I'm testing the waters of the custom knife arena...

[silenthunterstudios]

I am debating whether or not I should get into the custom knife arena. I only have two custom knives, one is an antler handled skinning knife, that is obviously a shelf piece, the guy made it for powwow dancers regalia, and is definitely an amateur, but pretty piece. The next one is a Buck 110 damascus stag handled custom folder, and that still is somewhat of a production piece. I subscribe to Blade, and would love to own several of the beautiful knives showcased every issue, but can't afford it. So, I am focusing on buying custom pieces from lesser known makers and amateurs. Is eBay a good place to start? Should I look locally? I am not looking at the resale value of these knives, but the durability of them. Thanks.

 

[Danbo]

Hang out here and pay attention. Avoid Ebay like the plague, until you have learned more of what to look for and what to avoid, as there are too many cheezy ripoffs. I only go on Ebay, when I know EXACTLY what I'm looking for.

You can find great knives on Ebay, but you have to sift through a lot of garbage.

 

[Joss]

Resale value should always be a concern, not because you buy for a profit, but because a collection evolves over time, as do tastes. You need to be able to recoup your investment, which is easier said than done.

My recommendation is and will always be to start as high as you can afford.

 

[blademan 13]

Stay away from Ebay and the auction sites until you become more familiar with the waters. Stick around here and ask questions on anything that interests you. Check the "for sale" forums and you can find some great deals. Do some searchs on guys like Gene Ingram, David Winston, GenO Denning and a host of others who frequent these boards. They offer great knives at relatively low prices. Quality is very, very good for the money. Lots of wonderful knives out there for not much more than a C note, some of my favorites were not much more than that actually.

I agree with Joss on resale value. I don't know of many guys here who started out collecting 4 figure bowies, but know a lot of of them that do now. A simple method of getting started is to assemble a nice set of 6 or 8 knives at <$150 point over a period of time. At this point it is a real possiblity to upgrade your collection to $300 pieces if you can recoup your investment on any of the knives boughten previously. Most people gradually buy and sell as they make their way up the ladder, unless of course they are collecting specific knives. Over the last few years my knife budget has not changed all that much. I just find myself more selective and spending the same money, just buying fewer knives with it.