Keep worn blue lugs or replace with silver?

U

uofaengr

Joined
Jan 9, 2014
Messages
2,485
So I think I'm going to be sending in my Inkosi for a necessary spa trip to have the washers replaced. I was thinking it could be an opportunity to send in some other knives at the same time and save on shipping. Although afraid I'll get a funny look at the post office for requesting around $1k worth of insurance.

I polished the blue off my Inkosi studs even though there may be a slight hint of blue remaining near the very base so I think I'm going to have true silver lugs put on because I don't want to mess up the blade. I've got a PJ large and small 21 both with worn blue lugs and am thinking about having them changed to single silver. The Large has got some big snail trails from banging against my phone a couple years ago, not really through honest use, and considering having it reblasted too to give it a whole new knife feel.

I like the way silver looks on the Inkosi and especially my small micarta Insingo, very classy. But there's something about the worn blue look too I guess. I don't know if I should stick with the original 21 design with the blue lug for the sake of "history" I guess or go with silver, as the blue looks kinda ugly after a few weeks. I guess the blue gives me a little variety, but what would you do?
 
I'm in the same boat, love the silver lugs. That's my favorite color lug. But, the worn, ugly look of the blue lugs are growing on me. For me, it would boil down to whether or not to spend the extra money getting the lugs replaced, especially if I'm going to keep it.
I'd defiantly get them replaced if it was going up for sale.
 
Even though my Inkosi and small micarta Insingo will kinda oust my small PJ 21 from much carry, and I don't carry or use the large that much, I think they're all gonna be keepers. All great knives.
 
If you get the lugs changed out, it's around $35 per knife. Just a matter of preference if it's worth it or not to you. I rarely do unless I want to take a single lug knife to double lugs. As for your comment on the post office, consider creating a USPS account. It's free, and you can pay for and track shipments there. The thing I like best, besides being able to simply print the label and drop the box at the post office after hours, is the fact that you get a lower shipping cost.
 
Silver lugs all the way. I have a TNK Insingo (small 21) that has silver hardware. Found it on the forum here and bought it because it looked so good with all silver. Love it. My Wilson Combat Small 21 also has silver hardware. Kinda have a pattern going there. I'd love to see pics of an Inkosi with silver lugs. Mine has the blue and it is wearing off.
 
If the blue lugs cut into your enjoying the knife, then get the silver.
 
Lone_Wolfe said:
If you get the lugs changed out, it's around $35 per knife. Just a matter of preference if it's worth it or not to you. I rarely do unless I want to take a single lug knife to double lugs. As for your comment on the post office, consider creating a USPS account. It's free, and you can pay for and track shipments there. The thing I like best, besides being able to simply print the label and drop the box at the post office after hours, is the fact that you get a lower shipping cost.
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Well if I do just single silver on my PJs then those would only be $11.50 apiece. As for printing out labels online, do you have a scale or do you guess the weight? I'll definitely check that out, thanks.
kgajewsky said:
Silver lugs all the way. I have a TNK Insingo (small 21) that has silver hardware. Found it on the forum here and bought it because it looked so good with all silver. Love it. My Wilson Combat Small 21 also has silver hardware. Kinda have a pattern going there. I'd love to see pics of an Inkosi with silver lugs. Mine has the blue and it is wearing off.
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In the Inkosi thread there are a couple including mine that I polished and another member's that was sent in for a swap. I like it much better along with the TNK 25 which I almost ordered a couple years ago.
 
uofaengr said:
Well if I do just single silver on my PJs then those would only be $11.50 apiece. As for printing out labels online, do you have a scale or do you guess the weight? I'll definitely check that out, thanks.

In the Inkosi thread there are a couple including mine that I polished and another member's that was sent in for a swap. I like it much better along with the TNK 25 which I almost ordered a couple years ago.
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I use flat rate whenever possible. I estimate the weight for small things like a knife. Large packages I just take to the post office if I can't do flat rate.
 
If you change the lugs to silver, would the birth card need changed? Or does CRK not address lug color on the birth card?
 
