Collecting Gran'pa series

M

Mountainwind

Joined
Mar 13, 2006
Messages
980
From what I read, this series started in December 2004, the labor strikes started in May 2006, so if Camillus goes under, will these be considered rare as they have been made only for a year and a half?
I see less and less of this series for sale, so I am thinking Camillus is concentrating on orders, which do not include these.
Any thoughts?
 
I only have the CGP152, their Sharpfinger version, but I would like to get the others. I was impressed with the 152. An excellent rendition of a favorite of mine. Collectable? Dunno. They may be ignored in a rush to get fancier, more glamorous knives..."if"...Camillus does not pull through. Several of the low production late introduced knives already are doing this. And now is a good time to acquire them.

Codger
 
Mountainwind,
A friend of mine told me that sometimes the less expensive knives, that were made to be users and not collectors, are often overlooked by collectors because a lot of them are made. But, given a couple decades and there are not many of them left new-in-box as they are all used, because that is what they were made for, then their value really increases.
I am usually more excited to get a used, but cared for knife, than a new-in-box. The used knife has a history and a connection to people who have used it. The new knife is just a new unused tool, devoid of history.
I have an old well used Schrade 34OT, with worn down blades, that belonged to my Grandfather. When I pick up that knife I can still see him setting in his little work shop picking the bark out of a piece of maple burl to make a clock or set of bookends for one of his grand kids. The knife has history & for me memories. I value it above my new-in-box knives, even the expensive ones.

Dale
 
I understand what you are saying, but my problem is, I am new to folders, as I have always been a fixed blade fan. So I am trying to find folders that are, or may be collectable in the future. Plus just getting the common ones.
I know little about folders, so I have to ask at times what might be a good buy. And I only have maybe 20 at the moment, so I have a lot of catching up to do, just to have a small collection.
So I hope you guys never get tired of all the questions. Cause I will have a lot of them.
 
Although it was a "commemorative" that led me to these forums I also fall on the user side of the spectrum. I collect what I like, period. If I like to use it, fine. If I like to look at it in a display case, or desk drawer, that's good too. If I only have it because it might increase in value, not interested. This is in no way a meant as a slam. We knife knuts come in all shapes and sizes. But regardless of the collectible, be it art, toys, knives, whatever, the experts will always tell you to collect what you enjoy because the collectible market is extremely hard to predict. Enjoy your new interest in folders. The rest will take care of itself.
 
No less of an expert than Mr. B.R. Levine himself frequently admonishes people that if they are looking for investments, invest in the stock market, not knives. The profitibility of even cheap obscure stock portfolios are better on average than collector knives. I believe anyone in the knife business will tell you the same. Except Bradford Exchange. Or Franklin Mint. Or the Ginsu guy.

Codger
 
I'm not looking at money value, but more of a decent collection. I could have 100 knives and a collector say "you have a bunch of knives", or 30-40 "rare or somewhat rare, and he might say "that's some really good knives".
 
I think it is possible to have a bunch of expensive even rare knives and you may just have a cluster and not a collection.

In my simple mind, a collection means a theme. A theme of a brand, a series of knives, a style of knife or handles. My collection is made up of several smaller collections. I have several collections by brand, Al Mar, Schrade, Ulster Imperial, etc. Within the Schrades are Old Timers, Uncle Henry's & Open Stock knives.
In those brands are patterns that I like; stockman, Barlow, jack knives, etc. I think a pattern display incorporating several brands looks nice, though a display of a bunch of matching knives in different patterns looks good also, like a display of Uncle Henry's or Old Timers.

I guess what I am trying to say is find a theme that you like and follow it, I didn't start that way. I just started buying knives that I liked, the themes emerged later.

The main thing is to enjoy what you are doing. If you don't enjoy it.....what's the point?

Have fun,
Dale
 
Did all of the folding Gran'pa knives come in clamp packs? I have looked on a lot of sites, and they either do not say, or show them in the clamp packs.
 
Yes, I've seen them in Camillus boxes. There is a CGP-8 on right now that is boxed.
 
Here are the Gran'Pa series knives I have seen, but I am not positive it is a complete list:

CGP152 :Relates to a Schrade 152OT
CGP104 :Relates to a Schrade 104OT
CGP34 :Relates to a Schrade 34OT
CGP12 :Relates to a Schrade 12OT
CGP8 :Relates to a Schrade 8OT
CGP7 :Relates to a Schrade 6OT

Since I only have the CGP152, I cannot do a direct side-by-side comparison between the Camillus and Schrade versions, so I cannot say what the differences in grind, materials, and dimensions are. I posted the review of the CGP152 in the Schrade forum some time ago.

IMHO, the full set would make a nice display. And I can't think of a company more appropriate to carry on the Schrade Old Timer patterns.

Codger
 
"CGP152 :Relates to a Schrade 152OT"
I have both. The differences I've noticed are that the Camillus is swept back more drastically with a slightly thicker blade. The handle has a slightly larger feel probably due to the afore mentioned blade thickness. All in all it's my opinion that Camillus took a great design and polished it up a little. A little while back I aquired a Camillus model 716 two blade double locking knife which must be the largest in the Yellow Jacket series. It's my third in that series and I plan to complete the series. Does anyone have a list of the entire YJ series. That'd be a help, thank you.
 
Thanks Codger for the CGP8, I bought it, and checked around for the others in boxes, some sites had a B after the item number, I emailed to see if that meant "box", and they replied they did not know and could not check as they were out of stock.
So...... I bought clamp packs from one place that had them. If I find boxed ones later, these can be sold as they are replaced. If not, at least I have the set........... or what has been mentioned so far.
 
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