Bummers, busts, and burns

[The Kidd]

So for all of us who buy old used knives online I’m sure it’s always a win some lose some proposition. Maybe the possibility is part of the allure, no game is fun for long if you win every time you play.

Lately I bought a very nice PAL cutlery EO Jack to give to my son. Not many pics were provided but the scales were crack free and the spear main as well as the pen blade were both full and free of grinder marks. The price was low enough that I struck even though the seller’s description told me they weren’t knife enthusiasts and probably didn’t know a whole lot about it.

A few days later it arrived and looked great, until I opened it and found a very lazy main blade. Initially I hoped it was dirty because everything looked to be in good shape but the main blade has to be pushed the last 1/4 inch to close. I finally discovered a hairline crack on the inside of the the spring for the main blade. It goes into the hole for the center pin so I doubt it will go further but it has certainly weakened the snap.

End of the day not a huge deal and probably not the last time I roll the dice and lose. Heck I just bought a Queen 23 Barlow with very nice bone scales and a great looking pen blade. But the auction had no pictures with the main open. I’m hoping for a home run but who knows, $16 on it appeals more to me than the same $16 in a slot at the local Indian casino.

Anyone have any good stories to share? They can of course go the other way where you thought you bought a junker but it was a jewel.

 

[black mamba]

I bought a couple of old Robesons off the bay several years ago that, when they arrived, were way nicer than the price indicated.

Notice how sharp the tang stamp is on the second one, along with the gorgeous jigged bone. Can't fathom why it was so cheap.
Usually if I get one that's a little disappointing, it's because of a lazy spring. That seems to be pretty common.

 

[The Kidd]

Those look nearly new! Very nice. I really like the butter and molasses scales.

I think the “gamble” is part of the allure to the hobby for me. In many cases we know what makers are known for producing high quality knives. But we’re still at the mercy of pictures and the judgement of someone else miles away who may have different opinions on things like condition or pull.

 

[Hickory n steel]

There was a Western fixed blade I bought but got refunded because the seller was a scammer, and an imperial Frontier drop point hunter I bought cheap and got refunded by the seller because they couldn't find it.

I no longer have them, but there's a few knives I've bought off Ebay that had very weak action.
An NYK.CO pen knife, a Schrade MIL-K-818 " demo knife ", and a few others I can't think of.
I scored them all very cheap, so they were worth the gamble.