What would you do if you stumbled upon a Scagel....

navihawk

navihawk

Joined
Feb 21, 2006
Messages
4,677
At some flea market or barn sale for cheap money.
Thats the way I think it would go down. Adrenalin pumping, al the rest that goes with finding a "find". I think the first thing I'de do is post it up here.
Just dreaming. it's past my bedtime. I'de have that look Schatner has in that Twilight Zone episode.
 
I couldn't rip off someone like that, now I've made deals and trades with people thought they knew what they had when they didn't, a few times I got taken in deals but I won't take advantage of someone who doesn't know better.

That said, I'd spend the first two days fondelin' and photographin' the knife, then I'd make sure it was what I thought it was, finally I'd share with you guys.
 
Many years ago I read a little article in Sports Afield Magazine about Parker shotguns. They were "THE" premier American-made gun at one time, and came in many grades. The top grade was the A-1 Special, and only 2 or 3 were known to be made. Well, it seems some enterprising fellow had a little money, and he bought a modest cottage-type home in an old neighborhood of a small town somewhere to rent out for some side-income. This was in the late 1950's or early 1960's, I think, so he probably paid between $2500 and $5000 for it. He wandered through it at some point, and found a gun leaning in a closet, with the original little green paper tag hanging on the trigger guard by white cotton string, and unfired. Turned out to be you-know-what, and in about 1963 it was worth a cool quarter million.:eek:
 
If I found a Scagel, the first thing I would do when I got home would be to put on a fresh pair of underwear!
 
T.Erdelyi said:
couldn't rip off someone like that, now I've made deals and trades with people thought they knew what they had when they didn't, a few times I got taken in deals but I won't take advantage of someone who doesn't know better.
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I can tell a scoundrel from a decent human any day. I don't feel any pain taking from the same people that take from someone else the same way., and theres plenty in my area.
 
If I found a Scagel, I would just assume it was a fake because I wouldn't know the difference...
 
I remember reading an article in Blade about this exact same "what if." There was this guy who was a frequent visitor to flea markets and yard sales. He bought an old knife for $5. It turned out that he had a genuine Scagel. He didn't know what it was, but when he posted it on Ebay quite a few Scagel collectors noticed and the knife sold for several thousand dollars.

When the original owner found out about the windfall he wasn't bitter at all, IIRC he said "good for him."
 
T. Erdelyi said:
I couldn't rip off someone like that, now I've made deals and trades with people thought they knew what they had when they didn't, a few times I got taken in deals but I won't take advantage of someone who doesn't know better.
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I wouldn't tip a seller that he's under valuing himself until the deal is done, unless I was asked for an opinion. There's always time for generosity later.

I have made a few very minor scores on knives, but have learned lessons from other collectibles.

I was attracted for an unknown reason to a little pitcher at an antique show, and not able to decide why, didn't immediately buy it. I returned before leaving the show and the seller had raised the price. I bought it for $25, and when I got home, the subliminal knowledge kicked in.

The expert who confirmed my purchase, valued it at 20x what I paid, and said "if you can afford it, always go with your gut."

Fran
 

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My luck,it ain't happening.
But if it did,I'd buy it & make sure it was the real deal,before I showed it,as such
I do not feel,that you would be ripping someone off & my reasoning on this,is...
After watching "Antiques Road Show",I'm certain,I've smashed,at the local land fill (dump),quite a few expensive "pieces",that I ,at the time (doing clients clean - outs),for one reason or another,I thought was trash :o
So this Scagel "event" ,would be evening me up
Just me
-Vince
 
Ah the old "what if.." daydream! Well we all have them don't we? :)

Ok I'll play. First of all it would be utterly unlikely that a Scagel knife would be found at my location.. well, theoretically maybe. Second, I don't think I'd even recognise one! Third, likely reaction if I saw the mark and stamp would just be "Yeah right. Uh-huh. As if."

But if it were a nice knife and available for a tenner, sure I'd buy it. But even if it were real I'd never know or believe it so it would probably get sharpened and used. And then everybody on BRL's forum would die of shock if I ever posted it and told them what I've done. :D
 
I have the same philosophy that I believe Fran articulated.....

If I see a rare vaulable knife at an antique shop or a flea market and I ask the price and I am quoted a price...I will pay it even if the quoted price is way less than the item is worth. Not ripping anyone off IMO since we are both adults and the other party has the choice of researching the item prior to selling it...or the choice of asking me what it is worth.

Which leads me to the alternate scenario...I see a rare valuable knife and the seller chooses to ask me about the knife and the value of it, I will not lie I will tell the dealer what it is worth. I will still try to buy it for a lowball price, however, but I will be truthful about the rarity and the value.

On ebay within the past year, someone put up a magnificent Scagel fixed blade that was found at a barn sale for about ten bucks and the buyer of the knife when they listed it on ebay had no idea what it was. A flurry of questions and "buy it now" requests ensued and the auction ended in the range of $10 to $15 K.

Just last night I was watching a rare Case Brothers knife on ebay...it was the Case Brothers equivalent of a Case 5735 jumbo stockman. I was prepared to go up to 500 but the knife ended at almost 1200. The seller said that it was found in a barn cleanout in New Jersey.
 
I probably would not even recognize the Scagel knife anything special, just a pretty knife and I'd buy it happy and put it work blissfully ignorant...
 
Actually, this did happen guys. We saw someone selling an orginal Scagel on Ebay but didn't know it. There was a huge discussion on BRL forum about it. I don't remember what happened but that knife was worth about twenty grand.

God Bless
 
I've stared at enough pictures in that little book that was about him. Real or fake I know the stamp. I have a funny feeling anyone on this forum held it in his/her hands, they would know, or at least feel it.
I bought a Samual Barlow knife off a dealer for 3 dollars. It looked crude until I wiped the blade and saw a Barlow stamp with a scimitar and touch mark. I knew it was real. I traded it for a custom and kick myself every time I think of it.


I too would have it appraised or authenticated.It would only add value.
They're out there. I just know it.
 
Hmm. Take a couple pics and post here braggin' on the good find, do a review for my site, then trade it here for something else I like more-- I'm simply not a fan of the scagel look at all, nor am i a collector, but it'd be nice to handle one.

G.
 
Mr. Robert Wilson gets carted off on a stretcher...that's pretty much what would happen to me if I found a dang Scagel. :D

[youtube]bhk4HcxhZQM[/youtube]
 
KnifeHead said:
Mr. Robert Wilson gets carted off on a stretcher...that's pretty much what would happen to me if I found a dang Scagel. :D

[youtube]bhk4HcxhZQM[/youtube]
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Another Twilight Zone fan:thumbup: Most people know the face, but not the picture or scene.
 
I'd buy the thing, have it appraised, and sell it. You can buy a nice car with what Scagel's are going for these days. I have plenty of nice knives already, a $20,000+ knife would be wasted on me.
 
If it was a Scagel slip joint folder I would do back flips. If it was a Scagel fixed blade, I would probably just toss it in my tool box. ;)
 
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