Is it a good time to invest in CASE slip joints?

[Full Tang Clan]

Due to the overwhelming response in my post regarding slipjoints awhile back, I'd like to ask some of you guys who are more knowledgeable in both slipjoints and collecting whether, just in your opinion, it may be a good time to collect Case slipjoints.

Why? Due to the explosion in popularity of folders, Case knives seem to be more spotily distributed than say 10 years ago. In fact, I went to two big knife retailers and asked about slipjoints in general (recall I'm looking for a slipjoint as a politically correct option to my tac folders), and the stores barely carried any. Certainly not Case. They had a condescending attitude towards slipjoints (as cheap knives) and told me to go try a hardware store!

Ergo, I'm wondering if they'll be a shortage of currently made ones in the future for collectors and, hence, increase in value from a collecting perspective. And which ones look like they would rise in value. Any thoughts?

FTC

P.S. since the stock market is so shaky, might as well invest in something that I enjoy.

 

[Practical Use]

Investing in collectables is at best a crap shoot, unless you are talking the top end customs and/or really well known makers. There just are not a lot of knives that are going to get all of that rare - particularly in production knives. Supply and demand - a large quantity produced equals a low market value even years later, for coins, stamps, etc.

For example, a client had pages of the 3 and 4 cent stamps from the 1930-40 period. He went to sell them and dealers would offer face less 10%, and use them for postage.

If you really want to invest, do it in customs. Even that is no sure thing.

That is not to say you won't make money, but you likely will not "beat the market."