How do you sell yours Knives?

Joss said:
P,

Why not use eBay? You could use the same system, send an email to a number of potentially interested collectors?
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Perhaps, I just feel within my comfort zone selling here on BladeForums.

I don't have any logical reason for not using eBay.

P
 
That was rather well said Mr. Gill. Joss raises a good point about e-bay. I have considered putting a knife up a couple of times, but like you, invariably fall back into my comfort zone here on the forums. I also feel (rightly or wrongly) that the lack a significant seller history on the 'bay would work against me in offering a $1k item.

Roger
 
My experience with buying on Ebay has been that some days, all of the knowlegable knife collectors with money are signed on and other days, they are all on vacation. One day, I was able to win a Jay Hendrickson hunter with a polished maple sheath with metal throat for what I considered cheap (maybe $200-250 below market for a similar new piece) and another day, I set my maximum bid to within $100 of what Jay would probably ask for the Moran featherweight style knife at a show and I got outbid by about $50. So make sure that you set your reserve high enough and be willing to not get ANY bids.
 
My experience with buying on Ebay has been that some days, all of the knowlegable knife collectors with money are signed on and other days, they are all on vacation
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This is a classic quote and very true. Most auctions are 5 days and miss a lot of folks...
 
with all that has been posted above, I wouldn't dare get into the hobby of collecting custom forged fixed blades. seems like there are some in the know, and a newbie like me is likely to get burnt out of ignorance....

I know there have been times when I have sold my knives at half or 1/3rd the market value as I wasn't aware of the aftermarket value of the knife. How do you guys feel about that, in general ie. the buyer knows but does not tell you?

I do know that overseas sellers tend to have a little disadvantage, compared to sellers in CONUS....

great thread...hope you guys can share more. thanks!
 
Hi Spyken,

It is up to you, whether a seller or buyer to do your "homework". You have to know what the knife is worth (interesting conversation with Peter Gill today on "what is a knife worth").

If a buyer knows something you don't, it is not up to them to let you know the knife is really worth a couple hundred more than what you are asking.

If you are going to merely buy what you like and then sell the knife...then you get to join the "turn and burn" club.

Don't be afraid of the forged blade market. Some of the best values in custom knives are being offered there...especially among the JS makers.

Good Hunting.

WWG
Does "homework" every day!
 
spyken said:
with all that has been posted above, I wouldn't dare get into the hobby of collecting custom forged fixed blades. seems like there are some in the know, and a newbie like me is likely to get burnt out of ignorance....

Quite to the contrary, as anytime you want to know anything about a fixed-blade there's someone here who will gladly help you.

I know there have been times when I have sold my knives at half or 1/3rd the market value as I wasn't aware of the aftermarket value of the knife. How do you guys feel about that, in general ie. the buyer knows but does not tell you?

I guess it's the responsibility of the owner to ultimately know what his/her knives are worth, but it's sure not right to take advantage of the unknowing collector either.

Haven't seen such with knives, however 10-15 years ago before the INTERNET became so popular It was horrible in the classic cars. Some would get DMV records of who owned mid-year corvettes and would contact naive owners trying to buy their cars at about 20 cents on the dollar and act like they were doing them a favor.

I do know that overseas sellers tend to have a little disadvantage, compared to sellers in CONUS....

Don't know about overseas sellers, however quite a few knives are sold overseas from CONUS at decent prices.

great thread...hope you guys can share more. thanks!
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**************
 
Spyken, Lot of good info here on this forum. If a person wants to know something about custom knives, all he has to do is ask.

