Henry Haneda ATS-34/AR-301 Spyderco, G.Sakai knive

sparkyszone · Aug 21, 2015

This is regarding the ATS-34/AR-301 Spyderco, G.Sakai knives designed by Henry Haneda. I posted in these forums in 2004, and received some good information on these knives, which I aqquired by buying a storage unit that was going to the trash. (the unit and the knives originally belonged to Mr Haneda, who I met a few years later. All of these knives went for $250 and above on ebay, in 2004. ( I sold a total of 9 of them). By these forums, I got the interesting story behind these knives. I was going through my stuff, and surprise, found one.

This one is a bit different. The Fish /Haneda Stamp is incomplete, as shown in the picture. Would this make it more valuable to a collector, or less?? And where would be a good place to offer it for sale? ( i no longer use Ebay. Anyone wanna give this a stab? LOL

Regards,
Troy

The Deacon · Aug 22, 2015

To clarify, it's not a Spyderco knife, it's a G Sakai knife. For a number of years Spyderco acted as a US sales agent for G Sakai (as well as several other Japanese makers) and offered these in their retail store and catalogs (including the 1994 catalog available here) in PDF format, but they were never considered Spyderco products. Thus, they would be of little, if any, interest to most Spyderco collectors. And, while it's true that "misprints" can add to collector value, it might be difficult to determine whether a partial imprint on a stainless steel handle was that, or merely wear, which reduces collector interest and value.

We're not allowed to talk "current values" on this forum, but I think it's safe for me to say that if, eleven years ago, you found nine people willing to pay $250 each for them, consider yourself to have been very, very, very, lucky. I can't imagine anyone paying anywhere near that for one.

sparkyszone · Aug 22, 2015

The Deacon said:
To clarify, it's not a Spyderco knife, it's a G Sakai knife. For a number of years Spyderco acted as a US sales agent for G Sakai (as well as several other Japanese makers) and offered these in their retail store and catalogs (including the 1994 catalog available here) in PDF format, but they were never considered Spyderco products. Thus, they would be of little, if any, interest to most Spyderco collectors. And, while it's true that "misprints" can add to collector value, it might be difficult to determine whether a partial imprint on a stainless steel handle was that, or merely wear, which reduces collector interest and value.

We're not allowed to talk "current values" on this forum, but I think it's safe for me to say that if, eleven years ago, you found nine people willing to pay $250 each for them, consider yourself to have been very, very, very, lucky. I can't imagine anyone paying anywhere near that for one.

Wow, I guess I was "lucky" lol, or they actually did carry some collector value near that. That was what the lowest one went for. Thanks, I wondered why it carried both the G Sakai and the Spyderco stamp.

I met Mr Haneda, A few years later. I took him back to my apt, and showed him his pictures were hanging on my wall. (I still own alot of his photographs, which he could have back, if he wanted), and we did discuss the knives, and he said that was about average price. anyway, the knife I have now, the stamp was incomplete, and not worn. I did ask him about that knife at the time, as it was the only one I had left. According to him, it was something simular to a test stamp.

The Deacon · Aug 22, 2015

sparkyszone said:
Wow, I guess I was "lucky" lol, or they actually did carry some collector value near that. That was what the lowest one went for. Thanks, I wondered why it carried both the G Sakai and the Spyderco stamp.

I met Mr Haneda, A few years later. I took him back to my apt, and showed him his pictures were hanging on my wall. (I still own alot of his photographs, which he could have back, if he wanted), and we did discuss the knives, and he said that was about average price. anyway, the knife I have now, the stamp was incomplete, and not worn. I did ask him about that knife at the time, as it was the only one I had left. According to him, it was something simular to a test stamp.

Are you saying it has Spyderco markings on it somewhere? That would be very unusual. Or just on the box? That would be normal.

As for value, I have a fair idea of where most Spyderco knives from the early 90's fall in terms of both collector interest and value. As for the G Sakai knives, I know what Spyderco sold them for in 1994, and that's about it. However, given that only one or two Spyderco models have even come close to increasing five-fold in value, I find that degree in increase rather amazing. Still, if I'm totally honest, I have no idea how many people collect G Sakai knives, or how much a G Sakai collector would pay today or would have paid ten years ago, for any of the models Spyderco distributed.

sparkyszone · Oct 10, 2015

The Deacon said:
Are you saying it has Spyderco markings on it somewhere? That would be very unusual. Or just on the box? That would be normal.

As for value, I have a fair idea of where most Spyderco knives from the early 90's fall in terms of both collector interest and value. As for the G Sakai knives, I know what Spyderco sold them for in 1994, and that's about it. However, given that only one or two Spyderco models have even come close to increasing five-fold in value, I find that degree in increase rather amazing. Still, if I'm totally honest, I have no idea how many people collect G Sakai knives, or how much a G Sakai collector would pay today or would have paid ten years ago, for any of the models Spyderco distributed.

No, my mistake, this is a G Sakai. and Spyderco is not the maker./ I was mis informend by someone who looked at this. A little research on the net, shows me the G Sakai AR301 to have a good value without the stamp. I know mr Haneda told me the story of these knives, but it was a while back.