What to do with older passaround knives?

DaveH

DaveH

Joined
Dec 2, 1999
Messages
12,249
OK, I need your help to get a sense of what do about passaround knives that remain functional, but are not new, and may have little remaining interest in more passarounds.

Here is a concrete example. The spyderco Temperance was supplied last year by Spyderco for passaround. It has gone out on 3 passarounds and is now back. The last couple of times I had to work hard to get a list of people interested.

The rescue is out on it's second passaround and I only had 2 people interested this last time.

First a question, how do we determine a passaround knife has lost enough interest to take it "out of circulation" or otherwise change passaround stategy for that knife?

I have a couple of ideas and would like further suggestions about what to do once we've determind interest has declined:

1) Combine several older passarounds together to create a passaround package that has a larger combined interest and people would then sign up.

2) Raffle off the knife to interested by some manner yet to be determined.

3) Sell the passaround knife (for a reduced price of course) and attempt to reinvest any funds generated in buying or creating additional passaround materials?

4) ???
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I've suggeseted this before, since this is probably the most popular forum, the knives develope a historical value, at least to me.

I'd gladly do the research for these Dave, what I mean is pull up the original passaround and review threads and print them out with the list of participants, put these together with the appropriate knife and raffle them off, with the funds going to defray the cost of another knife. I know I personally cherish the Spyderco/Centofante I got from you that was used in a passaround, to me it's a piece of knife community history, and kinda links me to the people that were involved.

A private Ebay auction might work if written up correctly.
 
For selling I was thinking about just doing it right here on the forums.

As far as raffleing I was thinking of a no cost raffle, but charging a small fee for those interested is probably a better idea.

I'm not so sure we should work from previous particpant lists, I hate to see Spyderpunk win a knife for example, or someone that wasn't even interested in it anymore.
 
I would vote #2 or #3, with one possible caveat. Might suggest contacting the manufacturer first, and see if THEY might like to getback the knife with a printout of our reviews. Certain makers/manufacturers might like this to get more feedback on their product, and have the knife in hand(so if there were negative reviews about something, they could see if that knife was just a lemon that slipped through, or if it was a real problem with the design that should be addressed). This would mainly apply to knives supplied by the company, but might be of some use for all of them.

Just something that came to me. I know in another thread on custom makers repairing knives, one maker was mentioned as being happy to get an old one back to repair so that he could see how the design/worksmanship held up, etc.
 
Well, I do know that for Spyderco supplied knives, I send a regular update back to spyderco, and they actively watch for and look at/print out reviews.

I also believe I'm correct that Spyderco supplied knives intending that they not need be returned. (excepting some problem for example that they might want to look at)
 
A raffle or a sale sounds good. Almost all of the knives I buy are used. There's no way I could afford to own the knives I do, and have, if I bought them all new, no way at all.
 
I think that we should sell the knife off and reinvest the cash into a new pass around knife. I dunno if there would be enough interest in a paid raffle for it to be worth it. Another thing we can do is go over the passaround participants and their reviews and only put the people who had at least a decent review and positive attitude towards the passaround in the raffle
 
I would also vote for selling it and using the money for other passarounds. I am just starting to really get in on the passaround scene, but I like it so far. The knife does get some pretty good use, but it would also make someone a really good "beater" at worst or just a great buy at best. I really think it's cool that spyderco donates knives for passarounds. They get good feedback on likes and dislikes and possibly can generate some sales and we get to handle and try out a knife for a few days for the price of shipping. Pretty good all the way around.:D
 
personally, I'd recommend against ebay - it's a buyers market for knives right now which means you won't get what you want for it (unless it's high end).

If you are going to give/raffle the knife away then it should be "sponsored" by the manufacturer/maker - since it is essentially acting as a sales device.

I don't think that just being handled by a dozen or so people increases the value of the knife - so any sale would be at a loss.


I avoided these two issues by passing around my own knife and having people do stuff to it. One guy etched it, a few sharpened it/cleaned it, and the last one is grinding a new convex edge. This one will definitely come back with increased value - but only for me. ;)


In your position, Dave, I would think the best idea would be to get full sponsorship ending in a raffle that's open to anybody (since not everybody that signs up for a passaround will end up liking the knife). It's an easy sell to the manufacturer/maker.

Dan
 
Don't know what to do with the knives? :rolleyes: Send them to me, of course, I promise I'll provide them a good shelter, with quality grit stones and Militec :p
 
ending in a raffle that's open to anybody
Click to expand...

That's a good idea too.

What I wish though is there is someway to make this self substaining, perhaps it is not possible, since value is extracted rather than gained for each passaround.
 
I second the "No" of ebay, knives do not seem to sell well on ebay, unless one that is made in china! :)
 
Selling them in order to buy newer passarounds would be a good idea, and keep the passaround alive.
 
I want to see abuse tests after they have made the rounds! Should really show the workman ship of the knife... then offer them up on here for a bid or something? donate to keep the forums up with the money?

:confused:
 
Hey!!!!
I've got an idea.
At the beginning of a passaround, why not ask who would be interested in winning the knife in a raffle after the passaround was done.
Then, let those who are interested in getting in on the raffle pay a bit more.
Sounds pretty fair, doesn't it?
The only problem would be to determine actual pricing, but I don't do passarounds yet, so that's up to you.
Good Luck.
 
3) Sell the passaround knife (for a reduced price of course) and attempt to reinvest any funds generated in buying or creating additional passaround materials?

I like this option if it is to be sold on the forum...I bought the Grohman passaround, "reground" the blade and handle, and use it everyday, looks new!
 
Originally posted by Bruz
3) Sell the passaround knife (for a reduced price of course) and attempt to reinvest any funds generated in buying or creating additional passaround materials?

I like this option if it is to be sold on the forum...I bought the Grohman passaround, "reground" the blade and handle, and use it everyday, looks new!
Click to expand...

Got any pics of the reground knife I'd be interested to see what you did, I had similar Ideas for the knife.
 
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