Does resale value factor into your knife purchases?

bodog

bodog

BANNED
Joined
Dec 15, 2013
Messages
3,097
Now of course there are going to be a variety of answers, but say you had a choice of the same knife in Sleipner steel or CTS-XHP. Knowing that XHP is a more well known steel and that it'd be an easier resell, would you choose it over Sleipner, even if Sleipner was a little better suited for your purposes?
 
No. I buy knives to use them not to collect. So my first criterion is function, followed by quality and then aesthetics. I've never bought a knife with the intent of selling it down the road, which doesn't mean that I won't sell it later if I decide it no longer suits me.
 
Nope never just buy them use them. If I don't fancy a particular knife either before or after use I sell it. I have a fair collection of Spyderco's mostly users. I just rotate every few days.
 
Myself... No I don't consider resale value, at all. Then again, I'm not a collector either, nor do I buy very expensive knives (most expensive purchase to date was a Becker BK2). In fact, I've never actually sold a knife (which is probably why I don't consider resale value).

I'd go with whatever you think will meet your needs better. I'd rather get something most suited to me now, rather than buy something I already know I'd be less happy with just to make it easier to sell in the future (if its decided that you'll sell it).

Good luck with the decision :).
 
I have purchased many knives that I was not particularly looking for because they were a good price and I knew that I would likely not have a problem liquidating my investment or trading for something else if I am not impressed with it. It's a great chance to try something on the spur of the moment and see where it leads you, just part of the fun and I highly recommend it if you are able.
 
No, but I don't buy expensive knives and I don't "collect". I buy to use. I sell stuff that I don't use from time to time, but mostly to reduce clutter not to get money.

I'd get the steel that I like better, unless you buy it for collection purposes only.
 
Nope. Never considered resale value of a knife based on steel. The only time I may consider resale value of a knife is if I am trying out a popular knife knowing there is a chance I would not like it. A good example is the Sebenza or TGLB. I bought both knowing that I could resell for little to no loss if I found they weren't for me. I kept both.
 
I have a small sebenza I got as a gift a few weeks ago. I think the most anyone would offer me for it is about $40.00. It's pretty beat up now. Wouldn't have it any other way.

Anyone want a LNIB small sebenza? Edge is a little micro chippy right now but still cuts fine.
 
I'll be honest, it does a bit; with less of a income then I had before, a lot of my knife purchases are funded by selling other knives. My tastes evolve and a lot of the time very few knives are "keepers". Getting stuck with a knife that you know is going to lose value dramatically is frustrating.
 
Does it factor into my purchases? No...but I do like to know what it would sell for if I did choose to sell.
 
Misanthropia said:
I'll be honest, it does a bit; with less of a income then I had before, a lot of my knife purchases are funded by selling other knives. My tastes evolve and a lot of the time very few knives are "keepers". Getting stuck with a knife that you know is going to lose value dramatically is frustrating.
Click to expand...

I'll be honest too, I do kind of try to match my needs to my wants and whether I could resell it if needed without losing my ass. If that means I have to forego trying Sleipner steel (for instance) because I know I'd have a rough time reselling it then I will because I don't believe XHP (for instance) would be bad. There are a lot of people who buy into whatever is hyped up by the crowd as a good steel yet would never actually take the time to find out if Sleipner would be better for them because it's so rarely talked about so they'd never think about buying it either.

If I knew for a fact that I truly liked everything about the knife and knifemaker then I'd get whatever steel I wanted because I know I'd never get rid of it.
 
bodog said:
Now of course there are going to be a variety of answers, but say you had a choice of the same knife in Sleipner steel or CTS-XHP. Knowing that XHP is a more well known steel and that it'd be an easier resell, would you choose it over Sleipner, even if Sleipner was a little better suited for your purposes?
Click to expand...

No. I make my purchases based on function. My criteria are:

1. function
2. aesthetics
3. construction
4. price.

1 & 2 often go hand in hand for me. I know what I want it to do and the blade profile/shape often reflects that. There are often certain nuances that make one blade 'talk to me' louder than another. Then I look at the steel its made from and then the handle materials. Finally the price is what I'm willing to spend on it.

I never purchase a blade with the intent to resell it. First, I do not possess the intestinal fortitude to buy it and lock it in a safe, never to open it. I like playing with them and that will decrease the value. Any rust spots from improperly wiping of fingerprints, nicks or scratches from opening and closing it, dropping it or whatever - depreciates the value. There's also the thing like buying a car....buy it new and it loses 1/3 its value once it leaves the lot...until it becomes a collectible/classic/antique. Even then, what you'll get for it largely depends on it's condition and what someone is willing to buy it for. There are no knives I've ever seen that make me want to swoon like an original or restored vintage [and extremely rare] 1971, 429 Super Cobra Jet...at any price. Hell...I'm not even a Ford guy [I'm a Chevy guy] but given a choice between a 71 429 SCJ and a 1970 Olds 442, I'd have picked the 442 in a heartbeat. IMO, it's just a nicer looking car.

...but whichever I bought, I'd be driving the sh** out of it, reducing its value to any future buyer and thus reducing what I'll "get" for it.
 
bodog said:
I'll be honest too, I do kind of try to match my needs to my wants and whether I could resell it if needed without losing my ass. If that means I have to forego trying Sleipner steel (for instance) because I know I'd have a rough time reselling it then I will because I don't believe XHP (for instance) would be bad. There are a lot of people who buy into whatever is hyped up by the crowd as a good steel yet would never actually take the time to find out if Sleipner would be better for them because it's so rarely talked about so they'd never think about buying it either.
Click to expand...

Looks like you already had the answer to your question :thumbup:
 
Yes... I buy quality knives for several reasons and the ability to recoup most of my money if I or my heirs need to sell them is definitely among them.
 
Yes. If I'm buying a knife to see if I like it and will want to keep it I wait for a purchase price that I believe will allow me to resell for less of a loss if I decide the knife is not for me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top