Safe Queens and Users: And How does Joe Hillbilly decide?

I have used EVERY one of my knives- knives are tools for cutting and to take a precision, craftsman made tool and leave it sitting in a cupboard is an insult to the person who toiled for hours to try and make a proficient tool.

would you buy a high quality plane, chisel or saw and not use it?
 
SharpByCoop said:
Point being that once you decide to use a knife, you are committed to the loss when or if the time comes to sell it. I will submit that a 50% reduction isn't out of line. That's a hard number to swallow, if you have purchased more edge than cutting needs dictate.

Buy quality, and do your homework. I still have a lot of safe queens. Love them!

Coop
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That is completely in line, but a refurb'd(by maker) knife will only take a 20% or-so hit if brought back to close to new condition, if full disclosure is made, which it should be.

Nathan Gould said:
I have used EVERY one of my knives- knives are tools for cutting and to take a precision, craftsman made tool and leave it sitting in a cupboard is an insult to the person who toiled for hours to try and make a proficient tool.

would you buy a high quality plane, chisel or saw and not use it?
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Nate before we take your blanket pronouncement about your knives, it would be helpful to know what you have, and how much $$ you have tied up into it.

I have knives WORTH $3,000 that are much better off pristine than used, as many are irreplaceable.

I have SWORDS that I paid $2,000+ for that I use constantly , and it is doubtful that I would have been able to recoup the $$ even when they were new....how is that for a dichotomy?

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Nathan Gould said:
I have used EVERY one of my knives- knives are tools for cutting and to take a precision, craftsman made tool and leave it sitting in a cupboard is an insult to the person who toiled for hours to try and make a proficient tool.

would you buy a high quality plane, chisel or saw and not use it?
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Hi Nathan,

I started a lengthy bash. Forget that....

You are wrong, plain and simple. :D Not all of my knives are tools first.

Be well,

Coop
 
What about special collectible cars that never really touch a road, or never have to use their windshield wipers? Every nice toy in life will have many folks who will never use them. I don't think its insulting to the maker, but possibly an honor to have something cherished after all the blood sweat and tears went into its development.
 
Not all of my knives are tools first.
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Coop , Do you mean they are not used as tools first.

my opinion:
Regardless of how you dress a knife up , it's a tool first ( a knife is a tool ), and should be able to function as a tool first.

However , that is just my view and may not be the same as others.

Let's compare a car to a knife:
You take a 66 Mustang ( fastback ), now you could have a nice daily driver , and enjoy it every day.
Or you could mod the heck out of it and turn it into a non street legal drag car , which you may get to enjoy once a week.
Or you could restore it to a 10 point car and take it out only for car shows , etc , or perhaps never , letting it instead stay in a garage for life.

Depending on your " thing " , each option can bring enjoyment.

Some of us are daily drivers , some of us are weekender's , and some of us maybe once a year , doesn't make any of us more right than the other does it ?

I have seen some cars that were so far modded , that they are not even drivable any longer , so to that person , the driving experience is not important , they are good just looking at it. Not my cup of tea , but more power to them for doing what they want.

Same with knives , to some the actual use of cutting with it is not of importance. The ownership is what brings them that warm and fuzzy feeling. For others it may be taking it to a get-together and showing it to others who share a love of knives. And another group are those who get all the satisfaction from using it.

Neither group is better than the other , just different views and goals.

Good news is , there are makers out there to keep all of us happy.
 
Nathan Gould said:
I have used EVERY one of my knives- knives are tools for cutting and to take a precision, craftsman made tool and leave it sitting in a cupboard is an insult to the person who toiled for hours to try and make a proficient tool.

would you buy a high quality plane, chisel or saw and not use it?
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Gee, none of the makers I bought knives from at Blade seemed terribly insulted. Go figure. :rolleyes:

Roger
 
Kohai999 said:
That is completely in line, but a refurb'd(by maker) knife will only take a 20% or-so hit if brought back to close to new condition, if full disclosure is made, which it should be.
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Quite true, but you also have to factor in:

a) the cost of the refurb, and perhaps more significantly,

b) the time involved to get it done. Presuming that the only reason you would have to completely refurbish a used knife is a desire to sell it, you now have to slot that project in with a maker who perhaps has a substantial backlog to begin with, and for whom the refurb may ubderstandably be viewed as a less than urgent priority.

