how important is it for a knife being sold to never have been sharpened?

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hangmanshammer

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It seems to me that most people prefer to buy a knife that has never been sharpened over one that has been. I am questioning the logic in this because I personally have some knives for sale, that have been sharpened by me, (I professionally sharpen as a side hustle). Out of the knives I listed, one in particular a Hinderer no choil spanto, has only had one person express interest, but he seemed to back away because it was sharpened. So, how important is it to you that one not be sharpened?
 
As stated above, a factory edge is much preferred, and one that has been sharpened, even if to a mirror edge, will decrease the value. This can be significant on higher end knives.
 
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For me it would depend on how and why it was sharpened. If it was used significantly and has signs of wear, but was brought back to sharp, then I'd expect a discount. If it arrived imperfect and wasn't used, but was sharpened in a particular way by someone at the level of Josh from REK, with specs and good photos provided, then I might even pay a premium.
 
I always prefer a knife with a factory edge because that means a previous owner hasn't goobered up the sharpening job.

If it has been sharpened, I want to know that it was done by someone with sharpening experience, and ideally if it was done at the factory angle. I don't mind buying a previously sharpened knife, but unless it's a highly desirable model I usually expect it to be cheaper than one with a factory edge.

If it's been poorly sharpened, or if there isn't any information about the sharpening job, I expect an even lower price.

(Edited to add: If it's the no-choil Spanto you have listed with a few other knives, your listing doesn't mention it being sharpened. If I were a potential buyer who had to learn that it had been sharpened by asking about it, I'd be a bit nonplussed. IMO that should be noted in the sales post.)
 
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I prefer a factory edge if given a choice of course.

If it is sharpened, it really isn't a big deal to me unless they did a poor job ie. bad scratches, dreadfully uneven bevels, etc. Like unwisefool unwisefool said, if it needs extra work, I'd expect a little $ off to account for my time to *fix* it.

I have never backed out of a deal due to sharpening issues. FWIW, at the price point I usually deal with ($150 and under), it tends to be a moot point.
 
Dadpool said:
If it's the no-choil Spanto you have listed with a few other knives, your listing doesn't mention it being sharpened. If I were a potential buyer who had to learn that it had been sharpened by asking about it, I'd be a bit nonplussed. IMO that should be noted in the sales post.
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Yep, just checked the sales post, no description really on condition for most of the knives. Makes me a bit more hesitant on buying anything.
 
For collectable , best is as close to brand new, factory fresh as possible . With everything just like it came .

Users / beaters = I don't mind used and sharpened . But needs to be discounted steeply , depending on actual condition .
 
For some people, knives are considered consumable tools. Meaning, the lifespan may be perceived as shortened as it goes through sharpening events.

Also, the idea of a knife that has not been changed in any way from the factory may translate into more desirability.

However, it can also be construed as a selling point in your favor if the sharpening done has been advertised as a benefit, disclosed, and clear pictures of the work showcased.
 
hangmanshammer said:
It seems to me that most people prefer to buy a knife that has never been sharpened over one that has been. I am questioning the logic in this because I personally have some knives for sale, that have been sharpened by me, (I professionally sharpen as a side hustle). Out of the knives I listed, one in particular a Hinderer no choil spanto, has only had one person express interest, but he seemed to back away because it was sharpened. So, how important is it to you that one not be sharpened?
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Depends how it looks and that you're upfront about it.

But - since you asked - your Gen5 no-choil Spanto is overpriced, at least for a quick sale, IMHO.
 
ferider said:
Depends how it looks and that you're upfront about it.

But - since you asked - your Gen5 no-choil Spanto is overpriced, at least for a quick sale, IMHO.
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It is unbelievably difficult to price things on these forums, everyone removes prices once sold. There aren't many places to figure out how to price things.. I did state to make an offer. Lesson learned, if they don't sell, I will just put them on Ebay. I know I made a mistake listing so many here at one time. I didn't spend a lot of time with descriptions because having been on these forums for a while, everyone seems to dislike the standard terms like "like new in box" etc.
 
Everybody's all "USE YOUR S4!T !" until it comes to the standard they hold things to when purchasing something used. It's a double standard, but it's understandable. In the end, it can be an indicator of just "how used" the knife is, naturally impacting price. Not to mention the fact that somebody could have perhaps dorked up the edge.

For me personally there's no steadfast rule in this regard, I evaluate each purchase on a case-by-case basis
 
It is something I consider when I am looking to buy a knife. If the box is with it and everything else the knife came with then an original edge is a plus. As well as some people think they can sharpen a knife I would rather have one that is not messed with. In the end it all comes down to price. If the price is right most buyers will overlook some things if it is meant to be s user. If someone wants a collectable then a sharpened edge is probably not desirable.
 
Not everybody can sharpen well, or even decently. Not everybody can sharpen without messing up or scratching the blade. Even people who say on the Internet that they are good at sharpening knives sometimes aren’t (gasp – is everything on the Internet false?)

The above is by no means to dig at the OP – I am very much a novice sharpener myself and would not want to buy a knife that I sharpened. That’s why I make sure that I am going to keep a knife before I sharpen it.

But hang a knife, even used, that has not been sharpened is just another way to make sure it hasn’t been messed up by anybody else.

-Mike
 
Prefer, yes, but not a deal killer unless I was looking for a collector's piece. If it is going to be used I figure it is going to be sharpened sooner or later. I would take a better look at the edge if it has been sharpened, as skill levels can vary substantially .
 
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