Gun and Knife shows?

D

DaveT63

Joined
Feb 26, 2007
Messages
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There will be one in my area this weekend. Are these things worth going to to for finding Schrades? If so, are they overpriced, cheaper, average, all of the above? Or will I be wasting my time going?

Thanks,

Dave
 
I can only speak to a few shows I've attended in my area. These were in Augusta and Bangor, Maine. What I have witnessed is alot overpriced merchandise, with alot of it bordering on junk. Alot of Chinese crap knives for sale. What quality cutlery there was, was about 1 1/2 times what it could be purchased for elsewhere (ie ebay/bladeforums/knifeforums). If there were any staggering deals to be found, I've never seen one. I even got in a day early with a dealer two times and got a "first peak". Nothing worth buying. I stopped going two years ago. If it were a rainy day and I had nothing better to do (fat chance), I might go again.
 
The last show I attended was in the spring. I bought 4 new in the box Schrades for about what I would have paid on ebay, maybe slightly cheaper. The only real savings was that I did not have to pay the shipping costs. It is nice to be able to handle the merchandise before you buy it. Where is the show?
 
Thanks for the responses. I guess I'll go and at least check it out. The show is in Upper Marlboro, MD.
 
I would still go to a show. For something in pristine condition, I might part with 20 bucks for it, but the only Schrade I am looking for now is a USA made 8OT. Traded a Spyderco Native III used and 20 bucks for a Ducks Unlimited Schrade stockman with wood handles, NIB, that I had to have. Last week, I stopped at a hardware store in NJ right over the Delaware Memorial Bridge, and found a mint on package 34OT for 30 bucks. Both were impulse buys pretty much. If you set a certain amount out before you walk in, and know you are only going to spend that certain amount, then go for it.
 
silenthunterstudios said:
I would still go to a show. For something in pristine condition, I might part with 20 bucks for it, but the only Schrade I am looking for now is a USA made 8OT. Traded a Spyderco Native III used and 20 bucks for a Ducks Unlimited Schrade stockman with wood handles, NIB, that I had to have. Last week, I stopped at a hardware store in NJ right over the Delaware Memorial Bridge, and found a mint on package 34OT for 30 bucks. Both were impulse buys pretty much. If you set a certain amount out before you walk in, and know you are only going to spend that certain amount, then go for it.
Click to expand...
I've got 3 USA made 8OTs brand new in the box. If you'd like one, contact me via email.
 
DaveT63 said:
There will be one in my area this weekend. Are these things worth going to to for finding Schrades? If so, are they overpriced, cheaper, average, all of the above? Or will I be wasting my time going?

Thanks,

Dave
Click to expand...

They are similar to flea markets and garage sales. You won't know unless you go. I have went to two. One had a ton of nice knives, the other one didn't have much at all.
 
Well, I went to the show today. Not much to see in the way of Schrades. Only saw 2 dealers who had any. One had a couple well-used LB7 (3-pins with no serial numbers), 6OTs, and 7OTs, and wouldn't come off his $40 asking price, so I just moved on.

The other had, all in new condition:

A Sharpfinger for what I can buy at a local hardware that still has some USA made stock brand new in the box. I let it go.

A 505 with oak handles for $39.95. I thought that may be a little high, so let it go.

A 505SC with plain handles (no scrimshaw design) for $20.00. I thought that probably wasn't too bad so I bought it.

The fourth knife is an oddity that I suspected wasn't quite right but bought anyway. It is a 507SC with a "Presidents Series" George Washington blade, but plain scrimshaw handles. Paid $35 for this one. I suspected there should have been a design on the handles, and when I got home and did a search here, found out I was right. So I suspect it was thrown together with a leftover blade after the closing, or was made during the production run, but was one of the extras made to account for quality errors so was never completed. Not sure it's worth the $35 I paid for it, not being complete, but what the hell.

Given the lack of dealers who had any Schrades at all, I'm not sure I'll be making too many more hour-long drives to shows, but I guess it will depend on what else I've got going on. If I've got time on my hands, I might.
 
Dave,
I think you got a good deal, the 507's a nice size knife for the price. I believe that particular series was done for American Express. The knives were assembled at Schrade and the scrim was done elsewhere by an un-affiliated company.

Eric
 
After the gas, parking, admission, and your time, I'm glad you didn't go home empty-handed. After a show, I'm usually thirsty too.
 
You never know what you will find at a knife show. Some are a waste time if you are looking for old knives, others are mostly custom knives & some are there so the companies can show their new products.

As you go to more shows you will be able to tell which shows have the kind of knives you prefer. I can't say that I have ever been to a show that I thought was a total waste of time. You never know what you will find.

My favorite show is the OKCA show in Eugene, OR. LOTS of old knives, including Schrade. As I was walking out this year, my eye just happened to spot a wooden handles TL-29. I stopped, asked the guy how much, he said "$10," so I paid him & kept going. It was a nice Western. One I didn't have. The whole transaction took about 2 minutes or less.

Sometimes you find good ones when you aren't even looking.

Glad you did find some at your show! :thumbup:

Dale
 
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