I'm an idiot {follow up to 44OT}

A

ahgar

Joined
Jan 4, 2005
Messages
1,794
The other day I went out to an older gentlemans house to look at some old timer pocket knives. among the usual was a pattern I had never seen it was a 44OT. After digging around for a while i asked him what he had to have for it and he said $12 I told him I'd think about it. Okay so far so good now the idiot part comes into play. I'm sitting at the station today and decide to get the 44OT on tuesday but while i have a little time i'll do some research. Thanks to the very informative people on this board and a couple of searches i find out this knife is worth a lot more than $12. Did I mention it is nib with all papers and even the plastic wrapper?? Now the real idiot part comes in when I call and tell him about the information I found out and that he can make a lot more money off it. He thanks me of course and we finish talking about turkey hunting etc. So I guess on one level I'm an idiot and should have paid the $12 and run off giggling like a little girl but now I have the sense of satisfaction of knowing I was honest and didn't take advantage of someone. It really sucks to have a conscious that takes over and really screws up a good deal. well that's all for now just thought I'd tell you about the one that got away. later, ahgar

p.s. the really funny part about it is if I had bought it I probably would have taken it out of the box and sharpened and then carried it. I am an idiot.
 
No - you have values

It's the one who places $$$ above all else who is the idiot (at least IMHO).

Good for you. Now, go buy it, and if he has already sold it I'll sell you mine.

Del
 
thanks I appreciate that, I guess i'm an idiot with a clear conscious. later, ahgar
 
ahgar
You are an idiot after my own heart. Congratulations on having a clear conscience! :thumbup: :thumbup:

Dale
 
Ahgar, I commend you! Don't confuse honesty and integrity with stupidity. I also firmly believe that sometime in the future your honesty and integrity will pay handsome dividends. Things have a funny way of working out.

Paul
 
Actually the guy with the knife is an idiot for offering something for sale, at a fixed price, without doing a few minutes of research.
 
Most of us have done this same thing a time or two. If the seller is a retailer/reseller/eBayer, I use the "seller beware" philosophy, and have no remorse at buying at a fraction of market value when I can. If the potential seller is a private individual, I try to educate them on what they have, give them a price range of value per condition, make what I consider a fair offer, then let them decide.

All this said, unless "knife lust" has taken over my brain, I seldom pay top dollar for a knife. I would go back and offer a fair price below retail, but above his expectations if I really wanted the knife. And remember, a knife may well be complete in the original box with papers, but upon close examination not mint, but "near mint". Kudos on being an honest Schradeophile. You are displaying the values we associate with the company and it's products.

Codger
 
thanks for the support guys i appreciate it. As my mother used to tell me when i was a kid, it's easy to know the right thing to do, it's the thing you don't want to do. smart woman, later, ahgar
 
It's people like you that make this such a cool hobby. I don't know what it is about traditional pocketknives, but for some reason people who like them also seem to be predominantly good people with good values.

I know you're just calling yourself an idiot in jest but there's a more accurate word to describe you and what you did. You're a gentleman.
 
Speaking of Gentlemen. It was my pleasure to finally meet up with a fellow forum member last evening. Glenn and I had a good time getting to know each other over a couple of cold Canadian beverages and a burger. Our wives can now rest easy as we both returned from the meeting without damage. They (the wives) believe we the BF members must all be axe murderers or something but I can attest that everyone of the members I have met are true gentlemen and ones I am glad to now be able to call a friend.
TTYL
Larry
 
I thought it was just my wife who thought all BF members were ax murders. :D

I have corresponded with several of you via email, including yourself Larry, but also relodr36, waliguy, codger 64, lt632ret, delander, sheathmaker and others. I have found each one to the man to be gentlemen of the highest caliber. Several of us have shared items of interest and even traded knives. Never have I felt that I was in any was short-changed. Every interaction I have had with any forum members has been a very positive experience.

I realize that we are spread across the country and even have a few members overseas, however, I can't help but wish that there was a place we could all get together for a Super Schrade Swap Meet. I think it would be a blast!

On April 8th I was able to go to the Oregon Knife Collector's Club Show. It is billed as the largest knife show in the world. There were over 500 tables of just knives and knife related items, no guns, just knives. I met some wonderful people, and had an awesome time. I had a chance to talk to Bernard Levine, and found he was a real down-to-earth guy, (different than the impression I had gotten from his web site). I was even able to get a copy of his 4th edition, "Guide to Knives & Their Values," from another seller, not Bernard, at a very reasonable price ($32).
I also met Wayne Goddard and ordered a copy of his revised, "$50 Knife Shop." I am looking forward to getting that, as it is all about how to make knives in your own garage. Wayne's own shop is in his garage, and from that garage he has made quite a name for himself as a custom knife maker.

Longbeachguy is right, it is the people that make knife collecting such a fun hobby. I wish the BF members could all get together for an in-person forum session. I can't help but think it would be a lot of fun! :D
 
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