One reason not to invest in knives...

I tend to give away knives to coworkers, family, friends, etc. Most of the value in my knives is sentimental so there is not the monetary value of an investment. I know this and buy what I like and will use.
 
tltt said:
Custom knives are probably the worst from an investment angle (not an enjoyment angle). A lot of personal choice, relatively expensive, and even a fast maker, that's good at social media, can't match a factory for production or promotion. Very few have the luck of a Randall, Loveless or even a Strider. Collectors need a history they can look back on.

A good exercise for any collector thinking of investing in knives is to buy a stack of 20 year old magazines or look at 20 year old from posts and see who was hot then vs now. Many popular makers get lost to history. I remember once even the great Pat Crawford lamenting this.
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Very true. Hell, I don't even need to go back! You pick up the latest issue of BLADE magazine or whatever and see "Damascus Bowie: made by the great James Smith from Bumfrag, AL" and I'm like "Who? Never heard'a the guy". You still see this a lot in the Customs for Sale section, guys selling knives using statements like everyone knows who they are, and this adds additional collector's value. "As you can see, the plunge line is perfect, a hallmark of Steve's work...." Me: "Oh man, this Steve guy must have taught virtually everyone else, because that grind looks like roughly 700,000 other knives currently on the market." 🤷
 
I used to "invest" in knives and guns. Collected 80s vintage balisongs, Microtech OTFs, push daggers, and custom Bowies mostly. Had well over a hundred over the years.

Then an unexpected expense would come up and I'd end up selling a few for significantly less than I paid. At least twice I liquidated my entire collection at half value to raise quick cash.

I tell myself it was a "rental fee."

I no longer can afford to collect. I only own 3 knives now (not counting the beater lockblade in the car and the kitchen cutlery). One I carry to work, one I carry when I'm not working, and another heavy duty knife I set aside in case I ever need a heavy duty knife.
 
In the watch community this topic is often discussed. All because a couple of Rolexes and Pateks (very particular, hard to find models like Rolex Daytonas or Patek 5711s or Aquanauts) sell for more now on the secondary market than when they were bought. So people, especially those new to luxury watches, think every watch, especially every Rolex or Patek, will fund their kids college education in a few years. Definitely not the case.

The secondary watch market was on fire 2020 - 2023 (due to Covid boredom and new Chinese buyers). During that period, on Chrono24 (where you can check prices) you could see watches shooting into the stratosphere. In 2024 prices of those same watches suddenly dropped 60% and lots of flippers were caught with stock that cost a lot that was now worth much less.

Wasn't it Isaac Newton who said what goes up must come down? Lots of Youtube videos on the watch market crash.
 
My Mantras:
If I find myself thinking too much about the money I spend on a hobby, it's time to find a new hobby.
I've never wanted a gun I shoudn't shoot or a bottle of whiskey I shouldn't drink.
 
Tensaw said:
My Mantras:
If I find myself thinking too much about the money I spend on a hobby, it's time to find a new hobby.
I've never wanted a gun I shoudn't shoot or a bottle of whiskey I shouldn't drink.
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If you ask How Much it costs....?

You can't afford it.

* Its frightening how true that is.
 
Triton said:
The owners obviously spent a lot of time and effort to build a collection that they really loved and eventually they will probably sell them probably for a deep discount. Not a great investment strategy.
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Debbie Downer! 😳 Where the F were you to give investment advice to me about $45K ago when I joined this forum? 🤬

Just kidding ...

Buy what you want if you can afford it - no harm no foul - this is true in all aspect of life. I don't expect an inheritance from my pops and my kids shouldn't expect one from me. I am enjoying the fruit of what I worked for. On the other hand, if the money that you are intending to spend on something that is not a necessity and you can't afford it in the first place ... it's a bad investment.

F'ing sleezebag predatory credit card companies, car dealers, money in advance companies that prey on financially irresponsible people with 2X or more higher interest rates for the credit they lend do nothing more than bury people further into debt. Those people hire sleezebag lawyers to either get their debt reduced or file bankruptcy. In the long run - who pays for those lost funds? Those of us that pay our bills having to pay higher rates to help the money be recouped. It should be those predatory credit card companies, car dealers, money in advance companies that gave the credit out irresponsibly in the first place or the lawyers that get the money forgave that companies gave for credit card purchases.

It's a pretty F'ed up financial state for many of people who feel they are entitled to something they haven't yet earned. Holy hell ... what a rant. Did someone say ... SQUIRREL?
 
DennisM said:
Debbie Downer! 😳 Where the F were you to give investment advice to me about $45K ago when I joined this forum? 🤬

Just kidding ...

Buy what you want if you can afford it - no harm no foul - this is true in all aspect of life. I don't expect an inheritance from my pops and my kids shouldn't expect one from me. I am enjoying the fruit of what I worked for. On the other hand, if the money that you are intending to spend on something that is not a necessity and you can't afford it in the first place ... it's a bad investment.

F'ing sleezebag predatory credit card companies, car dealers, money in advance companies that prey on financially irresponsible people with 2X or more higher interest rates for the credit they lend do nothing more than bury people further into debt. Those people hire sleezebag lawyers to either get their debt reduced or file bankruptcy. In the long run - who pays for those lost funds? Those of us that pay our bills having to pay higher rates to help the money be recouped. It should be those predatory credit card companies, car dealers, money in advance companies that gave the credit out irresponsibly in the first place or the lawyers that get the money forgave that companies gave for credit card purchases.

It's a pretty F'ed up financial state for many of people who feel they are entitled to something they haven't yet earned. Holy hell ... what a rant. Did someone say ... SQUIRREL?
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The people who prey on the elderly.....
Realtors, Lawyers, Hospital administrators......wanting the family farm.

Always wanting More.
 
not2sharp said:
I buy knives fully expecting to lose value. It is a hobby/entertainment expense, and at such it retains much more value than most other forms of entertainment. It also provides an endless window into our own past history and culture, since very little human activity has ever happened in the absence of knives.

So what if you lose a few bucks in the exchange. Much of that is a reflection of your ability and desire to sell rather than the specifications of the knife you are selling. When I lose money it’s because I choose to, I rather not sell my knives, but to keep them for as long as possible. If I would put a few quarter of the effort into selling that I put into buying, the results might be very different.

N2s
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This has been my approach to everything I’ve “collected”. (Sunglasses, watches, knives, etc.)
I’m willing to lose a few bucks for the entertainment and satisfaction of trying something new. Part of the fun is selling and then buying…there’s value in that alone.
 
I bumped into some counterfeit silver Eagles the other day. I'd heard about them, but never seen one.

That's a lot of trouble to fake a coin that's not even the same size.

It makes ya wonder...
 
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