Should I be keeping unique graphics w/ damascus?

JustinFournier

JustinFournier

Joined
May 7, 2012
Messages
4,971
Hi All,

My wife and I have had some serious life changing events over the past year and a bit, and it has caused me to really look a lot at our lifestyle and possessions. We essentially had a rough pregnancy followed by losing our first born at a day before 8 months. This caused us to look back at some of our decisions, and our work/life/fun balance and desire a change to live more in the now, and less when we get older.

To that end, I have sold off a lot of the things I didn't need and used that money to fund repayment of medical bills and other debt associated with not working much for some time.

However to get to the point on this topic, I have a couple NIB safe queens I would occasionally take out, and admire then put back in the box.

Here is a pic of my two Unique w/ Damascus I have:

Reeve1460459Cfront.jpg

large21uniquespirograph033012pic1.jpg


The top pic doesn't really do the knife justice but I'm sure you know what I mean.

I tell myself that these knives aren't an extravagance. It's something that can gain value over time, it's an asset.

But recently I sold an Umnumzaan and a NIB Strider SNG Z-wear both at a significant loss.

So am I fooling myself here? Are these the kind of knives I can ever hope to sell and even get my money back out of some day?

I want to have some peace of mind. On one hand they are knives that sit in boxes, not being used, it's an extravagance so I'm having a hard time keeping them, but at the same time they are amazing, simply wonderful works of art I love having, so I have a hard time just selling them.

So please chime in with what you think the realistic value of these pieces are/will be to help me make up my mind.

Thank you all for your time.

Justin
 
I am very sorry for your loss and my heart goes out to both of you.

You will find that the sebenza's you have will gain value but it will take time. Value in collectables is based on rarity and demand, the more that are out there is less value they have, take for instance the Spirograph UG in the second picture, it has already gained in value because it's no longer offered.

When you buy a car, as soon as you drive it out the showroom you lose a good percentage of the value should you decide to sell it right away. But if you hold on to it in mint to new condition, fast forward 30 years and (if the demand is there like some of the super cars of the 70's) you can make some major scores selling.

I bought my first p sebenza in 1994 for $269.00, I am today buying sebenza's from the same era (the 90's) and paying up to $750.00 in NIB condition, so it does pay off, it just takes time.

Good Luck in your Quest and God Bless.
 
First of all, I'm so sorry for your loss. I can't imagine that kind of pain.

If you do decide to part with the large Spiro, please contact me. I'd also offer you a 2-for-1 trade for that one.
 
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Justin,

You and your wife are walking through fire right now. My heart aches as I try to imagine the pain you've endured. My prayers are with you for healing, hope, and comfort.

My friend and esteemed knifeaholic Dinokay is spot on. Of course, past performance is no guarantee of future results, etc., etc.; however, as I survey the appreciation of my CRK folders, they've done well. In fact, to date they have appreciated at a higher rate than nearly any of my traditional investments. (That's probably just as much a commentary on my investment prowess as anything.) I don't look to my CRK folder collection to be an investment -- it is first and foremost a hobby and source of enjoyment. I am, however, not selling unless forced to, and am in acquisition mode.

All the best in your decisions.

Fooj
 
Sorry to hear of your loss - good vibes sent.
It's good to hear you are a team.

As for the knives, imho they should at least hold their value.
One important fact is that they are NIB and have box and paperwork.
If you are not in a hurry to sell them, then I'm sure you will not lose money. Mentioned above is the rarity of the spirograph damascus one.
There has been an interesting article on the resale value of collectibles in one of the magazines recently.
It is hard to predict what will sell and what not. For example the KABAR knife of WW-II heritage.
That article stresses the volatility of a collectible (making a too rare one difficult to sell, as you have to find the one who "needs" it).
You have two nice pices in a somewhat higher class and can easily notice a trend towards one.

Since you have two knives you could sell one and keep one as a compromise.
Which one depends on your preference and the offers you get.

Hope this helps
red mag
 
Sorry for your loss Justin. Prays for you and your family always.

With the knives, its tough to tell. Rare sebenzas will pretty much always command a premium. Rare damascus blades or discontinued damascus blades will always hold their value or appreciate in value. UG on the other hand, are more of what someone else likes that makes them jump on it. I have seen UG that I loved and wanted very badly, while others I did not care for at all. In this case, if someone wants that design, they may be willing to pay more for it, while if someone does not like it, they would either not buy it or offer as much. I have bought CRK that I lost $$ on and I have bought CRK that I have made money on. Money made usually went to buying even more of them, so it was always a bonus. Plus, market trends matters too. One week, the much sought after One Piece Knives will go for cost, the next week double the cost, the next week, triple the cost and more.
 
I am sorry to hear of your loss. You and your wife are in the midst of the refiner's fire. Although I have not experienced this type of loss, recent years have brought trials that I never would have imagined. 2 years ago my wife - my reason for living - died. It was over a year before I began to reengage life again. All I can say is that although things will never be the same, time does soften the trial.

These trials make you analyze what is really important, and as you have found, it is not in material things. There is a balance between that and enjoyment in life. If having these knives brings you enjoyment, there is something good to be said for that. Only you can decide on that balance. At this point it may not be a matter of what they are worth, or may be worth in the future, but rather how much you like having them.

