Fun on the Bay..... or .... Selling it.....

DeSotoSky

DeSotoSky

Gold Member
Joined
Mar 21, 2011
Messages
6,642
"VINTAGE" and "RARE" must be about the two most overused terms on eBay..... here are some fun ones I found this morning....

"very rare factory sheath"
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"Vintage very rare Buck 311 Tapper Slimline Prototype Handle"
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"old school 120s WW2 era"
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"Buck knife vintage....RARE" ($297.49 on a Buy-It-Now)
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The bay is great entertainment. That bottom one, the 103 has been on the bay on and off for well over a year for the same price.
 
Vintage on the bay must mean something other that what I always thought it was and rare means it is rare because that particular seller owns it.

I just bite my tongue and move on which is sometimes hard these days.
 
Defiantly, "Caveat emptor" Let the buyer beware. I watch the bay almost daily for the few deals that are in my price range and for the entertainment value.
 
TAH - That zipper is being sold OBO. I bet it can be had for $800. Maybe even a bit less. I would jump on it but am a bit low on funds right now so I will leave it for another serious collector.
 
I think Davey Crockett killed a bear with one of those, hence the high price. Not the one he grinned down.
 
Rare might have been the right word to use for item # 371534245274. I hope one of you lucky guys got it, I sure didn't.
 
Mike - I noticed that one yesterday and thought myself of posting it here. Now that was a great deal. Wish I was the lucky dog to get that one.
 
HaHaHa,

Yep there is always some rare Gem out there for sale. Most of the time the seller has no idea what they have and is following the advice of the person who liberated them from their money. Take a look at this one # 221995051536. I contacted the seller and told them the only thing rare about this is the fact that the knife, coin and box insert were missing. they responded with so choice insulting words back. However, they did find a fool and took his/her money as the item sold. It is a nice looking box, the buyer paid way to much for it and it is not rare at all!!!!

jb4570
 
I once asked a bay seller what particularly made his Buck knife rare. His reply "It's rare because I say it is."
 
Gentlemen,
If you don't mind, help me out here a bit. All the posts here seem critical at some level. Just what does "vintage" and /or "rare" mean to you in regard to Buck Knives? I ask as I have been slowly selling off my knife collection for some years now. Many of them on the Bay. I have always wanted to be fair, especially when dealing with BCCI members. Quite a few of you here are now the proud owners of many of my Buck Knives. Most (not all) of which I do consider vintage. I am very cautious about using rare, but some of you would indeed consider knives I have parted with in that category.
Is a 25-30 year old NIB Buck vintage? In many cases I would think that just being 25 or more years old and NIB with papers would be rare, even if the knife itself was not at all rare.

What is the correct usage of these terms in your minds?
 
I don't think there is any set rule but just the persons opinion. I would consider a knife that is over 20 years old to be classified as possibly vintage. I know when it comes to automobile's a classic is over 25 years old and antique is considered 50 years and older. Not sure where vintage fits in though.

I think the criticism is when we see a knife that is only a few years old classified as vintage and or a knife that is listed as rare when it is quite common. I just sold some knives on the big auction site and listed a couple as rare but they were knives that you only see maybe one every few months or even longer up for sale.
 
MELbcci said:
Gentlemen,
If you don't mind, help me out here a bit. All the posts here seem critical at some level. Just what does "vintage" and /or "rare" mean to you in regard to Buck Knives? I ask as I have been slowly selling off my knife collection for some years now. Many of them on the Bay. I have always wanted to be fair, especially when dealing with BCCI members. Quite a few of you here are now the proud owners of many of my Buck Knives. Most (not all) of which I do consider vintage. I am very cautious about using rare, but some of you would indeed consider knives I have parted with in that category.
Is a 25-30 year old NIB Buck vintage? In many cases I would think that just being 25 or more years old and NIB with papers would be rare, even if the knife itself was not at all rare.

What is the correct usage of these terms in your minds?
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Hi MELbcci,

Each person here most likely will have a different idea on the questions you asked. Here are my thoughts.....

