Desperately Seeking Loveless...

I think that a subject that has not been brought up here unless I missed it is that all knives ordered from Loveless right now might not ever be recieved in a timely manner due to the long backlog. Also something to consider and no one wants to think of such things but all Loveless's made while Bob is alive will be worth more than the one's made after his demise. If I where on a quest for a Loveless and truly needed one I would source one already made not wait for an order that might never come due or an order that would come after his death.


If and when I need advice I would ask STeven I believe he knows what he is doing.


Thank god my taste runs for that cheap forged stuff in the 1 to 3 thousand dollar range. If I where to buy a Loveless it would be an investment piece that I would have to get at the right price so that I could realize a maximum return on it when I sold it to buy more ugly knives:D
 
JParanee said:
Thank god my taste runs for that cheap forged stuff in the 1 to 3 thousand dollar range. If I where to buy a Loveless it would be an investment piece that I would have to get at the right price so that I could realize a maximum return on it when I sold it to buy more ugly knives:D
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:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::D
 
At the encouragement of Phil Lobred, called Mr. Loveless, and he directed that I send in my request via a written letter, which I did, back in March of this year....maybe he and Jim will get to my knife, maybe not.
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STeven,

What is the normal waiting time on Mr. Loveless's list? I assume that it is pretty long, more than a few years.

If we are talking about many years or possibly never, the premium could be worth paying.

I prefer to buy knives direct from the maker and get exactly what I want, I have waited many years for a few knives, but also I sometimes pay a premium to get a knife that I really like.

It's either wait a long time or pay extra money for many of the premium knifemakers.

Both options work for me.

Jim Treacy
 
jjtjr said:
STeven,

What is the normal waiting time on Mr. Loveless's list? I assume that it is pretty long, more than a few years.

If we are talking about many years or possibly never, the premium could be worth paying.

I prefer to buy knives direct from the maker and get exactly what I want, I have waited many years for a few knives, but also I sometimes pay a premium to get a knife that I really like.

It's either wait a long time or pay extra money for many of the premium knifemakers.

Both options work for me.

Jim Treacy
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I'm not exactly sure, Jim...it might be a year, two years or more. Didn't ask.

It isn't a matter of a premium....it IS a matter of how much of a premium.

There are THOUSANDS of Loveless knives out there....people forget that the Loveless shop has always been prolific, and Bob has put out thousands of knives with his logo on them, even if the number was as low as 50 knives a year, that is still 2500 knives.

Will probably have to sell 8 knives in order to pay for this....so how those premium dollars pile up matters to me, as I don't have a lot left in the "for sale" pile.

That said, if I get this knife, it will be the realization of a dream of over 20 years....R.W. Loveless was "The Man" then, and he is still "The Man".

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Kohai999 said:
Indicating interest, a call came back that the price was $13,000. Called another good friend of mine who indicated that the maximum price from the Loveless shop would be $9,000, but was not absolutely positive about that.
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Yikes! This is the line that floored me. I remember at the 2003 AKI Bob brought some knives and they were offered through his draw in the $3k range. (Incredible value then, too)

I am surprised they would charge this much. What do I know. :confused:

Coop
 
Hi STeven,

"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so."
--Mark Twain.

STeven, what you know for sure is that no matter how much or little you pay...the knife you will be getting will not be made by Bob Loveless.

So if the quest is to own a Loveless Dixon Fighter. Why would you buy one directly from the shop?

Doesn't that defeat the purpose?

In the art world if "Bubba" paints a perfect copy of a Rembrandt and it is found to be a copy....the painter is outed. The Gallery that sold the painting is now suspect and the "expert" who authenticated the painting is ruined and kicked out of the business. Why, because this painting is called a "Fraud."

And custom knife makers, et al, wonder why custom knives are not taken seriously by the art community.

For the record, I have owned one "Faux Loveless". A stag handled hunter. Once I found out the knife was misrepresented I sold it a show in NY about 15 years ago. The buyer asked me why I was selling it so cheap. I explained to him that Loveless did not make the knife. That someone else did and the blade was still marked Loveless. He couldn't get the money out of his pocket quick enough.

Anyway good luck with the hunt....Im sure you will be happy like the guy I sold the hunter too....no matter who besides Loveless make the knife! :D
 
Les Robertson said:
Hi STeven,

"It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so."
--Mark Twain.

STeven, what you know for sure is that no matter how much or little you pay...the knife you will be getting will not be made by Bob Loveless.

So if the quest is to own a Loveless Dixon Fighter. Why would you buy one directly from the shop?

