Thoughts on engraving valuable knives?

STGS said:
I don’t want to derail the thread but who did your Sebenza? Who would you recommend to do a PJ Sebenza in the US?
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WValtakis is correct Jake Newell engraved my Sebenza for me. But, unfortunately, Jake is not engraving knives anymore (so he told me). He has moved on to engraving other works of art.
 
If someone becomes really famous and the engraving further accentuates the connection between the knife and the famous owner then the engraving will be increasing the value.
 
If it adds to your enjoyment of the knife, then go with it. Personally, I like doing a little something to my knives to "make them mine", as they say. It probably hurts the resale value, but I also enjoy disassembling and sharpening my knives. I once heard an older gentleman say that he never wanted a gun he was afraid to shoot or a bottle of whiskey he was afraid to drink (because of the value). I feel the same way.
 
I use to offer engraving as an option on my knives. I didn't do it, my friend Mike (Tapadero) Vatalero did. Tap as we call him is a noted bit and spur maker and engraves in a western style, which I think is called Western Bright Cut which is the same as he adorns his bits and spurs:

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One of his bridle bits:

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Thanks for all the replies. Some of y'all have some really nice and intricate engravings. I didn't even know people did image engravings. I was just thinking of basic print laser engraving.
 
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I am mostly a Randall collector. When you have a knife engraved by certain engravers that are respected in the Randall collector world it can absolutely add value. For example David Perdue who also used to engrave for Randall in the past. But it will lower the value when the engraver is less known or not as talented. A text is personal on a knife so it will lower value.
 
Here's an engraving horror story. I had a terrific stag handled folder by a well known maker, wanted it engraved. I was talking to another maker and he suggested a lady that he knew, told me she was doing great work. I wanted Acorns and Oak Leaves. Well, the knife came back and it was terrible, plus she held it ransom for more money. I sent it to the maker to be tuned and he agreed it was terrible. I consigned it in a high end shop and damned if it didn't sell for good money, I was very lucky. Lesson learned never sent another knife to an engraver I didn't know and trust.
 
Win Heger said:
Here's an engraving horror story. I had a terrific stag handled folder by a well known maker, wanted it engraved. I was talking to another maker and he suggested a lady that he knew, told me she was doing great work. I wanted Acorns and Oak Leaves. Well, the knife came back and it was terrible, plus she held it ransom for more money. I sent it to the maker to be tuned and he agreed it was terrible. I consigned it in a high end shop and damned if it didn't sell for good money, I was very lucky. Lesson learned never sent another knife to an engraver I didn't know and trust.
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You are not alone in your experience.

In 1989 I was at the Swiss Knife Show in Zurich. I was shown a beautiful Ron Lake stag inter-frame folder which had been engraved by one of the famous Italian gun engravers. The knife had not been correctly shimmed and set-up during the engraving process and the pivot had been peened and tightened to the point that opening and closing the knife was all but impossible. The knife was sent back to Ron to see if anything could be done but unfortunately there was nothing he could do. Essentially it was destroyed.

I prefer to only have folders engraved that can be completely disassembled. That way only the essential parts are sent to the engraver and no change happens to the mechanism.
 
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