Would you have your name engraved on a custom knife?

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Nyati

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Jan 15, 2007
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I'm having a knife made and am debating on whether or not to have my name engraved on it. I don't plan to ever sell it, but can't decide if I should do it or not. Ideas?
 
Sure, why not?
 
Nyati said:
I'm having a knife made and am debating on whether or not to have my name engraved on it. I don't plan to ever sell it, but can't decide if I should do it or not. Ideas?
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Sure....but first, will tattoo it on my forehead, backwards and reversed, so if I ever forget who I am, can look in the mirror:D

Seriously?....no!....it always seemed REALLY cheesy, unless you are going to use the living crap out of that thing, and give it to your grandkids when you are done....in that case...go make some memories!!

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
I realize that you have no intention of ever selling the knife, but that might change in the future.

Tell us about the knife. Who is the maker?
 
Personally, I wouldn't do it. Even though you have no plans to sell the knife now, in case you ever need to sell it, that engraving will devalue the knife. Besides, do you really need your name on that knife to know that it is yours?
 
I wouldn't either. I agree with STeven about seeming cheesy, and I would assume the knife might not hold the same value in the market if you changed your mind one day.
 
Nyati said:
I don't plan to ever sell it, but can't decide if I should do it or not. Ideas?
Click to expand...
There's the qualifier. No one plans to sell, initially. We want it. Why would we want to sell it?

And then years from now another opportunity presents itself, or a misfortune.

In any case if the knife needs to be sold, and with the name branded on it, it will be worth a smaller percentage of the value, then.

Don't do it.
 
Your plans might change, but the engraving won't. I wouldn't do it.

Roger
 
If I had to engrave it I would at the most just put my initials on it in a nice script which would provide sentiment to me. That way if I did decide to sell the knife later down the road it would be easier for the buyer to look past a set of initials as opposed to your entire name.
 
I wouldn't do it. Besides the "Never say 'never'!" aspect (if you ever have to sell the knife, regardless of planning such a sale) it really adds nothing to the knife.
 
Interestingly, I recall seeing a nice D. Kressler on eBay, with a beautiful ivory handle. The killer is that the handle had the initials of the previous owner tastefully carved on the knife. It didn't sell.

Apart from the value aspect, I think this is completely cheesy. I think monogrammed shirts are cheesy too, btw.
 
Well, there's your 'why nots':)

But if you're not big into collecting knives, and this is a one off special gift for yourself, then do what makes you happy, I say.

If you're a serious collector, like many of the guys in here, then you probably wouldn't have a desire to engrave your blade because- steel comes in, steel goes out...
I'm sure that lots of guys out there who only have one special knife which is hand made, probably wouldn't mind having their name or initials graved somewhere on their knife. Especially if it's being used.

STeven makes a good point about your knife being an heirloom thing or not. If it is, then your engraved initials may increase the value of the knife to those who matter most to you, even if the value is only sentimental.
 
I have only done it once, on a Randall (I know, not a true custom) that I deploy with to reduce theft and other reasons.

Also, it's one that I will pass down to the boys later in life.

Other than that, I wouldn't engrave a knife. Your likes change over time and I think it really reduces the value unless you become famous or infamous.
 
I had my place burgled once. I owned two Randalls at the time, one with my name engraved, one without. The thief left engraved one behind.
 
A few years ago, I purchased a nice stag handled Dozier from the original owner.
The Dozier shop had the owners name very tastefully stamped on the spine at the handle. The seller told me they do it that way so if the knife ever changed hands the new owner could send it in and have it removed.
Well, I sent it in and Bob or Dan removed it. Obviously some material had to be removed but to this day you can not tell it was ever there.
Oh, I think they did it free of charge as well as a free sharpening. :D
 
Not all names/initials devalue. I have a high English sidelock shotgun once owned by Ted Williams. It was built in the first decade of the 20th century, and had rusted-out barrels. Williams planned to have his old buddy and bone-fishing partner, stocker Bill McGuire, restock it. Ted lost interest in the project and gave it to McGuire, who eventually restocked it with a fantastic piece of French walnut and built a trunk case for it. This was the gun McGuire used to hunt grouse and pheasants on his annual trips to the British Isles. I talked him out of the gun almost 30 years ago. Both gun and case have McGuire's initials, which I cherish and adds value, at least to McGuire aficionados. Just think of the value added by the name of Ted Williams.

Many if not most custom guns have the owners name. That most custom knives do not I think reflects the much faster turnover rate for knives--why add a name on a knife likely to be sold at some point.

As a young man nearly 40 years ago I had Randall stamp my full name on two pieces I ordered. My son/grandson will appreciate that, but today I would not have it done. It's too narcissistic for me; possession for my brief stint on this earth is sufficient.

Ken
 
As to the grandkids thing, I had the same thought- but for my kids. I have two simple Burt Foster knives, one for each of my boys. I thought about putting my name on the, since I will be using them both until they are old enough to appreciate them. I also thought about maybe putting their name on it.

Then I remembered that I have a knife given to me by my grandfather. It does not have his name on it, or mine, and I don't think either would have made the knife worth more to me. What matters is that it was his knife. The exact kind of knife, and what is or isn't written on it, does not matter a bit.

I decided against it, and have not regretted it.
 
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