What are you seeing at the flea markets and do you leave any for other collectors?

[Clem Kadiddlehopper]

When looking at yard sales, I go up and ask if they have knives.
And more times then not, they pull knives out from under the table.....:thumbup:

 

[The Government]

I check my local newspaper every thursday for weekend garage sales and estate sales. I frequent local thrift stores and antique malls at least twice a month. I do this all year long, and I go to almost all the sales.

I can tell you, the BIG scores only happen once or twice a year, but you can find great users with full blades fairly often. You can not expect to go to a few garage sales and find 100 year old knives in mint condition (or any knives at all). You have to go to all of the sales, all the time, all year long.

If I told you guys some of my best scores, you would not believe it. Seriously ridiculous things have happened.

 

[daizee]

today:

 

[The Government]

Here is the trash/ treasure I picked up yesterday. There is nothing I would consider a huge score, but I thought it was all cool nonetheless and dirt cheap. (I have not oiled anything yet, but I will soon)

The knives:
The skinner with the stacked leather handle is an older Marbles. It needs some serious TLC due to pitting and rust, but it should be a fun fixer upper. The handle is still tight. There is no name on the scandi. The Cleaver stamp is tough to read, and needs to be cleaned up a bit. The big blade on the left was someone's DIY project. That little folder on the right has some kind of woodcarving blade/ gouge and is stamped NEW YORK KNIFE CO WALDEN on one side of the tang, and HAMMER on the other.

Here are some better pictures of the little wood carving pocketknife: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/527126-quot-Old-Knives-quot?p=14808225#post14808225

Now, among the other things, you guys tell me you would not buy an old pinned barrel smith and wesson revolver that blew up in a house fire for 5 bucks. Maybe someone could forge it into some smith and wesson damascus!

////////

Here are some old sharpening stones that I picked up over this last month (with the exception of the one on the top left. I have had that for about a year or so).

 

[r8shell]

Here are some old sharpening stones that I picked up over this last month (with the exception of the one on the top left. I have had that for about a year or so).

Nice finds, congrats! I found an old Carborundum stone like that last year, and it's my very favorite. Cuts fast, but leaves a fine edge. :thumbup:

Oh, and all the knives are cool, too.

And yes, I wouldn't resist that revolver for $5, either

 

[Jack Black]

Some nice treasure turning up here! :thumbup:

When looking at yard sales, I go up and ask if they have knives.
And more times then not, they pull knives out from under the table.....:thumbup:

Always a good tip I think :thumbup:

 

[fatcorgi]

there is a big flea market here once a year which stretches from my town in Germany, across the border to Switzerland. The german side never has any knives of worth, but the swiss side always has plenty of SAKs of every vintage. I find the swiss prices not particularly enticing though.

@The Government - I think the old cardboard boxes for those sharpening stones look really cool.

 

[Brian.Evans]

I have pretty much stopped accumulating and have given away every knife that doesn't have sentimental meaning. However I still look. The fun is in the hunt. Still looking for a demo knife in decent shape, or a harness jack. A knife has to really grab ahold of me for me to buy it these days.

 

[wazu013]

I picked up this :lemo: counterfeit Nehi knife for $2 this weekend. My wife will use it to open mail. At least now it's off the street :applause:

 

[clutchcarter]

today:

Here is the trash/ treasure I picked up yesterday. There is nothing I would consider a huge score, but I thought it was all cool nonetheless and dirt cheap. (I have not oiled anything yet, but I will soon)

The knives:
The skinner with the stacked leather handle is an older Marbles. It needs some serious TLC due to pitting and rust, but it should be a fun fixer upper. The handle is still tight. There is no name on the scandi. The Cleaver stamp is tough to read, and needs to be cleaned up a bit. The big blade on the left was someone's DIY project. That little folder on the right has some kind of woodcarving blade/ gouge and is stamped NEW YORK KNIFE CO WALDEN on one side of the tang, and HAMMER on the other.

Here are some better pictures of the little wood carving pocketknife: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/527126-quot-Old-Knives-quot?p=14808225#post14808225

Now, among the other things, you guys tell me you would not buy an old pinned barrel smith and wesson revolver that blew up in a house fire for 5 bucks. Maybe someone could forge it into some smith and wesson damascus!

////////

Here are some old sharpening stones that I picked up over this last month (with the exception of the one on the top left. I have had that for about a year or so).

I picked up this :lemo: counterfeit Nehi knife for $2 this weekend. My wife will use it to open mail. At least now it's off the street :applause:

Nice finds everyone.

