Keep or Release 18-XRAY

claycat

claycat

Joined
Apr 10, 2003
Messages
595
hey everybody,

Thinking about selling this one here on BF or sending it over to AZCK on consignment.

Dunno is it's worth the 25% cut to a dealer to sell it for me.

heck, I'm not even sure what to price this at.

154CM has Not been carried, used or sharpened. Strong firing and lockup, centered blade.

Any feedback appreciated!

Best :cool:

DarrelRalph18XRay.jpg
 
My personal recommendation would be to keep and use/carry it. ;) It doesn't have the flash of some of Darrel's other models, but the 18XRAY is IMHO a superbly functional design: great ergonomics and an ingenious design combining the safety and opening button.

If you are intent on selling it, I'm not sure what a ballpark figure would be for it. The older-style DDR pouch, as well as the DDR (instead of Meyerco) logo on the blade, seem to suggest that it's an older and/or custom (maybe a pre-production/proto or something) version of the knife, so it might be worth a bit more than the stock ones that go for a couple hundred. That's one place where selling it through a dealer could be worthwhile; they should be able to give you advice on what to price it at. I've only ever put one knife on consignment with AZCK -- and ended up recalling it because I decided to hang onto it -- but it was a good experience. They're very easy to deal with and are excellent at getting back to you promptly via email and phone.
 
IIRC, Darrell was selling these directly for a while after Camillus went belly up. I got a non-serrated version that had the same marking and case. I agree it was a great design and execution.
 
acourvil said:
IIRC, Darrell was selling these directly for a while after Camillus went belly up. I got a non-serrated version that had the same marking and case. I agree it was a great design and execution.
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Good info! :thumbup:
 
acourvil said:
IIRC, Darrell was selling these directly for a while after Camillus went belly up. I got a non-serrated version that had the same marking and case. I agree it was a great design and execution.
Click to expand...

Based on this, I started wondering if the parts came from Camillus or did he custom make them? If they were leftover parts then these would be Camillus but assembled by Mr. Ralph...I don't know how it would works :confused: If I were a custom maker I don't think I would take parts from a collaboration, assemble and put my name on them as this doesn't make sense as far as my reputation would be concerned. So, I just answered my own question? :eek:
 
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claycat said:
Based on this, I started wondering if the parts came from Camillus or did he custom make them? If they were leftover parts then these would be Camillus but assembled by Mr. Ralph...I don't know how it would works :confused: If I were a custom maker I don't think I would take parts from a collaboration, assemble and put my name on them as this doesn't make sense as far as my reputation would be concerned. So, I just answered my own question? :eek:
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From the blade, it looks like something that was done in Darrel's own shop. Specifically, the blade grind is a high hollow grind rather than the flat grind of the Camillus version, the blade finish is different (the Camillus version had a matte black blade), and the blade markings -- the logo and model -- are etched in the same way as Darrel's customs and the early HTM knives rather than the Camillus ones.

This was from before I got into knives, so I don't know exactly how they were marketed, but it seems like something that would have been described as a mid-tech/semi-custom rather than a full custom. (Darrel has been in the knife business for a couple decades, and the manufacturing business even longer than that, and he wouldn't still be around if he was engaging in deceptive business practices.) Remember, too, that HTM didn't even exist at the time Camillus went under, and the Camillus bankruptcy was a very unique and surprising event in the history of the knife world. Additionally, Darrel mentioned to me at one point that his automatics -- including, I believe, the 18XRAY -- are on government procurement contracts, so that, as well as customer demand, likely necessitated finding a way to continue making them with relatively little interruption after Camillus went bankrupt. Until the collaboration with Meyerco could get up and running, Darrel's own shop would have been the only viable option.
 
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Hey, I really appreciate everyone's comment and have learn something about this particular model. This is part of collecting for me, is to learn the history behind the making of some of these.

I have decided to put her up for grab on this forum so...

:D
 
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