Pre/First Production Benchmade knives???

K

knapsack

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May 2, 2009
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I have a bunch of Benchmade folders that are either first or Pre production knives. All are numbered knives on the blades, some are no longer in production and some are 1 of 1000. What are these worth for sale compared to retail purchase prices?
Thanks
 
There is definitely a value that is added from those features. Pre-Production is more than first production, but they both add value, especially if the knife is NIB.
 
Unless the pre-production version is different then the production version your not going to see much of a difference in price. If anything at all.

Don’t take resale value into account when buying new knives. 99% of the time they will depreciate a lot…
 
In my experience, BM pre- and first production runs don't add much (well, anything, really) to the value of the knife. So I would be surprised if, say, a first production Kuglera sold for any more than a regular production Kuglera.

That said, I do think there are a few exceptions to this. Any model where the knife actually changed from pre- or first production to regular production (none come to mind at the moment, though I'm pretty sure there've been a couple) would be worth more. Also, I think there might be a very slight increase in value for pre-/first productions of BM's really long-running or classic knives (i.e., 710, Griptilian, AFCK).

As for the "1 of ---" markings, it depends. The vast majority of BM's markings actually label the individual number of the knife (e.g., "705 of 1000" instead of "1 of 1000"). However, and I don't think this has been the case for about seven or eight years, but some runs were indeed generically marked "1 of 1000". I'm pretty sure this happened with the early 140's, 145's, maybe the Ascents and a few other models as well.
 
i have had a LOT of BM pre-pro's, 1st pro runs, prototypes/etc and in most cases it adds nothing to the value, nothing at all, in some cases if a prototype is a lot different from the poroduction (ie a 710) it can add some value, maybe, but for the great majority it adds exactly -0-.

anything with 500 or 1000 pieces is hardly a "limited run" which is gonna have a lot of collector interest.

and like i say i have had probably 20 BM prototypes and dozens of pre-pros/etc(i used to collect them) and of all of them exactly 2 of the prototypes brought a premium when sold, all the rest were about what a std one was worth.

i dont think any pre-pros or 1st pro runs are gonna bring anything over a std model, oh maybe if its a individually numbered one(some were/most were not) and its #1, or "007" or maybe "024" (if ya can find keifer sutherland?) these might to the right person bring an extra $20 tops, maybe, possibly, on a good day lol, i know none of mine did, and anyone who says thery will has never actually tried to sell one at a premium over the std value, no one will pay it.
 
One BM prototype that will bring in the money is a 3-hole Skirmish. Others... not so much.

FYI, there's no more Pre-Production Run, only First Production and Prototypes, been this way for the past 2-3 years, at least.
 
I have 8 "pre" production knives in hand and a few first production. Some will probably be on Ebay soon.

Thanks everyone.
 
RxEnergy said:
One BM prototype that will bring in the money is a 3-hole Skirmish. Others... not so much.

FYI, there's no more Pre-Production Run, only First Production and Prototypes, been this way for the past 2-3 years, at least.
Click to expand...

the skirmish is one, the 710 is another (alloy handles vs G10, thumbstuds which match the axis buttons, something else which escapes me right now lol) and some of the stryker protos had G10 which looked like carbon fibre and were chisel ground,

no more pre-pro's huh?
 
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