If a collector ever wants to know the value of one of my knives, I'm a simple email or phone call away. I will help most anyone, but one must ask first :)
 
Since I am reletively new to this forum compared to many of you, I havent sold much on here. I sold one peice but lost about $250 in order to just make the sale. This was a non sole-authorship folder and I bet if it WAS sole-authorship, I could have made more of my money back on it since they seem to be in higher demand on here. In the past I have really only been able to do most of my selling on ebay because there was simply no where else. I always lost out a little bit because I wasnt collecting the type of knives that seem to hold their value. It seems to me that the purveyors have the upper hand with solid reputations and the use of the internet. I think as a small ordinary collector it is very difficult to sell knives because it is hard for anybody to make an expensive purchase when they don't really know who they are dealing with. Is it possible that the seller (not dealer) seems more trust worthy and serious if they are selling a more expensive forged knife? I think if I had a website and people knew about it, some how.. it would be alot easier to sell knives but that wont work selling one or two every now and then.
 
thanks guys....I like forged knives, and hope to one day own some. but yes, nothing comes easy peasy, so I will continue to read, research and do my homework also.

WWG, Don...thanks!
 
Years ago, when I first starting "collecting", I bought stuff I liked and/or loved. It took me about a year to realize that what I had purchased probably had not much re-sale value, since there were no "name brand" makers in my "collection".

Well, I guess I musta had good taste in knives, since I came out whole when selling all that I had acquired, in order to "invest" in a collection of knives. I still have some knives from those days 15 years ago, and what is left, well, THEY are the ones I will NOT recover my money on - only about 10 left, all low value anyway.

My buying criteria changed as I began selling the first of my knives. From simply liking and/or loving a knife, buying now required a three-fold criteria:

1) I must love the knife; (Let's face it, sometimes this #1 controls!!)


2) I must have a pretty good idea that I can sell the knife tomorrow for at least what I paid for it today; and,

3) Beyond #2 above, the knife should have decent investment potential for the years to come, to the extent research can determine it, coupled with my own gut shot.

It takes time to follow the market. The forums, Ebay, online dealers - And they must all be followed regularly. And following the market is the only way I can come up with my own gut shot on the potential a knife has to escalate in value, beyond my own taste.

Now, to answer the questions about selling knives. Because of the criteria I use in buying, I build an investment collection that I love - and I display it, too. When it"s time to sell a piece, I don't ever sell it for less than I paid for it - no need, if I have followed the three criteria above. And generally I profit handsomely, because the knife usually came from someone who either had to sell or someone who dumped a knife to buy another.

Bottom line - I never NEED to sell a knife, so I am in a better position not to lose money. I think everyone has their own reasons why they buy and sell, just like they have their own personalities. And somewhere along the line, we all make contact, have fun in the mix of it all - and share the common trait of absolutely LOVIN' KNIVES!!
 
WoodWorkGhost said:
Hi Joss,

I take it you have not used custom knives extensively in the field. If you have could you give me some examples of under extreme conditions you used your "superior" factory knives side by side with custom knives. Also, which knives did you use.

If you haven't done extensive field testing under a multitude of conditions I would have to respectfully submit to you, that you have no idea what you are talking about.

WWG
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Since Joss hasn't responded, I will. Back on a thread several moons ago, WWG cited his specific "field tests" between custom and factory knives. What WWG's test boils down to is that he took his Walter Brend Model 2 and a pile of Gerbers and the like and beat up the Gerbers, this was about 20-25 years ago as I recall.

WWG, if this is still the "field test" you are referring to, I respectfully sumbit that you should get a plaque at the Museum of Natural History and camp out there. The "factory" world has moved on, and maybe you should too. While my "field" test with folders aren't systematic either, I can guarantee you that the things that make "custom" folders worthwhile to me is increased comfort due to more detailed finishing and contouring and unique blade grinds that haven't yet been sold via a factory collaboration. But when it comes to chipped edges, dulled edges, edge holding and the like, custom makers really have nothing on the better factory models, at least for folders - As for straight knives, I use a $20 sandvik cutter for brush and it cuts like a dream. For chopping, I use a chainsaw.
 
