mantras: Collecting vs. Investing

[ptgdvc]

The mantra of the collector: Piece, maker, price

The mantra for the investor is: Maker, price, what is my ROI.

WWG

With respect to the Guru, I would like to modify and elaborate on the mantras.

Collector mantra:

1. PIECE: You have to love the example, or at the very least like it a lot. Consider, at least slightly, what others may think of your new beauty. If you have poor taste in knives, plan on being screwed by yourself.

2. MAKER: He has to have great skills and reputation, combined with a solid track record of excellent and improving work. Where does this maker stand in the market and in the minds of collectors. If you depend only on your own judgement, you may be screwed by yourself.

3. PRICE: I may be in lust for this hottie, but if it doesn't work out, will we be able to part easily and as friends. If it doesn't, plan on being screwed by your EX, because of your own bad judgement.

Investor mantra:

1. MAKER: Is there valuable brand recognition in this guy's name? Will it sell itself?

2. PRICE: Can I buy it right AND make a profit easily?

3. ROI (return on investment): How quickly can I flip this sucker and repeat the process?

Peter

 

[Keith Montgomery]

Collector mantra:

1. PIECE: You have to love the example, or at the very least like it a lot. Consider, at least slightly, what others may think of your new beauty. If you have poor taste in knives, plan on being screwed by yourself.

Agreed. If you are ordering from the maker, you have to have seen enough of the maker's work to get a good idea what your knife is going to look like. This is not required if buuying from a dealer or collector. In that case you will get to see the knife you are getting.

2. MAKER: He has to have great skills and reputation, combined with a solid track record of excellent and improving work. Where does this maker stand in the market and in the minds of collectors. If you depend only on your own judgement, you may be screwed by yourself.

I'm willing to take a chance on makers that haven't established much of a track record. These makers may not be well known to other collectors.

3. PRICE: I may be in lust for this hottie, but if it doesn't work out, will we be able to part easily and as friends. If it doesn't, plan on being screwed by your EX, because of your own bad judgement.

The price has to offer good value, taking into consideration the style and design of knife that I am getting and the maker I am getting it from.

Investor mantra:

1. MAKER: Is there valuable brand recognition in this guy's name? Will it sell itself?

2. PRICE: Can I buy it right AND make a profit easily?

3. ROI (return on investment): How quickly can I flip this sucker and repeat the process?

Peter

On the investors mantra, I will defer to those that are more knowledgeable in that area.

 

[Kohai999]

I have given thought to maker, piece, price, lately, because of my good friend Mr. Jones.

1. If a collector focuses on 1-10 or less makers, than obviously, it would be maker first, followed almost instantly by piece.

I have focused on 50 makers for my "formal" collection, with another 20 or so makers in the "orphan" collection.

If a collector is in that first category, then of course there will be some discrimination(not collecting EVERYTHING by the maker, I hope) but it is to be understood that they have a predisposition towards that maker(lucky maker, lucky collector).

That "piece, maker, price" mantra came to me in a late night fat chewing session in Eugene, OR at the OKCA show in 1995. Don't know if "I" originated the slogan, but I never heard it before, and have been singing that one to Mr. Gill since 2005. It works for me, and many others 'round these parts.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson

 

[RogerP]

That "piece, maker, price" mantra came to me in a late night fat chewing session in Eugene, OR at the OKCA show in 1995. Don't know if "I" originated the slogan, but I never heard it before, and have been singing that one to Mr. Gill since 2005. It works for me, and many others 'round these parts.

Well, I certainly credit you with coining the phrase.

For me "piece" pretty much always comes first. I buy from more than a mere handful of makers and in each case the first consideration is the piece itself. If the piece doesn't interest me (for any number of reasons - not all of them negative) then in terms of a purchase decision it really doesn't matter who made it.

I can sort of see why you suggest that buying from a smaller group of makers might bring the maker to first slot - but only sort of. It's not really incorporated into the decision-making process of such a buyer because makers outside the fold simply aren't considered. For such a buyer, the realm of possibe purchases is already defined by the small circle of makers he or she buys from. Sort of the same way that forged blades define my purchase realm.

Roger

 

[Les Robertson]

Peter,

I have to disagree with this:

2. MAKER: He has to have great skills and reputation, combined with a solid track record of excellent and improving work.

So you won't take a chance on a new maker?

Quite frankly there are a lot of makers out there who became Icons with marginal skills. Hell there are some whose knives are sought after...and they don't even make them!

My experience has shown me that the character of the man or woman is equally important to their skills. I would also add that the ability to be innovative and market yourself are an important aspect missing from most makers world wide.

WWG

 

[ptgdvc]

WWG,

I think I need to hear what your definition of a "NEW" maker is, exactly.
I suspect that most "new makers" have been at it for at least 2 or 3 years.

In the meantime how about this as more realistic standard.:

2. MAKER: He has to have the skill to make a clean knife, combined with a good reputation and track record of improvement.

P

 

[Les Robertson]

Hi Peter,

When I say "new" makers I am talking less than two years, in many cases less than a year.

Example I ordered 25 knives from Dan Farr after seeing his first knife that he completed 4 weeks after going to the ABS School. New enough for your?

Still waiting on the balance from "The" DUCK!

WWG