LeftyMatt said:
If you change the lugs to silver, would the birth card need changed? Or does CRK not address lug color on the birth card?
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I think all the TNK versions note silver lugs, but I don't have to change my cards if I don't want. I could see the hardest core of collector caring if their birth card did not specify silver, but I don't and if I were to sell I'd obviously disclose it'd been sent to CRK for a lug swap. I don't think I've ever really seen it affect resale value too much. I think a lot of people prefer either silver lugs or unworn blue lugs which are near impossible, which means it's basically gotta be NIB. TNK seems to stay sold out of their exclusives often.
 
Lone_Wolfe said:
I use flat rate whenever possible. I estimate the weight for small things like a knife. Large packages I just take to the post office if I can't do flat rate.
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Oh ok, so you just go by the post office and grab some small flat rate boxes to pack up at home I assume?
 
uofaengr said:
Oh ok, so you just go by the post office and grab some small flat rate boxes to pack up at home I assume?
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You got it. If I'm low, I snag some when I'm dropping off. One thing I do though, is I carry the box inside the post office and use that drop box, not the convenient one outside. I only use the one outside for normal mail and minimal value packages. I'm sure the outside one is perfectly safe, but I feel better knowing someone else's knife is warm and safe inside the building.
 
I have a couple blue but almost all silver. At the same time you should consider the downside of having all silver, they start to look too much the same. But at the same time, sometimes that fine. All my cars are black. Almost all my clothes are black, grey or neutral colours. I'm not into bring colourful stuff as a general rule.

Out of all my users, this is the only blue one and I only did blue because I had a cool CRK bead I really wanted to use.

Sebenza25.jpg
 
JustinFournier said:
I have a couple blue but almost all silver. At the same time you should consider the downside of having all silver, they start to look too much the same. But at the same time, sometimes that fine. All my cars are black. Almost all my clothes are black, grey or neutral colours. I'm not into bring colourful stuff as a general rule.

Out of all my users, this is the only blue one and I only did blue because I had a cool CRK bead I really wanted to use.

Sebenza25.jpg
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I hear what you're saying there. The PJ large and small 21 were my first two CRK and I'm leaning now towards leaving them as is and just let them age and wear over time. I might still have the large reblasted and start over with it.
 
Lone_Wolfe said:
You got it. If I'm low, I snag some when I'm dropping off. One thing I do though, is I carry the box inside the post office and use that drop box, not the convenient one outside. I only use the one outside for normal mail and minimal value packages. I'm sure the outside one is perfectly safe, but I feel better knowing someone else's knife is warm and safe inside the building.
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Made an account and so much easier! And here I've been all these times standing in line at the PO filling out all these little pieces of paper. Looks like I'm going with just getting the Inkosi taken care of with the addition of silver lugs and having my Large reblasted only. Hope it turns out well. Thanks everyone for your input!
 
uofaengr said:
Made an account and so much easier! And here I've been all these times standing in line at the PO filling out all these little pieces of paper. Looks like I'm going with just getting the Inkosi taken care of with the addition of silver lugs and having my Large reblasted only. Hope it turns out well. Thanks everyone for your input!
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:thumbup:

The first thing I thought after I made my account and used it was "Why did I wait so long?!?"
 
Lone_Wolfe said:
You got it. If I'm low, I snag some when I'm dropping off. One thing I do though, is I carry the box inside the post office and use that drop box, not the convenient one outside. I only use the one outside for normal mail and minimal value packages. I'm sure the outside one is perfectly safe, but I feel better knowing someone else's knife is warm and safe inside the building.
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I also enjoy having a USPS account because of discounted shipping rates. And it does not hurt that they have free priority boxes too!

As the knives I ship are mostly more than $500.00 value, I always go to the cashier and have them scan the package and print me a receipt. I would think that it adds another level of security as they have scanned the package which means that I did drop off the package with them.

:D


And as for the lugs, I prefer double lugs on my users and single lugs on safe queens (not unless they already come w/ doubles). Also, I tend to like the look of the faded blue lug on my users. :)
 
You're right, it's not anymore. It used to be $5.75 to mail a small flat rate at the post office, $5.25 to do it online. Now prices are the same.
 
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