The problem is the solution...

B

Bearded Grizzel

Joined
Feb 16, 2019
Messages
9
You guys are all just a bunch of enablers... With your pictures of pretty knives, and old knives, and pretty old knives... To a guy who's tooth is growing longer by the day and already has more than enough hobbies *read "chronic dabbeler"* you all have introduced me to a new obsession that not only eats up all of my free time, but I can do it without clearing all my spending with my wife... I have been hitting all of the pawnshop, and antique stores and buying far to many "second hand" folders and slipjoints at far below reasonable prices... But we have to keep it a secret (except between us right;)) what gems have you found, and where did you get them? Do you want to share your tricks? I will be uploading pics as soon as I can get the nicotine and dust off of the covers ( and I hope you will too), but this has been more fun to me than any hobby I have had in recent memory. And its all because of you guys, hopefully the next guy looking for "a traditional folder" has plenty of pretty pictures of pretty old knive that piques his/her interest to venture into second hand stores in search their dream "scout knives" or "saddle horn stockman"... My wife wont thank you now, but my boys will surely thank you later.:)
 
I share your thoughts on this. Had not thought about pawn shops and antique stores, I've just been looking online. Oh well, the new method of hunting begins, I'm off to the shops today!
 
kamagong said:
Tsk, tsk...that's like asking a fisherman for the location of his secret fishing holes.
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I would never do such a thing...;). I just mentioned the pawn shop idea for one simple reason... People dont know what they have, and the shop usually doesn't care. A pawn shop doesn't see that it is an early 80's usa made schrade 8OT. They see the fact that they gave a customer 5 dollars for it, and they are asking $10... (And you walk out the door with it for $8...) It's funny how well cash talks...
 
Bearded Grizzel said:
I just mentioned the pawn shop idea for one simple reason... People dont know what they have, and the shop usually doesn't care.
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I don't agree, in this day and age, the internet rules! Location can and will make a difference.
I'm not far from a big city and every shop I go into has a computer and use the big auction site as a price setter.
Glad you are getting deals...show us what you got!
 
pjsjr said:
I don't agree, in this day and age, the internet rules! Location can and will make a difference.
I'm not far from a big city and every shop I go into has a computer and use the big auction site as a price setter.
Glad you are getting deals...show us what you got!
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I most certainly will, and yes the internet does rule... That being said, I live in north Idaho and we are surrounded to the north and south by reservations and in those areas that are a little more remote, money (and the times) move slow. I went out today and found a 330t (standard saw cut old timer, with well kept smokey grey carbon blades) and took it home for a 5 spot. Yes at most of my local pawn shops everything is priced off of the web, but slip joints are pretty low on their priority level as to revenue... and a "big" name will have a higher price tag..." Same place that I got the jack at had a fairly late model medium buck cadet for $40, and we can all be honest saying that's a bit north especially for a used one. " so I humbly played 5 American dollars for a knife that may have only cost twice that new, and has a new home in my pocket. Now if the weather would just cooperate, I could hit a yard sale or two...I'm in desperate need of an axe head to reshape for a bushcraft project... Happy hunting y'all.
 
Certainly the internet is the easiest place to find them. But in my opinion, the most fun way to find knives is at the knife shows around the country, where you can look through 10,000+ knives in 1 afternoon, and hold every one if you wanted to. You meet a lot of interesting folks, and you see things you never knew existed.

Knife Shows aren't well publicized, which is a shame. But if you can find one within a 2-3 hour drive, it is worth the time. I'm not sure where you live, but Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia are all full of shows throughout the year.
 
We need a sticky thread in the traditional forum to post upcoming shows. As you said most aren't well publicized.

Rookie82 said:
Certainly the internet is the easiest place to find them. But in my opinion, the most fun way to find knives is at the knife shows around the country, where you can look through 10,000+ knives in 1 afternoon, and hold every one if you wanted to. You meet a lot of interesting folks, and you see things you never knew existed.

Knife Shows aren't well publicized, which is a shame. But if you can find one within a 2-3 hour drive, it is worth the time. I'm not sure where you live, but Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia are all full of shows throughout the year.
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I got a large Case jack at an estate sale for $2.50. Nobody wanted it because one of the handles was broken, but it was an easy fix with epoxy and chalk.
I got a Vic SAK as big as my fist at another estate sale for $5. There were two or three guys looking in the case, but nobody can have looked past the price tag: $5? must be Chinese.
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Nobody has time to look up completed e-sales on everything.
 