Doesn't that defeat the purpose?

In the art world if "Bubba" paints a perfect copy of a Rembrandt and it is found to be a copy....the painter is outed. The Gallery that sold the painting is now suspect and the "expert" who authenticated the painting is ruined and kicked out of the business. Why, because this painting is called a "Fraud."

And custom knife makers, et al, wonder why custom knives are not taken seriously by the art community.

For the record, I have owned one "Faux Loveless". A stag handled hunter. Once I found out the knife was misrepresented I sold it a show in NY about 15 years ago. The buyer asked me why I was selling it so cheap. I explained to him that Loveless did not make the knife. That someone else did and the blade was still marked Loveless. He couldn't get the money out of his pocket quick enough.

Anyway good luck with the hunt....Im sure you will be happy like the guy I sold the hunter too....no matter who besides Loveless make the knife! :D
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Les,

You may know business, but you sure don't know crap about art.

Glass-Dale Chihuly, Richard Satava, Tom Philabaum .....

Paintings-Rembrandt, Andy Warhol, Michelangelo

Motorcycles-Arlen Ness, Jesse James, Paul Teutul......

Guns-Les Baer, Wilson Combat, Perazzi

What do all these concerns have in common? The "Man" signed/signs the work, quite frequently someone else did it....doesn't bother me one bit

Bob is a pretty good knifemaker, Jim Merritt is better, and the work coming out of the shop now is the best that it has EVER been.

If I was going for sole authorship and was duped, I would be pissed...but that ain't the case here.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Hi Steven,

While you may understand that Loveless has become a "brand". Sadly there are a lot of collectors out there who have been mislead as to who actually did the work.

Evidence of this can be found in posts on Blade Forums.

Perhaps the most surprising thing about this is how the Guild was incensed...incensed I tell you. That some parts were being outsourced and blade blanks were being cut!

Yet they celebrate a maker who they know hasn't made his own knives since before you got into custom knives.

I know about the Motorcycles and the Guns (especially the guns). My point is if you can get a better made one...for substantially less money...why overpay for a "copy"?

I guess I have just never been one to buy something because of the name on it...when I knew they didn't make it.

You are correct...I don't know shit about art...but I know about ethics and integrity.
 
Les Robertson said:
Hi Steven,
Yet they celebrate a maker who they know hasn't made his own knives since before you got into custom knives.

I know about the Motorcycles and the Guns (especially the guns). My point is if you can get a better made one...for substantially less money...why overpay for a "copy"?

I guess I have just never been one to buy something because of the name on it...when I knew they didn't make it.

You are correct...I don't know shit about art...but I know about ethics and integrity.
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Loveless is the originator of the designs, Les.....he is renowned for what he brought to the knife world...his list of innovations is absolutely astounding...and when I asked him about it, he flat out said that he was a designer first, and that there were many other makers who he admired for their ability in making.

I know what I am buying, and why......in hundreds of years from now, when both of our names are forgotten, Loveless will still be remembered.....I'm buying a piece of history, with the name of a legend on it(deservedly).....and soon, I will have a great knife from a fella from 'round here named Marcus Lin who was inspired by that legend to make a great knife of his own.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Blue,

Exactly where have I sold something as a dealer on Blade Forums while only having a Gold Membership?
 
Hi STeven,

No question about the designer and the designs.

Man this is still America...its your money...you spend it how you like.
 
Hi Blue,

I saw what you wrote...now man up and find an example of what you accused me of.

Lets check your ethics and integrity.
 
steven

i recommend buying and reading the book "Mint Condition" by Dave Jamieson

it is a book about baseball card collecting and a delight to read. I would advise any serious collector to read it no matter what they collect

one of the best quotes is from Michael Gidwitz, an investment advisor who also is a hard core collector, he sold a Honus Wagner baseball card he bought from Wayne Gretzky for over a million dollars

he states in the book

"An investment is an equity, a stock, real estate, a bond. This here"-he gestured to some of his cards " is all subject to whim. Maybe one day you get five thousand dollars for it, maybe another day you get five hundred dollars. I don't care if my collection is the biggest, and I don't care if it's the best or if it's the most valuable. What it's all about is having the most fun"

sage advice
 
Les Robertson said:
Hi Blue,

I saw what you wrote...now man up and find an example of what you accused me of.

Lets check your ethics and integrity.
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Happy to respond, in another thread. Choose your venue. There's been enough crapping in STeven's, don't you think? :thumbdn:
 
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