I found this mystery knife at a flea market. No nail nicks? Left handed opening blades? I couldn't figure it out.....must be something rare! I couldn't figure out how to open it, some kind of trick knife? So I bought it thinking it was something rare......turned out the blades had just been closed on the wrong sides of each other......silly me! Boy did I feel stupid! Still a decent knife for $5.00. BTW, it's a Kwik Kut brand knife.

 

[jackknife]

No, I'm not gonna say what I'd do to the idiot who left that nice old S&W model 10 to rust away. No, not gonna say...

 

[screened porch]

Oh, that gouge-bladed folder is a timber-scribing rase knife, by the way. (Rase is related to razor and rash, meaning originally to scrape or scratch, if I recall rightly.)

I managed to come out ahead at the Memorial Day Flea Market here. I sold two big knives, bought one small knife and a farriers' nippers, and made a $5 profit.

 

[The Government]

No, I'm not gonna say what I'd do to the idiot who left that nice old S&W model 10 to rust away. No, not gonna say...

Here is a little more of a detailed picture.

Based on the position of the fully-exploded case, and the damage to the revolver frame, something definitely went drastically wrong with this gun.

All of the cylinder chambers are loaded with empty cases, and the front housing for the cylinder has pieces of lead stuck to it. My guess is that it was probably loaded and went through a fire. The ammunition must have ignited in the fire, which is why all the cases are empty and why they have crept back out of the cylinder -and there is lead stuck to parts of the frame. Also, the grips are nonexistent, which could also be explained by fire.

The amount of rust could be explained by the gun having not been found in the ashes of the fire for a long time.

Considering that this gun might have shot itself six times, it really stands as a testament to the toughness of these old Smith and Wesson revolvers.


/////////


Here is a knife I picked up within the last month or two.

SCHRADE
WALDEN
N.Y.

And this one I bought at least a couple years ago. An old hand made Filipino knife if I am not mistaken. I ended up giving this to a friend of a friend from Hawaii who was born in the Philippines. It just seemed right for him to have it.

 

[george65]

good finds everybody!

I probably see about 3 times as many Pakistani and home shopping club fantasy knives than good quality knives...

but the good ones are out there.

 

[Old Engineer]

I found these two oldies last year for a total cost of $ 10


Harry

 

[Jack Black]

I found this mystery knife at a flea market. No nail nicks? Left handed opening blades? I couldn't figure it out.....must be something rare! I couldn't figure out how to open it, some kind of trick knife? So I bought it thinking it was something rare......turned out the blades had just been closed on the wrong sides of each other......silly me!

LOL! I come across quite a few like that :thumbup:

Based on the position of the fully-exploded case, and the damage to the revolver frame, something definitely went drastically wrong with this gun.

All of the cylinder chambers are loaded with empty cases, and the front housing for the cylinder has pieces of lead stuck to it. My guess is that it was probably loaded and went through a fire. The ammunition must have ignited in the fire, which is why all the cases are empty and why they have crept back out of the cylinder -and there is lead stuck to parts of the frame. Also, the grips are nonexistent, which could also be explained by fire.

Good theory :thumbup:

I found these two oldies last year for a total cost of $ 10

Always a pleasure to see those Harry :thumbup:

 

[sierra11b]

Picked up a few here and there at estate sales but that's about it. Kept a few Schrades and have gifted most the others.

Flea markets around these parts consist of the same chinese garbage found from booth to booth or professional antique salesmen who price accordingly.

As for saving knives for the next guy? Not a chance. I'd rather keep it for myself or pass it on here to someone who can respect, cherish, use, and care for it properly.

 

[Old Engineer]

Thank you Jack !!!!!! I never tire of them and I need more of them.


Harry

 

[jackknife]

Here is a little more of a detailed picture.

Based on the position of the fully-exploded case, and the damage to the revolver frame, something definitely went drastically wrong with this gun.

All of the cylinder chambers are loaded with empty cases, and the front housing for the cylinder has pieces of lead stuck to it. My guess is that it was probably loaded and went through a fire. The ammunition must have ignited in the fire, which is why all the cases are empty and why they have crept back out of the cylinder -and there is lead stuck to parts of the frame. Also, the grips are nonexistent, which could also be explained by fire.

The amount of rust could be explained by the gun having not been found in the ashes of the fire for a long time.

Considering that this gun might have shot itself six times, it really stands as a testament to the toughness of these old Smith and Wesson revolvers.


/////////

I see it's a pinned barrel. I'd love to know if the chambers are recessed as well, making it one from the days when Smith and Wesson made great guns instead of the thrown together stuff they shove out the door now. But with the heavy barrel, it's not THAT old. The thought of that nice old Smith slowly rusting away to oblivion makes me feel a bit ill. I think I'll go have a drink.