Is it necessary for collectors to be honorable?

My buddy just got back from Senegal. Maybe not the hotbed for Voudoun, but can be reached on a trans-Atlantic cruise. Visit Brazil, cruise the Atlantic, pick up a voodoo doll in Senegal, hang in Morrocco if the anti-US folks aren't bombing embassies (hang in Gibraltar if they are), visit Spain and Portugal, and use voodoo doll on flight home.
 
All areas of commerce (money changing hands) include both pros and neos, and attract scammers. It's simply illogical to assert that custom knife collecting is any different than, say, watch collecting in that regard: does a guy with some hanging on the inside of his coat for "a steal" mean jewelers are dishonest? I'll never know a good jewel from a bad one, so I deal with someone I trust when I buy. Any "collector" without integrity is just keeping score and wanting to be envied for their stash, so why try to paint the whole spectrum with one color? Shrewdness is not to be confused with greed or lack of integrity.

Besides, how could a collector in the true meaning of the title, appreciate something he ripped off? I know it happens because there is a market for stolen art but it sure doesn't figure into the general market trade. BTW, insiders are just a reality of life. Blanket generalizations are often attempted when specifics do not support the argument (foul, 15 yards.:D ). Regards, ss.
 
zenheretic said:
There are dishonorable people on these forums. Why there is even a guy who won't miss a chance to bad mouth a respected knife manufacturer and constantly attempts to extort a free knife from them. Some people have no sense of morality what-so-ever.
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Gee. . . .who could that be ? :D
 
brownshoe said:
That's not the scenario I was referring to. Someone has already posted in this thread indicating they would buy a knife at a show at a friend's request, but only if they didn't wanted the knife themselves. If you sent me to a show to buy you a Onion, I'd still buy and give it to you even if I "had lust in my heart" for it.
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Might want to read up on your comprehension I did not say but only if I did not want the knife for myself. I have given friends chances even when I wanted the knife. That is a fact and I see others do it all the time. Do I do it all the time - no.

My friends are more important than any knife and that is the way most folks I know act and feel. No way would I add any knife to my collection that was tainted by bad behavior on my part or the part of the maker. The vast majority of collectors feel the same way in my experience

I see now that your imagination creates your reality.
 
There are at least two participants in this thread who have volunteered to buy knives for me at a show that I could not attend. I know for a fact that at least one of them was interested in the same knives.

They are both long-time collectors, and serve as great examples to the rest of us--and most of the people around here seem to be of the same honorable mindset.

Truth be told though, that is above and beyond the call of duty. Let us say that someone buys a knife at a drawing, only to flip it within the next 10 minutes at a profit. Does anyone find this dishonorable? Surely the person buying the knife knows the asking price, as well as the original price. Nobody holds a gun to anyone's head at any of these transactions. It seems to me that the people who find this type of behavior dishonorable are the same ones who have a problem in principle with dealers.
 
WWG, The lile dot scam, that I've witnessed, is passing off a knife as made by Jimmy when it is obviously made after his death. It's particularly successful with new collectors who know the Rambo knifemaker but don't know his knives. I've witnessed it twice and at least once someone has used these forums to find out after the purchase what they actually bought.

When it comes to Jimmy's knives, I don't know how many times knives made in his shop (when we all know they weren't sole authorship) have been marketed as been "personally made by Jimmy". In addition, the most recent "widow chasing" story I've encourntered (last year) concerned one of Jimmy's hunting companions who passed away and was known to have a unique knife. Two forum members wanted that piece.

I am sure many collectors consider themselves honorable and act that way...up to a point. However, IMHO just by the nature of collecting, greed and lust come to play, and these are potent negative forces. But, as I said before, I stand corrected, obviously custom collectors have the POWER to maintain their integrity.
 
Brownshoe,

If you ever make it to Blade look me up. I am quite serious.

I want to introduce you to some folks (quite a few) who will broaden your experiences with dealers, collectors and makers. We need to find you some better friends so that you will see that the types of examples you raise are much more the exception than the norm. :D :thumbup:

Gus Kalanzis
 
I personally try to always be as honest as I can. I only worry about myself and my own behavior witch is really the only one I can control. Don’t worry about everyone else. Live your own life and set an example for everyone else, and in the end you’ll be better for it.
 
Brownshoe,

I have been extolling for a decade here, at shows, during seminars and even in my book.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK.

If you get "scammed" by something as simple as a "Dot" over the "I" in Lile. After all the "DOT" has been there for over 15 years! You did not do your homework.

I make it simple for my clients...I don't sell Lile's with a "dot" over the "I".

As I said earlier up until the Lile Knife Company went out of business most selling and buying those knives didn't even know what the "dot" meant.

WWG
 
Thanks for the offer Bastid, if I get there, I'll take you up on it.

WWG the two con artists I witnessed knew what the dot meant. I went back later and asked a few questions. They were honorable when it was obvious I knew a little :)
 
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