Safe queen or user?

PropThePolecat

PropThePolecat

Joined
Jan 31, 2009
Messages
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Lets hear what all the Beckerheads say to this...

Ive got a prototype EsKabar that i recieved from Ethan. It looks exactly like the production BK14's BUT it has no stampings on either side of the blade. Totally sterile.

Now i dont have any safe queens amongst my fixed blades. Ive used every single one of my knives except my little prototype BK14. Im not planning on reselling it for a profit og hoping itll gain value. The only value it has is a kind of personal value.

A part of me says that i should use it and enjoy like any other knife. Cut/baton/slice/etc with it. But another part of me, says i should save it as its kind of special...After all it is one of the very first EsKabars ever.

What do you say guys? Prototype Becker EsKabar: Safe queen or user?
 
Oh, I think that should be preserved for future posterity. With the new BK14 being so reasonable, you could always get you a new one to use, but I would keep that on put up. Its kinda like the Necker Proto Ethan gave me, I won't use it, its sterile as well. I am a firm believer in user knives, but some just are good to look at and thing what if. Just my opinion.

Moose
 
I totally agree with the MooseMan. The Eskabar's are selling on the cheap-cheap now, and you can get one at will.

However, you may never get another chance at an unstamped proto...given to you by the man himself. My vote is for Safe Queen!!!
 
Yup, I second all the above. There's a difference between safe queens and preserving pieces of history.

You can always get a new user if you need one.
 
I've got a lot of knives. One of the decisions I had to make the past couple of years was whether I was going to be a collector or an aficionado from a user perspective. I chose the latter. That has meant giving up some of the knives I appreciated but was unlikely to ever use, either because of knife value or redundancy in my knife stable. Some of the knives I relinquished were older Beckers and Busses that, at one time, I wouldn't have parted with. Still. I think it's healthier to control possessions rather than let them control you.

I have used and enjoyed my proto necker from Ethan; of course, it helps that I have a spare. ;) Your proto, however, is a different case; you can enjoy the same knife in a user for a low price. In that case, I'd probably put it back. At the least, send Bladite some good pics of it for the database before you use it. BTW, somewhere in my Photobucket, I have pics of a BK-5 proto that lacks the markings.
 
No markings, probably a fake, send it to me and I'll send you a brand new one,seriously I would do that so you don't feel robbed.
 
SpookyPistolero said:
There's a difference between safe queens and preserving pieces of history.
Click to expand...

Youre absolutely right.

I pretty much agree with all of the posts. I was already leaning towards keeping it as a memory of how it all begun.

I think ill see if i can strike a balance somehow, where i can enjoy using it for light-duty tasks, yet keep it in pristine condition. Unfortunately that rules out any woodwork with it. But i foresee a whole lot of apples being sliced with it :D
 
Cool. Thanks for the link. Might've known Bladite had already scooped it up.
 
safe queen. i'll save it! send you new one ;) i'll put it with the sterile BK5 and such :)

but for you, it's never use it, or use it, there's no going back for either choice ;}
 
Safe queen. Get something from Ethan to validate its authenticity and rarity.
Cool find.
 
While it will probably continue to be argued that ALL knives are tools, and thus, should be used, I too would put that proto away for posterity sake.
 
Bladite said:
safe queen. i'll save it! send you new one ;) i'll put it with the sterile BK5 and such :)
Click to expand...

For a split-second i read your post as: If i kept it as a safe queen, you'd send me a brandnew BK14 packaged with a sterile BK5 and such. My brain chose to ignore the "i'll save it!". :D:D
 
PropThePolecat said:
For a split-second i read your post as: If i kept it as a safe queen, you'd send me a brandnew BK14 packaged with a sterile BK5 and such. My brain chose to ignore the "i'll save it!". :D:D
Click to expand...

brain: "hey, free knives, heh heh heh"
 
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