High Priced Old Timers?

B

boy&hisdogs

Joined
Dec 9, 2015
Messages
392
I've taken quite a liking to USA Old Timer knives, both in the knives themselves as well as a more academic interest. I like them because they're everything you need in a pocket knife and nothing you don't. They have good steel and good build quality. They don't have super steels or exotic handle materials or airtight construction, but what they do have is utility and character and they're a very modest kind of handsome. All at a price that even a kid could afford.

I've bought and sold a few, and window shopped more than I could possibly count, which brings me to my question. It seems that the average going rate for a used-but-not-used-up USA made OT is around 12-15 dollars. Of course there are exceptions like commemorative editions, NOS knives, rare patterns, etc that command a premium, this I understand. I also understand that lots of people ask a lot at the beginning, expecting to eventually settle on a fair price. This is haggling 101 and I take no issue with it.

What I'm not understanding are the listings of seemingly ordinary knives for well beyond ordinary prices. I'm talking 40, 50, 60 dollars for what appears to be a standard 15 dollar knife. USA made '73-'04, common pattern, clearly used, sharpened some, a bit of light rust/pitting/corrosion, the usual pocket wear. Am I missing something? Are they missing something? Is there some kind of Old Timer grail hiding in plain sight?

Please note that I'm not trying to get a knife appraised, promote or sell anything here. I just want to understand the reasons for the relative differences in price.

Also, I'd appreciate any recommendations you might have for books, websites, videos, charts, etc on either the knives themselves or the brand in general.
 
You are only missing the fact that some people are willing to pay that much, so there is no real reason for the sellers not to charge it.
 
Condition is everything, but I rarely see them for under $20 anymore in any kind of decent condition, especially the carbon steel versions. The Schrade + stainless models usually go for less $$. NIB or MIB models go for much more, $40 on up. They're only gonna get more valuable, as they aren't made anymore, and the ones out their are getting used up as time goes by.
 
black mamba said:
Condition is everything, but I rarely see them for under $20 anymore in any kind of decent condition, especially the carbon steel versions. The Schrade + stainless models usually go for less $$. NIB or MIB models go for much more, $40 on up. They're only gonna get more valuable, as they aren't made anymore, and the ones out their are getting used up as time goes by.
Click to expand...

Nailed it!
 
I agree 100% Jeff and even $20 and $25 Scharde knives are getting harder to find unless they have serious problems
 
How long had it been that you can get a Old Timer for $15?
Factory closed in 2004- items no longer obtainable from factory = now item is bracketed in a certain " demand"

Mint ones now very collectable - I am not too sure as to why this is so hard to understand as this is par the course of anything that is/ was good and no longer being made = collectable.
 
It's still possible but in Ohio I generally see very old beat up ones for $25-40 still. It sucks because I passed on many in the past and wish I'd taken a few.
 
popedandy said:
You are only missing the fact that some people are willing to pay that much, so there is no real reason for the sellers not to charge it.
Click to expand...

This is part of it, but the other part is that just because an item might be listed at a certain price on an auction site or in a pawn shop or the like, that doesn't mean that it's actually worth that price. It could be a knife, a gun, a baseball card, Star Wars memorabilia, some RAM for a 10 year old laptop that nobody carries because it's RAM from a 10 year old laptop, etc. A rusty old badly sharpened 34OT isn't worth much and it's barely worth the effort to sell it for what it's worth. So sellers (who are usually resellers) will put a much higher price on the item in the hopes that someone will buy it for that. Or something in great or new condition, because they hope to find someone willing to pay way too much for the item.
 
JupiterPaladin said:
It's still possible but in Ohio I generally see very old beat up ones for $25-40 still. It sucks because I passed on many in the past and wish I'd taken a few.
Click to expand...

r redden said:
I agree 100% Jeff and even $20 and $25 Scharde knives are getting harder to find unless they have serious problems
Click to expand...

Ebay is where I bought mine and where I'm getting these prices from. In person (like a flea markets and such) I agree they go for much more, but on ebay I see them go for 15-ish all the time. This is for dirty but usable knives. I've even seen some pretty clean ones go unsold for 10-12 dollars.

Here's an example. This is a 108OT that I bought in a lot of four knives just to try them all out. This knife made me like Old Timer as a whole but not the knife itself well enough to keep because the blades are too similar (small). I just gave the knife a good scrub, sanded and vinegar etched the steel, and gave it a good sharpening. I know it's far from new or like new, but still perfectly good for everyday carry. It had great walk and talk, none of the blades rubbed, plenty of steel left on them, and otherwise mechanically sound.

I want to give the stockman pattern another chance, but this time I want to try the 34OT because that's about the size I like in a traditional knife. While looking over the past few days I'm seeing the usual prices, but every now and then someone will be asking a lot more for a seemingly unremarkable knife. I guess they're just trying to snag one of the "vintage" crowd or maybe a gift-giver who doesn't know any better.

4YGcA47.jpg
 
Last edited:
Wow. I have not followed the OT saga for a while. I'm glad I bought a fair little pile of them back when.
 
Well now I will keep my eye open for cheap OTs at the garage sales this summer ;)

eBayers generally are looking for more money than every other market. I try to not shop there.

But oh boy... garage sale season is right around the corner.... Is there anything more fun than screeching to a halt in front of a pink neon sign and finding a box full of slipjoints for $1-5 dollars a piece? :)
 
I think i paid around $20 for my used 8OT about 5 years ago. I just looked on the auction site and it had a range of em from under $10 to over $80. seems normal.
 
In 2004, when the Schrade factory closed, the suggested retail price for an ordinary 34OT medium stockman was $34. Add 13 years of inflation and see if you think the more common Old Timers are overly expensive. And, as another member has stated, they don't make them anymore, and when the supply for good stuff goes down, never to return, the price will go up. There are a lot of Old Timer bargains out there, when you consider all the parameters.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top