Becker boxes stored - I'm going to toss those, too. (Not the Camillus boxes, though - I'm not that strong)
 
Believe it or not, having the box and paperwork will typically assure you get 15-20% more than without. I store a great many knives in their box, even when not in use. I don't like having them littered all over the place in different bags and such. A single large rubbermaid container houses almost all the boxes, it's in a climate controlled area of the house, not an eyesore.
 
I thought the primary point of keeping the boxes, besides collecting and resale, was so warranty work could be done if it proved necessary to send the knife back to the factory.
 
Charlie, I don't think any maker would require the box. In fact, many will ask you to send in nothing but the knife, so there is no risk of accessories being lost.

I don't have enough room at the Powernoodle Compound to keep all of the boxes from my hoarding. And I never plan to sell any of them, so that doesn't come into play. I kept many boxes, but pitched most just because of space limitations. Plus, now as I entered my mature years, I have figured out how pointless most of my stuff is and am trying to unload some of it. I just gave my neighbor a Sears air compressor that has been sitting in my basement and has not been used even once in 23 years.
 
I keep all my boxes too, regardless. I am a little OCD about them. I couldn't bring myself to toss them - there is something about a well used knife that still "sleeps" in its factory box. All my collectors will forever remain NIB.
 
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RevDevil said:
Believe it or not, having the box and paperwork will typically assure you get 15-20% more than without. I store a great many knives in their box, even when not in use. I don't like having them littered all over the place in different bags and such. A single large rubbermaid container houses almost all the boxes, it's in a climate controlled area of the house, not an eyesore.
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Pretty much what I do. I don't display knives. Since I have never sold any knives, I have no idea about re-sale with or without a box. But with collectible guns, it is a significant difference in value or at a minimum, the gun sells much quicker. With Colts, I have been known to just buy boxes..... they can be valuable. You seldom loose $ on a box if you buy it right.
 
Well I have a Merrell shoe box stuffed full of knife boxes. If I ever need new shoes then more knife boxes will be stuffed in that one, an excuse to buy a ton more knives perhaps.
 
Original box and paper always make it a little easier to sell an item. One person's trash can be someone else treasure. Some people actually only collect boxes. Check out the prices of old Colt boxes on gun broker...
 
I have every box for every knife. Not only that, I have the shipping boxes too.
 
Sooner rather than later, my Sons and Grandsons will inherit my modest collection of knives. I really don't expect that they will be as infected with "knifeitis" as I, so I anticipate that most will be offered for sale. To that end, all my pieces (except my users) are preserved and stored properly, checked for condition periodically and are fully documented with purchase specifics and any materials that came with them.

As others have said and will mention, it is a "marketing" plus to have the original boxes, and even better if the box and accompanying materials, including "provenance," are included in the sales offering: more and better offers more quickly.
 
I toss all of my boxes as soon as I get them! All my purchases are users and I have never sold a knife!
 
I started chucking out some of the bulkier boxes.
Some of the boxes are okay, and store the knives nicely and stack well.
Others are crap unless you plan on reselling.
 
My knives are all basically NIB, and I buy and sell (AND STORE) with proper boxes and labels. I also have the box for my "user" folder, a Southard AVO which has served me very nicely for the last eighteen months.
 
Even though I usually save boxes, I do toss the Condor machete boxes once I start using the blade. No intention to sell. If the machetes are un-appreciated, more than likely they will be in a closet or in the garage.
 
I kept them, as stated, in case I decided to sell. Realistically, folder boxes don't take up all that much room; but I've got myself in cleanup mode. The boxes I tossed are for knives that are never going anywhere... and, if I'm gone, they'll likely end up on a table in a yard sale. They don't get the box for those prices.
 
I wouldn't keep boxes of it didn't so drastically affect the value. I sold my used Counterpoint for $50, and it MIGHT have gotten $35 without the box.
 
I keep the boxes since it's not all that hard to do. I save a lot of old stuff anyway. Some knives I buy to use and others I don't, so some I manage to sell much later and call them LNIB. I keep the boxes because I think it makes the knives easier to sell and/or might increase the price a little bit. Also I figure if the buyers might want the boxes then I won't disappoint them.
 
Charlie_K said:
I thought the primary point of keeping the boxes, besides collecting and resale, was so warranty work could be done if it proved necessary to send the knife back to the factory.
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You aren't supposed to send the original boxes back, unless you want them tossed out, which, you can do yourself. Just about every knife company will tell you, keep your packaging unless you want it thrown out (don't sent it in with warranty/service requests).
 
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I generally know within a couple of minutes if I like a knife... or, perhaps a more accurate statement would be I know if I am going to carry/use it. It's rare for me to start carrying a knife that doesn't pass the 3 minute like test; at least without some sort of changes (new scales, for example).
A few of the boxes that I threw away today were actually for knives that I gave tp friends. Sure, I could have given them the boxes; but I'm sure they would have tossed them.

Speaking of shipping boxes, I have a bunch of those, too. Mostly for swords, and big blades. When I get back from KY, and caught up with life, I'm hoping to trim that herd a bit. Not sure how it will work - swords still fascinate me; and I only have a few that would be easy to let go. (I'd be absolutely thrilled to reduce that number by half; but figure that I'll be lucky if 1/4 of them go.
 
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