When you buy a higher end collectible knife what are your selection criteria?

[monkapotamus]

Please forgive my newbie ignorance about collecting, but I am curious about how other people approach collecting of higher end stuff. In looking at some of the links on this forum lots of knife makers let you buy directly from their web site sale portals and there are lot of gorgeous blades like this one available. Obviously a knife has to speak to you aesthetically, especially if you are going to be dropping several hundreds (or more) of your hard earned dollars on it, however, beyond the tangible beauty of a blade how do you approach what you choose what to collect?

Before you start pulling out your credit card or laying down C notes what elements do you consider ie beauty, functionality, maker reputation, scarcity, future value as a collectible, ability to flip it without getting burned financially if you get bored with it etc.? Where does your decision process begin and end in these decisions?

 

[The Aflac Duck]

Fit and finish, selection of materials, reputation, customer service, original designs, overall design, ergonomics, clip design, blade length, blade to handle ratio, blade shape, blade grind, drop/tanto/spanto/etc, blade thickness, handle thickness, jimping and its locations, warranty, country of origin... There's probably more I'm not thinking of right now.

I pretty much take everything into factor when buying a knife.

 

[monkapotamus]

Interesting ... I had not considered "originality", but in thinking about it that would be a big criteria if you had a lot of experience with knives and wanted to experience something novel and new re the knife creator's vision.

 

[not2sharp]

Please forgive my newbie ignorance about collecting, but I am curious about how other people approach collecting of higher end stuff. ....

Before you start pulling out your credit card or laying down C notes what elements do you consider ie beauty, functionality, maker reputation, future value as a collectible, ability to flip it without getting burned financially if you get bored with it. Where does your decision process begin and end in these decisions?

The decision process begins and ends with "buy what you like," because you may be stuck with it. Makers come and go. Many popular makers become unpopular and some great makers become nearly entirely unknown. There is never a guarantee that you can simply flip the knife if you grow tierd of it. It all comes down to what is currently being marketed. That is what most people want and unless the guy who made your knife is on the forefront of that, it will be harder to sell. Also, when you buy a currently made high end knife you pay a premium for its new condition, any marks that you add to the knife will greatly detract from the selling price.

n2s

 

[addylo]

I don't collect for the purpose of reselling so my criteria are easy. I simply have to like it and the price has to be what I consider reasonable for the design, materials used, and maker's name. Although I have to admit the maker's reputation does play an important part. There are one or two makers (I'm not going to disclose which) that I refuse to buy from for one reason or another but that's just me.

 

[marcinek]

addylo and not2sharp nailed it.

I collect what I like and can afford.

Collecting knives for any other reasons makes zero sense to me, but to each his own.