Vintage: It's going to depend on the age of the person who is answering this one!!! Too me a vintage Buck knife is late 70's on down, 80's + are not vintage.

Rare: In my mind is a Proto of a custom knife, or a set of samples for a knife that was never made, there maybe 1 -4 of these only (rare). Too a lot of folks a custom LE knife made in 250 to 500 is what they think makes it rare, not too me as these custom LE's are often not used and even 250 is a ton of knives and not rare at all.

A NIB standard production knife made in the 80's is not rare as there were and are thousands (maybe even tens of thousands) of them made. The way I think is these will never be rare in my lifetime, finding one unused NIB is not rare, maybe uncommon to find in that condition but there is nothing rare about it IMHO.

I often contact folks and let them know they are trying to sell a knife for too much. I quote a source like the "Blades Guide to Knives and Their Values" to let them know they can find a printed source to check and learn from. However, more often than not, they don't listen. They end up lowering their price when the item does not sell. Hay, anyone can ask what ever they want for what they have, sometimes it gives me a good laugh and sometimes just makes me roll my eyes, it's a free country. The one thing that I hate to see is someone buying a knife (outbidding some of us here), then jump the price a $100 and resell it to us collectors just to line their pockets, I see this often.

Just my thoughts
JB
 
JB, Not sure if you will recall .... But you introduced me to the Forum some number of years ago. Not being overly "computer knowledgeable", I may never have found this site if not for you contacting me about knives I had listed. I'm glad to have been here if for no other reason than the vast knowledge shared by so many regulars or even just the enjoyment I get from the SPS. I thank you for the introduction to be sure.

I also want to thank you both for your opinions in this regard. I will endeavor to keep them in mind as I sell off what remains.
 
MELbcci said:
JB, Not sure if you will recall .... But you introduced me to the Forum some number of years ago. Not being overly "computer knowledgeable", I may never have found this site if not for you contacting me about knives I had listed. I'm glad to have been here if for no other reason than the vast knowledge shared by so many regulars or even just the enjoyment I get from the SPS. I thank you for the introduction to be sure.

I also want to thank you both for your opinions in this regard. I will endeavor to keep them in mind as I sell off what remains.
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Buck Brother MELbcci,

I'm humbled by your memory of finding this wonderful site and all of the fantastic folks who share their knowledge and thoughts here. I also found this site much the same way you did, by Buck Brother Larry Oden. My very first thread topic had little to no responses, but I kept on asking questions and learning from the great folks here. I learn something new every week and I also enjoy the greatest show on earth the SPS.

JB
 
jb4570 said:
WOW, you must hate me a little, but I Am not lining my pockets, I am lining my many Buck display cases with rare and vintage ivory and pearl Buck knives.......I like your definitions of rare and vintage, but there are always exceptions to most rules, prototype, although usually rare, if it is a Michael prater, there are more PP protos than production 184's, but you know I still put rare in my title,

It is rare that I get called out on the Bay for starting 99% of my Buck listings as Rare, but I guess 98% of the time they are Rare, or by gedlicks definition, since I own them, 100% must be rare.

JB, can you find me one of those non-rare brown trout 110s they made 100 of for under $220 so I can make it rare and put custom handles on it, or if anyone else could help, that would be awesome!
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I guess I should state that it is extremely Rare that I mark up a reseller by $100. It has happened, but just as many times ive lost a few bucks or sold a buck with no profit to my fellow collectors as many here know
 
IMO rare is just that far and few between (i.e. protos, 1 of 5). some older knives that may be 1 of 250 doesn't sound rare but I consider that it is because of age. Vintage to me is anything over 25 years old. I think there is a classification I like to call Hard To Find which is what I think most of the LE, customs, 1 of 2000 etc fit into.
 
STEELHEADBULLY said:
JB, can you find me one of those non-rare brown trout 110s they made 100 of for under $220 so I can make it rare and put custom handles on it, or if anyone else could help, that would be awesome!
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Only thing that is rare about that request is that you want to get away with highway robbery :)
 
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