I have been looking at what I have and will pare things down. I initially thought I would sell some things off, but perhaps I will give some of them to my children, especially those with sentimental value. Maybe that is something you can save them for? Some I will never sell, nor give away, but my children will inherit them and they will be meaningful to them because of their provenance.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/1056816-A-Tale-of-Three-Laconicos

I wish you well on your healing journey. I have many things that helped me, that may perhaps be of help to you. Look at Kitchen Table Wisdom by Rachel Naomi Remen. Rachel Remen is a doctor who treated people with chronic and terminal illnesses - often cancer. She eventually started counseling these people and their families and surviving spouses. It is full of precious insights about life and living, revealed through the lens of great trials.
 
Thank you all for your kind words, and Don, I'm sorry to hear about your loss as well. I think it's something almost all of us will go through at some time, and I am so happy to still have my wife with me, I don't know what I would have done if I lost both my wife and our daughter. That link you provided is quite the story as well.

But back to the knives.

I really feel like I don't know the market very well, and perhaps I'm over concerned with taking on loss with them. I understand what you are all saying about the Spiro one being discontinued. I think my hesitation means I have not made up my mind by thinking logically but am responding emotionally. I probably wouldn't even consider the value if it was not for the tight financial situation at this time.

Red Mag I like your idea as well. I suppose I feel there is a little bit of extravagance since I have them, but don't use them as knives. It seems now that I am down to 4 folding knives, and I only use 1 of them. The 2 Damascus and the CGG Seagrass in small, an old one with no "Idaho made" stamp. Perhaps I will try and sell 1 and see how it goes.

Thanks again everyone. I really appreciate it.
 
You might take a small hit or you may make some money long term ... hard to tell ... but you said you love having them. The pleasure derived from that is worth it.
 
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So sorry man.

I am going through a similar decision tree right now. Thinning the herd, but mine are mostly production folders. Definitely keeping some just because I want to. My family can have them when I am gone.

I would say if you do not need the cash right now keep them - they are like money in the bank and you are obviously ambivalent enough about selling them to question the decision. You can probably sell them anytime, even at a loss if you need the money.
 
Thanks again everyone.

I've thought about it a lot, and holding the value of the knives in their current form does little other than give me something pretty to look at. When my wife found out she was pregnant, we had to get rid of her horse. After all has settled, she would like to get back into horses as she has always had one since she was young and it's something she really enjoys. So to keep the bills getting caught up, and get her back in the saddle, I've decided I'm going to sell them after all. I would even prefer to have a knife I can actually use to carry around :)

Thanks again everyone, I really appreciate your genuine input.
 
I am very sorry for your loss. My parents lost my baby sister to SIDS when she was 9 months old. I wouldn't worry about the knives, worry about each other. It sounds like you're grasping for some meaning in your hobby, you should be gripping your wife tighter. Support groups, family, church/synagogue/temple, whatever. It will help. My parents were like zombies for almost a year, and they were the only ones who could get each other through the pain. I wouldn't even worry about the knives right now. Your head will be clearer down the road. I wouldn't want to go through the hassle of wheeling and dealing right now. If they have to go now, to pay bills, then they of course have to go. But if you are just looking for some semblance of normalcy right now, I wouldn't go through knives or guns or watches or whatever. I would just hug your wife tighter and do what you need to do.

Again, I am sorry for your loss.
 
Thank you Dan, amazing how well you hit the nail RIGHT on the head there with almost everything you said.

My wife is American with Canadian dual citizenship, I'm Canadian. While in Florida visiting her Grandmother she had to go to the hospital. While we had health insurance for "Pre-existing" conditions, and they said we were covered when she was admitted, their clause later they used to deny our claim was that she visited a hospital within 90 days prior to her trip. Well of course she did. Nice work insurance company. So we got hit with a $31,000 bill for 5 days of monitoring and testing. Nice.

To pay that off I sold all my watches, save for 1. The one she bought as a gift to celebrate the baby. That was our first and only child. I might sell the watch as well.

I only have 1 gun, so that can't go anywhere, and as a matter of fact, I would actually like to go take a class and shoot. Really all I have been doing is staying home and working since all this began. I would like to get back out to the range and her back to the Stables, but it takes money we don't have at the moment.

I don't want the hassle of wheeling and dealing you are right, which is why I took low offers on the knives I sold so far, just to get them gone and some cash in.

Items like watches, knives and guns used to be able to draw emotion from me. But these days, I for the most part couldn't care all that much.

I just feel how much emotion they do draw is not worth how much time their cost represents for something to simply look at.

So to that end, no more safe queens. If I can't use a knife, I don't need it. This is a need vs want issue.

I do want things to get back to normal and I know it will take a while for even the finances to get back to normal, but I want that more than I want $2000 worth of knives in my closet.

We are definitely stronger together after this, for sure. I totally understand your zombie comment as well. The day we buried her, I dug the hole myself (cheaper), and placed her in it with help from a gracious worker at the cemetery. It was pouring rain like crazy. The ground got super muddy. My wife was so upset she could only stand there and watch. I somehow managed to keep a pretty straight face for most of it and try to keep her as comfortable as possible. We got pregnant right after we got married, and I never got to take her on a honeymoon. She gave up her horse and everything, so I want to be able to do something for her.
 
My God, this too tough to read.

Smoke and prayers from a brother to the north.
 
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