As for the discussion regarding custom vs. factory, it is undeniable that certain manufacturers have made great leaps in matertials, quality, design etc. Many of these advances have been as a result of collaborations with custom makers. However, in a number of cases, the net result has been that the top of end of factory offerings are often sold a prices that approach and in some cases, exceed what can be found in the custom market. So here we are a point in time where many custom makers no longer have to compete just on uniqueness, personal servie and possibly quality. They can now compete on price. The bad news is that most custom makers don't have the advertising and promotion budgets or marketing know how to match the factories in creating the larger market and fanatical brand loyalty you see wih folks like Busse and Strider. I saw an example of this at Blade. People were lined up 4 and 5 deep at the Busse booth the entire time that I was there on Saturday and I don't even know if they company had introduced anything new at the show. I have never owned a Busse knife and I have read that they are a fine product. But there are a LOT of custom knives out there in that same price range. Some of these manufacturers seem to have created the impression that thier knives are, while maybe not akin to a true "custom", in the same "elite" category that Randalls have occupied for many a year.
 
Not to be a thread-nanny, but I am lost as to how we got four steps into a factory vs. custom debate on a thread about the most effective way to sell knives. :confused:

Roger
 
RogerP said:
Not to be a thread-nanny, but I am lost as to how we got four steps into a factory vs. custom debate on a thread about the most effective way to sell knives. :confused:

Roger
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I should have elaborated more. I am not approaching this topic as a collector but as a fledgling maker. For me, the guys who spend big bucks on factory and mid-tech knives are potential customers. I guess that you also make the argument that if you are a "collector" trying to sell user grade cuustoms, then the same thing applies.
 
betzner said:
Years ago, when I first starting "collecting", I bought stuff I liked and/or loved. It took me about a year to realize that what I had purchased probably had not much re-sale value, since there were no "name brand" makers in my "collection".

Well, I guess I musta had good taste in knives, since I came out whole when selling all that I had acquired, in order to "invest" in a collection of knives. I still have some knives from those days 15 years ago, and what is left, well, THEY are the ones I will NOT recover my money on - only about 10 left, all low value anyway.

My buying criteria changed as I began selling the first of my knives. From simply liking and/or loving a knife, buying now required a three-fold criteria:

1) I must love the knife; (Let's face it, sometimes this #1 controls!!)


2) I must have a pretty good idea that I can sell the knife tomorrow for at least what I paid for it today; and,

3) Beyond #2 above, the knife should have decent investment potential for the years to come, to the extent research can determine it, coupled with my own gut shot.

It takes time to follow the market. The forums, Ebay, online dealers - And they must all be followed regularly. And following the market is the only way I can come up with my own gut shot on the potential a knife has to escalate in value, beyond my own taste.

Now, to answer the questions about selling knives. Because of the criteria I use in buying, I build an investment collection that I love - and I display it, too. When it"s time to sell a piece, I don't ever sell it for less than I paid for it - no need, if I have followed the three criteria above. And generally I profit handsomely, because the knife usually came from someone who either had to sell or someone who dumped a knife to buy another.

Bottom line - I never NEED to sell a knife, so I am in a better position not to lose money. I think everyone has their own reasons why they buy and sell, just like they have their own personalities. And somewhere along the line, we all make contact, have fun in the mix of it all - and share the common trait of absolutely LOVIN' KNIVES!!
Click to expand...

IMO, you sir are an astute collector and are an example of where a collector can love knives and be a successful investor in them. :thumbup:

However, curious about one thing :confused: You never mentioned "maker" in your three steps to success. However it seems you only support and collect a single maker. A strategy that I support, except I collect a few more makers.

Good stuff here for new collectors. :)
 
WoodWorkGhost said:
Architect,

Edited.

Never mind you are not worth the effort.

WWG
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Thanks for the effort to post this Mr. MBA. A weak insult at best.

As I said before, your tests are worthless at this point. However, in the interest of not totally sidetracking this thread, if you really have something relevant on the issue, start a new thread.
 
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