In my experience, most guys just take the biger resale hit.

Roger
 
As I type this, my lady friend is cutting cabbage with my Scagel, I cut my food with a Richtig, his knives grace my kitchen and table. Why? these men made exceptional knives, they made them to be used and in their honor I use them. If one day someone sells them after I am gone, my tracks will be on the knives, we have become one for a time.

The new owners can clean them if they wish, or they can add their personality to the knives. I was able to enjoy them and am grateful.
 
how would a refurbishing by the original maker decrease a knife's value?
 
Ed, that was beautiful!
We are but dust in the wind, a good knife could easily outlast several generations of human even whilst being used, enjoyed and cared for by the species they were created to serve.

Some 'art' knives which are made purely for their intrinsic artistic value were never meant to be 'tools'. To proclaim to one of these artists that they were wrong to create art at the expense of utility is dumb.
 
Lorien said:
how would a refurbishing by the original maker decrease a knife's value?
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I don't think they mean that the refurbishing work of the maker would decrease the value, just that the refurbishing work wouldn't restore all the value that your use subtracted.
 
.i think age of the person may make a difference. i am well into the 2nd half of my life and i enjoy spending my money on knives and the pleasure of carrying and using and eventually re-sharpening an exceptional knife.
i will not buy a knife unless the maker can assure me that the knife will perform exceptionally well, should i wish to use it.
i have not used all my customs yet, but when i get the urge to try out a specific one, then that's what i do. leave my mark on them, as Ed Fowler so eloquently stated. they'll still be perfectly good knives after i'm gone and if collectors shun them, i don't care. my money, my toys; i'll play with them if i want to. in older age i'm sounding like a spoiled kid ! roland
 
RogerP said:
Quite true, but you also have to factor in:

a) the cost of the refurb, and perhaps more significantly,

b) the time involved to get it done. Presuming that the only reason you would have to completely refurbish a used knife is a desire to sell it, you now have to slot that project in with a maker who perhaps has a substantial backlog to begin with, and for whom the refurb may ubderstandably be viewed as a less than urgent priority.

In my experience, most guys just take the biger resale hit.

Roger
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This is true, Roger, but all options and possibilities should be on the table in this thread....I have a Carson with a tanto blade, it came with slab scales, and Kit put bolsters on it for me.....Cost was less than it could have been, quite reasonable really, and about a year wait time...it was worth it, both in how it looks NOW and how it affects the resale value(Makes it BOTH worth more, and more desireable).

Everyone has different experiences, but sharing ours helps the next gen to make good decisions, hopefully.
thepaintedbird said:
I don't think they mean that the refurbishing work of the maker would decrease the value, just that the refurbishing work wouldn't restore all the value that your use subtracted.
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Correct....minor use and refurb will be virtually insignificant impacting value, but a refurb that changes the original profile of the knife due to deep scratches that needed attention WILL have a larger impact as to final value, if not resellability.
Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
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I agree with both camps on many of their points and so I have come to terms with not having a blanket policy on my custom knives.

I carry 'em if I feel like it, or put 'em up if I feel like it. If they are put up that doesn't mean they'll stay that way. If they weren't sharp when I got 'em, chances are that would bug me more than the thought of them losing value by being sharpened.

I don't own more knives than I can afford, so if I never sold one it wouldn't (at this juncture) change my quality of life. That allows the freedom to decide whether I feel like carrying or using a knfe or if it gives me more joy just admiring it.

