Old knives, pocket them or toss them in a display case?

silenthunterstudios

silenthunterstudios

Slipjoint Addict
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Feb 2, 2005
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I have some high end Case Bose collaborations, and a few custom slipjoints. However, I carry every knife I own (not at the same time but somedays it seems like I've tried).

I've picked up old knives at the junk dealer or flea market, and when the vendor hands me my new purchase, I just pocket it. One dealer asked what I was going to do with a knife I had just bought, and I replied that I was going to sharpen it, oil it and carry it. You would have thought I just confessed to a mass murder the way he acted (he's sold me more than a few knives since). Now, I might get some stains off, or clear some gunk out of the knife, but I don't "restore" them.

An owner at a small gun shop not too far from me told me he had a Remington 1984 lockback. He asked me if I was a Remington collector, and I told him I had my heart set on a R1303. He told me that he would only sell his Remingtons to collectors, and when I told him I was going to carry the R1303 lockback, you would have thought he was going to have a heart attack.

Spots and rust bother me, severe side to side wiggle bothers me. However, if you have a nice old knife, why let it sit? If you are just adding to your collection or display of said collection, I understand. I just see so many old knives here that my head just spins thinking about not carrying them. Right now I have an older Camillus 10 barlow I just bought in my pocket, and I've been carrying an older Vintage two blade serpentine Remington jack.

This excludes knives that were passed down from friends or family members, or knives that you bought to mark a special occasion. Just knives that you bought either at a show, junk mall or gun shop, and are going to decide whether you are carrying, or putting it in a case etc.
 
I think the answer is 'it depends.' I personally don't feel that the Camillus "Remington" repros are particularly collectable, and I wouldn't hesitate to drop one in my pocket if I found one that blew my hair back.

Old knives--pre-1970 for starters, but primarily pre-WWII--need to be assessed on an individual basis, but generally, if the blades are relatively full and still show some original factory finish, they should stay in the knife case. With literally millions of recently manufactured and non-collectable old knives available, there's absolutely no reason to use a rare, fragile and finite antique.

[...]when I told him I was going to carry the R1303 lockback, you would have thought he was going to have a heart attack.
Click to expand...

Are you referring to a Camillus repro or the real article here? The real thing in decent condition (relatively clean, full blade, no wobble, etc.) will set you back around $2K. A repro is what? $60 NIB? IMO, using the former would be perfectly reasonable, while using the latter would be a terrible waste.
 
Didn't we just go through this exercise a couple/three weeks ago? Just curious. Turned 69 last month and can't remember when it was.
 
Many of my old knives are used. It would have to be either mint or close to mint for me not to use it.
I feel I appreciate them more if I use them and carry them, rather than keep them in a display case.
 
For years, my Dad owned and carried an original Remington R1123. It was not mint, but was in quite good condition. He used it, but never abused it...which is what it was made to do. If you want to spend $2,000 on an original Remington and carry it, why should that matter to me? It's not my money being spent...and as long as you're not using it to scrape metal or trying to pry lids off of paint cans, it should stand up quite well to any reasonable use. Granted I am not a collector, but a user of knives. I own and carry an old Camillus #17 and an original Remington cattle knife, neither of which are in anything close to mint condition! I do carry and use them on a regular basis, and I don't abuse them at all...I just use them as the cutting instruments they were designed to be.

Ron
 
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