Scott, welcome to our hobby, it's a hoot to say the least!
In an attempt to answer your question, I'll direct you to a recent thread where this was covered...
http://www.knifeforums.com/ubbthrea...=236434&page=1&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1
In that thread, I stated, (and paraphrasing myself here now...lol)
"A few years back, I did a somewhat less than empirical study, and what I came up with was; as it pertains to RMK prices...
RMK 'factory direct', catalog cost +0% and shipping (and that long 3 year wait)
Authorized RMK dealers, on average, catalog cost +10% and shipping (and a shorter, 18 month wait)
Online knife forum type sales, catalog cost +15% and shipping (and a very short wait)
Ebay on average, catalog cost +20% and shipping (and the shortest wait)
Gun/knife shows, catalog cost +35%, no shipping (and no wait)
Shipping costs being the wild card here, on average $5 to $15 dollars, or an additional 2 to 5% of total cost..."
I called this markup the 'expediency tax' at the time...
Other options are luck, or just being in the 'right place at the right time'. Such examples are stumbling across a RMK at a yard/estate sale, or a public auction. Time is money as they say, but I just don't see the time consuming effort here to be worth the potential payoff.
And another 'lucky' method is by watching the 'Items, newly listed' Randall ads on ebay that feature a 'buy it now' price. The key here is doing your homework, and knowing your knives from a 'fair market value' BEFORE you bid.
email for more info if necessary.
Hope that helps,
Sheldon Wickersham
aka 'Mel',
a fellow 'Randall Made' knife collector