As mentioned, if a knife is carried, used and/or refurbished, honesty and full disclosure is key. I think the monetary loss is acceptable for the pleasure of carrying and using a finely crafted tool.
 
The way I see custom knives as ... a "work of art" ... either tactical or fancy ones .... I admire the craftmanship - handmade. I enjoy every pieces I own by holding them, checking them every angles (details, finish & fit, grind, etc), cleaning them for hours ... it's a relaxation time for me.
 
As a maker I have never been insulted that a customer doesn't use a knife or even if he chooses to use it to the point of abuse. I appreciate all the different reasons to collect knives and those reasons help us all. It is the customer’s knife and he can choose to with it as he pleases.

I have never minded, as a collector, that a knife I wanted has had some use and some of my favorite ones had been used a good bit. I like an old knife that has been around the block a few times and appreciate the scars for what they are. It does make sense to me, to let someone else take the initial hit on the reduction in value for a knife not being in perfect condition. I would imagine that it is a lot cheaper to use one that has already been used than it is to use one that hasn't. (I would probably draw the line before I got caught cutting up cabbage with a Scagel though.)
 
blues said:
i Agree With Both Camps On Many Of Their Points And So I Have Come To Terms With not Having A Blanket Policy On My Custom Knives.

I Carry 'em If I Feel Like It, Or Put 'em Up If I Feel Like It. If They Are Put Up That Doesn't Mean They'll Stay That Way. If They Weren't Sharp When I Got 'em, Chances Are That Would Bug Me More Than The Thought Of Them Losing Value By Being Sharpened.

I Don't Own More Knives Than I Can Afford, So If I Never Sold One It Wouldn't (at This Juncture) Change My Quality Of Life. That Allows The Freedom To Decide Whether I Feel Like Carrying Or Using A Knfe Or If It Gives Me More Joy Just Admiring It.

As Mentioned, If A Knife Is Carried, Used And/or Refurbished, Honesty And Full Disclosure Is Key. I Think The Monetary Loss Is Acceptable For The Pleasure Of Carrying And Using A Finely Crafted Tool.
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Blues Well Said On All Points
 
Well I personally get most of my enjoyment from custom knives from carrying/using my custom knives. I have only been into custom knives for 8 years and I have owned dozens of custom knives. The reason I got into custom knives is to find a better tool that I could use and trust. So far I have found that the knives I don't use get sold. Of course my tastes have changed and I have sold knives I have used and both taken loses and made money on them depending on the situation. I have carried knives that were worth $200 and over $2,000. I have a custom 1911 that cost $3,000 and I have shot about 20K rounds through it and carried it for 3 years and it has holster wear etc, I love it! I also have a very nice italian over under for my hunting shotgun. So for me I get enjoyment by using my high end custom tools. I am starting to collect some knives for the express purpose of having them be safe queens, but I would say mostly I am a user. I am an outdoors man and a hunter so first and foremost I buy to use. Like John says the market is full of knife makers to cater to whatever a collector may be looking for.

Trevor
 
John T Wylie Jr said:
Coop , Do you mean they are not used as tools first?
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Hi John,

I am certain we are saying the same thing. There are knives I own and have ordered that will serve the tool duty as well as they should. The blades need to be hard, the steel sharp, and the handle's sturdy.

But, my point (directed to the poster who tossed the meat over the fence to the dogs), is that makers themselves understand their market, and place absolute focus on what their clients want: Fit & finish, Aesthetic beauty, Sense of feel, Exotic materials, etc., and make this the primary focus of the build. The FACT that it will doubtfully get used is not insulting for them.

If every knife was to be designed as a user first, they would all look pretty utilitarian and similar.

Now I am generalizing, and speaking on behalf of makers. Am I out of whack? I think not.

Like STeven mentioned early in his comment: How many knives do you own? The 'user' camp tends to own less than five or ten customs, historically. :rolleyes:

Coop
 
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