New, old Becker BK 1 - Should I use this thing or not

To use? Or not to use?

  • Use it, but be gentle

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Use it like I rented it

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Do not use it - safe Queen

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Pie

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
  • Poll closed .
FAL'ER

FAL'ER

Joined
Mar 31, 2010
Messages
5,513
Got this thing about a week ago, after trying to track one down for a couple months. A member of this forum had it in storage for about 10 years. Some literature in the box has 2002 on it. It's in mint condition with the cardboard sleeve, plastic bag and paperwork, It's real nice. I could go either way, use it or not.
1 week of voting on this. Feel free to post up pics of your BK1 's



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Gotta use it man. My 9 is a Camillus. Whatever collectors value there is in that thing is minuscule compared to the usefulness that's inherent in it as a tool. What are ya gonna do with it if you don't use it? Sell it after it ages another 10 or 20 years? There are much better paper weights out there. Find one if you need one and use that knife like you rented it.

Blues

ETA: BTW, very cool acquisition no matter what you end up doing with it. Congrats on finding it!
 
Do you NEED to use it?
Do you WANT to use it?
If the new BK1's are coming out soon (I'm still amazed this is happening considering how much of a big NO it was in the past) then I would say either Safe Queen it, or sell it. Buy the KA-BAR version if and when it comes out. Hell, buy two for the price that your mint Camilus would fetch from collectors of such things.
 
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I was going to say that since the new ones are coming out, you can get another if you mess it up, but y'know, you can't get another Camillus. (As easily, or for not as much.) SO I have to change my tune a little. Put it up and save it, but get the new one when it comes out.
 
I say use it and enjoy it. Life is too short not to. Use it or keep it mint for the estate sale:D
 
I already posted my vote for using it, but I got a question for anyone who might know:

Is a knife like that ever going to be a high-dollar collectors item? I mean, I know it's probably two or three times the original value now, but will just the name "Camillus" and the knowledge that it was temporarily discontinued as a production model ever make it worth 8 or 10 times its original value?

My first car was a '64 1/2 convertible Mustang with a 289 and four-on-the-floor. Paid $695 for it from a used car lot. Did almost nothing to it but drive the horse piss out of it for the next 18 years and sold it for $12,500. If I'd have known how much it would appreciate if I'd let it sit, it would've been a garage queen and I would've easily gotten $25,000 or more for it in the same amount of time. Even so, I was thrilled to death with the collectors value I did get out of it, as well as the use I got out of it in those 18 years. Either way, hard-used or pampered, it was "real" money that convinced me to sell it.

I'm just wondering if these knives are ever really going to bring "real" money. If so, I could certainly see making it a safe queen. If not though, I wouldn't get the point. My gut tells me it will only appreciate a relatively small amount as a safe queen, and that's why I said use it. But if I'm wrong, I'd like to know what heights of value y'all think it might hit.

Blues
 
well, i'm not one to talk :) but you send it to me, i'll send you a user ;)

oh wait. yes, i'd shelve that one, and appreciate it and what it entailed and consider that nothing like it will be made again in your lifetime, likely :)

for the new KaBar version is quite likely to be different in some important ways. still a tool, but not the same.

so, in 20 years, some young buck dying to complete his Becker collection will likely harvest even more organs on the bootlegger trail to get funds to buy your minty fresh still has the factory grease knife? hell yes. plus, in those 20 years, you can cut a lot of air and appreciate the thing.

but ONLY because soon you'll be able to buy a user. if there was no user in the picture? i'd say slice that thing up. oh yeah.

and i like pie :)
 
so long as you don't damage it, the Camillus name will always make it a premium, so go ahead and use it - or find someone with a user who will trade and give you a chunk of $$ in difference. :)
When the new version comes out, make sure you do a comparison test, too.
 
I'm pretty sure I remember that you have a BK7 and maybe a BK9? I'd be inclined to keep that BK1 mint, and use something else right now until you can get one of the new BK1s (or a BK6 or whatever).

---

Beckerhead #42
 
Oregon Fal'er, send it to me and I'll buy you 2 of the new ones when they're available for purchase.
 
Beckers ain't no safe queen.

I owned a nice Busse, never used it... Sold it... You want something to just pull out and look at from time to time then get something fancy, Beckers are made to be used, doesn't matter if its a new one or an old one.
 
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