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Bearded Grizzel said:
I most certainly will, and yes the internet does rule... That being said, I live in north Idaho and we are surrounded to the north and south by reservations and in those areas that are a little more remote, money (and the times) move slow. I went out today and found a 330t (standard saw cut old timer, with well kept smokey grey carbon blades) and took it home for a 5 spot. Yes at most of my local pawn shops everything is priced off of the web, but slip joints are pretty low on their priority level as to revenue... and a "big" name will have a higher price tag..." Same place that I got the jack at had a fairly late model medium buck cadet for $40, and we can all be honest saying that's a bit north especially for a used one. " so I humbly played 5 American dollars for a knife that may have only cost twice that new, and has a new home in my pocket. Now if the weather would just cooperate, I could hit a yard sale or two...I'm in desperate need of an axe head to reshape for a bushcraft project... Happy hunting y'all.
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Welcome! I'm in Eastern WA and for the past couple years, the wife and I will jump in our rig and spend a summer's day meandering around the panhandle hitting little trinket shops. Lots of cool places to be found for sure. :)
 
I love pawn shops. There are three that I haunt weekly, and a dozen or so that get my attention whenever I get a free Saturday afternoon.

The secrets to working a pawn shop take a little perseverance. Show up regularly, spend some money, and be nice. The asking price is usually firm at first, but the longer an item sits around, the more willing they are to deal. Remember, it's their stuff, and they've got to make a buck. Sometimes they've priced an item wrong, best to just let them keep it, arguing won't help your cause.

Do it right, though, and you've got an ally. There are a few shops where they see me walking in and they bring out things that have just come off hold or that they've set back for me. I love that.
 
dsutton24 said:
Do it right, though, and you've got an ally. There are a few shops where they see me walking in and they bring out things that have just come off hold or that they've set back for me. I love that.
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I totally agree, a couple of "my" pawn shops and 1 antique guy will usually knock off a fair bit because I buy regularly. Also I quite often buy a couple knives or 3, and they like repeat business so they'll do a "group deal". It helps a bunch to chat a bit, if you talk a bit and visit regularly your not "just another face" you've planted a bit of a familiarity seed in their mind.
 
Before joining BF's I had a Buck 110, a Case sodbuster Jr, and a Victorinox classic.
I carried the latter two a for a while but always paired either with a modern folder and would always revert back to just that modern one handed Buck 482.
Now about 3 years later I've got over 20 traditional folders the last time I checked, and am on the hunt for another.

I find more joy in traditionals and that makes me generally happier, that is except when this forum has me wanting another knife.
 
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Misplaced Hillbilly said:
Pawn shop and antique shops probably account for 90% of mine, here's pics,because why not:)
Antique shop finds
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before recovering
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after;)
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Absolutely fantastic man, those are some gems for sure! And I 100% agree with you about chatting up establishment's that you frequent. Sometimes they will even "keep an eye out for you" once they know what your looking for. I have also found (mostly in searching out firearms) that helping provide information in these places goes a long way too. If your looking at a case full of knives and can help the person behind the counter have a better understanding of what your looking at, they tend to remember ya. And in turn they can better explain it to the next fella who might have a question. Like you said, the hunt is alot of fun, and even being able to share a little info can make a trip to you local haunts pretty entertaining. Now I'm wishing that my local shops were open on Sunday so I could go picking around!
 
Eli Chaps said:
Welcome! I'm in Eastern WA and for the past couple years, the wife and I will jump in our rig and spend a summer's day meandering around the panhandle hitting little trinket shops. Lots of cool places to be found for sure. :)
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Since tour close, and its impossible to be in all places at once... St. Maries has a ton of stuff to find, pretty much anything south of Worley on 95 tends to have some "treasures" to offer. And a fella can only buy so much at once, you will have to give it a look next time your in the area. It wasent until recently that I started taking interest in slippies and traditional, I hate to think of how many I looked right past while looking for other stuff.:confused:
 
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