Spa Treatment Pros & Cons?

Personal opinion, spa treatment devalues a knife.

In most collecting circles a refurbished-refinished product is not the same as original, and has quite an impact on the collectablity of the item
 
sn0wman72 said:
Personal opinion, spa treatment devalues a knife.

In most collecting circles a refurbished-refinished product is not the same as original, and has quite an impact on the collectablity of the item
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I understand that logic, but was more interested in hearing opinions on sending non-collectibles for spa treatment. So far, it's leaning toward "let it be and adjust the price accordingly".
 
sn0wman72 said:
Personal opinion, spa treatment devalues a knife.

In most collecting circles a refurbished-refinished product is not the same as original, and has quite an impact on the collectablity of the item
Click to expand...
But, a used knife is a used knife - and with some knife collectors, that's a deal breaker in the first place. Once it is no longer "new" it wouldn't seem to matter if the maker resharpened it or whatever. I'd certainly prefer that over getting a dull, dinged up custom - someone else's use of the knife does not give it character or collectibility for me. I personally have no issues if a knife is given spa treatment by the maker. Someone else doing it would be a different story.

But I am not a strict "collector" and just prefer to buy my knives new, or as close to new as possible. If the knife has been used and sent to the spa this gets it back around the "new" ballpark, although it is not new.

YMWV - and I know for certain makers/knives, especially those who have passed away, getting them spa'ed by someone completely alters the collectible dynamic. (Like, you probably would not send an actual Loveless knife to someone to "refurb", even if it had been used)

I recently bought a Starbenza 25 here that got spa treatment - handles and blade were perfect. The only thing they did not "spa" was the pocket clip, for obvious reasons. If it had been "user" looking I would have passed.
 
The general concensous has been that it’s better not to have the spar treatment as far as value is concerned. I’m curious now about the knife I’ve sent in to get the handle repolished and cleaned up. This is the actual knife.....





Be interested in everyone’s thought on an actual example.
 
nickpp said:
The general concensous has been that it’s better not to have the spar treatment as far as value is concerned.
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I think that's the consensus if it is in fact a collectible or vintage knife. For example, a Garage Era Emerson CQC-6 that is not zero ground, has a buff line, has old hardware, snail trails, a nick in the blade, etc. may very well be more collectible as is to a vintage Emerson collector. To me, not so much. Same applies to a Loveless, or Bob Lum, or Bill Moran (i think I am making my point) - knifemakers who are no longer with us, and whose knives command prices well above even many of the best current custom makers. But someones user Sebenza that they get freshened up (since it's free) before selling seems very reasonable.

The knife you show in your photos may fall into the collectible "as is" category (I don't know, so I use the word "may"). And a new owner could decide for themselves. But again, it's a used "collectible" knife, and will never be new again, so darned if I don't understand why someone would not want CRK to clean it up.

I just think there are very different areas of the knife world where different rules apply.

I know I am much more likely to buy a "newer" knife that has been returned to it's former glory than one that has not been, especially when the price is gonna be relatively the same.
 
nickpp said:
The general concensous has been that it’s better not to have the spar treatment as far as value is concerned. I’m curious now about the knife I’ve sent in to get the handle repolished and cleaned up. This is the actual knife.....





Be interested in everyone’s thought on an actual example.
Click to expand...

It would be a non-issue with me for something like that. Personally, I would say that alot of collectors send items through to take them back to factory new (or as new as possible).
May also entail what was changed for me. Like new washers added but old kept..New blade ie. BG-42 to S30V. That kind of thing
 
nyefmaker said:
As for rare collector pieces, a spa will reduce value as that rare piece is worth more in original condition, even if it’s a couple scuffs.
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I agree. An older BG-42 (with a full belly) is worth more even if the Ti is scuffed up. A spa treated BG-42 is worth less . But some people will disagree.
 
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