Tips on acquiring hard to find knives

[Range Splitter]

I’ve had the best luck with dealers who don’t directly sell knives through a web site. Working manufactures’ dealer lists and making phone calls has worked well for me.

 

[Weasipoint]

The forums is usually where I go, mainly this one but there's more out there. Posting what you're looking for helps alot so you don't have to just wait for someone to post it, and then you might miss it. Also being on the alert list with different web stores, so when they have what you want you get an email or text right away, have to be fast though for the blades everyone is looking for

 

[sgt1372]

Found almost all of the 330+ knives in my collection (many which are/were very "hard to find") online. Can only recall 3 that weren't purchased online; 2 at gun shows and 1 from a local store front dealer.

My "tip"" is to be clear about what you're looking for and to search constantly (daily if possible) for those things BUT not to overlook the "good fortune" of stumbling on something that you may not have been searching for specifically.

 

[not2sharp]

Be patient, don't fixate, and focus on the knives being offered. If you spend all of your energy hunting a singular rare item, you are going to deny yourself a lot of equally excellent knives, and many of those may never cross paths with you again. The funny thing is that you are more likely to find your grail knife that way; it might be sitting on the table next to you, that you just ran by and skipped. Collecting is about sifting through large volumes of junk in search of a rare gem that may turn up anywhere at any time. It is a bit like panning for gold.


n2s

 

[P.C.E.]

Be patient, don't fixate, and focus on the knives being offered. If you spend all of your energy hunting a singular rare item, you are going to deny yourself a lot of equally excellent knives, and many of those may never cross paths with you again. The funny thing is that you are more likely to find your grail knife that way; it might be sitting on the table next to you, that you just ran by and skipped. Collecting is about sifting through large volumes of junk in search of a rare gem that may turn up anywhere at any time. It is a bit like panning for gold.


n2s

Agreed on all counts. The Koenig Arius was the knife that really got me into looking at $500+ folders. I eventually got one from DLT, had it for a while but ended up passing it on. Along the way I found plenty that I liked more for various reasons and still own at all price points.

 

[jlydon]

I thought the key was paying far too much or at least more than the other guy is willing to pay?