Knives as Investments

O

okbohn

Joined
May 26, 2006
Messages
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I am curious what you guys think of knives as investments.
What criteria do you use for choosing?
Any particular brands?
Any particular handles?
What do you expect them to do and in what time period?
Are there some knives that never have a chance of appreciating (I mean, here quality knives--US made)

I don't know where all this will go, but it could be interesting.
 
The general concensus is that knives are like any form of art. Buy what you like and if it appreciates, then count yourself lucky. But buy it for the enjoyment of it, not as an investment.

How many people painted at the same time as Monet (or any great master)? Many of those artists were considered quite good in their day. At the time, many people liked those paintings and spent their money on them and proudly hung them in their homes. And yet those paintings were mostly burned as fire kindling generations ago.

If you do want to buy knives -- or any art -- as a long-term investment, buy the classics, not what is trendy today. And if you want to buy knives -- or any art -- as a short-term investment (i.e. to flip it), then buy what is trendy today and sell it today because tomorrow may be too late.
 
Sage advice. Disregard at your own risk.
 
Gollnick said:
...buy it for the enjoyment of it, not as an investment.
Click to expand...

Stellar advice.

Gollnick said:
If you do want to buy knives ... as a long-term investment ...
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... then you're a bit dim. If you're serious about investing, just chuck money into a mutual fund and leave it there. The "return" on collectibles as an investment is less than negligible whereas a decent mutual fund will net about 10% if you have the time to leave it in there 5 years or more.
 
mnblade said:
Stellar advice.



... then you're a bit dim. If you're serious about investing, just chuck money into a mutual fund and leave it there. The "return" on collectibles as an investment is less than negligible whereas a decent mutual fund will net about 10% if you have the time to leave it in there 5 years or more.
Click to expand...

No, Gollnick's advice was NOT dim, read his post more carefully. He is cautioning against using knives as primarily an investment.
 
Knives are a good investment but you wont see the return in your life time. My kids will cash in on my Loveless, Coopers, Randalls, and Lakes, & many others.
 
I figure that as long as I enjoy them, any appreciation is a bonus. I do, however hear of people using them as an investment and was curious if there was some kind of criteria for choosing those pieces.
 
I bought the Wilkinson Sword Dartmoor as an investment knife (the company only makes razor blades now). I also bought those United Cutlery Rambo blades 1 to 3 as investments (I know they are useless, but its not the reason I bought them).

Anyways, if they do go up in value, I doubt I would sell them, unless its for an offer I cannot refuse. I own them mostly to tell people, hey, I bought this knife for this much and now its worth this much!
 
You will probably buy a knife or two or three as an investment. Most of us have done so, but Gollnick's advice is as sage a post as I have ever seen him post. Remember it.
 
Buying knives is an investment in your hobby and your enjoyment... Its definately not a financial investment... But hey... money isnt everything!
 
i love collecting knives and swapping around but i RARELY if ever make $$ on it, to me an investment makes $$ so i dont consider knives investments really more a hobby, imho the only way to make $$ is to somehow figure out which new smith is gonna be the next ernie emerson or tom mayo, and buy some of his stuff while the price/demand is low, which with all the new guys coming out is very difficult to do. i have several ralphs and imho darrel's F&F is 2nd to none, excellent designs, innovative material, but he is not one of the really "in demand" 'smiths, not like emerson or mayo anyway, allen elishiwitz is another, a great smith but the demand just isnt that high. by "high demand" i mean like ya win the lottery at a show and get to buy emerson knife (yeah ya win the lotta and ya get to pay $500 or so for a knife) for say $550 and sell it easily on ebay for $1200 or up.
 
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