Old Timey Vultures

Otto Carpenter

Otto Carpenter

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Jun 24, 2016
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Now, right up front, I want to say there's nothing wrong with vultures. They are part of the circle of life and we need them. But if you want to get yourself a little something over at the Traditional Knife Exchange you better be circling with the rest of them, or else there will be nothing left but scraps by the time you get there.

Things are different, with a few exceptions, on the Folder, Fixed and Custom Exchange. You get time to consider a purchase. The competition seems less fierce. On the Serengeti Plain of slip joint collectibles, you gotta be right there when the big cat walks away, because the object of your desire won't just lay there baking in the sun all day. The vultures are waiting and you better be quick. Damn, I'm hungry.
 
You drunk!

Just kidding:D

To a degree, the same as you describe is the case on the other sales subforums.

Interesting PM2s will vanish in a flash as will other desirable knives.

Survive seems to go very fast no matter the model, generation, handle color and not least price.
 
BladeScout said:
You drunk!

Just kidding:D

To a degree, the same as you describe is the case on the other sales subforums.

Interesting PM2s will vanish in a flash as will other desirable knives.

Survive seems to go very fast no matter the model, generation, handle color and not least price.
Click to expand...

And let’s not forget CPK knives. I’ve seen them sell second hand on the exchange in under a minute, never mind when Nathan posts them new and sells a dozen in that time.
 
Otto Carpenter said:
Now, right up front, I want to say there's nothing wrong with vultures. They are part of the circle of life and we need them. But if you want to get yourself a little something over at the Traditional Knife Exchange you better be circling with the rest of them, or else there will be nothing left but scraps by the time you get there.

Things are different, with a few exceptions, on the Folder, Fixed and Custom Exchange. You get time to consider a purchase. The competition seems less fierce. On the Serengeti Plain of slip joint collectibles, you gotta be right there when the big cat walks away, because the object of your desire won't just lay there baking in the sun all day. The vultures are waiting and you better be quick. Damn, I'm hungry.
Click to expand...

Your analogy seams a bit off. The “prey” is the knife. The cat hunts her prey. The vultures get the scraps. Unless you want the scraps, aspire to be the cat.
 
LastRodeo said:
Your analogy seams a bit off. The “prey” is the knife. The cat hunts her prey. The vultures get the scraps. Unless you want the scraps, aspire to be the cat.
Click to expand...

Good point. I would describe the vultures as being the guys who cruise pages 4 and 5 on the exchange, looking for stuff that was posted a week prior and hasn't yet sold, and then submit a low-ball offer to the seller.
 
LastRodeo said:
Your analogy seams a bit off. The “prey” is the knife. The cat hunts her prey. The vultures get the scraps. Unless you want the scraps, aspire to be the cat.
Click to expand...
I aspire not to live in front of my computer, waiting all day in the tall grass. I'm okay with "going hungry" most of the time. We eat too much anyway.

And to your point of analogy, I would argue the big cat is the one who bought the knife when it was first released from manufacturing to dealership at a reasonable price. If you're buying on the Forums, you're circling.
 
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Otto Carpenter said:
I aspire not to live in front of my computer, waiting all day in the tall grass. I'm okay with "going hungry" most of the time. We eat too much anyway.
Click to expand...
The Traditional exchange can be insane. I'm on my phone all day frequently checking the exchange, but eventually I have to stop to do actual life stuff :P . I've taken an hour break, only to come back and check, and see that three or four good knives were posted and sold within the hour. It's especially frustrating with traditionals since they come in limited runs, so it's not like the Folders exchange where you could always just buy one from a dealer.

But like you said! We can wait in the tall grass or we can go hungry.
 
It can be frustrating. Repeat after me - "if you're not there when the post goes up, it didn't happen".

If a post goes up when you are not in the Knife Exchange, does anyone hear you scream, except whoever else is at home when you get there?
 
Otto Carpenter said:
I aspire not to live in front of my computer, waiting all day in the tall grass. I'm okay with "going hungry" most of the time. We eat too much anyway.

And to your point of analogy, I would argue the big cat is the one who bought the knife when it was first released from manufacturing to dealership at a reasonable price. If you're buying on the Forums, you're circling.
Click to expand...
You are correct. The cat would get her prey.

What the cat doesn't do is go hungry and wish she was a vulture.
 
19-3ben said:
Good point. I would describe the vultures as being the guys who cruise pages 4 and 5 on the exchange, looking for stuff that was posted a week prior and hasn't yet sold, and then submit a low-ball offer to the seller.
Click to expand...

LOL! I've hung around pages 4 and 5. I won't submit a lowball, but I know there's stuff out there that isn't in demand by pretty much anybody but me. It's sort of like scouring the highway for road kill.

Kinda like that half run-over possum. No self respecting lion's gonna eat it, but it's what I got a hankerin' for today.
 
As others have said, it's not just the traditionals that move super fast but it does seem like almost any traditional will be sold at light speed. Luckily, my taste in traditionals doesn't run with the mainstream. When I was looking for a GEC 23 Bull Lock I had no competition. It was more a matter of waiting for one to appear.
 
Feel free to copy and paste.
"hello, my name is . The reason I am contacting you is that I saw you had numerous desirable knives for sale on the Forum. I know those deals are sold, but if you could shoot me a message in the future, I'd be most willing to peruse your wares and quite possibly purchase the following lines/models: . I send this because it's been problematic for me to get anywhere as to the extremely heavy competition among bidders, and I'm trying to be proactive. Thanks for your consideration, signed:
 
JJHollowman said:
Feel free to copy and paste.
"hello, my name is . The reason I am contacting you is that I saw you had numerous desirable knives for sale on the Forum. I know those deals are sold, but if you could shoot me a message in the future, I'd be most willing to peruse your wares and quite possibly purchase the following lines/models: . I send this because it's been problematic for me to get anywhere as to the extremely heavy competition among bidders, and I'm trying to be proactive. Thanks for your consideration, signed:
Click to expand...
A novel suggestion, but I'm not sure it's in the spirit of the Exchange. It might be perfectly appropriate - I'm just not familiar enough with the "do's and don'ts" here on BF as a relative noob. Appreciate the idea, though.
 
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