Recommendations for finding things at antique shops

[Blastermaster]

Locally at my Broadway antique mall I have located a few nice looking trappers/toothpicks. I love clip point, it looks purty. I saw a case lockback with abalone for 70 bucks, thinking of jumping on that before someone else does

What are your guys' experiences with antique malls/antique shops?

 

[CUTS LIKE A KRIS]

They can be very hit or miss, but are also where you will find the best deals in knives IMO. Some vendors way overcharge for junk, some don't have a clue of what they have, others just want a decent price. When I look, I go by:

Price- is it in budget. Does the price reflect name only? Material type? Special additions?
Completeness- are the scales whole? Blade without chips/broken tips.....
Repair ability- if walk and talk are off, is it because of dirt and use; or is it overuse and neglect.
Can nicks in the blade be taken out easily. If broken, can the blade be repurposed, will small gaps fill in with an oil bath? What is permanently damaged? Has the spring been dented and is now over bladed?

Do I want it?!? Just because it's a complete cheap knife doesn't mean I'll buy it. A stockman will dissappear into my ownership than a trapper will! I'm not a trapper person, so I'll leave it got the next guy.

If you are willing to be patient, clean and tinker with your knife, and don't mind that it's not in pristine condition in many cases, then these locations are great for knives!! Let us see pics of what you find!!

Last bit of advice- believe less than 1/2 of what you are told about the value of a knife from the guy wants to sell it to you!!

All of these were found this way- none over $25 I believe. The stockman was a fixer as both the pen and clip blade were badly broken, but for the price I was willing to put in work to make a spear and manicuring blade!

 

[brownshoe]

With the internet, and antique dealers with time on their hands, many prices are too high. I have better luck at multiple vendor outdoor antique markets, multiple vendor flea markets and the monster whole town flea markets.

 

[silenthunterstudios]

Look EVERYWHERE. I've found knives tucked away in flea market stalls that I never would have dreamed of having knives. Lots of knives sit, and some dealers just want them gone, and will trade and sell with each other. I also leave my email with dealers. Tools and militaria dealers definitely at the flea markets. Dealers and cashiers know me as the knife guy (also Big Man, but I digress...).

Most flea markets have keys at the front desk, most of the cashiers and other dealers know what the other dealers have. Nothing wrong with asking where the knives are. Some dealers actually have knives tucked away out of sight!

 

[kvaughn]

I usually just ask if they have any pocket knives. A lot of dealers put a few out but keep the good ones put away because they tend to "walk off".--KV

 

[silenthunterstudios]

I usually just ask if they have any pocket knives. A lot of dealers put a few out but keep the good ones put away because they tend to "walk off".--KV

Many dealers will hold knives back, because they have started to put stuff on eBay, but good point about sticky fingers at a lot of these flea markets.

 

[jmarston]

The closest thing I have to antique shops here in the Yukon in a couple of pawn shops. They typically priced high but are almost always willing to haggle, especially if you buy multiple items at once. I picked up an old Shrade 25OT that was in great shape doing this. Made a deal on it and a titanium pot for the pack. Have picked up several others over the years. Another tactic to use is if one guy won't give it to you for the price you want, come back another day when someone else is working And try haggling with them. Sometimes they will give a lower price than the first. If they don't, well, you aren't any worse off.